As a gamer who has lived through the tumultuous political landscape of the past decade, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia when I hear about the upcoming virtual table read of Veep. The show was not just entertaining, but it also provided a darkly comedic mirror to our own political reality. The scene where Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ character finds out she’s going to be president is one that resonates deeply with me, given the historic nature of Kamala Harris becoming the Democratic vice presidential nominee.
After President Joe Biden declared he wouldn’t seek re-election in 2024 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee, there was a surge in popularity for the TV show “Veep.” One particularly shared and memed scene following the news of Biden-Harris was when Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ character learns she will become the president of the United States.
Due to the popular demand for rewatching the “Veep” scene, Louis-Dreyfus and the cast of the acclaimed, Emmy-winning political comedy have chosen to gather virtually for a reread of that episode. This event is being organized to aid Democrats in their efforts to win elections at various levels across Wisconsin, as announced by the star and executive producer on Thursday, together with Ben Wikler, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
On the 29th of September at 8 p.m. Eastern Time or 5 p.m. Pacific Time, cast members from the TV show Veep will hold a live reading of the third season’s episode “Crate”. This event will be hosted by Stephen Colbert. The actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus and her co-stars Tony Hale, Anna Chlumsky, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons, Sam Richardson, Matt Walsh, Gary Cole, Sarah Rutherland, Clea DuVall, and Sufe Bradshaw will participate. This unique fundraising event can be attended by reserving tickets at wisdems.org/veep, where donations can also be made.
In the 2015 episode “Crate” of season three, Vice President Selina Meyer, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, discovers that the sitting president will resign, making her the new occupant of the Oval Office. Overjoyed to see her lifelong ambition being realized, she shares the news with her aide Gary (Tony Hale) in the bathroom, causing him to be so thrilled that he experiences a nosebleed.
This summer, as Harris rose to the pinnacle of the Democratic party’s ticket, several scenes like this one were re-shared, sparking a resurgence of interest similar to the TV show “Veep.” Now, the cast is showing their support for Harris and her running mate Tim Walz in a significant manner.
2014: Selina Meyer becomes the first female U.S. president in Veep. #HBO50
— HBO (@HBO) November 8, 2022
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Louis-Dreyfus stated, “We attempted to locate an old episode of Veep in which President Meyer falsely accused immigrants of consuming dogs and cats. However, during the production of Veep, such an accusation appeared absurdly exaggerated.
We’re excited to partner with the outstanding Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the cast of ‘Veep,’ along with Stephen Colbert, for this year’s remarkable and laugh-out-loud live virtual event hosted by WisDems. As stated by Wikler in a release to THR, our grassroots supporters are the driving force behind our statewide organizing efforts, which help us elect Democrats and pave a new path forward in Wisconsin. This event serves as a celebration for our long-time supporters and allows us to reach even more people who will propel our mission to elect Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, Tammy Baldwin, and other Democrats in Wisconsin this November.
As a devoted fan of ‘Veep’ and an enthusiast of voter turnout in Wisconsin, I am eager to contribute,” said Colbert with a wink, followed by, “I also have the hope of meeting Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She appears to be a charming individual.
During the 2020 election, Wisconsin’s Democratic Party collaborated with Hollywood on a virtual movement to reunite various TV and film casts. This included notable shows like “Princess Bride” and “Happy Days,” coming together to support Wisconsin as a crucial battleground state. A special reunion of the “West Wing” cast, orchestrated by Bradley Whitford, a native of Wisconsin, sparked a series of high-profile reunions in the entertainment industry. These events eventually raised over $7 million for the Democratic Party in Wisconsin. Subsequent gatherings included reunions from shows like “Veep,” which brought in over half a million dollars, and a 2022 crossover event featuring both the “West Wing” and “The West Wing” casts to rally support for the midterm elections.
In 2020, Wikler explained to THR that these events weren’t just about raising awareness, but rather about raising funds for strategic electoral activities such as volunteer registration and completing numerous shifts of virtual phone banking and text banking. Essentially, it was a means for entertainers, cultural figures, and artists to engage people, who would then be motivated to perform some of the most impactful tasks in the country.
He stated, “The numbers from this election make it undeniably evident that there was no squandered effort in the creation of the content.” (or)
Lately, Louis-Dreyfus, David Mandel (showrunner), and Armando Ianucci (creator) of the show “Veep” have been discussing how the series resembles real-life politics during the 2024 election. This has made the political comedy remarkably relevant in today’s context, despite having ended after a seven season run in 2019. David Mandel recently told THR: “I can’t think of anything better than more people watching Veep today”. He added, “The wilder politics becomes, the more Veep seems prophetic!
This is the latest example of Hollywood coming out for Harris-Walz. Louis-Dreyfus hosted a panel during the week of the Democratic National Convention with the country’s eight Democratic governors, and the cast of Shonda Rhimes’ hit ABC political drama Scandal will be reuniting this weekend to support Harris’ Reproductive Freedom Bus Tour, among other events.
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2024-09-19 17:55