Each year, The White House Correspondents' Association, an organization comprised of journalists from various media outlets who cover the president and his administration, hosts one of Washington's most lauded events, The White House Correspondent's Dinner. As per tradition, the event honors those who have shown integrity and bravery in their work, recognizing and rewarding excellence throughout the world of journalism.
For many, however, the novelty of the night is found in the entertainment portion of the program, as the president is called upon to perform a set of jokes aimed at harmlessly ridiculing everyone in, and around, Capitol Hill; himself included.
This year, President Obama was joined by actress and comedienne Cecily Strong, who is known for her frequent contributions to Saturday Night Live. Marking the passing of his sixth year of presidency, Barack Obama chose to begin his final quarter with a bang, knowingly mocking his own successes, failures and goals in grand style.
Here are some of the highlights of what the president had to offer.
The Entrance to Rule All Entrances
The president began his address with a short video clip showcasing his newfound carefree attitude towards, well, everything. This humorous short includes edited stills of him rocketing golf balls off the roof of the White House, frequenting an Arby's drive-thru in the presidential limousine (almost certainly at the behest of the FLOTUS) and defacing Mount Rushmore with a pick and a hammer.
The Bucket List
Unrestricted by future campaign woes, or the opinions of adversaries, Barack Obama continues to joke about his new laissez-faire approach to governance. Enter quite possibly the most risky joke told in public by any President ever; The Bucket List.
Shots Fired
In what is perhaps the most memorable scene of the night, the POTUS enlists the help of his enraged alter-ego, Keegan Michael-Key's anger translator Luther, in order to more accurately express his sentiments towards certain key issues.
Special Mention
Special mention should be made of Barack's reference to Michelle Bachman's claim that his presidency would bring the end of times, his "pot-smoking socialist" lampoon on Bernie Sanders and his references to Joe Biden's masseuse skills.
Controversy Queen
Cecily Strong began her set with equally witty and exceedingly brave commentary. Her first major zinger deftly references the pro-choice versus pro-life debate currently making waves around the country.
#CecilyStrongMatter
Cecily then surprises viewers everywhere with her statements on the Secret Service and police brutality, turning a light-hearted jab at the POTUS's latest security issues into a witty dig at the state of law enforcement and race relations.
