By Maura Judkis, Washington Whispers
"Nerd Prom" isn't just a cute moniker for the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, held Saturday night. Dressed up in their tuxes and gowns, journalists revert back to their high school ways: President Obama is prom king, and a ballroom of antsy guests tolerate the ceremonial main event, but eagerly anticipate the after-parties.
Those parties have a hierarchy of their own, with the Bloomberg/Vanity Fair event at the French Ambassador's residence accessible to only the coolest of the cool, such as Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, actors Scarlett Johannson, Jessica Alba, Morgan Freeman, designer Donatella Versace, the Jonas Brothers, and Matthew Morrison of Glee, among dozens of other celebs better-known for gracing the cover of People than Politico.
But when an organization decides to host a party for the first time, it shakes up the social scene. Last year, the Capitol File party was a hot spot for those uninvited to the more exclusive Bloomberg affair, but this year, MSNBC decided to throw a bash at the Mellon Auditorium, drawing celebs such as Jon Bon Jovi, Alec Baldwin, Olympian Lindsey Vonn, and Gabourey Sidibe of "Precious." That left Capitol File's party a tad lower in star wattage: among the celebrities who attended the local magazine's bash were Dennis Quaid, in town to talk healthcare reform, web publisher Arianna Huffington and Wolf Blitzer, of CNN. Party-hopping celebs who made an appearance before moving on to other events included Ashley Judd, Ewan McGregor, and Kim Kardashian.
But at the party Arianna Huffington took a brief turn in the DJ booth. She and Blitzer watched the action from a VIP balcony above the dance floor for much of the party, but were seen posing for pictures with fans near the bar towards the end of the event.
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