Tom Hanks feels for the “poor slobs” of the White House Press Corps.
The Academy Award winning actor said as much while checking out the old Pony Express espresso machine he bought in 2004 for the hardworking men and women of the Fourth Estate after noticing they didn’t have a proper source of java.
Hanks couldn’t resist visiting the press room last month to see if the coffee maker was still there while at the White House for a special screening of HBO’s “The Pacific”with President Barack Obama.
Director Steven Spielberg and Hanks are Executive Producers of the ten-part WWII miniseries now airing on HBO.
Hanks showed off the coffee maker to pal Spielberg, along with their wives, actresses Rita Wilson and Kate Capshaw. He also promised to send the press corps a new one after declaring that “this one is on its last legs.”
Well, despite a question of ethics jokingly raised by veteran CBS NewsWhite House correspondent Mark Knoller (to which Hanks replied: “It’s just a gift — it’s not like it’s a pizza oven.”) Hanks has made good on his promise: a shiny new coffee maker and personal note from the actor were delivered this afternoon.
More folks are clamoring for tickets to the 2010White House Correspondents’ Dinner than ever before and we’re starting to learn who some of the lucky ticket bearers will be: WWDreports Time will be bringing Steven Spielberg and wife Kate Capshaw, along with Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelley.
Spielberg is no stranger to the WHCD or Washington; he was recently in D.C. to screen HBO’s latest miniseries “The Pacific” at the White House for the president. The Commander in Chief just happened to also be the number one person guests wanted to meet at last year’s WHCD, according to our random and unscientific poll at the 2009 Garden Brunch.
250 WWII veterans arrived on honor flights to visit the World War II Memorial on the mall and to hear from the Hollywood legends who memorialized their service in the new HBO mini-series The Pacific. Executive Producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks shook hands and posed for photos with veterans and family members after thanking them for their service to the nation. Actors Joe Mazzello and James Badge Dale joined Spielberg, Hanks, and Executive Producer Gary Goetzman for the event led by HBO’s Richard Plepler, Eric Kessler, Michael Lombardo, and Kary Antholis. Later that day, President Obama hosted “The Pacific” team and members of the Joint Chiefs to watch the first episode in the White House theater.
Part one of the ten-part series aired Sunday on HBO and will continue every Sunday for the next nine weeks.
Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks brought their new HBO mini-series, “The Pacific,” to the White House for a screening with President Obama. The mini-series begins this Sunday on HBO and tells the story of the Marines in the Pacific Theater during WWII.
Pete Souza took this shot of Obama, Spielberg, Hanks and other guests in the Family Theater in the White House.
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Tom Hanks feels for the “poor slobs” of the White House Press Corps.
