President Barack Obama kept the audience in stitches at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday. Host Larry Wilmore, not so much.
The President roasted the Republican Party, and at one point told GOP party leader Reince Priebus, who was in attendance: “It’s good to see you’ve earned a night off. The Republican Party, the nomination process, it’s going great. Keep it up.”
Obama also had fun at the expense of Sen. Bernie Sanders, who was in attendance, when he said: “Bernie, you look like a million bucks. To put it in terms you’ll understand, you look like 37,000 donations of $27 each.”
Wilmore, who had the unenviable task of following Obama, focused much of his material on mocking the media, perhaps not his best choice given that the majority of the audience were from the press. He got more than a few groans throughout his remarks, but also got some big laughs.
Wilmore mocked the hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” for the constant attention they pay to Donald Trump when he said: “‘Morning Joe’ has their head so far up Trump’s ass they bumped into Chris Christie.”
A-list attendees at Obama’s last Correspondents’ Dinner included Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Aretha Franklin, Kerry Washington and much of the cast of Shonda Rhimes‘ White House-set series “Scandal.”
Read more of the best jokes from Obama and Wilmore below.
–“While in England I did have lunch with her majesty, the Queen, took in a performance of Shakespeare, hit the links with David Cameron. In case anyone is still debating if I’m black enough, that settles the debate.” –Obama
–“Savannah Guthrie left the White House Press Corps to join ‘The Today Show.’ Norah O’Donnell left to join ‘CBS This Morning.’ And Jake Tapper left journalism to join CNN.” –Obama
–“I’ve said how much I admire Hillary… You’ve got to admit it though, Hillary trying to appeal to young voters is a little like your older relative who just signed up for Facebook.” –Obama
–“Everybody hates Ted Cruz. Even O.J. Simposn said, ‘That guy is hard to like.’” –Wilmore
–“In my final year, my approval ratings keep going up. Last time I was this high I was trying to decide on my major.”–Obama
–“Mr. President, your hair is so white it tried to punch me at a Trump rally. It keeps saying ‘All lives matter.’” –Wilmore
–“One thing the Donald could do is close Guantanamo. Trump knows a thing or two about running waterfront properties into the ground.” –Obama
–“Ted Cruz had a tough week. He went to Indiana, Hoosier country, stood on a basketball court and called the hoop a ‘basketball ring.’ What else is in his lexicon? Baseball sticks? Football hats? But sure, I’m the foreign one.” –Obama
–“[Michelle Obama] is the epitome of grace, class, and poise. Not to be confused with future First Gentleman Bill Clinton, whose favorite strippers are Grace, Class, and Poise.” –Wilmore
–“They say Donald lacks the foreign policy experience to be President. But he has spent years meeting with leaders from around the world: Ms. Sweden, Ms. Argentina, Ms. Azerbaijan.” –Obama
–“Some of America’s finest black journalists are here. Don Lemon is here, too.” –Wilmore
–“I love Joe Biden, I really do. I want thank him for his friendship, his counsel, for not shooting anybody in the face. Thank you, Joe.” –Obama
–“I would like to close on these two words: Obama out.” –Obama, who then literally dropped the mic