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| DreamWorks boss leads Hollywood push to bring Obama a fairytale ending | DreamWorks boss leads Hollywood push to bring Obama a fairytale ending |
| (5 months later) | |
| As head of Disney's film division, Jeffrey Katzenberg scored a box office smash in 1992 with Aladdin, the tale of a plucky underdog who triumphs with the help of a genie in a magic lamp. The animated film swept awards and enchanted audiences. | As head of Disney's film division, Jeffrey Katzenberg scored a box office smash in 1992 with Aladdin, the tale of a plucky underdog who triumphs with the help of a genie in a magic lamp. The animated film swept awards and enchanted audiences. |
| Twenty years later Katzenberg, now head of DreamWorks Animation, hopes to score again although his hero, Barack Obama, is less of an underdog and the blockbuster drama is better known as the US presidential election. | Twenty years later Katzenberg, now head of DreamWorks Animation, hopes to score again although his hero, Barack Obama, is less of an underdog and the blockbuster drama is better known as the US presidential election. |
| The 61-year-old studio mogul has delivered millions of dollars and much celebrity power for the president's bid for a second term, conjuring energy from what had been a deflated constituency. If Obama wins it will to some extent be thanks to his Hollywood genie. | The 61-year-old studio mogul has delivered millions of dollars and much celebrity power for the president's bid for a second term, conjuring energy from what had been a deflated constituency. If Obama wins it will to some extent be thanks to his Hollywood genie. |
| "Katzenberg recognised early that without the support of the entertainment industry's millionaires and billionaires, Obama would have a tough time getting re-elected," said Tina Daunt of the Hollywood Reporter. "He became Obama's top advocate in the industry – simply because others were not willing to go all out for the president." | "Katzenberg recognised early that without the support of the entertainment industry's millionaires and billionaires, Obama would have a tough time getting re-elected," said Tina Daunt of the Hollywood Reporter. "He became Obama's top advocate in the industry – simply because others were not willing to go all out for the president." |
| Katzenberg has spent more than $3m (£1.85m) of his own fortune on the contest, making him Obama's top donor, followed by Irwin Jacobs, the founder of semiconductor maker Qualcomm, Fred Eychaner, a newspaper publisher, and Jon Stryker, heir to the equipment manufacturer Stryker Corp. | Katzenberg has spent more than $3m (£1.85m) of his own fortune on the contest, making him Obama's top donor, followed by Irwin Jacobs, the founder of semiconductor maker Qualcomm, Fred Eychaner, a newspaper publisher, and Jon Stryker, heir to the equipment manufacturer Stryker Corp. |
| In addition to dipping into his personal fortune, estimated by Forbes at $800m, Katzenberg has almost single-handedly persuaded much of Hollywood to again back the president. | In addition to dipping into his personal fortune, estimated by Forbes at $800m, Katzenberg has almost single-handedly persuaded much of Hollywood to again back the president. |
| With the election expected to cost a record-breaking $2bn, and with Wall Street and conservative billionaires backing Mitt Romney, Katzenberg has helped level the field. | With the election expected to cost a record-breaking $2bn, and with Wall Street and conservative billionaires backing Mitt Romney, Katzenberg has helped level the field. |
| It was not easy. Hollywood's 2008 ardour for Obama cooled amid frustration over slow or absent progress on climate change, Guantánamo Bay, gay rights and other liberal causes. The White House's siding with Silicon Valley in a dispute over online piracy, which drains Hollywood profits, made things worse. "People here were disappointed and disillusioned," said Daunt. "They complained that he wasn't moving fast enough on their key concerns. Though he eventually came around on these issues, Hollywood didn't think he was showing enough passion and fight. Katzenberg stepped into the political void created by that disenchantment." | It was not easy. Hollywood's 2008 ardour for Obama cooled amid frustration over slow or absent progress on climate change, Guantánamo Bay, gay rights and other liberal causes. The White House's siding with Silicon Valley in a dispute over online piracy, which drains Hollywood profits, made things worse. "People here were disappointed and disillusioned," said Daunt. "They complained that he wasn't moving fast enough on their key concerns. Though he eventually came around on these issues, Hollywood didn't think he was showing enough passion and fight. Katzenberg stepped into the political void created by that disenchantment." |
| Skip Paul, a Hollywood media financier and neighbour of Katzenberg, told the Wall Street Journal that the studio boss phoned his targets directly. "He says: 'I really want you to help me on something that's important to me.' And if he doesn't get you the first time, he calls and gets you the second time. It's very personal, and it's not phoney." | Skip Paul, a Hollywood media financier and neighbour of Katzenberg, told the Wall Street Journal that the studio boss phoned his targets directly. "He says: 'I really want you to help me on something that's important to me.' And if he doesn't get you the first time, he calls and gets you the second time. It's very personal, and it's not phoney." |
| Katzenberg has been terse with the media over such activism – his office and Andy Spahn, his political consultant, did not respond to an interview request – but his interventions have been well documented. He helped two former White House staffers, Bill Burton and Sean Sweeney, set up Priorities USA, a political action committee (Super Pac) to counter multiplying, well-funded Republican Super Pacs. | Katzenberg has been terse with the media over such activism – his office and Andy Spahn, his political consultant, did not respond to an interview request – but his interventions have been well documented. He helped two former White House staffers, Bill Burton and Sean Sweeney, set up Priorities USA, a political action committee (Super Pac) to counter multiplying, well-funded Republican Super Pacs. |
| He gave $2m in seed money and other entertainment figures such as Morgan Freeman and Bill Maher each donated $1m. He also organised a $40,000-per-head dinner at George Clooney's house which raised $15m. | He gave $2m in seed money and other entertainment figures such as Morgan Freeman and Bill Maher each donated $1m. He also organised a $40,000-per-head dinner at George Clooney's house which raised $15m. |
| Priorities USA raised $15.25m in September, its highest monthly total, boosted by an additional $1m from Katzenberg and $1m from Steven Spielberg, his DreamWorks partner. It helped fund an 11th-hour advertising blitz in swing states. | Priorities USA raised $15.25m in September, its highest monthly total, boosted by an additional $1m from Katzenberg and $1m from Steven Spielberg, his DreamWorks partner. It helped fund an 11th-hour advertising blitz in swing states. |
| Obama took time out from hectic campaigning for a thank you luncheon with the former president Bill Clinton and a dozen donors at Katzenberg's Beverly Hills home on 7 October. | Obama took time out from hectic campaigning for a thank you luncheon with the former president Bill Clinton and a dozen donors at Katzenberg's Beverly Hills home on 7 October. |
| Later that evening Katzenberg co-hosted a $25,000 per ticket dinner for Obama at Wolfgang Puck's restaurant in the Ritz Carlton in Los Angeles. | Later that evening Katzenberg co-hosted a $25,000 per ticket dinner for Obama at Wolfgang Puck's restaurant in the Ritz Carlton in Los Angeles. |
| In his speech the president singled out Katzenberg and his wife, Marilyn, for thanks. "They have been tireless and stalwart and have never wavered through good times and bad since my first presidential race, back when a lot of people still couldn't pronounce my name. I will always be grateful to them." | In his speech the president singled out Katzenberg and his wife, Marilyn, for thanks. "They have been tireless and stalwart and have never wavered through good times and bad since my first presidential race, back when a lot of people still couldn't pronounce my name. I will always be grateful to them." |
| Katzenberg is not noted for diplomacy. A hard-charging New Yorker who worked his way up from Paramount, where he revived the Star Trek franchise, he fell out with his mentor Michael Eisner at Disney before setting up DreamWorks with Spielberg and David Geffen, another Obama supporter. He was impressed enough by Obama's 2004 Democratic convention speech, and subsequent private meetings, to back the Illinois senator against Hillary Clinton, until then Hollywood's favourite candidate. | Katzenberg is not noted for diplomacy. A hard-charging New Yorker who worked his way up from Paramount, where he revived the Star Trek franchise, he fell out with his mentor Michael Eisner at Disney before setting up DreamWorks with Spielberg and David Geffen, another Obama supporter. He was impressed enough by Obama's 2004 Democratic convention speech, and subsequent private meetings, to back the Illinois senator against Hillary Clinton, until then Hollywood's favourite candidate. |
| Katzenberg protected White House ties to Hollywood by encouraging Obama to phone studio heads ruffled by the piracy decision. | Katzenberg protected White House ties to Hollywood by encouraging Obama to phone studio heads ruffled by the piracy decision. |
| He reportedly said he expected nothing in return for his services, and few doubt he is motivated by political conviction. However it was noted the state department seated him near China's vice president, Xi Jinping, at a Washington lunch in February. Hollywood is keen to expand market share in China. | He reportedly said he expected nothing in return for his services, and few doubt he is motivated by political conviction. However it was noted the state department seated him near China's vice president, Xi Jinping, at a Washington lunch in February. Hollywood is keen to expand market share in China. |
| Democrats may no longer call Obama's presidency a fairytale but that does not stop them wishing for a happy ending on 6 November – thanks in part to the movie mogul behind Aladdin. | Democrats may no longer call Obama's presidency a fairytale but that does not stop them wishing for a happy ending on 6 November – thanks in part to the movie mogul behind Aladdin. |
| Flying the flag for Romney | Flying the flag for Romney |
| Republicans may consider Hollywood enemy territory ruled by liberals but a slew of politically conservative films are attacking Obama and praising rightwing virtues in the runup to the election. | Republicans may consider Hollywood enemy territory ruled by liberals but a slew of politically conservative films are attacking Obama and praising rightwing virtues in the runup to the election. |
| Dinesh D'Souza's documentary, 2016: Obama's America, has blazed the way by grossing $33m at the box office in past months, making it the most successful political documentary after Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. It recently became available on DVD. | Dinesh D'Souza's documentary, 2016: Obama's America, has blazed the way by grossing $33m at the box office in past months, making it the most successful political documentary after Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. It recently became available on DVD. |
| Atlas Shrugged: Part II, the second part of a trilogy based on Ayn Rand's paean to plutocrats, limped into cinemas this month amid stinking reviews but Fox News gamely reported that "public interest remains high". | Atlas Shrugged: Part II, the second part of a trilogy based on Ayn Rand's paean to plutocrats, limped into cinemas this month amid stinking reviews but Fox News gamely reported that "public interest remains high". |
| Hating Breitbart, a biographical documentary by Andrew Marcus about the late conservative culture warrior Andrew Breitbart, hit screens last week. | Hating Breitbart, a biographical documentary by Andrew Marcus about the late conservative culture warrior Andrew Breitbart, hit screens last week. |
| Runaway Slave, a documentary about black conservatives, flopped when it opened in July but is to be re-released on the back of enthusiasm for 2016. | Runaway Slave, a documentary about black conservatives, flopped when it opened in July but is to be re-released on the back of enthusiasm for 2016. |
| Obama may have Clooney and Scarlett Johansson but Romney boasts his own celebrity endorsements. Clint Eastwood has followed up the Republican convention's empty chair sketch with an ad which declares: "Obama's second term would be a rerun of the first and our country just couldn't survive that." | Obama may have Clooney and Scarlett Johansson but Romney boasts his own celebrity endorsements. Clint Eastwood has followed up the Republican convention's empty chair sketch with an ad which declares: "Obama's second term would be a rerun of the first and our country just couldn't survive that." |
| Meat Loaf endorsed Romney at a rally in Ohio, saying: "There is one man who will stand tall in this country and fight the storm and bring the United States back to what it should be – Governor Mitt Romney." | Meat Loaf endorsed Romney at a rally in Ohio, saying: "There is one man who will stand tall in this country and fight the storm and bring the United States back to what it should be – Governor Mitt Romney." |
| Hollywood's conservatives raised $6m for the Republican candidate at a Beverly Hills fundraiser in September which drew, among others, the producer Jerry Bruckheimer and the actors Gary Sinise, of CSI: NY, and Patricia Heaton, of Everyone Loves Raymond. | Hollywood's conservatives raised $6m for the Republican candidate at a Beverly Hills fundraiser in September which drew, among others, the producer Jerry Bruckheimer and the actors Gary Sinise, of CSI: NY, and Patricia Heaton, of Everyone Loves Raymond. |
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