“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,” WHCA says after dropping comedian
The White House Correspondents Association announced Saturday that the annual correspondents dinner will no longer feature Amber Ruffin, the writer/comedian who was previously enlisted to host this year’s event.
In a letter to members Saturday, WHCA President Eugene Daniels wrote that “the WHCA board has unanimously decided we are no longer featuring a comedic performance this year. 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.”
According to Variety, the decision to drop Ruffin arrived after White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich voiced concerns about the comedian’s criticisms about President Donald Trump; The Daily Beast cited Ruffin’s recent appearance on their podcast, where she called the Trump White House “kind of a bunch of murderers” amid other comments aimed at the administration.
“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,’” Budowich wrote on social media after Ruffin’s podcast appearance. “What kind of responsible, sensible journalist would attend something like this? More importantly, what kind of company would sponsor such as hate-filled and violence-inspiring event?”
The White House Correspondents Dinner is still scheduled to take place on April 26; President Trump is not expected to attend the event.
