Because the official announcement was to come later in the morning, Perry would not confirm that he would be a contestant: "I think it would be rude for me to say go to a different channel at 9 a.m. ET," he said.
Asked if he feared that something could go "terribly wrong" if he were to go on the show, the former presidential candidate said, "I would keep my work pretty serious if I were to do that."
Thousands tweeted a similar sentiment...
Perry said he was in New York for his daughter to get her wedding gown "finalized."
"If this rumor is true, it would be a great thing to know how to dance at your daughter's wedding," he said.
The former presidential hopeful will compete against singer Vanilla Ice, former football player Calvin Johnson, race car driver James Hinchcliffe, Olympians Laurie Hernandez and Ryan Lochte and Brady Bunch actress Maureen McCormick, among others.
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay competed on the show in 2009.