Sean Spicer says 'Dancing With the Stars' 'wasn't part of the plan'

Sean Spicer's casting on "Dancing With the Stars" surprised many people -- a lot of whom, including host Tom Bergeron, had strong opinions on ABC's decision to include him on season 28 -- but it seems as though nobody was more surprised to find him on "DWTS" than himself.

"This wasn't part of the plan," President Trump's former White House Press Secretary told the New Yorker ahead of the new season's premiere. "Frankly, I'm just making money, trying to enjoy life."

SEE ALSO: Christie Brinkley bursts into tears over Wendy Williams doubting her 'DWTS' injury

Backing up the show's inclusion of him, despite the predictable backlash that it caused, Spicer pointed to a variety of former contestants on the dancing competition who have divided the public and had tangential political ties.

"They try to have a diverse cast: Mark Cuban, sports people, Hollywood folks, Tom DeLay, Rick Perry, Tucker Carlson, Bristol Palin," Spicer said. "They’ve had a lot of conservative-slash-political folks. I’d say I’m in that lineage."

When asked if he saw any parallels between the competition show and his time as White House Press Secretary, Spicer said "none," before back-tracking.

SEE ALSO: Big changes coming to 'Dancing With the Stars' this season

"Well, maybe puns: like, dancing around things?" he joked, before explaining that, when he would watch clips of his press briefings back, "I would go, 'Oh, wow, I didn’t realize I came off that way. I should’ve kept that answer tighter.'"

Season 28 of "Dancing With the Stars" premieres on ABC on Monday at 8 p.m. EST