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The Schmooze

Chelsea Handler And Barbra Streisand Slam Spicer’s Holocaust Gaffe

Sean Spicer is currently being ripped apart for statements he made while comparing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Adolf Hitler.

“You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn’t even sink to using chemical weapons,” Spicer said during Tuesday’s press conference.

When reporters reminded him that Hitler did in fact use gas to kill millions during the Holocaust, the press secretary tried to backpedal — and then dug an even deeper hole.

“He was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing,” Spicer said. “He brought them into the Holocaust center, I understand that. But I’m saying in the way Assad used them, where he went into towns, dropped them down to innocent — into the middle of towns. It was brought — the use of it, I appreciate the clarification. That was not the intent.”

Many celebrities are speaking out against Spicer’s comment, dubbing it a “s—t show,” and calling for the press secretary to step down.

Here’s just a few of those reactions.

Thea Glassman is an Associate Editor at the Forward. Reach her at glassman@forward.com or on Twitter at @theakglassman.

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