Our favorite bit from the lavish, no-expenses-spared, “night at Versailles” styled state dinner last night was word that reporters actually questioned why some of the “luminaries” were there, at taxpayer expense, wining and dining at an event when the White House claims it can’t afford to put on a traditional Hannakkah celebration.

Alfre Woodard, who was not, as some believe, either one of the reporters talking to Deep Throat about Nixon or that puppet that ate cats on NBC twenty years ago, was asked why she, randomly, was invited to the state dinner:  “I don’t know why I’m here” was the best she could offer.  When pressed if she knew what connection she had to India that required her attendance, she said, “I know where India is.  I’ve heard of it.  I’ve had Indian food before, too, and it was good, mostly”.

Blair Underwood, who was not, as some believe, either an American Idol winner or the character played by Lisa Welchel on Facts of Life, was also asked why he was invited to the state dinner. “Uh, because Alfre Woodard was, I guess.  I don’t know why I’m here either.”

Chicago native Jennifer Hudson was one of the entertainers last night, which we heartily approve of, because Hudson is a wonderful, wonderful young woman.  Randomly, a year or so ago, before she won the Oscar, we ran into her at a restaurant near the Southside where a friend we were with knew her personally and got the chance to talk to her for a bit — she is every bit as nice and friendly as you would imagine, so we’re glad she got a chance to go to the White House and sing there.  She is a good ambassador for the City of Chicago, so it makes sense for the Chicago president to invite her to entertain him. Kudos to her.

But, Alfre Woodard and Blair Underwood?  If the guest list needed random black actors, why not Forrest Whitacker and Angela Bassett?  Has Underwood done anything relevant since L.A. Law?  And Woodard stunk up Wisteria Lane on Desperate Housewives a few seasons back.  Too bad Lynne Thigpen is dead, because she would have been a great, random state dinner guest — maybe she would have come dressed as “The Chief” from her Carmen Sandiego days, and could have told the other guests about India, since that was a show about geography and many of the Hollywood luminaries barely have high school educations so they might have benefitted from that.

What other random people should the White House have invited with no connection whatsoever to India besides having heard of it, maybe, and having eaten Indian food a few times in the past?

Who would you have invited?