Entertainment

The 11 Weirdest White House Correspondents Guests

by Kayla Hawkins

The White House Correspondents' Dinner is supposed to be the one night a year where the 24-hour news cycle takes a break to celebrate its hardest working reporters. Of course, over the past few years it's become just another opportunity for Hollywood stars to show up, smile, and pretend to laugh at jokes at their expense. And this year, there are some weird people invited to the 2015 White House Correspondents' Dinner.

I personally have some very particular considerations of what makes for a weird guest and what doesn't. Anyone even remotely connected to the world of politics, whether working in the bowels of the Capitol building, reporting on CNN, or even broadcasting on public radio isn't weird to me. Because the nerdy, the newsy, and the political are what this evening are supposed to be about. Also exempt? Any comedian who traffics in political humor, like Saturday Night Live cast members. They're just there getting some tips and supporting their co-star Cecily Strong, who's hosting the event. And they're probably hoping that they could have a shot at the gig one day, since other SNL alums like Seth Meyers have hosted in the recent past.

So what's left are people who have no discernible connection to Washington or seem to build their success on being apolitical. And some people seem to be confusing this event for an actual prom.*

*All guests below are attending according to Deadline and The Huffington Post, because if any sites can get into people's business and figure out some gossip, they're it.

1. Russell Wilson and Ciara

PIERRE ANDRIEU/AFP/Getty Images

This is the big news and I just HAD to mention it. Rumors that Ciara is listed specifically as Russell's date are confusing — are they also nominated for prom king and queen? Is this a good place for a first date?

2. Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart

Bryan Bedder/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

They're a good looking married couple right out of a Shonda Rhimes series, just not the one about Washington or some upcoming Scandal spinoff. Not seeing the connection to White House — sorry, guys!

3. Pete Wentz

I didn't realize I was in seventh grade again. Fall Out Boy is a distant, magical memory...

4. Brody Jenner

And he's invited by Fox News, no less. Is there some "Brody Jenner is a hardcore conservative" gossip that I've never heard about?

5. The "CSPAN Mom"

Joyce Woodhouse, AKA the "CSPAN Mom," who called in to berate her sons about arguing on Thanksgiving. And she was invited by CSPAN! This one's weird, but admittedly AWESOME.

6. Killer Mike

Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

This only counts as "weird" to me because the way people have been reacting to his attendance strikes me as strange. He's a musician who is also known as a champion for race relations and will actually be giving a talk at MIT the Friday before the WHCA Dinner. And yet, there are articles talking about his attendance like it should be surprising.

7. Martha Stewart

She can't vote anymore, but I guess she still wants to stay politically involved.

8. Karlie Kloss

EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images

If she's a policy wonk, I'd be surprised (but impressed!). Also — does this mean Taylor Swift will be at the afterparty?

9.-11. Every Vine Star

Jerome Jarre, Marcus Johns, Nash Grier. Lots of people know them, lots of people love them. And I'm just shocked that they're all going to be broadcasting live in the same room as the President, six seconds at a time.

Images: Getty Images (4); Giphy (4)