Obama press dinner turns into weeklong extravaganza

President Obama’s first White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner has the feel of a political convention with a touch of Oscar glamour.

Excitement surrounding the Obamas’ entrance into the White House has turned next Saturday’s dinner into a weeklong parade of non-stop parties, A-list celebrities, dinners and brunches.

Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Natalie Portman, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Val Kilmer, Bradley Cooper, Kyra Sedgwick, Tyra Banks, Kerry Washington, Anne Hathaway, Eva Longoria Parker, Kevin Bacon, Jon Hamm, Forest Whitaker, Ed Westick, Jessica Szohr, Jon Bon Jovi and Kate Walsh are just a sampling of the bold-face names scheduled to attend.

And that might not be everyone who’ll be in town next week. Several news organizations have declined to release their guest lists — mainly because they’re waiting on the celebrities to confirm. Last-minute attendances and day-before cancellations are all part of the headaches that go into planning the high-profile event.