On this episode of Pretty Messed Up, AJ McLean, Cheryl Burke, and Rene Elizondo host a party line of Dancing With the Stars cast members including Keo Motsepe, Gleb Savchenko, and Chrishell Stause! They talk about all things ballroom and how inspired they’ve been by Chrishell’s story. Vernon Jones also calls in to talk about his elimination, what’s next for him, and how he feels about the way the NFL is handling the football season. They get into how different – and sometimes difficult – it is to perform or play football without a crowd there cheering you on and giving you energy. Plus, Rene tells his Michael Jackson story, AJ talks about being recognized in public and getting asked for an autograph, and they all debate whether or not they think addiction is genetic.
A fan asks AJ and Cheryl about how they’re handling, or will handle, triggers that could make them relapse. Cheryl admits that she “used to have jealousy and control issues” that made her want to drink, but since she’s been sober, “I’ve been able to work on myself and...now that feeling of jealousy or comparison...has definitely faded quite a lot.” Rene and AJ also had problems comparing themselves to others and coming up short; Rene even jokes that he used to think he “would cheat on myself if I could, I hated myself so much.” Getting sober isn’t just about not drinking or using drugs anymore; it’s also about going back into your own personal history to “sort out a lot of traumas that happened” that makes you “want to escape your life,” Rene points out. “As you get sober, stay sober, and start to live a different life...it’s no longer appealing to you.”
They got three nines for their samba, which means Cheryl has to become a full-fledged member of the Backstreet Boys fan army, as she promised AJ. But she doesn’t mind: “I can tell that you and your Boys are attainable to your fans...and that explains why you have an army.” AJ agrees, saying, “I will always stop and take a picture, I will always stop and sign an autograph...I respect our fans greatly because they’re the reason I have a job and I can live out my dreams.” Rene even remembers a time when the two of them were golfing together and stumbled on a wedding; AJ ended up taking pictures with the entire party. The closest Rene has gotten to this kind of experience was when he was in London playing Uno with Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson; all the fans were screaming for the two of them for a long time until suddenly they heard, “We want Rene!” It was so novel to him that he had to go out and say hi, but when he appeared, “they just yell, ‘Rene! Get Michael!’” he laughs. Get the whole scoop on celebrity and sobriety on this episode of Pretty Messed Up.
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