The Toast

Buffering with the Stars: Wednesday, October 8th, 2025

October 8, 2025

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  • The hosts established a weekly routine for 'The Toast,' noting that Wednesdays are now defined by 'Dancing With the Stars' coverage. 
  • The hosts discussed the physical difficulties of late-stage pregnancy, particularly the struggle of moving in bed and the potential relief offered by baths. 
  • The conversation heavily featured celebrity gossip, including concerns over Dolly Parton's health following an alarming post by her sister Frida, and speculation regarding the strained relationship between Selena Gomez and her kidney donor, Francia Raisa, evidenced by Raisa's absence from Gomez's wedding. 
  • The hosts provided detailed critiques of the recent *Dancing With the Stars* performances, noting significant improvement from Elaine Hendrix and Danielle Fischel, while expressing disappointment in Dylan Efron and Andy Richter's lack of progress. 
  • Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko were eliminated, which the hosts attributed to a combination of low fan votes and Gleb receiving criticism from the judges, despite Hilaria's perceived effort. 
  • The hosts speculated on the celebrity friends who will partner with the remaining contestants for the upcoming 'dance with a friend' themed week, predicting partners for most couples based on their known connections. 

Segments

Pregnancy Pains and Bed Habits
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(00:01:54)
  • Key Takeaway: Late-stage pregnancy involves significant physical discomfort, particularly round ligament and pelvic pain when repositioning in bed, necessitating external aids like grab bars.
  • Summary: The host described experiencing severe round ligament and pelvic pain throughout the night when tossing and turning in bed during pregnancy. Getting up from a side-lying position without assistance is described as an extremely difficult physical challenge. The host suggested that a built-in bed handlebar would be a medically necessary addition for pregnant individuals.
Wi-Fi Woes and Eero Recommendation
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(00:05:47)
  • Key Takeaway: A Verizon technician confirmed an unfixable Wi-Fi issue in the host’s home due to an obstruction within the wall, leading to a recommendation for an Eero device.
  • Summary: The host detailed a visit from a Verizon technician who used a diagnostic machine confirming poor Wi-Fi signal (red light) specifically near the TV corner, attributing the issue to something inside the wall that could not be fixed. The technician recommended an Eero device as a potential solution for boosting the home Wi-Fi signal. The host noted that Eero is generally effective when used as intended for boosting coverage across a home network.
Keith Urban’s Viral Performance
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(00:07:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Keith Urban improvised lyrics during a live performance of ‘Take Your Cat and Leave, My Sweater,’ substituting the original line with ‘stupid bullshit reasons,’ sparking online commentary.
  • Summary: The host mentioned listening to Keith Urban due to a viral video where he performed the song ‘Take Your Cat and Leave, My Sweater.’ During the performance, Urban deviated from the lyrics, singing ’take your space in all your stupid bullshit reasons’ with high energy. This moment led to headlines suggesting Urban was reacting negatively to the movie ‘Baby Girl.’
Ben’s Acting Dilemma
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(00:09:58)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts agreed that if Ben were cast in a major romantic film requiring intimate scenes, the host would object due to discomfort watching her partner in such roles.
  • Summary: The discussion pivoted to the hypothetical scenario of Ben being cast as Zayden Ryerson in the ‘Fourth Wing’ movie adaptation, which would necessitate intimate scenes with the character Violet. The host stated she would not want Ben to become a movie star, finding the idea of watching him in a romance film unbearable. This sentiment was reinforced by recalling Josh Peck’s experience filming a movie with Ben Kingsley that contained unexpected sex scenes.
DWTS Disney Night Recap
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(00:14:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Disney Night on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ featured an overabundance of niche song choices, and the scoring appeared inconsistent, leading to the elimination of Alaria and Glebb.
  • Summary: The Disney Night theme was enjoyable, though the hosts felt many song choices were too niche or irrelevant, suggesting the show is running out of popular premises after many seasons. The hosts noted that while Danielle Fischel showed significant improvement, Dylan Efron seemed to be coasting on his popularity without substantial growth in skill. Alaria and Glebb were eliminated after receiving a low score of 23 out of 30.
Dolly Parton Health Scare
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(00:19:58)
  • Key Takeaway: Dolly Parton’s sister, Frida, posted an alarming message about praying for the country superstar, later backtracking and clarifying Dolly was only ‘a little under the weather.’
  • Summary: Frida Parton posted on Facebook that she was ‘up all night praying’ for Dolly, causing public alarm about the superstar’s health. Frida later issued a clarification stating she did not mean to scare anyone and that Dolly was only slightly unwell, chalking up the initial post to ‘boomer behavior.’ The hosts remain suspicious that the clarification is an attempt to cover up a more serious underlying issue.
Charlie XCX and Kylie Jenner Sighting
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(00:24:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Charlie XCX and Kylie Jenner were photographed together in Paris at an event celebrating Timothy Chalamet’s new film, despite the perceived ‘coalition’ dynamics involving Taylor Swift.
  • Summary: Charlie XCX and Kylie Jenner were seen together at an event in Paris, which the hosts noted was likely Timothy Chalamet’s movie celebration. The hosts debated whether Kylie Jenner should be considered part of the ‘coalition’ (those opposed to Taylor Swift), concluding she is largely separate from that drama. The hosts expressed support for Kylie and Timothy Chalamet’s relationship, hoping for an Oscar win for Chalamet soon.
Francia Raisa Wedding Snub Update
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(00:28:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Francia Raisa’s absence from Selena Gomez’s wedding, coupled with her comments about the kidney donation being a non-transactional gift, strongly suggests a rift between the two.
  • Summary: Francia Raisa was not invited to Selena Gomez’s wedding, which the hosts found bizarre given Raisa is Gomez’s kidney donor. Raisa emphasized that organ donation is not transactional and compared it to donating money to charity, stating one should not expect a special bond. The hosts believe that not inviting the donor to such a major life event is a significant red flag indicating underlying tension.
Molly-Mae Series Two Announcement
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(00:33:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Molly-Mae Hague’s docu-series, ‘Molly-Mae: Behind It All,’ is returning for a second season on Prime Video in ten days, featuring content from recent events like the L’Oreal show.
  • Summary: Molly-Mae Hague announced the second season of her Prime Video series, which premieres in ten days, following the success of the first installment. The hosts noted the quick turnaround time between seasons, which is exciting for fans of celebrity documentaries. The hosts speculated whether the new season would address the drama surrounding Molly-Mae’s decision to walk at the L’Oreal show.
DWTS Improvement Analysis
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(00:46:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Danielle Fischel is showing vast improvement, while Dylan Efron is perceived as coasting without improvement.
  • Summary: Elaine Hendrix and Scott Hoying are noted as improving, but Dylan Efron is unimpressive, having ‘coasted by’ on a good song. Danielle Fischel is praised for crushing her performance and showing significant investment and improvement, especially considering her age in the competition. Andy Richter is deemed not improving, suggesting his time is almost up unless he delivers a moving performance.
Scott and Riley Performance
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(00:48:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Scott Hoying and Riley bopped to the top despite Scott having numerous obvious mess-ups during their dance.
  • Summary: Scott Hoying and Riley’s performance was conceptually strong, with Derek Hough’s critique referencing a comparison between Julianne and himself. Scott, who started strong, got too comfortable last week and made many errors this week, leading to him landing in the bottom two. The hosts noted that scores do not compound, allowing Scott a ‘Tabula Rasa’ for the next week.
Alex Earl and Hilaria Exit
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(00:49:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Alex Earl and Val’s dance was technically good but obscured by overly dark lighting, and Hilaria Baldwin was eliminated despite her effort.
  • Summary: Alex Earl and Val’s Maleficent-themed dance was too dark for the judges to see clearly, prompting comments about the lighting. Hilaria and Gleb’s Star Wars-themed dance resulted in Gleb being critiqued, which was seen as a ’nail in their coffin.’ Hilaria was eliminated despite her effort, likely due to receiving zero votes, scoring the same as Dylan Efron (23/30).
Andy Richter and Robert Irwin
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(00:52:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Andy Richter and Emma Slater are enjoyable for their packages and humor, but their recent dance lacked luster and viral moments.
  • Summary: The hosts enjoy Andy Richter and Emma Slater’s pre-recorded packages and Andy’s humor, but their recent dance lacked the expected ‘moment.’ Robert Irwin and Whitney Carson’s dance, themed around Zootopia since Robert voices a character, was not as dazzling as his first week, possibly due to the song choice. Robert has been chasing the high of his initial performance ever since Night One.
Elaine Hendrix and Next Week’s Theme
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(00:53:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Elaine Hendrix delivered a great performance, and the next week’s theme involves dancing with a friend, with predictions made for partners.
  • Summary: Elaine Hendrix gave a great performance and shared an inspiring message about dreams not panning out as expected. The next week’s theme is dancing with a friend, leading to speculation: Dylan Efron might dance with Zach Efron, Danielle Fischel with Ben Savage or Sabrina, and Andy Richter with his children. Whitney Houston is predicted to dance with her husband, and Elaine with Chesse.
Whitney Houston and Jordan Chiles
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(00:56:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Whitney Houston and Mark Ballas received the first nine of the season for their Hamilton dance, while Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa are considered strong Final Four contenders.
  • Summary: Whitney Houston received the first nine of the season, which the hosts felt was disproportionately high compared to Elaine Hendrix’s score, highlighting inconsistencies in judging when pros dance together. Jordan Chiles’ Tiana performance was perfect, and she is considered a 100% lock for the Final Four due to her strong dancing and fan base. Simone Biles is speculated as Jordan’s potential partner for the next theme.
Jen Affleck’s Performance and Judging
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(00:58:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Jen Affleck and Jan Rovnik delivered her best dance yet, but the judging was rushed and inconsistent, robbing her of a deserved celebration.
  • Summary: Jen Affleck’s dance was considered amazing and her best yet, with Jan Rovnik providing his best choreography, yet the segment was rushed with insufficient critique time. Carrie-Ann Inaba was negative, while Derek Hough gave a generic positive comment, leaving Jen confused by her middle-of-the-pack score of 23. The hosts feel Jen, who is postpartum, should receive more sensitive treatment and support, especially compared to Whitney Houston.