WaPo Investigates Trump’s Joke Writers from Al Smith Dinner

In what feels like a bizarre but all-too-common media obsession, The Washington Post is now investigating a matter of grave importance to democracy: who wrote Donald Trump’s jokes for the Al Smith Dinner. Yes, seriously. While the world faces real challenges, from international conflict to inflation, WaPo is chasing down Trump’s joke writers, as if this discovery might save the republic.

Trump killed it at the Al Smith Dinner on Thursday. His humor was sharp, the timing was spot-on, and the crowd laughed—hard. This dinner, a longstanding tradition in American politics, raises money for Catholic charities and brings together major political players. However, one person was noticeably absent: Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. For the first time in 40 years, a major candidate skipped the dinner, deciding instead to send in a lackluster, pre-recorded video.

Trump’s appearance at the dinner and his ability to command the room didn’t just entertain—it highlighted Harris’s absence in a way that couldn’t be ignored. Her decision not to attend, combined with a painfully unfunny taped message, made her absence more glaring. As Trump took jabs at the political landscape, including at Harris herself, the vice president was nowhere to be seen—literally the elephant in the room.

Kamala responded to the roast:

This reads like a high school girl with unequited attention for the quarterback who posts a "I never liked him, and he's super ugly and he 'footballs' badly!" tiktok rant.
It's actually pretty hilarious. Sad but funny@jenvanlaar @BuzzPatterson @DaleStarkA10 https://t.co/9dLcVbdHgT

— Jim Thompson (@JimmySportToons) October 18, 2024

Harris’ campaign, already struggling, didn’t benefit from her no-show. According to observers, her video, full of recycled jokes and awkward delivery, was painful for the audience to endure. Even those predisposed to like her winced. Meanwhile, Trump’s live jokes had the audience roaring with laughter. His humor didn’t just land—it skewered. And the absence of Harris in such a key setting spoke volumes, adding fuel to the narrative that her campaign is floundering.

The backlash from Harris supporters was immediate. Trump’s sharp humor, which poked fun at both sides but especially hit Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, triggered a flurry of reactions on social media. Harris’ supporters, especially her “mean girls” squad (a nod to her now-abandoned “joy” campaign), tried to counter Trump’s barbs, but the damage was done. Harris had bombed, and Trump had owned the stage.

Now, let’s address the “scandal” that The Washington Post is intent on uncovering: Trump didn’t write his own jokes! Yes, the media seems truly incensed over the idea that Trump had a team of professional writers craft his one-liners. But here’s the catch—no politician, let alone any comedian, writes all of their own material. From stand-up legends like Bob Hope to modern-day performers, having a team of writers is the norm. Trump’s use of joke writers is hardly a shocking revelation, but WaPo is treating it like a national scandal.

Historically, comedians like Hope employed entire teams to craft their jokes, sifting through hundreds of suggestions to find the best material. Trump is no different. As naturally funny as he might be, he doesn’t have the time to craft a full set of jokes for a single dinner. What matters most is delivery, and at the Al Smith Dinner, Trump delivered—and people laughed. Yet, the media, especially The Washington Post, is fixated on the fact that Trump had help. The same outlet that routinely defends its preferred politicians is now laser-focused on Trump’s joke-writing process, as if it’s a matter of national significance.

The state of media right now is that who wrote Trump's Al Smith Dinner jokes gets a harder investigation than Doug Emhoff slugging a woman in the face in public. https://t.co/KeNYVhzZmS

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) October 18, 2024

It’s hard to make this stuff up. While Kamala Harris struggles to find humor or appeal on the campaign trail, while her taped appearance at the dinner flopped, and while her team scrambles to recover, the media is chasing down a new “scandal”—Trump’s joke writers. At a time when Harris’s absence and weak performance should be the story, WaPo’s editorial board has decided that the most pressing issue is how Trump’s humor was so effective. It’s clear that Trump’s ability to connect with an audience, even at a charity event, has triggered something of a media meltdown.

As the 2024 election season heats up, it’s becoming more evident that the media is increasingly defensive about its chosen candidates. Trump’s performance at the Al Smith Dinner was a reminder that he can still command a room and make people laugh. It’s also a reminder that Harris, despite her position as Vice President, continues to struggle with public perception. Her decision to skip the dinner, combined with the awkwardness of her video appearance, only adds to the growing concerns about her viability as a candidate.

The Washington Post’s latest “investigation” into Trump’s jokes seems more like an attempt to deflect attention from Harris’s own failures. After all, Harris has been widely criticized for her lack of connection with voters, her campaign’s inconsistency, and her ongoing struggles to attract key demographic groups. But instead of focusing on these serious issues, WaPo is working overtime to figure out who, exactly, wrote the jokes that made the room laugh.

Perhaps next, WaPo will assign investigative journalists to uncover the identity of every late-night comedy writer who pens monologues for TV hosts. Or maybe they’ll turn their attention back to Kamala Harris, where the real story lies. As her campaign falters, it’s clear that the media’s defense of her is becoming increasingly desperate. While Trump’s jokes may have landed at the Al Smith Dinner, Harris’s absence—and the media’s fixation on the trivial—may be the real punchline.