Will Ferrell returns as Bush for Samantha Bee's 'Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner'

— -- The White House Correspondents' Dinner wasn't the only see-and-be-seen soiree in the nation's capital Saturday night.

Samantha Bee, host of TBS's "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," hosted a correspondents' dinner counter-event earlier in the day: The appropriately-titled "Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner." The non-profit Committee to Protect Journalists will receive proceeds from the event's broadcast.

Among the celebrities who descended upon DAR Constitution Hall, were Alysia Reiner of "Orange Is the New Black," Retta of "Parks and Recreation," Padma Lakshmi of "Top Chef," Ana Gasteyer of "People of Earth," Ashley Nicole Black of "Full Frontal," and Matt Walsh of "Veep." George Takei and Patton Oswalt made cameos in pre-taped segments, including one in which Allison Janney reprised her "West Wing" role as press secretary C.J. Cregg.

But the star attraction of the event -- which featured guests roasting President Trump -- was "Saturday Night Live" alum Will Ferrell reprising his legendary George W. Bush impersonation.

"How do you like me now?" he said to the audience, which roared with laughter. "The prodigal son has returned. I don't know what that means, but I know it's positive. It's very prodigal."

Among the jabs Bee took at the president, were jokes about the wall along the Mexico-U.S. border.

"I know it looks like we have a cash bar," she joked, "but as I promised on the invitation, at a later date I will get Mexico to pay for your drinks."

And speaking to the journalists in the room, she said, "as much as I love poking at the media, I know your job has never been harder: You basically get paid to stand in a cage while a geriatric orangutan gets to scream at you -- it's like a reverse zoo."

The comedian, 47, previously told reporters during a conference call that the event was meant to be a "prom for the nerds not invited to the nerd prom."

When White House Correspondents’ Association President Jeff Mason was asked about Bee's event by the Washington Post, although he didn't mention her event specifically, he did say that the WHCA planned to move forward with its event.

"The WHCA looks forward to hosting our annual dinner this year as we do every year to celebrate the First Amendment, reward some of the finest reporting of the past year and recognize promising young student journalists," his statement read.