OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The annual White House Correspondent’s Dinner was rife with one liners degradating former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and former CNN host Don Lemon.
One such quip from President Joe Biden at the expense of Carlson drew audible boos from the crowd, stunning the president who asked what they were booing for.
And when it was comedian Roy Wood Jr’s set his jabs at Lemon were met with consternation from the contingent of CNN staff in attendance.
“I believe in the First Amendment, and not just because my good friend Jimmy Madison wrote it,” the president quipped.
“I get that age is a completely reasonable issue,” the president said in what was a short performance. “It’s on everyone’s mind, by everyone I mean the New York Times.”
“I like Rupert Murdoch,” he said later of the 93-year-old head of Fox News. “How can I dislike a guy who makes me look like Harry Styles?”
“You say I’m over the hill,” he went on to say. “Don Lemon would say that’s a man in his prime.”
Then he made a reference to his 2024 campaign while taking a swipe at Carlson.
“The job isn’t finished, I mean it is finished for Tucker Carlson,” he said to audible boos from the crowd.
What are you booing about, like you think that’s not reasonable? Give me a break,” the agitated president said.
Then it was time for Wood Jr., who works for the Comedy Central flagship “The Daily Show” to take his swipes.
“The untouchable Tucker Carlson is out of a job. Some people celebrate it but to Tucker’s staff, I want to know that I know what you’re feeling. I work at The Daily Show so I too have been blindsided by the sudden departure of the host of a fake news program,” he said, referring to the departure of host Trevor Noah.
“Tucker got caught up. Got caught up like that dude from Vanderpump Rules,” he quipped. “I don’t know what Vanderpump Rules is about, I’ve watched it a couple of times. My friends told me it’s like BMF but for white people. Or is that Succession? No, Succession is Power for white people. No, Tucker Carlson is Power for white people. No, that’s white power — you know what, nevermind.”
“We gotta get Tucker Carlson back on the air, mister president, because right now, there’s millions of Americans who don’t even know why they hate you,” he said.
“I think we should give credit where credit is due,” he said. “Tucker Carlson is the first host to get fired by Fox News for something that’s only partially about how he treats women. That’s progress! He shattered the a—– ceiling!”
He then went on to Lemon, who he also called an “a–.”
“Don Lemon released a statement saying he got fired from CNN, then CNN released a statement saying they offered Don a meeting,” the comedian said. “They had to part ways because Don Lemon can’t even accurately report a story about Don Lemon!”
“I still think that Don deserved more, CNN. That ain’t how you fire someone,” he quipped. “How funny is it that you work in the news, then watch on the news how you got fired form the news? Don Lemon is now the most obnoxious guy in the history of CNN, that’s not fair! Even Jeffrey Toobin looking at Don Lemon like, ‘Ooh he rubbed me the wrong way.’ ”
“Letting Don go was the wrong move,” he said. You shouldn’t have let him go, not this soon. … You don’t fire your host after the first couple of scandals. The scandals got to stack up. You gotta get the ratings. Yes, Don Lemon was a diva and he said a couple of women were raggedy in the face. But that’s a promotion at Fox News!”
The most controversial moment of the night came when Wood Jr. made a quip about school shootings that had the audience groaning.
“Drag queens are not at a school to groom your kids. Stop it,” he said. “And even if they were, most of them kids are going to get shot at school.”
The audience, which included some lawmakers, audibly groaned.
“Don’t groan, pass legislation,” he said.
