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.”
The lineup for Season 28 of the reality competition show, announced Wednesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” also includes the usual mix of athletes, singers, actors and reality stars. But Spicer is easily the most controversial pick. Exhibit A: the many harsh replies to his tweet celebrating the announcement.
Spicer was rumored to be in talks with the show after leaving the White House two years ago, rankling many who have criticized him for frequent dishonesty in press briefings. That made for an awkward moment on “GMA,” where “DWTS” host Tom Bergeron cracked: “The nice thing is that Sean will be in charge of assessing audience size.”
Spicer began his White House tenure with the infamous (and provably false) claim that President Donald Trump’s inauguration drew the largest crowd ever. He later said he “absolutely” regretted the claim – an admission that came after his controversial appearance at the 2017 Emmy Awards. He explored his White House role in detail in his 2018 book “The Briefing,” which was widely panned by critics. Spicer’s other foray into the entertainment world unfolded during his White House run when he was portrayed several times on “Saturday Night Live” by Melissa McCarthy – whose work got far better reviews.
Radio host Bobby Bones and his dancing partner Sharna Burgess won the most recent season of “DWTS.” The long-running series skipped its typical spring season this year, so it will end a yearlong hiatus when the show returns Sept. 16.
This season’s other cast members include: “Queer Eye” co-host Karamo Brown; Fifth Harmony alum Ally Brooke; country singer Lauren Alaina; Kel Mitchell (of “Kenan and Kel” and “All That” fame); Mary Wilson, a founding member of the Supremes; former NBA star Lamar Odom; “The Office’s” Kate Flannery; former NFL linebacker Ray Lewis, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last year; and the network’s most recent “Bachelorette,” Hannah Brown.
