Sean Spicer wants to focus on his moves. Dancing With the Stars came under fire for tapping the former White House press secretary for season 28, but he hopes the backlash doesn’t overshadow his stint.
“You go with the flow. I’m going to go out here and have the best time I can,” Spicer, 47, told Us Weekly and other reporters after the Monday, September 16, premiere. “It’s a free country. If you want to support me, great. If not, good. But I’m gonna have a great time.”
Shortly after ABC unveiled the cast in August, longtime host Tom Bergeron joined the chorus of celebrities and viewers alike who voiced disagreement with the political aide joining the dance competition. Bergeron, 64, tweeted that he had previously told an executive producer he wanted this season to be “a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate and free of inevitably divisive bookings from ANY party affiliations.” However, he was blindsided when he later found out that Spicer had been cast.
“Tom said he wanted to keep politics out of the show. I hope, um, I hope we do,” the former Republican National Committee communications director told Us on Monday. “I think we share that in common.”
He added, “I hope at the end of the season … Tom looks back [and] says, ‘Hey, this show is an opportunity to show the rest of America that we can bring people together, have a unifying night and put everything away for one night if it’s just two hours and really enjoy each others’ company no matter what our backgrounds and beliefs are on particular policies.”
Prior to the premiere, Spicer, who is partnered with pro dancer Lindsay Arnold, had only crossed paths with Bergeron one time.
“We bumped into each other in the hallway,” the Long Island native revealed to Us. “It was a quick pass by, but I don’t think I’ve had a chance [to talk to him]. I mean, same thing with Erin [Andrews]. I saw the judges just real quick, but this really was more about us getting a chance to rehearse.”
As for his former boss, President Donald Trump? “I just want his vote,” Spicer said with a laugh.
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
With reporting by Kayley Stumpe
For all the ins and outs of the ketogenic diet and answers to your burning questions about Hollywood’s favorite food plan, subscribe to our new podcast “KetOMG!” below!
