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Donald Trump’s Department of Justice has released new documents that could be helpful in the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein’s case, including his contact list and flight logs. It was a major disappointment for the people, though, as the said file did not reveal any explosive information.

Jeffrey Epstein / Credits: ABC News

In fact, it did not mention any names of celebrities, politicians, or high-profile figures who are confirmed to have been guests on his private island. All we have for now is a list of Epstein’s contact list whose names are familiar to the public.

Jeffrey Epstein’s contact list revealed several well-known celebrities and politicians

On Thursday afternoon, Jeffrey Epstein’s documents were released to selected right-wing social media influencers, and they were reportedly underwhelmed with the revelation. A source who had seen the files told the New York Post that they looked into a hundred pages of phone book,...

Harvey Weinstein’s brother, Bob Weinstein, might need to watch his back while he deals with the lawsuit filed against him.

As promised, President Donald Trump released the “first phase” of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein and his contact list. While the 200-page long binder did not provide any breaking news related to the Epstein List, it did unveil a few big names who had been on his contact list. From Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson to Alec Baldwin and Ivanka Trump, the documents only confirmed what the masses had been suspecting all this time.

Jeffery Epstein | Credits: Filthy Rich on Netflix

One such name on the list was that of Bob Weinstein, film producer and the founder of Dimension Films, as well as the former co-chairman of Miramax Films and The Weinstein Company. Harvey Weinstein, now in jail, filed a lawsuit against his brother and a few others alleging financial fraud and conspiracy.

The Justice Department of the U.S. has released a document relating to the notorious s*x predator Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday evening, February 26th. The list includes a contact list and flight logs. The 200-page document has made no big revelations, but it has mentioned all the celebrities and politicians who were on the contact list of the offender. Attorney General Pam Bondi has claimed that the FBI office in New York will investigate the document further for it to be disclosed to the public.

Jeffrey Epstein | Credit: Filthy Rich on Netflix

Jeffrey Epstein had been charged with s*x offences against several underage girls in his homes and private islands. He had several acquaintances among whom some big Hollywood names are involved. The document containing the names of the contact list has revealed all the names related to the offences to the public.

Who are there on Jeffrey Epstein’s contact list?...

The Justice Department released the ‘Epstein Binder’, which contained documents like a contact list, flight logs, and other evidence related to s*x predator Jeffrey Epstein. U.S. President Donald Trump once maintained close ties with the disgraced financier. However, Trump’s name did not appear in the contact list released, and there is no proof that he was on the infamous ‘Epstein List’.

Donald Trump in an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience | Credits: PowefulJRE/YouTube

The new document contains no significant new information pertaining to the case. The President’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, and his former wife, Ivana Trump, were among those listed as Epstein’s contact. However, the document didn’t imply that anyone in the contact list was associated with Epstein’s crimes.

Jeffrey Epstein’s contact list includes Donald Trump’s ex-wife and daughter Donald Trump’s ex-wife Ivana Trump in an interview with Jim Axelrod...

In an excerpt from his new book Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church, author Gareth Gore examines the ties binding Supreme Court kingmaker Leonard Leo and Opus Dei, a radical organization on the fringes of the Catholic Church that is accused of serious abuses and dedicated to the complete “re-Christianization” of the world.

Leonard Leo was born on Long Island in the mid-sixties. When he was only a toddler, he lost his father — a pastry chef — to cancer. At the age of five,...

Washington — It was a ritual of the modern Republican Party. House and Senate hopefuls locked in a tough reelection fight, outside consultants who wanted to refill their campaign coffers, presidential wannabes who dreamt of being the next commander-in-chief — they all made the pilgrimage to Las Vegas, and specifically to the personal office of the billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. They made sure on their way in to avoid stepping in any excrement left behind by Adelson’s secretary’s dog. And they made even more sure to kiss the ring...

James Corden used his platform as host of “The Late Late Show” on Thursday night to address Bill Maher directly over a segment he did last week arguing that “fat-shaming” should be encouraged.

“As I was watching it, I was like, ‘Oh, man. Somebody needs to say something about this. If only there was somebody with a platform who knew what it was actually like to be overweight,'” Corden said. “Then I realized, ‘Ah, that’ll be me.'”

Also Read: Bill Maher: I'm 'Glad' David Koch Is Dead, 'And I Hope the End Was Painful' (Video)

Corden repeatedly stated that he likes and respects Maher, but had issues with this particular segment of his HBO show. “Any time I’ve met Bill Maher in person, he’s been nothing but pleasant and kind and nice, which is why I found it so surprising that he or anybody thinks...

Bette Midler has been all over Twitter this week. It started Wednesday when the actress penned a risque poem about President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump. A poem from Melania: Each day I’m filled with the hope That #Donald won’t be such a Dope So I get on my knees And say vip […]

The post Bette Midler Pens Naughty Poem About Donald & Melania Trump, Attack On David Koch appeared first on uInterview.

Like him or not, on Friday night Bill Maher did what he does best. He used his platform to cut through what he deems as nonsense, no matter the blowback or regard for political niceties.

During his HBO Real Time monologue, Maher was brutal when speaking about billionaire David Koch, who died of prostate cancer earlier in the day:

“I guess I’m going to have to re-evaluate my low opinion of prostate cancer. He was 79, but his family says they wish he could live longer, but at least he...

The proverb “Don’t speak ill of the dead” is credited to Chilon the Wise, the same Greek sage from 500 B.C. who said “Do not laugh at a person in misfortune.” Chilon, no surprise, has never been a fan of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher most likely due to philosophical differences with the show’s host.

On Friday night’s show Maher had his audience cringing with the post-mortem zingers he aimed at two recently deceased (and widely reviled) news figures, wealthy sex predator Jeffrey Epstein and billionaire conservative activist David Koch.

“And now, some funeral news to report [from] yesterday: David Koch, of the zillionaire Koch brothers, died of prostate cancer,” Maher said early in his monologue. “I guess I’m going to have to re-evaluate my low opinion of prostate cancer. He was 79, but his family says they wish he could live longer, but at least...

Company Town (2017 – directed by Natalie Kottke-Masocco and Erica Sardaria) screens Friday January 26th through Sunday January 28th at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood). The movie starts each evening at 7:30pm.

Crossett, Arkansas is home to about 5,500 people; one Georgia-Pacific paper and chemical plant owned by billionaire brothers Charles Koch and David Koch, and a startling rate of cancer and illness. This investigative documentary follows local pastor David Bouie as he fights to save his community. It offers a rare look inside a small town ruled by a single company, where the government’s environmental protections have been subverted and ignored, leaving its citizens to take on entrenched powers in a fight for justice. Crossett’s residents are up against one of the nation’s largest industrial company: Koch Industries. Pastor Bouie worked at the Koch’s Georgia-Pacific plant for ten years, and on the street where he lives,...

Two American university film schools are represented on this year’s Oscar shortlist for Best Live Action Short Film, which have to win film festival awards to qualify. The Academy’s Short Films and Animation branch selected 10 live-action shorts (out of 165 qualified submissions) to contend for Oscar nominations. They will now vote for five nominees from the shortlist after attending January branch screenings in Los Angeles, London, New York and San Francisco.

The shorts are listed below in alphabetical order. No film will be deemed a frontrunner until I have seen it.

Contenders:

“DeKalb Elementary,” Reed Van Dyk, director (UCLA)

“The Eleven O’Clock,” Derin Seale, director (Finch)

“Facing Mecca,” Jan-Eric Mack, director, and Joël Jent, producer (Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion)

“Icebox,” Daniel Sawka, director, and Camille Cornuel, producer (Iceboxthefilmco)

“Lost Face,” Sean Meehan, director, and Sam McGarry, producer (Soma Films)

“My Nephew Emmett,” Kevin Wilson, Jr., director (New York University)

“Rise of a Star,...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Short Films and Animation branch has selected its shortlist of 10 live-action short films (out of 165 qualified submissions) to contend for five Oscar nominations.

American film schools UCLA and Nyu both landed films on the list. “DeKalb University,” directed by UCLA’s Reed Van Dyk, premiered at the SXSW Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences College Television Awards. “My Nephew Emmett,” from Nyu’s Kevin Wilson Jr., received the gold medal for narrative at the 2017 Student Academy Awards.

The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies:

“DeKalb Elementary,” Reed Van Dyk, director (UCLA)

“The Eleven O’Clock,” Derin Seale, director (Finch)

“Facing Mecca,” Jan-Eric Mack, director, and Joël Jent, producer (Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion)

“Icebox,” Daniel Sawka, director, and Camille Cornuel, producer (Iceboxthefilmco)

“Lost Face,” Sean Meehan, director, and Sam McGarry,...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Short Films and Animation branch has selected its shortlist of 10 live-action short films (out of 165 qualified submissions) to contend for five Oscar nominations.

American film schools UCLA and Nyu both landed films on the list. “DeKalb University,” directed by UCLA’s Reed Van Dyk, premiered at the SXSW Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences College Television Awards. “My Nephew Emmett,” from Nyu’s Kevin Wilson Jr., received the gold medal for narrative at the 2017 Student Academy Awards.

The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies:

“DeKalb Elementary,” Reed Van Dyk, director (UCLA)

“The Eleven O’Clock,” Derin Seale, director (Finch)

“Facing Mecca,” Jan-Eric Mack, director, and Joël Jent, producer (Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion)

“Icebox,” Daniel Sawka, director, and Camille Cornuel, producer (Iceboxthefilmco)

“Lost Face,” Sean Meehan, director, and Sam McGarry,...

After two previous attempts fell through, Iowa-based Meredith Corporation on Sunday negotiated a $2.8 billion deal to purchase rival magazine publisher Time Inc. — thanks in part to an infusion of $650 million cash from Koch Equity Development, the private equity arm of conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch. But industry insiders are questioning Meredith’s promise that the brothers, well-known for their conservative activism, would remain passive investors and stay out of the day-to-day editorial decisions of Meredith’s new holdings, which include storied brands such as Time, People, Fortune and Sports Illustrated. “The Koch money is very troubling,” said Jeff Jarvis,...

Prostate Cancer Foundation (Pcf), a nonprofit organization founded by Michael Milken dedicated to identifying and funding groundbreaking cancer research programs, recently hosted the 2017 New York Dinner at Cipriani 42nd Street New York.

Whoopie Goldberg at the Prostate Cancer Foundation 2017 New York Dinner

Credit/Copyright: Patrick McMullan

Legendary actress, comedian, and television host Whoopi Goldberg served as guest host for the event. The evening concluded with a stunning performance by Grammy and Academy Award-winning singer Jennifer Hudson. Proceeds from the event, which raised $18 million, will support the partnership between Pcf and the Department of Veterans Affairs (Va) to provide precision oncology to all veterans by establishing eleven centers of excellence. By providing access to their more than 9 million patient records, Pcf researchers will be able to discover new and better treatments that will impact all prostate cancer patients. The evening was the organization’s second largest fundraising night.

Notable attendees included: Michael and Lori Milken,...

Donald Trump‘s net worth has taken a nosedive since he turned to politics, according to Forbes.

The magazine’s venerable list of the country’s 400 richest people ranks the president at #248, dropping an astonishing 92 spots from last year. The publication now lists his net worth at $3.1 billion.

Forbes cites several reasons for the fall. Specifically, “a tough New York real estate market, particularly for retail locations; a costly lawsuit and an expensive presidential campaign.” Less than two weeks after being elected president, Trump agreed to pay $25 million to settle lawsuits against the now-defunct Trump University.

Related Video: Physically Attacked...

Since the swearing-in of climate-denier Scott Pruitt as head of the Environmental Protection Agency in February, concerned Americans have wondered how the Epa can survive being run by a man who so often has fought against its very mission. But like many eco-documentaries before it, Natalie Kottke-Masocco and Erica Sardarian's Company Town suggests the agency was grievously wounded long before Pruitt came on the scene — incapable of stopping flagrant polluters even when a community and journalists did its investigations. Charles and David Koch are the villains offered here, with one of their Georgia-Pacific paper mills wrecking life in tiny Crossett,...

Kathy Griffin has rescinded her apology for the photo of herself posing with a bloodied Donald Trump mask that cost her a stand-up tour, a job at CNN and a friendship with Anderson Cooper. In an interview with Australia’s Seven Network, the comedian told “Sunrise” co-hosts David Koch and Samantha Armytage that she “is no longer sorry” for the photo that stirred up so much outrage. “The whole outrage was B.S.” Griffin said. “The whole thing got so blown out of proportion and I lost everybody. Like, I had Chelsea Clinton tweeting against me. I had friends — Debra Messing...

As steeped in pop culture as we are, we realize that film financing can come from unlikely sources. (Conversely, Hollywood backers can find their way into surprisingly influential positions.) Still, not a whole lot of thought is given to the numerous producer names inserted amid the more interesting parts of the credits, like the cast and best boy grips. But a new post from The Hollywood Reporter might have moviegoers scanning that scroll a little more closely in the future. Apparently, Charles and David Koch are silent investors in several Warner Bros. movies, including recent releases like Dunkirk, Wonder Woman, and the upcoming Ready Player One.

The Koch brothers are, as you might already be aware, the billionaire siblings who basically became captains of industry by busting unions and wrecking the environment. In addition to bankrolling the Tea Party, the Kochs have apparently been dabbling in the movie business over...

You may remember Lorde comparing her friendship with Taylor Swift to an autoimmune disease while promoting her album Melodrama a couple of weeks ago. Well, the "Green Light" singer initially seemed to hint that she isn't as close with Taylor as people think she is. When asked how it felt to suddenly be hanging out with her celebrity idols in an interview with Australia's Sunrise, she said, "I don't hang out with these people at all." Host David Koch then brought up the fact that she's part of Taylor's squad, to which she replied, "You make friends in different places, but I think for the most part, I'm not calling up my idols for advice necessarily." Lorde later clarified her comments in a Twitter statement, saying they were misconstrued. "Wow - something of a frustrating thing to have to address online but here we go. Taylor is a dear friend.

Lorde is clearing up her comments regarding her friendship with Taylor Swift after a recent interview. Sitting down with Australia’s morning show “Sunrise”, the “Green Light” singer cringed when co-host David Koch asked about her Hollywood circle of friends, including Swift’s star-studded squad. “I don’t hang out with these people at all,” she said after […]...

It seems Taylor Swift's squad is down a member.

Lorde revealed during an interivew with Australia's Sunrise on Friday that she's not part of T.Swift's infamous squad -- but is still amazed that she and the "Bad Blood" singer are friends.

Watch: Lorde Apologizes for 'Insensitive' Comparison Taylor Swift Friendship to 'Autoimmune Disease'

"The second you think too hard about it, you'll just go insane," Lorde shared of how she "copes" with befriending her idols. "It's best to be like, 'We're in wonderland and it's just what happens around here.'"

"Also," she added, "I don't hang out with these people at all."

"Hang on!" Sunrise co-host David Koch interrupted. "You're part of Taylor Swift's squad, all the magazines tell us!"

"You know, you make friends in different places," Lorde said, shaking her head at the idea of being part of the squad. "But I think for the most part I'm not, like, calling...

Lorde has disassociated herself from Taylor Swift's squad. In an interview with Australia's Sunrise that aired Friday, co-host David Koch asked the New Zealand native about how she "coped" with befriending some of the people she'd idolized, like Beyoncé and Swift. "The second you think too hard about it, you'll just go insane," Lorde, 20, explained. "It's best to be like, 'We're in wonderland and it's just what happens around here.'" "Also," Lorde clarified, "I don't hang out with these people at all." "Hang on!" Koch said. "You're part of Taylor's squad; all the magazines tell us!" Lorde...

FCC chairman Ajit Pai turned today to a research fellow at a Koch Industries-supported think tank to serve as the agency’s chief economist. Jerry Ellig has worked since 1996 at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, which bills itself as “the world's premier university source for market-oriented ideas.” In a major 2010 story about Charles and David Koch’s influence in what she called the “war against Obama,” The New Yorker‘s Jane Mayer said that controversial…...

Blake Lively lit up the red carpet at Monday night's American Ballet Theatre Spring Gala at the David Koch Theater in New York City.

Related: Amber Tamblyn's 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' Co-Stars Sweetly Support Her at Directorial Debut Premiere

The 29-year-old actress arrived wearing a bright pink coat over a stunning bright yellow, strapless Oscar de la Renta gown, with a high slit on the side and a short train. She accessorized the dress with sparkly gold, single-strap heels and turquoise earrings and jewel-toned rings. The Cafe Society star had her hair swept back in a ponytail and opted for light eyeshadow and a pink-toned lip.

Getty ImagesGetty Images

Related: Exclusive Pics: Kylie Jenner Seems So Disinterested in Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at the Met Gala

Also in attendance that night was Katie Holmes in an elegant red, strapless Zac Posen number, which featured pockets, metallic floral designs and a waist-flattering silhouette. The actress...

Chelsea Clinton's smile says it all -- get yourself someone who looks at you the way her hubby does. The former First Daughter couldn't hide her Colgate smile while getting lost in her husband Marc Mezvinsky's eyes ... as they took a stroll through the Lincoln Center for the Yagp Gala: Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow ballet performance at the David Koch Theatre in NYC. Gotta wonder ... what did Marc say or...

Even in these deeply partisan times, it seems there is one thing that can still unite many Americans: a mutual love of Justin Trudeau.

The Canadian prime minister and self-declared feminist has become something of an Internet sensation since he took office in 2015.

Trudeau was a guest speaker at the 2017 Women in the World Summit, where he took the stage for a conversation with event producer and host Tina Brown. Taking the stage at the David Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City to a round of applause on par with those usually reserved for rock stars, Trudeau...

This story originally appeared on Time.com.

For the first time in his presidency, Donald Trump is facing significant criticism from Republican officials and conservative groups who are rattled by his ban on immigrants and refugees from Muslim-majority nations, questioning his domestic policy agenda and worrying about what steps the New York billionaire might take next in the name of nationalism.

By Sunday evening, more than a dozen Gop members of Congress had spoken out against Trump’s executive order on immigration. Among them were an array of the party’s most influential figures. The top Republican in the Senate,...

The 2016 Republican National Convention is making a last-ditch effort to cover its costs by propositioning a Las Vegas casino billionaire for a cool $6 million, according to Politico. The Cleveland 2016 Host Committee has written a letter to Sheldon Adelson and wife Miriam asking for $6 million to help cover retracted donation pledges from dozens of major businesses, including Coca-Cola, Pepsi and FedEx, reported Politico. "Over the past couple months, negative publicity around our potential nominee resulted in a considerable number of pledges backing out from their commitments," the letter allegedly said, referencing controversial presumptive nominee Donald Trump. Before withdrawing their donations, Coca-Cola had pledged $1 million,...

David Mamet has written a devastating portrait of a David Koch/Sheldon Adelson-style tycoon whose deep pockets fund at least one prominent governor. In essence, that portrait is Mamet’s new play, “China Doll,” which stars Al Pacino as Mickey Ross and opens Friday at Broadway’s Schoenfeld Theatre. There’s only one other character in the play, Ross’ assistant (Christopher Denham), who is merely a prop for most of the play’s two hours — until he becomes something much more. Shades of Karen, the on-the-make secretary, from “Speed-the-Plow”? Not quite. What’s most fascinating about “China Doll” is Mamet’s leisurely drawn-out exposition.

Jake Gittes: How much are you worth?

Noah Cross: I have no idea. How much do you want?

Jake Gittes: I just wanna know what you’re worth. More than 10 million?

Noah Cross: Oh my, yes!

Jake Gittes: Why are you doing it? How much better can you eat? What could you buy that you can’t already afford?

Noah Cross: The future, Mr. Gittes! The future. Now, where’s the girl? I want the only daughter I’ve got left. As you found out, Evelyn was lost to me a long time ago.

Jake Gittes: Who do you blame for that? Her?

Noah Cross: I don’t blame myself. You see, Mr. Gittes, most people never have to face the fact that at the right time and the right place, they’re capable of anything.

Chinatown. Robert Towne, script. Roman Polanski, director.

Chinatown is a masterpiece,...

It has been 21 years since Barbara Walters hosted her first 10 Most Fascinating People special - and now she's adding 10 more people to her list of honorees. "It's crazy. I'm so fortunate to have been doing this for so many years," Walters tells People of hosting the annual special at the age of 85. "I would've had to have been out of my mind to think that would happen." Her past lists have been filled with names ranging from celebrities (like Tom Hanks and Barbra Streisand) to politicians (like Madeleine Albright and Hillary Rodham Clinton) to those changing the world (like Mother Teresa...

It has been 21 years since Barbara Walters hosted her first 10 Most Fascinating People special – and now she's adding 10 more people to her list of honorees.

"It's crazy. I'm so fortunate to have been doing this for so many years," Walters tells People of hosting the annual special at the age of 85. "I would've had to have been out of my mind to think that would happen."

Her past lists have been filled with names ranging from celebrities (like Tom Hanks and Barbra Streisand) to politicians (like Madeleine Albright and Hillary Rodham Clinton) to those changing the world (like Mother Teresa...

It has been 21 years since Barbara Walters hosted her first 10 Most Fascinating People special - and now she's adding 10 more people to her list of honorees. "It's crazy. I'm so fortunate to have been doing this for so many years," Walters tells People of hosting the annual special at the age of 85. "I would've had to have been out of my mind to think that would happen." Her past lists have been filled with names ranging from celebrities (like Tom Hanks and Barbra Streisand) to politicians (like Madeleine Albright and Hillary Rodham Clinton) to those changing the world (like Mother Teresa...

The day has come, Miley Cyrus is officially over twerking.

At MTV’s 2013 Video Music Awards, it was hard to see the light at the end of the twerking tunnel – but that day has finally come!! Miley Cyrus says she is now ready to hang up her hat – or those giant butt pads – and move on to a new trend.

Turns out, when the 21-year-old went on Australia’s Sunrise TV Monday she made it very clear that she was over twerking. “Some people are living in the past,” she said. In fact, she was thrilled when co-hosts David Koch and Samantha Armytage asked her what her next big dance craze was going to be.

News: Lily Allen Praises Miley Cyrus' Stage Skills

She explained the Nay Nay is her new move, and then proceeded to demonstrate the dance to the co-hosts and give the audience on lesson they’d never forget.

So, just what...

Lawrence O'Donnell made his triumphant return to MSNBC's “The Last Word” on Monday after recovering from a car accident and made a surprise salute to his long-time political opponent. O'Donnell was off the air for two and a half months recovering from his injuries while on vacation. The liberal commentator observed that the first words he saw when he went to the hospital was “David H. Koch.” “Yes, that David Koch,” O'Donnell said. “Now brace yourselves please for the first positive words said about David Koch on this program. I agree with Harry Reid's critique of the Koch brothers’ contributions to American.

MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell returned to television Monday night after several weeks off the air due to injuries he sustained in a car accident while on vacation, and he made some surprising remarks. “I feel some gratitude to David Koch,” The Last Word host said. Photos The Top Celebrity Political Twitter Commentators In what he characterized as “the first positive words said about David Koch on this program,” O’Donnell explained that he appreciated the billionaire political donor’s contributions to institutions like New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery, where he was treated for his injuries. “I agree with

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Katy Perry is finding some solid goof-around time on her trip to Australia, invading the 7 Sunrise news broadcast in Sydney on Wednesday morning to deliver a hilarious, mispronunciation-laden weather report. (John Travolta would be proud.) Standing next to hosts Sam Armytage and David Koch, Perry takes her "nifty wand that all weather reporters use" and begin calling cities like Cairns and Canberra "Carns" and "Coona-berra." The highlight: referring to Hobart as "Hogwarts!" Video: Brit Awards: Katy Perry Goes Egyptian Neon for 'Dark Horse' Later in the program, Perry was reportedly asked if she has

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When Ifp announced that Itvs's Claire Aguilar, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal, the filmmakers behind "Citizen Koch," and Mette Hoffman Meyer, an executive who works in Danish television and who executive produced Alex Gibney's "Park Avenue" as a part of the multinational programming initiative "Why Poverty?," would all be gathering to talk about films that speak to power, it was obvious what they were trying to do. The panel was perfectly framed to respond to the recent New Yorker article by Jane Mayer that detailed the ways that public broadcasting may be in danger of being bought off by certain private funders. The funding promised to Lessin and Deal for "Citizen Koch" from Itvs, a documentary production company that gets funded primarily from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, was famously taken from them when they revealed the title for their film would reference David Koch, the billionaire funder of...

The city of Hartford, Conn., has condemned the possible purchase of the Tribune Co.'s newspaper division, which would include the Hartford Courant, by Charles and David Koch. The resolution was introduced on May 28 at the height of the rumors that the Kochs would make a bid to buy the Tribune's eight newspapers, which includes the Los Angeles Times. On Monday, it passed, the Hartford Courant reported. Also read: Coalition Protests Tribune Sale to 'Radical Right Wing' Koch Brothers "Whereas, residents of Hartford need independent journalism with truthful reporting as essential to a...

After The New Yorker profiled the story of Carl Deal and Tia Lessin's loss of a grant for their Sundance competition title "Citizen Koch" from public television producers Itvs, the filmmakers received an outpouring of support.  The filmmakers, who made the stellar Katrina doc "Trouble the Water," were working with Itvs on their film until Itvs pulled out of the project, presumably because the title called out a (now former) public television patron, David Koch, of the wealthy conservative Koch brothers. After the article ran, Lessin told Indiewire, "We had a beautiful response from people in the indie film community who were just heartbroken at what happened and wanted to throw in and support us in any way they could.  There was empathy and appreciation.  We spoke about what happened publicly at some expense to ourselves.  Not only for this film, but I don't think [Itvs] will be knocking down...

It's rare that corporations targeted in documentaries hire a film publicist to make sure that critics and journalists are informed of the company's response to a film.  McDonald's didn't work to do damage control with film writers when "Super Size Me" opened, though there were rumors it would.  It's common for industries and corporations to erect damage control mechanisms for the public.  In the famous case chronicled in the New Yorker, David Koch seems to have pulled his support of Wnyc because they aired Alex Gibney's "Park Avenue."  "Gasland" director Josh Fox's follow-up to his fracking exposé makes clear the natural gas industry's attack on his film. This weekend, indie film publicists had competing clients, when SeaWorld lashed out at Gabriela Cowperthwaite's film "Blackfish," the Sundance documentary that was picked up by Magnolia Pictures and CNN Films.  Starting with the death of orca trainer Dawn Brancheau, "Blackfish" tells the history of SeaWorld.

After hitting an initial crowdfunding goal of $75,000 within days, a grassroots effort to recoup financing for Citizen Koch could rake in double that figure by the time the project's Kickstarter closes on Aug. 8. It currently sits at $140,000 in pledged funds from 2,779 backers. The doc premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, but it received more attention in late May when Jane Mayer's New Yorker article arrived, detailing how the film saw $150,000 in public television funding vanish in April due to billionaire industrialist David Koch's influence as a trustee on the board of the

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Documentary filmmaker Tia Lessin is going on the offensive against any attempts by the Charles and David Koch to buy the Tribune Co. newspapers, weeks after some PBS stations plans to air her controversial "Citizen Koch" documentary about the Koch brothers drew controversy. Lessin on Wednesday joined local activists and concerned citizens at a New York protest outside the doors of one of the bigger owners of Tribune stock -- Angelo, Gordon & Co. which holds 9.4 percent of Tribune Co. stock. A company spokesman did not return a call seeking...

In the New Yorker this week, journalist Jane Mayer asks if San Francisco-based Itvs was cowed by pressure from a former PBS board member, the incredibly wealthy philanthropist David Koch. The story Mayer tells starts with last fall's airing of Alex Gibney's film "Park Avenue: Money, Power & The American Dream," which implicates many of the so-called 1% who buy political influence.  Much of Gibney's film centers on the inhabitants of 740 Park Avenue, including one of the country's richest businesspeople, Koch. Koch has recently gained notoriety for funding many of the super Pac's that have been greatly affecting American politics in recent years.  He is also a primary focus in Sundance 2013 film, "Citizen Koch," from "Trouble the Water" filmmakers Tia Lessin and Carl Deal. That film, it turns out, had a deal to receive funding from Itvs, the San Francisco-based funder whose work often end up on PBS.  After the screening...

A new special from National Geographic Television and PBS explores the brutal ivory trade and its effect on Africa's elephant populations. "Battle for the Elephants," which airs February 27 on PBS, follows journalists Bryan Christy and Aidan Hartley as they track the ivory trade from Tanzania to China.

"You can smell it; it’s almost like dried blood," Hartley described while visiting the world's largest stockpile of ivory tusks in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Walking among 90 metric tons of ivory valued at $50 million, he added, "There is the smell of death in here. All of these are confiscated trophies."

Writer, producer and director John Heminway said in a press release, “If the current situation remains the status quo, we are facing the very real possibility that elephants living in the wild will go extinct in the coming decades." He added, "The market for smuggled ivory is too lucrative for poachers to resist,...

The Sundance Film Festival, which began its 11-day, 119-title run on Thursday night with a few low-key screenings, is best known for indie films like "Winter's Bone" and "Beasts of the Southern Wild," both of which catapulted from obscurity to Oscar contention in recent years after debuting here.

But it's also a major testing ground for documentaries -- especially those that appeal to viewers who share festival founder Robert Redford's liberal political outlook.

This year, the prestigious U.S. Documentary Competition offers left-leaning viewers a broad array of reasons to be outraged. "Citizen Koch" presents a relentless indictment of Charles and David Koch, two conservative businessmen who funded the successful effort to persuade the Supreme Court to extend First Amendment rights to corporations -- and, as a result, open the floodgates to unlimited campaign spending on behalf of pro-business candidates. The Tea Party, in this telling, is not a...

The boss of Seven’s Sunrise has suggested that rival show Today is behind the times by allowing its A-team of hosts to take an extended summer break.

Sunrise – which kept familiar faces on screen throughout the non-ratings period has been trouncing Today in the ratings.

Sunrise Ep Michael Pell’s comments followed new Today Ep Neil Breen almost admitting defeat by telling today’s Sydney Confidential that “Seven have played it well” in keeping Melissa Doyle and David Koch on air. Doyle stayed on until Christmas and Koch returned immediately afterwards.

“(Doyle and) Koch have done the hard yards over summer while Channel 9 has made the decision to let Karl (Stefanovic) and Lisa (Wilkinson) have a break,” he said. “I’ve been on the job five weeks and in that time Karl hasn’t been on air at all.”

Pell would not directly comment on what Breen has to...

In this roundup from the Encore & Mumbrella Annual, we look back at the seven top rentaquotes over the last 12 months.

1. Steve Allen

Media veteran Steve Allen is the go-to guy for media-related quotes. Allen has many years’ experience in the industry having worked with, for, or alongside some of today’s heavy hitters. As one Mumbrella reporter pointed out this year, “there’s a reason why people call Steve Allen”. He always delivers.

Joe Hildebrand

2. Joe Hildebrand

If there was an award for top pundit of 2012, Joe Hildebrand would surely be the key contender. The Chaser’s Hamster Wheel skewered the News Limited journalist for being on every channel across the television spectrum and rightly so. He is a regular on Seven’s Sunrise and The Morning Show, Q&A, Sky News and Paul Murray Live and has even managed to parlay his punditry into hosting his own show, Dumb Drunk and Racist,...