Glenn Beck Moves Into Movie Production

(The Hollywood Reporter) – The conservative radio host tells THR he is developing three original stories as theatrical films: one set in ancient history, one in modern history and a third he considers “faith-based.”

Glenn Beck is going Hollywood.

Nearly three years after leaving Fox News, the controversial conservative radio host and media entrepreneur is ramping up a film division at Mercury Radio Arts, the parent company of his popular radio show and digital media operation TheBlaze. Beck, 50, tells THR he has been refurbishing The Studios at Las Colinas, a 72,000-square-foot facility in Irving, Texas, where such films as JFK and RoboCop and TV shows including Prison Break and Walker, Texas Ranger have been shot. “We’re getting it ready for some big plans,” he says of the property, which he purchased in June.

Beck says he is developing three original stories as theatrical films — one set in ancient history, one in modern history and a third he considers “faith-based” — and has optioned several other ideas, some of which could be adapted into VOD features. He adds that he has purchased rights to his 2008 best-seller The Christmas Sweater back from Sony and will turn the story into a movie for television or theatrical release.

The Christmas Sweater is a semi-fictionalized recounting of a 12-year-old Beck celebrating his last Christmas with his mother before she died. He says his later real-life problems with drugs and alcohol (he’s been sober since 1994) can be traced back to that Christmas.

“The meaning of The Christmas Sweater is that there are second chances,” says Beck. “It is based not only on my childhood but a dream that I had as an adult after I sobered up.”

Beck notes it’s too early to specify budgets or potential financing partnerships, though he probably has leverage to attract interested parties, considering TheBlaze lands an estimated $40 million in revenue annually and he earns $20 million a year hosting the radio show, according to sources familiar with his business. He also declined to identify the Hollywood moviemaking talent he has hired so far.

“I bought a movie studio for a reason,” he says. “I have every intent of finding great artists who will tell great stories that aren’t typical. Everybody thinks they know who I am because of my stint on Fox — that was two years of my life. I’m much more into culture than I am into politics, and that’s where I intend on making my stand.”

Beck says he has great respect for “artists who risk big,” citing filmmakers Baz Luhrmann and even Darren Aronofsky as examples (despite having called Noah a “Babylonian chainsaw massacre” on his radio show). “Hollywood is missing this moment to reconnect with the American people because they don’t speak the language,” he says. “Some of it is out of spite — they might not like people of faith.”

Beck, though, says he isn’t interested in making movies that preach and cites Divergent, Lone Survivor, Moulin Rouge!, 2010’s True Grit, The Magnificent Seven and The Princess Bride as inspirations, along with The Lego Movie, which he calls “tremendous storytelling and great for the whole family, without the double meanings and adult humor that I just hate. It was truly brilliant. I took everyone on my staff one afternoon to see it.”

He also loves Frank Capra‘s 1941 political dramedy Meet John Doe, calling it a timely story. “The message of that film is: Help each other and just be decent,” says Beck. “We’re beginning to agree that Republicans and Democrats suck — they’ve built this machine to grind people into the ground. I hate this stuff. I hate politics. I hate politicians and I feel like I’m wasting my life. Don’t we all know what’s happening? George W. Bush was taking us down a road, and Barack Obama is taking us down that same road. What difference does it make? I don’t want to waste my life anymore.”

[H/T TheHollywoodReporter: Paul Bond]

GOP congressman pushes bill to cut off Eric Holder’s paycheck

(The Daily Caller) – A Republican congressman from Texas has introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would stop the government from paying Attorney General Eric Holder’s salary.

Rep. Blake Farenthold’s “Contempt Act” would prohibit any federal employee who has been found in contempt of Congress from getting a taxpayer-funded paycheck.

In 2012, the House voted to hold Holder in contempt over his refusal to hand over documents related to the Fast and Furious gun-running scandal.

Farenthold specifically referenced Holder in his statement about the legislation.

“In 2012, the House of Representatives voted to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over documents related to the botched Fast and Furious gun-running sting operation — despite this fact, he is still receiving his paycheck courtesy of American taxpayers,” the lawmaker said.

During a contentious House Judiciary Committee hearing last week with Holder, Farenthold alluded to the legislation: “If he continues to refuse to resign, my bill would at least prevent hardworking American taxpayers from paying his salary.”

Farenthold also noted how the House is expected to to hold former IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify about her role in the agency’s targeting of conservative and tea party groups. But he noted that because Lerner has already resigned, this bill will not affect her.

“The American people should not be footing the bill for federal employees who stonewall Congress or rewarding government officials’ bad behavior,” he said. “If the average American failed to do his or her job, he or she would hardly be rewarded. High-ranking government officials should be treated no differently than everyone else.”

[H/T TheDailyCaller: Alex Pappas]

Why Obama Is NOT Likely To Declare Martial Law

(Western Journalism) – I get this question occasionally…

What would happen if Obama tried to stay in power by declaring martial law? Here, I address that possibility, having a number of friends in both law enforcement and the military.

[H/T WesternJournalism: Wild Bill For America]

Ben Carson: White House wanted apology for ‘offending’ Obama

(The Daily Caller) – Neurosurgeon Ben Carson says the White House wanted him to apologize for “offending” President Obama after he famously delivered a conservative message at the National Prayer Breakfast last year.

Carson, the former director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, recalls the events surrounding his 2013 speech in his new book, One Nation: What We Can All Do To Save America’s Future. The Daily Caller obtained an advance copy of the book, which is set for release May 20.

“He did not appear to be hostile or angry,” Carson writes of Obama, “but within a matter of minutes after the conclusion of the program, I received a call from some of the prayer breakfast organizers saying that the White House was upset and requesting that I call the president and apologize for offending him. I said that I did not think that he was offended and that I didn’t think that such a call was warranted.”

Conservatives rallied around Carson last year after his remarks, made from a podium as Obama sat just feet away. In his speech, he railed against “political correctness” and offered specific ideas for health care reform.

“Many have commented that the president appeared to be uncomfortable during my speech, but I was not paying particular attention to him or his reactions, as my comments were really directed more at the American people than the people on the dais,” Carson recalls. “At the conclusion of the program, the president approached me to shake my hand and thank me for my participation.”

Since that speech, a super PAC has been formed to encourage Carson to run for president in 2016.

In his book, Carson suggests he has no plans to run, but hints he would if he “felt called by God.”

“I have been offered support from around the country and tremendous financial resources if I decide to run for national office,” he writes in his book. “But I have not felt called to run. I suspect that there are many others who think logically and are interested in a political future who might be better candidates than myself. Nonetheless, if I felt called by God to officially enter the world of politics, I certainly would not hesitate to do so.”

[H/T TheDailyCaller: Alex Pappas]