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Sean Spicer 'struggling to find a job on TV news stations' after White House tenure

'They won't touch him,' a media industry executive reportedly said 

Alexandra Wilts
Washington DC
Wednesday 20 September 2017 15:16 BST
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Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer speaks onstage during the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer speaks onstage during the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (Getty Images)

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It appears that no news organisations want to hire ex-White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.

Since Mr Spicer left the White House, his representatives have reportedly been in talks with multiple major networks about the possibility of them hiring President Donald Trump’s former spokesman as a paid contributor.

But “they won't touch him,” a media industry executive familiar with those conversations told NBC News. Several networks – including CBS News, CNN, Fox News, ABC News and NBC News – are not interested in hiring Mr Spicer due to a “lack of credibility,” the news outlet reported.

CNN already stated it wasn’t interested in Mr Spicer, while Axios reported earlier this month that Fox News would not be offering him a TV contract. Fox News has previously hired former White House press secretaries, Ari Fleischer and Dana Perino.

Other news outlets could be interested in hiring Mr Spicer.

Sean Spicer resigned as press secretary in July upon the appointment of Anthony Scaramucci as White House Communications Director. Mr Scaramucci was ousted after just 10 days in the role.

Mr Spicer already has a job as a visiting fellow at Harvard Kennedy School as well as a paid speaking gig with the Worldwide Speakers Group. The company’s website advertises Mr Spicer's ability to discuss "the people, philosophies and policies that matter most to the citizens of the US and businesses around the world.”

Mr Trump’s former flack has also not shied away from the spotlight.

On Sunday, he surprised the audience at the Emmy Awards by speaking at the podium and describing the size of the crowd – alluding to actress Melissa McCarthy’s portrayal of him on Saturday Night Live and his incorrect assertion in January that Mr Trump had attracted the “largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period”.

In an interview with the New York Times after the awards, Mr Spicer said he regrets how he berated reporters over their coverage of the inauguration crowds.

“Of course I do, absolutely,” Mr Spicer said.

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