--- description: He was given a golden opportunity to turn what ought to be a moment of professional humiliation into 15 minutes of fame. Why not take it? title: Sean Spicer’s Emmys Appearance Rewarded His Lies With Fame image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltee2fa219ecccf236/6988de3e0b72e3de7e6ef7a5/sean-spicer-emmys-hollywood.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) ## Ideas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Sean Spicer’s Emmys Appearance Rewarded His Lies With Fame by [David Litt](/author/david-litt/) ## David Litt Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Litt is a former senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama. Sep 18, 2017 6:33 PM CUT  Sean Spicer speaks at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Sean Spicer speaks at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.Chris Pizzello—Invision/AP by [David Litt](/author/david-litt/) ## David Litt Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Litt is a former senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama. Sep 18, 2017 6:33 PM CUT “This will be the largest audience to witness the [Emmys](http://time.com/4934528/emmys-winners-list-2017/ "undefined"), period — both in person and around the world.” So declared [Sean Spicer](http://time.com/4945789/sean-spicer-emmy-reactions/ "undefined"), the supposed-to-be disgraced former press secretary, during a [surprise guest at the Emmys](http://time.com/4946088/sean-spicer-emmys/ "undefined") last night. If [Hollywood](http://time.com/4945179/amber-tamblyn-sexual-harassment-james-woods/ "undefined") is a hotbed of [anti-Trump sentiment](http://time.com/4939749/emmys-2017-political-moments/ "undefined"), you wouldn’t have known it last night. After his brief appearance making fun of the most famous time he lied to the American people, the supposedly-disgraced press secretary posed backstage for [pictures with celebs](http://time.com/4946060/james-corden-sean-spicer-emmys-reaction/ "undefined"). Gross. I’m all in support of well-placed humor, especially for politicians. (I just wrote [a book](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062568442/ref=as%5Fli%5Fqf%5Fasin%5Fil%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=time037-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0062568442&linkId=d4d68be3341d45cbeec154a351a1a57f "undefined") on my time writing speeches and jokes, plenty of them self-effacing, for [President Obama](http://time.com/4939237/read-barack-obama-edie-windsor-tribute/ "undefined").) But this wasn’t that. Before joining the [Trump Administration](http://time.com/4936381/california-donald-trump-daca-lawsuit/ "undefined"), Spicer was a typical Republican hack — he spun, often furiously, but drew the line at outright lies. But last night he didn’t express the tiniest hint of remorse for committing professional malpractice or creating an atmosphere in which no claim from the [White House](http://time.com/money/4944618/donald-trump-frank-fx-giaccio-white-house-lawn/ "undefined") — from the size of a crowd to the effects of a hurricane — can be believed. This wasn’t an apology tour. This was a bragging tour. This was an I’m-getting-away-with-it-right-now-because-I-let-the-American-people-down-and-you’re-applauding-me-for-it tour. In the end, however, the blame doesn’t lie with [Spicer](http://time.com/4868671/best-sean-spicer-memes/ "undefined"). He was given a golden opportunity to turn what ought to be a moment of professional humiliation into 15 minutes of fame. Why not take it? No, the mistake was made by whoever decided to bring Spicer on in the first place. What we saw last night is that for all their attacks on “Hollywood liberals,” what the GOP elite want more than anything is to be embraced by the culture they claim to be at war with. They want to be [applauded at _Hamilton_](http://time.com/4577710/hamilton-cast-mike-pence/ "undefined") despite supporting a racist candidate. They want to be welcome in fancy French restaurants even as they attack “cosmopolitans” and “globalists.” Most of all, they want pictures with celebrities. To bask in the glow of famous person, even for just a moment, is a kind of American dream — and they are anything but immune. Which means that, for elites anyway, the most powerful form of resistance is social shame. Don’t invite [Ivanka](http://time.com/4937204/hillary-clinton-ivanka-trump-held-accountable/ "undefined"), Jared and [Gary Cohn](http://time.com/4915541/why-gary-cohn-stayed/ "undefined") to fancy dinner parties; don’t treat [Steve Bannon](http://time.com/4935531/steve-bannon-james-comey-firing-60-minutes/ "undefined") as a thought leader on _60 Minutes_; when [Anthony Scaramucci](http://time.com/4896197/anthony-scaramucci-stephen-colbert/ "undefined") wants those hard-to-get theater tickets, tell him to kiss off (or even better, use the kind of language he’d understand). I’m not suggesting that this social pressure should apply to Republicans. But it should apply to Trumpists. It’s the price you pay for willingly joining an administration that runs a racist campaign, argues there’s “[both sides](http://time.com/4902144/donald-trump-charlottesville-blame-both-sides-kkk-nazi/ "undefined")” to Nazi-ism and colludes with Russia to undermine the United States. So yes, there’s a place for former White House staff in comedy (at least, I sure hope there is). But it wasn’t the Emmys. Not for Sean Spicer. 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