Welcome to the Scene to Seen Podcast. I am Valerie Complex Associate editor and film writer at Deadline.
05.12.2023 - 16:16 / deadline.com
Liz Hirsh Naftali, the Los Angeles-based commercial real estate investor and philanthropist, has taken on a high-profile role in recent weeks as an advocate for the release of her great niece, held hostage by Hamas, as well as others still held captive.
The high profile Democratic donor, who also has been in the spotlight as House Republicans investigate Hunter Biden, also has launched a new podcast.
After hosting many fundraising events, she keyed in on a new idea, a podcast that will help “democratize our politicians,” with the latest episode of The Capitol Coffee Connection featuring former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“My goal was to make it that you could get to learn who they were without having to pay, and you could be in your home or anywhere and learn about all of these leaders” Naftali told Deadline.
She added, “What happened was, when I was doing these events, whoever the leader was or whoever was running for election, he or she or they would give their 10 or 15 minute stump speech, and then they would answer whatever questions came from the audience. And then it would be over and … there would be no opportunity to get to know who they were.”
The conversations include guests such as Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), who talked about her love of hip hop, and Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) recalled learning English as a child through comic books. The show has featured one Republican, Oklahoma City mayor David Holt, who chatted about coming from the Osage Nation and performing in Shakespeare in the Park.
The one-on-one interviews may not break news in the frenetic political cycle, but Naftali said that isn’t the point. Fundraising Q&As often can be platforms for donors to express their own opinions (of to show off their
Welcome to the Scene to Seen Podcast. I am Valerie Complex Associate editor and film writer at Deadline.
Supernova: The Music Festival Massacre, an upcoming documentary about October 7’s Hamas attack on Israeli music festival Supernova Sukkot Gathering, is being planned for release in the UK and other parts of the world.Per a report from Variety, the hour-long documentary has been acquired by a “major” broadcaster in the UK, and has been picked up by the BBC World Service, ZDF in Germany, SVT in Sweden, DR in Denmark, RAI in Italy, VRT in Belgium, CNews in France and Record TV in Brazil.Supernova: The Music Festival Massacre – co-directed by Duki Dror (Netflix‘s Inside The Mossad) and Yossi Bloch (Netflix‘s The Devil Next Door) – is set to premiere in Israel on December 23.In the documentary, survivors of the attack and first-responders share their testimonies and open up about the horrific events that transpired at the music festival in October at the hands of Hamas terrorists.Producer Reinhardt Beetz said in a statement to Variety that “the full details of this coordinated terror attack are only now coming together, providing a comprehensive story that will undoubtedly resonate for years to come.”Co-drector Duki Dror added: “The scenes and testimonies we have documented are almost inconceivable and unprecedented.
Elvis Costello joined Billy Joel live on stage at the latter’s show in New York last night (December 19) – check out the footage below.Joel was performing at the latest gig of his ongoing monthly concert residency at Madison Square Garden in NYC when Costello made a surprise appearance mid-set to assist on two tracks.The pair played a collaborative rendition of Costello’s 1978 song ‘Pump It Up’ before teaming up on a live version of Joel’s 1982 classic ‘Allentown’. For the first cut, Costello provided vocals while Joel played piano.
Cheryl and her family have been hit with some horrifying news as they announced that her grandparents' grave has been 'deliberately knocked down'. The gravestone of Cheryl's paternal grandparents, Brian and Margaret Tweedy, was found flattened at Heaton Cemetery in Newcastle.The shocking act followed concerns raised by the local council about safety. Although Cheryl was born three years after her grandfather Brian passed away from a heart attack in 1980, she was very close to her grandmother, Margaret, who died aged 60 in 2001.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has shared the proposed, new State Pension and benefits payment rates to come into effect from April 8, 2024. State Pensions will rise by 8.5 per cent, as per the Triple Lock policy, while most benefits will increase by the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation figure of 6.7 per cent.
Oprah Winfrey is sharing some rare insight into her life with longtime partner Stedman Graham!
We may know her best for being a Love Island star, businesswoman and doting mum, but despite her success and skyrocketing fame, Molly-Mae Hague is sadly just as susceptible to sickness as the rest of us. The 24-year-old star was recently struck down with a bout of illness and forced to draft in a helping hand from her sister Zoe Hague to help battle through the worst of it, as baby Bambi had sadly also been struck down with sickness too.
Pete Townshend has said The Who will have talks about where they go next.The legendary band wrapped up their final orchestral tour date at the Sandringham Estate over the summer.Now, Townshend said he is looking at meeting up with frontman Roger Daltrey about their future plans.He told Record Collector: “I think it’s time for Roger and I to go to lunch and have a chat about what happens next. Because Sandringham shouldn’t feel like the end of anything but it feels like the end of an era.”Townshend added: “It’s a question of, really, what is feasible, what would be lucrative, what would be fun? So, I wrote to Roger and said, come on, let’s have a chat and see what’s there.”It comes after he recently revealed that he is currently working on creating a new rock opera, that will see him take his novel The Age Of Anxiety to the stage, and see it performed alongside a variety of new songs.The novel was released by Townshend in 2019 and explored themes of societal anxiety, triggered by things such as global warming and the threat of terrorism.
Paris Hilton is opening up about motherhood and music in a new interview with Romper.
A mum spent eight hours painstakingly hand-making 350 decorations for her Christmas tree - and said she saved herself thousands.
Are you watching, Meghan Markle? Because Princess Catherine appears to have a message after being publicly called out as one of the alleged “royal racists”!
President Joe Biden arrives in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon for his first Hollywood-centric fundraiser of his reelection campaign, amid pent up demand, some trepidation about 2024 and the potential for a return of Donald Trump.
Lenny Kravitz is scheduled to perform on Friday when President Joe Biden headlines his first reelection fundraiser in Los Angeles, according to the invite.
died in 2017. Chatting with Katie Couric one day after proposing to New Jersey native Theresa Nist, Turner came clean.“I guess I would say this: I dated a number of women, but then it becomes an issue of how you define whether you’re in a relationship,” Turner, 72, said while appearing on a Zoom call with Nist, 70.
, and the timing couldn't be more interesting.On December 1, the 29-year-old reality star (f.k.a Raquel) arrived at the iHeart Radio Jingle Ball in Los Angeles wearing a sparkling sheer corset gown, pairing the silver sequins princess dress with peep-toed pumps and her signature cropped bob. With this shimmering look, Leviss attempted to set a glamorous tone for her return to the public eye in the wake of her affair with costar and betrayal of .Rachel Leviss at iHeartRadio Jingle Ball in Los Angeles, California.After checking herself into a mental health facility for 90 days following the season 10 reunion taping in March, Leviss to the reality series for season 11.
A yellow weather warning will remain in place in Scotland today for snow and ice.
Social Security Scotland has confirmed that around 400,000 people will start to receive this year’s Winter Heating Payment from the middle of December, with the ‘vast majority’ of eligible households due the money before the end of January 2024. The payment of £55.05 will be made automatically and is designed to help people with higher energy costs during the colder months.
It’s no fluke that Prince William and Princess Catherine no longer mingle with their former friend Rose Hanbury!
Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Oscar season begins this week in the Big Apple. The New York Film Critics Circle will be the first major group of film journalists to unveil its winners on Nov. 30.
Netflix’s Wham! documentary and the George Michael co-directed George Michael: Freedom, which is the ultimate second part of a whopping double-header that I urge you to do over the Christmas period. And now, you can add another to the list; George Michael: Portrait of A Legend which is available on special collectors’ edition Blu-ray and DVD with a smashing a host of extras and a 44-page booklet.I’ve not seen this one as yet but I’ve heard good things.