Clooney and Soderbergh go to Washington - “K-Street” is coming

Representing Hollywood were George Clooney, Steven Soderbergh and the cast and crew of "K Street," an HBO series set to premiere this fall. Representing Washington -- in the ninth-floor conference room of Edelman Public Relations, the K Street spin-doctors -- were image guru Mike Deaver and Democratic shouting head James Carville and his wife, Mary Matalin, Vice President Cheney's political adviser. About 20 folks in all were seated on April 29 2003 around a gleaming conference table with a plate-glass vista of downtown D.C.

"We're filming a television series about the procedure of government," Clooney told us. Director Soderbergh, Clooney's partner in Section 8, the production company for "K Street," fiddled with his hand-held digital camera. "We want to show ho it really works," Clooney added. "This is not a political statement."

Soderbergh elaborated: "We want to show the things you don't get to see on TV." He added that when the half-hour dramedy is up and running, each episode will be filmed only two weeks in advance of broadcast to permit the use of current events.

But is there an audience for, um, the procedure of government?

"I don't know," Clooney answered. "We'll find out."

We wondered if Matalin promised to wrangle Cheney to boost ratings. "No, but we've wrangled Bob Strauss," Deaver said, nothing that the publicity-friendly Washington power broker will be lunching today at the Palm, ready for his close-up.

As for Deaver, Carville and Matalin, "They'll be doing the singing parts," Clooney said. Slumped at the opposite end of the long table, gazing with hooded eyes, Carville was unnaturally quiet. He had nothing to say? "We're like paino players at a whorehouse," he managed. "We're just trying to pick up things as we go along."

To which Matalin reacted, "Please, please, don't use that line."

Sorry, we couldn't resist.

By: Lloyd Grove, The Washington Post, April 30, 2003