Media Elites Revolt Against White House Reporters' 'Nerd Prom'

April 25th, 2015 11:33 AM

A revolt is happening from within against one of Washington's biggest parties, the White House Correspondents Association dinner. Tonight's dinner star is Saturday Night Live star Cecily Strong, who's already made it clear she thinks Obama is a comic genius. Meanwhile, Luke Mullins at Washingtonian magazine found the idea this is all about scholarships for young journalists is a bad joke.

Pardon us for a moment, however, while we make like journalists and follow the money. As the event’s profile has risen, contributions to the association have jumped- from 2009 to 2013, the take increased by 162 percent, to $532,555- but scholarship payouts have inched only 10 percent higher, according to the WHCA’s tax filings. Put another way, the association spent almost 60 percent of its revenue on scholarships in 2009, but just 26 percent in 2013.

Some of the excess cash has gone to boost compensation of the group’s longtime executive director, Julia Whiston- from $40,000 a year in 2004 to a still-modest $142,000- and to build up cash reserves.

Patrick Gavin, a media reporter at Politico, left his job to make a documentary on what they call Nerd Prom. Here's a video (that didn't make the film) with White House correspondents explaining that the hunt for celebrity guests at their tables gets quite ridiculous, and is ultimately meaningless:

 

Gavin wrote an article titled "Nerd Prom Is a Mess" recommending some ways to improve this sprawling fiesta of self-congratulation:

The week acts as a tacky and vainglorious self-celebration at a time when most Americans don’t think Washingtonians have much to be commended for.

Even those who enjoy it tend to concede that the week is a circus. “It’s kind of a mess,” admitted Sirius-XM radio host Julie Mason.

Can it be improved? I’m not optimistic. The momentum is working against any meaningful reform as, each year, the event grows in size and scope; over the last decade, Hollywood's attraction to Washington (and vice versa) has given the party sprawl ever more momentum. There’s little reason to think the trend will be reversed.

Among his ideas: he suggests the president's attendance shouldn't be guaranteed; either confess scholarships aren’t the point of the dinner, or raise a lot more from the millionaires in attendance; audit the WHCA’s finances; make the celebrities bone up on their civics, and actually hold the president’s feet to the fire for his press avoidance.

I’d say there’s zero chance for the last one.