I had only been in Dallas a couple of hours on Friday – in from spending a week in NYC (working on top secret project we’ll just call “project x” and admittedly partying too much) when I learned I needed to find my tux and fly to DC for the annual White House Correspondents Dinner at the Washington Hilton. It’s the political ‘Oscars’ if you will… or maybe the political Prom… any way, those government people know how to party. I shot some interviews for the Creative Coalition at their poolside reception with pitches about federal arts funding and such with the president - Joey (pants) Pantoliano, nice pleasantries with the beautiful Patricia Clarkson, education issues via CSI’s Hill Harper, thoughtful discussion with the oh so talented Jeffery Wright and white bread comments from the ever so tactful Ann Coulter. I lied and told Ann I was a Republican. “Oh, well why didn’t you say so! Let’s get a cocktail!” she gushed. (no joke) After running out of battery juice and hanging out to smoke with Valerie Plame, I ran upstairs to watch the event 12 stories above the ballroom (since I had no last minute ticket - dammit). The dinner went as I expected. I was surprised by the humor and timing of the double Bush team and disappointed with the heavy-handed lameness of Colbert. Oh well, at least it wasn’t Cedric the Entertainer again. Cheesecake, coffee, moderate clapping then goodnight and good luck…

But wait! This is where it got really good. After the dinner was the dueling press after parties, hosted by Reuters and Bloomberg News. (Reuters cheated as they were picking people up at the hotel in shuttle vans) but we decided to trot over to the Macedonia Embassy (but with the funky lights, fog machines and music remixes from Bubba Sparxxx and the Ying Yang twins, it felt more like the Brazilian Embassy.) The line just to get in was 30 mins long. Besides, parties that are hard to find and get into are the best. Once in, the place was way too crowded with lobbyists, celebrities, hot interns and old TV anchors. It will probably be the only time you would ever see Wolf Blitzer standing quietly in a tux next to Ludicrious (I have no idea how to spell it) and Ann Coulter. As the night poured on and the Indonesian drummer kept banging to pre-mix urban sounds, two girls passed out cold, several glasses were broken, chicks were tossing off $700 Jimmy Choos to dance with some high-end Latin dudes and then, Stephen Colbert passed by me with a small entourage as we both smiled at each other and perfectly mouthed the words to each other of “Drop it like it’s hot” – I thought the ‘so-realness’ (I hereby copyright that word CNN!) had passed until I saw a girl in the “smoker’s only” corner removing Tucker Carlson’s bow tie. I pointed and laughed thinking now that’s the Situation Room. Later, when I snuck out (passing CNN’s older, fat, bald guy that always kinda smiles?) and seeing Valerie Plame yet again, this time able to say ‘hi’ and ‘goodnight’ like we were new FFL, my cell phone rang and my wife was a bit upset as I was out partying at 2:10am in a remote city for the 3rd time this week. Promising I wouldn’t over-drink, I grabbed Tucker and asked him to ‘report’ how boringly sober I was. He was highly convincing and had a nice convo with Margaret. So nice in fact, they kept laughing and talking and I had to finally ask for my phone back. But many thanks Tucker, I owe you one.


anyone can attend the dinner... its access to the Bloomberg afterparty that shows what political power you have  ¶ 11:18 PM