NPR’s Terry Gross spoke with comedian Michelle Wolf about her performance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner this weekend. She said, “I mean, I’m honestly—I wouldn’t change a single word that I said. I’m very happy with what I said, and I’m glad I stuck to my guns.” (NPR / Press Room)
Wolf’s performance drew criticism from a number of journalists, with the president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, Margaret Talev issuing a statement on Sunday saying the comedian’s monologue was “not in the spirit” of the dinner. (Politico)
Many in the media complained Talev’s statement contradicts press freedom, and pointed out that Wolf’s performance took equal-opportunity jabs at White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, among others. They also noted that Talev’s disassociation from the comedian she said she picked herself for the performance—who arguably did what she was hired to do—questions the whole point of the dinner. (HuffPost)
Donald Trump portended the death of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in a tweet Monday—his third post blasting the annual celebration. “The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is DEAD as we know it,” Trump wrote online. “This was a total disaster and an embarrassment to our great Country and all that it stands for. FAKE NEWS is alive and well and beautifully represented on Saturday night!” (Politico)