President Obama feted his guests one last time at the traditionally inclined White House Correspondents Dinner and while there is a quite a bit of ground to cover – we have to start off by giving a major shout out to the coolest person to ever attend the coveted event.
Actress Helen Mirren who is the grand dame of style and effortlessly edgy chic – showed up doused in a gorgeous lacy confection which would’ve been enough to warm our hearts but she took it a step further.
Helen Mirren
First Lady, Michelle Obama
Mirren sported an honorable imprint of Prince’s globally recognized symbol on her chest. And just like that! She stole the show and won the public praise of the President who announced to the room of well-dressed compatriots that Mirren was simply “awesome.”
The First Lady – Michelle Obama lit up the affair in a brilliantly a pale pink Givenchy ensemble that once again highlighted her much heralded seamless lookbook that will undoubtedly remain unmatched.
The star-studded night was then driven into full-force by comedian Larry Wilmore who was given the task of energetically roasting the outgoing Commander-in-Chief.
But before receiving the farewell monologue of his lifetime – Obama was granted the opportunity and permission to have a grand ole time at the expense of political enemies and unforgiving pop culture.
From Bernie Sanders to Donald Trump – it was a galaxy of zingers that was aimed to hit as below the belt as possible. The media at large didn’t escape the President’s biting tongue as he crosschecked the current systematic procedure of falling head of heels for the paralyzing figures of destruction.
But nobody does it better than Larry Wilmore who delightfully picked at the ice that held the room hostage as he played his greatest hits – which included an ode to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Don Lemon. Lemon reciprocated with an act of defiance by giving “the finger”. But it was all in good fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NekE9di2KSo&feature=youtu.be
What wasn’t considered in good taste was Wilmore’s decision to refer to the departing first Black President as a Ni*** during what was supposed to be a poignant and stellar review of Obama’s almost perfect track record.
Public figures of color like civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton and CNN commentator Van Jones have been vocal about their disdain of Wilmore’s controversial decision.
There is no denying that the N-word is never an easy one to digest without reservations. But in this context – it was the perfect sendoff for a man who was always regarded as the “house negro” by whites in power who did everything to reject his legitimacy.
President Obama’s exit signals the end of an era and the beginning of another journey that most of us are not willing to formulate as reality – quite yet.
But, in the meantime we can enjoy the remaining days of one of the most historic and dynamic presidencies of our lifetimes.
And indulge in the charismatic way in which our beloved President begins the process of easing out of one of the most challenging and rewarding roles of his career – as he humorously ended the festivities by dropping the mic with unabashed pride and validation.
It’s worth watching as many times as you can muster.
But, we can’t ignore the magnificence of Wilmore’s stunning and consistent delivery. Fan or not – the dude came to play.
And, from where we’re sitting – he won.
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