HBO orders White House comedy pilot

HBO has ordered a political comedy pilot titled Veep from satirist Armando Iannucci, with Seinfeld veteran Julia Louis-Dreyfus in talks to star.

Veep follows a female senator who becomes vice president of the United States and finds the job is "nothing like she expected and everything everyone ever warned about."

Iannucci will write (along with Simon Blackwell), direct and executive produce (along with Chris Godsick and Frank Rich).

Though relatively unknown in the States, Iannucci is a Scots-Italian writer-comedian with several British titles under his belt, such as political comedy The Thick of It and spoof Time Trumpet.

Dreyfus is in negotiations to star in the project, but there's no deal yet. If the plan works out, HBO could have comedies from both Dreyfus and her Seinfeld colleage Larry David, with Curb Your Enthusiasm.