The Daily Caller launches, Journopalooza’s ‘Suspicious Package,’ and a star-studded Kennedy Center Honors Brunch

By Janet Donovan

Tucker Carlson greets guest at his launch party as Juleanna Glover looks on.

OUT TO LAUNCH

So many people came to Juleanna Glover’s house to help inaugurate the Daily Caller that partygoers looking to find the website’s founder, Tucker Carlson, had to call him on their cell phones.

The Daily Caller went live on Jan. 11, adding yet another must-read for news junkies – who should probably file a sleep deprivation class action suit against Matt Drudge. (After all, his Drudge Report pretty much started the phenomenon).

Has Tucker finally hit his stride? We hope so. He’s hosted or been a guest on all the major cable networks with multiple writing positions along the way. The consensus according to radio talk show host Bill Press: “If anybody can cut through, thrive, and survive, it’s Tucker. He’s always fresh and different.”

Guests included media stalwarts Ann Compton and Christopher Hitchens as well as hip young reporters Emily Heil of Roll Call and Kiki Ryan of Politico. The big surprise of the night: “Plamegate” scandal figure I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby circulating – mostly unrecognized – in the supposedly politically-savvy crowd.

Tucker’s take: “It hasn’t been a big month for sleeping. The launch has been an adventure.  Ten years from now, when virtually all news is delivered digitally online and there are hundreds of sites doing pretty much exactly what we do, I’m sure we’ll have competitors. As of today we have only friends.”

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Shooting last week’s Urban Daddy DC launch party at the W Hotel was the perfect remedy to a week of postponed-by-snow photo assignments and cabin fever.

DC Editor of Urban Daddy Jeff Dufour holds court with painted models at the Urban Daddy launch Party at the W Hotel on Feb. 12. Photo by Tony Powell

When I got the call from Fingerprint Communications co-chief Barbara Martin, asking if I was free, I jumped on it!

There was a feast for the eyes and ears on the top floor of the W – intricately painted nearly nude models dishing out trays of cupcakes while – influenced by the roaring twenties/hip-hop/rap group – The James Gang – belted out some of the most original music being made today!

But we all really went there to celebrate Jeff Dufour, newly appointed editor of Urban Daddy DC, who along with new wife, PR maven Jayne Sandman, are one of DC’s youngest power couples.

Some of the politicos and night-lifers that braved the snowed-in side streets and snails-pace traffic of downtown DC included: Kastles owner Mark Ein with girlfriend Sally Stiebel, Meet the Press Executive Producer Betsy Fischer, White House speechwriter Jon Favreau, former Obama aide Dr. David Washington with CityDance Executive Director Alexe Nowakowski, Washington Post writer Amy Argetsinger, Hisaoka Communications prez Wendy Gordon, everywhere there couple Juleanna Glover and Christopher Reiter, CNN political contributor Amy Holmes, Marc Adelman, PEPCO VP Kim Watson and sister, JWoW Founder, Jacqui Watson, Rachel Pearson, a newly brunette Pamela Brown, Christina Sevilla, bloggers Emily Miller, Christina Wilkie, and Matt Dornic, my favorite new couple Ashley Taylor and Omar Popal, Becca Glover and Pepper Watkins, Washington Nationals president Stan Kasten , Carlos and Erika Gutierrez, Victoria Michael, Katherine Kennedy, Andre Wells, Lee Brenner, Latin Concepts’ Anna Chaley, Brian Komar, Todd Flournoy, Lydia and Scott Logan, and Elizabeth and hubby Almus Thorp.

Christopher Reiter, Juleanna Glover, Christina Sevilla and Amy Holmes. Photo by Tony Powell

Kaitlyn Ferrara, Jon Favreau and Barbara Martin. Photo by Tony Powell

Films on recent conflicts draw critical attention and two wily rogues hoodwink the media while tweaking Sarah Palin.

By Janet Donovan

Woody Harrelson and Jonathan Capehert. Photo by Tony Powell

DANGEROUS MAN VS THE MESSENGER

It was a Sophie’s Choice moment at the finale of the Impact Film Festival, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit event created as a platform for documentary and narrative filmmaking. Having to choose between simultaneous screenings of The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers and The Messenger starring Woody Harrelson was a challenging call. The Messenger won.

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Michael Moore excoriates Wall Street, Italians celebrate their unique heritage.

By Janet Donovan

Michael Moore with Kandy Stroud at the opening of “Capitalism: A Love Story.”

MOORE THAN THEY BARGAINED FOR

You have to love someone who stands on Wall Street and screams into a megaphone demanding his money back while surrounded by New York’s finest. But that’s exactly what Michael Moore did in his latest flick: “Capitalism: A Love Story.” Hey, we all want our money back and you know New York’s Finest want theirs, too. Much of the controversy is due to the bailout of the big financial houses.

Long considered a weirdo in some circles, Moore may have finally come into the mainstream by exposing the greedy wonder boys of the financial world and the problems of unemployment, housing, and medical care in America. He wants President Obama to get tough, really tough, especially on health care reform. That played out on Saturday in the House of Representatives where the bill narrowly passed. It now heads to the Senate where it faces a filibuster by Democrat-turned-Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman.

Turhs out Moore is not so misguided; perhaps it was his megaphone that orchestrated the cry for help on universal health care. Someone must be listening.

He arrived at his Uptown Theatre premiere in his trademark cap and glasses and was affable and laid back as he strolled the red carpet to accommodate the reporters waiting patiently for his very late arrival.

After a brief Q&A he joined guests at the Irish pub next door where he graciously engaged in photo ops with Christina Sevilla, Terry Robinson, David Corn, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, among many others.

All were grateful that food and drinks were on the house – because somebody else is spending our money.

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