The True Story Behind Melissa Mccarthy's Sean Spicer Skit and Secret Snl Preparation
By James H. Sterling
McCarthy’s tour as Spicer was not a standalone anomaly. It was the natural culmination of a long-running, master-class relationship between McCarthy and Saturday Night Live. Prior to donning the press secretary’s gray suit, McCarthy had already earned legendary status among Studio 8H writers for her fearless commitment to physical comedy. In 2011, during her debut as a Saturday Night Live host, her portrayal of an unhinged consumer in the Hidden Valley Ranch sketch featured her chugging salad dressing from gallons-sized jugs, coating her neck and hair in dairy dressing without breaking character.
Later, her performance as Arlene, an abusive college women's basketball coach who hurls basketballs at point-blank range, proved she could handle relentless stunt mechanics that left costars scrambling to avoid laughing on live air. When McCarthy hosted on May 13, 2017, she officially joined the Five-Timers Club, celebrating the milestone during an electric SNL monologue that saw her sing through the backstage hallways before sweeping up the stage crew in an energetic tour of the studio floor.
At the 2017 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, television academy voters recognized the cultural impact of her cold open cameos by awarding McCarthy the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. It stood as a rare occasion where an unannounced, non-cast guest star claimed top hardware for a recurring political impersonation.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
