Mentalist Oz Pearlman replaces the comedian tradition at the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Here’s why Washington’s biggest night just got more interesting.
There’s a room in Washington where journalists, power brokers, and the occasional cabinet secretary sit elbow-to-elbow, trying to look relaxed while someone on stage sizes them up.
This April, that someone won’t be cracking jokes. He’ll be reading minds.
The White House Correspondents’ Association has chosen mentalist Oz Pearlman as the headline entertainer at its annual dinner on April 25, and in a city built on secrets, that choice feels almost poetic. The 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner entertainer announcement has turned heads from K Street to Capitol Hill, and the conversation is just getting started.
Why a Mentalist? The WHCA Makes a Bold Pivot
Let’s be real. The last few years haven’t been easy for whoever steps up to that microphone. Michelle Wolf’s 2018 set torched the room and became a news story in itself. Amber Ruffin was announced for 2025 and then quietly un-announced when the Trump White House made its displeasure known. Last year, the dinner went forward with no entertainer at all, which, frankly, sounds like a rough Saturday night.
So Weijia Jiang, WHCA president and CBS News senior White House correspondent, made a different kind of call. Instead of finding the next comedian willing to walk into that particular lion’s den, she booked someone who makes the audience part of the act.
“As the world’s most celebrated mentalist, Oz Pearlman will offer a fascinating glimpse into what’s truly on the minds of Washington’s newsmakers”
Weijia Jiang
WHCA president
Jiang said in a statement, “As the world’s most celebrated mentalist, Oz Pearlman will offer a fascinating glimpse into what’s truly on the minds of Washington’s newsmakers. We look forward to an exciting, fresh, and interactive evening as we celebrate the First Amendment and Washington news coverage together.”
That word “interactive” is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence. In a ballroom full of people trained to reveal nothing, a mentalist is essentially the ultimate provocation.
Who Is Oz Pearlman, and Why Should You Care
If you haven’t seen Pearlman work, picture this. You’re at a dinner party in Tribeca or a private event in Beverly Hills. Someone hands you a playing card. You don’t say a word. And somehow, before you’ve touched your second glass of Burgundy, the guy across the room already knows what it is. That’s the experience Pearlman delivers, and he’s built a serious reputation doing it.
He’s appeared on NBC’s America’s Got Talent and has performed for Fortune 500 companies, athletes, and celebrities who would never let a camera near their actual reactions. His work lives in that delicious space between entertainment and genuine bewilderment, the kind of experience that gets people talking over dessert and still arguing about over breakfast.
“I am thrilled to be the featured entertainer at this year’s WHCA dinner and join the ranks of Frank Sinatra, Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien, among many other legends.”
Oz Pearlman
Pearlman himself seemed appropriately pumped about the booking. He said in a statement, “I am thrilled to be the featured entertainer at this year’s WHCA dinner and join the ranks of Frank Sinatra, Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien, among many other legends. This is a rare opportunity to gather so many accomplished, perceptive people in one place and invite them to share moments of wonder, surprise and awe.”
Frank Sinatra. Jay Leno. Conan O’Brien. And now a guy who reads minds. That progression says something about where American culture is right now, though we’ll leave it to you to decide exactly what.
The First Amendment, Funded by Fascination
It’s worth remembering what this dinner actually does. Beyond the theater and the table assignments and the awkward small talk between rivals, the WHCA dinner raises money for journalism scholarships and presents awards recognizing excellence in White House coverage. Learn more about the First Amendment’s role in American press freedom at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
This year’s event will take place at the Washington Hilton on April 25. President Trump, consistent with his approach throughout his presidency, has declined to attend. That’s a notable absence, but the dinner has found ways to remain relevant without the commander in chief in the room.
What Pearlman brings is something the room genuinely needs: a sense of play.
Washington is relentlessly serious. So is the current media landscape. An evening that asks people to let their guard down, laugh a little, maybe even feel something unexpected, that’s not a departure from the dinner’s mission. That’s actually the point.
And honestly, if you’ve ever sat through a room of journalists pretending to be bad poker players, you understand why someone who specializes in reading people might be the most fun guest of all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is the entertainer at the 2025 White House Correspondents’ Dinner? A: Mentalist Oz Pearlman has been selected as the headline entertainer at the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, scheduled for April 25 at the Washington Hilton.
Q: Why did the WHCA choose a mentalist instead of a comedian? A: WHCA president Weijia Jiang selected Pearlman to offer a fresh, interactive experience following years of controversy surrounding comedian performances at the event. The choice reflects a desire for an evening focused on wonder and engagement rather than political satire.
Q: Will President Trump attend the 2025 WHCA dinner? A: No. President Trump has declined to attend throughout his presidency, continuing a pattern of skipping the annual event.
An Evening Worth Watching
Whether you follow Washington politics closely or simply appreciate a great night of surprising entertainment, this one deserves your attention. Oz Pearlman walking into a ballroom full of the world’s most skeptical people is either the bravest gig in show business or the most perfectly matched. Probably both.
Follow the coverage on April 25, and check back here for our take on how the evening unfolds.
