At the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on April 25, 2026, Michael Glantz, a senior agent at Creative Artists Agency, became the internet's unlikely hero by refusing to panic during one of the most chaotic nights in WHCD in recent memory.
According to Fox News, several videos circulating online showed Glantz seated and snacking as President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Cabinet officials were evacuated from the Washington Hilton ballroom after gunshots rang out nearby.
The New York Times spoke to Glantz after the videos went viral. "I'm a New Yorker," he told the outlet. "We live with sirens and activity happening all the time. I wasn't scared. There are hundreds of Secret Service agents hurtling themselves over tables and chairs, and I wanted to watch."
Thank you for the shout out. I wish it was mashed potatoes. It was burrata. I honestly wasn’t scared at all. I was watching the action. It was quite a night. And for the record, I would definitely pass on the food, but I just wanted a little nibble.
— Michael Glantz (@michaeljglantz) April 26, 2026
"First of all, I have a bad back. I couldn't get on the floor, and if I did get on the floor, they'd have to bring in people to get me off the floor. And No. 2, I'm a hygiene freak. There was no freaking way I was getting in my new tux on the dirty Hilton floor. It was not happening," he explained.
CNN's Christiane Amanpour identified Glantz as her agent on X, writing: "Calm, collected and carrying on in a scary crisis, my super cool agent Michael Glantz." CNN's Brian Stelter also named him on the platform, confirming the identity of the salad man the whole world was looking for.
Meanwhile, the reason WHCD erupted into chaos in the first place was anything but funny. According to the Department of Justice, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, ran through a magnetometer on the Terrace Level of the hotel holding a long gun and opened fire.
A Secret Service officer wearing a ballistic vest was shot once in the chest. The officer drew his weapon and fired back multiple times. Allen fell to the ground with minor injuries and was arrested.
Shout out to THIS guy who decided to take a spoonful of his mashed potatoes while ducking and covering after tonight's WHCD shooting. No way he was passing up on that free food, even with Secret Service having their guns drawn out. ? ? pic.twitter.com/T14TxvOllC
— Gunz (@TheGunzShow) April 26, 2026
Allen left behind what officials described as a written "manifesto," in which he expressed his intent to target Trump administration officials at WHCD. In a message sent to family members shortly before the attack, he referred to himself as a "friendly federal assassin" and criticized the Trump government policies.
Allen was charged with one count of attempted assassination of the President of the United States, transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with the intent to conduct a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a violent act.
Michael Glantz sat through all of that, enjoying a meal, becoming the internet's hero.
