At Trump-less correspondents event, focus back on journalism

Will Smith and George Clooney, step aside for Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.

It’s safe to say that the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner — traditionally the most-glittery night on the Washington social calendar, where A-list celebrities sprinkle their stardust as coveted guests of media organizations — will have a different vibe this year. With the current president — highly unpopular in Hollywood — staying away, organizers say the focus will not be on the red carpet but on the bedrock principles of the event: the First Amendment and the crucial role of the press in a democracy.

Not that those principles haven’t always been central to the mission of an event that began in 1921, notes Jeff Mason, WHCA president. But, he says, “the focus will be entirely on that this year, and I think that’s a great thing.’’

The absence of President Donald Trump, who has called the media “fake’’ and “dishonest’’ and even “the enemy of the people,’’ marks the first time a president has declined since Ronald Reagan in 1981 — and he was recovering from an assassination attempt (but phoned in some friendly, humorous remarks nonetheless.) Trump has decided to hold a rally in Pennsylvania instead, and his White House staff will also be absent, in what was described as “solidarity’’ with their boss.

But even if Trump had decided to come, this year’s event would have been different, Mason says, “based on the tension that has existed in the relationship and some of the things he has said about the press. We were preparing for a different dinner either way.’’

So as opposed to last year, when guests at President Barack Obama’s final dinner included Smith, Emma Watson, Kerry Washington, Helen Mirren, the late Carrie Fisher, and, for a Kardashian quotient, model Kendall Jenner, this year’s big stars seem to be Woodward and Bernstein — not Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, who played the famous reporting duo, but the men themselves, who’ll be presenting journalism awards. Woodward told the Washington Post the two will speak about “the First Amendment and the importance of aggressive but fair reporting.’’

There will be, as usual, a comedian emceeing the event, which will air on C-SPAN: Hasan Minhaj, of “The Daily Show.’’ But he will have competition: late-night star Samantha Bee will be headlining “Not the White House Correspondent’s Dinner,’’ airing at 10 p.m. EDT on TBS (TV stars like Alysia Reiner of “Orange Is The New Black,’’ Retta of “Parks and Recreation,’’ and Matt Walsh of “Veep’’ are among those scheduled to attend the party afterward.)

Besides the high-profile after-parties (some of which are cancelled this year), the correspondents’ dinner has spawned a number of annual events the same weekend, like the fundraiser Friday night for the Creative Arts Coalition, an advocacy group fighting for continued arts funding. Tim Daly of “Madam Secretary’’ (the group’s president), Keegan-Michael Key of “Key & Peele,’’ Walsh of “Veep,’’ and many others are scheduled to attend those festivities.

There’s also a traditional garden brunch co-hosted by media consultant Tammy Haddad — who will be attending the correspondents’ dinner too, and says she’s looking forward to it. “What you’re going to see Saturday is more journalists per square inch than ever before, united in showing what they do and how they do it,’’ she says.