Don’t you hate it when you’re trying to cajole a racist, transphobic, sexist and financially opaque political regime and a comedian you hired comes in and spoils it all?
That’s how it must have felt for the White House Correspondents Association last week when comedian Michelle Wolf delivered a withering takedown of Washington’s finest at their annual dinner to stern looks, gasps and some laughter. For the uninitiated, the WHCA dinner is an annual event where journalists covering the US presidency bring together media, politicians, public servants and other notable guests to set aside their differences for an evening over dinner. It’s like the Christmas truce in the first World War where French, British and German troops put down their weapons and played football for an afternoon except nobody cares.
The performance section of the evening, however, attracts some attention as it tends to offset the any potential smugness at the event which has been known to cause nausea and eyeball dislocation in the audience watching on television.
Irish readers will find the tradition bizarre in the extreme. Imagine, if you will, Ireland’s top broadcasters, politicians, editors and other influential figures coming together to allow themselves to be fodder for comedians to ridicule on television. All in the name of a healthy democracy. Okay, maybe not.
Scathing set
On the night, Wolf delivered a scathing set and though it might have elicited laughter from those present, it drew criticism from both attendees and non-attendees including US president Donald Trump, who tweeted that the “filthy” comedian had “totally bombed”. So concerned was the WHCA about offence the speech might have caused that it issued a statement saying: “Last night’s programme was meant to offer a unifying message about our common commitment to a free press while honouring civility, great reporting and scholarship winners, not to divide people. Unfortunately, the entertainer’s monologue was not in the spirit of that mission.” What’s that whooshing noise? It’s the sound of Wolf being thrown to the wolves.
So what did the comedian say that was so upsetting? Wolf made such off-colour remarks as to suggest that press secretary Sarah Sanders looked like a softball coach and even referred to her “smoky eye” makeup style. An appalling lack of respect. It’s hard to imagine how one could denigrate a woman more (unless you include the president himself, then it’s really easy).
The comedian repeatedly stated too that the press secretary for the largest democracy in the world habitually lied during press briefings, which some might argue is a more damning criticism. However, those who expressed outrage at Wolf’s remarks on Sanders appearance have let this allegation go unchallenged.
Though Sanders remained stony-faced throughout, New York Times correspondent Maggie Haberman tweeted her admiration for Sanders for absorbing "intense criticism of her physical appearance, her job performance, on national television". After the speech members of the WHCA were quick to make their way to Sanders's side, no doubt fearing that the celebration of journalism they were hoping for might be compromised. It would appear that they were correct. Sadly in just a matter of days Sanders had to admit to giving false information to the press again, this time about the president's knowledge of a payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels. It would seem that the press secretary's esteem for the press still has a way to go.
Abortion joke
It wasn’t all dour faces. Wolf went on to mock the president himself for being broke in a call and response which the crowd participated in enthusiastically. An abortion joke Wolf told did seem to shock the crowd though. However, one has to remember that a cartoon depiction of abortion is funny only when there are people in the room trying make the practice illegal.
It does, however, provide a pretty good illustration of the role of a comedian in such a situation, which is to divine what fictions are being maintained among the folks present and mould oneself around them. The imprint left shows the truth of what people would rather deny.
Which may be why Wolf said of the media’s relationship with the president: “You pretend like you hate him, but I think you love him. I think what no one in this room wants to admit is that Trump has helped all of you. He couldn’t sell steaks or vodka or water or college or ties or Eric, but he has helped you. He’s helped you sell your papers and your books and your TV. You helped create this monster, and now you’re profiting off of him. If you’re going to profit off Trump, you should at least give him some money, because he doesn’t have any.” It may explain why Wolf struggled to find a defender of her first amendment rights among them.
Though Wolf may not have pleased the Washington audience, she will surely hope that citizens in other parts of the country will have felt gratified watching the shady mob currently demolishing every tenet of their democracy caricatured so mercilessly. Those who long for a more docile comedian will have to wait for next year’s dinner, if there is one.
Eleanor Tiernan is a writer and comedian