President Donald Trump proved two essential truths during his White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech Friday.
Late-night style humor isn’t easy. And the current crop of hosts leaves plenty of material on the cutting-room floor.
President Trump addressed the assembled press during his one-hour-plus speech, a mix of his usual bravado, killer jokes and tepid bits that would make Johnny Carson blush (or take a faux golf swing as a distraction).
Comedy is hard. It’s even harder when your hands are tied behind your back (on purpose).
The president’s lengthy set featured some killer moments. The best of the best?
…under my administration, a once feared regime that relentlessly attacked America has been toppled. Their former leaders have been removed, and now being run by a gay dictator facing internal divisions, but I for one wish Bari Weiss all the best at CBS news.
Bang. That’s the best line you’ll hear on any late-night show.
Other jokes hit their marks, but they mattered because they swatted targets the usual suspects won’t even touch.
Elizabeth Warren did not accept our invitation to debate. I wanted to debate her. I decided to bury the hatchet.
Late-night hosts know Sen. Warren’s faux Native American heritage is prime comedy fodder. They refuse to do anything with it, though.
Other bits were long overdue. Take Trump’s crack about the media’s unwillingness to call out his predecessor’s mental decline.
Some people say that Jake Tapper is a great investigative reporter in DC. And that's why after moderating our debate, it only took him one year to break the story that Joe Biden might possibly have suffered from cognitive decline.
“It’s funny cuz it’s true,” as Homer Simpson might say. Other gags were older than the Commander in Chief.
The other day a senator I knew got a text from his wife. She said, 'When you get home, I want to have you immediately come up the stairs and make love to me.' And he said, 'I can't do both.'
Ouch. Fire that joke writer.
Another gag was brutal and inspired, once again touching on a subject that should be late-night catnip. Instead, the joke’s target and subject matter are off limits. Not for Trump.
A video surfaced recently of Ilhan Omar giving a speech referring to World War Two as World War Eleven. I'm not surprised... she also calls her brother 'husband #1.
He couldn’t resist a shot against The Boss, the rocker who built an entire tour around attacking the real estate mogul turned president. He said Bruce Springsteen’s No Kings-themed tour should be renamed “Bored in the USA.”
Send that joke to the salt mines. Stat.
The political targets were mostly on the Left, but he still took a dig at his Health and Human Services Secretary. Once again, a political figure offered ample comic material, so Trump couldn’t resist.
I hope that everyone finally got to enjoy their entire very delicious beef tenderloins. Very special beef. And I want you all to know that Bobby Kennedy is right here, personally ran over the cow in his car. And he cut it up and he brought it here for you to eat tonight.
The good, the bad and the ugly. President Trump's WHCD roast had all of the above. And, as usual, the president could have used an editor. Still, the night let him show the Kimmels and Stewarts of the world what they're missing.
