One of the longtime hosts of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars criticized the network’s selection of former White House press secretary Sean Spicer to compete in the upcoming season.
Tom Bergeron said Wednesday he met a few months ago with an executive producer of the dance competition to discuss making season 28 devoid of politics by not casting anyone connected to any political party.
“Subsequently (and rather obviously), a decision was made to, as we often say in Hollywood, ‘go in a different direction,’” Bergeron said in a statement.
“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,” he said. “We can agree to disagree, as we do now, but ultimately it’s their call.”
Some thoughts about today pic.twitter.com/aCQ4SHrGCI
— Tom Bergeron (@Tom_Bergeron) August 21, 2019
Spicer gained notoriety while serving as a White House spokesman in the first six months of the Trump presidency. In his first days on the job, he clashed with the press over the crowd size for President Trump’s inauguration.
The season also includes former NBA star Lamar Odom, Queer Eye cast member Karamo Brown, Bachelorette star Hannah Brown, actor James Van Der Beek, supermodel Christie Brinkley, former NFL star Ray Lewis, actress Kate Flannery, comedian Ker Mitchell, The Supremes’ Mary Wilson, country singer Lauren Alaina, and former Fifth Harmony member Ally Brooke.
The season is scheduled to debut Sept. 16.
