Danielle Fishel, the beloved actress from Boy Meets World, has opened up about a lingering frustration following her elimination from Dancing With the Stars, pointing to what she sees as a missed opportunity by the show's producers. In a candid Instagram post on Friday, November 7, Fishel, 44, revealed that the personal backstory behind her choreography with partner Pasha Pashkov was edited out of the broadcast, leaving viewers without the full context of their performance to Aerosmith's "Dream On." This revelation comes just days after the pair was sent home on Tuesday, November 4, after scoring 34 out of 40 from the judges.
Fishel explained that the dance was deeply personal, inspired by her recent breast cancer diagnosis and the broader societal pressures on women. According to her post, Pashkov had asked her what story she wanted to convey through the routine once the song was approved. "I wrote to Pasha, I said, ‘Okay, our story is about the impossible standards placed on women both from society and from ourselves. If we pursue work outside the home and have a family, we’re told that we should be with our kids more,’" Fishel shared in her Instagram message.
She elaborated on these themes, highlighting the contradictory expectations women face. "If we stay home, we’re told we don’t work and are uninteresting. If we’re too thin, we’re told to eat a burger and if we gain weight, we’re told to get off the couch. When we get Botox or fillers, we’re accused of not aging gracefully and when we age naturally, we’re called old and ugly," Fishel continued, drawing from her own experiences as an actress, podcast host, and mother.
The routine, as Fishel described it, was meant to symbolize overcoming these judgments, with Pashkov representing the "noise" of criticism. In the comments section of her post, she emphasized her disappointment: "That’s the part that bothers me the most. Pasha’s entire choreography was built around the idea that he would represent the noise, the judgements, the criticism, and expectations and as the dance evolved I would learn to stop fighting it and instead learn to live with it and rise above it. Because you can’t stop or change it but you can adjust how you respond or react."
Fishel's breast cancer diagnosis in 2024 added a profound layer to the performance. She noted that the experience shifted her perspective on life's brevity. "We are sometimes always too much and never enough at the same time and the only cure for it is to live life your way, living out your dreams because as my cancer diagnosis pointed out to me last year, life is short and we never know when we’re living our last day or dancing our last dance," she wrote. This sentiment was intended to be woven into the dance, but Fishel said it was absent from the pre-performance package shown on air.
During the live show, Fishel recalled her surprise while on the ballroom floor. "When we were on the ballroom floor, I was like, listening to my package and I was like… none of that was even mentioned, like none of my story was even in the package," she said. "Those are just things that are completely out of our control." The elimination followed a performance judged by Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, Derek Hough, and guest judge Flavor Flav, with the couple earning a respectable but ultimately insufficient score to advance.
Fishel's journey on Dancing With the Stars has been marked by resilience. The actress, best known for her role as Topanga Lawrence on the 1990s sitcom Boy Meets World and its sequel Girl Meets World, joined the show's latest season amid personal challenges. Earlier in the competition, she performed through an injury, consulting a surgeon beforehand, as reported in related coverage. Despite these hurdles, Fishel expressed gratitude for her time on the program.
In a clip from her podcast "Danielle With Stars" shared via Instagram after the elimination, Fishel reflected on the experience with mixed emotions. "Tonight was my last night, it was my last dance. I was eliminated and I have such a wide range of emotions," she said. "My day-to-day life is going to so drastically change now. It couldn’t have gone any better. I am so lucky. I was so lucky that Pasha was my partner."
Pashkov, a professional dancer on the show, collaborated closely with Fishel to craft the routine. While he has not publicly commented on the editing decision, Fishel praised his choreography for capturing her vision. The pair's partnership highlighted themes of empowerment, drawing from Fishel's real-life battles, including her public disclosure of her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
Dancing With the Stars, now in its 33rd season, often features personal stories from contestants to add emotional depth to performances. However, editing choices are common in reality television to fit time constraints and narrative flow. Fishel's complaint sheds light on how such decisions can affect participants' experiences, potentially leaving out meaningful context that contestants hope to share with audiences.
Fishel's acting career began in the early 1990s, where she became a household name alongside co-stars like Ben Savage and Rider Strong. More recently, she has hosted the podcast "Pod Meets World," revisiting episodes of the classic show with fellow cast members. Her entry into DWTS was seen as a new chapter, especially following her health scare. In interviews prior to the elimination, Fishel discussed avoiding overthinking judges' feedback, focusing instead on personal growth.
The elimination episode, aired on ABC, featured other celebrity contestants vying for the mirrorball trophy. Fishel and Pashkov's departure narrowed the field, with remaining pairs continuing to compete in themed nights. While the show has not responded to Fishel's specific claims about the editing, producers have historically emphasized the entertainment value of packages, sometimes prioritizing drama or brevity over full backstories.
Beyond the dance floor, Fishel's story resonates with broader conversations about women's representation in media and the pressures of public life. Her Instagram post garnered support from fans, many of whom commented on the importance of sharing such narratives. As a cancer survivor, Fishel has used her platform to advocate for health awareness, making the omitted backstory particularly poignant.
Looking ahead, Fishel plans to return to her podcast and other projects, with her DWTS stint likely boosting her visibility. The experience, though cut short, appears to have left her with positive memories despite the frustration over the editing. "I am so lucky," she reiterated in her post-elimination message, signaling a focus on gratitude amid disappointment.
In the ever-evolving world of reality TV, incidents like this highlight the tension between contestants' personal stories and production choices. As Dancing With the Stars progresses toward its finale, Fishel's revelations may prompt discussions about transparency in editing, though no immediate changes have been announced. For now, her words serve as a reminder of the human elements behind the glitz of competitive dance.