Williams to Clooney: “It’s Driving Me Crazy Where I’ve Heard Your Name Before”

NBC’s Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell, and D.C. bureau chief Mark Whitaker were among the media elite at last night’s Reel Journalism with Nick Clooney Film Series event, a co-production of American University’s School of Communication and the Newseum.

Asked to select his favorite journalism film, Williams picked 1981′s “Absence of Malice,” which he discussed before the screening at the Newseum with host Nick Clooney, distinguished journalist in residence at AU and the Newseum. “It’s a flawed movie about flawed people,” Williams offered when Clooney asked why he chose the film. “Reporters make mistakes in an artful depiction of a newspaper and what journalists do for a living.”

Williams and Cloony found time to slip in other, less serious, commentary. “It’s driving me crazy where I’ve heard your family name before,” Williams deadpanned. “You know the ‘Pitt’ family of St. Louis?” Clooney retorted.

The event marked the unofficial launch of a partnership between NBC News and AU’s School of Communication. Larry Kirkman, dean of AU’s School of Communication announced the partnership.

The evening ended with a surprise cupcake presentation to Clooney in honor of his birthday today.

>A note of thanks to Maggie Barrett, public information officer at American University, for providing the content of this post.

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