Jay Leno Tapped to Roast Journalists, Obama

By PopEater Staff Posted Jan 22nd 2010 10:38AM

The group of journalists that cover the White House have tapped one of America's most divisive (and unpopular, ratings-wise) TV stars to host their big annual event: Jay Leno.

Leno agreed earlier this month to be keynote speaker at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, the group said. At the time, he was still just the host of 'The Jay Leno Show.' Now, he's heading back to 'The Tonight Show' after a spectacular debacle/shakeup at NBC that involved Conan O'Brien's removal.

He'll share the stage with another guy having ratings problems: President Barack Obama. This will be Leno's fourth time hosing the party, having done so in 1987, 2000 and 2004.

The event is usually a hoot, with the president getting a chance to roast the people who cover his administration. But the keynote speakers are the ones who get all the attention. Last year, Wanda Sykes ruffled some feathers when she said Rush Limbaugh was supposed to be "the 20th highjacker" in the 9/11 attacks, "but he was so strung out on Oxycontin he missed his flight."

Obama's press secretary issued a rebuke to Sykes a day later.

The most ballsy speech happened in 2006 when Stephen Colbert delivered a colossal smackdown to President George W. Bush, as he sat stone-face next to him. As the ribbing got worse and worse, it became clear organizers were unaware that Colbert isn't actually a conservative, like his TV character. One of his best zingers:

"I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers, and rubble, and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message: that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound -- with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world."

"Over the last five years, you people were so good -- over tax cuts, WMD intelligence, the effect of global warming. We Americans didn't want to know, and you had the courtesy not to try to find out... And then you write, Oh, they're just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. First of all, that is a terrible metaphor. This administration is not sinking. This administration is soaring. If anything, they are rearranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg!"

This year's event will be held at the Washington Hilton on May 1. Catch it on C-SPAN.

Tags: Barack Obama, jay leno

Comments

(12)

Friday 22 January

By Andy

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Based on your article, it appears that Jay is the most intelligent host of the roast that there has been in a while. A lot of his jokes go over people's heads sometimes. He'll probably have to tone it down at bit for this crowd.

By guaiguai221

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By jcheev1

How will the NBC, not funny weasle, Leno roast Obama? By getting down on his knees and kissing his butt?

By Rene

Jay Leno is the one who should be roasted.

I'll go a step further . . . NBC should have made him 'toast' instead of Conan.

By tootbuc1939

Love it, I found an error in the article, but it seems to fit. It's this sentence:

"He'll share the stage with another guy having ratings problems: President Barack Obama. This will be Leno's fourth time hosing the party, having done so in 1987, 2000 and 2004."

This will be Leno's fourth time hosing the party? I love it! Apparently no one proof reads these articles before they print them.

By carl

Actually, hosing might be more appropriate than hosting. :)

By Jimbo

I really like Leno! Some of his jokes really go over the line sometimes but all in all he's quite funny.

By greyvtrayn

Ugh...Give me a break with Jay Leno. That dood hasn't been funny since 1990. He's such a douchebag. GO AWAY, JAY. The only people that want you on the air are the d!psh!ts running NBC (into the ground). You are a phoney, condecending, greedy, unoriginal pr!ck.

By Mike

I would prefer to read about what the misguided, misinformed and out of touch Washington fat cats are doing about the problems facing this country. Little to nothing from what I hear, other than pursuing their own personal agendas. Maybe the message out of Mass. has their attention. Get in step or step up to the unemployment line in November.

By sirboss

Well atleast they didnt get DAVE to do it, everyone would fall asleep, he is so boring!!!

By Monami

Jay is not funny, he is good at making fun of people in the most nasty of ways. He'll fit in with some of the correspondents. His jokes are boring and you don't need to think to understand them. I just hope the Clintons are not there, if so, Bill better look out.

Saturday 23 January

By julie3

No Colbert for Obama's WHCD?

Sad.

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