In a biting satirical appearance on "Late Night with Seth Meyers," comedian Amber Ruffin responded to her recent cancellation as the headliner of the White House Correspondents' Dinner with sharp mockery and pointed sarcasm.
The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dropped Ruffin after she made comments on "The Daily Beast Podcast" referring to the Trump administration as "kind of a bunch of murderers" and refused to "give it to both sides" in her planned performance.
During her Monday night appearance on Meyers' show, Ruffin sarcastically declared she had learned that "you have to be fair to both sides," even mockingly suggesting that when watching "The Sound of Music," viewers should root for both "the singing children and the other people" - a pointed reference to the Nazi characters in the film.
"I thought when people take away your rights, erase your history, and deport your friends, you're supposed to call it out. But I was wrong," Ruffin deadpanned, offering no apology to her critics.
WHCA President Eugene Daniels announced Ruffin's removal on Saturday, stating he wanted the dinner's focus to be "entirely on awarding our colleagues for their outstanding work and providing scholarship and mentorship to the next generation of journalists."
In response, Ruffin quipped that the purpose of a free press is apparently "so that we can be nice to Republicans at fancy dinners," rather than reporting stories as they actually happen.
The comedian concluded her appearance with a thinly veiled dig at the WHCA, joking about returning a dress she had bought for the event, claiming the tags had "blown off in the wind" - a clear jab at journalistic integrity.
Through her satirical performance, Ruffin highlighted the ongoing debate about objectivity in journalism and the role of comedy in political commentary, while standing firmly by her original position.