The (liberal) image makeover of Sean Spicer is dramatic, flamboyant and, well, very “Hollywood.”
First of all, Stephen Colbert, the late night godfather of Trump-bashing flat-screen entertainers, was the only one who could really wheel in Spicey in an Emmy skit designed to massage his reputation among entertainment illiterati.
As one of the television industry’s favorite historians, Mr. Spock, once orated, “Only Nixon could go to China.”
The concept is brilliant: take the most hilariously demeaning parody of oneself and turn it around as you embrace it yourself.
This elicited the most vocal outrage among liberals, fearing that Colbert will “normalize” Spicer, as though making ludicrous statements for your boss because it’s your job isn’t “normal.”
President Obama had Susan Rice and others making up crazy stories that were handily revealed.I don’t recall any problem “normalizing” a spokesweasel working for a president who lied to Americans about why their loved ones were killed overseas?
Spicey’s lies about Trump’s crowd being bigger than everyone else’s seems a bit trivial by comparison.
Just wait.As with most presidents, Trump will feel compelled to unload a consequential lie or two.Let’s hope it isn’t as negatively impactful as “you’ll save $2,500 on health insurance and you can keep your doctor.”
Spicer represents more than trivial lies. He represents every fear liberals have of a government that refuses to use every bit of power it has to “take care” of them.
Spicer represents their fear of a racist in the White House, despite Trump’s equally-accused, supposedly racist Attorney General Jeff Sessions prosecuting white supremacist James Alex Fields Jr., of murdering protester Heather Heyer with his car in Charlottesville, Virgina, calling the murder an “evil act of domestic terrorism.”
Twitter exploded with liberals outraged and digitally weeping over Colbert inviting this.. this.. CATHOLIC... to their secular self-adoration soiree.
“I’m not ready to laugh ‘with’ Sean Spicer. I think he is an evil, opportunistic liar that hurt our country.”
“We’re applauding Sean Spicer for being so funny on the #Emmys, - but he’d lie like that FOR REAL every day from the White House.”
“Do not cheer for Sean Spicer.”
“This isn’t okay. It’s not a redemption arc. This is a grown man who chose loyalty to a sociopath instead of the country”
Actress Anna Chlumsky’s reaction became an internet meme of cartoonish gaping maw in disbelief.
Some proposed Colbert used Spicer to troll Trump, hoping for a presidential tweet during the show. If so, they were disappointed.
Melissa McCarthy was the most hurt, even before the Emmys.
As the LA Times reported in April,”Her performances have made such a far-reaching impression that Spicer even referenced one of her sketch’s gags about a mobile podium during a news conference in March.”
“That’s the part I didn’t like,” McCarthy told The Times in a recent interview. “I was like ‘No! It’s not, us’ [gesturing to two people] making that joke, it’s, we’re, making that joke.
“I had a moment of fear about that when he was like, ‘Don’t make me move the podium.’ I thought, No, that’s not your joke to make,” she explained.”
Not his joke to make. Well, he owns it now.
The question is, “Why?”
Why would Colbert, whose current ratings success is owed to Trump-triggered East Coast and California liberals, take the chance of ruining his credibility with his audience by inviting Spicer to the liberals’ Trumper tantrum known as The Emmys?
Spicer’s emulating McCarthy mocking him made him a “plus one” at the after-party.
Maybe it has everything to do with Spicer hiring big-time Williams &, Connolly, a firm well known for deep entertainment contacts and negotiating television contracts for television personalities like Neil Cavuto, Steve Doocy, Brian Williams and Christiane Amanpour, and politicians Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
What’s Williams & Connolly’s relationship with Colbert?
After all, it is show business, and if placating your business cronies means thumbing your nose to your politically-minded audience to appease Spicer and his new agents, well, then, don’t be fooled when Colbert says, “welcome to the show.”
Rick Jensen is award-winning Delaware talk show host and national columnist. Email Rick@DBCMedia.com.
