Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Scary Bunnies And Sean Spicer: A History Of The White House Easter Egg Roll
President Trump delivers remarks from the Truman Balcony with first lady Melania Trump and someone dressed as a bunny during last year's Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn.
(
Chip Somodevilla
/
Getty Images
)
Updated April 10, 2023 at 11:22 AM ET
Updated on April 10, 2023: In keeping with tradition, the Easter Bunny joined the president for the White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday morning. According to NPR White House Correspondent Tamara Keith, the 2023 version of the Easter Bunny costume was "less creepy" than previous years. Here, a reminder from 2018 of some of the scarier bunnies from Easters past.
More than 30,000 people are expected for this year's White House Easter Egg Roll, and you can be pretty sure at least one of them will be wearing a terrifying bunny costume.
The tradition of rolling eggs on the White House's South Lawn began 140 years ago, officially dating back to Rutherford B. Hayes's administration.
Support for LAist comes from
Informal Easter festivities for children in the nation's capital go back even further. Schools in Washington D.C. used to close the day after Easter, so kids could "ramble at will on the fresh green grass of the Capitol," until Congress stepped in to ruin the fun with the ultimate "get off my lawn" move. The Turf Protection Act, passed in 1876, forbid using the Capitol grounds "as play-grounds."
That bill led President Hayes to open the White House grounds for the first official Easter egg roll in 1878.
In recent years, the focus hasn't been on the president, or the first lady, who officially hosts the event, but on another guest: the Easter bunny.
And more specifically, just how scary that costume is.
President Clinton, accompanied by the Easter Bunny, waves to White House visitors on the South Lawn during the White House Easter Egg Roll in 2000.
(
KHUE BUI
/
ASSOCIATED PRESS
)
"There will be hundreds of guests. Thousands of eggs," The Washington Post's Jose DelReal wrote in anticipation for 2015's egg roll. "And one very, very creepy-looking giant bunny."
NPR has also documented the terror.
Support for LAist comes from
"I've witnessed such inconsolable fear myself," wrote NPR's Frank James in 2011. "I once attended one of these South Lawn rolls and saw the toddler child of a friend shriek at the sight of a bunny the size of a man.
"Only leaving the White House grounds calmed the youngster."
President Obama, and the Easter Bunny, stand during the National Anthem at the 2014 White House Easter Egg Roll.
(
SAUL LOEB
/
AFP/Getty Images
)
President George W. Bush, however, did not seem frightened.
President George W. Bush pauses to embrace a person dressed as the Easter Bunny during the Easter Egg Roll in 2008.
(
Chip Somodevilla
/
Getty Images
)
While spectators have been focused on the creepy costume for years, in 2017 the Trump administration ushered in a new era of intrigue: who is the person inside the lagomorph suit?
Social media erupted last year with photos of then-press secretary Sean Spicer dressed as the bunny in the mid-2000s, leading Melissa McCarthy to reprise her Spicer impersonation, in a bunny suit.
Support for LAist comes from
Sean Spicer's humble beginnings as the White House Easter Bunny pic.twitter.com/sczyX8QJVq
— jordan (@JordanUhl) March 3, 2017
This year's egg roll will take place Monday morning. A White House announcement promises lawn bowling, egg decorating, and of course, "costumed characters."
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDA1OTI3MjQ5MDEyODUwMTE2MzM1YzNmZA004))
Happy Easter! pic.twitter.com/QiLjKcX2lJ
— The Obama Foundation (@ObamaFoundation) April 1, 2018
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline. -
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs.
-
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
Best of LAist