Saturday Night Live’s recent portrayals of the Trump White House have visibly driven the president mad, and the drama now appears to be reverberating into the administration itself.
Over the weekend, Melissa McCarthy impersonated White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer with a bloviating yet accurate caricature of a man embattled by the mere presence of reporters. Spicer told Fox, reluctantly, that McCarthy’s portrayal was “cute” and also “funny” and also “a part of American culture.” He seems to be the only one who could even pretend to find it amusing.
As Politico reported on Monday, Trump was apparently upset by the mere fact that a woman impersonated—and thus emasculated—his male press secretary. That in itself is sad and hilarious, and shows just how narrow-minded the President sees even the world of entertainment. But, in a separate article, Politico reported that the mere mention of the skit shut down a meeting between senior advisor Kellyanne Conway and House Republicans. From the Politico piece:
The meeting, which is a weekly gathering and typically lasts 15-20 minutes, ended abruptly moments later after another staffer asked Conway whether she’d seen “Saturday Night Live’s” lampooning of White House press secretary Sean Spicer over the weekend. Asked whether she’d laughed at the portrayal, Conway’s face “turned to stone,” according to another source in the room. A senior White House official said Conway didn’t comment on the “SNL” video but that her face hadn’t turn to stone.”
The sketch may have driven a major wedge between Spicer and the rest of the Trump camp, to the point that CNN reports the search for a new communications director has increased in urgency. (Spicer has been serving as both press secretary and communications director, roles that are usually filled by two separate and usually somewhat competent people.)
The absence of a tweet from Trump referencing SNL this weekend is remarkable in itself—a sign of perhaps how shook the devastating sketch has the administration. What appears clear is this: these simpletons are so simple that most basic shit rattles them to their cores. And we need to keep these witless morons rattled. It’s been a minute since SNL was this relevant–maybe Saturday Night Live will be the one apparatus that can keep Trump’s mouth shut.
