LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:
President Trump traveled to Pennsylvania yesterday to celebrate his a hundredth day in the White House. And he reminded his cheering crowd where he could have been instead, back in a Washington ballroom with hundreds of journalists and celebrities.
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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: They are gathered together for the White House Correspondents' Dinner - without the president.
(LAUGHTER)
GARCIA-NAVARRO: For almost 40 years, the sitting president has joined the White House Correspondents' Association for their annual gala. It's a charity event. They hand out scholarships to aspiring journalists. But let's be honest, it's basically a televised black-tie roast.
(SOUNDBITE OF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER BROADCAST)
HASAN MINHAJ: You know, Donald Trump doesn't drink - right? - does not touch alcohol, which is oddly respectable. But think about that...
GARCIA-NAVARRO: That's Hasan Minhaj who hosted this year's event.
(SOUNDBITE OF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER BROADCAST)
MINHAJ: ...That means...
(LAUGHTER)
MINHAJ: ...Every statement, every interview, every tweet - completely sober.
(LAUGHTER)
MINHAJ: How is that possible?
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Minhaj is a self-described Indian-American Muslim kid and a correspondent for "The Daily Show."
(SOUNDBITE OF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER BROADCAST)
MINHAJ: I would say it is an honor to be here, but that would be an alternative fact. It is not. No one wanted to do this. So of course...
(LAUGHTER)
MINHAJ: ...It lands in the hands of an immigrant. It's how it always goes down.
(APPLAUSE)
GARCIA-NAVARRO: So there was programming, presidential counterprogramming and then some counter-counterprogramming.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "NOT THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER")
SAMANTHA BEE: Oh, my God.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Yep, that's comedian Samantha Bee who hosted her very own straightforwardly titled, "Not The White House Correspondents' Dinner."
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "NOT THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER")
BEE: I know it looks like we have a cash bar tonight. But as I promised you in the invitation, at a later date, I will get Mexico to pay for all your drinks.
(LAUGHTER)
GARCIA-NAVARRO: So something for everybody.
(SOUNDBITE OF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER BROADCAST)
MINHAJ: Goodnight. I love you. Thank you.
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TRUMP: Thank you. God bless you. Thank you.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "NOT THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER")
BEE: Play us out. Play us out. What does that mean, play us out?
(LAUGHTER)
BEE: You know what, [expletive]? [Expletive]. We'll do it live.
(SOUNDBITE OF TREME BRASS BAND'S SONG, "BIG CHIEF") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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