Danielle Fishel Says DWTS Dancing Caused ‘Disordered Eating’
Danielle Vissel candid about why she struggles with her Dancing with the stars performance for the upcoming Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night.
“We’re doing ‘Dream On’ by Aerosmith,” Fishel, 44, said during the Monday, Nov. 3 episode of her “Danielle with the starspodcast. “We tell the story of how difficult it can be to be a woman in a society where somehow we are always too much and never enough. No matter what choice you make, whether you work inside or outside the home, if you choose to work outside, you are selfish and your children need you and where is their mother, and if you work inside the house then you are boring and have no interests.
She continued: “And when you get Botox and fillers you don’t age gracefully, and when you age gracefully you look old and ugly. And if you’re too thin you’re told to eat a hamburger and if you gain weight you’re told to get off the couch. There’s no winning, and because I’ve been in the public eye and on TV since I was 10, I’ve been under a microscope and my choices have been scrutinized. I have terrible made mistakes. … And I resist it because it triggers so many things in me.”
As she spoke to her guest, former DWTS pr Louis van AmstelFishel explained that preparing for the performance has led to “a lot of negative self-talk,” “disordered eating,” and “all these things that are so personal.” She added that instead of “leaning in” the dance – which will be a contemporary routine with partner Pasha Pashkov – she has noticed that the unexpected reactions “make me not want to do it.”
“So it’s been a tough week,” she continued. “But I think the fact that I realized it woke me up and was like, so happy to be talking to you and for you to give me the advice that you gave me, because it really lands and resonates, but it’s also very clear that this strikes an emotional chord for me and there’s a reason for that and this dance actually means something.”
Van Amstel, who was a pro on the ABC series for 11 seasons, thanked Fishel for her candor and called it a “beautiful, heartfelt moment” for her. “Just having this conversation, this is why I like it so much or enjoy doing it Dancing with the stars,he said, telling her she has “nothing to lose” in week 8.
“You’ve made it this far,” Van Amstel explained. “You can take away the nerves and give up, or you can take away the nerves and keep going, use the adrenaline and say, ‘People at home, watch this.'”
Pashkov, meanwhile, showed support for his partner on the “Pod Meets World” Instagram clip of the episode, leaving us with a handful of clapping emojis before writing, “Here’s why this show is so transformative. Not easy, but when we get over the hump, it’s life-changing!”
Fishel’s husband, Jenson Karp, also sent his praise. “I love you and I am absolutely overwhelmed by your courage,” he wrote. “Leave it all on that floor.”
During the podcast, Van Amstel explained to Fishel that she’s “made it this far already,” so she can either take her “nerves and give up, or you take the nerves and turn on, use the adrenaline and say, ‘People at home, watch this.’
Fishel expressed her appreciation for Van Amstel’s words, noting that while she “struggled” this week, there were also highlights. She is one of two captains of the season 34 first team dance competition, an experience she said was “amazing.”
“If I say so myself, I picked an all-star team and it didn’t happen randomly. I had a complete strategy and my strategy paid off,” Fishel said of her group, which goes by the name “Team Chicago” and consists of Whitney Leavitt, Jordan Chiles, Dylan Efrontheir professional partners and cohost Alfonso Ribeiro. (“Team Chicago” will dance to Chicago’s “25 of 6 to 4,” while the opposing “Team Kool,” led by Andy Richter will perform on “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang.)
“I was very happy with my choices, but my choices were like I am by far the weakest, at least female, member of the team, which is never fun,” Fishel admitted. “To feel like, ‘Okay, everyone is picking this up really quickly and I really need this to slow down.'”
Van Amstel told the Boy meets world alum to “let it go,” saying she isn’t the “weakest link” but the person who “came in with the least experience.”
“The pressure is on them, not you,” he continued. “Everyone knows that you’ve grown by leaps and bounds from week 1 to now, and that you have the likability factor. And you have no problem with the character of the dance. No matter who’s on your team… the only thing you can control is your movements, being involved in the movements, listening to the music and doing your part.”
He also advised Fishel to stay off social media, saying putting too much emphasis on what people think will “mentalize” someone.
When Fishel asked him to give her “one” piece of advice after watching her dance, Van Amstel suggested she tear off “any layers that were left” of herself and reveal the “emotional self” that he thinks has been held back all season.
“We haven’t met, but you are a nice person. It resonates, you can see that on the screen. You are a nice person, the relationship you have with Pasha,” he noted. “But I would say, ‘F kind of.’ Go for it.”
Fishel and Pashkov received all A’s for their Halloween jazz routine during the October 28 episode, then advanced to Week 8 The Secret Lives of Mormon Women Jen Affleck and partner Jan Ravinik were sent home. She remains in the competition alongside Richter, Leavitt, Efron, Chiles, Robert Irwin, Eline Hendrix And Alex Earle.
Dancing with the stars airs Tuesdays on Disney+ and ABC at 8pm ET. Episodes will be available to stream on Hulu the next day.
