Spielberg Backs Hillary

The biggest director in the world has signed on to endorse Hillary Clinton for President. (Obama's the bridesmaid and Edwards is the ring bearer.)

Read more about Hillary's announcement HERE. And for any non-cinephiles out there, Spielberg's directing credits include:

Indiana Jones 4 (upcoming)
Munich
War of the Worlds
Saving Private Ryan
Jurassic Park
Schindler's List
E.T.
Indiana Jones 1,2,3
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Jaws

Will this entertainment magnate shift the winds of candidate alignment? Can this influence others in Steven's Dreamworks entourage?

Also...those of you that discount the influence of people in the entertainment field should cross reference these movies (and the dozen or so others that he's done) with your childhood... and recognize!

Barack Obama Experiences Second Weekend Box Office Drop First Hand

Think about all the cash dropped on Barack Obama for naught. Certainly all will be forgiven by Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton enjoys renewed Hollywood clout
An early infatuation with Obama's candidacy appears to be fading among the ex-first lady's Hollywood supporters.

By Tina Daunt, Times Staff Writer

It's starting to look like Hollywood's infatuation with Sen. Barack Obama was just a flirtation before it settles down with its longtime girlfriend, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Most of Hollywood may lean Democratic, but the direction of that inclination can be as fickle as the Santa Anas. During the last presidential election, some people changed their mind five times before they settled on Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.).

And, as it is with everything in this world of glitz, candidates — like celebrities — benefit from buzz.

So here's the buzz these days: Clinton's presidential bid has begun to regain momentum over Obama's in the entertainment industry.

In fact, it's become so strong that Steven Spielberg, once considered a solid supporter of Illinois Democrat Obama, is now believed to be leaning in favor of Clinton, according to longtime industry politicos. (Spielberg's political spokesman, Andy Spahn, was coy this week when asked about Spielberg's political thinking. "We have nothing to announce," Spahn said, but stay tuned.)

But behind the scenes, the signs are pretty clear. Last week, Clinton cruised through town raising a cool $1.1 million in one day. At a celebrity-studded reception at News Corp. President Peter Chernin's house — an event co-hosted by Spielberg and television financier Haim Saban — Clinton brought in $850,000. (Chernin's boss, Rupert Murdoch, currently bidding to take over the Wall Street Journal, is a political conservative who sometimes gives to Democratic candidates.) Even super-agent Ari Emanuel, who is one of Obama's top industry supporters, wrote a check to Clinton.

Keep reading at latimes.com

Hillary Clinton Takes Hollywood

Hollywood has emptied their pockets for a second time. Round one for Barack Obama, now round two for Hillary Clinton at Brett Ratner's home in Beverly Hills. Excerpt from Variety:

Hillary Clinton Draws A Crowd
Campaign trail returns to Hollywood.
By TED JOHNSON

Hillary Clinton drew a mix of politicos and paparazzi in a series of events through Hollywood circles, showing continuing strength as she competes aggressively with Barack Obama and John Edwards for entertainment industry support.

At the same time she was raising money on Wednesday night, New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was doing the same at a fund-raiser at the Beverly Hilton that featured comedian Dennis Miller.

With Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joining her, Clinton raised $850,000 at an event at the home of News Corp. prexy Peter Chernin, and another $250,000 at the home of Brett Ratner, according to sources.

The latter fund-raiser was the media highlight of this visit. With a minimum ticket price of $250, Ratner's event was aimed at "young Hollywood," but the crowd would more accurately be described as "young-ish," as it drew a mix of people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, hardly the hardcore tabloid-bred nightclub crowd of the Sunset Boulevard. Nevertheless, paparazzi was in full force as web site TMZ.com captured donors as they crossed Benedict Canyon Road to Ratner's home, called Hilhaven. Inside, it was a bit more staid than when Ratner allowed "Entourage" to shoot a scene in which bikini clad women wandered around his property, a riff on his image as the consummate party host. He did, however, open up his basement disco, installed when Allan Carr lived there in the 1970s.

Stars such as Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart, Will.I.Am, Jeremy Piven, Angie Banicki, Michelle Trachtenberg, Brent Bolthouse and Chris Klein mixed with Steve Bing, James Toback, Quincy Jones, Brian Grazer, Kevin Smith, Holly Wiersma, Pauly Shore, California State Assemblyman Mike Feuer and political and fund-raising consultant Noah Mamet, among others. New NBC chief Ben Silverman also was there, often consumed with pressing business, and eying and typing into his Blackberry. Absent were any gift bags -- people asked -- as the campaign forbids such gifts at the risk of violating finance laws.

Clinton met one on one with VIP paying guests inside the home, with Ratner insisting that guests take off their shoes to protect the hardwood floors.

Keep reading at variety.com

Obama Courts Young Hollywood

Barack Obama's been referred to as rock star by competing candidates and the media alike. And this past weekend's event at the Hollywood nightclub Boulevard 3, paparazzi included, rang true to form as Obama sought to win the hearts and votes of the Hollywood elite. The allure of Obama seems to have drawn some of the luster away from Hillary Clinton and a line in the sand has been drawn down Sunset Blvd. From the outsider it looks as if the younger Hollywood crowd is looking to get behind the new horse, Mr. Obama. Will that be the deciding factor? Age? Will older loyalists to the Clinton family stick with Hillary - and younger, newer Hollywood folk (agents, managers, producers and studio execs) look towards the new kid on the block...the rock star?
Read more on the Hollywood fundraising events here.