New HBO comedy borrows from blog-turned-novel scandal

HBO’s comedy pilot “Washingtonienne” has cast a trio of actresses to star in the tale of a young woman trying to make it in the nation’s capital, by any means necessary.

Rachael Taylor (“Transformers”), Bitsie Tulloch (“Quarterlife”) and Amanda Walsh (“Sons and Daughters,” “Disturbia”) will star in the pilot, which is based on Jessica Cutler’s scandalous blog-turned-novel and is executive produced by Sarah Jessica Parker. David Furr also has landed a role on the show, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The show will follow the exploits of Jackie (Taylor), who moves to Washington to pursue a career as a speechwriter but finds herself in a low-level job as a congressional staffer.

Writers Susanna Fogel and Joni Lefkowitz appear to be taking Cutler’s story in a somewhat different direction. Cutler’s blog detailed her sexual conquests in Washington, which got her fired after her name was made public and sued for invasion of privacy by one of her supposed former lovers. The show, says the HR, will center on the aforementioned “three smart, sophisticated 28-year-old girls working on the Hill.”