WASHINGTON (AP) – A former Politico journalist is poking a hole in the bubble that surrounds one of Washington’s biggest, celebrity-obsessed weekends with his new documentary “Nerd Prom.”
The film by Patrick Gavin, released online this month, takes a critical look at the White House Correspondents Association dinner and the slew of parties and VIP receptions that now span several days around the main event.
The official dinner draws the president to the stage to make some jokes, and many attendees spend the night posing for selfies with celebrity guests. This year’s dinner is set for Saturday. Film producers plan to release “Nerd Prom” on iTunes, Amazon and Netflix in the coming months.
Gavin spoke with The Associated Press about how he found the dinner that honors journalists and raises money for scholarships has drifted from its original purpose.
AP: What did you set out to do with this film, and what turned you toward critiquing this event?