On Friday, NBC’s Today show seized on liberals freaking out over former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer joining the cast of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars for the upcoming season. The report proclaimed how the decision “sparked an immediate firestorm online” and prompted calls for a boycott of the show.
“Boycott? Controversy over Sean Spicer joining the cast of Dancing with the Stars,” co-host Savannah Guthrie declared at the top of the NBC morning show. Later, fellow co-host Craig Melvin further teased the upcoming segment: “Also, the firestorm over Sean Spicer’s casting on Dancing with the Stars. The new calls overnight to drop him from that show and what he and his former boss are both saying about the controversy.”
Leading off the report in the 7:30 a.m. ET hour, correspondent Joe Fryer noted that Spicer’s “combative press briefings were must-see TV for some,” though warned that as “he has been cast to compete on Dancing with the Stars, some say they plan to tune out.” The headline on screen blared: “‘Dancing With The Stars’ Boycott?; Outrage Erupts Online Over Sean Spicer on ‘DWTS.’”
“When it was announced former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was joining Dancing with the Stars, it sparked an immediate firestorm online,” Fryer hyped. He then touted “the #boycottDancingwiththestars began trending on Twitter.”
After citing President Trump voicing support for Spicer on Twitter, Fryer touted: “Among those not happy with the news, longtime host Tom Bergeron. He says including the high-profile Republican on the show is not a good move.” A soundbite ran of the Dancing with the Stars host fretting: “I had hoped that when we came back, there wouldn’t be any political lightning rods of any party affiliation.”
Fryer emphasized that Spicer was “no stranger to controversy” and “had a contentious relationship with the White House Press Corps.” He even highlighted how one of Spicer’s fellow contestants was being attacked by leftists on social media simply for expressing a willingness to get to know the former White House staffer: “Queer Eye star Karamo Brown....taking heat after defending the decision to cast Spicer, telling Access Hollywood he was excited to meet the former press secretary.”
Brown’s supposed crime was showing basic civility and reasonableness when he said this: “I’m a big believer that if you can talk to someone and meet in the middle, you can learn about each other and help each other both grow.”
The media reaction to Spicer’s new role has been swift and unhinged. On Thursday, CNN’s Reliable Sources host Brian Stelter demanded “outrage and backlash” to both Spicer being on Dancing with the Stars and his successor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, being named a Fox News contributor. In his newsletter earlier that day, Stelter breathlessly described ABC News insiders denouncing the Spicer casting as “a slap in the face” and “disgusting.”
During CNN primetime that night, anchor Anderson Cooper bitterly decried the “gold-plated opportunities” that “await those who deceive the country on behalf of President Trump.”
Nevermind the endless revolving door of partisan and deceitful public officials that routinely jump from government jobs to liberal media punditry. A case in point, on Friday, CNN announced that it was hiring disgraced former FBI official Andrew McCabe as a contributor, who was specifically fired from the Bureau for being dishonest.
Here is a full transcript of NBC’s August 23 report:
7:42 AM ET
CRAIG MELVIN: This morning on In-Depth Today a controversial casting decision for the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Yeah, and one participant in particular is causing backlash even before he laces up his dancing shoes. NBC’s Joe Fryer has got the story. Hey, Joe, good morning.
JOE FRYER: Hey, there, good morning guys. For a short time, former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was on television on a regular basis. His combative press briefings were must-see TV for some. But now that he has been cast to compete on Dancing with the Stars, some say they plan to tune out.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: “Dancing With The Stars” Boycott?; Outrage Erupts Online Over Sean Spicer on “DWTS”]
When it was announced former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was joining Dancing with the Stars, it sparked an immediate firestorm online. One day after the #boycottDancingwiththestars began trending on Twitter, Spicer’s old boss weighed in. President Trump tweeted, “Just heard that Sean Spicer will be on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ He will do great. A terrific person who loves our Country dearly!”
Among those not happy with the news, longtime host Tom Bergeron. He says including the high-profile Republican on the show is not a good move.
TOM BERGERON: I had hoped that when we came back, there wouldn’t be any political lightning rods of any party affiliation.
FRYER: Earlier, Bergeron joked Spicer would be in charge of assessing audience size, a reference to this moment after the presidential inauguration.
SEAN SPICER: This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period!
FRYER: During a radio interview this week, Spicer responded to those in up in arms about his new gig.
SPICER: If you get too wound around axle, I think you need to get a life check.
FRYER: He’s no stranger to controversy.
SPICER: I think sometimes we can disagree with the facts.
FRYER: During his six months behind the podium, Spicer had a contentious relationship with the White House Press Corps.
SPICER: Please stop shaking your head again.
FRYER: That delicate dance between Spicer and the media was immortalized by Melissa McCarthy on Saturday Night Live. What are you doing?
MELISSA MCCARTHY [SNL]: This is soapy water and I’m washing that filthy lying mouth!
FRYER: Queer Eye star Karamo Brown will also be competing for the Mirror Ball Trophy. He’s taking heat after defending the decision to cast Spicer, telling Access Hollywood he was excited to meet the former press secretary.
KARAMO BROWN: I’m a big believer that if you can talk to someone and meet in the middle, you can learn about each other and help each other both grow.
GUTHRIE: And Joe, Sean Spicer’s got a new job, so does former White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, right?
FRYER: Yeah, that’s right. Sanders, who replaced Spicer, has now got a new job as well. She won’t be dancing, but yesterday, Fox News announced that she will join that network as a contributor, providing political commentary and analysis. Back to you guys.
GUTHRIE: Alright, thank you, Joe.
MELVIN: I’m anxious to see if Spicer is any good on his feet.
GUTHRIE: Yeah, we’ll see.
MELVIN: We’re gonna find out in a few months.
