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Sean Spicer Says He Regrets Berating Reporters Over Inauguration Crowds Sean Spicer Says He Regrets Berating Reporters Over Inauguration Crowds
(about 1 hour later)
During his surprise comedy skit at the Emmys on Sunday, Sean Spicer may have made light of his six-month tenure as the White House press secretary, but a message was also embedded in his performance.During his surprise comedy skit at the Emmys on Sunday, Sean Spicer may have made light of his six-month tenure as the White House press secretary, but a message was also embedded in his performance.
In an interview on Monday morning, Mr. Spicer said he now regrets one of his most infamous moments as press secretary: his decision to charge into the White House briefing room in January and criticize accurate news reports that Barack Obama’s inauguration crowd was bigger than President Donald J. Trump’s.In an interview on Monday morning, Mr. Spicer said he now regrets one of his most infamous moments as press secretary: his decision to charge into the White House briefing room in January and criticize accurate news reports that Barack Obama’s inauguration crowd was bigger than President Donald J. Trump’s.
“Of course I do, absolutely,” Mr. Spicer said.“Of course I do, absolutely,” Mr. Spicer said.
For Mr. Spicer, who resigned this summer after repeated clashes with the news media and a sharp disagreement with President Trump over the appointment of Anthony Scaramucci as communications director, the Emmys were his latest attempt to ingratiate himself with the largely liberal coastal entertainment and news elites he so acidly disdained as Mr. Trump’s alter-ego spokesman. The once-obscure party spokesman has been elevated to a level of celebrity he scarcely dreamed possible a year ago and, like many before him, he hopes to translate his notoriety into something more reputable and lucrative. So the Emmys were also a chance for Mr. Spicer to cultivate a television industry audience that he may need as he seeks speaking engagements and paid television appearances in his post-White House life.For Mr. Spicer, who resigned this summer after repeated clashes with the news media and a sharp disagreement with President Trump over the appointment of Anthony Scaramucci as communications director, the Emmys were his latest attempt to ingratiate himself with the largely liberal coastal entertainment and news elites he so acidly disdained as Mr. Trump’s alter-ego spokesman. The once-obscure party spokesman has been elevated to a level of celebrity he scarcely dreamed possible a year ago and, like many before him, he hopes to translate his notoriety into something more reputable and lucrative. So the Emmys were also a chance for Mr. Spicer to cultivate a television industry audience that he may need as he seeks speaking engagements and paid television appearances in his post-White House life.
Mr. Spicer’s arrival on the Emmys stage garnered mixed reviews, however — not so much for his star turn with Stephen Colbert of “The Late Show” on CBS, but for Hollywood’s sudden embrace of a man once viewed as a not-so-truthful mouthpiece for a president that much of the town despises.Mr. Spicer’s arrival on the Emmys stage garnered mixed reviews, however — not so much for his star turn with Stephen Colbert of “The Late Show” on CBS, but for Hollywood’s sudden embrace of a man once viewed as a not-so-truthful mouthpiece for a president that much of the town despises.
As Mr. Spicer prepared to return to Washington, he was asked if he was worried about President Trump taking offense over the skit — which many viewers saw as lampooning the president’s preoccupation with the size of his inauguration crowd.As Mr. Spicer prepared to return to Washington, he was asked if he was worried about President Trump taking offense over the skit — which many viewers saw as lampooning the president’s preoccupation with the size of his inauguration crowd.
“I certainly hope not,” Mr. Spicer said after a brief pause. “This was an attempt to poke a little fun at myself and add a little bit of levity to the event.”“I certainly hope not,” Mr. Spicer said after a brief pause. “This was an attempt to poke a little fun at myself and add a little bit of levity to the event.”
Mr. Spicer made his Emmys appearance at the end of Mr. Colbert’s opening monologue, which included a long riff about Mr. Trump’s uneasy relationship with the entertainment industry and his apparent frustration that his NBC reality series “The Apprentice” never won an Emmy Award.Mr. Spicer made his Emmys appearance at the end of Mr. Colbert’s opening monologue, which included a long riff about Mr. Trump’s uneasy relationship with the entertainment industry and his apparent frustration that his NBC reality series “The Apprentice” never won an Emmy Award.
Mr. Colbert, a frequent critic of both Mr. Trump and Mr. Spicer, went on to say that the president was primarily concerned with TV ratings, but that there was no way to know how large his audience was.Mr. Colbert, a frequent critic of both Mr. Trump and Mr. Spicer, went on to say that the president was primarily concerned with TV ratings, but that there was no way to know how large his audience was.
Mr. Colbert asked, “Sean, do you know?”Mr. Colbert asked, “Sean, do you know?”
At that point, Mr. Spicer shot out of the wings — pushing a podium similar to the one immortalized by Melissa McCarthy in her impersonation of him on “Saturday Night Live.”At that point, Mr. Spicer shot out of the wings — pushing a podium similar to the one immortalized by Melissa McCarthy in her impersonation of him on “Saturday Night Live.”
He recited his briefing room statement, nearly word for word. “This will be the largest audience to witness an Emmys, period — both in person and around the world,” he declared with a semi-straight face.He recited his briefing room statement, nearly word for word. “This will be the largest audience to witness an Emmys, period — both in person and around the world,” he declared with a semi-straight face.
Laughter and applause could be heard throughout the Microsoft Theater, and celebrities in the audience were seen on the telecast, reacting with their mouths agape.Laughter and applause could be heard throughout the Microsoft Theater, and celebrities in the audience were seen on the telecast, reacting with their mouths agape.
Mr. Spicer said he didn’t give the president or senior White House staff a heads-up about his appearance, which had been in the works for several days. Mr. Spicer said he didn’t give the president or senior White House staff a heads up about his appearance, which had been in the works for several days.
In fact, virtually no one knew about it. According to Mr. Spicer, Mr. Colbert suggested the idea himself, and passed it to the former press secretary through his producer at CBS, who had gotten to know Mr. Spicer well years earlier when he was a producer on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”In fact, virtually no one knew about it. According to Mr. Spicer, Mr. Colbert suggested the idea himself, and passed it to the former press secretary through his producer at CBS, who had gotten to know Mr. Spicer well years earlier when he was a producer on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
When Mr. Spicer and his wife left Washington for L.A. on Saturday morning, he donned a disguise. He wouldn’t say what it was, though a friend of his hinted that it might have included fake facial hair. After checking in, he stayed in his hotel room, leaving only for a walk-through that took place after the hall had been cleared. When scripts were handed out to crew members and performers, his name was nowhere to be found — replaced by an innocuous surname that began with the letter “S.” When Mr. Spicer and his wife left Washington for Los Angeles on Saturday morning, he donned a disguise. He wouldn’t say what it was, though a friend of his hinted that it might have included fake facial hair. After checking in, he stayed in his hotel room, leaving only for a walk-through that took place after the hall had been cleared. When scripts were handed out to crew members and performers, his name was nowhere to be found — replaced by an innocuous surname that began with the letter “S.”
A person familiar with the planning of the Emmy program said on Monday that Mr. Colbert and his staff regarded Mr. Spicer’s appearance as both a joke at the expense of Mr. Trump and a way to poke fun at Mr. Colbert too. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose private discussions involving the Emmys and Mr. Colbert. A person familiar with the planning of the Emmy program said on Monday that Mr. Colbert and his staff regarded Mr. Spicer’s appearance as both a joke at the expense of Mr. Trump and a way to poke fun at Mr. Colbert, too. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose private discussions involving the Emmys and Mr. Colbert.
Just as Mr. Trump had been thin-skinned in employing a spokesman to exaggerate the size of his inaugural crowd, this person said, Mr. Colbert was mocking himself by using Mr. Spicer to overstate the size of his viewership.Just as Mr. Trump had been thin-skinned in employing a spokesman to exaggerate the size of his inaugural crowd, this person said, Mr. Colbert was mocking himself by using Mr. Spicer to overstate the size of his viewership.
Since leaving the White House last month, Mr. Spicer has been on a speaking and television circuit — trying to rehabilitate his image. On Wednesday, he appeared as a guest on the ABC late-night show “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” in an interview that drew criticism for its perceived leniency toward Mr. Spicer.Since leaving the White House last month, Mr. Spicer has been on a speaking and television circuit — trying to rehabilitate his image. On Wednesday, he appeared as a guest on the ABC late-night show “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” in an interview that drew criticism for its perceived leniency toward Mr. Spicer.
When Mr. Kimmel brought up the news conference where Mr. Spicer had talked about inaugural crowd sizes, Mr. Spicer answered, “I’m aware. I appreciate the reminder of how it went down.”When Mr. Kimmel brought up the news conference where Mr. Spicer had talked about inaugural crowd sizes, Mr. Spicer answered, “I’m aware. I appreciate the reminder of how it went down.”
The next day, Mr. Colbert was a guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and the two talk show hosts talked about Mr. Spicer.The next day, Mr. Colbert was a guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and the two talk show hosts talked about Mr. Spicer.
“I’ve always wanted to talk to that cat,” Mr. Colbert said.“I’ve always wanted to talk to that cat,” Mr. Colbert said.
Mr. Kimmel said, “A certain part of me felt sorry for him.”Mr. Kimmel said, “A certain part of me felt sorry for him.”
Mr. Colbert replied, “Really? ‘Cause he wasn’t apologizing. He wants to be forgiven, but he won’t regret anything he did. You got to regret something you did to be forgiven.” Mr. Colbert replied: “Really? ‘Cause he wasn’t apologizing. He wants to be forgiven, but he won’t regret anything he did. You got to regret something you did to be forgiven.”
But at least among some people in Hollywood, Mr. Spicer may have been forgiven — or at least worthy of an Instagram.But at least among some people in Hollywood, Mr. Spicer may have been forgiven — or at least worthy of an Instagram.
At the Television Academy’s Emmy after-party in Los Angeles, several gown- and tuxedo-clad revelers stopped to gawk at Mr. Spicer.At the Television Academy’s Emmy after-party in Los Angeles, several gown- and tuxedo-clad revelers stopped to gawk at Mr. Spicer.
Other guests patiently lined up nearby — Mr. Spicer was posing for selfies.Other guests patiently lined up nearby — Mr. Spicer was posing for selfies.