Updated: Grimes Garners Hollywood Support

UPDATE April 13, 2014: 

The list of Grimes’ Hollywood supporters continues to grow. The Hill reported in late October that Danny DeVito, Jack Black, Jon Hamm, Nicolas Cage, Jerry Seinfeld, Cameron Diaz, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mike Meyers, James Cameron, Steven Speilberg, and J.J. Abrams all gave the maximum $5,200 to Grimes’ campaign. Chris Rock and Ted Danson contributed $5,000. Actor Ben Stiller gave $2,500, Barbra Streisand and Aaron Sorkin contributed $1,000, while Woody Allen and Leonard Nimoy gave $500 each, according to FEC filings.

After a closer look the FEC filings, there are a few more names to add to the list: Nicholas Cage, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Judd Apatow, Rhea Perlman, Mark Burnett, Kate Capshaw, Norman Lear, David Geffen, Ari Emanuel, and Leslie Mann all donating $5,200. Veteran actor Kirk Douglas gave $5,000, Ron Meyer and America Ferrera gave $2,600, Bryan Cranston gave $2,500, Rob Reiner gave $1,250, Renee Zellweger and Kathleen Kennedy gave $1,000, and Nancy Sinatra gave $250.

Stay tuned as more FEC filings become public.

Original post: Sept. 12, 2013

Even though the 2014 elections are more than a year away, Hollywood liberals have already begun fundraising and supporting Democratic candidates. Rising Democratic star and Kentucky Senate candidate, Alison Lundergan Grimes, is the most recent favorite of Hollywood mega-donors.

The Hill reports Dreamworks’ Jeffrey Katzenberg sent an email to prominent Democratic donors stating that there was “no more important election being held next year in this country” and urged donors to support the Kentucky Secretary of State when she travels to California this month.

Katzenberg isn’t the only Hollywood-type to lend his support. Pop star will.i.am. is set to appear at a Grimes fundraiser in coming weeks.

Grimes is running against Republican Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, who is running for a sixth term.

Grimes is the second Democratic candidate to gain Hollywood support for the next election cycle. Newark Mayor Cory Booker (the Democratic candidate in New Jersey’s special election on October 16) has received a large amount of support from the Hollywood community – including fundraisers held by Oprah Winfrey, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and Steven Spielberg.

Democratic supporters hope Hollywood’s interest can bring attention and money to the uphill battle of defeating one of the longest-serving Senators currently in the Senate chamber.

Obama Has 16-1 Hollywood Fundraising Advantage

As of Oct. 28, President Obama has managed to out-raise Mitt Romney in Hollywood donations at a rate of 16-1, reports TheWrap.com.

A total of 208 “celebrity” donors have given $712,874 to the Obama campaign compared to 15 donors who have given $46,500 to the Romney campaign, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, an organization that tracks donations.

The list of actors, directors and producers that donated least $5,000 include: Cameron Crowe, Will Ferrell, Ron Howard, Scarlett Johansson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Eddie Murphy, George Clooney, J.J. Abrams, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Brian Grazer, Adrian Grenier, Tom Hanks, Mariska Hargitay, Will Smith, Aaron Sorkin, Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand, Quentin Tarantino, Marlo Thomas, Sam Waterston, Ben Stiller, Oprah Winfrey, Kirk Douglas, Hilary Duff, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Jack Black, Anne Hathaway, Bette Midler, Tobey Maguire and Rita Wilson.

Other celebrities who donated less than $5,000 include Susan Sarandon, Zach Braff, David Arquette, Martin Scorsese, Don Cheadle and Chevy Chase.

The website also reports that many in the music industry have given $5,000, including Don Henley, Gwen Stefani and Randy Newman – as well as many more who have contributed lesser amounts.

The list also includes authors, athletes and individuals in the fashion industry. This list consists of author Steven King, NBA players Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthony and former NBA player Magic Johnson, designer Michael Kors and model Christie Brinkley.

Obama also has a long list of ‘bundlers’ who collect funds from friends, family and associates and then contribute the funds in one large gift.

Some of those that top the list from the industry include Dreamworks’ Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen, Harvey Weinstein, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and Ron and Kelly Meyer as well as actors Wendell Pierce, Tyler Perry and Eva Longoria.

Many of these individuals collected $500,000 according to the Center for Responsible Politics.

The Romney campaign’s list isn’t as prominent, but still has a few big Hollywood names including  Scott Baio, Jerry Bruckheimer, Neil Simon, Orson Bean, John O’Hurley, Jack Hanna as well as Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

 

 

Obama To Attend A-List Bash in Connecticut

President Obama is set to visit Connecticut Monday for a glitzy fundraiser held at the home of film producer Harvey Weinstein and his wife Georgina Chapman, reports the Hartford Courant. 

The fundraiser is set to be co-hosted by actress Anne Hathaway and Oscar-winning screenwriter and creator of HBO’s The Newsroom, Aaron Sorkin. Also on the guest list is actress Joanne Woodward, the widow of late actor Paul Newman. There are 50 people expected to attend, each paying $35,800 per ticket.

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is also set to co-host the event.

Prior to the Weinstein event, Obama will visit a $500 per person reception at the Stamford Marriott with an expected 400 supporters in attendance.

UPDATE: Jerry Springer is in attendance, according to the Wall Street Journal.