Comedian Michelle Wolf called Washington-based journalists “cowards” Monday after the White House Correspondents’ Association’s decision not to invite a comedian to perform at the annual dinner for the first time in 15 years.
The organization instead asked Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow to speak about the importance of the First Amendment at the event in 2019.
“The [White House Correspondents’ Association] are cowards,” Wolf tweeted Monday. “The media is complicit. And I couldn’t be prouder.”
The @whca are cowards. The media is complicit. And I couldn’t be prouder. https://t.co/OOIFGuZ731
— Michelle Wolf (@michelleisawolf) November 19, 2018
Wolf was widely condemned for her remarks at this year’s dinner, which included mocking White House press secretary Sarah Sanders’ appearance.
Margaret Talev, who was then the president of the Correspondents’ Association, said the organization would consider new ideas about the format of the dinner amid the backlash.
“Last night’s program was meant to offer a unifying message about our common commitment to a vigorous and free press,” Talev said earlier this year. “Unfortunately, the entertainer’s monologue was not in the spirit of that mission.”
Comedians have headlined the event for all but two years in the last 20 years.
