On Sunday September 17th, at the 69th Primetime Emmys, we got the unfortunate return of the very real person Melissa McCarthy portrayed on SNL on a weekly basis. And even more unfortunate than his return to the public spotlight was the reception he got this time around. Yes, Sean Spicer was welcomed as a celebrity. People took photos with him as if they were meeting One Direction, not a former spokesman of our racist, sexist, xenophobic President. He got gasps and laughs and pictures, which should have been saved for Dave Chappelle’s return.
I am not shocked that this leech is trying to milk all the money and publicity he can out of his 15 minutes of fame. I am, instead, appalled that people let him into the “cool club” so freely. At an event where the first black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing gave a speech about acceptance and perseverance and fighting hatred, the Emmys had one of the biggest figures of lies and bigotry amongst the crowd. That’s insulting.
The most brutal part, for me, is that we seem to be forgetting everything he said during his time as White House Press Secretary. As pointed out by renowned activist DeRay Mckesson on Twitter, “there’s nothing funny about the damage he assisted in planning, defended, [and] celebrated when he worked in The White House.” He claims that as the “President’s spokesperson,” he was tasked with representing whatever the President wanted to tell the nation. On Jimmy Kimmel Live, he said that he can “give [Trump] advice, which is what [he] would do on a variety of issues all the time… but ultimately, he’s the President.” On Kimmel’s show, he pleaded victim to the harsh criticism of the press and tried his best to elicit guilt from the viewer. But Spicer later said that it was an “amazing experience” to serve President Trump. So, he tries to act like it’s wasn’t his fault and that he was just following orders, yet he continues to compliment the President to make sure he stays on his good side. Sean, you can’t have my sympathy if you are still sticking up for someone who actively tries to knock vulnerable people down.
Most memorable in my mind was the time that Sean Spicer actually said, “you had someone as despicable as Hitler, who didn’t sink to using chemical weapons,” when discussing Russia’s use of chemical weapons. Of course, he later apologized for this statement, but two words don’t take away the 14 you said. Not for me. Because, as a Jewish-American who is the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, trying to wipe away history that has been burned in my brain since I can remember is not fixed with two words. Perpetuating antisemitism in this country is extremely hurtful and isn’t forgotten.
So no, Sean Spicer, I’m not going to invite you to participate in the jokes made at your expense. You aren’t allowed to be a part of the inclusive group of people that I admire for being brave and telling stories that need to be heard when you haven’t even apologized for lying to the entire American population. You perpetuate hatred and spread lies, so no, you can’t sit with us.
[Feature Image By Unsplash]