Celebrity culture is one thing. For TMZ, Congress is the new 'reality show'

TMZ made a name for itself with scoops on Hollywood celebrities but is now turning its lens on members of Congress. Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

During a recent visit to Reagan Washington National Airport, TMZ's Charlie Cotton was chatting up with Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff for an interview that would later post to the online tabloid's site.

"You don't look like Pee-wee Herman," Cotton told Ossoff, who's locked in a high-profile reelection campaign against Republican challenger Rep. Mike Collins.

President Trump recently called Ossoff "Pinky Herman," an apparent reference to the iconic 1980s character Pee-wee Herman . But on this day, Cotton wanted to talk more about their shared roots. Cotton is from Australia, and Ossoff's mother is a native Australian too.

"You know, there is a laid-back culture, I think, in Australia," Ossoff said. "We get a little wound up over here sometimes."

That can be particularly true on Capitol Hill, where TMZ is bringing a new approach to reporting on Congress since launching a bureau in the nation's capital this year. Now, the site that carved out a reputation for celebrity scoops is putting a lens on Washington, mixing levity, gossip and also more legitimate exclusives in hopes of drawing new readers who might not be politically inclined.

Cotton, a longtime producer for TMZ, and colleague Jacob Wasserman make up the new D.C. bureau. Wasserman recently covered the criminal trial for the scandal-plagued hip-hop mogul Sean Combs .

"What me and Charlie are trying to do is we need to take a step back," Wasserman said in an interview. "And while it's great to get into the importance of social and political issues, we want to understand who these people are."