Mediaite Q&A: Fox’s Jimmy Failla Dishes On His Live Show from the WCHD and Why He’s Expecting Trump to Go Full ‘Don Rickles’

(George Walker IV/AP photo)

The political and media elite are getting ready for a highly-anticipated White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night, and Fox News host Jimmy Failla will be there to capture a wild scene that he likens to a “keg party.”

“The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is the Super Bowl of the D.C. Party Circuit, and with that in mind, I’m trying to give viewers as much access to the debauchery as I can,” Failla told Mediaite in a brief interview Friday.

Failla will be hosting a special edition of Fox News Saturday Night live from the Washington Hilton starting at 9 p.m. ET. And while the dinner has been something of a ho-hum affair in recent years, all eyes are on the event this time around — as President Donald Trump is attending for the first time since 2015. And when the president takes the stage, Jimmy Failla is expecting a full-on roast.

“They’ll introduce him as Don Trump, but I’m expecting Don Rickles,” Failla said.

We caught up briefly with Failla to find out the particulars behind what is sure to be a fascinating event.

Mediaite: This seems like a very unique broadcast — happening live onsite during the dinner. Take us through how this is all going to work.

Jimmy Failla: The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is the Super Bowl of the D.C. Party Circuit, and with that in mind, I’m trying to give viewers as much access to the debauchery as I can. We’ll have tons of live interviews and a LIVE TEXT feature so people watching at home can communicate with us in real time and be featured on the show. We’ll obviously pre-screen the content so don’t go sending us a picture of your breasts. Talking to you, Brian Noem.

Are you expecting people to step out during the dinner to chat with you?

Totally! We’ve booked two live guests for every segment, so expect a healthy mix of Fox personalities and a few from Rival Networks. The last time I hosted this show, we had Lester Holt, Al Roker, and even Jordan Klepper and Desi Lydic from The Daily Show. Again, I’m trying to give viewers ONE NIGHT where it’s not about the Republican Party or the Democrat Party, it’s just a KEG PARTY.

Anyone who’s seen you over the years knows you’re not afraid to make some bold fashion statements. Tell us how big a role fashion is going to play in the broadcast Saturday night. Are you planning to go full Joan Rivers?

You better believe I am busting out a FINE TUXEDO from my “overweight figure skater collection” for this one. And I have to tell you, I love this question so much because Joan was one of my idols, and everyone knows that if they ever made a Mount Rushmore for Comedy, Joan Rivers’ face would definitely be on it. We’d just have to decide WHICH face.

How many times have you been to the dinner before? What have your experiences been like? And how do you expect it will be different with this being President Trump’s first visit while in office?

This will be my fourth trip to the Correspondents’ Dinner, and it really lives up to its billing as “Nerd Prom.” There’s such an insane mix of celebrities and media figures, it feels like NBA All-Star Weekend for people who were picked LAST in GYM. But President Trump attending brings this to another level because it puts everyone in the splash zone. Trump is not a “material” comedian who sticks to a script, he’s more of a “crowd work” comic who goes after the audience off the top of his head. So they’ll introduce him as Don Trump, but I’m expecting Don Rickles.

Who, among the expected dinner attendees Saturday night, would you most like to have on the show?

I love playing in the sandbox with rival networks, so hopefully we can get someone super fun like [MS NOW’s] Symone Sanders-Townsend, who probably hates every single political view I hold, but would end up liking me because we own a lot of the same sport jackets.

——

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!