'I was brought in to unite': Mentalist Oz Pearlman to host White House Correspondents' Dinner

Source: ABC News

April 19, 2026, 1:43 PM


Oz Pearlman, better known by many as Oz the Mentalist, has stunned some of the world's richest and most powerful people with his ability to seemingly read their minds and conjure up information even their closest friends wouldn't have access to. But Pearlman will be the first to tell you he's not actually reading anyone's mind. He's just reading people.

As this year's host of the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Pearlman is facing perhaps his toughest match yet: the sitting president of the United States, Donald Trump.

"This will be a career-defining moment," Pearlman told ABC News' "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl. "I think it's going to be the ultimate challenge, and it's also the most authentic, genuine reaction, because when I do things, the easiest solution is always, 'Well, they're in on it, right?'". "President Trump, you know, everyone knows is not going to be in on anything," Pearlman said.

Pearlman is also excited by the makeup of the rest of the crowd: "I think it's an incredible opportunity, just in terms of being in a room full of skeptical journalists. That is my bread and butter, to amaze people that like getting to the bottom of things."

Read more: https://abcnews.com/Politics/brought-unite-mentalist-oz-pearlman-host-white-house/story?id=132181500