By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times - Monday, April 30, 2018

Plenty of people were offended by Michelle Wolf’s comedy routine ridiculing Sarah Huckabee Sanders at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, but Jimmy Kimmel wasn’t one of them.

Mr. Kimmel and other celebrities, including Jane Lynch, Seth Meyers, Rosie O’Donnell, Rob Reiner and Andy Richter, rode to Ms. Wolf’s defense after the outcry over her raunchy Saturday performance, which had several top journalists calling for an apology.

Mr. Kimmel tweeted that her routine was “FUNNY,” while Mr. Meyers praised Ms. Wolf for “staying true” to herself.

Another comedian, Andy Richter, called Ms. Wolf’s act “funny as hell” and said Ms. Sanders shouldn’t be “treated more gently because she’s a woman.”

The White House Correspondents’ Association, which puts on the dinner each year, issued a statement Sunday saying the monologue was “not in the spirit” of “offering a unifying mission,” but has yet to apologize.

Among those calling for an apology were Fox News’s Ed Henry, a previous WHCA president, and MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski and Andrea Mitchell.

Ms. Lynch tweeted that there should be no apology, adding, “Our house is on FIRE.”

Rob Reiner said that Ms. Wolf “simply told the truth.”

Ms. Wolf and others have insisted that she didn’t mock Ms. Sanders’ appearance, although she compared the White House press secretary to a frumpy, scowling character from Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

“I have to say I’m a little star-struck,” Ms. Wolf said. “I love you as Aunt Lydia in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’ Mike Pence, if you haven’t seen it, you would love it.”

She also made fun of Ms. Sanders’ makeup.

“I actually really like Sarah. I think she’s really resourceful. Like she burns facts and then uses that ash to create a perfect smoky eye,” Ms. Wolf said. “Like maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s lies. It’s probably lies.”

A composed Ms. Sanders, who was sitting a few feet away on the dais, listened without smiling.

Not all celebrities were in Ms. Wolf’s corner. Comedian Roseanne Barr tweeted that “they use women to attack and bully women,” and followed up with her three rules of comedy.

Actor James Woods, known for his conservative views, said that the “rabid hatred of conservative values has ruined comedy.”

Ms. Wolf, a “Daily Show” correspondent who’s starring in her first HBO comedy special airing Friday, also called Ms. Sanders an “’Uncle Tom’ but for white women.”

“I’m never really sure what to call Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Is it Sarah Sanders? Is it Sarah Huckabee Sanders? Is it Cousin Huckabee? Is it anti-Huckabee Sanders?” she said. “What’s ’Uncle Tom’ but for white women who disappoint other white women? Oh, I know, Aunt [Ann] Coulter.”

The routine included jabs at a number of White House figures, including President Trump, counselor Kellyanne Conway and Ivanka Trump, but the barbs aimed at Ms. Sanders drew the most heat.

• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.

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