WHCA Announces Renowned Mentalist Oz Pearlman as Entertainer for Annual Dinner
The White House Correspondents’ Association is delighted to announce famed mentalist Oz Pearlman will be the headline entertainer at its annual dinner in Washington on Saturday April 25, 2026.
“As the world’s most celebrated mentalist, Oz Pearlman will offer a fascinating glimpse into what’s truly on the minds of Washington’s newsmakers,” said Weijia Jiang, president of the association. “We look forward to an exciting, fresh, and interactive evening as we celebrate the First Amendment and Washington news coverage together.”
Pearlman is an Emmy Award winner and New York Times bestselling author whose performances have amazed fans around the world while performing for their favorite sports teams, A-list celebrities and major global brands.
“I am thrilled to be the featured entertainer at this year’s WHCA dinner and join the ranks of Frank Sinatra, Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien, among many other legends,” said Pearlman. “This is a rare opportunity to gather so many accomplished, perceptive people in one place and invite them to share moments of wonder, surprise and awe.”
The WHCA dinner is traditionally attended by senior government officials and members of the news media. Proceeds from the dinner help finance all the WHCA’s work, including awards recognizing excellence in the profession and scholarships for journalism students.
About the WHCA
The WHCA comprises hundreds of members from the worlds of print, television, radio and online journalism. Their work, for outlets based in the United States and overseas, reaches a global audience.
Since its founding in 1914, the association has worked to ensure the journalists who cover the White House have the ability to seek answers from powerful officials, up to and including the president. That includes everything from advocating for access and managing the pools of reporters who stay close to the president to logistics for the press corps following the president around the world.
More About Oz Pearlman
What began as a childhood fascination with magic evolved into a lifelong passion—and ultimately a global career that has redefined modern mentalism.
After several successful years on Wall Street, Oz made the decision to pursue entertainment full-time. Nearly three decades later, he continues to amaze audiences worldwide.
A breakout star on NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Oz captivated the nation week after week with original, never-before-seen mentalism routines. He later joined an elite group that includes David Blaine and David Copperfield by headlining his own network television special. Oz Knows aired multiple times on NBC to rave reviews and earned Oz an Emmy Award the following year.
His appearances on Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football have been viewed over 1 billion times, leading the NFL to invite him to become the first variety performer of his kind to appear on television immediately prior to the Super Bowl. He has made over 200 television and major media appearances on national and international networks, including 60 Minutes, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The TODAY Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Joe Rogan Experience, HBO, ABC World News, NBC News, CBS, ESPN, CNBC, NFL Network, Bravo and Fox Business.
Oz calls New York City home, where he considers his wife and five children his greatest achievements. He is a New York Times bestselling author of Read Your Mind: Proven Habits for Success from the World’s Greatest Mentalist and an elite endurance athlete. Oz has completed some of the world’s most grueling races, including the Badwater 135, the Hawaii Ironman World Championships, Western States 100 and Spartathlon. He holds a marathon personal best of 2:23 and has won dozens of races nationwide.
In April 2022, Oz was featured on the cover of The New York Times after breaking the world record for the most miles ever run around Central Park in a single day—116 miles—while raising over $100,000 for Save the Children’s Ukraine Relief Fund. Later that year, he shattered the record for the fastest crossing of Long Island on foot, running from Montauk to Manhattan in just 21 hours on the hottest day of the summer.
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For more, contact WHCA Executive Director Steve Thomma at director@whca.press