Comedian Larry Wilmore to host White House correspondents' dinner

The White House Correspondents' Association said Comedy Central late-night host Larry Wilmore would headline its annual April dinner, which is known for its playful ribbing of both politicians and the news media.

The host of "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore" will be the main performer at the mixer of Washington's political and media elite, the association said on Wednesday.

Wilmore's "edgy, even provocative, brand of humor means he's certainly up to the task of skewering politicians of all ideological stripes," association President Carol Lee said in a statement.

"We don't expect the nation's news media to escape unscathed, either," said Lee, a Wall Street Journal reporter.

Before hosting his own show, Wilmore wrote for NBC's "The Office" and appeared on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" as the "senior black correspondent."

He took to Twitter to respond to the announcement Wednesday, tweeting: "I'm beyond excited for this!"

The association will also honor student scholarship recipients at the April 30 dinner.

Past performers at the event, which has been held for more than eight decades, include Jay Leno, Steven Colbert, Cedric the Entertainer and Conan O'Brien. Last year, "Saturday Night Live" performer Cecily Strong became the fourth woman ever to headline it.

(Reporting by Megan Cassella; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)