Spicer's appearance may have gone down well in the theatre and on camera but there was outrage online as Colbert wheeled out Trump's former Press Secretary for a joke at the president's expense.
Stephen Colbert's opening monologue at last night's Emmy Awards was filled with plenty of jabs at Donald Trump but there was both shock and awe in the audience when Sean Spicer came out to deliver a one-liner that took the piss out of both his former employer and himself.
Spicer came on in response to Colbert asking if anyone could really know how big the Emmy viewing audience actually was, wheeling out a podium in true Melissa McCarthy SNL fashion andsaying: "This will be the largest audience to witness an Emmys. Period. Both in person, and around the world."
.@seanspicer borrows @melissamccarthy's podium for a surprise appearance at the #Emmys pic.twitter.com/xGOezHygVa
— Variety (@Variety) September 18, 2017
Reaction in the room was mixed but online people were quick to point out how bad a choice it was.
What fun to watch @seanspicer having a sense of humor about all the times he lied to the American public! GOOD SPORT! #emmys
— Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) September 18, 2017
Truly so grossed out by A GROUP of people ever even considering the idea of real life Spicer at the Emmys. What is wrong with you? Wake up.
— jenny slate (@jennyslate) September 18, 2017
Spicer is not "wacky" just because Melissa McCarthy is a genius. He's a bag man for the worst political crisis in American history.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) September 18, 2017
I'm not ready to laugh "with" Sean Spicer. I think he is an evil, opportunistic liar that hurt our country.
— Zach Braff (@zachbraff) September 18, 2017
Five months ago, Sean Spicer denied that Hitler gassed people during the Holocaust. Sorry, but I'm not seeing the humor in that... https://t.co/6ChkFMjl6X
— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) September 18, 2017
Sean Spicer also reportedly played a role in pushing the conspiracy theory that "tormented" Seth Rich's family.
So yea, I'm not laughing. https://t.co/Doj53Lgb0A
— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) September 18, 2017
If u think that Spicer should be allowed to participate in anything but an apology, you really dont understand anything&im bummed about you.
— jenny slate (@jennyslate) September 18, 2017
Good morning to everyone except whoever thought "softening" Sean Spicer through pop culture participation would be funny and edgy pic.twitter.com/dFwovCuDm1
— Flavia Dzodan (@redlightvoices) September 18, 2017
Happy for all the winners tonight but sad that we continue to normalize this Presidency by inviting Spicer to participate. #emmys
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) September 18, 2017
The only acceptable reason to invite Sean Spicer on stage is to have a trap door open up under him
— Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) September 18, 2017
Because the Emmys didn't sufficiently destroy their credibility earlier by treating Spicer as if he weren't an anti-free speech thug: https://t.co/Ut2sFWpuiu
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) September 18, 2017
Spicer enabled a white supremacist-He's a complicit traitor & liar & that DUMB #Emmys joke was based on a lie. #TrumpsAWhiteSupremacist
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) September 18, 2017
Sean Spicer was the first Trump official post-inauguration to lie to the American people & treat our free press as the enemy. Fuck. Him.
— David Stassen (@davidstassen) September 18, 2017
Emmys helped Spicer pump up his "lecture" fees which is all that matters to him now. https://t.co/nzo5n8VuYx
— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) September 18, 2017
So @Kaepernick7 can't find a job, but Sean Spicer is back? Nice work, America. #Emmys
— Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) September 18, 2017
Was Sean Spicer showing up an homage to when Joseph Kony did that fun musical number at the Oscars that one year?
— Aparna Nancherla (@aparnapkin) September 18, 2017
Steve Bannon got a 60 Minutes feature & Sean Spicer got an #Emmys cameo, but Hillary Clinton needs to "shut up & go away"? Mmkay.
— Sarah Lerner (@SarahLerner) September 18, 2017
The audience at the #Emmys should have booed @SeanSpicer. As artists, we should have no interest in normalizing his hatred, fear and lies.
— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) September 18, 2017
