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Ryan Lochte Opens Up About His "Challenging" Dancing With the Stars Week After the Protester Ambush

Exclusive! Find out what Lochte had to say about the support he's received and if he's nervous about elimination

By Chris Harnick Sep 20, 2016 1:19 PMTags
Watch: Ryan Lochte Channels "The Muppets" on "DWTS"

Ryan Lochte channeled Kermit the Frog on Dancing With the Stars when he danced to The Muppet Show theme song, but he didn't know who the famous felt amphibian was? In the taped package, Lochte said his favorite Muppet was "the green one." Cheryl Burke is here to clear that up.

"You see, this is his humor. He's very dry and sarcastic. It is what it is," Burke told E! News' Sibley Scoles. Phew.

It was a different tone for the Olympian and his pro partner after last week's Dancing With the Stars season 23 premiere was crashed by anti-Lochte protesters.

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"Everything that happened last week, just getting back to rehearsal, learning a new dance and just trying to stay positive through the whole time was really challenging for me," Lochte revealed. "But I got through it with the help of her, with the help of my family now from Dancing With the Stars and I just, I quick stepped!"

Lochte also had his always-supportive mom by his side. After last week's protest, he said he was "heartbroken" to see his mom have to go through that. "But she came out there smiling," he gushed.

As for the added security, Burke said she always felt safe and Lochte said he wasn't nervous about it.

"I was just nervous about dancing and not missing my steps…and I still didn't do it," he said.

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ABC

The first big elimination is upon us and Lochte said he's hoping his fans are voting. But he seems at peace should his time on the dance floor come to an end.

"Whether we get eliminated or not, this journey so far has been amazing. I'm dancing in front of millions and I could never say that before," he said.

Watch the video up top for more from Lochte and Burke.

Dancing With the Stars' elimination airs Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. on ABC.