Thursday, February 26, 2026

White House Correspondents Dinner Trades Political Jokes for Magic Show: Mentalist Oz Pearlman Will Try to Make Trump Disappear

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There will be no jokes at the White House Correspondents Dinner this year.

The annual dinner usually features a famous comedian who roasts the room and makes political asides. Then the sitting President does the same.

But since the current president will not be in attendance — nor desired by the group — a different kind of entertainer will be featured.

That’s famed mentalist Oz Pearlman, who really does make jaws drop with his magic act.

I suppose Pearlman’s accomplished his first trick by making Donald Trump disappear.

Pearlman will work the Washington Hilton ballroom with card tricks, and pulling quarters out of ears. But isn’t this kind of lame, to not have political jokes? It makes the WHCA seem like they’re acting out of fear.

“I am thrilled to be the featured entertainer at this year’s WHCA dinner and join the ranks of Frank Sinatra, Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien, among many other legends,” says Pearlman. “This is a rare opportunity to gather so many accomplished, perceptive people in one place and invite them to share moments of wonder, surprise and awe.”

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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