MW White House Correspondents' dinner has morphed into a 'Hollywoodified' weekend of nonstop parties. Even Grindr is hosting.
By Charles Passy
Trump will be on hand for the weekend's main event, while dozens of media outlets and companies throw events that can cost $300,000
The parties around the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner - like this 2024 soiree hosted by Time and Amazon MGM Studios - are becoming as buzzy as the dinner itself. And companies want in.
The annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner has become a buzzy affair on the Washington, D.C., calendar because of all the prominent journalists, politicians and celebrities on hand. And this year's event, set for Saturday night, is expected to be even buzzier, with the news that President Donald Trump will attend for the first time as a sitting president.
And plenty of businesses want in on it.
While the dinner is the headline-making event, some say the real scene is taking place elsewhere: It's a Washington weekend of nonstop socializing, with dozens of companies, from publicly traded media outlets to upstart competitors - and even Grindr - hosting or helping sponsor parties. It's all part of an effort, observers say, for the companies to properly position themselves with the movers and shakers in town.
What kind of events? We're talking everything from the afterparty at the residence of the French ambassador hosted by Comcast $(CMCSA)$ unit NBC to a Substack "new-media party" at Washington's Renwick Gallery, which is billed as an alternative to the more tradition-bound WHCA event. And, yes, there's even a first-ever before-dinner event being organized by Grindr $(GRND)$, the social-networking app for the LGBTQ community.
"Nobody does connections like Grindr and [the WHCA dinner] weekend is the most iconic place in the country to make them. We figured it was time to host," Joe Hack, Grindr's head of global government affairs, said in a statement.
And that's not counting events being organized by other major news outlets, including ABC $(DIS)$, CBS $(PSKY)$, CNN $(WBD)$ and MS Now $(VSNT)$. (The Wall Street Journal, published by Dow Jones $(NWSA)$, the parent company of MarketWatch, also hosts a party.)
Adding to the mix are gatherings held by newer media outlets, such as Semafor and Punchbowl News.
In short, observers say the WHCA weekend is turning into the political equivalent of the Oscars weekend, where there's similar partying and jockeying for attention. "It's been Hollywoodified," said Craig Agranoff, a Florida-based political marketing expert who teaches at Florida Atlantic University.
Granted, there isn't anything during the Washington festivities quite akin to the swag bag given to Oscar nominees. But if you can't get a grab bag, you can perhaps sip on an award-winning wine. For the second straight year, Orin Swift, a California label that's part of the E. & J. Gallo family of brands, will be pouring some of its acclaimed reds and whites during the NBC event at the French ambassador's home.
'It's been Hollywoodified.'Craig Agranoff, a Florida-based political marketing expert
The opportunity to be part of the weekend slate is a big deal, according to Lauren Blanchard, Orin Swift's senior estate manager. "It's a cultural moment," she said.
Naturally, all this comes at a price. In Orin Swift's case, the brand is contributing 30 cases of wine - and its bottles often run more than $50 each. But that pales in comparison to the money being spent by some media and other companies that produce their own bashes.
The companies contacted by MarketWatch declined to provide figures, but a 2013 analysis by the Washington Post found the tally for some parties could reach $200,000. Adjusting for inflation, that would bring today's costs closer to $300,000. And that's not reflecting the fact that the parties themselves have seemingly become bigger and bigger affairs.
President Barack Obama appeared at the 2015 White House Correspondents' Association dinner with comedian Keegan-Michael Key, who portrayed Luther, his "anger translator."
Of course, there's the main event itself - meaning the WHCA dinner. Tickets are available only to "news organizations that have association members," according to the WHCA website. Proceeds from the affair go to support the association's work, which includes "events and programs to educate the public about the value of the First Amendment and a free press, and scholarships to help the next generation of journalists."
The dinner has been an event on the calendar going back as far as 1921. Even in its early days, it was marked by the festive spirit that's part of today's gathering, where politicians are routinely roasted.
But when did it become an Event with a capital "E"? Some say the 2015 edition was the turning point: That's when then-President Barack Obama appeared alongside comedic actor Keegan-Michael Key, who played a character named Luther, billed as Obama's "anger translator" - a moment that went viral. A year later, Obama delivered a memorable mic drop as well.
Agranoff said the ability for such moments to spread via social media helped make the dinner an "it" occasion and fueled the fire for ancillary events.
'It's an exercise in soft power.'Kristina Spionjak, public-relations professional
Whether the party hosts or participants see any return on investment for their involvement is difficult to say. This is not necessarily about gaining readers, viewers or customers in an immediate sense, observers noted - or even, in the case of Orin Swift, about suddenly selling more bottles of wine, Blanchard said.
But it is about being in front of influential people and getting noticed for that. In the long run, such exposure can boost a company or brand's credentials.
"It's an exercise in soft power," said Kristina Spionjak, a veteran public-relations professional and event organizer.
The risk is that as the WHCA weekend grows in popularity and as more companies choose to host events, each party becomes diluted in terms of its impact and importance, said Bob Spoerl, co-founder of Bear Icebox Communications, a Chicago-based public-relations firm.
On the surface, companies may still think it's a good use of their time and money to be part of the D.C. festivities, Spoerl notes. But he wonders if their marketing dollars could be better spent elsewhere, instead of trying to claim a piece of Washington weekend glory.
"It can sometimes be a scream of desperation," he said.
From the MarketWatch archives:
Trump breaks with 30-year tradition in skipping White House correspondents dinner
What his fans will get in Green Bay as Trump again skips White House correspondents dinner
Biden makes jokes at Trump's expense at correspondents dinner. It's part of a new strategy.
Several people who attended weekend White House correspondents dinner have since tested positive for COVID
-Charles Passy
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 25, 2026 10:36 ET (14:36 GMT)
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