‘White House Plumbers’ exploits absurdities of Watergate

By KRYSTA FAURIA
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In May 2017, comedian John Oliver tauntingly coined the phrase “Stupid Watergate” to refer to then-President Donald Trump’s ever-growing list of scandals at the time, including his reported dealings with Russia, the investigation into Michael Flynn and his firing of former FBI Director James Comey. But if there’s a thesis to “White House Plumbers,” the new HBO political drama series which premieres Monday, it’s that the Watergate scandal orchestrated and carried out under President Richard Nixon’s administration was in fact “Stupid Watergate.” It tells the story of two historical figures, ex-CIA officer E. Howard Hunt (Woody Harrelson) and former FBI agent G. Gordon Liddy (Justin Theroux), who organize and execute the break in.