Former CBS Reporter Explains Why He Skipped the White House Correspondents' Dinner Amid Press Freedom Concerns

Scott MacFarlane, a former CBS News correspondent, skipped the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, April 26, 2025, stating it was "not a good look to be there" amid ongoing tensions between the administration and the press.

In a YouTube video posted ahead of the event, MacFarlane explained his decision to forgo the annual gathering, saying:

"I would rather be sitting home with a Swanson’s ‘Hungry Man,’ frozen dinner, bowl of popcorn, beer and some ‘Seinfeld’ reruns. It’s just a better thing to do right now. It’s not a bad thing to do anytime, but especially when you have people who are being feted at this party—president, defense secretary—who have been challenging the First Amendment, who’ve been challenging news organizations, who’ve been trying to delegitimize and decommission news organizations, and who’ve been suing news organizations at an event for the First Amendment."

He added:

"Doesn’t seem like a good fit or a good look to be there."

MacFarlane also referenced a conversation with Oliver Darcy and the CNN Status team, where he elaborated on his stance:

"I’m not keen on [attending]. This is not happening in a vacuum. The president has sued media organizations. He has sued them for millions, if not billions of dollars. He has menaced reporters, name-called reporters. He has executed a media strategy that demeans journalists."

He further argued that the administration's actions "may offend the First Amendment by trying to limit what people say or how they say things." MacFarlane also criticized the inclusion of the defense secretary, whose media policies have faced legal challenges, stating:

"His defense secretary has executed a media policy that has literally become a federal case."

MacFarlane concluded that it felt "a little bit odd to be celebrating the First Amendment and championing education of young journalism students by having an event that has guests of honor of that sort."

Mentalist Oz Pearlman to Perform at 2026 WHCD

Looking ahead to the 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner, mentalist Oz Pearlman is set to perform as the night’s entertainer. Pearlman spoke to MSNBC’s “The Weekend” hosts Jonathan Capehart, Jacqueline Alemany, and Eugene Daniels on Saturday, April 26, 2025, about his preparation for the event.

"Nothing classified will be revealed tonight. I believe. I will never reveal anything publicly."

Pearlman revealed he has spent a decade preparing for the moment, saying:

"I’ve been watching video for months. I’ve been thinking about this moment for 10 years. I said if I had a chance to be in front of President Trump, what is the ultimate thing I could do if I had 60 seconds? What’s my elevator pitch that will be talked about in the entire world on Sunday and Monday morning?"