White House Correspondents' Dinner 2019 Won't Have Comedian Host, Historian Ron Chernow Will Take on Duties

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is breaking from tradition in 2019.

The event, set to take place on April 27, 2019, will be hosted by historian Ron Chernow. Usually, a comedian has hosted the event. Last year’s host Michelle Wolf was embroiled in controversy after statements made during the event.

“I’m delighted that Ron will share his lively, deeply researched perspectives on American politics and history at the 2019 White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” Olivier Knox, Chief Washington Correspondent for SiriusXM and president of the WHCA, told Deadline. “As we celebrate the importance of a free and independent news media to the health of the republic, I look forward to hearing Ron place this unusual moment in the context of American history.”

“The White House Correspondents’ Association has asked me to make the case for the First Amendment and I am happy to oblige,” Ron added in a statement. “Freedom of the press is always a timely subject and this seems like the perfect moment to go back to basics. My major worry these days is that we Americans will forget who we are as a people and historians should serve as our chief custodians in preserving that rich storehouse of memory. While I have never been mistaken for a stand-up comedian, I promise that my history lesson won’t be dry.”

Donald Trump has not attended the event the past two years.