Dancing With the Stars’ Sasha Farber is sharing behind-the-scenes details from the hit reality dance competition — and weighing in on ex-wife Emma Slater’s romance with fellow pro 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 you’re not,” Farber said of Slater on the Monday, January 19, episode of iHeartRadio’s “Casual Chaos” podcast.
Farber and Slater were married from 2018 until they called it quits in 2023. Their divorce was finalized the following year. Us Weekly broke the news in 2024 that Slater and Bersten were “hooking up.” The pair confirmed their romance with an onstage kiss during the DWTS live show in 2025.
“So at the end of the day, we’re still supportive of 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 to see more revelations from Farber’s appearance on the “Casual Chaos” podcast:
Sasha Farber Talks Developing ‘Feelings’ On ‘DWTS’
Sasha Farber noted that spending 24/7 with a partner on DWTS can lead to “feelings,” adding, “I wouldn’t say that they’re fake by all means because it’s present. It’s happening. It’s not like you’re forcing anything.”
Farber shared that DWTS has “probably got a better track record than a lot of dating shows out there,” noting that “you definitely build bonds” and can “bypass everything.”
“I hate dating. But it takes like a sec, you got to meet the person. There’s a lot that goes into when you want to find someone special,” Farber noted. “This, you’re just thrown in. ‘Let’s go. Hi, nice to meet you. OK, we are going to rub hips. We are going to dip. We are going to 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 Kids
In 2023, Emma Slater shared that a disagreement about having children was the reason why she and Sasha Farber ended their marriage — something he still wants to experience.
“I guess that’s what I’m searching for. And it’s like — not a hard pill to swallow — but like, I think I come from such an incredible family, like I can see the way my dad loves my mom and the way my mom loves my dad. And to me, I think I want little farbies running around,” he said.
Sasha Farber Admits It Wasn’t ‘Easy’ to Not to Be on Season 34 of ‘DWTS’
When asked how he navigated not being on season 34 of DWTS, Farber admitted, “It was interesting because I’ve done so many seasons and it’s like home.”
“So when I was there, it still felt like I was there. And I got to do the first two weeks of the premiere,” he explained. “I would 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 the sense. So it was a little hard, but at the same time, it was so rewarding to see your friends do so well and support them, and see them dance.”
Farber went on to note that the show “didn’t have a partner” for him, but DWTS did “offer [him] other things.”
“I think, at my level, I was just like, ‘OK, I can sit this one out and do little things here and there,’” he said.
Sasha Farber Recalls Receiving a Message From Snooki’s Dad
When Sasha Farber was partnered with Snooki on season 17, he was “constantly on the road” traveling between the west coast for the show and the east coast for her family. At one point, Farber said the pair had two weeks in Los Angeles and Snooki decided she was not going to travel — to which he received a message from her dad.
“Her dad calls me, he’s like, ‘Make sure you look after her.’ I was like, ‘I got her. Don’t worry.’ Rehearsal starts, she’s a little late. I was like, ‘Snooks, where are you?’ Her name is Nicole. I was like, ‘Nicole, where are you?’ And she’s like, ‘I’m coming. I’m 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 she showed up to rehearsal, she walked in with Jenni “JWoww” Farley and announced the pair got tattoos.
“I was like, ‘Her dad’s going to kill me,’” Farber said. “But she was just so much fun.”
Sasha Farber and Selma Blair ‘Have Each Other’s Backs’
Sasha Farber said that he and former partner Selma Blair “have each other’s backs,” noting that he recently went to check in on her after not receiving a text message or phone call back from her. (Farber and Blair competed on season 31 of DWTS and had to withdraw due to medical issues with her multiple sclerosis.)
“I heard Pip, her little dog was barking. I was like, if Scout her service animal is there, that’s scary because what if she fell? It just goes through your head. I’m like, ‘What if she fell? What if she 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 he’s just lying next to her? All these things are going through my mind.”
Farber went on to call a few people before doing a drive around of the neighborhood. He eventually saw Blair walking out of the nail salon.
“She called me, she’s like, ‘I’m so sorry I forgot my phone at home. I walked to the nail salon and then I couldn’t get back. So a friend of mine was there, was dropping me off and then we started talking, so we started talking.’ I was like, ‘Jesus,’” he said. “She’s like, ‘Yes, I’m OK, we’re good.’”
