Fresh off his "Dancing with the Stars" victory, "Bachelor" star Joey Graziadei revealed the intense mental challenge of competing on the show. While grateful for his Mirrorball Trophy, he described the experience as "mental warfare."
In a post-finale interview with Fox News Digital, Graziadei compared the show to his time on "The Bachelor," highlighting the stark contrast between the two experiences. Finding love on "The Bachelor" led to his engagement with Kelsey Anderson, making it a positive journey despite requiring vulnerability. However, "Dancing with the Stars" presented a different kind of challenge. Graziadei had to master a new skill while simultaneously projecting confidence every week, a feat he found mentally taxing.
Graziadei's dance partner, Jenna Johnson, played a crucial role in his success. He credited her with guiding him through the demanding weeks of the competition. Johnson, a seasoned professional on the show, also expressed the significance of this win, especially given her husband, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, won the previous season. She described receiving the trophy from him as a tremendous honor, particularly since both trophies are the first two awarded bearing Len Goodman’s name.
The trophy itself holds special meaning, renamed to honor the late head judge, Len Goodman.
