It is that time of year again! Dancing with the Stars is looking for new contestants for its fall season, and it apparently had a huge public figure in mind – Dr. Anthony Fauci. Yes, the same Dr. Fauci, who has become such a popular presence that he had an answer about who should play him on Saturday Night Live.
Dr. Fauci suggested an actor you might have heard of to take on the role. A guy by the name of Brad Pitt. Yes, the Brad Pitt. After having his dream of Pitt playing him realized, Dr. Fauci has been on a roll. Apparently, Dancing with the Stars was hoping they would be his next stop toward pop culture prominence.
Do not break out the sequins and mirror ball too quickly, though. Dancing with the Stars reportedly reached out informally, according to The Daily Mail, to which Dr. Fauci’s spokesperson responded by classily turning the show down in a statement to the newspaper. After all, Dr. Fauci does have a lot on his plate.
He is one of the leading members of White House’s Coronavirus Task Force and has appeared on shows like Meet the Press to weigh in. Dancing with the Stars would be a totally different type of series for the overnight media sensation. In case you were wondering, Dancing with the Stars is heading back to be a part of ABC’s 2020 fall schedule.
The show is slated to air Mondays at 8 p.m. on the Alphabet Network. Unfortunately, Dr. Fauci will not be among those set to show off his dance moves. Interestingly, The Bachelorette’s Kaitlyn Bristowe has been recruited to dance in Dancing with the Stars’ next season, having accepted an invitation by Bachelor franchise host, Chris Harrison, to join the competition.
While he will not be dancing, will Dr. Fauci be providing insight into how the competition can proceed considering all of the physical contact? Dancing with the Stars will be coming back in the aftermath of the Hollywood production shutdown and restrictions that will be in place to protect industry talent. Something tells me that a machine that zaps COVID-19 will not be enough. Or, will it?
It is an excellent question for Dr. Fauci. Either way, it will be interesting to see what Dancing with the Stars comes up with as a solution. Other competition series like ABC’s American Idol and NBC’s The Voice both made their recent seasons work amid quarantine. Of course, contestants did not have to rumba to win.
Dr. Fauci competing would have been a definitive bright spot for the season. Of course, the divisiveness of the eliminations would be something that Dr. Fauci would have to get used to. But, Dancing with the Stars is a massive time commitment, and considering Dr. Fauci’s position, it makes total sense to me that he had to turn it down. Seeing as how, unlike those from similar public careers who've competed, Dr. Fauci is still active in his main line of work.
Dancing with the Stars does not have a premiere date to return for its next season yet, but it will air Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. While you wait to return to the ballroom (and all of that glitter), check out this summer’s premieres.
