Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Tom Bergeron Opens Up About How Sean Spicer's Casting Led To His Bitter Exit From 'DWTS'

Tom Bergeron; Sean Spicer
Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Planet Hollywood International; Larry French/Getty Images for TBN

The former 'Dancing with the Stars' host opened up on the 'Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans' podcast about how a 'betrayal' from producers led to his departure from the show.

Television host Tom Bergeron has opened up about the drama that led to his departure from Dancing With The Stars, and how it all came down to politics.

On a recent episode of DWTS alum Cheryl Burke's podcast "Sex, Lies and Spray Tans," Bergeron said that his exit began with the show casting former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer in its 28th season.


Spicer is the short-lived first Press Secretary of former Republican President Donald Trump's term, and made himself infamous for yelling obvious lies during press conferences, such as the claim that Trump's sparsely attended inauguration had the biggest crowd in history. The lies only got worse from there, of course.

Bergeron said his decision to call out the DWTS producing team for casting someone associated with Trump's administration ultimately led to him being fired from the show in 2020 after 15 years of hosting it.

Host With The Most with Tom Bergeron Part 2 | Sex, Lies, and Spray Tansyoutu.be

Bergeron told Burke he was on very good terms with the producers prior to the Spicer incident and had just signed a multi-year contract to continue hosting.

In advance of the upcoming season, producers asked Bergeron for his casting recommendations. With the 2020 election looming, he advocated against politicians of any kind, so the show might be a "wonderful escape from all that divisiveness for two hours a week."

Bergeron says producers agreed but then reneged, calling him a few weeks later to inform him they'd cast Spicer. Bergeron told Burke he was "furious" about the decision.

I said, ‘Guys, this is exactly what we said we wouldn’t do!’ And I would have responded the same way if they had booked Hillary Clinton, whom I voted for."
"‘Don’t go there. This is not the right time. Play to our strengths. Be the show that gives people a break from all this bullsh*t.’ So, I was furious.”

Bergeron then took to Twitter in 2019 to tell everyone how they "fu**ing lied to me," revealing, without naming names, what had gone down. After the 28th season featuring Spicer, he was replaced by Tyra Banks, as was his co-host Erin Andrews.

On social media, many fans of the show voiced their support upon hearing Bergeron's story.







Despite all the drama, Bergeron told Burke he has no regrets, saying that he and Andrews "had more fun being fired than virtually anybody.”

More from Entertainment/celebrities

ICE agents at Atlanta airport
Megan Varner/Getty Images

The White House Just Tried To Rebrand ICE Agents As 'NICE Agents' With Hilariously Propagandistic Graphic

The White House was criticized for sharing an image to rebrand ICE agents as "NICE" agents, including a poster of an agent kneeling next to a child that has been condemned as blatant propaganda.

The decision came after President Donald Trump shared a post from a supporter urging him to change the name of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to National Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which would change the acronym from ICE to NICE. Trump said in a post on Truth Social it would be a "GREAT IDEA!!!"

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Jimmy Failla
Fox News

Fox News Reporters Caught On Hot Mic Joking About How Lax Security Was Before Correspondents' Dinner

Fox News reporters were criticized after they were caught on a hot mic joking about the unusually lax security at the White House Correspondents Association dinner before a shooting disrupted the event.

Their commentary followed a security scare at the Washington Hilton, where President Donald Trump and senior officials were quickly moved to safety after shots rang out outside the ballroom. Investigators believe the suspect fired one or two rounds. The Secret Service returned fire but missed, and the suspect was later apprehended near a staircase leading into the ballroom.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of King Charles shaking hands with Donald Trump
@AdamJSchwarz/X

Trump Just Totally Met His Match When He Tried His Macho Handshake On King Charles In Viral Clip

President Donald Trump was widely criticized for attempting his awkward tug-of-war-style handshake while greeting King Charles III at the White House on Monday, only for Charles to shut him down.

Charles addressed a joint meeting of Congress on Tuesday, becoming only the second British monarch to do so after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who spoke in 1991. His speech came as Trump has repeatedly criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over Britain’s refusal to back the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Pastor Calls Out Christians Who Claim 'God Protected' Trump At Correspondents' Dinner In Spot-On Tweet

Reverend Benjamin Cremer, a pastor and writer who often comments on the intersection of politics and Christianity, called out MAGA supporters' reaction to the shooting on Saturday at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner and lamented the idolization of President Donald Trump.

Cremer's words followed a security scare at the Washington Hilton, where Trump and senior officials were quickly moved to safety after shots rang out outside the ballroom. Investigators believe the suspect fired one or two rounds. The Secret Service returned fire but missed, and the suspect was later apprehended near a staircase leading into the ballroom.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mara Wilson
Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Former Child Actor Mara Wilson Reveals Heartbreakingly Disturbing Reason That Led To Her Not Wanting To Act Anymore

You probably know her as Matilda or possibly as the youngest daughter, Natalie Hillard, in Mrs. Doubtfire, or maybe the inquisitive and too-smart-for-her-age Susan Walker in Miracle on 34th Street.

But for former child actor Mara Wilson, that's where most people's knowledge of her stops, and the reasons behind that are heartbreaking.

Keep ReadingShow less