Author: Stephen Johnson / Source: Big Think
- The 2018 WHCA ended in controversy after comedian Michelle Wolf made jokes some considered to be offensive.
- The WHCA apologized for Wolf’s jokes, though some journalists and many comedians backed the comedian and decried arguments in favor of limiting the types of speech permitted at the event.
- Ron Chernow, who penned a bestselling biography of Alexander Hamilton, will speak at next year’s dinner.
For the first time in 16 years, no comedian will appear at the White House Correspondents’ Association 2019 dinner. In place of a comic, the WHCA has invited Ron Chernow, the renowned biographer of Alexander Hamilton, to speak at next year’s dinner on April 27.
The decision, announced today, comes after Michelle Wolf’s 2018 appearance during which the banker-turned-comedian caused controversy by making jokes deemed divisively offensive by some, and pointedly satirical by others.
Wolf’s most controversial joke from April’s appearance was aimed at White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.
“I actually really like Sarah. I think she’s very resourceful. Like, she burns facts, and then she uses the ash to create a perfect smoky eye. Like, maybe she’s born with it; maybe it’s lies. It’s probably lies,” Wolf said.
Many considered this to be an offensive joke denigrating Sanders’ physical appearance, while Wolf said the joke’s target was clearly the press secretary’s dishonesty.
“All these jokes were about her despicable behavior,” Wolf said.
In any case, the uproar left the association spooked. After Wolf’s appearance, the WHCA issued a statement calling the comedian’s remarks divisive and “not in the spirit” of a sending a “unifying message about our common commitment to a vigorous and free press, while honoring civility, great reporting and scholarship winners.” Many journalists disagreed with the association’s postmortem, calling its statement “cringeworthy” and noting that unifying people “has absolutely nothing to do with journalism.”
Following today’s announcement, Wolf called the WHCA “cowards.”
What’s the point of the WHCA dinner?
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