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DWTS Host, Tom Bergeron Not Happy With “Divisive” Casting Choices Aimed At Sean Spicer

Photo: JPI

Controversy already erupted upon the announcement on Wednesday of the cast of the new season of Dancing with the Stars.  Most intriguing is that a statement from the longtime ABC series, host, Tom Bergeron revealed his hopes to the producers that their celebrity casting choices would be non-political in nature, especially after the ballroom dance competition had been on a year hiatus from the small screens.

Following the celebrity contestant reveal, which included former White House Press Secretary. Sean Spicer (who worked for President Donald Trump), the host released a statement via his Twitter account.  In it, Bergeron noted that he’d had lunch with the show’s new executive producer and had suggested some ideas for the show. Chief among them was that DWTS should avoid casting someone with “ANY party affiliations.”  When he left that lunch, Bergeron says he was convinced that would be the case.

Bergeron expressed: “It was my hope that ‘DWTS,’ in its return from an unprecedented year-long hiatus, would be a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate and free of inevitably divisive bookings from ANY party affiliations.”  Then he said, “Subsequently (and rather obviously) a decision was made to, as they often say in Hollywood, “go in a different direction”.  He went on to say, “It is the prerogative of 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.”

DWTS new EP Andrew Llinares, then said in a statement. “We’ve got a great and diverse cast. We are excited about the season,”

You can see Bergeron’s tweet in full below.

So, what do you think of Bergeron’s hopes for the casting choices of DTWS?  Would you have preferred Sean Spicer to be cut from the cast?  Who would you have liked to have seen cast on the series? Would you want any celeb you like to even go on it any more? Comment below.

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I’m with T0m–1000%!

You must not pay taxes !! I am with the taxpayer not Washington not Hollywood the taxpayer !! We have had enough

Well, you know I agree with you, Nancy. I really don’t want to watch someone literally tap dance when I watched this very same person figuratively tap dance around the truth since his first day on the job as the White House spokesperson. Dancing from the Truth? Let’s not make people who have habitually lied to the American people time and time again attain celebrity status. Otherwise, I am sure the other chronic liar, the ungainly Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be stomping around the dance floor next season.

Why is Tom only complaining about this NOW, when there has been at least one right wing tool in every season of the show? You had Tom “the bugman” DeLay, dancing away at a time when he literally should have been in prison. There was Tucker Carlson, who by now has pretty much outed himself as a white supremacist propagandist. You had Sara Evans, a supposed “country singer” who literally launched her career on the Sean Hannity FAUX News show. Rick Perry who, ironically enough, probably danced better than anything else he ever attempted in his life. (probably still failed if he had to count to three to do a dance step).

I’ve never seen a single episode of this dumb show, and those are just the names I can remember off the top of the horns on my head. It’s very clear that ABC/Disney has used this show as a tool for promoting washed up right wing hacks.

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WHEN SPICEY APPEARS ON DWTS IT WILL GARNER THE BIGGEST RATINGS EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THIS SHOW!!! IT WILL BREAK WORLD RECORDS AS FAR AS TV RATINGS ARE CONCERNED!!!!!! I HOPE THEY LET HIM USE SEGWAY!!!! AHHHH!!!!!!

I stopped watching years ago. Show got tedious and boring, especially when they eliminated the live orchestra. Won’t be returning, although I think Tom Bergeron is a perfectly fine host.

Well…another deranged liberal Trump hating celeb who will implode when Trump wins another wonderful 4 years. I’ve always liked him, but now that he chose to show his Trump Derangement Syndrome…I will never watch DWTS again.

Hey Vlad. Good to see you dropped by. Joe Stalin says HELLo!

You don’t get it, he’s saying things have gotten too political. He’s not saying he hates Trump, just that we need a break from this constant strife and hate mongering which has over taken our country in the last three years or so. We need a break from it.

He was a donor to the campaigns of Obama, Hillary and her rapist perv husband and currently sleepy confused Biden. He can’t possibly be a trump hater.

Sono con te, Nicola.
❤️❤️

Hi Nick..
Never watching Dancing With The Stars is a good thing!!!
Heck, ones doesn’t need an excuse not watch. It stinks! and Spicy is just gonna make a fool of himself LOL

Soon, we will be hearing-

BOYCOTT BOYCOTT BOYCOTT !!!

wait for it —

Hey suOOO
I wonder what happened to your other comment about DWTS , being watched only by grannies? It seems to have disappeared or deleted, along with my teasing reply.

Violet! No!
we got erased!?
0ooh well.. we had a moment LOL

Why am I not surprised?
Mental illness is overwhelming the USA, in political, and economic proportions.
Just two days ago, there was a protest on 57th St. Outside of Trump Tower, in NYC, to rename the block Obama Ave.
It really is a sorry situation, to think about all of those people wasting all of that time protesting, feeling bad, when it’s just a soap story in their head, probably penned by,…
This is my goodbye letter, our soaps have gotten that stupid, and our culture reflects it.
MEETOO, means I’m probaby a moron, but you hurt me 40, or 30, or 20 years ago, and I was so illprepared at healing, that I tryed to find help, but couldn’t really. So rather than letting you go, I’ll make an example of you, hopefully put you in jail, and take all of your money, then I’ll be able to afford the pharmaceuticals that can deaden me to what I should have just gotten over. This is what soapland is doing to people, and if you like it your getting stupider, in NYC, they’re refitting school buses with gps, just so that they can qualify drivers to hire.
Bye,
No longer a viewer.
88

If you’re going to call folks stupid, you might try and write,”you’re” and not”your.” Just saying.

Thank you for pointing out my typo Jill Marie, someday soon, you’ll get to be a secratary!
for Oprah!!

You’re the one who just made the climate political and Spicer’s booking divisive Mr. Bergeron. Kudos to your producers for ignoring your whining.

“X-cellent point, Sir!”

Or maybe he was stepping up and trying to perserve some integrity what the show used to be about.

Oh, that train left the station a long time ago, Rose!!! And, by the way, this is not the first instance that Bergeron has made a smart@$$ political comment. I don’t recall the exact quote, but I believe it was some sourgrapes remark having to to do with the 2016 election results. It was right there and then that I had my fill of him, and to be perfectly frank. I never cared for him even before that point. I always found him to be too put-on, corny and full of himself! However, as host of the show, it is his job to treat all contestants with fairness and respect, unless they do something untoward within the boundaries of the competition which warrants otherwise. So far, no one has expressed anything but warm thoughts about Sean and his personal conduct at DWTS…in fact, no less than his fellow dancer, Karamo Brown, stated on Twitter what a nice guy he found him to be and that they had had some very cordial conversations behind the scenes. Of course, that didn’t sit well with the left, which immediately had to attack Brown online for his own well-meaning sentiments, and which once again, perfectly illustrates that all their virtue-signalling about tolerance and getting along is a complete and utter sham!

Shay…It’s not a matter of liking or disliking Sean. I think his WH job just got out of his control for a person who seemed like a nice enough guy. But his stint there was “colourful.” There have been many kinds of personalities on DWTS, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to think his “star” power comes from his time as press secretary…which can’t help but translate into political…which in this climate is is almost everything…and unfortunately make it a left/ right issue for some. I just don’t like my suspicion that ABC is trying to capitalize on this by having Sean on.
As far as any of these kind of dancing, singing, or game shows and their hosts, they have never been my cup of tea except for the odd contestant who might interest me.

@Rose…Were Sean the first ever DWTS contestant to come from a political background, then there might be an argument that he shouldn’t have been cast this season, especially given the highly contentious environment in which we now live. But he’s just the latest in a long line of politicos that have made an appearance on this show, so it seemed particularly unwarranted for Bergeron to single him out. Quite frankly, I think ABC tries to get a real mixture of people each year to appease what is essentially a 50/50 split of public opinion according to the demographics of the country…In other words, there is always a sports figure, rapper/hip-hopper type, a Disney kid, and one or two has-beens of various cultural touchstones…In other words, something for everyone! Honestly, it’s extremely rare that any of those selected makes me want to watch this tedious show…or any reality-based program for that matter. Having said that, the only politically-related DWTS personality that really turned me off in a HUGE way was the Palin daughter…Whilst that circus act of a family and their variety of trailer park antics were perfectly tailor-made for reality tv, they would have been far better suited for a spin-off of the “Honey BooBoo” franchise than a dance contest…They truly are the worst of the worst and a perpetual embarrassment for Republicans with their trashy behavior and constant attempts to cash in on their ill-advised 15 minutes of fame courtesy of the disastrous McCain campaign. Compared to them, Sean is just a nice, regular guy who wanted to try something outside of his comfort zone…In fact, earlier tonight he commented that he also signed-on to give his children something they could watch their father do that was meant to be fun and non-political, which I thought was really sweet! (Oh, by the way, I twice replied to your previous comments about BoJo, Brexit and Dame Maggie. Apparently, my fandom for all three didn’t pass muster…Lol!) Later, Rose!

Shay…I get the 50/50. Some do it better than others. In the case of CNN, though, it usually gets into an interrupting/shouting match. I checked contestants for DWTS since the beginning. Of those I recognize they are mainly show business/pop culture type/soap actors with very next to none political persons except Tucker Carlson, and Marla Maples and Palin’s daughter…if you consider them as such. Agree her mom was the great disaster of the McCain try for president. I think I heard he said so in later years. But the afford mentioned, just controversial and a “star” because of their relationships with want-to-be political figures. And I think this is part of what DWTS’s is looking for…and now Sean with politics thrown in…no matter how nice he might be. But wouldn’t it be nice to feature the real, regular “heroes’ in everyday life, first responders, vets as another category. In fact ABC/NBC/CBS nightly news always has a segment at the end of their broadcasts devoted to them. Better to pull us all together, at least for a moment. Regarding B, B and Dame..and we think it’s crazy here!!! At least they turn out great tv series.

@Rose…The greatest disaster of the Mc Cain “try for president” was the man himself…but the decision to put Palin on the ticket vividly illustrated his total lack of discernment and judgment, something which he repeatedly displayed during his prolonged, bitter “revenge tour” following his well-deserved loss. And now, we have his equally obnoxious daughter picking up his mantle….I’m truly surprised she wasn’t cast on DWTS given her association with ABC!!! (Thank God for small favors we dodged that bullet….) As far as BoJo goes, I find it very interesting that the playbook being used against him in the UK is nearly identical to that the US left employs in their never-ending anti-Trump campaign across the pond here…hmmm. Oh well, blessedly, the countdown to our beloved “Downton” is almost done….cannot wait!

Will not watch DWTS after reading about Tom dislike of Sean Spicer. Who the heck cares about what Hollywood people think about Trump and his administration. The judges won’t give Sean a fair shake anyway. The stars they have on anymore aren’t really stars that people know or care about anymore anyway.

many of the people on here i dont even consider stars-just people stretching their 15 minutes of fame!!!

Jimh…I don’t watch it regularly, but it has had it’s moments for me. And since it’s on ABC gotta admit it has been good to our soaps over the years…Kelly Monoco (Sam), Susan Lucia (Erica), Ingo Rademacher (Jax), Antonio Saratoga’s Jr (Jagger). Probably more. I must admit I did tune in to see Jennifer Grey from the movie Dirty Dancing. Beautiful.

But Rose, how could anyone match the chemistry between Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey!

Timmm…Agree! Swoon every time I see it.

I think it’s the most boring group in ages. Won’t be watching.

Tom you have a right to comments but you have crossed the line, talk about tolerance and diversity, you have now shown that you are the face of hate and tolerance. You get paid good money for WHAT! Insulting people! Now way do you deserve to be host of any show!

The comments so far, and ABC’ DWTS decisions, just point out how everything seems to be political, divisive and about money unless you are living on a desert island or Mars. And the lowest common denominator in talking about/with each other has become accepted as the norm by too many. No matter what you feel or think about the “other sides” I would hope you would feel very sad and scared about this. Nobody wins. Everybody loses.

I agree, Rose. And putting my incredibly negative opinion about the orange one aside, I would say objectively speaking, that we are merging the culture of celebrity with the world of politics. We have a president who is a reality TV star and now we have politicians acting like reality TV stars–the world is upside down. Sean Spicer is not a star and shouldn’t be on this reality TV show. I would say this about a former spokesperson of Obama’s too.

Harry…Storytime. Long ago and far away even I bought into the mystic of one who now wears the title of president. This was when he “starred” in The Apprentice. At that time he also had a reputation of being good business man so I thought I could pick up some tips from the “master.” And this has since been questioned many times as have his legal ethics. I quit watching after the second season…the show and his style is much like what we have seen in his presidency, hiring the wrong people, then firing, firing firing, devise, backstabbing, bullying, setting up adversarial situations, etc. Just glad it only took me two seasons to see that all that glitters is not gold.

Yep. I watched a few episodes of The Apprentice and always wondered why the Hell he always fired the wrong people and rigged it so some complete asshole “won” nearly every season.

Now when you look at the people he’s hired for his cabinet positions, it all makes sense, in context. The orange fool still thinks he’s doing a reality show!

Bergeron is the divisive one here. Just shut-up and play host. You’re not the focus or the driver of the show–the dancers are the focus–your time on the show is “filler.”

Tom, shut up and do your little TV show. You get paid millions to say your little quirky jabs and comments and then kiss up to all the Liberal heavyweights! You are suppose to entertain not stand on a soap box! Please let Bruce, Barbra, Robert, Jimmy, Steven and all the other hypocrites in Hollywood to do the same!

Say it again, T—-all together now. Spoiled brat that Tom is—might as well treat him as one.

This guy needs to calm down and worry about real problems in the world. The hatred and nastiness of SOME people is spreading like a cancer.
Perhaps he’d like to see Joe Biden “spin” circles around the dance floor with a Chinese partner.
What about Obama with an Iranian or. Russian diplomat when he ihas more leeway? Oh, oh, wait—-I know, the Clintons with a. betrayed Hatian or Monica. Yeah, that’ll work–or spend a cool ten mil for their daughter’s wedding .
Enough!! Bunch of catty cats.
Everywhere I look, the sanctimonious democrats wear a million hats. Nowhere else in a democratic siciety does such a “Hollywoodian” cult exist–
I can’t wait for the rest of the debates–canaries and parrots. What a bunch!! They either tear each other to bits or they all say the same thing….which is nothing. Give a solution–somthing upon which to bite. I do not see any halo hovering over any heads. So sainted. For shame.
Liars? Let us not call the kettle black. People are not dumb– we have eyes and a brain—-the pontification of fake righteousness has no room within the hard-working, average American who try to make an honest living only to be given away to reckless migrants who borrow children to get into this country. Our youth? Well, our children who cannot afford an education or medical care are left in the streets as offal, along with our vets because our blood, sweat and tears go to taking care of illegals. Thanks to “altruistic” Pelosi . NOT!!
Relax people—You have the choice not to watch. I am so sick of this reckless criticism and complaints.
I have never watched this silly show. But, I will watch Spicer–hope he’s a hit.

Tres bien, CeeCeeGirl! (Sorry for the lack of proper French punctuation…my iPad won’t let me do it!) Even though I have no intention of watching this increasingly inane show—and most particularly that blowhard Bergeron—I am going to look up the voting phone numbers online and call in with as many for Sean as are legally allowed…I hope many others as disgusted by this blatant unfairness do likewise. He has as much right to be on DWTS as any other of this year’s contestants—-at least one of whom I know to be a longtime, avid and VERY vocal Clinton supporter who just happens to be your “neighbor!!”—Funny how that doesn’t make her “politically divisive,” though, isn’t it???

Hey, Shay belle–Ca va? I don’t bother with the cedilles, the aigus, the circonflexes, the graves and the tremas…the different accents….unless I’m substituting in French class. The Italian accents are not as complicated.
I said this before, as it is, the French language is archaic and backwards—-should be brought up to par, to the 21st Century—much like Sarah’s hair on DOOL. LOL.
This is the neverending merry-go-round–dizzying…….as the hypocritical farce is reaching new heights.
Nowhere to run, baby, nowhere to hide….LOL.
Trying to enjoy the last few days of summer, before school starts, next week.
I never realized how short Spicer is….have only seen him from chest up, on screen. Hmmmm!! Let’s hope his partner doesn’t tower over him. Ha!
A bientot, ma belle….

Nope, nowhere to run or hide at all, CeeCeeGirl…might as well resign ourselves to that fact and just be done with it! (Not even MV…I noticed you have “new neighbors!” There goes the island…LOL!!) Still, I hope you enjoyed your family reunion time there…I, for one, am ecstatic to see summer on the wane…finally, a taste of fall! Yes! (What can I say? There’s just something about September that always makes me feel sooo alive!) Beyond that, I’m quite well, thanks for asking! May the upcoming school year be an exciting one for you and your kinder!!! By the way, it’s good to have you back here in full force…you’ve been missed! Later, mia amica! P.S. Wonder if Sean will perform to “Tiny Dancer?” Haha…

Its a dance show- not Fox News or CNN for Pete’s sake. Regardless of your political ideology no one should be deprived of the ability to make a living. Everyone needs to take a chill pill.

Best answer!! LIS—more power to you!! ❤️

I am furious at tonight’s outcome! The judges need to adjust their eyesight! So sad for me as I have been watching since the first show! James Van Der Beek is one of the best dancers ever on the show! This makes me not want to watch the Talk,

Dancing with the Stars

‘Dancing with the Stars’ Derek Hough Reveals Wife Hayley Erbert Undergoing Skull Surgery

Dancing with the Stars judge Derek Hough has revealed that today on December 20th, his wife Hayley Erbert will be undergoing skull surgery.

Previously this month, Erbert had to have an emergency craniectomy after being diagnosed with a cranial hematoma. The surgery on Wednesday is to replace “a large portion of her skull”, Hough shared, that was removed during the first procedure.

In the early hours on Wednesday, Hough took to his Instagram story and expressed: “I strongly believe all the prayers that have been sent with the intention and love of Hayley’s recovery has helped so much. I can’t thank you all enough.”

Photo: JPI

Derek also added to, “Please keep her in your prayers as I believe the collective energy helped her through these past few weeks. We love you we thank you.”

Last week on Friday, Hough revealed that Erbert, 29, would need a skull implant in the coming weeks.  He offered up that, “the recovery process has been nothing short of a miracle,” and added that although, “Hayley is doing well,” she “still has a ways to go.”

As the holiday season is upon, Derek offered, “While this isn’t the holiday season either of us envisioned, it’s one that we’re incredibly grateful to have. We look forward to cherishing these moments with a deeper appreciation for life and the people in it.”

Send your well-wishes and prayers to Hayley and Derek as they go through this trying time via the comment section below.

 

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Dancing with the Stars

‘Dancing with the Stars’ Derek Hough Gives Update Following Wife Hayley Erbert’s Emergency Craniotomy

Over the last 48 hours, Dancing with the Stars judge and performer, Derek Hough shared on social media what happened to his wife, dancer Hayley Erbert when she underwent an emergency craniotomy after experiencing symptoms while on a dance tour with her husband.

In his first post on Thursday, Hough revealed that his wife of only three months “became disoriented and was taken to the hospital” while on their Symphony of Dance tour in Washington, D.C.  Ebert was later diagnosed with a “cranial hematoma from a burst blood vessel and required an emergency craniotomy.”

In an update on the situation on Friday, Derek revealed: “Hayley has always inspired me with her will, her strength, and her resilience and no more so than in the last 48 hrs.  She is now on the long road to recovery Words cannot express how grateful and thankful we are for the support and love that you have given us.  The kindness that we’ve been shown in this incredibly unfathomable and life-changing time is immeasurable. The offers of assistance that have poured in have been so humbling and appreciated. Our hope is that as a family, we can somehow and someway pay it forward.”

Photo: JPI

Hough and Erbert first met during the So You Think You Can Dance tour in 2013. They then began began dating in 2015 while both were appearing on Dancing with the Stars and were married in August 2023.

On Hough’s most recent Instagram post, celebrities from the world of soaps, motion picture and films and fellow cast members from DWTS all commented on Derek’s update sending love and prayers Hayley’s way including: GH’s Finola Hughes, Selling Sunset and former soap star, Chrishell Stause, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Matthew Morrison, Nina Dobrev, Emma Slater, Mira Sorvino, and Alfonso Ribiero.

Send you prayers, and well-wishes to Hayley and Derek while they go through this most challenging and difficult of times via the comment section below.

 

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Dancing with the Stars

DANCING WITH THE STARS: Crowns Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy Winners of Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy

On the three-hour season 32 finale of Dancing with the Stars, it all came down to who would take home the Len Goodman Mirrorball trophy. This would mark the first time the winners would receive the coveted award named after the beloved head judge who passed away in 2022.

With a perfect score for each of their four last dances (from last week’s competitions and the finale), it was clear that the team to beat was Xochitl Gomez and her pro partner, Val Chmerkovskiy. But would America feel the same?

After a stunning night of freestyle routines to close out the final round of competition, and a redemption dance performed earlier in the night, as deemed by one of the judges for the couples to improve upon from a previous performance, the five remaining couples put their best foot forward.

Photo: ABC

Here’s how it shook out when hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough revealed the results:

In fifth place: Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber.  Next, in fourth place were former ‘Bachelorette’ star Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev. Third place belonged to Vanderpump Rules star, Ariana Madix and her pro partner, Pasha Pashkov.

Then it all came down to two, Xochitl and Val, or Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Jason Mraz and pro partner Daniella Karagach. Mraz had actually performed his latest single, “I Feel Like Dancing” shortly before the results portion of the show.

Photo: ABC

The Season 31-winning celebrity contestant, Charli D’Amelio, returned to the ballroom floor to present the Mirrorball trophy to the winners. D’Amelio had performed earlier in the finale with her former pro partner, Mark Ballas, for a special routine.

Photo: ABC

Jason and Daniella were announced in first place, as Xochitl and Val were announced the Len Goodman Mirror Ball Trophy winners. For Val, this marks his third victory in his Dancing with the Stars career. He previously won the Mirrorball trophy with Rumor Willis in 2015 and Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez in 2016.

Photo: ABC

In the finale, Gomez and Chmerkovskiy performed a redemption foxtrot to Katy Perry’s “Unconditionally”, and finished with a freestyle dance to ‘Que Calor” by District 78.

Happy that Xochitl and Val won the season 32 Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy? Who did you think of the final results? Comment below.

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