“Veep” actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus expressed her “delight” over the revival of the political satire series since Vice President Harris emerged as a leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, believing it could benefit her campaign.
“It’s been an incredible experience to see. Viewership surged by an astonishing 350 percent,” Louis-Dreyfus shared with Entertainment Weekly. “I’m thrilled. It’s great to see people enjoying it. And I know Kamala Harris is — big time.”
“Veep,” which was broadcast on HBO from 2012 to 2019, featured Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the comically incompetent fictional vice president Selina Meyer. In recent times, many have drawn comparisons between the character and Harris, with critics highlighting the VP’s infamous “word salads.”“
Following President Biden’s withdrawal from the race, the show experienced a 353% rise in viewership for its initial season on HBO Max, as reported by Luminate’s Streaming Viewership data.
NEW YORK TIMES DESCRIBES KAMALA HARRIS’ WORD SALADS AS ‘CELEBRATORY ARTIFACTS’ AS CANDIDACY BEGINS
Veep star Julia Louis Dreyfus stated she was thrilled by the resurgence of the political satire show following Vice President Harris’ entry into the 2024 presidential race. (Getty Images)
When asked whether the show’s renewed success might aid Harris in her campaign, Louis-Dreyfus replied, “I truly hope so. Please vote, everyone, please vote.”
However, Veep creator Armando Iannucci and executive producer David Mandel have distanced themselves from any comparisons between Louis-Dreyfus’ character and Harris.
“Selina Meyer is not Kamala Harris,” Iannucci remarked to The Hollywood Reporter. “When we created Veep, we didn’t have any specific person in mind…it really isn’t based on anyone.”
“It’s nice that Veep is being viewed again, but I wouldn’t want people to think that Kamala Harris is akin to Selina Meyer,” he continued.
‘VEEP’ PRODUCER CRITICIZES ‘A-HOLES’ MAKING COMPARISONS BETWEEN KAMALA HARRIS AND THE SHOW’S UNFORTUNATE VP
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is seen outside the White House. (Getty Images)
“Veep” executive producer David Mandel commented to THR this week that he is glad to hear Harris is reportedly a fan of the series but disapproves of individuals using clips from “Veep” to belittle her.
“Some find joy in Selina’s iconic moment announcing her presidential run; it’s uplifting and celebratory,” he noted. “But then you have those who are using it negatively. Surprise, surprise, Kamala is a woman of color, and it seems like such individuals utilize it merely as a means to insult her. I find that part regrettable.”
The Harris campaign has welcomed the wave of pop culture references highlighting her campaign on social media. Mandel stated that the HBO production team is prepared to lend their support if requested.
“The Veep team is on standby and ready to assist! I believe there’s a generational shift happening. It’s heavily influenced by TikTok. We have moved beyond Twitter — we’re in a TikTok world. It’s quite exciting. If you can have fun with the coconut thing, that’s fantastic.”
CLICK HERE TO OBTAIN THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News’ Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
