Joey Graziadei Lifts Us Up

October 15, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Joey Graziadei walked into the studio fresh off a tough night on Dancing with the Stars. He and his pro partner Riley had just performed what he felt was his best dance of the season—a samba he learned while sick, missing a day of practice to visit the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. He finished the routine feeling genuine joy, like a kid showing off a dance he and his cousins made in the basement. Then the judges' scores came in, and the mood cratered. "There's nothing worse when you feel good and you can tell from the judge's demeanor right away," Joey said. "I looked at the judge and I was like, oh no."

The Samba Trap and the Psychology of Underscoring

The conversation quickly turned into a masterclass in how to handle deflating feedback in a high-stakes performance environment. Connor, who has been through the Dancing with the Stars gauntlet himself, immediately recognized the pattern. The samba, he explained, is a notoriously punishing dance. "Samba is not a very common dance people do on the show because they know how hard it is to learn in a week. The pros are a lot of times afraid to teach samba." He recalled getting "ripped" for his own samba on his season, feeling the same excitement after the dance only to have it crushed by the judges. The key insight here is that the samba is a "harder-sell dance"—it demands technical precision that is nearly impossible for

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What you'll learn

1 (01:28) **Welcome and Name Banter** - The hosts introduce Joey Graziadei and immediately stumble over his last name, leading to a funny discussion about last-name blindness and how they save contacts in their phones.
2 (04:05) **Noah Kahan Deep Dive and Golf Metaphor** - Connor passionately explains his new obsession with Noah Kahan and tries to articulate why golfing with someone is a uniquely intimate bonding experience.
3 (07:41) **Dancing with the Stars Samba Critique** - Joey opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of his recent samba performance, which he felt was his best dance yet but received harsh judges’ feedback.
4 (11:54) **Public Support vs. Judge Scores** - The group discusses how online fan support after the samba performance created a powerful wave of positivity that outweighs the judges’ low scores.
5 (14:02) **Viennese Waltz Prediction and Goatee** - Joey and Connor look ahead to next week’s Viennese Waltz, with Connor predicting it will be Joey’s breakout dance and his first time getting eights.
6 (16:13) **Guest Judge Joe Buck Praise** - Joey gives a detailed breakdown of why guest judge Joe Buck was the best guest judge he’s seen on the show, calling him professional and strategic.
7 (22:56) **The Shrek Basement Dance Analogy** - Joey compares his samba performance to a childhood memory of creating a silly dance routine with cousins in a basement and presenting it to the family.

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Show Notes

Use code “PAPA” to get a free month of bonus content at https://tmgstudios.tv/bncmap! Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It out NOW: https://sites.prh.com/phoebe-bermans-gonna-lose-it SUBSCRIBE TO THE BNC CHANNEL: https://bit.ly/45Pspyl Ad Free & Bonus Episodes: https://bit.ly/3OZxwpr This week, Brooke and Connor welcome THE Mirrorball champ: Joey Graziadei! Joey talks about his experience with the cat distribution system, his new romcom movie The Holiday Spark, and he gives Connor his best ballroom advice to go all the way. Enjoy! Join our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/5356639204457124/ If you haven’t tried GOODLES mac and cheese yet, now is the time! Pick up GOODLES on your next shopping trip… it’s available nationwide at Target and Walmart, plus many other major grocery stores and retailers and don’t forget the single serve cups! Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at https://RocketMoney.com /BANDC. Use code BNC at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Gift with your first purchase! #JonesRoadBeauty #ad Machine Washable Rugs, Made Better. For a limited time only, our listeners get 10% off + free shipping at tumbleliving.com/BNC #Tumble #ad Get TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS OFF off your first purchase when you go to https://The RealReal.com/BNC. Shop now at https://Fabletics.com/BNC to get 70–80% off everything when you sign up as a new VIP. B+C IG: https://www.instagram.com/bncmap/ B+C Twitter: https://twitter.com/bncmap TMG Studios YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tinymeatgang TMG Studios IG: https://www.instagram.com/realtmgstudios/ TMG Studios Twitter: https://twitter.com/realtmgstudios BROOKE https://www.instagram.com/brookeaverick https://twitter.com/ladyefron https://www.tiktok.com/@ladyefron CONNOR https://www.instagram.com/fibula/ https://twitter.com/fibulaa https://www.tiktok.com/@fibulaa Hosted by Brooke Averick & Connor Wood, Created by TMG Studios, Brooke Averick & Connor Wood, and Produced by TMG Studios, Brooke Averick & Connor Wood. Chapters: 0:00 Special Guest Joey G!! 3:15 Getting Intimate With Noah Kahan 6:40 Debriefing The Ballroom 16:06 Goodles 17:45 Rocket Money 19:18 Jones Road Beauty 20:52 Dancing For A Sleepover 23:05 Peter Millar Love 24:20 Brooke’s PSA28:45 Having Fun While Dancing 30:35 Ezra For Office 33:45 Connor’s Edits 34:56 Tumble 36:36 The Real Real 38:10 Fabletics 39:55 Keeping Spirits High 41:24 Joey Enters The Cat Distribution System 49:50 Wiccans and Witches 52:00 Getting Attacked By Rodents 56:20 Joey’s Traitors Experience 59:00 Disconnecting From Your Phone 1:01:26 Joey’s New RomCom!! 1:07:35 Joey’s Next Adventure 1:11:49 Thank You Joey!!! 1:13:10 See You In Bonus!!!

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