Obama Speechwriter Takes Comic Act to Hollywood

But Jon Lovett knows Washington writers tend to tank in LA
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 3, 2011 3:00 PM CDT
Updated Sep 3, 2011 6:00 PM CDT
Obama Speechwriter Jon Lovett Plans Move to Hollywood
Jon Lovett works his standup act in Washington, DC.   (Youtube)

"Washington speechwriter sick of submerging his comic identity in alpha politicians seeks job in television. Willing to move to West Coast!" So might Jon Lovett's classified ad read, if Hollywood worked like Craigslist. But the Obama speechwriter and standup comic will have to actually move to LA when he leaves the administration this month. He'll try to ride studio interest in his political comedy script and an updated version of "M*A*S*H," and succeed in a town where Washington writers have a tendency to tank, the Washington Post reports.

Not all, though: There's Eli Attie, an ex-Clinton White House speechwriter who now writes and produces on "House." And there are others. But Lovett knows he will have to translate his sarcastic onstage act—and his ability to write funny remarks for Hillary Clinton, Rahm Emanuel, and President Obama (at White House correspondents dinners)—into stories for the screen. His personal nightmare? Coming back to Washington in search of a speech-writing job. “That,” he dead-pans, “would not be ideal.” (More Jon Lovett stories.)

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