Clinton Strong-Arms Scorsese Over Film

Bill Clinton is refusing to kiss the ring of Martin Scorsese, The New York Times reported Thursday. Scoresese’s partly finished documentary on Clinton has come to a halt due to disagreements about control and final cut, according to people briefed on the project. The Academy Award-winning film director spent the past two years filming Clinton, including his charitable trip to Africa, but the HBO project was reportedly shelved when Clinton insisted on approving the interview questions and wanted control of the final cut of the film. Clinton also wanted his daughter, Chelsea Clinton, to have a role on the documentary as a producer, according to the Times. Matt McKenna, a spokesman for Clinton, called the claims “inaccurate” without providing further detail while Scoresese’s spokesman declined to comment. A spokesman for HBO said “It’s not happening soon but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen.”