Dancing with the stars‘ Sasha Farber is sharing behind-the-scenes details of the hit reality dance competition and rates ex-wife Emma Slaterthe romance of a professional partner Alan Bersten.
“Listen, things don’t always work out. That’s life, unfortunately. And when you’re with someone for so many years, it becomes family whether you’re with them or not,” Farber said of Slater on the Monday, Jan. 19, episode of iHeartRadio. “Casual Chaos” podcast
Farber and Slater have been married since 2018 left it in 2023. Their divorce was finalized the following year. Us Weekly broke the news in 2024 that Slater and Bersten were “hooking up”. the couple they confirmed their romance with a kiss on stage during the DWTS live show in 2025.
“So at the end of the day, we still support each other,” Farber continued of his and Slater’s dynamic. “And at the end of the day, I want her to be happy. And I wish them nothing but the best. And it’s amazing. Good luck.”
Scroll down for more revelations from Farber’s appearance on the “Casual Chaos” podcast:
Sasha Farber Talks About Developing ‘Feelings’ on ‘DWTS’
Sasha Farber pointed out that spending 24 hours a day with a partner DWTS can lead to “feelings,” adding, “I wouldn’t say they’re fake by all means because it’s there. It’s happening. It’s not like you’re forcing anything.”
Farber shared DWTS “It’s probably had a better track record than a lot of dating shows out there,” noting that you “definitely bond” and can “overlook everything.”
“I hate dating. But it takes like a second, you have to get to know the person. There’s a lot that goes into finding that special someone,” Farber noted. “That, they just threw you. “Let’s go. Hello, nice to meet you. OK, we’ll rub our hips. Let’s dive in. Let’s do this. I want to get in your face here. You have to really look at me.”
He continued, “So I think it’s great because A) you’re telling a story through dance and B) sometimes you can develop feelings.”
Sasha Farber wants to have children
In 2023, Emma Slater shared that a disagreement over having children was the reason she and Sasha Farber ended their marriage, something she still wants to experience.
“I guess that’s what I’m looking for. And it’s like, it’s not a hard pill to swallow, but I think I come from such an amazing family, how can I see how much my dad loves my mom and how much my mom loves my dad. And for me, I think I want little Farbies running around,” she said.
Sasha Farber Admits It Wasn’t “Easy” Missing ‘DWTS’ Season 34
When asked how he navigated not being in season 34 of DWTSFarber admitted, “It was interesting because I’ve done so many seasons and it feels like home.”
“So when I was there, I still felt like I was there. And I had to do the first two weeks of the premiere,” he explained. “I’d be lying if I said, ‘Oh, it was easy.’ But it wasn’t easy because I know what I can do and my level in that regard. So it was a little bit tough, but at the same time, it was really rewarding to see your friends do so well and support them, and watch them dance.”
Farber went on to note that the show “didn’t have a partner” for him, however DWTS he “offered (him) other things.”
“I think at my level, I said, ‘OK, I can sit this one out and do little things here and there,'” he said.
Sasha Farber remembers getting a text from Snooki’s dad
When he partnered with Sasha Farber Snooki in Season 17, he was “constantly on the road” traveling between the West Coast for the show and the East Coast for his family. At one point, Farber said the couple had two weeks in Los Angeles and Snooki decided she wasn’t going to travel, to which she received a text from her father.
“Her dad calls me, he says, ‘Make sure you take care of her.’ I said, ‘I’ve got her.’ Don’t worry. Rehearsal starts, she’s a little late. I said, ‘Snooks, where are you?’ Her name is Nicole. I said, ‘Nicole, where are you?’ And she says: ‘I’m coming. Sorry, I’m a little late’”.
Farber recalled hearing noises in the background of the call as he waited for Snooki to arrive for more than an hour. When he showed up for the rehearsal, he went in with her Jenni “JWoww” Farley and announced that the couple got tattoos.
“I said, ‘His dad is going to kill me,'” Farber said. “But she was a lot of fun.”
Sasha Farber and Selma Blair “Have Each Other’s Backs”
Sasha Farber said he and former partner Selma Blair “Having your back,” he noted as he recently went to check on her after not receiving a text or call from her. (Farber and Blair competed in Season 31 of DWTS and had to retire due to medical issues with his multiple sclerosis.)
“I heard Pip, her little dog was barking. I thought, if Scout her service animal is there, that’s scary because what if he fell? It just goes through your mind. He was like, ‘What if he fell?’ What if I had a seizure? What’s going on?” he said. “So Scout didn’t bark, which means he’s not home, or is he home and just lying next to her? All these things go through my head.”
Farber called a few people before driving around the neighborhood. He finally saw Blair leaving the nail salon.
“He called me, he said, ‘I’m so sorry I left my phone at home. I walked to the nail salon and then I couldn’t go back. So a friend of mine was there, she let me go and then we started talking, so we started talking.’ I said, ‘Jesus,'” she said. “She’s like, ‘Yeah, I’m fine, we’re fine.'”