White House Correspondents Insider

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

  • Home
  • About
  • WHC Garden Brunch
  • Washington Insider
  • Archives
  • Contact

RTCA After-Party Talk: Thumbs Up for Comedian-in-Chief

June 20, 2009 By WHC Insider

Move it to a Friday night (for the first time), bring a celebrity bartender to the after-party, and the night is guaranteed to go long. The Radio-TV Correspondents’ dinner festivities didn’t break until several hours after midnight.

[tylr-slidr userID=” 35544829@N07″ groupID=”72157617172849739″]http://www.flickr.com/photos/haddadmedia/sets/72157620004153626/[/tylr-slidr]

The MSNBC-thrown after-party, attended by Obama advisers David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett, among others, had a different vibe than Fox’s fondly remembered 2004 disco affair: more cocktails and comfort-food. Contessa Brewer’s black dress, with its open back, was one of the more daring of the evening and drew admirers; her lengthy conversation with NBC News president Steve Capus had some guessing. The special drinks that Rachel Maddow was mixing up behind the bar — including her “signature cocktail” the Hearst (gin, sweet vermouth and bitters) — must have been potent: The last of the NBC junior staffers trickled out after 3 a.m.

U.S. President Obama attends the Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner in Washington.

Obama as Comedian-in-Chief

As for the dinner itself, the reviews are in: President Obama was pretty funny. Then again, it’s hard to know — it could be just another manifestation of that whole being-in-bed-with-the-press phenomenon that he poked fun at in his remarks last night. “Why bother hanging out with celebrities when I can spend time with people who make me one?” Obama said, comparing the RTCA event to the Hollywood celeb-studded White House Correspondents Association dinner in May.

Unlike the WHCD, there was no one line that everyone grabbed on to, but the papers, Twitterers and bloggers found plenty to like, although they appear to be tiring of his frequent jokes about chief of staff Rahm Emanuel’s colorful vocabulary. (Last night’s: “In Egypt, we had the opportunity to tour the pyramids. And by now, I’m sure you’ve all seen the pictures of Rahm on that camel. I admit, I was a little nervous about the whole situation. I said at the time, ‘This is a wild animal known to bite, kick and spit. And who knows what the camel could do.’ “) [Read more…]

Filed Under: Event Coverage, News Media, rtca dinner Tagged With: Carrie Prejean, Contessa Brewer, David Axelrod, John Hodgman, President Obama, Rachel Maddow, Rahm Emanuel, Steve Capus, Tate Donovan, Valerie Jarrett

Fox News Bringing Ousted Miss USA Runner-Up Carrie Prejean to RTCA

June 18, 2009 By WHC Insider

John Lennon: The New York City Years Exhibit Preview

Prejean to be Fox News Guest at RTCA Dinner

Sitting at one of Fox News’ nine tables at Friday’s RTCA and bringing a bit of non-D.C. buzz to the event will be Carrie Prejean, the Miss USA runner-up who was stripped of her title as Miss California after pageant officials accused her of violating her contract.

Prejean, who has been exchanging snipes with pageant officials about just what happened-she denies doing anything wrong and accuses pageant officials of behaving badly — was a brief part of the Fox News family recently, when she guest-hosted the 6-7 a.m. hour of “Fox & Friends.”

Among the other Fox News guests is Melody Barnes, the White House Domestic Policy Adviser.

A partial list of the Fox News talent who will be in attendance (joining a number of Fox News execs) includes Carl Cameron, Major Garrett, Martha MacCallum, Mike Emanuel, Shannon Bream, Jennifer Griffin, Peter Barnes, Kelly Wright, Juan Williams and Catherine Herridge.

Filed Under: News Media, rtca dinner Tagged With: Carl Cameron, Carrie Prejean, Catherine Herridge, Fox News, Jennifer Griffin, Juan Williams, Kelly Wright, Major Garrett, Martha MacCallum, Melody Barnes, Mike Emanuel, Peter Barnes, Shannon Bream

Search WHCInsider

2022 WHC Garden Brunch

About White House Correspondents Insider

Exploring “behind the scenes” of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

We track the White House Correspondents’ weekend and all the activities around it, from journalists and media companies to the White House and politicos.

Tammy Haddad is Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief of WHC Insider and CEO of Haddad Media.

White House Correspondents Insider is not affiliated with or approved by the White House Correspondents’ Association, which is a registered trademark of the WHCA.

Cone of Silence Podcast

WHCA Seating Chart

Connect

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Flickr
  • Apple
  • Google
  • Instagram

Copyright © White House Correspondents Insider