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White House Correspondents’ Dinner Headliner Canceled Amid Controversy
The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) announced on Saturday the decision to cancel comedian Amber Ruffin as the headliner for its upcoming annual dinner. This move is part of a broader reevaluation of the event’s format.
In a memo circulated among colleagues, WHCA president Eugene Daniels stated that the board reached a unanimous decision to eliminate comedic performances in an effort to refocus the evening’s purpose. “At this consequential moment for journalism, I want to ensure the focus is not on the politics of division but entirely on awarding our colleagues for their outstanding work and providing scholarship and mentorship to the next generation of journalists,” Daniels emphasized.
This decision was made shortly after White House deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel, Taylor Budowich, publicly criticized the WHCA’s choice of Ruffin, labeling it as inappropriate.
Budowich commented on social media, questioning the suitability of having a comedian who he felt made derogatory remarks about the current administration. He stated, “This year’s @whca dinner will be hosted by a 2nd rate comedian who is previewing the event by calling this administration ‘murderers’ who want to ‘feel like human beings, but they shouldn’t get to feel that way, because you’re not.’”
He further expressed disdain for the decision to drop Ruffin, suggesting it represented a failure of leadership within the WHCA. “Many WHCA members are privately pointing the finger at Eugene for making the unilateral decision to recruit and sign this garbage, hate-filled comedian. Yet, they are all turning a blind eye to it publicly. It’s an indictment on how broken and useless this organization has become… so sad that such a storied and consequential group has been so quickly driven into irrelevancy,” Budowich added.
Despite the cancellation, Ruffin had been promoting her upcoming performance as recently as Thursday. On The Daily Beast Podcast, she reflected on the rapid pace of news cycles, discussing the challenges of crafting timely comedy in such a fast-moving environment.
As of now, it remains unclear whether former President Donald Trump will attend the dinner scheduled for April 26. During his first term, he opted not to participate in the event. Recently, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also confirmed her absence from the dinner.
Ruffin had previously remarked on the potential for Trump to be an unwelcome figure at the event, stating, “No one wants to see Trump at the dinner but he should.” This sentiment reflects ongoing tensions surrounding the intersection of entertainment and politics, particularly as this year’s dinner seeks to navigate these complexities.
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