Truthiness in Technicolor!
HBO is planning to make an unbiased film, titled “Recount†and scheduled to premiere early next year, about the 2000 presidential election.
That could be difficult, if not impossible, to pull off, because the director, executive producer, and writer of the movie are all Democrats. Oh, and Colin Callender, the president of HBO Films, is also a D.
The Hollywood Reporter this week quoted Callender as saying the movie won’t take sides and instead would be “a fascinating look at democracy.†Callender has made political donations to then-Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D-Tenn.), Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).
Executive Producer Paula Weinstein, who has given to Sens. Clinton, Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), praised Sydney Pollack for being the only director able to deal with the “dramatic twists and turns of the story with honesty and truthfulness.â€Â
Pollack has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Democrats over the years. Some of the recipients were Clinton, Boxer, and California Reps. Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters. In 1999, however, he gave to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
Wait, he of McCain-Feingold? Get out of town…!
Daniel Strong, the writer of “Recount,†has claimed he did detailed research and conducted numerous interviews with the people involved.
That is news to one Republican operative who was in the middle of the hanging-chad controversy, who said he knows of no Florida Republican  including former Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.)  who was interviewed by Strong.
Len Amato, the senior vice president of HBO Films who gave $2,000 to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in 2004, said he can understand the concerns, but noted that his company has a long track record of thoroughly researching its historical topics before filming them.
“Our main intention is getting the story right,†Amato said.
He said the political donations to Democrats will not affect the film, claiming HBO will “bend over backwards†to make the movie fair.
Well, I believe somebody will bent over, sure. But somehow I doubt it will be Al Gore.
Next up for HBO: Tony Soprano commissions two overseas button men to whack his sister’s husband, Bobby Baccalieri, over “his, you know, his fuckin’ excessive carbon—whaddyou call ‘em—emissions.”
(h/t Dan Collins)
I’m sure HBO’s “Recount” will simply reflect the scientific consensus on the issue. Of course the fact that they’re having the roles of Justices Scalia and Thomas played by Ed Asner and Snoop Dogg does give me pause.
Maybe the next HBO documentary will discuss who actually won the Revolutionary War.
Gee, I wonder how much of the film will be devoted to the Democrats’ statewide attempts to illegally suppress the military votes?
I would cancel my HBO in protest, but I wouldn’t pay for that crap in the first place.
Gee. And I thought that the main intention was selling media products to their paying audience. Who knew that HBO morphed into NPR? As if they ever really cared about getting it right. Admittedly, I can understand HBO cranking out a slanted piece of trash; they’re trying to keep demographic groups happy. NPR is supposed to be free from that taint of market corruption.
We should continue working on the casting.
How about Richard Dalley as the fearless politician who spoke out against faulty ballots and the importance of fair elections, these being lessons he learned from his Dad?
Naw. Who’d believe that?
Katherine Harris will be played by Eddie Izzard. Mark my words.
I do hope Rosie gets wind of this production, that is, if she ever stops breaking it herself.
Rosie can be the Scooby Doo type mob (Def: it’s existence cannot be proven, but the mere hint of it’s arrival is scary, and seems to have some nefarious motive). It kept appearing and frightening voters from performing their sacred duty of voting for Buchanan, I mean Nader, er, Gore, I mean anyone but Bush omygod we need S. Florida to deliver far more than this or we lose the state and why couldn’t Al even carry his own stinkin state anyway they’re just a bunch of gun totin Elmer Fudd descendants who don’t know better and we have New York and California isn’t that enough?????
Close up. Vote recounter. Pan in. Sweat bead runs down his forehead as he contemplates ballot.
I hear they are getting an actor that recently starred in an Oscar winning Documentary to play the part of Gore. Supposedly only he was able to portray an insufferable, sanctimonious, twit well enough to “act” like the former Vice President.
Close up. Vote recounter. Pan in. Sweat bead runs down his forehead as he contemplates ballot.
Not to mention portrayals of “confused” voters. Cue angry indignation:
Disenfranchised minority voter: “But, that’s not who I intended to vote for!”
Republican Poll worker: “Tough, THAT is who you voted for!
So, uh … who’s playing Chad?
Long Dong Silver?
Whenever someone claims that their work is “unbiased”, that’s a sure sign that it most certainly is.
“Our main intention is getting the story right,†Amato said.
Because, up to now, the “story” has probaby been told wrong. Which means…gads…Dubya really IS an illegal president!
Time to buy some bumperstickers.
Reached for additional comment, Danny Strong said “This will help me land the lead role in Syd’s ‘Tootsie’ re-make in which I would dress up as Sarah Michelle Gellar.”
If this is successful they may do a musical adaptation, starring Barbra ‘I’m on the next boat outta here’ Streisand.
“Madam Butterfly Ballot”.
“fair” is Democratese for “what all my Hollywood friends say”.
It’s a sad fact of life that when a group of politically active Democrats tells you they’re going to be fair, you just kind of laugh, like when the guy sitting in front of the liquor store in a raggedy old coat asks you for “five bucks for gas.”
OF COURSE this will be a polemical “Mikey Moore” “docudrama,” please.
The doubly sad thing is tht those career Dems at HBO probably actually believe that the Dem talking points are the ACTUAL truth. That’s why they haven’t bothered to talk to anyone else about it.
I bet Sharon Gless would actually drop a couple stone if they offered her the Katherine Harris role, and that’s how Emmy magic is made.
Wrong Chad—I meant “hanging,” not “hung.”
I think maybe Keanu.
Didn’t they already show this? Or am I think of that one episode of “Rome”?
Crap like this makes me happy I canceled HBO over crap like this. Vindication, bitches.