White House Correspondents Dinner: The Reality Show

Over the past month or so, producers of two different reality show projects contacted me about series they planned to set in Washington, D.C. (where I live). In fact, there seems to be a multitude of reality show producers prowling the city, scouting all kinds of Capital "types"--young, attractive Hill staffers; gumshoe reporters; colorful lobbyists; competitive housewives; "blonde charity mafias"; power players, etc.

Just yesterday, I bumped into one of my neighbors at the gym, who told me that he and his gay partner had signed to do a reality show with TLC, based on their exotic family life in the newly "glamorous and hot" capital.

So what did these shows want from me?

It was never very clear exactly--nor were the producers forthcoming about how they got my name (which I found slightly alarming. Was I known generally as some sort of "local character" who would provide rich, amusing fodder for their viewers? Kind of like the blue-painted homeless lady with Tourette's Syndrome who haunts our nearby Metro stop?). In any case, once I made it clear that I was not interested in Tweeting for their cameras, I cheerfully gave them "background" information on life in Washington--which mostly consisted of disabusing them that the city was "newly glamorous and hot."

I've seen this cycle before--the last time during the Clinton reign. And as a Republican (maybe that's what makes me exotic?!), I've been known to grumble amongst my friends that it's only when a Democrat becomes president that Hollywood suddenly takes an interest in Washington.

Exhibit A, of course, is Saturday's White House Correspondents Dinner, the annual prom for political journalists and politicians.

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