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TV writer, producer and director
David Mandel is a television writer, producer and director.
PROFILE
David Mandel
Guest
FROM David Mandel
The Business
Showrunner David Mandel on 'Veep' The beginning of Season Six of the HBO comedy Veep finds Selina Meyer, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, assuring the nation in a morning news interview that her post-White House life is going really well. In reality, she's had to spend some time getting over her election defeat at what she insists was a spa. The season follows Selina and her luckless staffers as they try to cement her legacy through a memoir and a presidential library celebrating her very brief tenure in the oval office. Our guest today is David Mandel, the Emmy-winning showrunner of Veep. He took over for series creator Armando Iannucci at the beginning of Season Five. Mandel got his start on Saturday Night Live, and went on to write for Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He tells us about overseeing Veep in the age of Trump, keeping track of the show's relentless torrent of vicious insults and how his wife's hands inspired one of the most famous episodes of Seinfeld.
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The Business
Revisiting showrunner Steven Bochco on his memoir Steven Bochco, the writer-producer behind record-breaking Emmy winners Hill Street Blues, LA Law and NYPD Blue, fought battles with everyone from out-of-control actors to network censors in his long career. He isn’t afraid to tell those tales in his memoir, Truth Is a Total Defense. This week we revisit the conversation where he shared some of his favorite stories with us.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Gov. Jerry Brown: California and China will fight climate change together President Donald Trump reportedly wants the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, and he’s expected to announce a decision soon. California Governor Jerry Brown heads to China to strengthen climate and clean energy ties.
Bookworm
Claudio Magris: Blameless In Claudio Magris' Blameless, a museum of the implements of war and destruction is created to inspire peace. But this conversation is not just about war and peace.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Why did Jared Kushner want a back channel with Russians? News broke Friday that President Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, tried setting up a back channel between the Trump transition team and the Russian government. What are the consequences for Kushner, President Trump, and the investigation into Russian meddling?