Introducing: The West Wing Weekly Political Film Fest!

After four years away, we’re bringing back The West Wing Weekly in a new form. As this election season heats up, we're taking a weekly respite from the stress of reality, and turning towards political cinema instead. We’re watching and discussing some of our favorite films. It’s the same mix of analysis and nonsense that you’ve come to expect from The West Wing Weekly, but applied to a different movie each week. We’re starting our journey in the familiar territory of Aaron Sorkin dialogue, with The American President.

We’re launching this podcast on our Patreon page, for paid subscribers. Go to patreon.com/thewestwingweekly to subscribe and join us. There are different tiers to choose from, starting at $5/month. Every paid tier has access to the podcast, with additional benefits and ways to connect with us and other TWWWPFF listeners at higher tiers. Okay, what's next? We’re back! Let’s go!

0.21: Celebrating the new West Wing book "What's Next?" (live with Mary McCormack, Melissa Fitzgerald, Aaron Sorkin, and more)

On Saturday, August 10, we celebrated the publication of the new book What's Next? A Backstage Pass to the West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service by Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack. Josh and Hrishi moderated a discussion with them, along with special guests Aaron Sorkin, Dulé Hill, Janel Moloney, and Richard Schiff. The event took place in front of a sold out audience at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. 

Click here to buy What's Next? A Backstage Pass to the West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service.

Photos by Robb Rosenfeld.

0.20: A West Wing Weekly Special to Discuss A West Wing Special To Benefit When We All Vote (with Aaron Sorkin)  

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We’re back! The West Wing cast reunited for this special episode, so we got back together to discuss it. And Aaron Sorkin joins us to talk about his experiences adapting "Hartsfield’s Landing" for this voter turnout initiative.

Please go to whenweallvote.org to donate!

Watch "A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote" here

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7.22: Tomorrow (Live with cast and crew of The West Wing)

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As the Bartlet administration ends, so does our podcast. We recorded our finale live in Los Angeles, at The Theatre at Ace Hotel. This episode has two parts: first, we discuss "Tomorrow," with several guests joining us. Then, we take a fond look back at the entire series, along with thirty (30!) guests from the cast and crew, including Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme. Here’s everyone who was with us on stage:

Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme, Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff, Marlee Matlin, Jack Jason, Kathleen York, Allison Smith, Melissa Fitzgerald, Ramon de Ocampo, Evan Arnold, Karis Campbell, Teri Polo, Christopher Misiano, Dylan K. Massin…

Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme, Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff, Marlee Matlin, Jack Jason, Kathleen York, Allison Smith, Melissa Fitzgerald, Ramon de Ocampo, Evan Arnold, Karis Campbell, Teri Polo, Christopher Misiano, Dylan K. Massin, Matthew Del Negro, Eli Attie, Jimmy Smits, Josh Singer, Mary McCormack, Kevin Falls, Lawrence O'Donnell, Paul Redford, Ron Ostrow, Kim Webster, Peter James Smith, William Duffy, Tim Davis-Reed

Thanks for listening to the podcast. We're very grateful for the experience we’ve had making this over the past four years.

Okay. What's next?

Photos from the show below. Thanks to photographers Robb Rosenfeld and David Marks for these images!

7.21: Institutional Memory (with Janet Ashikaga)

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CJ & Danny and Will & Kate all ponder what's next, and Josh & Hrishi do, too, as we discuss "Institutional Memory." We're joined by someone who also posseses institutional memory: the fantastic Janet Ashikaga, editor on The West Wing (including this episode), as well as Sports Night and Seinfeld.

Plus: listen to the trailer for Hrishi’s new podcast, Partners, and subscribe to it here.

footnotes —
Tom Merrill, whom Toby calls, testified about the Takings Clause to the Senate Judiciary committee in 2005
Xander Berkeley (Franklin Hollis) - Death Reel