White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

Miss North Dakota Cara Mund Crowned Miss America 2018

By

Photo courtesy Cara Mund via Twitter.

Celebrations and congratulations flowed Sunday night in Atlantic City as Miss North Dakota, Cara Mund was crowned 2018’s Miss America.  Last night was the first time in pageant history that Miss North Dakota has ever won the coveted tiara.

A Brown University graduate heading to law school following her reign, Mund said she hopes to one day become the first woman elected governor of North Dakota.  She showed political savvy and determination when asked about President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accords earlier this year.

Referencing the decision to withdraw from the climate accords, the newly-crowned Miss America said: “It’s a bad decision.  There is evidence that climate change is existing, and we need to be at that table.”

She told reporters at Boardwalk Hall following the ceremony that it was her desire to provide a factual and honest answer to the question posed, instead of glossing over her answer.

“My onstage question answer was just my personal opinion,” she told The Associated Press in an interview. “I think everyone has a right to think what they want. But it’s important to have a spot at the negotiating table. This isn’t necessarily: ‘Does climate change exist or not?’ but rather the fact that we’re going to keep our Earth clean for future generations, and I just think it’s really important that we have a seat there. To pull out, I think, is just really unfortunate.”

Behind Mund, the other top five 2018 Miss American contestants were first runner-up Miss Missouri Jennifer Davis, second runner-up Miss New Jersey Kaitlyn Schoeffel, third runner-up Miss District of Columbia Briana Kinsey, and fourth runner-up Miss Texas Margana Wood.

The panel of judges for the 2018 pageant included country singer Thomas Rhett, actress and author Molly Sims, Grammy-nominated singer Jordin Sparks, People Magazine’s editor in chief Jess Cagle, CEO of AfterBuzz TV Maria Menounos, Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri and Olympic gold medalist, Tara Lipinski.

The Miss America Organization, alongside The Miss America Foundation and its 52 licensed organizations, is the nation’s largest provider of scholarship assistance to young women, awarding millions annually for young female scholars across the country and around the world.  The Foundation provides academic and community-based scholarships for undergraduate and graduate studies, as well as endowed scholarships for young women entering medical school, working in special areas for military service awareness and the performing arts.

‘The Daily Show with Trevor Noah’ Adds New Correspondent Dulce’ Sloan

By

Photo courtesy Comedy Central.

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah just added new correspondent Dulce’ Sloan to the roster, with her scheduled to debut this week with an in-studio desk piece.

According to a release issued by Comedy Central,

“Sloan is truly a unique emerging voice in the world of comedy.  She offers a fresh and honest perspective, bringing her signature point-of-view and confidence to commentary on a wide range of topics.”

Sloan was recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the ten comedians you need to know, as well as “New Face” at Montreal’s 2015 comedy festival Just for Laughs, and also as a correspondent at E! News Daily.  She has appeared on Conan, Steve Harvey, @midnight, and truTV’s Comedy Knockout.  Most recently, Sloan was cast in the Fox comedy pilot Type-A alongside Eva Longoria, Andy Richter and Ken Marino.

‘The Daily Show with Trevor Noah’ airs on Comedy Central Monday through Thursday at 11:00 P.M. EST and is available to stream the following day at thedailyshow.com.

Mass Layoffs at Glenn Beck’s “The Blaze”

By

Photo courtesy Wikimedia.

Glenn Beck, founder of the conservative multi-platform news and entertainment network The Blaze, announced Thursday his company would conduct mass layoffs.

“Today, we said goodbye to just over 20 percent of the combined workforce of Mercury Radio Arts and TheBlaze,” Beck said in a press release.

The one-time Fox News and HLN host suggested his network “needed to become more nimble and drastically adjust our approach to keep pace with the massive changes unfolding before us.”

The Blaze TV is struggling for ratings especially due to not being carried on major cable companies such as Comcast, Time Warner and Cablevision.

MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Most-Watched Show in Cable News in August

By

Rachel Maddow speaking at SWSX. Photo courtesy Wikimedia.

Rachel Maddow had the most-watched show in cable news for the month, with 2.783 million total viewers in August, according to data released by Nielsen Media Research.  This marks the second consecutive month the MSNBC host landed at the top spot.

Closely behind was Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity, with 2.679 million total viewers.  Rounding out the top five news shows were Fox News’ Tucker Carlson (2.483 million), MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell (2.352 million) and Fox News’ The Five (2.351 million).

Maddow also was first among adults 25-54, a critical demographic for advertisers.

Fox News Channel edged out competitors including MSNBC and CNN for top overall cable network for the month, averaging 2.2 million viewers in prime time.  Fox has been the top-rated cable network based on total day ratings for 14 consecutive months and most watched cable news channel in both total day and prime viewers.

Trumps Will Skip Kennedy Center Honors

By

Photo courtesy Wikimedia.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will not attend this year’s annual Kennedy Center Honors in December.

According to a White House statement, “The President and First Lady have decided not to participate in this year’s activities to allow the honorees to celebrate without any political distraction.”

Several honorees had said they would boycott the White House reception.  Both dancer Carmen de Lavallade and television producer Norman Lear had announced they would not attend that portion of the celebration.

“In light of the socially decisive and morally caustic narrative that our existing leadership is choosing to engage in, and in keeping with the principles that I and so many others have fought for, I will be declining the invitation to attend the reception at the White House,” de Lavallade said last week, prior to the White House announcement.

In a joint statement, Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein and President Deborah F. Rutter said the center “respects the decision made today by the office of the President of the United States.  In choosing not to participate in this year’s Honors activities, the Administration has graciously signaled its respect for the Kennedy Center and ensures the Honors gala remains a deservingly special moment for the Honorees.  We are grateful for this gesture.”

This will be the fourth time a sitting president is not in attendance at the Honors, following Presidents Jimmy Carter in 1979, George H.W. Bush in 1989 and Bill Clinton in 1994.  All three former presidents had attended the annual celebration other years while in office.

Sean Spicer Turns Down “Dancing With The Stars”

By

Daniel Lippman, Tammy Haddad, Sean Spicer. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

The next season of “Dancing With The Stars” will be a bit less Spicy, as outgoing White House staffer Sean Spicer has turned down an offer to compete on the dance floor.

While Spicer reportedly was flattered by the offer, he rejected it due to “an overwhelming number of commitments in the Fall.”

Friends and colleagues also say that the former press secretary would be challenged with appearing on the show.  “He’s not a good dancer,” one source told the online Hollywood and entertainment news blog TMZ.

Spicer is in contact with most major TV and cable news networks for interview opportunities once he leaves the White House.  He also has been in contact with Hollywood agencies, in hopes of securing some television appearances, along with pursuing a book deal and several speaking arrangements.

“Dancing With The Stars” is scheduled to air its 25th season on ABC starting September 18.

 

Michael Bonfiglio’s Documentary “From The Ashes” Premiers on National Geographic Channel Sunday

By

Photo courtesy Pavlofox / Pixabay.

The documentary From The Ashes, a look at the lives of American communities as they struggle with the legacy of the coal industry and its future, will debut on television on the National Geographic Channel this Sunday, June 25th at 9PM EDT.

Directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Michael Bonfiglio and produced by the Academy Award- and Emmy-winning production company RadicalMedia, From The Ashes first premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, followed by a limited theatrical release.

As explained on its website, the documentary aims to tell the story of

“Americans in communities across the country as they wrestle with the legacy of the coal industry and what its future should be in the current political climate. From Appalachia to the West’s Powder River Basin, the film goes beyond the rhetoric of the ‘war on coal’ to present compelling and often heartbreaking stories about what’s at stake for our economy, health, and climate.”

Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry described the film as “heartbreaking and enlightening at the same time. A must-watch for everyone because we should all be in this together.”

From the Ashes is produced by RadicalMedia in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies and directed by Michael Bonfiglio and produced by Sidney Beaumont. For RadicalMedia, Jon Kamen, Joe Berlinger and Justin Wilkes serve as executive producers. For Bloomberg Philanthropies, Katherine Oliver serves as executive producer. For National Geographic, president, original programming and production is Tim Pastore.

“The Daily Show’s Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library” to Open This Friday

By

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Comedy Central’s The Daily Show has announced the grand opening of the Donald J. Trump Presidential Twitter Library with a grand opening this Friday in New York City.  The library will remain open to the public through the weekend.

Announced by host Trevor Noah in March, the library “will feature visual installations and a fully interactive experience for hands of all sizes, giving patrons the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to memorialize and celebrate the many “unprecedented” moments of President Trump’s Twitter history.”

Exhibits will include “Trump vs. Trump,” designed to “document President Trump’s unique ability to hold a variety of different opinions on the same subject.”  A video retrospective titled “Sad!” will “solemnly display a collection of people, places and things that the President has deemed ‘SAD!’”

According to The Daily Show,

“The library will be so tremendous that the public is going to get tired of the tremendousness.”

The library will be located within a two-minute walk of Trump Tower in New York City on West 57th Street.  It will be free and open to the public from 11AM to 7PM Friday, June 16 through Sunday, June 18.

Samantha Bee’s White House Correspondent Dinner Weekend Comedy Special to be Broadcast on Twitter

By

Photo courtesy of Pixabay / Edar.

TBS “Full Frontal” Host Samantha Bee will host a red carpet roast of President Trump the night of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at D.A.R. Constitution Hall.  Today, she announced the entire event will be broadcast unedited and uncensored on Twitter.

“The teens who run our social media accounts said we should do this, and honestly, I was about three margaritas in at the time, so I guess it’s happening,” Bee stated in a release.

Bee also recently announced legendary musician and songwriter Elvis Costello and his band The Imposters will perform at the after-party held at the W Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The special will also air on TBS April 29th and 10 PM EST.  Proceeds from the event will go to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Obama’s “Anger Translator” Keegan-Michael Key to Attend Samantha Bee’s Correspondents’ Dinner Weekend Comedy Special

By

President Barack Obama delivers remarks with the help of comedic actor Keegan-Michael Key during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, D.C., April 25, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Keegan-Michael Key of “Key & Peele” fame has signed on to attend Samantha Bee’s “Not the White House Correspondents’ Dinner” event to be held on Saturday, April 29 at the D.A.R. Constitution Hall.

Key has a famous history with the White House Correspondents’ Dinner weekend, having portrayed his popular character “President Obama’s ‘Anger Translator’ Luther” alongside Obama during the President’s 2015 Dinner remarks.

Watch the clip below:

Other celebrities expected at Bee’s “Not the White House Correspondents’ Dinner” include Kal Penn of Designated Survivor, Gloria Steinem, Matt Walsh of Veep, and Padma Lakshimi from Top Chef.  Legendary singer and songwriter Elvis Costello and his band The Imposters are scheduled to perform at the after-party held at the W Hotel in Washington.