People in the media have long worried about the impact of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on journalism.
But what is the impact on comedy?
Trevor Noah was funnier two years ago at the dinner than he was at this year’s Grammys.
Colin Jost’s set this year does not belong in that pantheon.
“Diddy?” Like Biden, Jost has always benefited from low expectations.
But he has grown into his role at “Saturday Night Live,” proving to be an especially strong straight man adept at the comedy of embarrassment.
You could see his timing in one of the odder moments when he said Robert Kennedy Jr. could be the third Catholic president and the C-SPAN camera cut to President Biden (the second) clapping.
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For a considerable amount of time, media professionals have been concerned about how the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner would affect journalism. The issue is that it presents the media as being unduly friendly to the politicians they cover. How does it affect comedy, though?
A tough room for stand-up, but no tougher than an awards show, is a high-ceilinged hotel ballroom packed with television anchors and network executives. Compared to this year’s Grammys, Trevor Noah was funnier at the dinner two years ago.
Because this is one of the most prominent live comedy sets of the year, a murderer’s row of comedians, including Wanda Sykes, Jimmy Kimmel, and Conan O’Brien, have accepted the assignment. A historian took the comic’s place the following year, along with one genuinely outstanding performance (by Stephen Colbert), a few very strong ones (by Seth Meyers and Larry Wilmore), and one so exhilaratingly sharp (by Michelle Wolf).
In that pantheon, Colin Jost’s set from this year does not belong. He seemed more reserved, uninteresting, and less confident than usual when his Weekend Update partner Michael Che wasn’t there. In between jokes, he would pause for a long time, blink his eyes, take a sip of water, and at least once acknowledge that nobody was laughing. His humor relied more on wordplay than on unique or specialized viewpoints. In one of his sassier jokes, he started, “Some amazing news organizations here,” and concluded, “Also, some credible ones.”. “.
He threw a lot of heat on former President Donald J. Trump. “Now that O. I. J. Who is the leading candidate for V? P. ?” he enquired. Jost has always profited from having low expectations, just like Biden does. “Diddy?”. He has adapted to his role at “Saturday Night Live,” demonstrating that he is a particularly strong straight man skilled at the comedy of embarrassment. You might think that someone that attractive couldn’t be funny. When he mentioned Robert Kennedy Jr., it was evident how he timed it to be one of the stranger moments. could be the third Catholic president, and President Biden—the second—was seen clapping as the C-SPAN camera cut to him. One beat later, Jost pulled back on Kennedy’s chances, saying, “Like his vaccine card says, he doesn’t have a shot.”. “.
President Biden’s age was prominently featured in the comedy for the third year running, even in the president’s own set (Jost joked that Biden hadn’t invented technology when he was a high school student). Biden made light of the fact that he was friends with Calvin Coolidge two years ago. He mentioned his “pal Jimmy Madison” last year. This time, the president’s strategy was a little different and more combative. “Getting older is a problem,” he declared at the beginning. “A six-year-old is competing against me, a grown man.”. “.
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