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Famous DC covers the famous-for-DC intersection of politics, media and sports.
Whether you’re heading to the water cooler, power lunching at the Cap Grille, or leaving the office early for Cantina Marina – get your talking points here.
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Stay classy.
Capital Comment: FamousDC Unmasked
By: Shane Harris
12/26/10
For three years, the politics-and-media blog FamousDC has carved out a niche by ignoring the political celebrities that most gossip sites adore and by embracing the press flacks, Hill schedulers, midlevel reporters, and K Street climbers who stand behind—and sometimes are crushed beneath—their famous bosses.
Their workaday exploits and off-hours shenanigans feed a blog devoted to congratulatory profiles, zippy interviews with up-and-comers, and birthday shout-outs. But as satisfying as the dispatches are to FamousDC’s fans, trying to guess who writes them has often been even more fun.
Attempts to out the authors of the group project have been fruitless. But recently, FamousDC’s founders decided to end their self-imposed anonymity: Amos Snead, a principal at the public-relations firm Story Partners, and Josh Shultz, a partner at the digital-communications agency NJI Media, turn out to be the affable scribes behind the chatty site.
They’re a pair of thirtysomething Southern transplants—Snead is from Alabama, Shultz from Texas—who seem never to have lost their twentysomething wonder at all the esoteric awesomeness of life inside the Beltway.
The duo began writing during their off-hours, when Snead was a Capitol Hill press secretary and Shultz was the director of new media at the National Republican Congressional Committee. In their day jobs, they were courting bloggers. At night, they were bloggers.
Ever since, FamousDC has succeeded by never losing sight of its audience. “We started writing about people who we wanted to read the site,” Snead says. He and Shultz also validated notoriety on a smaller scale. “Joe Biden is a big deal,” Shultz explains, “but so is Doris, the cashier at the Longworth House cafeteria.”
FamousDC isn’t all about pats on the back—it got a lot of attention for posting a foul-mouthed and cutting spoof of what’s inside Rahm Emanuel’s in box. But, Snead says, although tipsters have frequently offered potentially damaging revelations about third parties, “we never carry anyone’s dirty water.”
Acknowledging that the mystery of FamousDC was part of its allure, Snead and Shultz are uncertain about what will happen now that they’re coming out of the blogging closet.
“If I had an answer, it probably would mean we’re overthinking what we’re doing,” Shultz says. He and Snead plan to continue managing a team of a dozen or so volunteer bloggers, who, for now, shall remain nameless.
This article first appeared in the January 2011 issue of The Washingtonian.
02/06/08
Written by a smattering of Hill political wonks, K Street lobbyists, PR gurus and even an undisclosed journalist, it is called FamousDC (http://www.staging.famousdc.com/ ) and aims to cover the famous-for-D.C. intersection of politics, media and sports.
The jury is still out as to whether FamousDC will be a hit. Nonetheless, it promises, “Whether you’re heading to the water cooler, power lunching at the Cap Grille, or leaving the office early for Cantina Marina – get your talking points here.”
After telling you how to send tips, it adds, “Stay classy.”
One of the bloggers explains the reasoning for the blog: “The only sure bet in D.C. is the constant pursuit of fame. Everyone wants their 15 minutes.”
Can’t Miss Clicks: The Best Blogs in Washington
04/06/09
View more videos at: http://www.nbcwashington.com.
Boldface Names
FamousDC No one knows who the wry voices behind FamousDC are, but they offer a daily mix of gossip, politics, amusing YouTube videos, and funny Facebook updates from Washingtonians.
08/15/08
Inside the Beltway: Say cheese
Somebody needs to buy “Chef Spike” of the newly opened Capitol Hill burger joint Good Stuff Eatery one of those congressional photo guidebooks.
After all, he was under the assumption that he’d yet to serve a meal to any member of Congress, despite the restaurant’s close proximity to the U.S. Capitol.
“I’ve had a few people run in and order for a member, but no one personally has come in. I’ve got to get some, though, because I’ve heard the D.C. thing is to have your photos taken with a zillion members and put them up in your place,” the chef had recently told FamousDC, a political, media and sports blog.
May 15, 2009
Fox News : Haute Couture
The blog FamousDC wrote that “John Boehner crushed Fox News’ Man in Black Chad Pergram.”
Daily Kos: “Have you ever wondered what Rahm Emanuel’s inbox looked like? Probably not, but in case you had … wonder no more.”
If the FBI can wiretap a Governor, surely someone can hack Rahm Emanuel’s gmail.
Until then, we’ll have to make do with this .
National Science Foundation: NSF or NSFW?
WEEKLY STANDARD: Goldfarb, your work is done. Now, McCain’s finally got Obama right where he wants him. Too bad he wasn’t quite in game-shape back in November.
WEEKLY STANDARD: Coach K has a word for Obama on brackets (H/t, FamousDC )
WEEKLY STANDARD: Via Twitter, Joe Trippi calls it “complete BS—fantasyland—not true.”
Mary Katharine Ham : (This, from a girl who competes in Twitter tourneys , so I know of what I speak.)
Brian Faughnan : Don’t worry, though. Speaker Pelosi is 100 percent certain that there’s no national security risk for allowing FISA to lapse, or leaving telecom companies on the hook for cooperating.
Strategy Memo: 59, The New Magic Number
Besides local fans blaming QB Jason Campbell for the Redskins’ woes and the possibility that there will be no “last call ” at bars during inauguration week, Washington is talking about these stories…
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“f*cking busy” : FamousDC conjures Rahm Emanuel’s inbox.
We don’t know any really nice guys who’ve also won dancing contests, but as FamousDC notes, DeLay might have a chance on the show, “so long as he leaves those really awesome sweat pants he rehearses in at home.”
First a gubernatorial candidate lets slip with the F-word, live on the radio. Now we hear that President Barack Obama , supreme leader of the free world, has called Kanye West a jack— .
NBC Washington: Would You Fork Over a Buck for Facebook?
That’s what FamousDC asked after CNET came out with their “Would you pay $1 a month for Facebook? ” article today.
NBC Washington: Salaries of Steele’s RNC Associate Raise Eyebrows
FamousDC put together a list of other jobs that make less than Sailor, including members of Congress (who are only supposed to be doing what the RNC — or their DNC — tells them to do), pilots (who only pilot planes carrying a couple hundred people several thousands of feet up in the air, not the fate of the entire GOP ) and financial managers (other than those getting fat bonuses from the federal bailout).
EXPRESS NIGHT OUT: “PATRICK GAVIN could be a genius. He gets paid by Politico to play members of Congress in Connect Four and Wii.”
staging.famousdc.com was impressed by the reporter’s ability to beat Rep. Patrick McHenry , R-N.C., while making a video for the capitol hill-centric web site and newspaper.
EXPRESS NIGHT OUT : “SO MANY IMPORTANT and intellectual political conversations happen between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. Our livers hurt just thinking about this.” staging.famousdc.com is not sure the D.C. Council ‘s emergency legislation to allow bars to extend last call during Inauguration Week is necessary, calling it “debauchery.”
EXPRESS NIGHT OUT : “WE CAN’T TAKE IT anymore. All the good ones are dying, and yet Dane Cook still lives. First, Bea Arthur , now, this. RIP, Captain Chaos .
staging.famousdc.com was sad to hear comedian-actor Dom DeLuise had died and was a fan of his role in the 1981 movie “The Cannonball Run .” Above, Burt Reynolds and Deluise are shown in “Cannonball.”
EXPRESS NIGHT OUT : “WE’RE SORT OF PISSED the Washingtonian mag wasn’t around during the days of William Howard Taft .”
staging.famousdc.com jokingly refers to the magazine’s newest cover, which features President Obama with no shirt on and the words “26 reasons to love living here — reason #2, our new neighbor is hot.”
EXPRESS NIGHT OUT : “WE’RE NOT QUITE sure what’s more impressive: the fact that he downed three bottles of vodka in one sitting or the fact that he survived the jump — twice.”
staging.famousdc.com was impressed by the story of a Russian man who tried to kill himself while drunk, claiming his wife’s nagging put him over the edge.
EXPRESS NIGHT OUT : “IF YOU SPEND any time in D.C., you’re sure to meet some of the worst drivers in the country. For years, foreign diplomats took the title as the worst behind the wheel. But then the Zipcars moved into town.”
staging.famousdc.com can’t decide which people now take the crown as the worst drivers in the city.
EXPRESS NIGHT OUT : “LAST NIGHT , this country witnessed history. This morning, Democrats witnessed a lot of Republicans fighting over the classified ads.”
staging.famousdc.com is selling “O, [expletive]” t-shirts to “Those Republicans who woke up in a cold sweat and realized, ‘O, [expletive], I don’t have a job for much longer.'”
EXPRESS NIGHT OUT : “OCTOBER OF AN ELECTION year on Capitol Hill means one of two things if you’re a staffer. You’re either deployed to a congressional district in hopes of picking up a few votes, or you stick around town, with most of your time dominated by social networking and long lunches.”
staging.famousdc.com adds, “Except this year,” because a few staffers have taken to Facebook to boycott the rising prices of house cafeteria food.
EXPRESS NIGHT OUT : “ONE HUNDRED PERCENT ‘A’ game = tricking your girlfriend into asking you to marry her. Only an NBA All-Star could pull this off.”
staging.famousdc.com is impressed with Gilbert Arenas ‘ engagement plot, in which he handed his girlfriend a piece of paper at a party and told her to read it aloud.
EXPRESS NIGHT OUT : “WHAT DO YOU DO when you’re a Republican in Hollywood? You get together with the only other Republicans in town — and the five of you make a really strange movie.”
staging.famousdc.com is weirded out by the previews for “An American Carol ,” starring Kelsey Grammer , Dennis Hopper , James Woods and Jon Voigt .
EXPRESS NIGHT OUT : “WE’VE GOT WORK to do people. The season starts today. If we’re not constantly improving, someone else will take our place. This is Congressional recess, let’s get out there and show them what we’re made of!”
staging.famousdc.com , is facetiously disappointed that the District did not make Forbes ‘ list of the top ten hardest-drinking cities in the U.S.
EXPRESS NIGHT OUT : “NEVER HAVE WE WANTED Cinco de Mayo to come quicker. We didn’t know this, but May 4 is often referred to as Star Wars Day . It is jokingly said: “May the 4th be with you.”
staging.famousdc.com is not impressed by the day inspired by the phrase “May the force be with you.”
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Wonkette : Barack Obama Eats Another Food Item
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ALSO SEEN IN:
Hand it over Barbra Streisand — Famous DC deserves your Kennedy Center Honor of 2008.
Famous DC deserves the J.D. Power and Associates Award for Outstanding Automotive Blogging Excellence by exposing the torture that is a Chris Dodd hearing.
It’s a shame the Olympics come only once every four years, because Famous DC is really due for a gold medal for brilliance. See here.
The ad sparks the funny folks at Famous DC – who, by now, are deserving of the next Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor – to wonder …
Does this mean Big Mouth Billy Bass is on the line for McCain?
And states: Sign Famous DC Up For A MacArthur Genius Award
Other Extreme Mortman – here , here , here , here , here , here , here and here . Oh, and here and here
RedState Update: Red State Update in Wall Street Journal and FamousDC
The nice folks over at FamousDC asked Jackie and Dunlap their famous Famous 5 questions . And Jackie and Dunlap answered ’em.
HOTAIR.com: Eric Massa’s Wild Ride, or It’s Not Easy Being Green (in 4 Cars)
Not Quite a Mark McGuire Sighting, But Close
The Acorn Bowl: Revealed! The secret socialist Muslim conspiracy to put Penn State and Texas in the BCS title game. Is that before or after Jo Pa dismantles the American government? [Famous DC ]
The Hill’s Twitter Room: Thanks to FamousDC … we think
The Politico via Anne Schroder Mullins and here , here and here.
Shenagnigans: Chairman Henry Waxman gave GOP’ers cucumber sandwiches during the climate change mark-up. He’s hilarious!
Shenanigans: Those anonymous wags over at FamousDC can be really funny when they want to be.
Shenanigans: FamousDC’s Year in Review [link]
The Politico via Ben Smith here.
You might have a problem with Facebook if … We’ll let Famous DC answer that question.
DC Blogs: FamousDC bemoans that to say he’s losing interest in his various leagues (with numbers plummeting faster than McCain’s might be a gross understatement.) Sigh. I know how ya feel Famous, losing to my fiance, who I introduced to the sport obsession world that is FF a mere few weeks ago! Fantasy Football – Week 7
DC Blogs : FamousDC makes the argument that Truth in Advertising Laws should apply to pictures on social media .
DC Blogs: A year in review, that’s literally, a catalog .
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Michelle Malkin’s blog : How big is the House Democrats’ Carbon Footprint?
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RedState : Nancy’s Trendy House Eateries
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Washington City Paper : Fake Fenty Stalking Twitter
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Instapundit : Steny Hoyer didn’t get the memo.
Instapundit : OUCH. “He’s here to defend Barack Obama and he had nothing to say. That’s a problem.”
Reuters [Oddly Enough]: Have a Stupid New Year [link]
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QOTD: Tom DeLay – “Who Watches NBC Anyway?”
FamousDC caught up with “Dances with Stars DeLay” for a Famous Five interview. Here’s what he had to say when FDC asked Delay if he agreed to the show in order to lose weight.
FishbowlDC – here , here , here , here , here , here, here, here, here, here , and here. …but there’s always FamousDC to make us feel good about ourselves.
FamousDC provides a “FamousDC Year in Review.” [link]
FamousDC reports , “Dodd Takes Reporters Hostage.”
Also, people are already offering their own endorsements . FamousDC reports, “Checking out the latest article on the Politico has never been this much fun for Capitol Hill interns. Thank goodness for Ben Smith, sports betting and some good ole American style football.” Find out why here .
FamousDC continues to flatter, saying “Beltway news rooms follow every post on FishbowlDC.”
FamousDC presents the John Stanton edition of “What Happens to Political Reporters Post Election?”
His Extreme-ness reveals who pens FamousDC.
FamousDC : “Ain’t No Sex in the Situation Room.”
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Potomac Flacks: THE Commander in Chief!
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New Media Strategies: How I Became DC’s Top Twitterer
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From Hotline’s Wake Up Call:
Famous DC has adapted a mock-up of incoming WH CoS Rahm Emanuel ‘s Gmail inbox, complete with a few expletive-laced emails from Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) for dramatic effect.
ROOSTER’S CROW
- This just in: Eastern Motors has a blog (“Famous DC “).
???OVERSERVED???
BREAKFAST FLAKE
•”We don’t like to be boxed in. We can be both funny and pretty. Like Sarah Palin” — Red State Update’s Dunlap , of Jackie and Dunlap, when asked who brings what to the table in their duo (“Famous DC “).
•”I’m not sure there’s anything I can do that Obama can’t do better, but I’d be willing to give it a shot” — Internet dancing sensation , Matt Harding , when asked if he had better dance moves than Obama (FamousDC ).
•Ex-NRSC finance dir. Nicole Sexton does not like “people motivated by greed” (Famous DC ).
• “Senator Claire McCaskill called me during my last exam. That was fun” — superdelegate/College Dems pres. Lauren Wolfe (FamousDC ).
ROOSTER’S CROW
- “Stuff Hill People Like ” will soon be making a comeback (FamousDC ).
From Hotline’s Last Call:
• Attention Hill staffers: it’s a “lonely world” outside this “congressional bubble” — just “ask former majority staffers now working at the Gap” (FamousDC ). The Good News? You can go on to be a “Rising Star” (Yup, see Politics magazine’s just-released list of ‘09 Rising Stars ).
• “Much has happened since I started a long month of townhalls. … So, MJ isn’t really the father of Blanket ?” — Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), making a triumphant return to Facebook (“FamousDC “).
• “Slow cooked beef tongue ” was on special at the Senate cafeteria in Dirksen today (“Famous DC” ). If it didn’t sell out, it may reappear tomorrow.
WE HEAR . . .
• “I’ve graced the covers of as many magazines as her” — DeLay, “not intimidated ” by “Dancing with the Stars” co-star Kathy Ireland ’s “good looks” (“FamousDC “).
• Meanwhile, “Chris Dodd has taken an entire room of journalists, witnesses, staffers and lobbyists hostage and he won’t let us out for lunch” (“Famous DC “).
BY THE NUMBERS . . .
Now that the wife is covered, Obama can spend $30K and keep conservatives happy by purchasing “750 Plush Elephant dolls @ $39.99 a piece” (“Famous DC “).
Country singer Hank Williams Jr. (R-TN) has allegedly “decided he will run for Senate in 2012,” after “consulting with” ex-Senate Maj. Leader Bill Frist and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) (“Famous DC “).
• “We can talk politics all night, and you can vote however you like” — these kids , working out their political differences with a musical number (“Famous DC “).
• “Just doing my job” — “GOP Gatekeeper” Luke Hatzis , playing it modest in acknowledging his “enamored” fans (“Famous DC “).
SHOT . . .
“And it just so happens that Luke has one of the most important jobs on Capitol Hill. He’s the GOP gatekeeper” (“Famous DC “).
. . . CHASER
“Although there were lots more wizards and gatekeepers, with better spells and magic potions, all was not well in the kingdom” (random management allegory ).
• “I’ve got to get some though because I’ve heard the DC thing is to have your photos taken with a zillion members and put them up in your place!” — ex-“Top Chef” contestant Spike Mendelsohn, on not yet serving any members of Congress at his Good Stuff Eatery (“FamousDC”) .
BY THE NUMBERS . . .
• Our own “Washington War Dance” took first place in the “Cardboard Tube Fighting League’s” tournament on the Nat’l Mall this weekend (“Famous DC “).
•According to a security advisory, Senate employees have been advised not to open an email with the title, “BREAKING NEWS: Martian Soil Fantastic for Growing Weed Says Nasa,” because it might be spam (FamousDC ).
• In case you were wondering, convicted felon Martha Stewart is able to vote (“Famous DC “).
• “Dear NRSC, You raised over $13.5 million dollars last night for the President’s Dinner, but you only had one freaking bar!” — one “Not even close to hungover, because the bar line was too long” GOPer (“Famous DC “).
• Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC) honored “Nature Boy” Ric Flair on the House floor today, noting Flair is known for his “bleached blond hair,” his “designer suits” and, “of course, the dreaded Figure Four Leglock” (“Famous DC “).
BY THE NUMBERS . . .
FOXSports.com reports that the Green Bay Packers, needing some PR help in the “ongoing Brett Favre saga,” have hired ex-WH press sec Ari Fleischer “for one month as a consultant” (“Famous DC “).
• “Bumper stickers, yard sign, pins, mugs, folders, letterhead and a large banner. Won’t be needing them” — an HRC supporter on Craigslist, giving it all away (“FamousDC “).
• “If Kal Penn wants to call me, I’m happy to talk to him” — undecided college superdelegate Awais Khaleel (“Famous DC “).
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