Wilshire & Washington

Davis Guggenheim Returns to Direct Obama Campaign Film

2012-02-24T17:52:58-08:00

Davis Guggenheim is returning to the Obama campaign to direct a short campaign film, just as he did for the 2008 election. According to campaign finance reports, the Obama campaign spent $162,834 on production of a short film via Guggenheim's...

Hollywood's Love/Hate Relationship with SuperPACs

2012-02-24T16:42:59-08:00

Bill Maher is now among the top donors to Obama-leaning SuperPACs. But as the Los Angeles Times points out, Maher engaged panelists on his show on the influence of the independent expenditure committees just a few weeks ago, and Rob...

W&W on the Radio: The GOP Debates --- Had Enough?

2012-02-24T15:59:09-08:00

The sheer number of GOP debates this season has allowed underfunded candidates to shine and front-runners the chance to sink or swim. But the drama, bickering and occasional pettiness has invited comparisons to reality shows. With Jon Huntsman and Jeb...

State Department Inspector Scutinizes Music Exec's Tenure as Ambassador

2012-02-24T15:49:00-08:00

Nicole Avant served as co-chair of President Obama's Southern California finance team in 2008, and after his election, she was appointed to the post as Ambassador to the Bahamas. She left the post in November, citing the demands of family...

Shepard Fairey Pleads Guilty in Obama "HOPE" Poster Case

2012-02-24T13:08:43-08:00

Even in copyright, the cover up can be worse than the offense. Street artist Shepard Fairey, responsible for the iconic "HOPE" poster that became a sensation of the 2008 campaign, plead guilty to one count of criminal contempt in a...

Sunlight Foundation: Major Oscar Nominees All Support Democrats

2012-02-24T09:52:47-08:00

The Oscars may have some suspense this year, but the political affinities of the nominees are hardly surprising. The Sunlight Foundation examined the political giving habits of major nominees and found all of them had a history of support to...

Bill Maher Presents Oversized, $1 Million Check to Obama SuperPAC

2012-02-23T22:25:54-08:00

Performing in San Jose tonight, Bill Maher unveiled an oversized, $1 million check he wrote out to Priorities USA Action, the SuperPAC supporting President Obama's reelection campaign. If he's serious, the SuperPAC will need it. It is being far outpaced...

Jason Alexander Takes on Romney's "Seinfeld" Reference

2012-02-23T09:56:18-08:00

"Seinfeld" star Jason Alexander took note of Mitt Romney's botched attempt to quote George Costanza, enough to trigger a momentary "Costanza 4 Prez" thread on Twitter. "Thrilled Gov. Romney enjoys my old character. I enjoyed the character he used 2...

The 20th Debate

2012-02-22T16:57:11-08:00

Two more, and Republican candidates will have filled a network full season series order. Outside of SuperPACs, the debates have altered the dynamics of the nomination battle in ways few predicted at the start of this election cycle, adding a...

A Divide on SOPA in Berman-Sherman Race

2012-02-22T16:25:07-08:00

Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), already engaged in an acrimonious fight for a San Fernando Valley congressional seat, sparred over the Stop Online Piracy Act, the anti-piracy bill that stalled out last month after an unprecedented...

Another Front in the Battle Over Same Sex Marriage: Court Strikes Down Part of DOMA

2012-02-22T15:57:08-08:00

A federal judge in San Francisco has found that a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey White, appointed by George W. Bush, ruled against a provision that allowed the government to deny...

The Next Step in SOPA

2012-02-22T12:31:58-08:00

There's not a lot of hurry to get anti-piracy legislation back on track, but consumers will soon be getting a very real feel for Hollywood's latest front in fighting online theft of movies, TV shows and music. As I point...

HBO Defends "Game Change"

2012-02-22T12:03:15-08:00

Stephen Bannon, director-writer of the pro-Sarah Palin doc "The Undefeated," believes that HBO deliberately scheduled "Game Change," which is less than flattering toward the former Alaska governor, right after Super Tuesday. She decided not to enter the race, but the...

Eva Longoria, Kal Penn Among Obama Campaign Co-Chairs

2012-02-22T10:50:54-08:00

Eva Longoria and Kal Penn are among the Obama re-election campaign's co chairs, joining a list that includes Caroline Kennedy, California Attorney General Kamala Harris and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Longoria is among the Obama campaign's bundlers, and co-hosted...

Obama Sings "Sweet Home Chicago"

2012-02-21T21:34:38-08:00

At the latest "In Performance at the White House," this one focsing on the blues, President Obama sang a few lines from "Sweet Home Chicago" in a groiup finale that included B.B. King and Mick Jagger. Watch here.

Show Biz Dems Try to Boost Senate Majority

2012-02-21T15:58:05-08:00

Democrats have a tenuous hold on the Senate, but this week and in the next month, show biz figures are hosting a flurry of candidates and incumbents in an effort to maintain the majority. On Wednesday, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)...

Colbert Returns With a Hint of Why He Was Gone

2012-02-21T12:27:17-08:00

It's probably testament to the power of Stephen Colbert that an unexplained absence for a few days last week can generate so much attention and speculation. On his return to "The Colbert Report" on Monday, the host stayed almost completely...

Reelz Schedules Sarah Palin Doc "Undefeated" to Counter HBO's "Game Change"

2012-02-21T03:00:00-08:00

Reelz Channel has acquired TV rights to Stephen Bannon's Sarah Palin documentary "The Undefeated" and will premiere it on March 11, just a day after HBO debuts "Game Change," the adaptation of the best selling book chronicling the Alaska governor's...

Hollywood Hails U.S.-China Agreement

2012-02-18T09:27:31-08:00

This is being hailed as a big breakthrough in the studios' long, frustrating effort to tap into the Chinese marketplace. Here's our story from last night on the new agreement that Vice President Joseph Biden announced after meeting with Chinese...