Once upon a time, the White House Correspondents Dinner was cheek by jowl filled with stars. Movie stars, TV stars, media stars, singing stars.
Tonight there is exactly one big star in the room– comedian Kathy Griffin, who less than a year was in scandal when she posted a picture of Donald Trump’s decapitated head.
Otherwise, the only two professional actors in the room went with the Creative Coalition. They are “Twin Peaks” star Madchen Amick, currently on “Riverdale,” and Steve Howey, from “Shameless.”
That’s it.
No star wants to be seen at the WHCD while Donald Trump is president. That’s not going to change even if Trump remains in office for 8 years. (Please, I’m wearing garlic to ward this off.) All the buzz is gone. All the glitz.
Just to compare: even in 2016, Obama’s final year, the guest list included Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford, Aretha Franklin, Will and Jada Smith, Bryan Cranston, and Kerry Washington and Shonda Rhimes.
The last time yours truly went, in 2015, the place was full of stars, many of whom went on to the now-defunct Vanity Fair party.
Trump has certainly sucked the life out of Washington, if not the rest of the world.
PS I’m surprised no one invited Stormy Daniels. But maybe next year, after her case is heard.
