After a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington D.C.’s yearly tradition of having a party with celebrities, journalists, and politicians returns on Saturday, but the dynamic of mixing humor with politics hasn’t altered, Fox News informed.
At the 2022 White House Correspondents Association Dinner, which will be hosted by Trevor Noah of The Daily Show, entertainment celebrities will mingle with journalistic celebrities in the nation’s capital.
Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, quipped on Friday about President Biden’s upcoming hilarious speech saying that she will set the bar low and state that it is not funny, but she later added “Just Kidding”.
The WHCA comes as the Biden administration grapples with a slew of issues, including growing inflation and fears of a recession, a border problem, low approval ratings, and a difficult route to retaining Democratic majorities in Congress.
After former President Donald Trump notably refused to attend, Biden’s return marks the first time a sitting president will address the WHCA event. Trump dismissed the dinner as “boring and terrible” in 2019, instead holding a rally.
The return of celebrities in 2022 is reminiscent of former President Barack Obama’s administration, when celebrities such as George Clooney, Charlize Theron, and Viola Davis joined lawmakers and media at the annual banquet. The dinner on Saturday is scheduled to include Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson.
In Washington, mixing politics with humor has a long history, presidential historian and Bipartisan Policy Commission scholar Tevi Troy stated.
After a disastrous debut speech at the 1988 Democratic National Convention, former President Bill Clinton appeared on Johnny Carson’s show, proving he could take a joke and even saving his presidential hopes, Troy said. Carson had never called a politician as a guest before, but Clinton was called and he also performed by playing a saxophone.
Former President Ronald Reagan’s jokes about the Soviet Union underlined the superiority of the American system over its Cold War adversary’s weaknesses.
However, the perfect presidential wit must strike a delicate balance between humour and political point-scoring.
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