Latest in John Heilemann

John Heilemann is writing a book about the 2020 election and Joe Biden's rise to the Presidency, and Showtime, home to his series The Circus, has optioned the screen rights. Heilemann has previously co-written books Game Change and Double Down, accounts of the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, respectively. HBO…

In what was the final Real Time with Bill Maher episode before the 2020 election, the host welcomed Al Franken, former US Senator from Minnesota, and one of the original writers and sometimes player on Saturday Night Live. The meeting of joke-telling veterans wasn’t always comedy gold — far from it — but they engaged…

The Circus, Showtime's political docuseries, is returning for the second half of its fifth season on August 16. Co-host John Heilemann said the show likely will look different as a result of the production challenges faced shooting a series during the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking on the Campaign HQ podcast, hosted…

The Circus is coming back to town, just in time for the Donald Trump impeachment inquiry. Showtime said today that Season 5 of its political documentary seires hosted by John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon and Alex Wagner will premiere at 8 p.m. Sunday, January 26. After covering the burgeoning field of Democratic…

EXCLUSIVE: The first round of public impeachment hearings wrapped up on November 21, but today saw the debut of a new video venture examining the process to potentially extradite Donald Trump from the Oval Office. Moving in where perhaps Meet The Press fears to tread, this morning The Circus co-host John Heilemann…

"As tense, angry and emotionally raw as 2016 was, this campaign is going to be more," The Circus' John Heilemann warned the TCA today. "I think this is a very dangerous time," the Game Change co-author added of today's deeply divided America. "The President is going to run a racist political campaign," Heilemann…

Showtime’s aptly titled docuseries The Circus is set to return with eight new episodes in the fall, this time shining the spotlight on the many Democrats who aspire to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. Tracking the largest field of presidential candidates in U.S. history, Season 4 of The Circus will continue…

One on TV’s most aptly titled series is returning in a few weeks. Showtime said today that Season 4 of The Circus, its docuseries that covers the titular ridiculousness that is late-2010s American politics, will premiere at 8 PM Sunday, January 27. Watch a teaser above. Hosted by John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon, and…

UPDATE, with video “Many races not been called yet, but with 100% of Fox News reporting, Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives!” Stephen Colbert said at the top of his live midterm elections night Late Show, giving viewers the good news first. His Ed Sullivan Theater audience erupted…

Showtime’s weekly half-hour political docuseries The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth returns for its third season tonight. Co-hosts John Heilemann and Mark McKinnon will be joined by new host Alex Wagner, who has replaced Mark Halperin. The show hit a decidedly uncertain period in October when…

The Circus has survived. Showtime made it official Wednesday morning,  announcing it had ordered a third season of the docu series, which will be divvied up, so a run of new episodes will air in the spring and another in the fall. More to the point, John Heilemann is back as host, ditto Mark McKinnon. But Mark Halperin…

Updated with video Bill Maher took a CSI approach to the Russia investigation tonight, mocking up one of those bulletin boards with photos and yarn and connect-the-dots explanations, all to unmask the culprit behind a global conspiracy: Donald Trump’s infamous fat guy in bed. Three guesses on the big guy’s identity…