This past weekend Saturday Night Live guest host Melissa McCarthy reprised her role of White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer while cast newcomer Aidy Bryant was featured in a small role as Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Her clothing was a dead match for the attire Sanders wore at a press conference while filling in for Spicer last week, but it was Bryant’s size that drew the most attention.
“I will say this – you guys were mean about Huckabee Sanders,” said CNN New Day host Chris Cuomo about NBC. “You were fat shaming her. You were talking about how she looks and what she wears. I thought that was mean, not funny.”
The bit rubbed a number of people the wrong way.
“My goodness, to go after someone and accuse them not only of being fat but also being less intelligent than them,” says Cathie Adams, board member of the National Eagle Forum. Sander’s father, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, was also critical, telling Fox Business Network, “I thought it was a little bit silly, sexist, misogynist, but my daughter is certainly capable of handling a whole lot worse than that. The fact is it doesn not take away in any way from who she really is.”
Is it a case of a feminist double standard? “They look at those of us who are Conservative, those of us who have no interest at all of in looking like a feminist or being like a feminist, I think they need a lesson in manners,” says Adams. “I am totally unimpressed by those who would look at someone and immediately because of their appearance come up with names like ‘fat’ and show them munching in the background.”
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will guest host next week. He’s a Republican, says he may run against Trump in 2020, but don’t expect him to get too political this Saturday night. Johnson says he shies away from political controversy.