White House: Obama not offended by comedian’s language

The annual White House Correspondent’s Dinner went down this past Sunday in Washington D.C., and as is the custom, President Obama got on stage to tell some jokes.

The network averaged 3 million viewers from 10-11 p.m. ET, when President Obama and host Larry Wilmore both delivered their speeches.

Wilmore was referring to a column by “professional Beyoncé disliker” Piers Morgan, in which Morgan quoted Wilmore as calling Obama “n–r”. But a few of his bits – including his reference to the president as “my n****” – were greeted withsome discomfort.

For his full speech, Wilmore said he treated it like a roast. “You look like a million bucks”, he told Bernie Sanders, the only candidate in attendance at the dinner. He seems to be anti-gun everywhere except Vermont. “Our free press is why we once again recognise the real journalists who uncover the horrifying scandal and brought some measure of justice for thousands of victims around the world”. People felt that not just throwing it at him, he threw it at them, and also it diminished the office of the presidency and it diminished him. “Many people supported it. And like the president himself, the reaction was mixed”.

The president is known for his humor too. “[President Obama] was so gracious and just very kind throughout the whole evening and just made me feel very comfortable and very welcome before and after”. Wilmore says his “tone didn’t fit the room” at the White House Correspondents Association dinner but believes his use of the term “n–a” to address President Obama may open an important dialogue for the country.

Obama grinned, and pounded his chest in return.

“I’m sure the black comedian meant it affectionately”, NYDN columnist Leonard Greene wrote.

Wilmore knew what he was getting into with the word he used, which necessarily provokes a heated and divisive response.

Wilmore also went after two of Obama’s legacy policy issues: the closing of Guantanamo Bay and drone strikes in the Middle East. Less seriously, Wilmore also had a string of Jeff Foxworthy style one-liners based on Obama’s age.