Sean Spicer appearance at Emmys sparks angry backlash

18 September 2017

Organisers of the Emmys were today accused of “normalising hatred” after they invited Donald Trump’s former press secretary Sean Spicer on stage for a skit.

Amused stars exploded with mirth when the ex-aide was rolled out and appeared to enjoy poking fun at himself during the awards ceremony on Sunday night.

But the reaction on social media was far less positive, with many questioning why the Emmys chose to rehabilitate someone they said openly lied when he worked for the president.

Actor Zach Braff tweeted: “I'm not ready to laugh "with" Sean Spicer. I think he is an evil, opportunistic liar that hurt our country.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> We remember that <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/seanspicer" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3637196-https://twitter.com/seanspicer" data-vars-event-id="c23">@seanspicer</a> lied for money, right? He lied for a living. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://t.co/dOfEYXFZw8" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3637196-https://t.co/dOfEYXFZw8" data-vars-event-id="c23">https://t.co/dOfEYXFZw8</a> — Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Lawrence/status/909618550545031168" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3637196-https://twitter.com/Lawrence/status/909618550545031168" data-vars-event-id="c23">September 18, 2017</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> The audience at the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Emmys?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3637196-https://twitter.com/hashtag/Emmys?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#Emmys</a> should have booed <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/seanspicer" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3637196-https://twitter.com/seanspicer" data-vars-event-id="c23">@SeanSpicer</a>. As artists, we should have no interest in normalizing his hatred, fear and lies. — Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MichaelSkolnik/status/909628906424193024" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3637196-https://twitter.com/MichaelSkolnik/status/909628906424193024" data-vars-event-id="c23">September 18, 2017</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> The only acceptable reason to invite Sean Spicer on stage is to have a trap door open up under him — Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/pattymo/status/909606431766216704" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3637196-https://twitter.com/pattymo/status/909606431766216704" data-vars-event-id="c23">September 18, 2017</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Sean Spicer sold his soul to work for Trump and repeatedly lied from the podium. Hilarious! — Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/TVietor08/status/909574878776274944" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3637196-https://twitter.com/TVietor08/status/909574878776274944" data-vars-event-id="c23">September 18, 2017</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> What pariah? Sean Spicer getting mobbed in <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Emmys?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3637196-https://twitter.com/hashtag/Emmys?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#Emmys</a> lobby. Posing for pics, drinking beer, soaking up all attention after onstage appearance <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://t.co/WqJpaRtAvK" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3637196-https://t.co/WqJpaRtAvK" data-vars-event-id="c23">pic.twitter.com/WqJpaRtAvK</a> — Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/chrissgardner/status/909598875928772608" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3637196-https://twitter.com/chrissgardner/status/909598875928772608" data-vars-event-id="c23">September 18, 2017</a>

And comedian Sean Kent added: "Sean Spicer is not funny or forgiven."

Sketch: Sean Spicer seemed to enjoy poking fun at himself

Getty

Host Stephen Colbert introduced had Mr Spicer as he made a joke about the size of the crowd in the Hollywood venue – in a reference to the press secretary’s now infamous attempts to exaggerate the number of people who attended Mr Trump’s inauguration.

Mr Spicer emerged behind a wheel-mounted podium used by Melissa McCarthy to lampoon him in the popular Saturday Night Live sketches.

Amid laughter, he says: “This will be the largest audience to witness an Emmys, period. Both in person and around the world.”

The Republican, who now works at Harvard after resigning as one of Mr Trump’s most senior staffers earlier this year, then laughs as crowds applaud.

69th Primetime Emmy Awards 2017 - In pictures

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69th Primetime Emmy Awards 2017 - In pictures