Love him or hate him, you just can't stop watching Sean Spicer. Trump's fiery press secretary is quickly becoming daytime television's biggest star, with the New York Times reporting that Spicer's press briefings have raked in an average of 4.3 million viewers -- outdrawing decades-old daytime television staples like "General Hospital" and "The Bold and the Beautiful."
Spicer, it seems, is like a tide that lifts all ships. According to Nielsen, Spicer's press briefings have caused ratings for Fox News, CNN and MSNBC to climb ten percent whenever he gets on the air.
Spicer plays both protagonist and antagonist
Although Spicer's new gig began just three weeks ago, his frequent verbal takedowns of the mainstream media have made him a right-wing superstar. On the other hand, his reputation for making false or exaggerated statements, paired with his unique style of "podiumside manner" has made him a favorite target for liberal pundits and satirists. Actress Melissa McCarthy's impersonation of Spicer on last week's "Saturday Night Live," for instance, resulted in "SNL's" largest viewing audience in more than two decades.
Trump and Spicer's formula for mining ratings gold
President Trump and Sean Spicer provide a one-two punch that proves irresistible to fans and critics alike; Trump's fondness for late-night Tweeting provides ample material for the morning news cycle, and Spicer's afternoon pressers give journalists an opportunity to confront Spicer about the president's latest statements.
More often than not, verbal jousting ensues and memorable sound bites are born.
“Depending on your perspective, you either tune in to watch Sean defend the indefensible, or to watch media bias in action," said Alex Conant, Republican consultant, to the New York Times on Friday.
In other words, Sean Spicer's press briefings are like a Super Bowl featuring the New England Patriots; you either tune in to cheer for him, or tune in to root against him. And, in either case, there's always a good chance that you'll get to see some fireworks by halftime.
