Will Sean Spicer Win 'Dancing With The Stars' After All?

ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" - Season 28 - Season Premiere

(Image credit: Eric McCandless)

published 27 September 2019

Two weeks ago, when Sean Spicer made his Dancing With the Stars debut in a lime-green situation, looking like a green M&M/Sid from Monsters Inc./Oscar the Grouch in a blonde wig, I knew this was going to get ridiculous. As the former press secretary for President Trump, Spicer's time on the show thus far has been controversial—and this is a pretty transparent effort to restore some kind of positive image in the public eye. So he decided that the best course of action is to dance terribly in front of strangers, which, sure! But could he actually win? There are a couple of indications that he might go farther than expected—let's break it down.

Spicer was a controversial pick.

Lest we forget, host Tom Bergeron was not a fan, tweeting honestly (and quite bravely): "[It was] my hope that DWTS...would be a joyful respite from our exhausting political climate and free of inevitably divisive bookings from ANY party affiliations." So even within the DWTS cast and crew, this wasn't an easy decision.

He has improved...but it's not great.

The judges said that his second dance was better, which I'm sure was in large part because he decided not to show up looking like a lime grenade/a deeply nauseous bird/a flamenco dancer that died:

But it's still not great. When they started, Spicer's partner Lindsay Arnold said he was dancing at a "pre-pre-school" level, so his improvement compared to other contestants, like the much-beloved Bachelorette Hannah Brown (GO HANNAH) probably isn't going to get him where he needs to be.

Spicer has started a "campaign."

No, really, the Spicer/Arnold 2019 campaign has a website and a video, leaning into the ridiculous and taking great care to try and "humanize" him:

Spicer Arnold 2019 Campaign Video - DWTS - YouTube

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He remains unfunny. Unfortunately, because of course, he's gotten support from the far-right, including Mike Huckabee, who tweeted, "Wanna create an emotional meltdown in Hollyweird? Vote for Sean Spicer to win "Dancing with the Stars" tonight and every night he's on."

Luckily, DWTS fans are calling out the strategy, and many say they're boycotting the whole season:

Critics are making sure he's not seen as harmless.

Sean Spicer is on Dancing With the Stars right now. https://t.co/YrfzpjuXvzSeptember 23, 2019

Please don’t laugh when Sean Spicer when he says he’s on Dancing With the Stars dancing for Christ.It’s in the Bible, in the Book of Morons, Verses 1, 2 Cha Cha Cha.Yes, yes. I’ll show myself out.September 18, 2019

If former press secretary Sean Spicer wins Dancing with the Stars, then I’m telling you right here and now that I’m blaming the Russian judge for vote tampering.September 19, 2019

Although I'm sure the show is benefiting off the back and forth. In a way, I'm quite pleased that Spicer decided to go on DWTS, because it has given us moments that I will treasure (read: watch with disdain) forever, like so:

And:

Oh and also:

When we need to contend with the tremendously damaging work he's done for the Trump administration, a pairing with these ridiculous gifs should really seal in the effect, I think.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.