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CONGRATS! Veep Wins “Best Comedy”, Julia Louis-Dreyfus Makes Emmy History

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Veep billboard in Times Square. Photo courtesy Ron Cogswell.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus scored Emmy history Sunday night by winning “Best Actress in a Comedy Series” for the sixth consecutive year in a row.  In addition, the smash HBO series Veep, wherein Louis-Dreyfus plays ex-President Selina Meyer, took the top award for Outstanding Comedy Series for the third year in a row.

“We had a whole story line about impeachment, but we abandoned that because we were worried someone else may get there first,” Louis-Dreyfus said in her acceptance speech.  “This continues to be the role of a lifetime and an adventure of utter joy.”

In winning Best Actress this year, Louis-Dreyfus now holds the record for most Emmys won by an actor in the same role.  That distinction had been held by both Candice Bergen, who won top recognition five times for her landmark character Murphy Brown, and historic Don Knotts for his portrayal of Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show.

Louis-Dreyfus is now also tied with the legendary Cloris Leachman for most Primetime Emmys wins by a single performer.  Both women have won eight Emmys.

“I don’t know what to say about it other than I’m numb,” Louis-Dreyfus noted after the awards ceremony.  “I can’t believe it.  I adore Cloris Leachman.  All I think about is her in Young Frankenstein going ‘He was my boyfriend.’  I’m just incredibly honored and amazed this has happened to me.  It’s all very baffling and a sh—ton of good luck.”

Louis-Dreyfus beat out other supremely talented actresses for the top billing in comedy:  Better Thing’s Pamela Adlon, Black-ish’s Tracee Ellis Ross, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s Ellie Kemper, Grace and Frankie’s co-leads Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, and Mom’s Allison Janney.

Her series Veep also rocked the evening by taking home their third consecutive “Outstanding Comedy Series” Emmy.

Executive producer David Mandel joked about the comparison between his award-winning comedy series and the real-world White House.

“I guess I’m honestly just glad that in our world Selina lost so we get to do our own show.  Obviously the comparison is going to be drawn, but you’re not watching us do a scene in the Oval Office and then watching him do a scene in the Oval Office.  He ends up being the 30 Rock to our Studio 60.  I think they’re doing a better job being funnier,” Mandel said backstage at the awards ceremony.

The Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series faced tough competition from other fantastic shows this year, including HBO’s Silicon Valley, ABC’s Modern Family, FX’s Atlanta, Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, ABC’s Black-ish and Netflix’s Master of None.

Veep went into the evening as this year’s most nominated comedy series, with 17 total Emmy bids.  The show has been a nominee for best comedy series every year since its first season in 2012.

HBO announced earlier this month that Season Eight of Veep will be its last.  The final season will air in 2018.

White House Lawyer Overheard Discussing Russia Probe at Restaurant in DC

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Photo courtesy Wikipedia.

Ty Cobb, a top attorney on President Donald Trump’s legal defense team, was overheard by reporters at a prominent Washington, DC steakhouse discussing White House strategy dealing with special prosecutor Robert Mueller in his investigation into Russian influence.

Cobb was brought in to oversee the White House’s legal and media response into the Russia probe last July, and was talking openly at BLT Steak with Washington lawyer John Dowd, who has experience in high-profile political cases.  Cobb and Dowd were sitting next to New York Times reporter Ken Vogel, who could clearly hear the conversation.

“The friction escalated in recent days after Mr. Cobb was overheard by a reporter for The New York Times discussing the dispute during a lunchtime conversation at a popular Washington steakhouse. Mr. Cobb was heard talking about a White House lawyer he deemed ‘a McGahn spy’ and saying Mr. McGahn had ‘a couple documents locked in a safe’ that he seemed to suggest he wanted access to,” reported the New York Times.

White House chief of staff John F. Kelly “erupted” and reprimanded Cobb for his indiscretion of discussing sensitive matters loudly in public, according to several people contacted by the New York Times following the incident.

“If you’re sitting, talking with someone at dinner, you need to be careful,” said Rep. Chris Collins, when asked on CNN about public officials audibly discussing official business in a public venue.

U.S. Virgin Islands Needs Americans’ Help

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Mike Bloomberg and Tim Duncan help unload supplies from a boat in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, on Thursday, September 14, 2017. Photo courtesy Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

The U.S. Virgin Islands are in critical need for assistance following the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma, which swept over the region earlier this month, killing more than 33 people and causing untold damage. The Category 5 storm was the strongest hurricane ever measured in the Atlantic Ocean, bringing 185 mph wings that caused significant devastation to the idyllic St. John and St. Thomas.

On Thursday, former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg joined retired NBA star Tim Duncan and U.S.V.I. Governor Kenneth Mapp to assess the damage on the islands.  The founder of Bloomberg LP also brought with him supplies and technical relief, including a car full of life-saving medicine from Johns Hopkins in New York.

“We had big hurricanes in Florida, Miami and Texas, but this is part of America and we wanted to make sure people didn’t forget that there was another part of this country that was struck by a deadly hurricane,” Bloomberg said during a press conference at the St. Thomas Jet Center.  “The damage here is just unimaginable.”

Bloomberg also praised the spirit and dedication of the island residents, noting that “there is a lot of optimism coming from the people.  Everyone I’ve talked to said that they’re staying, that they are going to rebuild and that the best days are yet to come.”

Donations for disaster relief on the islands can be made to the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI).  100 percent of all donations made to the CFVI’s Fund for the Virgin Islands, established to provide critical relief and recovery needs in the U.S. Virgin Islands, will go directly to the Fund’s mission.

You can learn more about the local relief efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands and make a tax-deductible donation to the Foundation by visiting USVIRecovery.org.

Comedy Central Extends Trevor Noah’s Contract Through 2022

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Photo courtesy Comedy Central.

Earlier today, Comedy Central and Trevor Noah announced that they have agreed to a contract extension to keep the popular comedian and television host behind the late night desk on the Emmy-winning smash The Daily Show with Trevor Noah through 2022.

President of Comedy Central Kent Alterman celebrated the announcement stating, “Trevor makes us look smart on a daily basis, and for that we’re grateful.”

Similarly, Trevor Noah expressed his gratitude to the network and his fans for helping bring another five years of his late-night show to the airwaves.

“I’m thrilled to be continuing this amazing journey with both fans of The Daily Show and Comedy Central.  It’s really exciting to renew this contract for either five more years or until Kim Jong Un annihilates us all – whichever one comes first.”

Under the contract extension, Noah will remain as host at The Daily Show through 2022, in addition to his roles of writer and executive producer.  He will also host and produce year-end specials for the network beginning in December 2017.

Noah has found outstanding success since joining the network in 2015, especially among millennial and Generation X viewers.  In the third quarter of 2017, The Daily Show increased its viewer share among millenials an astounding 28% compared to last year, more than triple the growth of any other late night talk show.

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah airs on Comedy Central Monday through Thursday at 11:00 PM EST and is available to stream the following day on thedailyshow.com and via the Comedy Central mobile app.

Ken Burns’ The Vietnam War Premieres at the Kennedy Center

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Photo courtesy Politico.

Tuesday evening, celebrities and veterans alike gathered at the Kennedy Center to view legendary documentarian Ken Burns’ newest masterpiece, “The Vietnam War.”  This latest offering, sponsored with generous support from Bank of America, displays the southeastern Asian conflict in a comprehensive fashion, covering the war and societal tensions from numerous viewpoints both on the battlefield and back home.

Guests were treated to a sneak-peek screening that drew from throughout the series’ 18 hours. Chart-topping Denver-based band The Lumineers also took the stage to perform a song they wrote for the film.

The project was ten years in the making and will surely be a gigantic smash when the first installment premieres Sunday, September 17th at 8PM EST on PBS.  The series will be aired on the network in 10 weekly installments.

Culminating the evening, Burns and co-director Lynn Novick took to the stage in a question-and-answer session along three notable Vietnam veterans — John McCain, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel.  The panel was moderated by ABC News chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz.

Arizona Senator McCain highlighted the importance of remembering the impact of the conflict in today’s global climate.

“It’s the right time, particularly since we are in such turmoil in the world today,” said Senator McCain.  “These young men died because of inadequate or corrupt leadership.  We must have leaders who can lead and be able to give them a path to victory so we will not sacrifice them, ever again, to a lost cause.”

McCain spent more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, after being shot down while flying navy ground-attack aircraft over Hanoi in October 1967.

Former defense secretary and senator from Nebraska, Hagel agreed on the importance of both the documentary and the lessons it teaches.

“Yes, it’s difficult to see this, but it’s important for our next set of leaders to understand the consequences of war and the consequences of decisions that we never get all right,” Hagel told the audience.  What also came out of Vietnam was the first real questioning of our government, a questioning of our leaders and a demand for accountable government, honest leadership.”

Hagel received two Purple Hearts while an infantry squad leader in the War.

Former Secretary of State and Massachusetts senator Kerry pointed out the importance of diplomacy and honesty in crisis events.

“Knowing what we’re doing, being honest with our people, making war a last resort, exhausting diplomacy,” said Kerry.  “These are all relevant to every choice we face.”

Kerry was awarded combat medals including the Silver Star Medial, Bronze Star Medal and three Purple Heart Medals for his service in the Naval Reserves serving four months in South Vietnam.

Longtime Ken Burns supporters Bank of America sponsored the film and premiere event. Burns gave a shout out to longtime friend Anne Finucane, Bank of America’s Vice Chairman.

ABOUT THE FILM

Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s ten-part, 18-hour documentary series, THE VIETNAM WAR, tells the epic story of one of the most consequential, divisive, and controversial events in American history as it has never before been told on film. Visceral and immersive, the series explores the human dimensions of the war through revelatory testimony of nearly 80 witnesses from all sides—Americans who fought in the war and others who opposed it, as well as combatants and civilians from North and South Vietnam.

Ten years in the making, the series includes rarely seen and digitally re-mastered archival footage from sources around the globe, photographs taken by some of the most celebrated photojournalists of the 20th Century, historic television broadcasts, evocative home movies, and secret audio recordings from inside the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations. THE VIETNAM WAR features more than 100 iconic musical recordings from greatest artists of the era and haunting original music from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as well as the Silk Road Ensemble featuring Yo-Yo Ma.

Justice Department: Russian Network RT Must Register as Foreign Agent

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Photo courtesy the Kremlin.

The Department of Justice announced that the owners of the Russian state-owned network RT must register as a foreign agent, suggesting all their content would be labelled as Russian propaganda.

To date, media organizations have largely been exempt from registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which focuses primarily on political consultants, lobbyists and public relations professionals working for foreign states.

Registration would not halt RT from broadcasting in the U.S., but would require regularly-submitted government paperwork listing sources of revenue from foreign governments and contacts within the United States.  The Act also would require any reporting to be labeled as financed by the Russian government.

Failing to file the paperwork would be a felony.

New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen said of the Justice probe, “We can’t allow foreign agents, particularly those working on behalf of our adversaries, to skirt our laws.  Every new revelantion about Russia’s use of propaganda to influence the 2016 election further highlights the need of the federal government to bolster its enforcement of FARA.”

The U.S. intelligence community issued a report in January calling RT a “state-run propaganda machine.”  It said the network “has positioned itself as a domestic U.S. channel and has deliberately sought to obscure any legal ties to the Russian Government.”

The Foreign Agents Registration Act was enacted prior to World War II in an initial effort to combat Nazi propaganda intended to sway American public sentiment.

Hope Hicks Named White House Communications Director

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James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. Photo courtesy White House.

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that longtime aide Hope Hicks will become the official White House communications director.

Currently the White House director of strategic communications, Hicks has been serving as interim communications director after the firing of Anthony Scaramucci in August.

Hicks has worked for Trump even before his campaign for president, starting as public relations and model for Ivanka Trump’s fashion label.  As Trump started his campaign for president, Hicks joined as campaign press secretary.

There has been significant turnover in the White House press team, with the first communications director, Mike Dubke, leaving last May, followed by Scaramucci serving 10 days in that role. Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer also resigned in July.

Miss North Dakota Cara Mund Crowned Miss America 2018

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Photo courtesy Cara Mund via Twitter.

Celebrations and congratulations flowed Sunday night in Atlantic City as Miss North Dakota, Cara Mund was crowned 2018’s Miss America.  Last night was the first time in pageant history that Miss North Dakota has ever won the coveted tiara.

A Brown University graduate heading to law school following her reign, Mund said she hopes to one day become the first woman elected governor of North Dakota.  She showed political savvy and determination when asked about President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accords earlier this year.

Referencing the decision to withdraw from the climate accords, the newly-crowned Miss America said: “It’s a bad decision.  There is evidence that climate change is existing, and we need to be at that table.”

She told reporters at Boardwalk Hall following the ceremony that it was her desire to provide a factual and honest answer to the question posed, instead of glossing over her answer.

“My onstage question answer was just my personal opinion,” she told The Associated Press in an interview. “I think everyone has a right to think what they want. But it’s important to have a spot at the negotiating table. This isn’t necessarily: ‘Does climate change exist or not?’ but rather the fact that we’re going to keep our Earth clean for future generations, and I just think it’s really important that we have a seat there. To pull out, I think, is just really unfortunate.”

Behind Mund, the other top five 2018 Miss American contestants were first runner-up Miss Missouri Jennifer Davis, second runner-up Miss New Jersey Kaitlyn Schoeffel, third runner-up Miss District of Columbia Briana Kinsey, and fourth runner-up Miss Texas Margana Wood.

The panel of judges for the 2018 pageant included country singer Thomas Rhett, actress and author Molly Sims, Grammy-nominated singer Jordin Sparks, People Magazine’s editor in chief Jess Cagle, CEO of AfterBuzz TV Maria Menounos, Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri and Olympic gold medalist, Tara Lipinski.

The Miss America Organization, alongside The Miss America Foundation and its 52 licensed organizations, is the nation’s largest provider of scholarship assistance to young women, awarding millions annually for young female scholars across the country and around the world.  The Foundation provides academic and community-based scholarships for undergraduate and graduate studies, as well as endowed scholarships for young women entering medical school, working in special areas for military service awareness and the performing arts.

‘The Weather Channel’ Viewership Surges During Hurricanes

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Photo courtesy Pixabay

Cable television viewers flocked to The Weather Channel last week, driven primarily by concerns over recent hurricanes bombarding huge portions of the United States.

The channel had averaged approximately 150,000 viewers in prime time throughout July.  Last week, according to Nielsen ratings, roughly 1.3 million people tuned in during peak hours – nearly a ten-time spike in viewers.

The Weather Channel has featured 24-hour coverage of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma during the past few weeks.  Nearly 70 reporters and producers have deployed to Texas, Louisiana and Florida to cover both of the deadly and devastating storms blasting the region.

“People are tired,” said Nora Zimmett, senior vice president of programming for the Weather Channel.  “But there is an adrenaline that comes with an event like this.”

Every Former Living U.S. President Launch Joint Campaign for Hurricane Relief Effort

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Photo by Eric Draper, courtesy the White House.

All five living former presidents – Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama – have joined together to launch a campaign urging support for those impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

As stated on the website for the appeal, “Every storm is unique, but a look at Hurricane Harvey’s unprecedented intensity helps explain why the One America Appeal came to life.”

A special account was established to collect donations through the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation, with the goal “to ensure that 100 cents out of every dollar goes to assist hurricane victims.”  The funds collected will go to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, focusing on the greater Houston region, along with the Rebuild Texas Fund.

With the onset of Hurricane Irma to reach the Florida coast this weekend, the appeal likely will expand to these victims as well.

You can learn more about the One America Appeal by clicking here.