Garrett Mitchell

The Arizona Republic

PHOENIX — When White House director of communications appointee Anthony Scaramucci isn't blowing kisses to the press, he's racking up search results for a word featured in a Queen earworm.

Yes, this is the real life. And there's no escape from reality.

Merriam-Webster reports searches for "Scaramouch" spiked Friday after the announcement that Scaramucci was offered the top White House communications position.

He comes on board after the announcement that meme-able press secretary Sean Spicer is biting the dust. Spicer resigned Friday, saying he disagreed with President Trump's pick.

Scaramouch, sometimes spelled scaramouche, is defined by the dictionary as a boastful, cowardly comic figure in Italian entertainment most popular from the 16th to 19th centuries. In a general sense, it was meant to convey a "cowardly buffoon" or "rascal," the dictionary said.

Lookups for the word increased more than 8,000% online, Merriam-Webster tweeted.

They were often characterized as unscrupulous servants alongside harlequins, who were portrayed as abusive gentleman's valets who'd beat the lesser figure with a wooden sword, the dictionary said.

Read more:

Anthony Scaramucci to be White House communications director

Sean Spicer quits as White House press secretary

The dictionary tweeted an apology (and an explanation) for jogging internal recitals of the catchy track.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say that most people who come across the word would say it conjures memories of Queen's seminal hit, "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Countless people turned to Twitter to make humorous comparisons Friday. Many made their own White House renditions of the seminal 1975 anthem.

No word yet if Scaramucci will perform the fandango.