Why Special Forces' Anthony Scaramucci Wasn’t Worried About What People Thought About Him Joining The Show

Anthony Scaramucci on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test on Fox
(Image credit: Fox)

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Special Forces: World's Toughest Test episode "Fear." Read at your own risk!

Special Forces: World's Toughest Test was a grueling experience for many of its participants, though as Dr. Drew told CinemaBlend, it forged a bond between them. There was a sense of camaraderie between the group while battling injuries and other tension, and maybe some celebrities made friends with others they hadn't originally expected. In any case, none of that was on Anthony Scaramucci's mind when he joined up, as he wasn't concerned about what others might think of him. 

Anthony Scaramucci, who voluntarily withdrew in the latest episode, is widely known for his incredibly brief six-day stint as the White House Communications Director for former President Donald Trump. I asked Scaramucci if there was any apprehension on his end ahead of joining due to what other participants in Special Forces: World's Toughest Test may think of him or how he'd be perceived, and received a rather blunt answer referencing his past:

When you go into the political realm, you are a target…[Danny] Amendola and I had this conversation. If you’re going into the NFL and you put a helmet on, you’re going to get a concussion…If you’re going into politics at the highest level of a Presidential level, you’re going to have a group of adversaries. Some of them are going to be on your own team that are adversarial, and some of them are on the other team.

It seems Anthony Scaramucci is well aware of the occupational hazard that came along with entering politics and the resulting scrutiny. It didn't seem many of the Special Forces: World's Toughest Test participants had a ton to say about Scaramucci in the episodes, though Gus Kenworthy and others confessed they didn't trust him while performing a group exercise. 

Anthony Scaramucci did find some support in his six days on the Fox series, which readers can revisit on streaming with a Hulu subscription. Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola, who recently risked being sent home for insubordination, served as emotional support for Scaramucci throughout the run, and MLB legend Mike Piazza commended him before his withdrawal for how well he performed. 

The now-59-year-old Scaramucci said he gave it all he could before his body gave out and talked about his thoughts about what others may think about his time on the show:

I have been characterized, I’ve been two-dimensionalized, I have been made to look certain ways that fit certain people’s narratives. I’m fine with all that. I’m a big boy…I was expecting that certain people would have preconceived opinions of me when the show started. Maybe I fortified those opinions. Maybe I surprised people that I’m actually different than those caricatures.

As the oldest participant in Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, Anthony Scaramucci had an impressive run. Ultimately, his body was spent from all the days of drills and what he described as a nasty bump on the head that briefly sent him into concussion protocol the day prior. Scaramucci said that the incident occurred just before the Jeep challenge, where actress Beverley Mitchell exited, but it was left out of the episode.

Anthony Scaramucci wasn't going to let the opinions of others impact him from participating in Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, and that goes for other future projects as well. Scaramucci concluded the response by talking about some wise words imparted to him by his grandmother:

You know what my grandmother said was ultimately the truest thing ever. ‘What other people think of you is none of your business.’ So, my attitude is I’m just gonna be me. I’m going to enjoy my life, and do the things I think are fun, and if other people like me for that, that’s great. If they decide they don’t like me for that, there’s really nothing I can do to control that. I’m not going to try to sway them. I’m just going to be me.

Anthony Scaramucci walked away from Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, but he was not the only one in this latest episode to do so. Reality star Kenya Moore also had to drop out after some physical knee pain made her unable to complete a punishment drill. The Fox series is now down to six remaining contestants, and I'm eager to see if they'll be able to stick it out until the end. 

Tune into new episodes of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test on Fox on Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET. The series is no joke for those who still haven't checked it out, and it is definitely worth a look for anyone who hasn't seen it. 

Mick Joest
Content Producer

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.