“Dancing With the Stars” was hit with backlash Wednesday after former White House press secretary Sean Spicer was confirmed as a competitor in its upcoming season, which starts Sept. 16. Critics on Twitter accused the ABC reality show of being complicit with the policies of President Donald Trump’s administration and of “normalizing” Spicer, whose tenure was characterized by his repeated lying on behalf of Trump to the American public.

“Good Morning America” announced the full cast Wednesday. Supermodel Christie Brinkley will be joined by the latest “Bachelorette,” Hannah Brown; actors James Van Der Beek, Kate Flannery and Kel Mitchell; former NBA player Lamar Odom; Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Lewis; singers Ally Brooke, Lauren Alaina and Mary Wilson; and Karamo Brown of “Queer Eye.” Spicer, who TMZ reported turned down the chance to join the show in 2017 because he thought he’d be too busy after leaving the White House, tweeted, “It’s time to have some fun.” Some people suggested actress Melissa McCarthy should return to “Saturday Night Live” to reprise her impersonation of Spicer:

And many people on Twitter did not wish Spicer well:

Oh get Sean Spicer out of there for crying out loud — Tamar Q Barbash (@writerTQB) August 21, 2019

More like #DancingToFascism. Screw you for helping to normalize Sean Spicer, @GMA.https://t.co/xbkjLazf1E — Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) August 21, 2019

Sean Spicer with have the largest audience to ever witness dancing. Period. https://t.co/3mpGrOLiHj — David Brody (@DavidBrody) August 21, 2019

Giving this piece of garbage even a minute of airtime says that you approved of him bold face lying to the American public. You should be ashamed! — Susan Pazera ✈️ (@SusanPazera) August 21, 2019

This is disgusting. There are no consequences for anything. — Jeremy Repanich (@racefortheprize) August 21, 2019

This sucks. Won't be watching (not that I would have been, but extra won't be.) — Ξvan Ross Katz (@evanrosskatz) August 21, 2019

The only thing shocking about Sean Spicer joining DWTS this season is that Anthony Scaramucci hasn't done it yet.https://t.co/WctYVNwTqA — Vanessa Santos (@VanessaOblinger) August 21, 2019

Normalizing a proven liar is not a good way to boost your flagging ratings. — Me, Myself and Irony© (@bubbz_daddy) August 21, 2019

Hard pass. Very hard. — Suzan Scott (@NewsJunkieBlu) August 21, 2019

Might as well get Huckabooboo on there as well, as that show is simply a vehicle for helping Republicans reinvent themselves as likable humans. — Sean McCabe (@darthstar99) August 21, 2019

Lying to the American People is no joke, not a PR stunt and I will never condone Spicer’s behavior by watching. #Resistance — Emily Timm (@timm_emily) August 21, 2019

Was David Duke not available? — Dog Dad Bod (@dogdadbod) August 21, 2019

Why though? Why are you normalizing him? Not even republicans respect him any longer. — Indiana Croussett (@MsIndyCroussett) August 21, 2019

Sean Spicer is doing #DWTS. This is...no. — Chris Harnick (@chrisharnick) August 21, 2019

OMG @GMA just announced the new lineup of @DancingABC and @seanspicer is on the cast and all I can think of is I can't wait to see @melissamccarthy back on @nbcsnlpic.twitter.com/FH2bNmRZ5X — Tom Hillen (@traffictom8) August 21, 2019

The man took taxpayer money to spew lies. This isn’t cute or entertaining. — ccr (@Reilly724) August 21, 2019

NOPE x a million — Gillian (@GillianDJohnson) August 21, 2019

Great job normalizing a white supremacist administration, guys. — Gabe Ortíz (@TUSK81) August 21, 2019

Nix Spicey.



If you're going to do fascism or white nationalism, just put on Richard Spencer. That would at least be honest. — 🆘Our democracy has no more "guardrails" (@brucewilson) August 21, 2019

@ABCNetwork it is unconscionable that you would celebrate and reward someone who lied to the American people on a daily basis like this. You are aiding in this administration's crusade to turn our democratic government into a farce. Shameful. — GreyMarket (@GreyMarketBand) August 21, 2019