Watch Colin Jost roast Biden, Trump and others at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Summary
TLDRIn a humorous and reflective speech at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, comedian Colin Jost delivers the Republican response with a blend of political satire and personal anecdotes. He touches on the challenges of journalism in the digital age, the peculiarities of the current political climate, and the importance of decency in public life. Jost also shares a personal story about his grandfather, a Staten Island firefighter who voted for President Biden, highlighting the value of character in leadership. His speech is a reminder of the role of journalists in protecting freedom of speech and the significance of maintaining a sense of humor in divisive times.
Takeaways
- 🎤 The speaker, Colin Jost, humorously addresses the audience at the White House Correspondents Dinner, highlighting the contrast between the current and past administrations.
- 📰 A lighthearted jab is made at the media, with the comment that the Washington Post would 'kill for' the circulation numbers of the Staten Island Advance where Jost started his career.
- 🤵 Jost pokes fun at his own profession, mentioning that he pretends to do news on TV, and playfully criticizes the media's reliance on social media for news.
- 👴 A tribute is paid to Jost's late grandfather, a firefighter, who voted for President Biden in the last election, emphasizing the theme of decency in leadership.
- 📉 The script touches on the economy, suggesting that despite negative perceptions, the numbers indicate a strong economy, albeit with some sarcasm.
- 🤔 Jost expresses the paradox of the political climate, where despite controversies, the race for the presidency is depicted as being tied.
- 👶 The joke about President Biden being compared to Obama in terms of health care strides, but also humorously to O.J. Simpson, adds a satirical take on political achievements.
- 🚫 The speaker points out the reliance on social media for news consumption, noting that this might be a flawed approach given its source.
- 🎨 A humorous observation is made about the lack of cameras in the courtroom forcing sketch artists to capture the image of Trump, leading to unflattering depictions.
- 👩👦 Jost shares a personal story about his grandfather's multifaceted work life and his abstention from alcohol due to family history, to draw parallels with President Biden's qualities.
- 🙏 The closing remarks thank the President for his decency and the journalists for their role in preserving freedom of speech and press.
Q & A
What is the event being hosted by Colin Jost?
-Colin Jost is hosting the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Why does Colin Jost mention needing to return to New York?
-He is a juror in a big trial and Trump's lawyer believes he will be on their side.
Why does Colin Jost joke about not being able to show President Biden's high school pictures?
-The technology to have such pictures wasn't available when President Biden was in high school.
What is the significance of Colin Jost being referred to as 'the second gentleman'?
-It's a reference to his wife, Scarlett Johansson, and the fact that he is hosting the event rather than being the main focus.
Why does Colin Jost mention Fox News and their coverage of Donald Trump?
-He is poking fun at the network's perceived bias, suggesting they portrayed Trump's falling asleep in court as a political statement.
What is the nickname given to the White House Correspondents' Dinner in the script?
-The event is referred to as 'Nerd Prom' in the script.
What is the occupation of Colin Jost's grandfather?
-Colin Jost's grandfather was a firefighter on Staten Island for 40 years.
Why did Colin Jost's grandfather vote for President Biden?
-He voted for President Biden because he saw him as a decent man.
What is the main theme of Colin Jost's closing remarks?
-The main theme of his closing remarks is the importance of decency and the role of journalists in protecting freedom.
Why does Colin Jost mention the New York Post and its style of reporting?
-He is making a humorous comparison between the New York Post's sensationalist style and the more serious reporting of the New York Times.
What is the implication of Colin Jost's joke about the Washington Post and their daily circulation?
-He is suggesting that despite the Washington Post's prestige, they might envy the Staten Island Advance's circulation numbers.
Outlines
😀 Introduction and Humorous Remarks
Colin Jost begins with a self-deprecating joke about his high school appearance and then humorously addresses the differences in treatment between himself and President Biden. He introduces himself as the host for the evening, mentioning his role as a juror and a joke about being chosen by Trump's lawyer. The segment includes light-hearted jabs at the current political climate and figures, including a playful tease about President Biden's alertness and a nod to the event's significance.
📰 Journalism and Media Industry Commentary
Jost highlights his background in journalism and congratulates award winners, emphasizing the importance of journalism students and the Correspondents' Association scholarships. He pokes fun at the presence of various news organizations, including The Washington Post, Fox News, and the New York Times, and makes a satirical comment on the state of print media. The paragraph also contains jokes about political figures and the nature of political communication in the digital age.
😉 Political Satire and Election Reflection
This paragraph contains political satire, focusing on the absurdities of the election and the contrasting images of the candidates. Jost humorously discusses the accusations against President Biden, the age of the candidates, and the peculiarities of political affiliations. He also touches on the state of the economy, comparing it to the steps of Air Force One and suggesting an unconventional method for eliminating the national debt.
👴 Personal Anecdote and Tribute
Jost shares a personal story about his grandfather, a Staten Island firefighter, and how he represents the values of decency and hard work. He uses this story to connect with President Biden, drawing parallels between his grandfather's qualities and those of the President. The paragraph serves as a tribute to his grandfather and a reflection on the importance of decency in public life.
🙏 Closing Remarks and Expressions of Gratitude
In the final paragraph, Jost wraps up his address with gratitude towards his family, friends, and the audience for their support. He acknowledges the role of journalists in protecting freedom and emphasizes the rarity and value of such liberties. He thanks President Biden for embodying decency and concludes the evening on a note of appreciation and respect for the democratic process and the people involved in it.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡White House Correspondents Dinner
💡President Biden
💡Republican Response
💡Print Journalists
💡Social Media
💡Decency
💡Freedom of the Press
💡TikTok
💡Economy
💡Abortion Rights
💡Catholic
Highlights
Colin Jost delivers the Republican response at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Jost jokes about the unfairness of showing his high school footage compared to President Biden's due to technological differences.
He humorously mentions being a juror on a big trial and Trump's lawyer's confidence in him.
Jost acknowledges the refreshing change of seeing a president at an event that doesn't start with everyone standing for a bailiff.
He pokes fun at the contrast between President Biden being awake past 10 p.m. and Donald Trump falling asleep in court.
Jost humorously confuses Matt Gaetz with his own reflection in a spoon.
He mentions losing all his black support in solidarity with President Biden, highlighting a setup for a joke.
Jost congratulates all the award winners at the event and emphasizes the importance of journalism.
The Correspondents' Association scholarships are highlighted for promising young journalism students.
Jost jokes about the audience watching C-SPAN on a Saturday night and the grim outcome.
He acknowledges the presence of various news organizations, including The Washington Post and Fox News, with a touch of humor.
Jost humorously compares The New York Times to The New York Post in terms of their headline presentation.
Lara Trump's release of a song cover is joked about, with a twist involving the late Tom Petty.
Jost addresses the political strategies of emailing and the importance of managing expectations in the current political climate.
He humorously discusses the comparison between President Biden and his grandfather, a firefighter, and their shared qualities.
Jost emphasizes the importance of decency in politics and thanks President Biden for embodying it.
The role of journalists in protecting freedom and the need to never take it for granted is highlighted.
Jost concludes by thanking his family, friends, and the audience for their support and participation in the event.
Transcripts
Thank you, everyone.
Hello.
That was hard hitting journalism
you saw in the owl.
I didn't know
you were going to show
me from high school.
That's surprising.
Yeah, it's not really fair.
You can't do it for President Biden
because the technology wasn't invented
when he was in high school.
So really fair.
Okay.
Good evening, everyone.
I'm Colin Jost,
and I'll be delivering
the Republican response.
I'll be honest with you,
I don't have a lot of time.
I need to get back to New York
because I'm juror number
five on a big trial.
Trump's lawyer took one look at me
and he's like,
He's got to be on our side.
Thank you,
Kelly, for that very kind introduction.
Mr. President.
Dr.
Biden, Vice President Harris.
Doug.
Doug, as you can tell from
all the comments about my wife,
I'm also used to being
the second gentleman,
and I am honored
to be here
hosting what is, according
to swing state polls,
the final White House
Correspondents Dinner.
I hope that tonight will be a night
to remember
for most of us.
I was excited to be up here on stage
with President Biden tonight,
mostly to see if I could figure out
where Obama was pulling the strings from.
I have to
I have to admit, it's not easy
following President Biden.
I mean, it's not always easy
following what he's saying.
Like.
But before I begin tonight,
can we just acknowledge
how refreshing it is
to see a president of the United States
at an event
that doesn't begin with a
bailiff saying, all rise?
And I would like to point
out it's after 10 p.m..
Sleepy Joe is still awake.
While Donald Trump
has spent the past week
falling asleep in court.
Every morning,
though, Fox News said
he was just being anti-EU.
Woke.
We are all here tonight
at Nerd Prom.
Well, Matt Gaetz
is at regular prom, but
I actually thought
I saw Matt Gaetz here tonight.
But it was actually just
my own reflection in a spoon.
Like many of you here tonight,
I pretend to do news on TV.
My Weekend
Update co-anchor, Michael Che,
was going to join me here tonight,
but in solidarity with President Biden,
I decided to lose all my black support.
Che told me to say that, and I'm
just realizing I was set up.
I've done
Weekend Update for a while now,
but most people don't know
that I started out doing the actual news.
My first job out of college
was as a reporter
for the Staten Island Advance newspaper.
They do not have a table here tonight,
but they asked me to pass along
this message to the other
print journalists in the room.
You think you're better than me?
By the way,
I want to point out, when I worked
at the Staten Island advance,
we had a daily circulation of 100,000.
The Washington Post would kill for that.
So as a former aspiring journalist,
I want to genuinely congratulate
all the award winners here tonight.
Congratulations.
The Correspondents
Association provides
scholarships to promising
young journalism students
who may one day
be sent off
to cover dangerous geopolitical hotspots
like Columbia University.
Tonight, this event
is being televised live on C-SPAN.
You do.
And if you're at home
watching C-SPAN on a Saturday night,
I hope they find your body soon
before your cats
get to it.
There are so many incredible news
organizations here tonight.
Also, a few credible ones.
The Washington Post is here.
Washington Post.
They were the ones taking your coats
at the door.
Please be sure to tip.
Fox News is here tonight.
It's the end of an era.
Rupert Murdoch stepped down at Fox News,
which is strange.
I didn't think there was
a step down from Fox News.
Trump media is here.
Trump media Not at a table just screaming
loudly in the corner to no one.
Wardle is here tonight.
Sorry. Sorry.
I meant the New York Times.
I forgot they do stuff
in addition to puzzles.
I have to say, it's not a great sign
when the only thing
keeping a print media
company alive are games
people play on their phones.
Too chilling for you guys
in this room just froze faster than Mitch
McConnell.
And I have to say apologies to the Times,
but as a Staten Islander,
I still get all my news
from the New York Post.
Thank you.
The only paper
where the front page
always has the same 200 point font,
whether the headline is World
War three to start tomorrow
or Central Park
Owl Dead in Building Collision.
The New York Post is like
having the New York Times
summarized for you by a crackhead.
The Times will say a border
deal continues to evade Congress
and the Post is like
these Mexicans are taking my stuff.
There are so many incredible
individuals here tonight.
Lara Trump is here tonight.
Okay, I got one.
Woo!
She recently released a cover of the song
I Won't Back Down.
Upon hearing it, Tom Petty died again.
I can't believe I'm saying this
to a member of the Trump family.
But maybe stick to politics.
Senator Bernie
Sanders is here
because he's not the type
to pass up a free hot meal.
And in general,
there are so many hardworking,
influential senators
and congresspeople here tonight
and I just want to say,
on behalf of everyone I know, stop
emailing us.
Stop it.
We get it.
Democracy is on the line.
And your plan to save
it is to flood our inboxes
like your Crate and Barrel.
It's also wonderful
to be back in Washington.
I love being in Washington.
The last time I was in D.C.,
I left my cocaine at the White House.
Luckily, the president was able to put it
to good use for his State of the Union.
I'm kidding.
Of course, the president doesn't
call it cocaine.
He calls it high speed rail.
Oh, that's.
By the way,
can you blame the guy
for turning to cocaine?
He must be exhausted,
orchestrating four separate trials
against his rival,
rigging the Super Bowl
and gearing up
to steal a second election.
Wow.
Biden laughed.
I love, by the way,
the Trump's
two attacks on President Biden
are that he's a senile old man
and a criminal mastermind.
I'm like,
I think you got to pick one.
Personally, I don't know
any criminal masterminds
who bike to get ice cream.
Also, it's not like Trump
himself is young and sharp.
I'm not saying both
candidates are old, but,
you know,
Jimmy Carter is out there thinking
I could maybe win this thing.
He's only 99.
There is an election.
There is an election six
extremely long months from now.
So let me see if I can summarize
where this race stands at this moment.
The Republican candidate
for president
owes half a billion in fines
for bank fraud
and is currently spending his days
farting himself awake
during a porn star hush money trial.
And the race is tied.
The race is tied.
Nothing makes sense anymore.
The candidate
who is a famous
New York City Playboy
took abortion rights away
and the guy who's trying to give you
your abortion rights back
is an 80 year old Catholic.
How does that make sense?
By the way,
President Biden, isn't it crazy
that he's only our second
Catholic president?
And what's even crazier is that in
just a few short months,
we'll have our third in RFK Jr.
I'm kidding.
Like his vaccine card
says he doesn't have a shot.
Everything feels strange
now by a lot of measures.
President biden
is having a very successful first term,
but people don't seem to realize it.
Like with the economy,
the vibes are bad,
but the numbers say it's strong.
The economy is kind of
like you on the steps of Air Force One.
It feels like it's stumbling,
but there is somehow upward progress.
I do think that you can do more.
On the economy, sir.
I really do.
For example,
have you considered
eliminating the national debt
by shorting Trump's stock?
People keep
asking if our
lives are better than they
were four years ago.
Of course they are.
Four years ago,
we didn't have online sports gambling.
What more do you need
at?
That's probably what's
keeping the economy afloat.
Online gambling and Taylor Swift.
Without those,
we'd be in a recession right now.
The problem
is, people are always going
to compare your first term to Obama's.
But I think there are actually
a lot of positives, similarities.
You both made big strides in health care.
Obama got us out of a recession.
You got us out of a pandemic.
Obama got bin Laden.
You got O.J.
And by the way, now that O.J. is dead.
Who is the new frontrunner
for Trump's VP?
Is it Diddy?
Anyway,
I bet if Trump did
select Diddy as his running mate,
I bet this race would still be tied.
I think even some Democrats say
that they are underwhelmed,
but I think they're
just not living in reality.
Manage your expectations, people.
It's like tonight. Sure.
We all wish
we were at the Waldorf right now,
but we're at the Washington Hilton
and we have to make
the best of it.
Just be happy you're not at the airport.
Hilton
journalists.
These are challenging times
and we need the people in this room
to help guide us through it.
Your jobs are not easy,
and it doesn't help that we're living
at the end of traditional media.
The gatekeepers are gone.
Did you know
that 90% of people now
get their news
exclusively from social media?
And that must be true
because I saw it in a
random guy's TikTok.
He was
recording the video
while driving a Toyota Corolla,
but he seemed to know his stuff.
Isn't it
crazy, by the way, that Tik Tok
could be outlawed in the U.S.
by the end of this year?
That's a real shame,
because we're going to need
Tik Tok to document
who is storming the Capitol next
January 6th.
Things are not bad for everyone, though.
This may be the worst time in history
to be a print journalist.
It is the best time in history
to be a courtroom sketch artist.
My God, the most famous
man on earth
is on trial
and there is no cameras allowed.
Just the artists, their pastels,
and their desire
to make Trump look as bad as possible.
Every sketch of Trump
looks like the Grinch
had sex with The Lorax.
In closing.
I would really
like to take a moment
to recognize
all the print journalists in this room.
Your words speak truth to power.
Your words bring light to the darkness
and most importantly, your words.
Train the
AI programs that will soon replace you.
And finally,
I wanted to thank my family,
and I wanted to thank my friends
for being here tonight to support me.
I want to thank my wife
for enduring lots of jokes
and for agreeing to individually meet
everyone in this room
right after the ceremony.
And is.
That's really special, honey.
Thank you.
Don't be shy.
Come right up.
She hates privacy.
And with my with my family in mind,
I wanted to share one last thing with you