Sean Spicer's Hollywood rehabilitation

Reality TV is the new revolving door

Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer with a rose in his mouth.
(Image credit: Illustrated | Mark Wilson/Getty Images, katiko-dp/iStock, FeelPic/iStock)

On Wednesday, ABC unveiled its new cast for the upcoming season of its hit show Dancing with the Stars. Those stars — a generous word for a lineup that includes a former lead from The Bachelorette — include none other than Sean Spicer, the disgraced former Trump White House press secretary. Predictably, the nation's biggest television addict, has voiced his approval. "He will do great," Trump tweeted on Thursday. Elsewhere, the choice has not been greeted as kindly.

Although not directly mentioning Spicer's selection, Tom Bergeron, DWTS' beloved host, signaled his displeasure by releasing a statement shortly after Wednesday's announcement saying that he had encouraged the show's producers to put together a season that "would be a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate."

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Neil J. Young

Neil J. Young is a historian and the author of We Gather Together: The Religious Right and the Problem of Interfaith Politics. He writes frequently on American politics, culture, and religion for publications including The New York Times, The Atlantic, the Los Angeles Times, HuffPost, Vox, and Politico. He co-hosts the history podcast Past Present.