George Packer, Karl Rove, and John Mellencamp Finally Share a Headline

Packer Betrayed by Culture Project: Next month, the Culture Project will mount political journalist George Packer’s first play, Betrayed, based on his New Yorker article about the persecution of Iraqis who have helped U.S. efforts in Iraq. Not to be outdone, Seymour Hersh is busy pitching Broadway producers on his After All, I Wrote That the Iranian Nuclear Threat Was Being Exaggerated Several Months Ago: A New Musical. [Variety]

Rove: The Art of the Deal: Karl Rove is closing in on a book deal, having narrowed the field to two possible imprints out of a number of dealers. No concept or even title has been announced as yet, and since How to Sell Anything to Anybody is already taken, it’s anyone’s guess. [PW]

Mellencamp Keeps Company: Brand-new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee John Mellencamp announces the release of his new album, The Company We Keep, produced by T-Bone Burnett, some time next year. Shit, do you think this means he’s gonna play new material at the induction ceremony? Johnny Cougar, seriously, play “Hurts So Good” and sit down. [Billboard]

MILFs Make Four: Mary Steenburgen and Sissy Spacek will play the mothers of, respectively, Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn in the New Line comedy Four Christmases, about a couple who are both from broken families that visit all four of their parents separately over one Christmas. Kristin Chenoweth and Robert Duvall fill out the way-too-high-expectation-setting cast. [HR]

Clark Hunts Wolverine: Rising Aussie hunk Christian Clark will join the cast of Wolverine opposite Hugh Jackman. Clark probably should’ve checked with James Marsden first, who could tell him that there’s no percentage in being the other handsome guy in a Hugh Jackman movie. [Moviehole]