--- title: Allison Janney Appears as CJ Cregg at White House Briefing description: Allison Janney crashes the White House Press Briefing, a day before the White House Correspondents Dinner. canonical: https://time.com/4312740/allison-janney-cj-cregg-white-house-press-briefing-correspondents-dinner-west-wing/ author: Olivia B. Waxman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-04-29T18:20:28.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-05T08:50:21.944Z og:title: Watch The West Wing's CJ Cregg Crash the White House Press Briefing og:description: Allison Janney, who played the fictional press secretary, surprised reporters og:url: https://time.com/4312740/allison-janney-cj-cregg-white-house-press-briefing-correspondents-dinner-west-wing/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2d38107de393789e/69889141196cf42cdf03b68e/obama_waxm-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4161 og:image:height: 2341 og:image:alt: Obama_Waxm (1) og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Watch The West Wing's CJ Cregg Crash the White House Press Briefing twitter:description: Allison Janney, who played the fictional press secretary, surprised reporters twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2d38107de393789e/69889141196cf42cdf03b68e/obama_waxm-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Watch _The West Wing_'s 'CJ Cregg' Crash the White House Press Briefing > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. ## Video: TIME Raw: Watch Allison Janney Crash a White House Presser [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Raw: Watch Allison Janney Crash a White House Presser](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/85JOhGw2.m3u8) (2:46)  _Published 2016-04-29_  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer Apr 29, 2016 6:20 PM UTC  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer Apr 29, 2016 6:20 PM UTC Emmy Award-winning actress [Allison Janney](http://time.com/4270221/west-wing-podcast-joshua-malina/) reprised her role as C.J. Cregg, the White House Press Secretary on _The West Wing,_ in the press briefing room on Friday. The surprise appearance comes a day before the [White House Correspondents Dinner](http://time.com/4132476/larry-wilmore-nightly-show-white-house-correspondents-dinner/), the annual event in which the commander-in-chief becomes the comedian-in-chief and delivers a speech jam-packed with self-deprecating jokes and digs at friends and foes on both sides of the aisle. While the actress made some inside jokes from _The West Wing_ behind the podium — like explaining that the real press secretary Josh Earnest had to get a [root canal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVKUiqDcGm4), something that happened to her character — she also had a serious message to share. As the star of _Mom,_ the CBS sitcom about a single mom and recovering addict, “I’m here today to draw attention to the [opioid epidemic](http://time.com/4292290/how-obamacare-is-fueling-americas-opioid-epidemic/) and to celebrate those who are working to help others combat substance use disorder,” she said, [noting](https://www.whitehouse.gov/champions) that the White House is honoring 10 men and women in particular for such work. “All of us can help reduce drug abuse through evidence-based treatment, prevention, and recovery.” ## Transcript [00:03] [ NOISE ] Hi everyone, good afternoon. I was gonna tell [00:07] you all to be seated, but I see you are already seated [00:10] so we can begin. Josh is out today. He has, I believe [00:14] it's a root canal. [ LAUGH ] [00:17] Yeah, he has a root canal, but let's be honest, I'm [00:19] better at this than he is anyway, right, just between us. [00:23] First, I have two announcements, and then I'll take [00:25] questions. First, the President is still working on his [00:28] jokes for the White House Correspondents' Dinner. I [00:31] don't have any details on that other than he intends to [00:33] be funny. [ LAUGH ]. Very funny. Okay, and second, it [00:37] is Friday which means at half past five, I will be [00:40] performing the Jackal in my office for anyone who is [00:43] interested or remembers or cares. So now, I'll [00:48] take your questions. [ CROSSTALK ] Gosh, you're back. [00:51] This is not your show anymore. My gosh! I am [00:56] so sorry, I just was in town and I just wanted to [01:00] take a moment. I-- totally. This is your office. Well, [01:03] you're standing at the podium so you might as well use [01:06] it. In all seriousness. In all seriousness [ LAUGH ] What [01:12] do you mean, this is just happening. In [01:16] all seriousness, my name is Allison Janney, and I am [01:20] here today to draw attention to opioid epidemic and to [01:23] celebrate those who are working to help others calm [01:26] that substance abuse disorder. And I'm actually on a [01:29] show now called Mom And which deals with people in [01:32] recovery and I'm here with my co- creator and [01:35] Executive Producer Chuck Lorre, who is this issue is [01:38] very important to both of us. He's in the back there. [01:43] Today I'm here at the White House, ten individuals [01:46] from across the country will be honored as White [01:49] House Champions of Change. They've been selected [01:52] from over 900 nominations for the leadership [01:55] preventing prescription drug abuse and heroin use, [01:59] and for increasing access to treatment and to support [02:02] their fellow Americans in recovery, for supporting their [02:04] fellow Americans in recovery. This is a disease that can [02:08] touch anybody, and all of us can help reduce drug [02:11] abuse through evidenced Based treatment, prevention, [02:14] and recovery. Research shows it works. And [02:18] courageous Americans show it works everyday. I'm so [02:21] nervous I can't believe .>> [ LAUGH ] So thank you for [02:24] the opportunity to be here today and to highlight this [02:26] important issue. And now I will turn the podium to its [02:29] rightful owner. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Yeah, [02:33] sure. Who is President [ UNKNOWN ] supporting? Is it [02:36] the Democrats? I think you know the [02:41] answer to that question. Absolutely. Thank you, Alice. 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