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POLITICO Scores With Bradley Cooper at Allbritton White House Correspondents Sunday Brunch

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George Clooney and Barbara Walters

Big News on the White House Correspondents Weekend Soiree front. In a release from Politico this morning, eyes widen and hearts raced with the name Bradley Cooper in the final paragraph. The Georgetown graduate who once worked at Cafe Milano is expected as a guest, so is top White House aide Alyssa Mastromonaco at the Sunday Allbritton brunch. Lucky Lady.

Here is Politico’s rundown.

POLITICO ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR 2013 WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER

Below are details on POLITICO’s coverage and involvement with this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner – beginning Friday with the release of POLITICO’s must-read WHCD guide and culminating on Sunday with the annual Allbritton-POLITICO Garden Brunch.

FRIDAY, APRIL 26:

WHCD GUIDE – Celebrity Politics: The Lines Blur Between Hollywood and D.C.
This annual magazine edition of POLITICO offers influential dinner attendees and readers alike a sneak peek inside Washington’s biggest weekend. The ultimate guide includes an exclusive interview with comedian and dinner headliner Conan O’Brien, an introduction to the WHCA board, profiles of scholarship and award winners, a look behind the scenes of the Washington Hilton and more. Nearly 40,000 copies of the magazine will be distributed around Washington including at more than 100 Starbucks locations. Stories from the magazine will also be available here.

WATCH LIVE: WHCA SCHOLARSHIP LUNCH – The White House Correspondents’ Association will honor its scholarship recipients at a luncheon on Friday at 1 p.m. POLITICO will livestream the luncheon’s panel discussion with the winners. Watch the event at POLITICO.com/live.

‘THE SCRUM’ PODCAST – POLITICO reporters will preview the weekend’s festivities, examine key moments from past dinners and analyze why Hollywood makes the pilgrimage to the nation’s capital each year in ‘The Scrum,’ POLITICO’s weekly podcast. Subscribe to each weekly installment of ‘The Scrum’ on iTunes.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27:

COMPLETE COVERAGE – As the one-stop destination for coverage of the WHCD weekend, POLITICO will have reporters at each of the biggest events, offering intel on everything from pre-dinner parties to late-night celebrations. Coverage will include live blogging, celebrity interviews, on-the-ground videos and must-see photo galleries. Get the latest in one click: POLITICO WHCD Complete Coverage.

WATCH LIVE: DINNER PROGRAM – Tune in to POLITICO to watch this year’s dinner, including red carpet arrivals, the president’s remarks and entertainment headlined by Conan O’Brien. Watch here: POLITICO.com/live.

POLITICO DINNER GUESTS – POLITICO is honored to host more than two dozen leading names in business at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. Some guest highlights include: Marty Durbin, incoming CEO, ANGA; Steve Case, co-founder, AOL; Jim Cicconi, Executive Vice President, AT&T; Brian Moynihan, CEO, Bank of America; Don Baer, CEO, Burson-Marsteller; Tita Freeman, Executive Vice President, Business Roundtable; Clyde Tuggle, Senior Vice President, and Matt Echols, Vice President, Coca-Cola; Maria Pica Karp, Vice President and General Manger, Chevron; Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO, GE Transportation; Gary Cohn, COO, and John Rogers, Executive Vice President, Goldman Sachs; David Drummond, Senior Vice President, Google; James Murren, CEO, MGM Resorts; Mark Penn, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft; Wes Bush, CEO, Northrop Grumman; Peggy Johnson, Executive Vice President, Qualcomm; and Eric Spiegel, CEO, Siemens. Additionally, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro and celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck will be joining POLITICO.

SUNDAY, APRIL 28:

ALLBRITTON-POLITICO GARDEN BRUNCH – For the fourth consecutive year, POLITICO Publisher Robert Allbritton and his wife, Dr. Elena Allbritton, will open the doors of their Georgetown home for an exclusive, invitation-only brunch. Invited guests include: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), actress Kerry Washington, White House Social Secretary Jeremy Bernard, Hollywood couple Ed Burns and Christy Turlington Burns, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Director of the National Economic Council Gene Sperling and Allison Abner, actor Bradley Cooper, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, actor Daniel Day-Lewis, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Alyssa Mastromonaco, MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, CBS President David Rhodes, Jordanian Ambassador Alia Bouran, British Ambassador Peter Westmacott.

2nd Annual White House Correspondents’ Awards

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WHCInsider.com presents the second annual WHC Weekend Insider Awards to highlight the great deeds of the famous and infamous who came to Washington to party, schmooze, and most importantly – be seen – at the events surrounding the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

It’s the biggest weekend in Washington, second only perhaps to Inauguration, which you clever kids know from civics class only comes once every four years (and without as many brunches).

Best Magician: Woody Harrelson who entertained young and old with his magical card tricks in Mark Ein’s backyard during the WH Correspondents’ Garden Brunch.

Greatest Act of Kindness: Lindsay Lohan delighting 10 year-old David Greenberg by telling him that she has Herbie (a Volkswagen Beetle aka “the Love Bug”) in her garage and he could drive it.

Not Represented by Bob Barnett: To the most successful and famous celebrity who is not on Bob Barnett’s client list, yet.  Elle Macpherson, entrepreneur, supermodel, and host of NBC’s Fashion Star.


Triple Threat: All the Emanuels – Mayor Rahm, Ari and Zeke at the Bloomberg Vanity Fair After Party.

Biggest IMDb Coincidence Award: Lindsay Lohan and Ali Wentworth, who both starred in Herbie the magical Volkswagen Bug movies (Herbie Fully Loaded and Disney’s The Love Bug, respectively), on opposite sides of the lawn at the Garden Brunch.

Best Unplanned Introduction: Comedy hit-maker Judd Apatow told the New York Times that meeting Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google, “It was like meeting the person who created fire.”

WHCA DINNER Alicia Keys, Harvey Weinstein

Most Gracious: Alicia Keys happily posed with admiring fans who told her that her music touched their lives.  She even snapped her own fan photo with Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

Most Popular Human Rights Advocate: Rhodes scholar and WH advisor Ronan Farrow (son of Mia Farrow & Woody Allen). Ronan, don’t leave town!

Best Partier: George Clooney, who not only talked to everyone who approached him during all the festivities, but lasted until after 4:00 AM at the Bloomberg/ Vanity Fair After Party.

George Clooney Award: for the guy having the best time: Creative Artists Agency Executive Michael Kives because not only does he know everyone, he was also rolling with the beautiful and entertaining Kates – Sports Illustrated cover girl Kate Upton and silver screen star, Kate Hudson.

Biggest Sports Mash-Up: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo talking XXXs and OOOs with Giants fan actor Daniel Radcliffe.

Favorite new WHCD Posse: Techies – Dick Costolo and Jack Dorsey from Twitter, Chamath Palihapitiya of Social +Capital Partnership, Hosain Rahman of Jawbone, Dennis Crowley of Foursquare, Mark Pincus of Zynga, Ali Pincus of One Kings Lane, and Brad Keywell, co-founder of Groupon.

Toughest job: Willie Geist having to work closely with Elle Macpherson and Rosario Dawson presenting super-hot Jamboxes to CURE Epilepsy & The White Ribbon Alliance donors.

Most Excited To Have Back In Town: Savannah Guthrie – is there anyone more respected or liked than this TODAY show co-host?

Best Repeat outfit: Politico’s Patrick Gavin who didn’t disappoint fans of his pink Argyle pants.

Best Liked Siblings: Georgetown Cupcakes’ Katherine Kallinis & Sophie LaMontagne for donating 1,800 delicious mini-cupcakes in support of CURE and the White Ribbon Alliance. Their generosity is endless and inspiring – have you heard of Operation Cupcake? They airlift cupcakes to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan every year!

Most Missed: Christopher Hitchens

Bloomberg & Vanity Fair Do It Again!

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The most exclusive party of the White House Correspondents’ Weekend is the Bloomberg/Vanity Fair After Party.  Back at the French Ambassador’s residence again this year, guests walked by the front lawn covered in tiny multi-colored lights.  New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was seen talking with Hollywood A-listers including George Clooney, Reese Witherspoon, Charlize Theron, Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Kyle MacLachlan and his wife producer Desiree Gruber, Goldie Hawn, and Kate Hudson.

French Ambassador Francois Delattre and his beautiful wife Sophie welcomed partygoers and bold faced names dominated the rooms. Media toppers included Barbara Walters and David Gregory, Obama notables were David and Susan Axelrod (talking to Ivanka Trump), White House staffers Jay Carney and Alyssa Mastromonaco and Obama Campaign Communications Director Stephanie Cutter. The republican were represented by Ben Ginsberg and Meghan McCain to name a few. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel seemed happy to be back in DC for an evening.

Judd Apatow and his wife actress Leslie Mann, looked shocked to meet Eric Schmidt, the Executive Chairman of Google.

It was another big night for Uggie the dog from “The Artist” who missed the actual WH Correspondents’ Dinner, but was getting lots of love at the Bloomberg/Vanity Fair gala. Goldie Hawn snuggled up with the pup in one of the best moments of the late night gathering.

Guests relaxed, some even kicking off their shoes after a long night of formal speeches and dinner, as the party went on until the early hours of Sunday.  A crowd formed around Ronan Farrow, the son of Woody Allen and Mia Farrow and his friend Obama joke writer, now Hollywood writer, Jon Lovett.

Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan were chatting with Graydon Carter, Chris Matthews, Salman Rushdie, Kate Upton and Reggie Love.

In the wee hours of the morning Clooney was still talking to friends Kate Hudson, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann while some politicos just looked on. One media executive was overheard saying at 3am, “I have a rule, I don’t leave if George Clooney is still there.”  That executive left at 3:45am and George Clooney was still there.

No Lucky Lottery Winner for White House Correspondents’ Dinner

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The New Republic has backed off plans for a contest to award 1 ticket to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for a lucky new subscriber.  The contest included a roundtrip ticket and hotel accommodations for the April 28th event, but the magazine canceled the contest after being told it violated the rules of the White House Correspondents’ Association.

According to a written statement, “After being informed by W.H.C.A. that our offer was in conflict with their policies, The New Republic has suspended this campaign. Our editors look forward to attending the dinner at the end of the month.”

The annual dinner raises money for scholarships and to “honor the professional recipients of the WHCA’s journalism awards” and the association does not approve of other organizations raffling off tickets for commercial purposes.

Hollywood stars descending on DC for the dinner include George Clooney and his girlfriend Stacy Keibler; Steven Spielberg and his wife, actress Kate Capshaw; Academy award winning actresses Reese Witherspoon and Viola Davis, and more.

Clooney returns to White House Correspondents Dinner

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Time magazine has snagged George Clooney and his girlfriend Stacy Keibler; and Hollywood bigwig Steven Spielberg and his wife, actress Kate Capshaw.  This makes Richard Stengel the top booker of the weekend.

Greta Van Sustern and John Coale finally have some competition.

Newsweek’s Daily Beast is right up there with  Academy award winning actresses Reese Witherspoon and Viola Davis, and former soldier, actor and “Dancing with the Stars” winner J.R. Martinez.   Actress Rashida Jones will be the guest of Fortune.

Politico is reporting that ABC is bringing actor Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks from the super hot movie “Hunger Games” and “Modern Family” stars including Sofia Vergara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Julie Bowen and Eric Stonestreet, as well as  “Cougar Town” actors Christa Miller and Bill Lawrence.

Follow all the news about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner weekend right here, and take a look at this great moment from the Bloomberg Vanity Fair party when Sarah Palin and Seth Meyers meet.

George Clooney Courts Ryan Gosling for Farragut North

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In the midst of a mid-term election, George Clooney may have Ryan Gosling go back to the ghost of 2004’s election. Gosling, whose garnered praise earlier this year at Sundance with Blue Valentine, is being courted to frontline Farragut North according to Deadline New York.

[Read more…]

LALLY-PALOOZA

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As hot as the Bloomberg After-Party is, the pre-party action has always belonged to Lally Graham Weymouth and her Newsweek bash celebrating the WHC dinner.

Attorney General Eric Holder

Attorney General Eric Holder

Every year, she is the eye of the media storm because of her remarkable guest list, specializing in the irresistible from Richard Gere to George Clooney.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner

Last year’s Lally-palooza was all politics, as top advisers of each campaign gently schmoozed each other from Obama’s Valerie Jarrett, Greg Craig and Joel Benenson, to McCain’s main men Rick Davis, Mark Salter and Karl Rove, to HR Clinton’s Mark Penn and Melanne Verveer.

Who will be seen sipping cocktails at the Newsweek reception this year? Lally, along with co-hosts Donald Graham and newly Pulitzered Jon Meacham, scored Obama heavyweights again: Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Attorney General Eric Holder.

Here’s the Newsweek list, hot off the press:

R. Todd Bradley, Executive Vice President, Personal Systems Group, Hewlett Packard
David Brennan, CEO, AstraZeneca
Representative Eric and Diana Cantor (R-VA)
Fmr. Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig
Amb. Jeffrey Feltman, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs
Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner
Amb. Richard Holbrooke, Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, and Ms. Kati Marton
Attorney General Eric Holder
Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Arianna Huffington, Editor-in-Chief, The Huffington Post
Jeffrey Kindler, Chairman and CEO, Pfizer, Inc., and Ms. Sharon Sullivan
Michael Kives, Creative Artists Agency
Martin Nesbitt, President and CEO, PRG Parking Management
Natalie Portman
Sir Nigel and Lady Julia Sheinwald, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the US
Puneet Talwar, National Security Council, Iraq and Afghanistan Affairs
Dr. Eric Whitaker, University of Chicago Medical Center
Owen Wilson
James Berkus, United Talent Agency

George Clooney, Nick Clooney Not Going to WHCD

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George Clooney with WHC Insider Founder Tammy Haddad

George Clooney with WHC Insider Founder Tammy Haddad

Sorry Folks: Neither George Clooney or his father and American University visiting professor Nick Clooney, will attend the White House Correspondents Dinner reports WHCinsider.com.

Washingtonians have been delighted to have Nick and Nina Clooney as neighbors for the past seven months as he taught at American and thrilled Newseum visitors and media big wigs with a series of programs on TV, movies, and his international campaign on Darfur.

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