HBO picks up political comedy 'Veep,' Julia Louis-Dreyfus in talks to star

Sarah Palin, get ready to laugh: On Friday, HBO confirmed that it has greenlighted the pilot for "Veep," a Washington-based comedy about a female politico who becomes vice president and discovers that the job is, according to Deadline, "nothing like she expected and everything everyone ever warned about." Julia Louis-Dreyfus is in talks to star.

Co-written by Armando Ianucci and Simon Blackwell, who also teamed up for the Oscar-nominated political satire "In the Loop," the project will be executive produced by Ianucci, Chris Godsick and New York Times columnist Frank Rich.

Washington's proving to be a hot market for TV. "The Real Housewives of D.C." brought a little tabloid drama to the Beltway this fall, and in August, Variety reported that ABC was picking up an as-yet-untitled pilot about young Washington-based politicos who "find that the ideals that brought them to D.C. don't always match with the realities of living in the nation's capital." Variety noted that, in the past, networks have found Washington-based shows to be a tough sell. But we're optimistic about "Veep" because it's written by the same guys who once summed up our nation's capital perfectly: "You know they're all kids in Washington? It's like Bugsy Malone, but with real guns."

-- Melissa Maerz

Photo: Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[John K]

It's about time Julia is back on TV. She is so attractive and does not age!! Her body is curvy and flawless.

[Tanya]

I think her big breast implants are the only thing keeping her career going.