The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner returned last Saturday night after being sidelined by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. It featured President Joe Biden as the first commander in chief to accept an invitation in six years. There, Biden and others made several comedic jabs, poking fun at such things as Biden’s criticism, Fox News, and the 2022 Oscars Ceremony.
The correspondents' dinner mixed celebrities like Martha Stewart, Drew Barrymore, Brooke Shields, Pete Davidson, Kim Kardashian, and Caitlyn Jenner with large watches of government officials such as Secretary of State Antony Blinken. And as the premiere event for news media in Washington, journalists like CNN’s Jake Tapper and MSNBC’s Joy-Ann Reid attended the dinner as well.
“I’m really excited to be here tonight with the only group of Americans with a lower approval rating than I have,” Biden said, referring to the media.
In addition to all the roasting, the dinner did have its serious moments as well. There was a tribute to pioneer journalists of color, aspiring student reporters, and a dedication to the journalists detained, injured, or killed during the coverage of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Biden also thanked the free press, noting journalism’s vital role in American democracy.
An Evening of Seriousness and Laughs
The hour-long event had speeches from Biden and taped skits from the likes of talk show host James Corden, comedian Billy Eichner, and even Biden himself. One segment showed Corden, having announced his departure as host for The Late Late Show, asking Biden for a job, who was kind enough to provide him directions to the White House press room.
“Left, right, left, and don’t come back.”
Comedian Trevor Noah spoke at the event as well. The Late Night host thanked Biden for having him here. Still, he said he was initially confused about why he was invited until he was told Biden got his highest approval ratings when a biracial African guy was standing next to him. Noah also began his set by welcoming everyone to “the nation’s largest super-spreader event,” chastising the crowd for turning into Joe Rogan as soon as they were offered a free meal.
Note, White House Correspondents’ Association required same-day antigen testing for its dinner attendees even before the recent Gridiron Club press dinner where dozens of attendees, such as members of Congress, Biden’s Cabinet, and journalists, tested positive for COVID-19. The Association later added a vaccination requirement as well.
The correspondent dinner debuted in 1921, but it wasn’t until 1924 that a president was in attendance. Starting with Calvin Coolidge, all the presidents since then have attended, with only a few exceptions. Neither Richard Nixon nor Jimmy Carter attended every year of their presidency, and Ronald Reagan missed the 1981 installment because of his assassination attempt (but did call in from Camp David). Donald Trump was the first president not to attend the event even once since its inception.
“Just imagine if my predecessor came to this dinner this year,” Biden said.
The information in this article comes courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter.