The interview was taped on 2/5/19.

Adam McKay is an Oscar award-winning director and screenwriter. He was a writer for Saturday Night Live and one of the earliest members of Upright Citizens Brigade, a renown improvisational and sketch comedy group. McKay’s films include The Big Short, Anchorman I and II, and Stepbrothers. His most recent film is Vice, a biopic of Dick Cheney. Preet and McKay discuss:

McKay’s extensive research into Dick and Liz Cheney’s psychology and presentation
The lasting effect of the Bush presidency on American politics and policy
How Cheney carved out an unprecedented role for the Vice President, using his subordinate status to command control
McKay’s background in comedy, and how it influences his craft

From the Q&A portion of the episode:

From the interview:

McKay’s movies: Vice (2018), Anchorman (2004), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Bad Blood (upcoming)
Michael Bay’s movie, Pearl Harbor (2001)
Alfonso Cuarón’s, Roma (2018)
Fox’s Tucker Carlson 2018 segment on “Sex-Crazed” Pandas
Jane Mayer’s book, The Dark Side: The Insider Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals
Barton Gellman’s book, Angler: The Cheney Vice President
Michael Isikoff and David Corn’s book, Hubris: The Insider Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War
Ron Suskind’s three books on the Bush years
Garrett Epps' analysis in the Atlantic on the Unitary Executive Theory origin
Christian Bale’s 2019 Golden Globes speech where he thanked Satan
An article in NBC News on Cheney embracing his Darth Vader nickname
An article in The Atlantic on the relationship between Presidents and think tanks
Stay Tuned with Preet interviews: Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and journalist John Carreyrou
FRD’s 1936 speech announcing the Second New Deal, where he famously said, “I welcome their hatred.” Read his full remarks here.
George W. Bush dancing on Ellen (watch the opening)
Documentary, The Act of Killing (2012)
An article in The Atlantic recounting George H.W. Bush’s and Ford’s respective criticisms of Cheney and Rumsfeld
An article in The Hill reporting that Cheney still has not apologized to the man he shot (though the survivor has apologized to Cheney)
An article in NYT recounting Cheney’s proposal to bomb Syria in 2007
An article in Time on President Bush’s decision to not pardon Scooter Libby
Shakespeare’s King Lear
A retrospective on the history of the Upright Citizens Brigade
An article in NYT on Director Mike Leigh’s unconventional method of screenwriting
An article in NYT on the different phrasing used by political parties, i.e. “estate tax” vs. “death tax”

Do you have a question for Preet? Tweet it to @PreetBharara with the hashtag #askpreet, email staytuned@cafe.com, or call 699-247-7338 and leave a voicemail.

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