Beginning in the 1920s and occurring almost annually since 1941, the White House Correspondents Association (the WHCA) has held a fundraising dinner that brings together Republicans and Democrats for one evening, and features performers who traditionally lambaste both sides of the aisle. The dinner supports journalists and students, and has generally been the D.C. equivalent of the Met Gala or the Academy Awards. Many great comedians, musicians, and others have performed at the event, including Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Ed Sullivan, Milton Berle, James Cagney, Duke Ellington, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Peter Sellers, Chevy Chase, Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart, Ray Romano, Aretha Franklin, Cedric the Entertainer, Ray Charles, Drew Carey, Seth Meyers, and more. Amber Ruffin was supposed to perform at the April 26 dinner this year. That won’t be happening, apparently.
Ruffin is an Emmy- and Tony-nominated comedian and writer known for writing and performing for Late Night with Seth Meyers, and has recently done great work as a team captain opposite Michael Ian Black in the underrated U.S. version of Have I Got News for You, hosted by Roy Wood, Jr. (who himself has performed at the White House Correspondents Dinner). While Ruffin’s attendance was announced less than two months ago, it appears that she is being pulled from the event, despite Mel Gibson’s favorite President, Donald Trump, not even attending the dinner. That news was announced in an email sent by WHCA President Eugene Daniels.
“The WHCA board has unanimously decided we are no longer featuring a comedic performance this year. At this consequential moment for journalism, I want to ensure the focus is not on the politics of division but entirely on awarding our colleagues for their outstanding work and providing scholarship and mentorship to the next generation of journalists,” said Daniels via Deadline, adding:

“For the past couple of weeks, I have been planning a re-envisioning of our dinner tradition for this year. As the date nears, I will share more details of the plans in place to honor journalistic excellence and a robust, independent media covering the most powerful office in the world.”

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White House Correspondents’ Association held its annual dinner. Many different politicians, celebrities, and reporters were in attendance.

The WHCA Praised Amber Ruffin Last Month

This is all a far cry from how Daniels sounded just last month when he announced that Ruffin would be hosting the dinner. “When I began to think about what entertainer would be a perfect fit for the dinner this year, Amber was immediately at the top of my list,” said Daniels in the WHCA’s Feb. 4, 2025, announcement that Ruffin would host. Politico, president of the association. “She has the ability to walk the line between blistering commentary and humor all while provoking her audience to think about the important issues of the day. I’m thrilled and honored she said yes.” Daniels’ support and praise of Ruffin back in February continued this way:

“Amber’s unique talents are the ideal fit for this current political and cultural climate. Her perspective will fit right in with the dinner’s tradition of honoring the freedom of the press while roasting the most powerful people on all sides of the aisle and the journalists who cover them. This dinner is about centering the importance of a functioning democracy and Amber is the type of entertainer who understands both the significance of that mission as well as the mechanics of power in this country.”

It’s all a dang shame, honestly, as White House Correspondents Dinners have sometimes produced some of the funniest (and most politically courageous) moments of the year. Stephen Colbert’s infamous performance at one of the dinners with George W. Bush has become a prime example in the media as how comedy can speak truth to power. Seth Meyer’s attendance at the 2011 dinner with Barack Obama is sometimes credited with the political rise of Donald Trump, due to Meyers’ relentless roasting of Trump. Who knows what would’ve happened if Ruffin had performed?