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‘SNL’ Performer Will Be the First Female Comedian to Perform at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Since 2009

Apr 22, 2015  •  Post A Comment

One of the regulars on the NBC late-night staple “Saturday Night Live” will become the first comedienne to perform at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner since Wanda Sykes in 2009. The Los Angeles Times reports that Cecily Strong will take on what Strong calls the “daunting task” this weekend.

Commenting on her first reaction when she received the invitation, Strong said: “My thinking was I was hoping we had a live show that weekend so that I could say no.”

Then she adds: “But I would kick myself if I didn’t do it.”

The report notes: “The event being held this Saturday at the Washington Hilton that gathers power brokers and celebrities from media, journalism, politics and entertainment, should elevate the fame of the 31-year-old Strong, who went from playing Chicago comedy clubs to NBC’s legendary sketch comedy show in 2012. While the WHCA dinner is watched live by political junkies on cable news channels and C-SPAN, her monologue and the reactions at the dais will be analyzed and critiqued on news programs in the days that follow.”

Strong is reportedly getting help from “Saturday Night Live” fixture Lorne Michaels as she prepares for the gig.

Her top priority? “No. 1, I want the funniest jokes,” Strong says in the interview. “I was telling Lorne today — I don’t want any stale Fox News jokes because it’s all been done. I would hope to be getting both sides because there are things to laugh at on both sides, luckily.”

Click on the link near the top of this story for more of the interview with Strong in the Times’ report.

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