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White House Correspondents' dinner live: Obama welcomes celebrities, reporters White House Correspondents' dinner live: Obama welcomes celebrities, reporters
(35 minutes later)
12.05am BST
00:05
Eric Trump, Donald Trump’s middle son, says that he’s prepared to hear jokes about his dad.
@EricTrump's ready for possible @realDonaldTrump-related jokes from @POTUS at the #WHCD: https://t.co/WX9oKi6vcF https://t.co/WSsHXU1YDS
The Donald is boycotting because of how dishonest the media is, and not because he got made fun of a lot last year and has a thin skin.
Read more about how he got zinged by the sitting president last year.
Related: White House correspondents' dinner: will Obama deliver a Trump roast?
12.01am BST
00:01
C-Span reports that the dinner tonight will consist of “Petite filet au poivre paired with honey and orange infused shrimp, dunk confit, souffle potato, asparugus, zucchini, carrot and roasted peppers.”
Americans in 2016, by the way, waste 50% more food than they did in the 1970s.
Anyway, here’s Lady Mary from Downton Abbey.
11.54pm BST
23:54
Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders is also a guest of the media tonight.
And, if you’re a long-time Trump watcher, it’s perhaps no surprise to see Omarosa Manigault, who told The Hollywood Reporter at a pre-party that she’s “a Trumplican”.
She added:
This is a reality TV generation, right? They’re used to characters on TV saying whatever, doing whatever. Doing crazy things. Changing the game. That’s what we’ve done. We did that on The Apprentice in 2003. We’re doing that with the presidency in 2016.
She currently appears on the trail as a Trump surrogate. Trump has not revealed if he plans to nominate her to a position within his administration.
11.45pm BST
23:45
Aretha Franklin is in the house.
If you didn’t see her perform at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, why not take a moment and check it out.
11.36pm BST
23:36
Emma Watson, who helped launched the women’s equality effort #HeForShe is also in attendance and looking pretty cool.
If you’re interested in her work on women’s issues, perhaps you should read this piece about how rape survivors at the Mormon Brigham Young University are fighting back against honor code violations when they report their sexual assaults.
Related: 'You're a sinner': how a Mormon university shames rape victims
11.33pm BST11.33pm BST
23:3323:33
Apparently, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is a Scandal fan.Apparently, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is a Scandal fan.
Helen Mirren is, like all of us, a Prince fan – but she wears it more than on her sleeve.Helen Mirren is, like all of us, a Prince fan – but she wears it more than on her sleeve.
11.23pm BST11.23pm BST
23:2323:23
Bill Nye is hanging out with Steve Aoki:Bill Nye is hanging out with Steve Aoki:
via @BillNye: Found @steveaoki at the #WHCD. pic.twitter.com/kd05SpDv4Hvia @BillNye: Found @steveaoki at the #WHCD. pic.twitter.com/kd05SpDv4H
There’s also Tony Goldwyn (the president on Scandal) with Shonda Rhimes.There’s also Tony Goldwyn (the president on Scandal) with Shonda Rhimes.
President Fitz! @tonygoldwyn and @shondarhimes arrive at the #WHCD: https://t.co/nec8WgmdwN #Scandal pic.twitter.com/TyZijomrpXPresident Fitz! @tonygoldwyn and @shondarhimes arrive at the #WHCD: https://t.co/nec8WgmdwN #Scandal pic.twitter.com/TyZijomrpX
And Guardian US writer Steven W Thrasher is hanging out with Carrie Fisher and her dog, Gary.And Guardian US writer Steven W Thrasher is hanging out with Carrie Fisher and her dog, Gary.
Welcome to the Guardian @carrieffisher & @Gary_TheDog #whcd pic.twitter.com/xZl4jPreO5Welcome to the Guardian @carrieffisher & @Gary_TheDog #whcd pic.twitter.com/xZl4jPreO5
11.19pm BST11.19pm BST
23:1923:19
Currently on C-Span, two men are discussing the propensity for some women to wear something other than high heels under their gowns at the White House Correspondents DinnerCurrently on C-Span, two men are discussing the propensity for some women to wear something other than high heels under their gowns at the White House Correspondents Dinner
C-Span host: Is it becoming more and more common for women to wear comfortable shoes rather than...C-Span host: Is it becoming more and more common for women to wear comfortable shoes rather than...
JD Heyman, deputy editor for entertainment at People: I actually don’t think it’s ever... Women like to wear high heels for this event, but they will often try to tuck a pair, if they’re coming with a team of people, there may be a pair of more comfortable shoes in a bag. People tough it out, pretty much.JD Heyman, deputy editor for entertainment at People: I actually don’t think it’s ever... Women like to wear high heels for this event, but they will often try to tuck a pair, if they’re coming with a team of people, there may be a pair of more comfortable shoes in a bag. People tough it out, pretty much.
There is a bunch of science about how terrible high heels are for your health.There is a bunch of science about how terrible high heels are for your health.
11.04pm BST11.04pm BST
23:0423:04
The red carpet has begun: on C-SPAN, all you can hear is photographers shouting at the top of their lungs, as celebrities are led one-by-one in front of photographers. Jeff Goldblum is speaking to Extra, Emma Watson has been spotted and Assad has ended the ceasefire in Syria.The red carpet has begun: on C-SPAN, all you can hear is photographers shouting at the top of their lungs, as celebrities are led one-by-one in front of photographers. Jeff Goldblum is speaking to Extra, Emma Watson has been spotted and Assad has ended the ceasefire in Syria.
Related: ‘We’ve had massacres all week’: Aleppo on fire again as Assad consigns ceasefire to historyRelated: ‘We’ve had massacres all week’: Aleppo on fire again as Assad consigns ceasefire to history
11.00pm BST11.00pm BST
23:0023:00
If you are the kind of person who tunes into C-Span before even the red carpet starts, you were treated to a look-back at George W Bush’s comedy stylings, which included jokes about Dick Cheney shooting people, Dick Cheney riding a segway, Dick Cheney being curious if the plot of Brokeback Mountain meant that the Lone Ranger and Tonto got it on, Bush singing off-key about how brown the grass is on his ranch and Bush conducting the Marine Corps Band playing John Phillips Sousa.If you are the kind of person who tunes into C-Span before even the red carpet starts, you were treated to a look-back at George W Bush’s comedy stylings, which included jokes about Dick Cheney shooting people, Dick Cheney riding a segway, Dick Cheney being curious if the plot of Brokeback Mountain meant that the Lone Ranger and Tonto got it on, Bush singing off-key about how brown the grass is on his ranch and Bush conducting the Marine Corps Band playing John Phillips Sousa.
Oh, here, look: protestors supporting of the Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr stormed the parliament building in Iraq, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency.Oh, here, look: protestors supporting of the Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr stormed the parliament building in Iraq, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency.
Related: Baghdad state of emergency declared after protesters storm parliamentRelated: Baghdad state of emergency declared after protesters storm parliament
UpdatedUpdated
at 11.01pm BSTat 11.01pm BST
10.14pm BST10.14pm BST
22:1422:14
Good evening, and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the “nerd prom”, the not-quite self-deprecating nickname for the annual White House Correspondents Dinner.Good evening, and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the “nerd prom”, the not-quite self-deprecating nickname for the annual White House Correspondents Dinner.
This will be Barack Obama’s final turn at telling jokes behind the podium – and the current election cycle has given him plenty of fodder for his routine, which generally consists of zingers at other politicians’ expense, jibes at members of his administration and newsy references that would be cut from Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update for being not funny enough.This will be Barack Obama’s final turn at telling jokes behind the podium – and the current election cycle has given him plenty of fodder for his routine, which generally consists of zingers at other politicians’ expense, jibes at members of his administration and newsy references that would be cut from Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update for being not funny enough.
He’ll be followed by comedian and host Larry Wilmore, host of Comedy Central’s The Nightly Show, a The Daily Show spin-off for the former TDS correspondent. Wilmore has a typically tough job: to be funny without being offensive to the assembled politicians and media types, many of whom have an inflated sense of self – a sense not reduced by being in the presence of bona fide celebrities. Guests this year include one of Obama’s would-be successor, Bernie Sanders, as well as Aretha Franklin, Ilana Goldblum, Ilana Glazer, Will Smith and Rachel McAdams.He’ll be followed by comedian and host Larry Wilmore, host of Comedy Central’s The Nightly Show, a The Daily Show spin-off for the former TDS correspondent. Wilmore has a typically tough job: to be funny without being offensive to the assembled politicians and media types, many of whom have an inflated sense of self – a sense not reduced by being in the presence of bona fide celebrities. Guests this year include one of Obama’s would-be successor, Bernie Sanders, as well as Aretha Franklin, Ilana Goldblum, Ilana Glazer, Will Smith and Rachel McAdams.
Infamously, the last former TDS corespondent to host the dinner, Steven Colbert, bombed with the in-crowd, though he killed with viewers at home, in 2006 because he performed in character from The Colbert Report and didn’t pull his punches about then president George W Bush, the wars he’d started or his cozy relationship with the media.Infamously, the last former TDS corespondent to host the dinner, Steven Colbert, bombed with the in-crowd, though he killed with viewers at home, in 2006 because he performed in character from The Colbert Report and didn’t pull his punches about then president George W Bush, the wars he’d started or his cozy relationship with the media.
Wilmore isn’t expected to be as pointed about the incumbent president, but one suspects he has more than enough material on the potential next president with which to work.Wilmore isn’t expected to be as pointed about the incumbent president, but one suspects he has more than enough material on the potential next president with which to work.
But before that, join us for coverage of the red carpet, a little commentary from Patrick Gavin, director of the documentary Nerd Prom: The Movie and a look at what else is going on in the world that is probably more important than the sight of media types back-slapping with the politicians they’ll supposedly go back to holding to account tomorrow. (And maybe some intel about Carrie Fisher’s dog, which is supposedly going to be seated with the General herself at the Guardian’s table.)But before that, join us for coverage of the red carpet, a little commentary from Patrick Gavin, director of the documentary Nerd Prom: The Movie and a look at what else is going on in the world that is probably more important than the sight of media types back-slapping with the politicians they’ll supposedly go back to holding to account tomorrow. (And maybe some intel about Carrie Fisher’s dog, which is supposedly going to be seated with the General herself at the Guardian’s table.)
CSpan is airing the whole event live on its site, and several cable news networks plan to cover it as well.CSpan is airing the whole event live on its site, and several cable news networks plan to cover it as well.
UpdatedUpdated
at 10.15pm BSTat 10.15pm BST