Obama to Screen NBC's '1600 Penn' at White House

4:24 PM PST 1/8/2013 by Lacey Rose

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It's a reunion of sorts, since the half-hour comedy about a dysfunctional first family was co-created by Obama's former speech writer Jon Lovett.

Chris Haston/NBC

1600 Penn

The 1600 Penn cast and crew is heading to the real White House.

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President Obama will host a screening Wednesday for the White House comedy, which NBC sampled behind The Voice in December. It's a reunion of sorts, since the half-hour comedy, which centers on a dysfunctional first family, was co-created by Obama's former speech writer Jon Lovett.

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"My experience may give us a way to ground this show and these stories about the family," Lovett told reporters gathered at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour earlier this week. The 20th TV-produced series, which stars Bill Pullman and Jenna Elfman as the first couple, premieres in its regular Thursday time slot this week.

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THR's chief TV critic Tim Goodman described the ensemble comedy, which also stars Book of Mormon vet Josh Gad, as "NBC's (funny) answer to Modern Family" in his glowing review. Looking ahead, the series will feature a string of high-profile cameos from such news names as Mika Brzezinski, Savannah Guthrie, Joe Scarborough and Chuck Todd.

In November, Steven Spielberg's Lincoln got similar White House treatment, with Obama hosting a screening with the cast and crew.