On Saturday night, attendees of the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner will be thrilled by the antics of Oz Perlman, the famed mentalist who dazzles audiences with his mind-reading tricks. On Friday night, they partied like they were going to see Amber Ruffin.
Popular comedian Ruffin, who was canceled from appearing at the 2025 WHCD after infuriating the White House for calling the Trump administration “like a bunch of murderers” on a podcast, would certainly be out of place at this year’s event, where President Trump himself is scheduled to speak — the first time he has agreed to appear in either of his two terms. So dinner attendees used the celebration to dispel some of their fears surrounding Friday night’s various events related to the annual “Nerd Prom.”
At the party, sponsored by CAA and Vanity Fair, the conversation turned to whether the president would criticize news organizations that buy WHCD tables and how long his remarks would last. Will journalists walk away if his comments are too scathing? And will the president appear to give awards to journalists who investigate the president, the White House, or expose unpleasant things about his time in office, as others have done in past WHCDs?
Those who voiced their opinions did so on condition that their identities not be identified to avoid drawing attention to themselves on a weekend that had already garnered a lot of attention.
Among those seen at the event were CNN anchors Jim Schutt, Erex Michelson, Wolf Blitzer and John Berman. Alex Wagner of Crooked Media. former CBS News president Susan Zirinsky; Rick Klein of ABC News. and independent journalist Don Lemon. The event was held at the Belgian ambassador’s residence.
And at UTA’s party in Georgetown, several in attendance pondered the direction of CBS News. On Thursday, the Paramount division hosted a private dinner with CBS News executives, Washington officials and President Trump, where they met for an hour, sources confirmed to Variety. The meeting, which sparked external protests, comes as Paramount, run by CEO David Ellison, seeks regulatory approval for its planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The acquisition will create a large conglomerate of influential but legacy media assets. Paramount and CBS News declined to comment on the incident.
Attending the UTA gala at Osteria Mozza was “CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil. Katie Toole of MS NOW. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. FOX News Channel’s Shannon Bream and Jimmy Failla. Gabe Gutierrez of NBC News. and CNN’s Jake Tapper.
Everything that celebrates journalism comes as a suspicion of its future turmoil. Most major TV news stations continue to grapple with a growing generation of viewers drawn to digital creators and influencers. And the threat of layoffs continues today as the parent company struggles to establish itself in the streaming era.
This year’s WHCD will attract even more attention, if not less. In addition to CSPAN and CNN, which have carried Reuters for years, Fox News, MS NOW and NewsNation will also broadcast the proceedings.
Some celebrations were not traditional. LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr, hoping to expand its influence on policy, has held its own WHCD event, but CEO George Allison declined to reveal the location or discuss who will attend. Still, he said, “Grindle is good at bringing people together,” suggesting that no matter what President Trump says on Saturday night, the United States enjoys freedoms not necessarily seen in other countries.
“I was born in the Soviet Union. I came to America on my own when I was 14,” Allison said. “I’ve lived in countries where you can’t say what you want. One of the great things about America is you can say whatever you want and the government can’t do anything about it.”
One reason journalists and media executives still come to WHCD during the Trump administration is the opportunity to make pitches. There are still scoops to promote, projects to promote, and reputations to polish. Yes, that’s CSPAN boss Sam Feist, who went around CAA parties wearing two pins promoting his network on his lapel. And yes, a wide swath of top news executives were spotted throughout the evening, including Disney Entertainment Television Chairman Debra O’Connell. Mark Lazarus, CEO of Versant Media. Cesar Conde, president of NBCUniversal’s news operations. Rebecca Blumenstein, NBC News editorial director. Ms. Rebecca Kutler, President of MS NOW. Armin Karamedovic, President, ABC News; Amy Entelis, CNN Executive Vice President, Talent Development. Tom Sibrowski, President of CBS News. Bari Weiss, CBS News Editor-in-Chief. KC Sullivan, president of CNBC.
Executives know that no matter what President Trump says, they are entering what is typically a strong cycle for the news industry. In many cases, midterm elections are just around the corner, bringing new advertising dollars and a much broader audience. And the outcome could raise stakes in Washington, which would only fuel greater ambition.
So let’s have another drink, guys. President Trump may scold, yell, or even curse, but no matter what he says or how much it provokes the industry, there’s always news to report.
