It's time to stick a silver-plated fork in it.

The so-called nerd prom is a glitzy party — now a week-long blitz of related parties — in which Washington, Hollywood and New York media types schmooze it up with the public officials that some of them are supposed to cover, while looking over their shoulders to see whether Helen Mirren is really looking as fabulous as everyone says.

"The main purpose of the evening," John Oliver once said, "seems to be providing photos of glamorous celebrities completely unaware of who they're standing next to."

The dinner has long been criticized for its cringe-inducing "optics" — as journalists cozy up to celebrities and heartily applaud politicians, usually including the president.