The Hill will no longer participate in the White House Correspondents Dinner thanks to the over-the-line “jokes” made by this year’s headliner Michelle Wolf.
“There’s simply no reason to participate in something that casts our profession in a poor light,” wrote The Hill Chairman James Finkelstein in a letter to the White House Correspondents Association. "Major changes are needed to the annual event."
“Based on what Americans witnessed on national television at Saturday night’s dinner, a once-fine evening celebrating the strong, free press the WHCA speaks of has turned into an angry display and ad hominem attacks,” he said.
CNN’s Oliver Darcy published Finkelstein’s full letter in a tweet:
Here’s the full letter James Finkelstein, chairman of The Hill, sent to the WHCA pic.twitter.com/bCVrvAf5Fw
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) May 1, 2018
At this point, Wolf’s raunchy and tasteless monologue at this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner is no secret. From openly jesting about killing babies to bullying White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders over her looks while she sat only feet away, Wolf’s speech was not only cringe-worthily unfunny, but also flat-out offensive.
Apparently, even to those who don’t traditionally tow the Trump line.
The WHCA issued a statement addressing the backlash over Wolf’s monologue Monday, acknowledging their screw-up in perhaps the most soft-handed manner possible.
"Last night's program was meant to offer a unifying message about our common commitment to a vigorous and free press while honoring civility, great reporting and scholarship winners, not to divide people. Unfortunately, the entertainer's monologue was not in the spirit of the mission,” the WHCA wrote.
#WHCA Statement to Members on Annual Dinner pic.twitter.com/8DKoHNxpNi
— WHCA (@whca) April 30, 2018
Apparently, the WHCA's statement wasn't good enough for The Hill.
And, frankly, it shouldn't be good enough for anyone.