On Saturday evening, I was browsing through Twitter as I often do when I began seeing photos of Sean Spicer, Donald Trump’s press secretary, popping up on my screen again and again.
But it wasn’t the real Spicer, the bumbling, angry man who barely owns a well-fitting suit. No, it was comedic actress Melissa McCarthy of “Bridesmaids” and “Ghostbusters” on “Saturday Night Live” pulling off one of the best impersonations the sketch show had ever seen.
And yes, that extreme honor is apt – you only have to watch the sketch to understand.
As many online declared, Melissa McCarthy didn’t just play Spicer, she became Spicer. McCarthy brought to the surface every bizarre-o attitude of Spicer’s and repeatedly insulted the press corp as he dodged past questions left and right.
At one point, McCarthy-as-Spicer rammed into a reporter with the giant podium, a simple but perfectly executed instance of physical comedy.
It also didn’t hurt that the real-life moment McCarthy was mocking was also one of the most bizarre in recent political history. Just a day after Trump became president, Spicer was sent to stand before the media and the American publicly and angrily chastise the media for portraying Trump’s inauguration size accurately. The man appeared flustered and unprepared, a perfect metaphor for the administration as a whole.
McCarthy has had a successful career thus far, with many accomplished starring film roles. Still, this sketch may go down in history as McCarthy’s best work, thanks in no part to the desperation of the American public for true comedic relief in such horrific times.
Even if you aren’t an SNL fan, and even if you are not a lover of McCarthy, watch this sketch and see what the fuss is all about. You won’t regret it.
