DeSantis slams Trevor Noah for ‘lying’ about him being at correspondents’ dinner

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Monday he ‘rejected’ an invite to the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner and slammed comedian Trevor Noah for ‘lying’ that he was there.

‘I was what I would never attend that I have no interest in that. I did not watch it,’ the Republican governor of Florida told reporters at a press conference. 

‘I don’t care what they do, but for them to advertise me when that invitation was rejected by my office, that is a lie,’ he said. 

‘They are lying about something that is readily verifiable.’ 

He said he had no interested in joining a ‘cabal’ of elites from Washington D.C. and New York at the black tie gathering of journalists, celebrities, business leaders and President Joe Biden.

‘The idea that I would have ever gone is false and why they would want to try to perpetuate a lie about that I don’t know. But I think it just shows you why that cabal of people in DC, New York, are so reviled by so many Americans. I think it’s a reputation that’s been well deserved,’ he noted.

Daily Show host Trevor Noah, in his remarks at Saturday’s dinner, said DeSantis was in the audience. He mocked the governor a few times during his speech, poking fun at DeSantis’ reported rivalry with Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 presidential campaign.

‘One of my favorites, Ron DeSantis is here,’ Noah said. ‘Oh man, I’m actually surprised that he found the time. You know he has been so busy trying to outmaneuver [former President Donald] Trump for 2024. I see you, Ron. I see you, player.’ 

DeSantis’ name was included in the event’s program. 

His team has downplayed any presidential ambitions as he seeks re-election to a second term for governor this year.

DeSantis has led in some straw polls on the race for the 2024 Republican nomination. Republicans around the country have praised him for keeping Florida open during the covid pandemic and defying recommendations on mask wearing. 

Noah joked that DeSantis could pull a Trump in 2024 and claim victory no matter the actual result. Trump still falsely claims he won the 2020 election.

‘[If] Trump was the original Terminator, DeSantis is like the T-1000. You’re smarter than him, you’re slicker than him, you can walk down ramps,’ Noah said. 

‘Because you see, no, Trump said he won the election, but everyone was just able to look at the numbers and see he was wrong. That’s why Ron DeSantis is one step ahead, first you ban the math textbooks, then nobody knows how to count the votes. Boom, my man!’ 

Florida’s Department of Education has banned dozens of math textbooks, saying they have ‘problematic’ material. The state tossed out 41 percent of the 132 math textbooks submitted for the next school year, more than half of which the state said referenced Critical Race Theory (CRT), with the rest containing Common Core and Social Emotional Learning (SEL).

During Saturday night’s event, where almost 3,000 people crowded into a ballroom at the Washington Hilton, President Joe Biden mocked his own low approval rating and called the Trump administration a ‘horrible plague.’

‘Tonight, we come here to answer a very important question in everybody’s mind. Why in hell are we still doing this?’ Biden quipped as he took the stage in the room full of journalists and D.C. insiders. 

‘I know there are questions about whether we should gather here tonight because of COVID. Well, we’re here to show the country that we’re getting through this pandemic. Plus, everyone had to prove they’re fully vaccinated and boosted,’ he said. ‘Just contact your favorite Fox News reporter they’re all here vaccinated and boosted.’

He then addressed his historically low poll numbers for the first time, claiming that journalists were the only people who were less well-liked.

‘I’m really excited to be here tonight with the only group of Americans have a lower approval rating than I have,’ Biden said. 

However, Biden wasn’t the only one to embrace comedy at Saturday’s affair. The Late Late Show James Corden opened the dinner with a sketch of him taking over the duties of Press Secretary Jen Psaki, which included a cameo from a reporter she regularly clashes with, Fox News’ Peter Doocy. 

Corden eagerly took to the podium to take questions from reporters following a briefing with Psaki and Biden, but the ill-prepared Corden was immediately flanked with complicated questions from reporters. 

Among them was Doocy, who Biden was recorded calling a ‘stupid son of a b****’ in January, with Psaki echoing similar remarks earlier this month. Biden reportedly called Doocy afterwards to apologize.

Despite the critical comments from them, Doocy played his part in Corden’s sketch on Saturday, appearing straight-forward and no-nonsense as he took on the fumbling comedian. 

Doocy asks the ‘interim-press secretary’, ‘When the president says one thing, and White House staff say something else, who are we supposed to listen to? The president, or White House staff?’

‘Well you know what, David,’ the comedian, appearing fed up by the questions from all the reporters. 

‘That’s not my name,’ Doocy quickly replies.

‘You say your name is not David. I say your name is David,’ Corden snaps back. 

‘And I’m stood up here and you’re sat down there – unless you wanna be sat at the back with whoever they are’ Corden added as he threatened to move Doocy to the far-end of the press room. 

Corden’s sketch also involved digs at the Biden administration as Psaki told him that the CDC is ‘good,’ to which he replies, ‘Really? ‘They’ve been pissing me off.’

Psaki also tells him that the economy is strong, with Corden again questioning the validity of the statement. 

‘Is it,’ he asks doubtfully as Psaki moves on to the rest of the briefing. 

Also at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, Trevor Noah slammed the administration for rising consumer costs, taking aim at what analysts predict is a looming recession.

The Daily Show Host touted Biden for coming out to the event on Saturday, saying he doesn’t know why the president would miss a chance to hear all about his supposed accomplishments.

‘You know, I think ever since you’ve come into office, things are really looking up. Gas is up. Rent is up. Food is up. Everything,’ Noah joked about inflation, which is at the highest it’s been in 40 years.

Saturday night’s event – attended by reality TV star Kim Kardashian and her boyfriend, Pete Davidson, and other big stars including Drew Barrymore, Martha Stewart, Chris Tucker and Academy Award-winning actor Michael Keaton – saw Biden mock himself by addressing his low approval rating of 41.7 and his predecessor, Donald Trump. 

‘Well, that’s hard to say after what we just saw this the first time President attended this dinner in six years.’

‘Well that’s understandable – we had a horrible plague, followed by two years of COVID,’ the president added. 

‘Imagine if my predecessor came to this dinner this year. Now that would really have been a real coup that occurred!’

Biden then turned his attention to Republicans, and the leaked tapes of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy claiming he would ask President Trump to resign after January 6.

‘Folks, I’m not really here to roast the GOP. That’s not my style. Besides, there’s nothing I can say about the GOP that Kevin McCarthy hasn’t already put on tape,’ Biden said to a room full of chuckles. 

‘At the same time, a lot of people say the Republican Party’s too extreme too divisive to control by one person. They say that’s not your father’s Republican Party. Ronald Reagan said Mr. Gorbachev, tear this wall down. Today’s Republicans say ‘Tear down Mickey Mouse’s house.’ 

‘And pretty soon they’ll be storming Cinderella’s castle. You can be sure that Republicans seem to support one fella. Some guy named Brandon. He’s having a really good year. I’m kind of happy for him,’ Biden said, referring to conservative rallying cry ‘Let’s Go Brandon.’ 

Biden then introduced comedian Trevor Noah, who is headlining the event, who mocked the large maskless gathering.  

‘It is my great honor to be speaking tonight at the nation’s most distinguished super spreader events,’ Noah said. ‘No for real people. What are we doing here? Let’s be honest. What are we doing? Like did none of you learn anything from the Grid Iron Dinner?’ 

Dozens of high-profile attendees tested positive for COVID-19 after attending the exclusive media event weeks earlier.  

‘Do you read any of your own newspapers? I mean, I expect this from Sean Hannity, but the rest of you What are you doing?,’ he added. 

‘I spent the last two years telling everyone the importance of wearing masks and avoiding large indoor gatherings. Then the second someone offers you a free dinner you’ll turn into Joe Rogan. I mean, Dr. Fauci dropped out,’ Noah said.

‘That should have been a pretty big sign. Fauci thought it was too dangerous to come tonight. Pete Davidson thinks it’s okay,’ Noah said, pointing to Kim Kardashian’s date. 

Noah then turned his focus to the president.  

‘As you all know, President Biden’s lack of a filter does get him into hot water sometimes, you know, last month he caused a huge international incidents saying that Vladimir Putin should be removed from power was very, very upsetting to Russia,’ Noah said. ‘So someone explained to them that none of the stuff Biden wants actually gets done.’

In late March Biden made waves by proclaiming Russian Leader Vladimir Putin ‘cannot remain in power,’ remarks that the Kremlin replayed on state TV airwaves as a personal attack on Russia. 

Noah then turned his attention to Psaki, who is reportedly in negotiations with MSNBC for a contract after she soon leaves the White House. 

‘The word on the streets is actually that Jen Psaki is going to MSNBC next month. Yeah. Yeah, apparently just being on C-SPAN the ratings are too high. And she wanted more of a challenge, you know, want to switch things up? She can’t laugh at that. Don’t put the camera on her.’ 

‘You know, moving to MSNBC is going to be a big switch for you because right now your current job is to make the Biden administration looks as good as possible, you know, at all costs. Now you’re going to be at MSNBC and you’re going to have to …. you’ll be fine actually,’ he quipped. 

‘By the way MSNBC, can I just say you guys are doing great work. I love watching your shows you know when Trump was in office, your shows were all about how bad he was. And now that Biden’s in office, your shows are all about how bad Trump was. Consistency is important.’

Noah then poked fun at CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin, who was caught masturbating on a work call. 

‘We’re celebrating without you don’t get comfortable. Not too comfortable, Jeffrey Toobin, not too comfortable,’ Noah said. ‘No, you know what? No, don’t don’t do him a bunch of haters. You know what? So what Jeffrey, you made a mistake. You whipped it out in front of your coworkers.’

‘Where is Jeffrey Zucker?’ Noah asked, referring to CNN’s former head, who left after it was revealed he was having a relationship with a colleague. 

‘Jeff got fired off because he tried to keep his workplace relationship secret, which is weird, because if he really didn’t want anyone to know about him, he could have just made a show about it on CNN Plus!’ 

‘I know I know. It’s so sad. CNN Plus gone, but forgotten,’ Noah added, referring to CNN’s now-failed streaming venture. 

‘I blame John King. That’s true. Yeah, John, your magic wall can predict how every person in the country is going to vote in every county, but it couldn’t give you a heads up that nobody wanted more CNN,’ Noah added. 

He then turned his attention to CNN’s gratuitous use of the ‘Breaking News’ banner. 

‘My man over there, Chris, as the new head of news. His first order of business hire guy who knows how to turn off the breaking news banner. What happened with that they just put it on during the OJ chase and then never figured out how to get rid of it? The news is not always breaking!’

Noah also directed his wise cracks at Fox News, as he turned to the White House press corps: ‘Everyday you demand answers on the pressing issues of the day. And then Fox News asked about Hunter Biden. And I’ll be honest, though, I actually think that’s a good thing. I really do. I think people need to be held accountable if they’re using their dad’s name to get ahead in life. I can’t think of anyone better to ask about that than Peter Doocy.’

Doocy’s prominent role with the channel came after his father Steve Doocy joined the channel. 

He then turned his attention to primetime host Sean Hannity, who is dating Fox host Ainsley Earhardt.

‘Sean Hannity and Ainsley Earhart’s actually dating now. Yes. And I actually think it’s beautiful to see an office romance of folks that won’t enter the $20 million settlement. Yeah. I’m sure whoever Roger Ailes is right now. He’s looking up and smiling.’ 

‘Laura Ingram – wow. What can you say about her that hasn’t already been said by the anti-Defamation League?’ Noah added.

Then came Tucker Carlson. 

‘Tucker Carlson Are you kidding me? I mean, he’s a beast who else could fill an entire show each night asking questions that Google could easily answer.

‘Do vaccines work? Who really won the election? Who is the president right now? Is this America?’ Noah said. 

The comedian also took a minute to thank the reporters in the room for their duty as the fourth estate to make sure those in power are held accountable by the people, and noted that being able to roast a sitting president was a luxury afforded to him by America’s freedoms. 

‘I stood here tonight and I made fun of the President of the United States, and I’m going to be fine,’ Noah said. 

But, he made one last dig at Biden as he concluded the evening, referencing the U.S.’s frenzied withdrawal from Afghanistan.  ‘Please be careful leaving tonight. This administration doesn’t handle evacuations. Well. Good night, everybody.’