'I was brought in to unite': Mentalist Oz Pearlman to host White House Correspondents' Dinner
"I was brought in to unite ... in a sense of wonder and amazement," White House Correspondents' Dinner host Oz Pearlman said.
abcnews.comThe big story is that President Trump is expected to attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner this Saturday for the first time as president, and that has made this year’s event unusually contentious and attention-grabbing. Coverage also highlights an open letter from more than 200 journalists urging the White House press corps to call out Trump’s attacks on the media from the stage.[3][10]
What’s happening
Reports say the dinner is drawing extra scrutiny because Trump’s presence is breaking with his prior boycotts, and Melania Trump is also expected to attend. The host is mentalist Oz Pearlman, who said he was brought in “to unite” and add a sense of wonder to the evening.[7][9][3]
Main controversy
A group of veteran journalists, including Dan Rather, Sam Donaldson, and Ann Curry, are pushing the White House Correspondents’ Association to make a public statement condemning attacks on the press. Some commentators have even argued the dinner should be canceled rather than stage a “normal” gala with Trump in attendance.[1][2][10]
Why it matters
The dinner is supposed to celebrate the press and raise scholarship money, but this year it has become a larger fight over press freedom, media norms, and how reporters should respond to a president who regularly criticizes them. The weekend is also attracting a lot of side-event coverage in Washington, suggesting the whole media-politics scene is treating it as a major moment.[2][4][6]
Latest snapshot
As of today’s coverage, the biggest confirmed developments are Trump’s planned attendance, the journalists’ open letter, and the choice of Oz Pearlman as host. The most likely thing to watch is whether the association uses the podium to directly address Trump or keeps the evening focused on the traditional roast-and-schmooze format.[9][10][3]