Emmy award-winning comedian Conan O'Brien headlined the 2013 White House Correspondents' Association's annual dinner on Saturday evening, with the event's more than $100,000 in proceeds earmarked for 16 academic scholarships for the next generation of journalists.

Both President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama attended the sold-out black tie affair, which was held inside the cavernous ballroom of the Washington Hilton hotel. And as in 2012, the First Lady agreed to help hand out scholarships on-stage to those high school student recipients that were present at the dinner.

This year's association president, FOX News Chief White House Correspondent Ed Henry, sought to refocus the night away from its celebrity guests (Nicole Kidman, Steven Spielberg, Katy Perry, Barbra Streisand, Kevin Spacey, etc.) and back onto the promotion of journalism education.

Scholarship and award recipients, along with over 100 other lucky VIP guests, had the opportunity to briefly meet with both POTUS and FLOTUS during a private VIP reception also held at the hotel just prior to the dinner.

As is tradition, the President delivered his own set of jokes first during the event, before ceding the podium (and gavel) to O'Brien. The late night talk show host was then in the unenviable position of following the Comedian-in-Chief.

But O'Brien still managed to deliver a well-timed standup routine, no doubt helped by the fact that he had already headlined the dinner once before back in 1995.

All photographs by Daniel P. Swartz for the White House Correspondents' Association.