Controversial help ex-Trump with the links of villages participating in "Dance with the stars"

A former Trump controversial associate with links to The Villages will be among the celebrities participating in the 28th season of "Dancing with the Stars".

Sean Spicer, President Trump's press secretary for the first six months of his presidency and having attracted a passionate crowd during his visit to The Villages in August 2018, will be one of 12 celebrities participating in the upcoming season of the popular reality dance show. ABC. .

Spicer was at The Villages last year for a book signing event at Barnes & Noble at Sumter Lake Landing. He attracted a large and energetic crowd by signing copies of his work entitled "The Briefing: Politics, the Press and the President". The 47-year-old, who also serves in the Navy Reserve, said he wrote the book to "Put It Right" on the 2016 election and his tumultuous years within the US. Trump administration.

Spicer was laudatory about his visit to The Villages, saying the opportunity to meet so many residents in the area and take pictures with them was a lot.

"It's rather humiliating," he said. "It's really special to know that someone has taken the time to come and talk with you."

He also said that he enjoyed talking with so many villagers passionate about politics.

"The people who come, have watched the briefings and want to hear the story," said Spicer. "It means a lot to me because they really invested in it while it was happening."

Spicer, who described his six months in the Trump administration as "sometimes chaotic, energetic and exciting," even joked that he was parodied by actress Melissa McCarthy in the hit series "Saturday Night Live" from NBC.

"You have fun and laughed," he says with a smile. "But then you realize what's going on. It was pretty surreal to sit there and watch yourself parody at a show you grew up watching. "

Many members of the Barnes & Noble crowd were thrilled to have the chance to talk to Spicer about his stay at the White House.

"Sean has been interested in press conferences and I admire his way of behaving," said Gene Molloy, who lives with his wife Susan in the Pine Hills Village.

"It was pretty cool," added Susan, an author who writes poetry and news. "I also thanked him for his service. We appreciate that too.

For the villager Ruth Baumgardner, a "Fox News junkie," the opportunity to meet Spicer was an opportunity she had been waiting for a long time.

"It's really nice to meet someone in person who has a job like this because they have a lot of information that we can learn from," said a resident of Pine Ridge Village. "But I think he had to go out to keep his sanity. He's smiling now. He did not smile a lot then. "

For his part, Spicer said he would remember his stint in The Villages for some time.

"I like the engagement," he said. "It seems like it's a place that people want to be because there's a lot to do – a lot of activity, a lot of commitment and a lot of interest for what happens in the country. "

"Dancing with the Stars" will be back on ABC on September 16th. The other celebrities competing are the model Christie Brinkley, the legend Mary Wilson, the star of "Dawson Creek" James Van Deer Beek and the great Ray Lewis of the NFL, "Queer Eye". Karamo Brown, star, "All That", Kel Mitchell, actress "The Office", Kate Flannery, Lauren, "American Idol", winner, "Bachelorette" Hannah Brown, member of Fifth Harmony, Ally Brooke, and Former NBA player, Lamar Odom, the ex-husband of reality TV star Khloe Kardashian.

The professional dancers who will collaborate with celebrities are Brandon Armstrong, Lindsay Arnold, Alan Bersten, Cheryl Burke, Witney Carson, Val Chmerkovskiy, Sasha Farber, Jenna Johnson, Daniella Karagach, Keo Motsepe, Peta Murgatroyd and Pasha Paskov.