
The 'Daily Show' comedian and host of the 2017 White House Correspondents' dinner Hasan Minhaj mocked everyone from Bill O'Reilly to the 45th President himself during the annual event.

President Donald Trump, who was conspicuously absent for the proceedings, took the brunt of the jokes, with Minhaj referring to him as the 'Liar in Chief'.

'We've got to address the elephant that's not in the room,' cracked the entertainment headliner.

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The 'Daily Show' comedian and host of the 2017 White House Correspondents' dinner Hasan Minhaj mocked everyone from Bill O'Reilly to the 45th President himself during the annual event

Donald Trump held a rally commemorating his first 100 days in office on Saturday night instead of attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner

Hasan Minhaj (R) of Comedy Central walks past veteran Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward (C) and Reuters Editor-in-Chief Steve Adler (L) as he takes the lectern to perform at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington

The Daily Show correspondent Hasan Minhaj entertains the guests at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington

President Trump, who was conspicuously absent for the proceedings, took the brunt of the jokes, with Minhaj referring to him as the 'Liar in Chief'.

Members of the head table applaud as Hasan Minhaj (2nd R) of Comedy Central finishes his performance at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner

'The leader of our country is not here. And that's because he lives in Moscow. It's a very long flight. As for the other guy, I think he's in Pennsylvania because he can't take a joke.'

Trump was indeed in Pennsylvania, having scheduled a rally in Harrisburg to mark his 100th day in office. He began his remarks with a lengthy if familiar attack on the news media while dismissing the dinner and its participants.

The dinner has gotten particularly favorable reviews this year by a number of media outlets for it's lack of glitz and glam that come with Hollywood Stars, and renewed focus on praising the First Amendment and Freedom of Press.

Following impassioned speeches by the WCHA President and legendary Watergate journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, Minhaj explained that he was asked not to make fun of the absent President in absentia, because it would be childish.

However, he proceeded anyway, saying that he was just echoing Trump's rhetoric, and pointing out that he looks like he'd been roasted for 70 straight years.

He made a point out the fact that the entire Trump administration decided to skip the night's festivities, calling out the President's different aides individually.

'I do not see Steve Bannon,' he said repeatedly, slowing the words 'not see' down, giving the effect of saying 'Nazi- Steve Bannon'.

'Jeff Sessions couldn't be here tonight, he was too busy doing a pre-Civil war reenactment. On his RSVP he just wrote just wrote no - which happens to be his second favorite N-word.'

Though most of the attacks were centered on the new administration, Minhaj did take turns roasting different news organizations, and the media as a whole

Members of different media and news organizations all gathered for the 2017 dinner, in which they were roasted for a number of different things

The Daily Show correspondent Hasan Minhaj and his wife Beena pose for photographs

HASAN MINHAJ'S TOP JOKES OF THE 2017 WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' ASSOCIATION DINNER Referring to the absent President Trump: 'We've got to address th elephant that's not in the room. The leader of our country is not here. And that's because he lives in Moscow. It's a very long flight. As for the other guy, I think he's in Pennsylvania because he can't take a joke.'

Talking directly to CNN reporters: 'CNN is here baby, now, you guys have got some really weird methods. You aren't fake news, but not everything is breaking news.'

'I'm amazed Fox News even showed up. It's hard to trust you guys when you back a guy like Bill O'Reilly for years. Then, you gave him a 25 million dollar package - making it the only package he won't make a woman touch. In his defense, a close friend of his (referring to President Trump), once told him if you're a celebrity you can do whatever you want.'

'Nate Silver told me there would be a 74.1 per cent chance that this joke would kill. I believed you Nate, I believed you.'

'Sean Spicer has somehow been doing PR since 1999, which is 18 years. Somehow, after 18 years, his go to move was denying the Holocaust.'

Referring to the way that the media has covered Trump's Presidency so far: 'We're 100 days in, 1030 days to go. You guys are running the marathon, and I'm at the half-mile mark, giving you take for your nipples.'

Speaking about the Vice President, he said: 'Mike Pence wanted to be here tonight, but his wife wouldn't let him because apparently one of you ladies is ovulating, so good job ladies.'

'Jeff Sessions couldn't be here tonight, he was too busy doing a pre-Civil war reenactment. On his RSVP he just wrote just wrote no - which happens to be his second favorite N-word.'

'I do not see Steve Bannon,' he said repeatedly, slowing the words 'not see' down,. giving the effect of saying 'Nazi- Steve Bannon.'

Speaking about the fact that he is a first generation Indian American Muslim, he referred to the President as: 'The orange man behind the Muslim ban' Advertisement

Speaking about the Vice President, he said: 'Mike Pence wanted to be here tonight, but his wife wouldn't let him because apparently one of you ladies is ovulating, so good job ladies.'

'Now, Ivanka Trump isn't here either, but I wish he was so I could ask her the question we are all thinking. Why?' He joked about the First Daughter.

Minhaj then went straight for the jugular on the president, saying: 'Donald Trump is liar in chief.'

He also made sure to bring up Trump's chief spokesman, saying 'I don't see Sean Spicer here tonight because I think he's at home googling how to fake his own death.'

Journalists and members of the media laugh as Minhaj makes fun of news networks and of the Trump administration at length

Minhaj was given a standing ovation at the end of his attack, which he finished off by saying: 'Donald Trump doesn't care about free speech. The man who tweets everything that enters his head doesn't care about the amendment which lets him do that'

Though most of the attacks were centered on the new administration, Minhaj did take turns roasting different news organizations, and the media as a whole.

'We're 100 days in, 1030 days to go,' he told the audience, explaining that he was rooting for their continued coverage of President Trump, but that they needed to calm down.

'You guys are running the marathon, and I'm at the half-mile mark, giving you take for your nipples.'

Minhaj was given a standing ovation at the end of his attack, which he finished off by saying: 'Donald Trump doesn't care about free speech. The man who tweets everything that enters his head doesn't care about the amendment which lets him do that.'

Minaj's speech followed impassioned speeches by legendary Watergate journalists Carl Bernstein (R) and Bob Woodward (L), who spoke about the importance of honest political journalism and holding the President to the highest standard

Legends: Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein attend the 2017 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at Washington Hilton

To finish things out, he went further into being asked not to make fun of Trump during his roast.

'I was asked not to road the President,' he said. 'And I completely understand that there's a combative relationship between the press and the White House.

'However, I had to make the decision. Do I just try to fit in and not ruffle feathers, or do I say what I really feel?' he asked.

He then continued, making a pointed reference to the First Amendment, 'Only in America can the first generation Indian American Muslim kid get on the stage and make fun of the President.'

This line echoed the overall message of the night, which was the importance of journalistic integrity and holding the President to the highest standard.

Some of the most pointed words were spoken by Watergate legends Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.

Bernstein was applauded raucously for his repeated use of the word 'lies,' a word which has become freighted with meaning as a series of mainstream media outlets have put aside years of convention to accuse Trump of lying directly - something most did not even do to Bill Clinton at the height of the Monica Lewinsky affair.

'Follow the Money - but also follow the lies,' he said. 'Our job is to put the best obtainable version of the truth out there. Period. Especially now.'

Woodward, initially struck a more conciliatory note, 'The press, especially the so called mainstream media, comes under attack during presidential campaigns and their aftermath,' he began.

He then quickly turned on Trump: 'The effort today to get this best obtainable version of the truth is largely done in good faith.

'Mr President, the media is not fake news. Let's take that off the table as we proceed.'

Trump is pictured surrounded by supporters holding sings including 'Women for Trump,' 'Drain the Swamp' and 'Make America Strong Again'

The President made a stand by not attending the dinner on Saturday night, and instead renewed his fierce battle with the nation's political press corps at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He spoke to a crowd of nearly 10,000 people, which he claimed 'broke the all-time record' for the arena.

'There's another big gathering taking place tonight in Washington, D.C.,' he said, drawing a chorus of boos.

'A large group of Hollywood actors and Washington media are consoling each other in a hotel ballroom in our nation's capital right now,' he said, insisting that 'I could not possibly be more thrilled to be more than 100 miles away from Washington's swamp.'

Trump also said he had attracted 'a much, much larger crowd – and much better people.

Reporters from CNN and MSNBC, outlets that have historically been antagonistic toward the president, 'would actually rather be here' instead of at the dinner, he said.

'They would love to be with us right here tonight. But they're trapped at the dinner, which will be very, very boring.'

'The media,' he said, 'deserves a very, very big, fat fat failing grade' for its coverage of his first 100 days in office.

He singled out 'the failing New York Times,' saying its poor financial management has forced it to shrink its print edition past the point where 'pretty soon they'll only be on the Internet.'

'The paper's getting smaller and smaller. Did you ever notice? It's starting to look like a comic book.'