Sean Spicer talks with reporters and members of the media outside the West Wing on July 25, 2017 — days after he announced his departure from the White House. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)
By Bethonie Butler
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer will compete alongside Christie Brinkley, James Van Der Beek and other notables on the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars,” but show host Tom Bergeron isn’t on board with the casting decision.
After Spicer and his Season 28 castmates — the usual mix of athletes, singers, actors and reality stars — were announced Wednesday on “Good Morning America,” Bergeron tweeted an informal statement that did not mention Spicer by name but clearly addressed his addition to the cast. Bergeron said he met with the show’s new executive producer a few months ago, and thought they agreed the reality competition’s upcoming season should “be a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate and free of inevitably divisive bookings from ANY party affiliations.”
“Subsequently (and rather obviously), a decision was made to, as we often say in Hollywood, ‘go in a different direction,’ ” the veteran host added. “We can agree to disagree, as we do now, but ultimately it’s their call.”
Bergeron had hinted at his displeasure — albeit, in a less serious tone — on GMA, where he joked, “The nice thing is that Sean will be in charge of assessing audience size.”
Bergeron isn’t alone in his sentiments about the former aide. Exhibit A: the many harsh replies to Spicer’s tweet celebrating the announcement. “He danced around so many questions while he worked in the White House that this should be a piece of cake,” one user wrote.