Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer is feeling grateful for President Donald Trump‘s support — or anyone’s, apparently — amid his casting to the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars. The 47-year-old appeared surprised to hear that Trump tweeted that Spicer will do “great” on Season 28 of DWTS this fall.
“Really? Wow, that’s fantastic!” Spicer told Entertainment Tonight. “It’s always nice to have kind words said to me by anybody at this point, especially the President of the United States. So I welcome everybody and anybody’s support, but it’s extra special to have the President of the United States,” he said.
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On Thursday evening, Trump tweeted, “Just heard that Sean Spicer will be on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ He will do great. A terrific person who loves our Country dearly!”
Spicer said he views the ABC reality show as his opportunity for his fellow castmates to have “fun and be supportive of each other.”
“I talked to a few and texted with a couple. I think we all agree that — at least the ones I talked to because I would never want to speak for everybody — this is an opportunity to show America how people of different backgrounds can have fun and be supportive of each other and have civil engagement,” he said.
“And, you know, get well beyond politics and for a couple hours every week show America that people from different backgrounds can enjoy each other’s company, can root for each other, can be civil with each other and put politics aside,” he added.
Spicer also noted that the cast and crew that he’s interacted with “have been overwhelmingly gracious.”
“Not only have they been gracious and great, but I’ve really enjoyed meeting and getting to know all of them whether it’s the crew, the cast, the pros,” he said. “I’ve had a phenomenal 48 hours with these guys.”
Many DWTS fans were not pleased to hear a political name on Season 28’s roster. Host Tom Bergeron even spoke out against the decision, writing that he was under the impression that Season 28 of DWTS would be “a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate and free of inevitably divisive bookings from ANY party affiliations.”
Bergeron made it clear that he was not supportive of the decision made by the network and producers to hire Spicer. “It is the prerogative of the producers, in partnership with the network, to make whatever decisions they feel are in the best long term interests of the franchise. We can agree to disagree, as we do now, but ultimately it’s their call. I’ll leave it to them to answer any further questions about those decisions.”
Spicer’s fellow competitor, Queer Eye‘s Karamo Brown, said he would be open to sitting down and engaging in respectful conversations with Spicer.
“First, I have no say who is on the cast and didn’t find out till this morning that he is on!” Brown replied to a Twitter user who was “disappointed” that he was “lending his celebrity to” Spicer’s resurgence. “But I’ll tell you this… I’m excited to sit down w/ him and engage in a respectful conversations. Only way things get better is if we try to educate those who have different POV than us.”
Along with Spicer and Brown, the other celebrities set to hit the ballroom are The Bachelorette Hannah Brown, Dawson’s Creek‘s James Van Der Beek, The Office‘s Kate Flannery, former Fifth Harmony member Ally Brooke, model Christie Brinkley, The Supremes music legend Mary Wilson, former NBA player Lamar Odom, former NFL player Ray Lewis, county singer Lauren Alaina and Kenan & Kel‘s Kel Mitchell.
Season 28 of Dancing With the Stars kicks off Monday, Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Photo credit: Pool / Pool / Getty
