The Creative Coalition President Tim Daly is no slouch when it comes to networking with bold -faced names in #ThisTown. But the Hollywood vet is absolutely enthralled by his friendship with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Daly, who told HOH last weekend's White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner marked his ninth visit to the Hilton ballroom for the presidential-media lovefest, calculated that he first met Albright a few years back. The veteran actor said he was star-struck by the initial encounter — at least until Albright got all gushy about his show at the time. “I said, ‘You’re out there solving geopolitical crises and you watch 'Private Practice’?'” Daly shared of the revelation Albright was a fan of the “Grey’s Anatomy” spinoff. The two apparently hit it off and have remained in contact ever since. Albright actually attended the April 25 dinner as Daly’s date, while his “Madam Secretary” co-star and real-life love interest, Téa Leoni, partnered up with CBS host Bob Schieffer for the evening. Heavy table #whitehousecorrespondentsdinner. pic.twitter.com/6WsSbvqI4z — Tim Daly (@TimmyDaly) April 26, 2015 <p> Albright is enjoying the love affair with Hollywood these days. Last fall, she mixed it up on social media with late show host Conan O’Brien after the comedian floated the idea of basing a Halloween costume around the former President Bill Clinton aide.  </p> <p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> .<a href="https://twitter.com/ConanOBrien">@ConanOBrien</a> I'm considering going as hunky Conan O'Brien — but that might be too far fetched. — Madeleine Albright (@madeleine) <a href="https://twitter.com/madeleine/status/525382849365815296">October 23, 2014</a> </blockquote> </p> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"/> <p> “I’m going as 'Slutty Madeline Albright,'” O’Brien announced to his Twitter flock last October. The cabinet aide fired back, “I’m considering going as hunky Conan O’Brien — but that might be too far fetched.” Conan kept the good-natured row going, only to discover that comics aren’t the only ones who enjoy verbal smack-downs. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/ConanOBrien">@ConanOBrien</a> Never get into a word war with a diplomat. We talk even more than comedians. — Madeleine Albright (@madeleine) <a href="https://twitter.com/madeleine/status/525422213764509696">October 23, 2014</a> </blockquote> </p> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"/> <p> “Never get into a word war with a diplomat. We talk even more than comedians,” Albright let him know.  </p> <p> She also did a guest spot on the final season of "Parks and Recreation" (Season 7, Episode 8: “Ms. Ludgate-Dwyer Goes to Washington”), during which irrepressible bureaucrat Leslie Knope recounts how she and Albright came to be lunch pals.  </p> <iframe src="https://www.hulu.com/embed.html?eid=yucv3x-kn07t34zerdrdjq&et=913&st=842" width="445" height="251" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"/> <p> “Because when I knew I would be coming to Washington to work, I wore you down until you agreed to become my friend,” Knope confessed to her dream mentor.  </p> <p> We should all be so lucky to have Albright in our respective corners.  </p> <p> In addition to milking as much stimulating conversation out of her as he can, Daly appears thrilled to have her as his personal Zagat.  </p> <p> "If you need a restaurant recommendation, she's the woman to know," he said. "She's been all over the world."  </p> <p> <a href="https://info.cqrollcall.com/NewMemberGuide2014.html" target="_blank"> <strong>The 114th: CQ Roll Call's Guide to the New Congress</strong> </a> <strong> <em>Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call <a href="https://www.rollcall.com/register/main.html?pos=rr" target="_blank">in your inbox</a> or <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/roll-call-news/id433753469?mt=8" target="_blank">on your iPhone</a>.</em> </strong> </p></body>
