‘Let’s Not Go Down That Road’: Jim Acosta and WHCD Host Roy Wood Jr. Share Laugh About Certain Unnamed CNN Star

It was pretty obvious, though unstated by name, who CNN anchor Jim Acosta and White House Correspondents Dinner host Roy Wood Jr. were sharing a wry laugh about during an interview before the event on Saturday. Twice.

The first unnamed person who was obviously the butt of the joke during the conversation between show host and dinner host was fired Fox News star Tucker Carlson, who is clearly going to be a topic during the event.

Acosta asked the comic for a preview of what he might be talking about during his roasting of politicians and press at the WHCD, and Wood replied that sometimes you might still be writing the jokes as you’re about to take the stage.

“So you can have in your head what you think you’re going to do. We don’t know. Five more people might get fired. Before I even going there tonight, Jim,” said Wood. “It’s crazy. People are losing jobs left and right for doing nothing more than just telling lies on television. If you can’t tell a lie on TV, where else can you tell the lie? ”

“Well, that that is a problem at one particular channel,” Acosta answered.

Toward the end of the conversation, Acosta floated his own name for a stage mention, and Wood said not to worry.

“Nah, you good, you good,” Wood replied. “If there’s anything to talk about at CNN, it’s not you.”

That was obviously a reference to the also-fired CNN star Don Lemon, and as they both laughed, Acosta replied, “That’s a good point. Let’s not go down that road right now, if you don’t mind.”

But it does sound like something that’ll come up during the evening’s events.

ACOSTA: Live from the red carpet. Do I have. There he is right there. Roy Wood Jr of The Daily Show. Yes, I do. Yes, we do. And of the White House Correspondents Dinner as well, I guess, you know, can you give us a preview? I know you can’t give any spoilers right now, but maybe a little bit a little bit of a taste of what’s to come.

WOOD: Jim, there is just so much chaos in the world right now. I don’t even know what I’m going to do yet. Look, this is, these are all the cards. These are all of the bits. And I don’t know which ones are going to get done. Trevor Noah was cutting jokes last year while Biden was on stage. So you can have in your head what you think you’re going to do. We don’t know. Five more people might get fired. Before I even going there tonight, Jim. It’s crazy. People are losing jobs left and right for doing nothing more than just telling lies on television. If you can’t tell a lie on TV, where else can you tell the lie?

ACOSTA: Well, that that is a problem at one particular channel. But let me ask you, Roy. You know, host of the White House Correspondents Dinner are not known for pulling, they’re not known for pulling their punches with the politicians. Who are going to be having some fun with tonight?

WOOD: We got to go with everybody. I don’t want to come in here and make this some situation where you’re telling jokes only on one side of the room. You know, Biden and them have some scandals that I think it’s fair to speak on. I think it’s fair to speak on what’s going on with the president and whichever scandal you want to pull up about Trump, if we’re really being real about it. Also, when a governor goes to war against a mouse in Florida, it has to be spoken about. I’m sorry. You don’t cross, Mickey.

ACOSTA: And how did you prepare for tonight, Roy? I mean, you know, I know you’re a pro at this. This is this is what you do. Any special preparations we should know about? Any special exercises maybe?

WOOD: Nothing. Nothing really out of the ordinary. I mean, it’s jokes. So you run them in the comedy club. But then there’s also certain parts of the material that, you know, it’s just for the people in the room. It’s elected officials, it’s members of the media. So you want to make sure that you’re doing something that speaks to their craft and what they do. But at the end of the day, this is a performance like every other performance I’ve done for the last 25 years of my career. So you approach it by getting on stage and whatever they don’t laugh at, don’t say that again. I’m actually working here today, but I it was funny. Y’all just don’t have no sense of humor, y’all drunk.

ACOSTA: Well, that is the problem in Washington. You just, it might be one or the other or both. But let me you know, Roy, as you know, there are there are times when the comedians do very well out there. There are times when it doesn’t work out so well. I mean, that’s pressure.

WOOD: Yeah, it’s definitely pressure, but it’s also a privilege. You know, it’s an opportunity to get on stage and not only crack a joke or two, but I get an opportunity to spit whatever I want back at elected officials and try to hold them accountable a little bit. I don’t think that there’s some magic joke tonight that’s going to fix all of the policies that are jacked up in Washington. But if you can at least say it, then at least the people that are suffering in those situations can feel like somebody has got their back.

ACOSTA: Absolutely. You’re doing a public service. There’s no question about it. Right. And I just just know that I will be ducking under the table if you look at my direction. So that. But thank you very much for being with us. Roy, great talking to you. Good luck tonight.

WOOD: Nah, you good, you good. If there’s anything to talk about at CNN, it’s not you.

ACOSTA: That’s a good point. Let’s not go down that road right now, if you don’t mind. But anyway, well, we don’t want to give any spoilers. We’ll let you do that later tonight. Roy, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

Watch the clip above, via CNN.

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