Back in 2011, then-Celebrity Apprentice host Donald Trump was thoroughly embarrassed at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner by host Seth Meyers and President Barack Obama over his racist birther crusade.
And now that Trump is president, he has refused to attend the event. This year is no exception, as the White House Correspondents’ Association announced that press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders would be attending in Trump’s place: “The White House has informed us that the president does not plan to participate in this year’s dinner but that he will actively encourage members of the executive branch to attend and join us as we celebrate the First Amendment. In keeping with tradition, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also will represent the administration at the head table. The April 28 dinner celebrates award-winning reporting, scholarship winners and the vital role of the First Amendment and the free press in American democracy.”
Michelle Wolf, the Daily Show correspondent turned Netflix talk-show host—whom The Daily Beast recently named “the future of stand-up comedy”—will be emceeing the Washington, D.C. event, and recently said of the Huckabee Sanders news: “I’m just excited Sarah finally gets to go to prom.”
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On Monday night, after twisting the knife in Sean Hannity’s side, Jimmy Kimmel welcomed Wolf on his late-night program to expand on her Correspondents’ Dinner duties (Kimmel, by the way, famously hosted the 2012 edition).
“No, he’s not coming,” Wolf said of Trump. “I get the lovely Sarah Huckabee Sanders instead. But… no, it’ll be great.”
When Kimmel asked what Wolf thought when she learned he wasn’t going, she offered, “The first thing I thought when I heard that he wasn’t going…was, ‘Oh, thank god I don’t have to hear Trump eat.’ You know he doesn’t chew with his mouth closed. He’s probably a real smacky eater and a mouth-breather at the same time.”
Wolf revealed that she’d watched a bunch of old clips of comedians hosting the WHCD as practice and that she’d strongly prefer it if Trump were in attendance.
“I mean, I didn’t change my jokes from when I found out he wasn’t going to when he was. If he does show up, it would be more fun. I’d like to look him in the eye. I like making fun of people when they’re there,” she said.
“You should dare him to do it,” Kimmel replied, egging her on.
Then Wolf looked directly into the camera and declared: “I dare you, you poor little man! I’ll give you five dollars if you come.”
I guess the ball is in the president’s court.
