"Veep" starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus on HBO

[Sawyer]

http://www.deadline.com/2011/04/hbo-...louis-dreyfus/

HBO Greenlights Comedy Series ‘Veep’ Starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus
By NELLIE ANDREEVA

EXCLUSIVE: Julia Louis-Dreyfus is returning to primetime, this time on cable. HBO has picked up to series Veep, the D.C.-set comedy pilot from British comedian, writer and director Armando Iannucci, which stars the Seinfeld alumna. Set “very near the White House,” Veep centers on former Sen. Selina Meyer (Louis-Dreyfus), who becomes Vice President only to discover that the job is nothing like she expected and everything everyone ever warned her about. Co-starring in the project are Anna Chlumsky as her chief of staff, Tony Hale as her right-hand man and Sufe Bradshaw as her assistant as well as Reid Scott, Tim Simons and Matt Walsh. Iannucci co-wrote and directed the pilot. He executive produces the series with Chris Godsick and New York Magazine’s Frank Rich, who has a deal with HBO. Simon Blackwell, who co-wrote the pilot with Iannucci, co-executive produces, and Louis-Dreyfus serves as producer. Veep begins production this fall for a 2012 premiere.

This is the second consecutive female-centered comedy pilot ordered to series at HBO following the January pickup of the Lena Dunham pilot executive produced by Judd Apatow. Louis-Dreyfus has won two Emmys, one for NBC’s Seinfeld and one for CBS’ The New Adventures of Old Christine. She has had a presence at HBO with a recurring role on Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, where she plays herself. Iannucci has long political satire experience. His popular and BAFTA-winning British comedy series The Thick of It satirizes the inner workings of the British government. (Blackwell was one of his top writers on that series). The Thick of It spawned the 2009 feature spinoff In the Loop starring Tom Hollander and James Gandolfini that earned an Oscar nomination for its script, co-written by Iannucci and Blackwell. HBO’s latest series, fantasy drama Game of Thrones, premieres tomorrow night.

Since this is from the same writer as The Thick of It, I'm praying that Malcolm Tucker makes an appearance.

[Spidey-Bat]

"Tony Hale as her right-hand man"

I hope he has a missing left hand.

[TheIncredibleSk]

The name is stupid and I hope she shows her boobs.

[Call Me Darkman]

Originally Posted by TheIncredibleSk

I hope she shows her boobs.

She's overdue for some nudity. I once read an interview where she said that the reason she has never done nudity is because no one has asked her.

[Pink Ranger]

Originally Posted by Call Me Darkman

She's overdue for some nudity. I once read an interview where she said that the reason she has never done nudity is because no one has asked her.

* Cut to SK quickly writing a screenplay. *

[Call Me Darkman]

This will probably be a Spin City wannabe.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Call Me Darkman

This will probably be a Spin City wannabe.

Have you ever watched The Thick of It or In the Loop?

[Call Me Darkman]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Have you ever watched The Thick of It or In the Loop?

Nope, but the premise sounds like Spin City. A show where the second-in-command is secretly in-charge.

[Ultra Lantern]

If I had HBO,I'd watch this show.

[tzarinna]

Originally Posted by Ultra Lantern

If I had HBO,I'd watch this show.

She's so funny, and I'm in the same boat, no HBO.

[Pink Ranger]

JLD and Tony Hale together in an HBO comedy, I'll watch it just for that.

[obin_gam]

she'll never be no MJF thats for sure, bloody rip offs

[Sawyer]

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

Dammit, HBO, I need more than that!

[Matt]

It certainly doesn't look like a poor man's Spin City. It looks like the running joke is going to be how comically boring and pointless her job is: opposite of Spin City.

[Sawyer]

If the dialogue is half as good as the stuff Iannucci came up with for The Thick of It and In the Loop, this could rival Curb's spot as HBO's best comedy....

"Today, you have laid your first big, fat egg of solid ****. You took the data loss media strategy and you ate it with a lump of E. Coli, then you sprayed it out of your ass at 300 mph."

[Matt]

Nothing can top Curb.

[Sawyer]

Top? No.
Rival? Maybe.

If I had my way, HBO's comedy line-up from now until the end of recorded history would be made up of Curb, this and three other series starring Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander and Michael Richards.

[WorthyStevens]

I worked on this show recently (a background member of Julia's WH staff). Amazing experience as the cast works really well together. This show won't disappoint.

And Anna Chlumsky is really hot in person.

[chamber-music]

Malcolm Tucker or bust!

Craig Fergusons Oscar winning buddy Peter Capaldi is awesome.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by chamber-music

Malcolm Tucker or bust!

Craig Fergusons Oscar winning buddy Peter Capaldi is awesome.

Agreed.

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

[Sawyer]

I'm just glad JLD has another series that at least seems, thus far, to be worthy of her talents. After how ever many seasons of that lame CBS sitcom, it'll be good to see her at her best full time. It's like...

Seinfeld? Great.
Arrested Development? Great.
Curb Your Enthusiasm? Great.
New Adventures of Old Christine?

And of course that's the one she got an Emmy for...

[WorthyStevens]

Premiere is set for April 22.

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

I'm just glad JLD has another series that at least seems, thus far, to be worthy of her talents. After how ever many seasons of that lame CBS sitcom, it'll be good to see her at her best full time. It's like...

Seinfeld? Great.
Arrested Development? Great.
Curb Your Enthusiasm? Great.
New Adventures of Old Christine?

And of course that's the one she got an Emmy for...

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

[WorthyStevens]

New promo.

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

[nite-owl]

I've heard Chris Morris is directing the first episode so I'll check this out.