Biden, Roy Wood Jr. serve up laughs at White House Correspondents' Dinner

Journalists and celebrities alike descended Saturday on the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner. President Biden and host Roy Wood Jr. brought laughs to what is undoubtedly one of comedy's toughest crowds.

Despite its jokes, the dinner is actually billed as an event to celebrate freedom of the press. Biden started off his time at the podium on a somber note, pledging to stand alongside American journalists detained overseas. He highlighted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested just weeks ago in Russia.

"Everyone in this hall stands with you," Biden said of Gershkovich, adding that his administration was "working every day to secure his release."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Once he transitioned to jokes, Biden poked fun at his advanced age, saying he believes "in the First Amendment, and not just because my good friend Jimmy Madison wrote it." He also got in some jabs on Fox's Rupert Murdoch, saying he "makes me look like Harry Styles."

Biden also quipped about his potential opponents in the 2024 presidential election, including former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). Of the latter, Biden said, "He was asked if he had a mandate. He said, 'Hell no, I'm straight!'"

Wood, a correspondent on The Daily Show, then took to the dais asking the crowd to "give it up for Dark Brandon." He started off with some good-natured jabs against Biden, saying he "left some of your classified documents up here," adding that the president "thinks I'm the daddy on Family Matters."

He then used his time to take swipes at numerous cable networks, particularly Fox News, Tucker Carlson, and Don Lemon. In a notable joke that elicited pauses, Wood said not to worry about drag queens in schools because "most of those kids are going to get shot at school, it ain't no problem."