Now Ted Cruz knows what it’s like to be a speaker at the White House Correspondents Dinner. You’ve got something to say, but the thousands of people in front of you have no desire to listen as they chat with friends and reach for the wine and bread rolls.  

Cruz, trailing big in the polls in New York to native son Donald Trump and even Ohio Gov. John Kasich, miffed New Yorkers in January when he said “New York values” weren’t welcome in Iowa, where he won the caucus.  

Fast forward to Thursday night, when New York Republicans threw a gala, and scheduled speeches from each of the three candidates. When it was Cruz’s turn, hardly anyone paid attention, and the Texas Republican had trouble being heard over the ambient conversation and the clatter of dishes, NBC News reported .  

At least Cruz didn’t read “Green Eggs and Ham,” like he did with his 2013 marathon, 21-hour speech on the Senate floor over the government shutdown.  

“I mean, [Cruz] blew it when he did the New York Values thing — that was a bad point,” said Ron Shindel, a Republican and New York cop, told NBC.  

Tough talk, but what would the crowd have done if Cruz had donned the pink feather boa and underwear he said his daughter dressed him up in, as he relayed at a recent CNN town hall ? Apparently, there’s video, so everyone should have some fresh nightmare fuel soon.  

It hasn’t been the easiest few campaign days for Cruz, who is nevertheless making headway in his quest for delegates. Earlier this week, when taping an episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” the show’s producers slotted him behind Hugh Laurie of “House” fame. Then in one of the show’s skits, Fallon played Trump and basically punked Cruz, who played himself, according to the Daily Beast .  

Cruz can at least point to new polling showing him not quite as unpopular as Trump. According to a new NBC/Washington Post poll , 53 percent of the public has an unfavorable opinion of Cruz. That’s a little better than Trump’s 67 percent unfavorable rating. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., likened choosing between the two to “death by being shot or poisoning.” So apparently being shot is a less favorable way to go than being poisoned. Or maybe it’s the other way around?  

Stay tuned to see whether the feather boa/underwear video makes him more likeable.  

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