Chicks in the Office

Tell Me Lies Series Finale + Jenna Johnson Interview: Dream Celeb Partner & More!

February 20, 2026

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The hosts are deeply invested in campaigning for Noah's dog, Murray, to win the America's Favorite Pet competition, actively tracking his standing and encouraging listener votes. 
  • The series finale of *Tell Me Lies* concluded without justice for the antagonists, Stephen DeMarco and Marianne, reinforcing the show's theme as a cautionary tale about real-life consequences. 
  • Jenna Johnson is currently in the demanding early stages of the *Dancing with the Stars* Live tour, performing 97 shows while navigating the challenges of touring with her family. 
  • The *Dancing with the Stars* tour involves an extremely rigorous schedule of six days on with only one day off per week, requiring dancers to live and sleep on buses and wake up directly at venues. 
  • Jenna Johnson expressed a strong desire for a reality show documenting the behind-the-scenes life on the DWTS tour bus, noting the dancers spend more time together than with their own families. 
  • Jenna Johnson's dream celebrity partners include "Mr. Fantasy" (KJ Apa) and NFL player Jason Kelce, while she also celebrated achieving personal goals like being featured in *Sports Illustrated*'s Most Beautiful issue. 
  • The segment concludes the 'Beat Ria & Fran' game (part of the episode content noted in the show notes) with the opposing team correctly guessing Margot Robbie as the answer, winning the game and merchandise. 
  • The hosts congratulate the winners, arrange for them to receive their 'You Beat Us' shirts, and express enjoyment from playing the game. 
  • The episode wraps up with final reminders about tour tickets, a sign-off, and an outro jingle promoting the 'Chicks in the Office' podcast, followed by a McDonald's advertisement. 

Segments

Murray’s Pet Competition Update
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(00:01:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Noah’s dog Murray is currently in a tight race for America’s Favorite Pet, fluctuating between first and third place in the quarterfinals.
  • Summary: The hosts are deeply involved in voting for Murray in the America’s Favorite Pet competition, which started in late December or early January. The quarterfinals end on February 26th at 7 p.m. Pacific time, with the grand prize including a cover feature in Modern Dog magazine. Listeners are urged to vote via the specific link: America’sFavePet.com/2026/Murray-50DD.
Tell Me Lies Series Finale Recap
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(00:18:23)
  • Key Takeaway: The Tell Me Lies series finale confirmed the show’s dark, cautionary tone by offering no redemption or consequences for antagonists like Stephen DeMarco and Marianne.
  • Summary: The series concluded as the creator envisioned, showing that sometimes the bad guys win and there are no happy endings or resolutions for heinous actions. Wrigley’s action of rescinding Steven’s Yale acceptance was noted as a small victory, but Steven ultimately got the chaotic ending he wanted at the wedding. Brie and Wrigley are confirmed soulmates by the creator, suggesting they will end up together after Brie’s quick annulment from Evan.
Jenna Johnson DWTS Tour Life
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(00:38:54)
  • Key Takeaway: Jenna Johnson and the Dancing with the Stars pros are currently performing 97 shows on tour, pushing themselves physically while creatively developing the show as a ‘mini movie’ on stage.
  • Summary: Jenna and Val are performing six days a week, often with a matinee show, and are accommodating their young son and a nanny on the road, a feat made more accessible by observing Pasha and Daniella’s experience. The tour choreography, directed by Mandy Moore, was intentionally designed to be challenging and inspiring for the long run, allowing the pros to showcase their chemistry without celebrity partners. Jenna noted that the increased fan interest means the pros’ personal lives are now under a microscope even when the TV season is over.
Tour Life and Family Balance
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(00:53:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Jenna Johnson’s family found a blueprint for balancing life on the road, prioritizing her son’s social experiences by having another toddler present on the tour.
  • Summary: Life on the road involves constant travel, with the speaker’s son remaining in school to maintain social experiences. The presence of another toddler on the tour created sweet relationships between the children. The alignment of these factors made the decision to join the tour an easy ‘yes’.
DWTS Tour Bus Reality
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(00:53:55)
  • Key Takeaway: The DWTS tour operates on a demanding six-days-on, one-day-off schedule, often including matinee shows, where performers wake up on the bus directly at the venue.
  • Summary: The tour is structured differently than artist tours, requiring six or seven shows a week with only one day off. Performers sleep in bunks, often finding the dark, rattling bunks more comfortable than the family room. The daily routine involves waking up at the venue, quickly managing personal routines, and starting preparations by 3 p.m. for meet-and-greets and the two-hour nightly show.
Bus Dynamics and Cast Relationships
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(00:56:29)
  • Key Takeaway: The bus environment fosters intense, family-like bonds, exemplified by Jenna Johnson sharing a bus with Ezra and Haley, whom she feels protective over as her niece.
  • Summary: The initial excitement of bus touring often gives way to fatigue midway through, though many end up missing the bus at the end. Jenna travels with Val, Rome, Nanny, Ezra, and her niece Haley, noting that four of them are from Utah. She feels responsible for guiding Haley through the demanding tour environment, similar to how she was guided when she started at 19.
Reality Show Interest and Hard Work
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(00:58:29)
  • Key Takeaway: There is significant fan and cast interest in a full reality show documenting the unique, intense behind-the-scenes life of the DWTS tour.
  • Summary: The dancers have been dropping mini-episodes documenting the making of the tour, which has received encouraging responses from fans. Jenna believes a reality show would be interesting because she spends more time with the cast than her own family. The commitment shown by the dancers, who endure less-than-ideal shower situations without complaint, is a testament to their hard work.
Radio City Milestones and Future Plans
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(01:01:55)
  • Key Takeaway: Selling out two shows at Radio City, a venue they hadn’t played in six years, was a major, surreal milestone for the dancers, especially for Jenna’s 19-year-old niece performing there.
  • Summary: Selling out two shows at Radio City, where they hadn’t performed in a long time, was described as every dancer’s dream come true. Jenna is treating this tour as potentially her last due to wanting more children and concerns about her body holding up over time. She is taking in every moment, recognizing how lucky she is, which she believes captivates the audience.
Abdominal Focus and Magazine Cover
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(01:04:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Jenna Johnson attributes her viral abs to years of discipline and consistency rather than a specific routine, and she achieved a personal goal by landing a cover for Sports Illustrated’s Most Beautiful issue.
  • Summary: The attention on her abs is attributed to constant dancing and years of discipline, not a secret workout routine. Being featured on the Sports Illustrated Most Beautiful cover, complete with a Times Square billboard, was a major item on her personal dream list. She also enjoyed the high-fashion element of the cover shoot, pushing her beyond her usual athletic styling.
Alternative Career Path and Injuries
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(01:08:17)
  • Key Takeaway: If Jenna Johnson were not a dancer, she would pursue a niche career in forensic anthropology, driven by a fascination with anatomy and a lack of squeamishness regarding blood and injuries.
  • Summary: Jenna is fascinated by anatomy and is not grossed out by blood, contrasting this with her aversion to bodily fluids like mucus or feces. Her interest stems partly from her father being a surgeon, leading her to enjoy murder investigations and forensic anthropology. She frequently handles on-stage injuries, like cuts or scrapes, without issue, simply wiping them down and continuing the show.
Dream DWTS Partners
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(01:10:39)
  • Key Takeaway: Jenna Johnson’s top dream partners for future Dancing with the Stars seasons include KJ Apa (Mr. Fantasy), Olympian Ilia Malinin, and recently retired NFL player Jason Kelce.
  • Summary: She hopes for an unexpected partner like Joey (who defied Bachelor stereotypes) and would love to dance with Ilia Malinin due to his talent and story. Jenna has never had an NFL player and specifically mentioned Jason Kelce, believing he has natural rhythm and would be fun to work with. She is eager for a unique, creatively challenging season, similar to her experience with JoJo Siwa.
DWTS Convention Announcement
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(01:14:01)
  • Key Takeaway: The first Dancing with the Stars Convention will take place in Palm Springs from July 31st to August 2nd, offering fans intimate interactions, live performances, and panels with past pros and celebrities.
  • Summary: The convention is a weekend-long fan experience designed for intimate interactions with celebrities and pros who might not be seen together otherwise. Jenna is excited to reunite with past partners like Jojo Siwa and Joey, and meet pros she missed, like Christina Yamaguchi. This event commemorates the show’s major milestones, including its 20th anniversary.
Post-Tour Break and Day Off
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(01:18:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite the grueling schedule, Jenna Johnson used her single day off to record the podcast in New York City before heading to Pennsylvania, prioritizing quality time with her son and husband, Val.
  • Summary: The tour schedule involves moving to a new city overnight, often leading to confusion about the current day or location. Jenna was excited to use her day off to spend time with her son and Val, who planned a date night since they had to work on Valentine’s Day. She admitted she could not handle the daily task of welcoming the city, which is Emma’s role.
Beat Ria & Fran Game 208
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(01:21:19)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘Beat Ria & Fran’ game, game 208, ended in overtime after Brie and Calleigh correctly identified the actress who played Jenny in Forrest Gump and Buttercup in The Princess Bride (Robin Wright), securing the win.
  • Summary: The game utilized a new overtime rule involving a second Rotten Tomatoes score comparison to determine who goes first after the initial tie. Brie and Calleigh won the game after correctly naming Robin Wright in the final question. Earlier in the game, the team missed the correct answer for Beyoncé’s first solo album, ‘Dangerously in Love,’ and the nickname Sally gives Lightning McQueen in Cars (‘Stickers’).
Beat Ria & Fran Game Conclusion
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(01:46:57)
  • Key Takeaway: Margot Robbie was the correct answer in the final round of the game.
  • Summary: The participants guessed Dakota Fanning incorrectly before correctly identifying Margot Robbie as the answer. The correct identification was linked to her roles in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and About Time. The winning team was congratulated and instructed to send their addresses and sizes to receive their ‘You Beat Us’ shirts.
Episode Wrap-up and Tour Reminder
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(01:48:15)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts formally concluded the episode and reiterated the availability of spring tour tickets.
  • Summary: The hosts thanked the audience for watching and listening to this installment of Chicks in the Office. They reminded listeners that tour tickets are currently on sale and encouraged attendance. The segment ended with well wishes for the weekend and a note about the next episode airing on Monday.
Podcast Outro Jingle
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(01:48:27)
  • Key Takeaway: The podcast features a promotional jingle highlighting the hosts’ success and influence in media.
  • Summary: The jingle describes the hosts as successful figures who are always on screen and generating buzz. It emphasizes their ability to secure major opportunities, such as last-minute red carpet appearances flown out on a jet. The lyrics position the hosts as the definitive podcast that others aspire to meet.
McDonald’s Advertisement
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(01:49:44)
  • Key Takeaway: McDonald’s is promoting three specific value meal deals for a limited time.
  • Summary: Listeners can choose between the $5 McChicken Meal Deal, the $6 McDouble Meal Deal, or the new $7 Daily Double Meal Deal. Each meal includes small fries, a drink, and four-piece McNuggets. This promotion is available for a limited time, and participation may vary, excluding McDelivery.