democratic national convention
5:40AM Defamer Hollywood | Maybe Barack Obama is a celebrity after all: According to the AP, more than 38 million viewers tuned in to watch the Democratic nominee’s DNC speech last night. Even excepting the uncounted audience who tuned in via C-SPAN, PBS, or online, “Nielsen Media Research said more people watched Obama speak than watched the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, the final American Idol or the Academy Awards this year.” If next week’s Republican National Convention has got its work cut out for it, John McCain might want to start with a VP pick who’s got more ratings power than the lead from 30 Rock. [AP] More »
Docmakers’ Denver Welcome Gives Way to GOP Convention Crackdown
8:40AM STV | For every Steven Spielberg flinging a Democratic National Convention short film out the limo window on his way to his cabin retreat in the Rockies, we’re learning there are a few dozen other filmmakers scavenging the floor of the convention hall with cameras and about two hours’ sleep. Such is the spirit of democracy (or something — don’t ask) fueling the makers of Convention, who have seemingly been everywhere at once this week trailing delegates, pols and pundits alike. And they’re not the only ones winding down their routines tonight as Barack Obama’s speech closes the event; Mayor of the Sunset Strip director George Hickenlooper is hanging around with his cousin, Denver mayor John Hickenlooper, and Amy Rice and Alicia Sams are neck-deep in their top-secret, Ed Norton-backed documentary following the Obama campaign. More »
New Steven Spielberg Short Leaves Obama on Cutting-Room Floor
6:30AM STV | The Democratic National Convention is past the halfway point in Denver, which tonight will emerge as the unlikely epicenter of Steven Spielberg’s cosmic restitution for Indiana Jones 4. The director is taking only incremental steps toward recovery for now, however, joining contemporaries Ken Burns and Davis Guggenheim as the DNC’s guest contributors of short films for each night. The good news: Spielberg’s short celebrates American military veterans, and we guess the guy knows his American military veterans. (NB: It’s narrated by Tom Hanks.) The bad news: Kind of like Cannes, Spielberg will be around just long enough to drop off the tape before heading back to lick his Clinton-supporting wounds. Insert frowny emoticon here: More »
