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Behind the scenes of one of the most powerful clubs in America.

VEEP Wins Peabody Award

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Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

HBO’s VEEP is among this year’s Peabody Award winners. Seven winners were included in the award including Beyonce’s Lemonade and FX’s “Atlanta”.

Thursday, April 20th The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors awarded seven Entertainment “stories that feature a powerhouse lineup of female characters, and dramas that break the mold of typical television fare.”

According to the Board of Jurors, Veep is a “rare show blessed with a perfectly cast ensemble, including the comedic genius of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep is a workplace comedy that not only captures the zeitgeist of the current bizarre political moment but transcends its own form to deliver a sobering message, with sharp dialogue, street savvy—and lots of laughs.”

The Peabody Awards are based at the the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

More about the Peabody Awards here:
http://www.peabodyawards.com/stories/story/entertainment-winners-named-for-peabody-30

You can watch HBO’s VEEP here:
http://play.hbogo.com/series/urn:hbo:series:GVU2fLgkp0lFvjSoJAT_x

Veeples! Season Six Premieres On HBO!

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Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

After our long wait, Season Six of Veep has finally aired on HBO! As anticipated, all is not well with now ex-President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a full year after being turned out of the White House by the House of Representatives. Post-presidency life is proving to be difficult, and Meyer responds with her characteristic foul-mouthed vigor.

Attempting to build her post-presidential foundation and sell her memoirs are proving to be a challenge for the ex-president. At the height of frustration, Meyer tells her family she is running for the White House again, only to have that door slammed shut as donors and her political party have turned against her campaigning again.

Showrunner David Mandel explains this was an important point to make at the outset of the season.

“If we didn’t squash the idea that she could run again right away, then her path would still be, ‘I’m going to run again.’ She’s moving forward and desperate with finding these things, like a manuscript for her book and a library, because she has to. If the audience doesn’t think she has to then they’ll be thinking, ‘Oh, she’s just going to run.’ We had to take that off the table.”

The rest of the crew starts out the season scattered across the country, except for her loyal staffer Gary (Tony Hale), who remains by the ex-president’s side. Chief of Staff Amy (Anna Chlumsky) is engaged to her new boss, Buddy Calhoun (Matt Obert), as she runs his campaign for governor out West. Press secretary Mike (Matt Walsh) is a stay-at-home dad caring for his adopted Chinese orphans. And even Jonah Ryan (Timothy Simons) keeps crying foul at obstacles thrown in his direction as he pretends to still have cancer to boost his new career as Congressman.

“Only Jonah would use his cancer. His comeuppance really comes from that moment with Dan,” said Mandel. “He’s a young Congressman looking for ways to separate himself and make a name for himself, and that’s exactly what he’s going to try and do.”

Back to Meyer and her thoughts on her life post-election? “This is the worst place an ex-president has ever been stuffed, and I’m including JFK’s coffin,” she gripes.

Greta Van Susteren One-on-One with WH Press Sec Sean Spicer at the Newseum

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Photo courtesy Haddad Media

The Newseum hosted a landmark event on Tuesday, The President and the Press: The First Amendment in the First 100 Days. As part of the series of talks, Greta Van Susteren interviewed White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who address his role in the Trump administration, the next policy pushes from the White House, and some of the recent comments he made that have made news.

Sean Spicer said of tax reform, “it’s going to take some months,” before we see a plan.

Spicer also offered an apology for his comments about World War II from the previous day saying, “I have let the president down,” and calling his comments “inexcusable.”

Van Susteren asked about the White House’s decision to skip the Correspondent’s Dinner this year. According to Spicer, “This is not the appropriate year to go…I don’t think we should fake it.”

Hasan Minjah Will Host This Year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner

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By DoD News photo by EJ Hersom [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Hasan Minjah, senior correspondent on “The Daily Show” and stand up comedian, will be this year’s headline entertainment for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

In a statement, Minjah said “it is a tremendous honor to be a part of such a historic event even though the president has chosen not to attend this year. SAD!”

Jeff Mason, White House Correspondents Association president and journalist for Reuters, said in announcing Minjah’s role at the dinner:

“I am thrilled that Hasan will serve as our featured entertainer at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Hasan’s smarts, big heart and passion for press freedom make him the perfect fit for our event, which will be focused on the First Amendment and the importance of a robust and independent media.”

Mason also said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that while President Trump will not be in attendance at the dinner, Minjah very likely will make jokes poking at both the press and the administration, but he “was not looking for someone who would roast the president in absentia.”

President Trump announced in February he will not attend this year’s dinner, making it the first time a sitting president will not be present since 1981, when Ronald Reagan was recovering from an assassination attempt. The White House later announced no staff would attend in “solidarity” with the president.

The White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner will be held on April 29 at the Washington Hilton.

Creative Coalition’s “Right to Bear Arts” Day of Advocacy and Gala Dinner White House Correspondents Dinner Weekend

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Jawbone’s Hosain Rahman, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Tammy Haddad and Tim Daly. Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

A delegation of Hollywood stars will arrive in Washington the weekend of the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner to promote and advocate funding for the arts.

The nonpartisan arts charity of the entertainment industry, The Creative Coalition will sponsor their annual gala and Advocacy Day, the “Right to Bear Arts,” the weekend of the Correspondent’s Dinner at the nation’s capitol.

Delegation members include Matt Walsh (“Veep”), Alyssa Milano (“Mistresses”), Justin Bartha (“The Hangover”), Wendi McLendon-Covey (“The Goldbergs”), Aaron Staton (“Mad Men”), Nick Sandow (“Orange is the New Black”), Denis O’Hare (“American Horror Story”) and Sarah Wayne Callies (“Prison Break”). Additional sponsors include the organization’s President actor Tim Daly (“Madam Secretary”) and Creative Coalition CEO Robin Bronk.

It had been speculated that Hollywood may sit out this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner weekend festivities as a protest against President Donald Trump. Trump announced on Twitter in February he would not attend the Correspondents’ dinner, which raises money for exceptional journalism scholarships and is a celebration of the First Amendment.

The dinner is Co-Chaired by Todd Hitt, Hitt Construction; Lori Gordon, Cardinal Health and Michael Mimeles.

The Creative Coalition was founded in 1989 by prominent members of the creative community. Its mission is to educate, mobilize and activate members on important issues in the arts and entertainment communities.

Trump Impersonator Atamanuik to Host “The President Show” on Comedy Central

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Photo courtesy Pixabay.

Anthony Atamanuik has been called “the nation’s best Donald Trump impersonator.” His portfolio is expanding as the comedian announced he will bring his character to television as the host of “The President Show,” a new weekly program on Comedy Central.

“Laughing at the President is a proud American tradition and we hope not to disappoint anyone in that department,” Atamanuik said. “I’d just like to thank Comedy Central for giving us this platform to speak truth to power and if we’re lucky, end up in prison!”

The President Show will be a late-night show hosted by Atamanuik in character as Trump broadcasting “direct” from the Oval Office. It will feature “best guests, the most beautiful women, it’ll be so funny; the most funny show,” Atamanuik stated.

The show is executive produced by Atamanuik, along with Peter Grosz, Adam Pally, Jason Ross, and 3 Arts Entertainment’s Olivia Gerke, Greg Walter and Josh Lieberman. The series will be directed by Andre Allen and produced by Clone Wolf Productions.

Former House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Rogers Launches Web Series “World War E”

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Kristi Clemens Rogers, Mike Rogers at 2016 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

Former Congressman Mike Rogers, a world-renown cyber-security expert and former chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, announced he will be hosting a new on-demand digital series highlighting the rapidly growing worldwide cyber threat, titled “World War E.”

This short-form digital series will be built around Rogers first-hand knowledge of the global cyber threat and the U.S. preparation and defense against attacks from individuals, foreign agents and governments, and terrorists.

Says Rogers:

“I often tell people that America is in a cyber war and I’m not sure we’re winning. It is an extremely serious issue, because it’s no longer just criminals seeking to steal your money but it is now countries who are using their militaries and intelligence services to steal your information, to ruin American companies, and to damage our critical infrastructure. This is an important topic that affects us all and it’s time that the conversation is brought directly to the American people.”

Early topics include the front lines in the battle for cyberspace, threats to infrastructure and critical American services such as health care and energy, how individuals can protect themselves from their own daily digital footprint online, and even how to prevent future attacks.

“World War E” will be hosted on NY Daily News website (http://nydn.us/WorldWarE), with the first episode, “Cyber War,” premiering Wednesday, March 15. New episodes will post Wednesdays at 11 AM EST. The show is produced by Ora TV, the on-demand digital network behind shows such as “Larry King Now.”

In addition to “World War E,” Rogers also hosts a radio show and is the host of Declassified on CNN.

Attention Veeples! New Season Six Trailer!

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Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

Veep Showrunner David Mandel premiered a new trailer for Season Six during a panel at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas.

Moderated by NBC News host Chuck Todd, Mandel was accompanied on the panel by Veep actors Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tony Hale, Reid Scott, Gary Cole, Anna Chlumsky, Timonthy Simons, Matt Walsh and Sam Richardson.

Asked if the show would address topics coming out of the Trump administration, Louis-Dreyfus explained that story-line wouldn’t make sense in the show.

“I think that we’ve set up this premise for our show which is this alternative political universe. And we don’t have any real-life celebrities on the show, we don’t have real-life journalists, and frankly in terms of actual political history, we don’t really reference anybody beyond Ronald Reagan.”

Mandel concluded that the show will continue to attempt a bipartisan punchline in most topics. “For the most part, I think we’re sort of equal opportunity cynical. We’ll just as soon do a joke about cutting an arts budget as we will a gun joke or something. We go both sides.”

Season Six of Veep premieres on HBO April 16th.

Mark Halperin and John Heilemann Sign Deal with Penguin Press for Game Changer 3

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Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

On Thursday, Penguin Press revealed that political journalists and analysts John Heilemann and Mark Halperin will write a third installment of their “Game Change” series.  HBO has also purchased the book for a mini-series, with Jay Roach signing up to direct and produced by Tom Hanks.

Speaking about the book’s focus, Heilemann said “We’ll be looking at all the big unanswered questions of the race, some of them obvious, some of them are less obvious.  But of course we’re interested in breaking news.”

Some interesting areas of focus include WikiLeaks, potential Russian collaboration, FBI Director James Comey’s actions, and more.

“Despite all the coverage, we don’t know the answers to those questions,” Heilemann said in an interview.  “We think there’s still an awful lot to write about here.”

Penguin Press has scheduled the book for publication in early 2018.

TMZ’s Harvey Levin Meets President Trump in Oval Office

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President Donald Trump met with TMZ founder Harvey Levin in the Oval Office last week for about an hour. The meeting was not on the president’s public schedule.

This was not the first meeting between the president and the head of TMZ. Last fall, Levin interviewed Trump for the special “Objectified: Donald Trump,” which aired on Fox News. White House spokeswoman Hope Hicks emailed reporters suggesting this meeting was along the same vein.

“The show was a huge success, and the two were discussing future opportunities,” Hicks stated.

Levin’s stop at the White House included a tour of the presidential residence, including a visit of the Lincoln Bedroom.