ABOVE: Watch highlights from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
TORONTO — Journalists, political insiders and celebrities mingled and schmoozed Saturday night at the 2015 White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C.
The annual affair — dubbed “Nerd Prom” — brought dozens of stars to the ballroom of the Washington Hilton, including musicians John Legend and Pete Wentz, actresses Jane Seymour and Jane Fonda, and Internet celebrities Nash Grier and Marcus Johns.
Other stars in attendance include Sophia Bush, Alfre Woodard, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Naya Rivera, Gina Rodriguez, Connie Britton, Martha Stewart, Lucy Liu, Ashley Judd and Laverne Cox.
As always, the highlight of the evening was the speech from President Barack Obama, who took aim at those in the room as well as the people they cover.
He referenced presidential candidate Hillary Clinton when he said he needs to stay focused on his job because many Americans are in a time of deep uncertainty.
“For example, I have one friend, just a few weeks ago, she was making millions of dollars a year and now she’s living out of a van in Iowa.”
Obama said his legacy is beginning to take shape.
“Nine in 10 Americans now have health coverage. Today, thanks to Obamacare, you no longer have to worry about losing your insurance if you lose your job,” he said. “You’re welcome Senate Democrats.”
But the president poked fun at himself, too.
“Just this week, Michele Bachmann actually predicted that I would bring about the biblical end of days,” he said. “Now, that’s a legacy. That’s big. I mean, Lincoln, Washington, they didn’t do that.”
He added: “Six years into my presidency, people still say I’m arrogant. Aloof. Condescending. People are so dumb. That’s why I don’t meet with them.”
Obama noted that former vice-president Dick Cheney described him as the worst president of his lifetime. “Which is interesting,” Obama said. “Because I think Dick Cheney is the worst president of my lifetime.”
Obama also acknowledged how he has visibly aged during his two terms as president.
“I look so old, John Boehner has already invited Netanyahu to speak at my funeral,” he joked.
Some of the biggest laughs came when Obama brought out “Luther,” his “anger translator” — played by Keegan-Michael Key — who added rage to the president’s calm statements about various issues.
Obama: “The Supreme Court ruled that the donor who gave Ted Cruz $6 million was just exercising free speech.”
Key: “Yeah it’s the kind of speech like this: ‘I just wasted $6 million.”
Obama: “Hillary will have to raised huge sums of money, too.”
Key: “Oh yeah, she gonna get that money. She gonna get all the money. Khaleesi is coming to Westeros. Watch out!
At the podium next was Saturday Night Live star Cecily Strong, the fifth woman to host the event (behind Paula Poundstone, Elayne Boosler, Aretha Franklin and Wanda Sykes).
“Feels right to have a woman follow President Obama, doesn’t it?,” she said.
With her boss, Toronto-born Lorne Michaels watching, Strong delivered a string of one-liners that got a mixture of laughs and groans.
On Hillary Clinton running, Strong noted: “I think she feels the same way Meryl Streep feels when she’s asked to audition for something. ‘I mean, are you kidding me, really?’”
Strong joked about Republican Ted Cruz entering the race. “It’s like the right wing thought, ‘What’s the exact opposite of a black president? How about a Canadian Latino who will never be president?’”
The SNL star admitted she wasn’t qualified to tell politicians what to do.
“That’d be like you guys telling me what to do with my body. I mean, could you imagine!”
But she did have some advice for journalists.
“Repeat after me, journalists: I solemnly swear to not talk about Hillary’s appearance, because that is not journalism.
“Also, Cecily Strong looks great tonight.”
BELOW: Watch Cecily Strong at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
BELOW: Watch Barack Obama at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
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