Photos: Scenes from past Al Smith dinners
House Speaker Paul Ryan poked fun at himself, the Senate's top Democrat, President Donald Trump and even the Catholic church on Thursday night as he delivered the keynote address for the 72nd annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, an event, according to the program, that encourages speakers to "poke fun at a political issue, an opponent, or themselves." Here's a look back at previous events, including the 2016 dinner that brought together then presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Trump.
Al Smith dinner, 1960
Senator John F. Kennedy, left, joins Francis Cardinal Spellman, center, and Vice President Richard Nixon during Al Smith dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, in New York on October 21, 1960. (AP Photo).
Al Smith dinner, 1968
Republican candidate Richard M. Nixon address annual Alfred E.Smith memorial dinner on Oct. 16, 1968 in New York. Seated in front row, from left, are Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Charles H.Silver, Vice President of the Smith foundation, New York Archbishop Terence J.Cooke, and President Johnson at extreme right. (AP Photo/John Lent)
Al Smith dinner, 1980
President Jimmy Carter shakes hands with his rival, Republican presidential nominee Ronald Reagan, at the Al Smith Foundation dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, Oct. 16, 1980. The dinner is an annual, non-political event. Archbishop John J. Maguire, center, looks on. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Al Smith dinner, 1980
U.S. President Jimmy Carter applauds Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan, during the Roman Catholic archdiocese al smith dinner at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria, Thursday, Oct. 16, 1980. (AP Photo/Drew)
Al Smith dinner, 1980
Republican presidential nominee Ronald Reagan speaks as President Jimmy Carter, second from left, listens, at the Al Smith Foundation dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, Oct. 16, 1980. The dinner is an annual, non-political event. New York Governor Hugh Carey is at far left and Archbishop John J. Maguire is at right. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Al Smith dinner, 1980
President Jimmy Carter speaks as Republican presidential nominee Ronald Reagan, second from right, listens, at the Al Smith Foundation dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, Oct. 16, 1980. The dinner is an annual, non-political event. Next to Carter is Archbishop John J. Maguire. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Al Smith dinner, 2000
Republican presidential candidate Texas Gov. George W. Bush reacts during the 2000 Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2000, in New York. Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Al Gore also attended the event. (AP Photo/Beth Keiser)
Al Smith dinner, 2000
Republican presidential candidate Texas Gov. George W. Bush, left, shakes hands with Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Al Gore, right, as New York Archbishop Edward Egan looks on at the start of the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2000, in New York. (AP Photo/Beth Keiser)
Al Smith dinner, 2000
Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Al Gore, right, reacts as New York Archbishop Edward Egan, center, and Republican presidential candidate Texas Gov. George W. Bush look on during the 2000 Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2000, in New York. (AP Photo/Beth Keiser)
Al Smith dinner, 2008
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., right, looks up at Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., as Obama speaks during the Alfred E. Smith Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008. Seated at center is Al Smith. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Al Smith dinner, 2008
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., shakes hands with Al Smith as he prepares to speak during the Alfred E. Smith Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Al Smith dinner, 2008
Al Smith, standing, introduces Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, second from left, while Archbishop of New York, Edward Cardinal Egan and Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, right, share a laugh at the Alfred E. Smith dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008. (AP PHOTO/Yana Paskova, POOL)
Al Smith dinner, 2012
Al Smith looks to President Barack Obama and Cardinal Timothy Dolan as he speak the Archdiocese of New York's 67th Annual Alfred. E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Al Smith dinner, 2016
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, right, laughs at a joke with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, center, and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation dinner, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
Al Smith dinner, 2016
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, right, reacts as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation dinner, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
Al Smith dinner, 2016
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, accompanied by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, second from right, and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, right, speaks at the 71st annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, a charity gala organized by the Archdiocese of New York, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Al Smith dinner, 2017
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan applauds as attendees to the 72nd Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation dinner are announced Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)