WEBVTT - Melissa Rycroft Strickland (Part Two)

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<v Speaker 1>This is the most dramatic podcast ever and iHeartRadio podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Chris Harrison coming to you from the home office in Austin, Texas.

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<v Speaker 1>And this is a very Texas heavy show today because

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<v Speaker 1>my guest Melissa Rycroft Strickland, and I know what you're thinking, Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>from The Bachelor and that crazy switch moment with Jason Mesnick.

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<v Speaker 1>If you have not listened to episode one with Melissa,

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<v Speaker 1>go back, because we dove into all of everything that

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<v Speaker 1>happened with her on season thirteen to The Bachelor with

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<v Speaker 1>Jason Mesnick and the switch with Molly and the drama

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<v Speaker 1>and every detail details I didn't even know. It was

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<v Speaker 1>really great to hear her side of things, her perspective,

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<v Speaker 1>and it brought up old memories for me. That's one

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<v Speaker 1>of the things I always love about talking to, especially

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<v Speaker 1>people who are on the show a while ago. They

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<v Speaker 1>bring up memories I've kind of forgotten because there was

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<v Speaker 1>just so many seasons, but they really spark these memories

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<v Speaker 1>and moments and life. So I love revisiting those. And

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<v Speaker 1>so that conversation with Melissa you got to listen to

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<v Speaker 1>because it really was the most dramatic moment in Bachelor history.

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<v Speaker 1>It really was It changed my life, It changed the show,

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<v Speaker 1>It changed the trajectory of the entire franchise, especially when

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<v Speaker 1>she said no to becoming the Bachelorette. So go listen

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<v Speaker 1>to that. But today I wanted to talk about what

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<v Speaker 1>we really knew Melissa for when she came on the show.

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<v Speaker 1>She was a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. Melissa was a dancer

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<v Speaker 1>in college and got out of college and in two

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<v Speaker 1>thousand and six to two thousand and eight, she was

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<v Speaker 1>a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. Very famous, very popular cheerleader in Dallas,

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<v Speaker 1>and obviously the Cowboy cheerleaders are world famous. So she

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<v Speaker 1>comes on the show and she is, you know, America's sweetheart.

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<v Speaker 1>This beautiful young lady who's a Cowboys cheerleader just fit

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<v Speaker 1>the mold perfectly to be on the Bachelor to find love.

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<v Speaker 1>But I never dove into her being a Cowboys cheerleader

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<v Speaker 1>until now because it has become such a hot topic. Obviously,

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<v Speaker 1>there was the original reality show that was on CMT

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<v Speaker 1>about making the Team. But now, and if you haven't

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<v Speaker 1>seen this, you got to go see the Netflix special

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<v Speaker 1>about the Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. This is a full documentary

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<v Speaker 1>that follows them, and it is really inside stuff, and

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<v Speaker 1>it really does pull back that fourth wall, and you're

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<v Speaker 1>hearing and seeing things I did not think we would

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<v Speaker 1>ever hear and see. So I wanted to go to

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<v Speaker 1>someone who's been in the trenches and is still involved

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<v Speaker 1>with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. She still helps him from

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<v Speaker 1>time to time and is a part of the organization.

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<v Speaker 1>So I wanted to do just a show about Melissa

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<v Speaker 1>and the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. So we talked all about

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<v Speaker 1>your time on The Bachelor and everything that happened. But

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<v Speaker 1>I want to get back to the two years before

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<v Speaker 1>you were on the show. You were a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader.

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<v Speaker 2>I was a flipping Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. I see.

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<v Speaker 1>By the way, I still have the picture. I love

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<v Speaker 1>the picture of you as a cheerleader.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh boy, what it is?

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<v Speaker 1>It's adorable. No, you're damn adorable. Look at this. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>going to hold it up in this like like, look.

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<v Speaker 2>At this, don't it.

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<v Speaker 1>I looked so little, you were so little.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, So funny story about you know when we talked

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<v Speaker 2>about Bachelor, the reason I went on I was going

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<v Speaker 2>through a breakup. I actually became a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader

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<v Speaker 2>going through a breakup as well. I had been in

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<v Speaker 2>a seven year relationship that had ended right as I

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<v Speaker 2>was graduating college. It was devastated, obviously, seven years when

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<v Speaker 2>you're twenty one is a long time.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>And I was at home, you know, stuffing my face

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<v Speaker 2>with pizza and a commercial for tryouts for the Dallas

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<v Speaker 2>Cowboys cheerleaders in two weeks, and I went, you know

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<v Speaker 2>what I could do that?

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<v Speaker 1>Were you a dancer at North Texas?

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<v Speaker 2>I did? I danced at North Texas. Yeah, I went

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<v Speaker 2>to owe you for two years and took dance off.

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<v Speaker 2>And then when I came back to you and T

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<v Speaker 2>and I went to Texas Stadium that day and little

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<v Speaker 2>they were filming a show. It was the very first

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<v Speaker 2>season of making the team. None of us had any

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<v Speaker 2>clue what that was.

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<v Speaker 1>The you know, the OG original reality show about making.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah standard definition as you can get. Yeah. Ended up,

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<v Speaker 2>I ended up making it and.

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<v Speaker 1>Change this is two thousand and six. And then you

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<v Speaker 1>did it for two seasons.

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<v Speaker 2>I think I did it for two seasons.

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<v Speaker 1>The most you can do is three.

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<v Speaker 2>No, you can go as many seasons as you want.

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<v Speaker 2>We have a girl who I.

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<v Speaker 1>Can on her six Oh wow, Oh my gosh.

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<v Speaker 2>I was just a lot of the girls start when

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<v Speaker 2>they're eighteen. You know, I was working a full time job,

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<v Speaker 2>I had a social life. I wanted to keep up,

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<v Speaker 2>and so I would go to work from eight to five.

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<v Speaker 2>I was at the stadium from six to eleven. And

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<v Speaker 2>then you lather, rense, repeat, and you know, there's a lot.

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<v Speaker 1>That's a lot. You say, we you're still involved with them,

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<v Speaker 1>You're one of their big alums.

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<v Speaker 2>I yeah, I think for twelve thirteen years now, I've

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<v Speaker 2>been Judge Trials with them and going through training camp

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<v Speaker 2>with them, and yeah, no, it's been fun. It's a

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<v Speaker 2>full circle moment for sure, when I look at these girls.

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<v Speaker 1>The difference between the original reality show that you were

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<v Speaker 1>a part of making the team and what you're seeing

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<v Speaker 1>on Netflix now, which is one of the things I

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<v Speaker 1>wanted to talk to you about, because this Netflix special

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<v Speaker 1>has really captivated America at least, and I find it

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<v Speaker 1>interesting because I grew up in Dallas, born and raised,

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<v Speaker 1>diehard Dallas Cowboy fan. I was always you know, captivated

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<v Speaker 1>and mesmerized by the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, you know, often imitated,

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<v Speaker 1>never equalled they were just bigger than life, because so

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<v Speaker 1>were the Cowboys. Cowboys are still America's team, but I

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<v Speaker 1>would say almost more so the shining kind of beacon.

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<v Speaker 1>An example of America's team is the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders.

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<v Speaker 1>They are around the world doing USO tours. They do

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<v Speaker 1>so much, not just in our community, but around the world,

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<v Speaker 1>around the country. So the cheerleaders almost are a bit

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<v Speaker 1>er symbol than the star itself.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, I mean, I think so being completely unbiased,

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<v Speaker 2>but yeah, So the original show was on CMT. It

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<v Speaker 2>was a great show, just kind of lifted the curtain

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<v Speaker 2>behind you know, during training camp. It shows, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>three months long what Netflix has done though, and Ty

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<v Speaker 2>had this great comparison. I was like, you're right, you

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<v Speaker 2>know the show Hard Knocks for football fans, Yeah, this

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<v Speaker 2>is the Hard Knocks for cheerleaders. Anyway, You're absolutely, that's

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<v Speaker 2>exactly what it is. You know, you're spotlighting a few girls,

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<v Speaker 2>you're seeing the process, you're seeing the good, but you're

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<v Speaker 2>also seeing the not so good, right, I mean, they've

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<v Speaker 2>gotten a lot.

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<v Speaker 1>I am shocked at how much of not the good

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<v Speaker 1>you're seeing. I know, I am too, to be honest,

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<v Speaker 1>I was like, what are you shocked? So what are

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<v Speaker 1>you most shocked that you've heard or seen? We're like, WHOA,

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<v Speaker 1>I can't believe they said that out loud.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not that I can't believe they've said that, but

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<v Speaker 2>obviously the pay topic has a huge point of contention

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<v Speaker 2>with a lot of people. You know, and this is coming.

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<v Speaker 2>I made fifty bucks a game back in my day.

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<v Speaker 1>Fifty dollars a game, hundred dollars a season. Guys, let

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<v Speaker 1>that sink in. This is a billion dollar industry. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>the club itself is worth billions of dollars, just the team,

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<v Speaker 1>not the NFL. The team is worth over a billion dollars.

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<v Speaker 2>And I listen, you sign up. I signed a contract

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<v Speaker 2>at the beginning of my year. I knew what my

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<v Speaker 2>pay was. I was fine with it. I never really understood,

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<v Speaker 2>like calendar stuff, when my face was being used for

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<v Speaker 2>stuff not just mine. I'm saying me, like the girls, yes,

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<v Speaker 2>you never saw them. There were no residuals, there were

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<v Speaker 2>no none of that. It was great. Thanks for that.

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<v Speaker 2>We're going to make millions of dollars on this merchandise.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, well, and think of how many how many girls

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<v Speaker 1>walked around the United States as Dallas Cowboy chere leaders

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<v Speaker 1>at Halloween. How many you know there was so much merch,

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<v Speaker 1>so much money that was made.

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<v Speaker 2>No, they're definitely celebrities, and it's only gained with you know,

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<v Speaker 2>social media and the accessibility of them, you know, I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>once this curtain has come back, I think the fascination

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<v Speaker 2>with who they are, what they are, what goes on

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<v Speaker 2>behind the scenes. I mean, I just feel like right now,

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<v Speaker 2>especially with this documentary, people are fascinated with how the

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<v Speaker 2>wheels work on this machine.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, we're hearing in some of the things that

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<v Speaker 1>are surprising. I think that we're not surprised they happen.

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<v Speaker 1>It's a surprise you're hearing it. Any the critiques of

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<v Speaker 1>body dance all this stuff, Like what were there any

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<v Speaker 1>big critiques or harsh comments made to you if like

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<v Speaker 1>you got to do this, you got to get better

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<v Speaker 1>your nose, you know, we got to fix your teeth anything.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, listen, I'm not going to go into details,

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<v Speaker 2>but I was a cheerleader now about twenty years ago

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<v Speaker 2>when we had America's Next Top Model where they're criticizing

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<v Speaker 2>bodies and faces. It was the norm of where you

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<v Speaker 2>were in our society that I can criticize you for

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<v Speaker 2>the way you look, and how much do you know?

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<v Speaker 2>Back then we were way every practice. You know. I

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<v Speaker 2>remember going, I can't drink too much water because I'm

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<v Speaker 2>going to be heavier. And you had weight watch, weight warning,

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<v Speaker 2>and weight probation and you didn't want to be in

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<v Speaker 2>any of them. And oddly enough and tryouts this year,

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<v Speaker 2>I was talking to Kelly about weight or something, and

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<v Speaker 2>she goes, we haven't waited the girls in years, so,

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<v Speaker 2>I mean they've evolved with the times as they have,

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<v Speaker 2>But I mean back in my day, it was it was.

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<v Speaker 1>Tough, a breeding ground for eating disorders.

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<v Speaker 2>I think we all came out with eating. I'm gonna

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<v Speaker 2>be real honest, I think we all with like healthy unhealthy?

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<v Speaker 2>What do I do? Am? I am? I big? Am

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<v Speaker 2>I not? You know? And I look back at my

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<v Speaker 2>twenty year old self, going, oh my god, if I could,

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<v Speaker 2>if I could be that tiny again.

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<v Speaker 1>You're like, that's as beautiful and spectacular as I'm ever

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<v Speaker 1>gonna be. My skin's so elastic it bounds that it's. Uh.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you think the pay is going to change now

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<v Speaker 1>because this has been uncovered? I do, because the cowboys

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<v Speaker 1>are smart. If one thing that Jones family knows to

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<v Speaker 1>be smart.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think they also like to make up their

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<v Speaker 2>own minds though, you know, of like true my decision

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<v Speaker 2>if we I don't want to be I don't want

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<v Speaker 2>people to think I was forced into make decision. So

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<v Speaker 2>I think maybe we'll open up a conversation of we

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<v Speaker 2>probably need to talk seeing is how many people find

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<v Speaker 2>this offensive and a bit of an issue maybe.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, look, I don't think they're going to be millionaires,

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<v Speaker 1>and you know, it's not going to be like some

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<v Speaker 1>crazy salary, but I think it goes up.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, they're getting paid more than we did. I mean

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<v Speaker 2>it has gone I think they get paid for practices

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<v Speaker 2>now like that that stuff has been changed. But like

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, they're not getting rich off of being a

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<v Speaker 2>cheerleader by any means.

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<v Speaker 1>I went to a big dance school. I was surrounded

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<v Speaker 1>by dancers in college. I went to Oklahoma City University,

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<v Speaker 1>and so again I understand the dance philosophy too. Of

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<v Speaker 1>like they were weighed in and all the all the

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<v Speaker 1>eating disorders that came out of it, but the physicality

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<v Speaker 1>of it, I don't know if people fully appreciated the

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<v Speaker 1>physicality of what you all do and did. When you

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<v Speaker 1>see that, Oh yeah, my hips are just going to

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<v Speaker 1>pop out of socket now because of how much we

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<v Speaker 1>do and the drop split. I love how much was

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<v Speaker 1>made about the drop sport split.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, no it was. I mean I've always said, you're

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<v Speaker 2>not your body's not fallen apart because you started dancing

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<v Speaker 2>at twenty as a cheerleader. Right, these girls have been

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<v Speaker 2>dancing since they were three. We have my Boddy. I'm

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<v Speaker 2>forty one, and I creak and croak, I need surgeries.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, it's just there are athletes in the sense

0:11:33.600 --> 0:11:36.000
<v Speaker 2>that they've been doing this their entire lives, and they've

0:11:36.040 --> 0:11:37.959
<v Speaker 2>been doing a lot of it their entire lives, and

0:11:38.400 --> 0:11:40.760
<v Speaker 2>as you get to the professional status like it is

0:11:40.800 --> 0:11:44.600
<v Speaker 2>with male athletes, they're practicing six hours a day, which

0:11:44.640 --> 0:11:47.080
<v Speaker 2>is a lot on your body because it's not just

0:11:47.120 --> 0:11:49.000
<v Speaker 2>your legs or your arms. I mean when you're dancing,

0:11:49.120 --> 0:11:52.679
<v Speaker 2>it's total full body. And yes, those jump splits are

0:11:52.720 --> 0:11:56.000
<v Speaker 2>not friendly to anybody. Nobody was like, yes, I get

0:11:56.000 --> 0:11:56.520
<v Speaker 2>to jump in the air.

0:11:56.559 --> 0:11:58.760
<v Speaker 1>I don't think anybody would watch that and say, yeah,

0:11:58.800 --> 0:11:59.920
<v Speaker 1>that's good for you.

0:12:00.480 --> 0:12:03.319
<v Speaker 2>Every time you were like, oh, my brother and done

0:12:03.480 --> 0:12:03.839
<v Speaker 2>land in.

0:12:04.000 --> 0:12:07.839
<v Speaker 1>You know how much anxiety. It's really funny that there

0:12:07.960 --> 0:12:11.320
<v Speaker 1>was a it's almost like a trust fall. I really

0:12:11.440 --> 0:12:14.240
<v Speaker 1>enjoyed watching the rookies go through and like, you know,

0:12:14.280 --> 0:12:16.280
<v Speaker 1>there's so much anxiety to do it the first time.

0:12:16.320 --> 0:12:20.320
<v Speaker 1>Do you remember that much anxiety and looking towards Oh gosh,

0:12:20.559 --> 0:12:22.600
<v Speaker 1>we're going to have to learn to do this jump

0:12:22.600 --> 0:12:24.800
<v Speaker 1>split and doing it that first time.

0:12:25.000 --> 0:12:27.400
<v Speaker 2>I don't remember doing it the first time, but I

0:12:27.440 --> 0:12:30.160
<v Speaker 2>remember that anxiety of like, if I must this up,

0:12:31.200 --> 0:12:34.320
<v Speaker 2>I'm out. But also you have this fear because with

0:12:34.360 --> 0:12:37.080
<v Speaker 2>a jump split, if you don't all jump up and land,

0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:39.640
<v Speaker 2>because we've had girls that get nervous at the last

0:12:39.640 --> 0:12:42.280
<v Speaker 2>minute and don't, so if you think about it, it

0:12:42.320 --> 0:12:44.920
<v Speaker 2>throws the off next to you and pushes them down.

0:12:45.000 --> 0:12:46.920
<v Speaker 2>So then you have this fear of if the girls

0:12:46.960 --> 0:12:49.720
<v Speaker 2>around me aren't doing it right, I then can get hurt.

0:12:50.960 --> 0:12:53.600
<v Speaker 2>And it's this this ripple effect. I mean, it is

0:12:53.920 --> 0:12:58.760
<v Speaker 2>highly effective visually yet massively terrifying when you're doing it and.

0:12:58.720 --> 0:13:00.760
<v Speaker 1>Then you get up and carry these I mean, and

0:13:00.840 --> 0:13:04.080
<v Speaker 1>it's hot. By the way, you were at the old Texas.

0:13:03.800 --> 0:13:06.080
<v Speaker 2>Stadium, old open open, there.

0:13:05.960 --> 0:13:10.480
<v Speaker 1>Was open, hot, cold, wet, dry, you name it. And

0:13:10.559 --> 0:13:14.760
<v Speaker 1>that turf was like a brick. It was just like

0:13:14.880 --> 0:13:18.880
<v Speaker 1>turf laid over concrete, which was so hard. Compared to

0:13:18.920 --> 0:13:21.480
<v Speaker 1>what they're performing at now on this soft turf and

0:13:21.559 --> 0:13:25.320
<v Speaker 1>seventy eight degrees, it's so much nicer.

0:13:25.720 --> 0:13:28.040
<v Speaker 2>And I only got fifty dollars a game for that.

0:13:28.280 --> 0:13:32.719
<v Speaker 1>Fifty dollars a damn game. That's that's amazing. I think

0:13:32.760 --> 0:13:34.560
<v Speaker 1>you make more selling Girl Scout cookies.

0:13:35.280 --> 0:13:35.480
<v Speaker 2>Yeah.

0:13:36.040 --> 0:13:38.200
<v Speaker 1>No, you could have a lemonade stand in Highland Park.

0:13:38.200 --> 0:13:39.840
<v Speaker 1>Can you be much better off?

0:13:40.120 --> 0:13:42.200
<v Speaker 2>Well, it's funny. Back then, as we had to have

0:13:42.240 --> 0:13:44.000
<v Speaker 2>like our nails done, we had to have our hair

0:13:44.040 --> 0:13:47.320
<v Speaker 2>professionally done, our teeth white, and tanning. I was losing

0:13:47.400 --> 0:13:50.720
<v Speaker 2>money being a cheerleader by what it costs today.

0:13:50.720 --> 0:13:52.000
<v Speaker 1>They didn't do that for you.

0:13:52.000 --> 0:13:55.000
<v Speaker 2>No, we had free tanning memberships. That was it. Everything

0:13:55.040 --> 0:13:58.120
<v Speaker 2>else we had to maintain on our own.

0:13:58.400 --> 0:14:00.640
<v Speaker 1>And they also told you in the day, I don't

0:14:00.640 --> 0:14:02.320
<v Speaker 1>know if they still do. You can shed some light

0:14:02.400 --> 0:14:04.280
<v Speaker 1>on this. They tell you what color your hair is

0:14:04.360 --> 0:14:05.240
<v Speaker 1>going to be correct.

0:14:05.559 --> 0:14:07.640
<v Speaker 2>Yes, they made me a red head, a red like

0:14:07.840 --> 0:14:09.200
<v Speaker 2>a red brown, and I had to keep that.

0:14:09.640 --> 0:14:11.600
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I was looking at your hair was much lighter

0:14:11.640 --> 0:14:13.160
<v Speaker 1>and kind of so they kind of walk down the

0:14:13.200 --> 0:14:18.160
<v Speaker 1>line because they don't want you know, look, thirty brunettes

0:14:18.640 --> 0:14:20.600
<v Speaker 1>might be the best dancers and they make the team,

0:14:20.600 --> 0:14:23.120
<v Speaker 1>but they don't want thirty brunettes on the field. They

0:14:23.160 --> 0:14:26.480
<v Speaker 1>need five redheads, five blondes, five brunettes five you know.

0:14:26.640 --> 0:14:28.840
<v Speaker 1>And so they break you up and tell you what

0:14:28.880 --> 0:14:29.920
<v Speaker 1>color your hair is going to be?

0:14:30.200 --> 0:14:32.640
<v Speaker 2>Yes, and they I do think they I mean I

0:14:32.640 --> 0:14:34.840
<v Speaker 2>don't think they just randomly go, hey, we're turning you

0:14:34.920 --> 0:14:36.720
<v Speaker 2>into a burnette. I think they look and go, you

0:14:36.720 --> 0:14:40.120
<v Speaker 2>know what, you could probably pull off yeah, darker or this,

0:14:40.280 --> 0:14:42.960
<v Speaker 2>and I'm gonna be real honest and tryouts. We see

0:14:43.000 --> 0:14:46.320
<v Speaker 2>a lot of hair makeover right there, Like we had

0:14:46.320 --> 0:14:47.840
<v Speaker 2>one this year. I was like, it's silver, her hair

0:14:47.880 --> 0:14:49.840
<v Speaker 2>looks gray. People pay a lot of money to not

0:14:49.880 --> 0:14:53.160
<v Speaker 2>have that color hair. I don't understand. So sometimes it

0:14:53.240 --> 0:14:55.720
<v Speaker 2>is necessary. Sometimes the girls hate it, you know, they

0:14:55.720 --> 0:14:57.240
<v Speaker 2>get their hair done. I think we saw in this

0:14:57.280 --> 0:14:59.200
<v Speaker 2>past season on Netflix she hated her hair when she

0:14:59.200 --> 0:15:03.080
<v Speaker 2>went from a blonde to a burnette. But you know,

0:15:03.440 --> 0:15:05.760
<v Speaker 2>you're like, I let them do it. I actually liked it.

0:15:05.800 --> 0:15:08.480
<v Speaker 2>I didn't hate my hair that's cool.

0:15:08.480 --> 0:15:11.120
<v Speaker 1>You're still involved with them though. I love that. That's cool.

0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:13.680
<v Speaker 1>And have have you been on Are you going to

0:15:13.720 --> 0:15:15.120
<v Speaker 1>be a part of the special at all or on

0:15:15.240 --> 0:15:16.360
<v Speaker 1>the documentary? No?

0:15:16.560 --> 0:15:18.720
<v Speaker 2>I was just there for the tryout part, so just

0:15:18.720 --> 0:15:21.680
<v Speaker 2>for the beginning. Because the format has changed so much,

0:15:21.680 --> 0:15:23.920
<v Speaker 2>where it used to focus on what goes on during

0:15:23.960 --> 0:15:27.479
<v Speaker 2>training camp. Yeah, now it's more kind of the individual

0:15:27.520 --> 0:15:29.520
<v Speaker 2>girls and then the organization as a whole, and they

0:15:29.600 --> 0:15:31.640
<v Speaker 2>film all year. They don't just fil during the training

0:15:31.680 --> 0:15:32.320
<v Speaker 2>camp anymore.

0:15:33.200 --> 0:15:37.440
<v Speaker 1>Before I let you go, there were some fan questions

0:15:37.440 --> 0:15:40.160
<v Speaker 1>because people were so excited you were coming on and

0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:43.000
<v Speaker 1>wanted to ask you personal questions that they were wondering

0:15:43.000 --> 0:15:47.080
<v Speaker 1>about Dallas campboard cheerleaders. How often do you interact with

0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:48.120
<v Speaker 1>the football players?

0:15:48.680 --> 0:15:51.440
<v Speaker 2>Never unless you're at an appearance together.

0:15:51.760 --> 0:15:56.400
<v Speaker 1>Yeah. Separation of church and state one hundred percent. Yeah.

0:15:56.520 --> 0:15:59.000
<v Speaker 1>Is there a hard and fast rule like do not date?

0:15:59.280 --> 0:16:01.560
<v Speaker 2>Yes. In that contract that you sign, they make it

0:16:01.680 --> 0:16:05.120
<v Speaker 2>very known that there is no fraternization. There is. We've

0:16:05.240 --> 0:16:10.400
<v Speaker 2>lost girls for ignoring that rule before. But yeah, sometimes

0:16:10.400 --> 0:16:12.480
<v Speaker 2>you'll do appearances. Usually it's at Christmas time, like in

0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:14.280
<v Speaker 2>the hospitals when you've got the foot in you and

0:16:14.280 --> 0:16:16.720
<v Speaker 2>you're allowed to you know, hey, but no other than

0:16:16.760 --> 0:16:17.600
<v Speaker 2>that part out.

0:16:18.240 --> 0:16:20.080
<v Speaker 1>We kind of talked about this, but do they have

0:16:20.520 --> 0:16:22.920
<v Speaker 1>especially now, do they have them on a specific diet?

0:16:23.040 --> 0:16:25.000
<v Speaker 1>Do they talk about that? Tell you? I mean, I know,

0:16:25.000 --> 0:16:26.160
<v Speaker 1>you're not weighing in anymore.

0:16:26.440 --> 0:16:28.640
<v Speaker 2>No, you're not weighing And they actually have a nutritionist

0:16:28.960 --> 0:16:31.240
<v Speaker 2>that is on staff. Back in our day, we had

0:16:31.320 --> 0:16:34.200
<v Speaker 2>Jay who was our personal trainer. We don't have the

0:16:34.280 --> 0:16:36.600
<v Speaker 2>Jay anymore, but now we have more health than They

0:16:36.680 --> 0:16:39.960
<v Speaker 2>kind of make meal plans for everybody based on their

0:16:40.160 --> 0:16:42.520
<v Speaker 2>eating habits, what they like, what they dislike, and what

0:16:42.560 --> 0:16:42.960
<v Speaker 2>they need.

0:16:43.440 --> 0:16:46.000
<v Speaker 1>How hard is it to have a social life because

0:16:46.040 --> 0:16:48.400
<v Speaker 1>it sounds like your full time job then you're dancing.

0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:51.960
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I mean it sounds really glamorous. But like I

0:16:52.000 --> 0:16:53.600
<v Speaker 2>was telling you, most of these girls have jobs during

0:16:53.640 --> 0:16:55.920
<v Speaker 2>the day and then at night you're at practice. I

0:16:55.920 --> 0:16:58.240
<v Speaker 2>think the misconception is that people think it's like two

0:16:58.320 --> 0:17:01.600
<v Speaker 2>hours a week that you're working right during Cowboys games, Yeah,

0:17:01.640 --> 0:17:05.320
<v Speaker 2>and it's not. It's all weak and it's the day

0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:07.439
<v Speaker 2>of you're there six hours before the game starts.

0:17:07.960 --> 0:17:11.040
<v Speaker 1>I'm curious about this one. Are there any special rituals

0:17:11.160 --> 0:17:13.199
<v Speaker 1>or things that are done right before a game. The

0:17:13.280 --> 0:17:16.159
<v Speaker 1>cheerleaders do that. We don't know about the prayer circle.

0:17:16.640 --> 0:17:19.240
<v Speaker 2>Okay, there's a prayer circle. Yeah, everybody circles up, you

0:17:19.240 --> 0:17:21.679
<v Speaker 2>cross your hands and hold them, Kelly says a prayer,

0:17:21.680 --> 0:17:24.200
<v Speaker 2>and then you turn and walk out to the tunnel.

0:17:24.680 --> 0:17:26.119
<v Speaker 1>I love that. Okay, I want to end on this

0:17:26.160 --> 0:17:28.399
<v Speaker 1>one because this is good. People want to know what

0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:32.040
<v Speaker 1>advice you would give someone aspiring to become a Dallas

0:17:32.040 --> 0:17:33.080
<v Speaker 1>Cowboys cheerleader.

0:17:34.320 --> 0:17:38.280
<v Speaker 2>I would say, now that you've seen CMT and you've

0:17:38.320 --> 0:17:40.359
<v Speaker 2>seen the Netflix and you've seen what it takes, that

0:17:40.440 --> 0:17:42.479
<v Speaker 2>it's not just a pretty face. It's not you know,

0:17:42.600 --> 0:17:46.280
<v Speaker 2>it's I love that these girls aren't just these ditsy

0:17:46.359 --> 0:17:48.440
<v Speaker 2>pretty little girls with pom poms anymore. That you see

0:17:48.480 --> 0:17:52.160
<v Speaker 2>that they're intelligent, they're well spoken, they're the highest athlete

0:17:52.200 --> 0:17:54.720
<v Speaker 2>when it comes to the dance world. I mean, it

0:17:54.800 --> 0:17:57.640
<v Speaker 2>just it takes a lot, and so don't go into

0:17:57.720 --> 0:17:59.359
<v Speaker 2>it at twenty thinking you're going to get it. Like

0:17:59.600 --> 0:18:03.360
<v Speaker 2>start young and know that you know, they really are.

0:18:03.160 --> 0:18:04.919
<v Speaker 2>They're cool and I'm proud to be a part of it.

0:18:04.960 --> 0:18:06.280
<v Speaker 2>You know, it makes me proud now that people get

0:18:06.320 --> 0:18:07.120
<v Speaker 2>to see it, or I'm like.

0:18:07.080 --> 0:18:14.200
<v Speaker 1>Hey, you know, she's often imitated, never equalled. Melissa Ryecroft Strickland. Thanks,

0:18:15.320 --> 0:18:18.200
<v Speaker 1>one of my faves who's ever been through the show

0:18:18.240 --> 0:18:21.679
<v Speaker 1>and on the franchise and has been a part of

0:18:21.840 --> 0:18:26.600
<v Speaker 1>such huge, huge moments throughout my career, which is really

0:18:26.640 --> 0:18:29.800
<v Speaker 1>wild to say. We are going to be indelibly tied

0:18:29.840 --> 0:18:32.600
<v Speaker 1>together for forever because of that. But I'm glad you

0:18:32.680 --> 0:18:34.439
<v Speaker 1>and the kids are doing great. I'm glad that you

0:18:34.440 --> 0:18:36.439
<v Speaker 1>have a break. The kids are in camp, so you

0:18:36.560 --> 0:18:38.960
<v Speaker 1>and Ti go be free. It's got to be weird

0:18:40.680 --> 0:18:44.480
<v Speaker 1>being an empty nester. The silence is tough. Sometimes I say.

0:18:44.359 --> 0:18:46.960
<v Speaker 2>I'm not ready for it. It makes me very uncomfortable, so

0:18:47.040 --> 0:18:48.320
<v Speaker 2>I don't know how you do it.

0:18:48.560 --> 0:18:50.119
<v Speaker 1>Camp in the summers, that's the way to kind of

0:18:50.160 --> 0:18:52.159
<v Speaker 1>break the ice and get Yeah, it's the start. It

0:18:52.200 --> 0:18:56.000
<v Speaker 1>gets you used to it. Yeah, Melissa, thanks so much.

0:18:56.040 --> 0:18:57.520
<v Speaker 1>It's so good to catch up with you. I'm glad

0:18:57.560 --> 0:18:59.960
<v Speaker 1>you and tired doing great, and the kids all my bad.

0:19:00.560 --> 0:19:01.400
<v Speaker 2>Thank you you too.

0:19:01.960 --> 0:19:04.560
<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening. Follow us on Instagram at the most

0:19:04.640 --> 0:19:07.159
<v Speaker 1>dramatic pod ever and make sure to write us a

0:19:07.160 --> 0:19:09.840
<v Speaker 1>review and leave us five stars. I'll talk to you

0:19:09.880 --> 0:19:10.280
<v Speaker 1>next time.