Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Capitol File kicks it up a notch at the After Party

Jason Binn with Modern Family's Ariel WInter and 30 Rock's Jack McBrayer
 
by contributor Brendan Kownacki



A mix of Washington Insiders and Hollywood elite mixed to celebrate with Niche Media and Capitol File Magazine after the 2011 White House Correspondent's Dinner.

Niche Media chairman Jason Binn worked the room, greeting guests and posing with the starlets as they raised a glass to the White House press corps. The event, hosted at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center had an earthy spring décor peppered with the elegance of ball gowns and bow-ties.

Guests mixed and mingled, dancing and sipping champagne as they tried to catch a glimpse of their favorite star in the exclusive VIP lounge sponsored by Bing. Attorney General Eric Holder made his rounds in the room and posed with Glee cast member Chris Colfer. Also spotted working the room were Jason Biggs and 30 Rock’s Jack McBrayer who were actively involved with the Creative Coalition’s activities surrounding the White House dinner.

Biggs stopped to chat about his favorite Washingtonian that he saw, as did Gossip Girl’s Michelle Trachtenberg and Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Cheryl Hines; who each wracked their brains trying to come up with their favorite member of Congress. Jeremy Piven picked out Barney Frank as his favorite, meanwhile (future) voter Angus T. Jones took a safer route saying “I can’t pick favorites, I love them all.”

The room was buzzing over Donald Trump and the possibility that he could run for president in 2012 after the roast full of jokes that President Obama served up during the dinner in light of the birth certificate controversy. Trump, who was not in attendance at the after party, had people’s attention with thoughts of what a Correspondents' Association Dinner would be like during a Trump administration. When asked if she would return for a dinner with ‘President’ Trump—Cheryl Hines emphatically said “I’ll serve him dinner.”

Now that, we would have to see.

Photos by Brendan Kownacki, reporting for Hollywood On the Potomac. Clink on slide-show here: