Historian Ron Chernow poked fun at politicians at the White House Correspondents' Dinner with some help from Mark Twain

Ron Chernow.
(Image credit: Tim O'Donnell (759873))

Don't let stereotypes fool you — historians can be funny, too.

The White House Correspondents' Association broke with tradition this year when they asked a non-comedian to deliver the keynote address at the White House Correspondents' dinner on Saturday evening. Instead, historian Ron Chernow, who wrote the Alexander Hamilton biography that inspired the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, addressed the crowd. Chernow has also written books about former presidents George Washington and Ulysses S. Grant, so he knows a thing or two about the office.

While the event was reportedly more serious than in years past, with Chernow and other speakers talking poingantly about press freedom, Chernow found the time to crack a few jokes, as well. They mostly came in the form of subtle jabs at President Trump, who did not attend the event for the third street year. He was in Green Bay, Wisconsin, at a rally for Trump supporters, instead.

Subscribe to The Week

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

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

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

One of Chernow's strongest jokes was a veiled dig at Trump's reported befuddlement over the fact that Washington did not name Mount Vernon after himself.

See more

Chernow closed his speech with a remark from the king of quips himself, Mark Twain. In this instance, it seems like Trump was far from the only target. Tim O'Donnell

See more
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.