A worthy leftover from the weekend. That Saturday Night Live spoof of Sean Spicer by Melissa McCarthy got a lot of attention — and not just outside the White House. Sean Spicer told Extra over the weekend that he thought McCarthy’s performance could be dialed back a bit for his taste:

The White House press secretary gave his take on Melissa McCarthy’s impression of him in a surprise “SNL” skit, in which McCarthy poked fun at his tightly wound demeanor in press conferences.

Explaining that he’d first heard about the sketch while leaving church Sunday morning, Spicer said his texts had been blowing up so much he thought there must be a national emergency.

Spicer told “Extra” exclusively he felt the impression was a little exaggerated. His advice was that McCarthy “needs to slow down on the gum chewing; way too many pieces in there.” Though he thought it was a really “funny” show, he felt that McCarthy “could dial back” a bit.

No way! A satirical depiction of a political figure was exaggerated?! This cannot stand!

Anyone with a smidgen of common sense knows you just laugh off something like this — period, full stop. Spicer’s whining is a recipe for Melissa McCarthy to be back at the podium this Saturday night, screaming in a high, reedy voice: “And I understand some people have been making fun of me! That’s fine, you know, but YOU COULD DIAL IT BACK A BIT!!!!” Then she’ll grab the podium and march it at another journalist.

Soon Sean Spicer will be writing all their jokes for them.

A hint of why Spicer isn’t simply laughing it off without reservation can be found in this POLITICO piece (it’s POLITICO, so grab your fistfuls of salt, but it rings true). The detail that’s too good to check: Trump hates the depiction because it was done by a woman:

And the devastating “Saturday Night Live” caricature of Spicer that aired over the weekend — in which a belligerent Spicer was spoofed by a gum-chomping, super soaker-wielding Melissa McCarthy in drag — did not go over well internally at a White House in which looks matter.

More than being lampooned as a press secretary who makes up facts, it was Spicer’s portrayal by a woman that was most problematic in the president’s eyes, according to sources close to him. And the unflattering send-up by a female comedian was not considered helpful for Spicer’s longevity in the grueling, high-profile job in which he has struggled to strike the right balance between representing an administration that considers the media the “opposition party,” and developing a functional relationship with the press.

“Trump doesn’t like his people to look weak,” added a top Trump donor.

It’s bristling at every slight that makes you look weak. But Trump has never quite understood that.

In case you missed the original spoof, here it is in all its grandeur:

[Disclaimer]