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White House Correspondents’ Dinner: Highlights from years past As the annual dinner approaches, a look back at past performers who have elicited big laughs and awkward silence, and the famous names who made their way to the celebrity-studded event.
1945
Frank Sinatra and Danny Kaye cohosted the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in 1945.
AP
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1976
Bob Hope was emcee along with Chevy Chase at the 1976 Correspondents’ Dinner.
AP
April 21, 1988
Former national security adviser Robert McFarlane talks with Fawn Hall, former secretary for Lt. Col. Oliver North, during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington. Hall, invited by reporter Mike Kelly, was the star guest of the evening. Kelly changed the dynamic of the dinner slightly by inviting Hall, who was an attractive young woman and a bit of a celebrity in the Washington scene.
Doug Mills
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AP
1995
Conan O'Brien hosted the 1995 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner . He is shown in 1993.
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AP
May 4, 1996
President Bill Clinton congratulates comedian-author Al Franken after Franken's comedy presentation at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington. Post reporter WIlliam Powers said Franken was a big hit during the night.
Joe Marquette
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AP
April 26, 1997
Anne Heche at right, next to girlfriend Ellen DeGeneres, with Geordge Clooney and girlfriend Celine Balitran, before the White House correspondents' Association Dinner. DeGeneres had recently announced she was homosexual, and caught significant amount of attention as she spent most of the evening “in various states of attachment to Heche,” reported The Post’s Marc Fisher.
Susan Biddle
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The Washington Post
1997
Actor/comedian Norm MacDonald of “Saturday Night Live” fame hosted the 1997 Correspondents’ Dinner, and cracked jokes about then-President Bill Clinton’s fundraising scandal. He is shown in 2000.
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Getty Images
1998
Ray Romano, star of CBS’s “Everybody Loves Raymond,” hosted the dinner in 1998. Romano kept the jokes mostly about being a parent, The Post’s Michael Colton reported, staying away from more politically charged cracks.
May 1, 1999
Singer Aretha Franklin, left, gets welcomed on stage by President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in 1999. Franklin performed “Chain of Fools” and “R-E-S-P-E-C-T.”
Pablo Martinez Monsivais
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AP
April 29, 2000
President Bill Clinton, left, laughs as NBC’s “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno tells a joke during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. Post reporter Jennifer Frey said Clinton stole the night however, with self-deprecating humor.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais
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AP
April 28, 2001
President Bush thanks Saturday Night Live star Darrell Hammond for the baseball mitt he received from Hammond at the White House Correspondents Association’ annual dinner in Washington. The dinner was a little tamer than years past, as Hammond kept the jokes fairly calm and steered away from attacks on the then-president.
Susan Walsh
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AP
May 4, 2002
Drew Carey performs his comedy during the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. The big appearance, however, was Ozzy Osbourne, who was twice acknowledged during the speaches.
Kenneth Lambert
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AP
April 26, 2003
Singer Ray Charles was the main entertainment during the dinner in 2003. Charles kept the night mellow, performing “Route 66” and “Georgia on My Mind.”
Mike Theiler
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Reuters
April 28, 2001
Television's "West Wing" cast members, left to right, Janel Maloney, Richard Schiff, Dule Hill and Bradley Whitford attend the annual White House Correspondents Dinner in 2001. The cast stole the show the year before, as creator Aaron Sorkin wrote and filmed the traditional video clip with the real White House press secretary Joe Lockhart on the show’s set.
Mark Wilson
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Getty Images
May 1, 2010
Comedian Jay Leno hosted the dinner again in 2010, marking four years as host for four presidents.
Jonathan Ernst
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Reuters
April 29, 2006
George Clooney, pictured speaking with former United States secretary of State Madeleine Albright, stole the show at the Correspondents’ Dinner in 2006.
Jim Bourg
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Reuters
April 29, 2006
Comedian Stephen Colbert makes a hand gesture towards Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in 2006. Post reporter Richard Cohen said Colbert’s harshly satirical monologue was not funny, and even rude. But the speech generated a significant amount of buzz in the days following.
Haraz N. Ghanbari
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AP
April 21, 2007
Global warming activist Laurie David and singer Sheryl Crow reportedly had a confrontation with Karl Rove during the 2007 dinner over global warming issues.
James M. Thresher
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The Washington Post
April 26, 2008
Craig Ferguson performed during the 2008 dinner, lambasting the New York Times for avoiding the event.
Haraz N. Ghanbari
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AP
May 9, 2009
Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore were the stars to be seen at the dinner in 2009.
Lois Raimondo
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The Washington Post
May 9, 2009
Comedian Wanda Sykes experienced negative backlash for her monologue at the 2009 dinner, for her harsh remarks about Rush Limbaugh and accusing the radio host of terrorism.
Martin H. Simon
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Bloomberg News
May 1, 2010
Kim Kardashian was the celebrity to spot at the 2010 White House Correspondents Association Dinner.
Linda Davidson
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The Washington Post
May 1, 2010
Singer Justin Beiber gave an autograph and photo to NFL player Donovan McNabb in 2010 to impress his 5-year-old daughter.
Linda Davidson
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The Washington Post
April 30, 2011
"Saturday Night Live" head writer Seth Meyers was hailed as a success at the 2011 dinner.
Mark Gail
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The Washington Post
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Section:/lifestyle/style
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