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Will White House Correspondents’ Dinner be funny?

Posted at 8:00 AM, Apr 27, 2013
and last updated 2013-04-26 20:56:50-04

(CNN) — President Barack Obama has had to give some tough speeches in the past couple of weeks. From consoling Boston and West, Texas to scolding Congress for failing to pass gun control legislation, the president’s messages have been heavy.

As he gears up to speak at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner–a typically light-hearted Beltway event that brings Hollywood to Washington–will the president deliver the traditional comedic routine? Or will he play it straight, as presidents have done in the past during times of tragedy.

Since the 1980s, comedic performers in addition to the president have consistently performed at the dinner, held each year to raise scholarship money for journalism students. Talk show host Conan O’Brien will headline this year’s event for the second time. He first performed in 1995 during President Bill Clinton’s first term.

Saturday’s event marks Obama’s fifth dinner. Wanda Sykes, Jay Leno, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel spoke at the previous events.