Joel McHale walks tricky line at WH Correspondents dinner

WASHINGTON –Following the president isn’t easy, but comedian Joel McHale, best known as host of the super-snarky “Talk Soup” and “Community,” did his best to take President Barack Obama’s funny but sometimes biting White House Correspondent’s Dinner speech, and shoot it to the next level.

The annual dinner brings together the media elite and their celebrity guests, as well as Washington lawmakers, for a night of schmoozing, star-gazing, and speeches — with the remarks from the President, and the year’s hand-picked comedian, the most anticipated moments of the night.

Some might say he delivered one too many “low blows” — he directed more than a few squirm-worthy lines at Gov. Chris Christie and former President Bill Clinton (not to mention Republicans, the Kardashians, CNN, Fox News, Robert De Niro, Clive Bundy and more). Others say you get what you pay for: McHale is known for his pull-no-punches humor, a little raunchy, sometimes too real, but that’s his schtick, pointed out early reviewers late Saturday night.

Here is NBCNews.com: “Everyone expected TV’s snarkiest host to bring his irreverence to the Nerd Prom on Saturday night. But, while Joel McHale can be charming when standing in front of a green screen holding Lou the mascot on “The Soup,” the mood was different when his targets were seated in formal wear before him.

“Although McHale never went as far as comedian and talk show host Stephen Colbert, who actually caused some people to walk out during his 2006 speech, he did deliver some low blows that were met with groans by the audience of politicians, celebrities and journalists.”

Some key “groaners”:

Hillary’s daughter, Chelsea, is pregnant, which means in nine months we will officially have a sequel to “Bad Grandpa.” It also raises the question: When the baby is born, do you give Bill Clinton a cigar?

“I know the Kardashians are Republicans, because they’re always trying to screw black people.”

“I am a big fan of that lesbian on MSNBC, Chris Hayes.”

Check out the full video of McHale’s speech here:

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