'They've crossed over to mean': Sean Spicer slaps SNL after gum-chewing Melissa McCarthy skewers him but then says it was 'cute' and 'funny' 

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Sean Spicer initially thought Saturday Night Live 'crossed over to mean' after Melissa McCarthy delivered a blistering, gum-chewing impersonation of him.

But by Sunday night he was insisting that he can laugh at himself – along with the rest of the country.

The White House press secretary told Extra on Sunday that the comic actress should 'slow down on the gum chewing' and jabbed that her exaggerated caricature could have been 'dialed back.'

He thought the program was once funny but it had turned 'mean,' he said, especially in Alec Baldwin's portrayal of President Donald Trump. 

Hours later he said in a post-Super Bowl interview with 'Fox & Friends' co-anchor Brian Kilmeade that the sketch itself was 'cute' and funny.'

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Sean Spicer (left) said he thought Saturday Night Live had 'crossed over to mean' on Sunday after Melissa McCarthy (right) gave a blustering, gum-chewing impersonation of him the night before 

'It's – It was cute. It's funny. I'd rather us talk about the issues that the president is so committed to helping Americans on,' he said. 'But you know, it's part of American culture.'

He had told Extra that Baldwin 'has gone from funny to mean and that's unfortunate. "SNL" used to be really funny. There's a streak of meanness now that they've crossed over to mean. '

Spicer didn't learn he was portrayed in Saturday's sketch by an aggressive McCarthy until he was bombarded by messages on Sunday morning.

He added that he received so many texts he thought there was a national emergency happening. 

McCarthy surprised the audience by coming on stage just minutes after Baldwin returned to NBC studios as President Donald Trump.  

She used the opportunity to mock some of Spicer's more controversial attributes, namely his use of 'alternative facts' and contentious relationship with the press.

In her opening remarks as the Press Secretary, she says: 'Before we begin, I know the press and myself have gotten off to a rocky start.

'When I say rocky I mean in the sense of "Rocky" the movie because I came out here to punch you in the face, and also I don't talk so good.'

Melissa McCarthy surprised the audiences at NBC Studios by coming on stage to play Sean Spicer. In the sketch 'Spicer' quickly grows adversarial, shouting 'I am here to apologize on be half of you to me,' referring to how he feels he has been treated in the past few weeks

The sketch focuses around the Press Secretary's propensity to lash out at the media, and includes jabs at CNN and Glenn Thrush of the New York Times 

'Spicer' quickly grows adversarial, shouting 'I am here to apologize on be half of you to me,' referring to how he feels he has been treated in the past few weeks.

McCarthy continues 'That apology is NOT accepted, cause I'm not here to be your buddy, I'm here to swallow gum and to take names.'

The sketch focuses around the Press Secretary's propensity to lash out at the media, and includes jabs at CNN and Glenn Thrush of the New York Times. 

When describing a recent public event held by the President, the Spicer impersonation yells 'Everyone was smiling, everyone was happy, the men all had erections, every single one of the women was ovulating left and right, and no one, no one was sad.'

Later, in an impersonation of Spicer taking questions from the press, he quickly grows frustrated at journalists asking about the role of chief strategist and key adviser Steve Bannon, turning to props to explain the President's executive order. 

When talking about radical Islamic terrorism, holds up a stuffed moose and a stuffed lamb, and said 'He will not be deterred in his fight against radical moose-lambs.'

When talking about radical Islamic terrorism, holds up a stuffed moose and a stuffed lamb, and said 'He will not be deterred in his fight against radical moose-lambs'

To finish off the sketch, 'Spicer' introduces education secretary nominee Betsy De Vos, played by Kate McKinnon, who says that she knows practically knows nothing about schools, but does know that they should have 'walls, and roof, and gun for potential grizzly,' before being hurried off the stage

To finish off the sketch, 'Spicer' introduces education secretary nominee Betsy De Vos, played by Kate McKinnon, who says that she knows practically knows nothing about schools, but does know that they should have 'walls, and roof, and gun for potential grizzly,' before being hurried off the stage.   

The sketch was quickly applauded on social media sites like Twitter, where Melissa McCarthy was the trending topic for many hours on Saturday night. 

Some Twitter users even went to far as to say that this might be the best impersonation sketch done in years, and many calling for Spicer's character to be a recurring one in future SNL skits.

The sketch was quickly applauded on social media sites like Twitter, where Melissa McCarthy was the trending topic for many hours on Saturday night

Social media users said McCarthy (pictured on January 18) may have provided the best impression on the show in recent months