Oz the Mentalist Announced as Headline Entertainer for White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Ahmad Austin Jr.Feb 26th, 2026, 10:30 am

Oz Pearlman attends Z100’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball at Madison Square Garden on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

The White House Correspondents’ Association announced Thursday that mentalist Oz Pearlman will be the headliner for April’s Correspondents’ Dinner.

Football fans will likely recognize Pearlman — most commonly known by his stage name Oz the Mentalist — due to the fact that he’s regularly booked for performances with NFL and college football teams. In the viral clips, Pearlman appears to read the minds of players by revealing information about them that he shouldn’t realistically know. Mentalism relies on a deep understanding of behavioral sciences and the ability to pick up on cues like body language.

The mentalist at Michigan: @OzTheMentalist returns to his alma mater to wow Michigan’s No. 2-ranked football team. pic.twitter.com/C3pkveHeKY

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2023

For those who missed it on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown, the great Oz the Mentalist works his magic with the Baltimore Ravens. pic.twitter.com/wpf87NsNaR

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 25, 2022

The statement published by the WHCA read:

“As the world’s most celebrated mentalist, Oz Pearlman will offer a fascinating glimpse into what’s truly on the minds of Washington’s newsmakers,” said Weijia Jiang, president of the association. “We look forward to an exciting, fresh, and interactive evening as we celebrate the First Amendment and Washington news coverage together.”

Pearlman is an Emmy Award winner and New York Times bestselling author whose performances have amazed fans around the world while performing for their favorite sports teams, A-list celebrities and major global brands.

“I am thrilled to be the featured entertainer at this year’s WHCA dinner and join the ranks of Frank Sinatra, Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien, among many other legends,” said Pearlman. “This is a rare opportunity to gather so many accomplished, perceptive people in one place and invite them to share moments of wonder, surprise and awe.”

At the time of writing, it was unknown of President Donald Trump will attend the dinner. Trump has traditionally skipped it due to his longstanding feud with the press.

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