Brittney and Cherelle Griner to Attend Correspondents' Dinner with CBS News in Full-Circle Moment (Exclusive)
The WNBA star and her wife join a star-studded list of guests set to appear during Washington's biggest night of the year — including the president himself
Brittney and Cherelle Griner will attend the 2023 White House Correspondents' Dinner as esteemed guests of CBS News on Saturday night, nearly five months after the WNBA star was freed from Russian detainment in a high-profile prisoner swap coordinated by the Biden administration.
The Griners' surprise addition to the WHCD guest list will put them in the presence of the journalists and administration officials who fought for Brittney's release — including President Joe Biden — bringing their emotional journey full-circle.
The duo, on the heels of celebrating Cherelle formally becoming a lawyer, will be seated at a table with CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King, CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell and Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan.
Related:Brittney and Cherelle Griner's Relationship Timeline
Brittney was arrested in Russia in February 2022 after officials allegedly found vape cartridges containing hash oil, an illegal substance in the country, in her luggage. She was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison on drug smuggling charges.
Following widespread calls to negotiate her release, the Biden administration was able to get her home through a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout on Dec. 8.
Brittney announced earlier this month that she will tell her "raw, emotional" story of her arrest and 10-month detainment in Russia in a new memoir, which is slated to be released next year.
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During a rare weekend where politics, media and pop culture merge in Washington, D.C., CBS News is aiming to steal the spotlight with its slate of guests. In addition to bringing the Griners and noteworthy D.C. figures like Reps. Maxwell Frost and Nancy Mace, the network has invited Rosario Dawson, BD Wong, Justin Hartley, Sofia Pernas, Jerry O'Connell, Rebecca Romijn and Julia Fox to attend.
The network is also celebrating WHCD weekend with pre- and post-dinner events, hosting an early evening reception with Politico at the Washington Hilton on Saturday and following the dinner with an exclusive after-party at the French Ambassador's Residence, co-hosted by Ambassador Laurent Bili and fellow Paramount brands BET, Comedy Central and Pluto TV.
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