White House Correspondents Insider

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

Greta and John bring LiLo to WHCD

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Another Van Susteren WHCD first: Kim Kardashian in 2010

Greta Van Susteren and her husband, attorney John Coale have won the booking sweepstakes this year by scoring Lindsay Lohan as their guest for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.   Since her move to Fox 10 years ago, Greta has been wowing Washington insiders and making headlines by snagging the hottest guests.

It was a scene like none other when President George W. Bush, at his first dinner mentioned Greta and John’s guest, Ozzy Osbourne, who was at the height of his reality show fame.  Last year, Van Susteren surprised everyone by bringing Sarah Palin to the WH Correspondents’ Dinner to mingle with the “gang of 600”, the top politicos and policymakers, something no one ever thought would happen.

Van Susteren has had the number 1  show on Fox for 10 years, and  never shies away from a controversy or a question.

Here is how FishbowlDC broke the big story.

List of Previous Talent: From Sykes to Nixon’s "Disneyland Golden Horseshoe Review"

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Timeline of WHCD Performances From Wikipedia

1945:Performers included Frank Sinatra, Danny Thomas, Jimmy Durante, Fanny Brice and Danny Kaye.

1969: President Richard Nixon personally requested the Disneyland Golden Horseshoe Revue.

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Wally Boagpecosbill from Golden Horseshoe Revue

1985: Rich Little and President Ronald Reagan in a dual press conference skit.

1988: Yakov Smirnoff

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Memorable Moments of Dinners Past

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If there’s a single instance in the recent history that encapsulates what the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has become in staid, old Washington, it would have to be the “Ozzy moment.” The year was 2002 and the unified spirit that enveloped Washington in the wake of the 9/11 attacks still lingered as the elite masses gathered at the Washington Hilton hotel for the annual dinner. President Bush was on hand, riding a wave of political popularity. Cabinet members like Colin Powell were also present, as well as the upper echelons of official Washington.

Comedian Drew Carey was the featured entertainment (after the president, of course), and the requisite celebrities were on hand as well – Harrison Ford, Christie Brinkley, etc. But it was heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne (invited by Fox News host Greta Van Susteren) everyone was clamoring to see. His MTV reality show “The Osbournes” had become a cultural phenomenon and the muttering poster boy of rock ‘n roll excess was more famous than he had ever been in his head-banging heyday. Even the president couldn’t resist the pull of America’s sudden and most unlikely celebrity. “The thing about Ozzy is he’s made a lot of big hit recordings,” Bush said as he gave the singer a shout-out during his remarks. “’Party With Animals,’ ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,’ ‘Face in Hell,’ ‘Black Skies’ and ‘Bloodbath in Paradise’ … Ozzy, mom loves your stuff.” Osbourne responded by standing on his chair, arms raised and shouting as the audience howled and applauded.

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