The White House Correspondents' Dinner is back after a two-year hiatus. Trevor Noah headlined and President Joe Biden delivered remarks at the star-studded event in Washington.
Our spicy panel of contributors featured Hayes Brown, MSNBC Daily editor and writer; Ja'han Jones, The ReidOut Blog writer; Liz Plank, author and MSNBC Daily columnist; and Elizabeth Spiers, former editor-in-chief of The New York Observer and founding editor of Gawker. (Plus a few special guest appearances from friends reporting "on the ground.")
We hope you enjoyed following along with us during "Nerd Prom" 2022. Read on for some of the night's biggest laughs, our loudest groans and a (hopefully) delightful smattering of quips, digs and analysis.
Biden — and service workers — have a 'decent chance' of being exposed to Covid
In a column for MSNBC Daily published Friday, Dr. Esther Choo warned that President Biden has a "decent chance" of being in the same room at the White House Correspondents' Dinner with a Covid-infected person. But it's not just high-profile Washingtonians who are at risk — it's service workers, too.
Choo wrote:
"Universal mask wearing, preferably of N95s, KN95s or KF94s, would provide an additional layer of national security, protecting our president from a real threat (at a time when our vice president has tested positive for Covid). It could allow Biden to more fully participate in the activities rather than asking him, the primary roastee in attendance, to perform acrobatics to accommodate the rest of the crowd. It would indicate concrete support for workers’ rights."
Trevor Noah also mentioned the risks in his monologue. But with the dinner ended and attendees scattered into the night to continue the party, all we can do now is wait and see (and test!) Stay safe out there, nerds.
Trevor Noah won’t get arrested for his Biden jokes. And that’s beautiful.
I expected “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah to be good tonight. But I didn’t expect to laugh as much as I did at his set, despite clearly being part of his target audience. (My favorite gag of the night? His riff on The Slap, featuring Kellyanne Conway.)
Before taking the stage, President Biden informed Noah that unlike in Moscow, he was free to make fun of the president without getting arrested. It’s a point that Noah separately made in his bit — after several digs at the president, that is.
Some highlights: Noah’s speculating that he was chosen because Biden gets his “highest approval ratings” when “a biracial African guy is standing next to” him; his assurance that things are “looking up” under Biden — “gas is up, rent is up, food is up;” and that Russian President Vladimir Putin calmed down after Biden called for his removal because “none of the stuff Biden wants actually gets done.”
It’s a privilege Noah clearly doesn’t take for granted, his ability to stand on stage next to the leader of a country and mock him with no consequences. And the comedian implored the journalists sitting in the Washington Hilton’s ballroom to do the same; to really take advantage of the freedom that the media is given in the U.S. to question authority and speak truth — even when it makes people uncomfortable.
WHCD celebs said they knew the Covid risks — but the show must go on
Dr. Anthony Fauci opted to skip the WHCD this year due to Covid concerns — but he seemed to be one of very few people in D.C. this weekend concerned about the pandemic. Despite constant reminders of the pandemic's shadow — and mentions in both President Biden's and Trevor Noah's remarks — there were barely any masks spotted on the red carpet.
"Young Sheldon" star Iain Armitage was something of an anomaly, sporting double KN95 masks due to immunocompromised family members. “I trust that they are doing an amazing job and everyone is vaccinated and tested,” Armitage told NBC News. “It never hurts to have a little extra protection … With the COVID stuff, I am the original germaphobe.”
“I think we've reached a point where we realize it's gonna be with us,” said comedian Lesley Jordan. “And we can't stop. The world can't stop. I like the fact that it's on each of us. If you feel better wearing a mask, then wear a mask.”
The “Nanny” was also leaving her chances to protocols and fate.
“I take very good care of my body, I honor my immune system to support my body,” said actress Fran Drescher. “I know that everybody here passed the antigen test and is vaccinated, so I guess that’s as good as we can hope for and the rest is up to the Gods.”
And comedian Billy Eichner seemed to channel the sentiments of many at the party when he said that while the pandemic is still definitely underway, it’s time to live life again.
“I’ll get a booster every day if that’s what it takes,” he said. “I love being boosted. But you gotta get back to life. These are our lives. Life is short. And so you have to be cautious, you have to be safe — do the best you can to keep everyone safe. But I’m happy to be back. You can’t be stuck in your house forever.”
First came the 'Klete' jokes. Then, 'Manchinema.'
The WHCD is a fairly liberal (and incestuous) D.C. affair. Thus it was very fitting that Trevor Noah made sure to point out one of the biggest hurdles facing Democrats this year: other Democrats.
Noah joked, for example, that he was nervous being in such close proximity to the most important decision-maker in the country: West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin. (That got a chuckle out of President Biden.) The Democratic senator from Arizona, Kyrsten Sinema, and her signature stonewalling weren’t left unscathed either. “Who ever thought we’d see the day when a senator could be openly bisexual but a closeted Republican,” Noah said in an unsubtle nod to Sinema’s unsubtle obstruction of progressive reforms like the Voting Rights bill. While Noah was tough on Biden, he seemed to take equal if not more pleasure going after his defectors.
That Roger Ailes-Sean Hannity joke was straight-up brutal
My colleague Liz Plank already shared some of the shots Trevor Noah took at Fox News tonight, but he saved some of his most cutting Fox-related remarks for primetime host Sean Hannity and the network’s former CEO and founder, the late Roger Ailes.
“Fun fact: Sean Hannity and Ainsley Earhardt are actually dating now,” Noah said, referencing an alleged relationship between the two Fox News personalities. “I actually think it’s beautiful to see an office romance at Fox that won’t end in a $20 million settlement.” That was a reference to the payment former Fox host Gretchen Carlson reportedly received after she sued Ailes over harassment claims.
“I’m sure wherever Roger Ailes is right now, he’s looking up and smiling,” Noah said.
With no Trump, it’s easier to scrutinize the media (and that’s a good thing)
This year's dinner felt markedly different than it did during the Trump era because the comedians and participants had more room to talk about where the media has failed than where the president has failed. Biden doesn't manufacture multiple crises a day the way President Trump did, so Trevor Noah rolled through all of the standard criticisms — that Biden’s very very old, that we have too much inflation, that he coasted off Obama, etc. — and then had to turn to the other people in the room for material.
I generally think press criticism is healthy, and making fun of an outlet for pulling punches or being too cozy with the people it covers is a kind of accountability. The WHCD specifically is a little too insider-y for most people to get or care about. But the people in the room do get it — and being told they’re lazy or corrupted or willing to pull punches or too cozy with their sources in front of hundreds of their peers isn’t exactly fun.
Also: Noah was funny. As Hayes already pointed out, some of the night’s earlier material seemed to be journalists writing jokes (which is very bad and should never happen — journalists are not funny) instead of the comedians writing jokes. Noah's stuff was actually good.
Trevor Noah (finally) takes the stage
And now, for what (so many) were waiting for. "My name is Trevor Noah, and I am really honored to be here," began "The Daily Show" host, before launching into a rollicking monologue that poked fun at the president, the press, Congress, Covid-19 and members of the Biden White House.
It's good to be back, baby!
President Biden: You — the free press — matter more than you ever did in the last century
Okay, I see you, Joe!
Okay, I see you, Joe. President Biden worked himself into a nice rhythm during his stand-up set. I particularly appreciated his dig at House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
”I’m not really here to roast the GOP. That’s not my style,” Biden noted. “Besides: there’s nothing I can say about the GOP that Kevin McCarthy hasn’t already put on tape.” Pretty good jab there over recently unearthed audio in which the Republican leader is heard criticizing some of the more extremist lawmakers in the GOP.
Biden drags Fox News
Some of President Biden’s most effective jokes jabbed at Fox News reporters for well… not encouraging their viewers to get the jab. "They're all here, vaccinated and boosted. All of them,” he said to roaring applause. The camera panned to a few of the several Fox News reporters in the room. Did any of them find it funny? I'll report back after tonight's parties.