MEAWW.COM / ENTERTAINMENT / REALITY TV

Joe Amabile recalls 'insane' DWTS moment Jenna Johnson nearly died: "I almost snapped..."

Joe Amabile made it to the semifinals of season 27 of 'DWTS' before being eliminated in a double with Jenna Johnson

Joe Amabile, best known to fans as 'Grocery Store Joe' from 'The Bachelorette', recently opened up about one of the scariest moments during his time on 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 27. While reflecting on his journey on the Tuesday, December 17 episode of the 'Bachelor Happy Hour' podcast, Joe recalled a moment during the Halloween-themed episode where a dance lift went terribly wrong and nearly ended in disaster for his professional dance partner, Jenna Johnson.

“Jenna, remember when I almost snapped your neck?” Joe asked, referring to what he called an “insane” moment during their tango routine. He admitted that the ending of their performance didn’t go as planned, and one wrong move nearly turned catastrophic. “I swear on my life, she almost died,” Joe said, still shocked by the memory.

Jenna explained that the mishap happened during the final move of their tango, a lift that required precision and strength. Unfortunately, Joe placed his arms in the wrong position, making it impossible for her to execute a backflip safely. Ironically, it was the one mistake Jenna had specifically warned him not to make.

“It was the ending move,” Jenna said. “He put his arm in the only position I couldn’t lift her.” Despite the near-miss, Jenna didn’t hold a grudge, laughing about the experience on the podcast. “But we survived,” she said with a smile, adding, “I didn’t snap my neck.”

Joe went on to admit that performing on 'DWTS' often left him feeling overwhelmed. He said, “Jenna would look at me after every performance and ask, ‘What happened?’ And I’d just tell her, ‘I blacked out every time.’” While Joe’s dancing skills improved throughout the season, Jenna even calling the tango his “best dance."

Joe was eliminated during the semi-finals of the ABC show. In an interview with 'Entertainment Tonight' shortly after his elimination, Joe acknowledged he was actually "relieved" to leave the competition. 

"I feel wonderful," Joe joked before correcting himself, "No, I feel good." He said he had been feeling the pressure of performing week after week. "I don't know if I had another dance in me, that's why I was kind of relieved," he said. Joe even joked that performing was the worst part about being on the show. Jenna was equally proud of the journey. "I feel like this is our best night yet, and I'm so happy to go out on this night," Jenna said. "He conquered it, and we made it to the freaking semi-finals. Are you kidding? Although they didn't make it to the finals, Joe and Jenna were back to the finale with a special surprise.

As of now, Joe hosts a podcast with his wife Serena Pitt, in which they break down life, love, and everything in between. Previously, he co-hosted 'Click Bait with Bachelor Nation' with Natasha Parker and Tia Booth. Joe has also leaned into his love of food. He runs a food vlog called 'Sundays With Joe,' where he showcases the best dishes from Chicago restaurants. As for Jenna Johnson, she was most recently paired with 'The Bachelor' alum Joey Graziadei on 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 33. They danced their way to win the Len Goodman Mirrorball.