Bloomberg has decided not to host its ritzy White House Correspondents' Dinner afterparty, following reports that top media outlets were blocked from Friday's White House press briefing and Trump's recent comments about the press.
The business outlet usually co-hosts the exclusive afterparty alongside Vanity Fair at the French ambassador's residence following the annual dinner—which started out as a way to foster relationships between the press and members of the president's administration. Earlier this month, Vanity Fair pulled out of its usual hosting gig, leaving Bloomberg to decide whether or not it would host solo. A Bloomberg spokesperson confirmed Friday that the outlet had decided to nix the event entirely.
"We surveyed some of the past attendees and didn't get as much interest in a party this year as we've had in the past," a spokesperson told Axios, "so we decided to focus on the dinner and the WHCA."
While the New Yorker already canceled its traditional party, CNN and the Atlantic are still reportedly planning on throwing celebrations around the dinner, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Although the WHCA released a statement confirming that the April 29 dinner was still on, the association still hasn't secured a comedian host, leaving many wondering if the dinner will still go on as usual.
On Friday, the president of the WHCA condemned the White House's handling of its daily press briefing, following reports that journalists from the New York Times, CNN, and Politico were blocked from entering.
"The WHCA board is protesting strongly against how today's gaggle is being handled by the White House," Jeff Mason said in a statement. "The board will be discussing this further with White House staff."
One party that is definitely still happening on April 29, however, is Samantha Bee's "Not White House Correspondents' Dinner." The comedian is planning to host her alternative event at DC's Willard Hotel and donate all the proceeds to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
"The evening is sure to bring plenty of surprises, music, food, and laughter—and if you're not careful you just might learn something," Bee said in a statement. "Specifically, you'll learn how screwed we'd be without a free press."
from vice http://ift.tt/2mmrUGP
via cheap web hosting
No comments:
Post a Comment