This is, of course, an awful fucking idea, and not just because it’s impossible to tell if “fuck your feelings” or “whatever happened to civility?!” will be more politically convenient for the American right wing by the time the show (hypothetically) makes it to air. It also attempts to completely wipe the memory of Spicer’s tenure as official mouthpiece of the Trump administration—as well as his continued support for his ex-boss—from our collective pop-cultural memory, and replace it with the image of friendly guy who just wants to have a friendly beer and talk about nice things, and not the time he defended Hitler in a White House press briefing.
As a pitch sheet for the show puts it, each week Spicer would host “some of the most interesting and thoughtful public figures for a drink and some lite [sic] conversation at a local pub or cafe. The relaxed atmosphere is an ideal setting for Sean to get to know his guests as they discuss everything from the media to marriage. They might even tangle over the merits of making your bed or the value of a great point guard.” Perhaps they’ll even eat cake! (No Dippin’ Dots, though. Spicer hates those.)
Anyway, this latest chapter in Spicer’s pathetic attempt to turn his ill-advised Emmys cameo into a career (he also recently presided over the unveiling of a Melania Trump wax statue in Times Square) is being developed by Debmar-Mercury—the company behind The Wendy Williams Show, Family Feud, and, bizarrely enough, BoJack Horseman—and Pilgrim Media Group, which specializes in such basic-cable filler as Ghost Hunters, Wicked Tuna, and Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks. No network is currently attached, a state of affairs that, if Hollywood really does feel bad about trotting Spicer out at the Emmys like a miniature pony, will continue.