Althouse: Larry Wilmore reflects on his White House Correspondents Dinner performance — which, to him, felt "very surreal... almost like an out-of-body experience."

"And I think the first indication [of the reaction in the room] was the Wolf Blitzer joke, which to me was more tongue in cheek than anything else, you know? I think it came off harsher than how I had initially intended it. It seemed like a hard comment, but I really meant it more roasty. Because I saw all of this as a roast, really. Like, in other words, I have nothing against Wolf Blitzer. He’s a nice guy. I’m just giving my observation on that. And just trying to be snarky about it, but it came across pretty cold-blooded."

More at the link, including discussion of why he addressed President Obama with the n-word: "Usually that’s something we only do behind closed doors. But to do it in public, I thought, would be a strong way to end. And I knew it would be controversial and I was ready to accept the fallout from it."

ADDED: The bit about Wolf Blitzer was: "Speaking of drones, how is Wolf Blitzer still on television? Ask a follow-up question. Hey, Wolf, I’m ready to project tonight’s winner: Anyone that isn’t watching 'The Situation Room.'"

23 comments:

tim maguire said...: Without getting into weather an apology was warranted, I'm having a hard time accepting the one given. The Blitzer line was cold-blooded, it's hard to see how he thought it would come across as "roasty".; 5/4/16, 8:36 AM
rehajm said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/4/16, 8:38 AM
David said...: They don't like it when it's turned around against them.; 5/4/16, 8:41 AM
Jaq said...: I guess he should have used emojies.; 5/4/16, 8:47 AM
Jaq said...: Cold blooded insults are not to be directed at friends of Democrats. We get it.; 5/4/16, 8:49 AM
Jaq said...: Wanda Sikes was a paragon of comity, which is why she never had to apologize.; 5/4/16, 8:52 AM
madAsHell said...: It's interesting how they self-identify, and then ask for more respect.; 5/4/16, 8:57 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: I actually didn't think he was that bad. It was certainly an improvement over his TV show. Anyway, the Correspondents dinner was a huge opportunity for national publicity and he took advantage of it. It looks like his approach worked. Otherwise, why would anyone be talking about Larry Wilmore?; 5/4/16, 8:59 AM
Eric said...: The only reason that Wolf Blitzer comment comes off as harsh is that people haven't stated the obvious for many years. I'm pretty sure that makes two things Wilmore said that he has only experienced behind closed doors.; 5/4/16, 9:03 AM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: Almost like an out-of-body experience would be not an out-of-body experience.

Maybe the feeling is sort of like being on an accelerating airplane that never achieves takeoff.

I really don't know.; 5/4/16, 9:04 AM
rehajm said...: Okay I broke down and watched. Wilmore was funny but he had so much going against him:

He had to follow a president worshiped by most of the people in the room. Who won't be their president next year.

With their industry in decline, reminders of the truth are sometimes hard to take.

The room had a creepy vibe. One part going away party, one part Predator's Ball, one part something else- like Chappaquiddick house party, or something.; 5/4/16, 9:07 AM
Amexpat said...: I think Wilmore's self critique is correct, it came across as direct criticism and not an amiable ribbing. The same lines done by Rickles in his prime would have worked well.; 5/4/16, 9:07 AM
Nonapod said...: His joke about MSNBC: "which actually now stands for ‘Missing a Significant Number of Black Correspondents’. . . MSNBC got rid of so many black people, I thought Boko Haram was running that network." was pretty funny.; 5/4/16, 9:08 AM
Michael K said...: Didn't watch. Masturbation should be in private.; 5/4/16, 10:01 AM
Yancey Ward said...: "Cold blooded insults are not to be directed at friends of Democrats. We get it."

Exactly!; 5/4/16, 10:07 AM
PB said...: Democrats don't have a sense of humor when it comes to making fun of them.; 5/4/16, 10:36 AM
William said...: Most of the jokes weren't that funny. If you say something hostile thats funny, people note the joke more than the hostility. Otherwise, the hostility just sits there dripping venom. Besides Wolf Bltzer is a national treasure. How could anyone make jokes about that good, wise man. He transcends humor.; 5/4/16, 10:37 AM
damikesc said...: He didn't speak "truth to power", huh?; 5/4/16, 11:22 AM
Known Unknown said...: I loved his use of "nigga."; 5/4/16, 11:56 AM
walter said...: "I was ready to accept the fallout from it."
Read: publicity.
Winning; 5/4/16, 12:02 PM
walter said...: "Chappaquiddick house party"
That's a great album. Great tunes for the beach.; 5/4/16, 12:05 PM
Earnest Prole said...: Wilmore's performance was wickedly funny; the problem was the audience. The premise of a roast is that people are willing to laugh at themselves, but politicians and journalists are categorically allergic to that.; 5/4/16, 1:23 PM
Jaq said...: William, you had me going until that last line.; 5/4/16, 2:25 PM