President Obama delivered a pointed and entertaining speech during his final White House Correspondents' Dinner as president.
He finished by poking fun at each of the presidential candidates still running in the 2016 race, saying "And with that, I just have two more words to say: 'Obama Out.'"
Obama drops the mic #WHCD https://t.co/1FIKzrf8Kb https://t.co/rQ6OtMTehd
— CNN (@CNN) May 1, 2016
But despite his dramatic mic drop, another moment during the so-called Nerd Prom gained mixed responses from the crowd.
While the president didn't seem offended, putting his hand to his chest endearingly and giving Wilmore a hug, many social media users took to Twitter to voice outrage and confusion.
Love Obama beaming and thumping his chest at Wilmore's conclusion. Says it all. Paying no mind to the haters. #ObamaOut #WHCD
— Billy Glidden (@BillyGlidden) May 1, 2016
@Mr_RHolmes3 you were quoted in a story by @TIME https://t.co/9j78TQcIiZ
— Recite Social (@ReciteSocial) May 1, 2016
I really didn't think Larry Wilmore was that funny and to end using the "N" word with the President was not cool in my opinion.
— Alyssa Fox (@AFoxisblsd) May 1, 2016
@somimusic you were quoted in an article by @TIME https://t.co/9j78TQcIiZ
— Recite Social (@ReciteSocial) May 1, 2016
Others weren't bothered by the comment.
Rev. Al Sharpton spoke out against Wilmore's use of the word.
"Many of us are against using the N-word, period," Sharpton said at MSNBC's afterparty following the event. "But to say that to the President of the United States in front of the top people in media was at best in poor taste."
Wilmore made other race-related jokes earlier in his speech.
“As long as he keeps being black, I’m good,” Wilmore said, adding that he voted for the president because of their shared race.
He started with this: "Welcome to Negro Night here, or as they say at Fox, ‘two thugs disrupting an elegant dinner’ in Washington."
And then: "Some of America’s finest black journalists are here tonight. Don Lemon is here too."
Then there was this: "A little bit about me, I am a black man who replaced a white man who pretended to be a TV newscaster. So in that way, Lester Holt and I have a lot in common."
And this: "Hillary Clinton was flustered when a Black Lives Matters, protester challenged her. Man, whoa, I haven’t seen a white lady being that upset about being blindsided by a black person since Kelly Ripa," Wilmore joked.
"You guys are tough, man!" the comedian said to the audience at one point.
He finished on a more serious note.
"When I was a kid, I lived in a country where people couldn't accept a black quarterback. Now think about that: A black man was thought by his mere color not good enough to lead a football team. And now, to live in your time, Mr. President, when a black man can lead the entire free world."
Cox Media Group
