Nicki DeMarco

Gun deaths in the U.S. neared 40,000 in 2017. Most were from suicides and homicides, with men making up more than 80 percent of both perpetrators and victims. American masculinity is closely tied to gun culture and violence, but is rarely discussed. As traditional masculine expectations are being challenged in Hollywood, politics, advertising and beyond, some gun policy experts are asking, is it time for this examination to reach gun culture? View the full project here.

Produced by Nicki DeMarco and Erin Patrick O’Connor

Graphics by Sarah Hashemi

June 2019

Sexual harassment may not be limited to the entertainment industry, but it seems to openly thrive in Hollywood in a way that is unique to its power structure. It happens, people in the business are aware of it, but little has been done to change it. Until now.

Our mini-documentary explores how the open secret of widespread sexual harassment is able to exist — even thrive — in Hollywood. We spoke to psychology professor Jennifer Freyd, industry therapist Rebecca Roy, television writer Tess Rafferty and representatives from SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild to unpack why the problem is deeply ingrained in this community.

We examined the power dynamics that create an environment ripe for abuse, and explain why after decades of predatory behavior, we are finally paying attention.

Produced by Nicki DeMarco and Erin Patrick O’Connor

Graphics by Sarah Hashemi

February 2018

Spend a day inside the writers’ room at “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” And while you’re at it, learn about how SNL still influences his late-night show and get to know one of the star writers Amber Ruffin. Check out the entire project here.

Produced and edited by Nicki DeMarco and Erin Patrick O’Connor

Reporting by Elahe Izadi

Graphics by Sarah Hashemi

May 2018

Pegged to the series finale of "Girls," this project takes a deep dive into the apartments seen on New York sitcoms. More often than not, their portrayals are hilariously inaccurate, with underemployed 20-somethings living in loft palaces they could never actually afford. The video is just one component of the entire digital presentation, seen here.

April 2017

I hosted and produced an episode of The Lily’s vertical Instagram series “When Used Correctly,” delving into the many layers and misconceived notions about birth control. My episode uncovered the many methods of approaching birth control on television using two of my heroes, Lorelai Gilmore on “Gilmore Girls” and Elaine Benes on “Seinfeld.”

July 2018

Harvey Weinstein has demonstrated his power and influence at the Academy Awards for decades. In the wake of sexual harassment and assault allegations against him spanning 30 years, the Oscars provide a lens into how Weinstein cultivated such strength in Hollywood.

Produced, Written & Edited by Nicki DeMarco

Graphics by Danielle Kunitz

October 2017

Darrell Hammond made a name for himself as one of "Saturday Night Live's" greatest impersonators. But after he lost playing Donald Trump to Alec Baldwin, he felt destroyed.

Produced & Edited by Nicki DeMarco

September 2017

Only 23 actors have ever achieved the elite status of winning a competitive Oscar, Emmy and Tony. By winning an Oscar for her supporting role in "Fences," Viola Davis is the newest actress to join the club.

Produced, Written & Edited by Nicki DeMarco

March 2017

This series featured the people, places and experiences that The Post’s Features section decided would shape the culture in the coming years. View the entire series here, or spend time with the three video subjects: YouTuber Elle Mills, actress Amandla Stenberg and Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis.

Produced and edited by Nicki DeMarco

Video by Asheligh Joplin and Erin Patrick O’Connor

Graphics by Sarah Hashemi

November 2018

Gethsemane Herron tells the story of dating a white man who fetishized her for her race. 

Produced & Edited by Nicki DeMarco

Produced by Lisa Bonos for Solo-ish

Video by Randolph Smith

September 2015

Ari Ne’eman, the former director at the Autism Self Advocacy Network, discusses Julia, the newest member of "Sesame Street." She's joyful, bright and has autism, which Ne'eman says is an important depiction of autism in pop culture.

For nearly 50 years, Sunday has been a day of dancing and drumming in D.C.'s Meridian Hill Park. The Washington Post's Jahi Chikwendiu filmed the drum circle and all of its spirited participants for two years -- this is what he saw. And heard.

Produced & Edited by Nicki DeMarco

Video by Jahi Chikwendiu 

August 2014

As "Titanic" turns 20 years old, here's a look back at the movie's most iconic moments. Never let go.

November 2017

Exploring the depiction of women in pop culture is far too fast for one project. These videos examine how often female characters speak in movies, how the rom-com has evolved, how real-life pregnancies are (or are not) written into sitcoms and the implied sexuality of Disney favorites.

These four videos are part of a Washington Post series about the legacy of the war on drugs and efforts to reduce the nation's prison population. 

In the first video, we meet Clenesha Garland. She is holding on to the possibility of clemency for her mother, who is serving a life sentence in Texas for a nonviolent drug offense. As she waits, Garland puts herself in her own kind of prison, living a life without her mother. This video was produced in July 2015 and Garland's mom was ultimately granted clemency in December 2015.

Similar to Clenesha, Jesse and Anthony Angelos were young kids when their father Weldon was sent away. He was sentenced to 55 years in prison after selling marijuana to a police informant. As they look back on their fatherless childhood, the boys remain hopeful for an early release, as billionaire Charles Koch campaigns for clemency for Weldon.

Donel Clark was one of the lucky ones. He was granted early release in March 2015, 22 years into his sentence. He's adjusting to life on the outside in Fort Worth, Texas.

And lastly, we meet Morgan Brittain. She suffered serious brain damage after overdosing on heroin in 2013. She was only a junior in high school. Now living with her grandparents and relying on their care, her family believes in strict mandatory minimum sentencing for drug dealers, especially when it comes to heroin.

Produced & Edited by Nicki DeMarco

Photos & Video by Nikki Kahn

Reporting by Sari Horwitz and Ann E. Marimow

July 2015, August 2015, October 2015

After she sang the national anthem at the Titans-Seahawks NFL game on September 24, Megan Linsey took a knee with her guitarist Tyler Cain. Linsey says in the fight against racial inequality, "it needs to be white Americans who stand up in solidarity and say this isn't right."

Edited by Nicki DeMarco

October 2017

Both versions are truly scary, but they do have some key differences. Here's a comparison of the 1986 book and 2017 movie.

September 2017

A team of Washington Post journalists examined the history of this singular American word, its spread through popular culture and its place in the vernacular today. The series is nominated for a 2015 National Emmy Award in the News and Documentary category. View the full series. 

Edited by Nicki DeMarco

Written by Pamela Kirkland, Lonnae O'Neal Parker and Neely Tucker 

November 2014

Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Emmys, Grammys. I cover them all. Here's a selection of the more recent years.

The 2016-2017 season of SNL was record-breaking, but not just numerically. It's parodies of the White House and beyond resonated with audiences during one of the most fraught elections in modern politics. These videos compare the sketches to reality.

When Melania Trump makes a statement, it's usually through clothing. The Post's Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion critic Robin Givhan gives her perspective in video essays.

Anita Hill's 1991 testimony at Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's confirmation hearing will breathe new life in the HBO movie "Confirmation." Considered by many as the sexual harassment tipping point, Hill's allegations paved the way for many modern gender discussions.

Produced by Nicki DeMarco

April 2016

More than 45 years after a soldier's death in Vietnam, the audio letters Augie Battaglia sent his fiancée reveal a timeless love.

Edited & Produced by Nicki DeMarco

Audio & Photos courtesy of The Vietnam Graffiti Project

May 2014

Former U.S. Army Sgt. Brendan Marrocco lost both arms and legs in Iraq in 2009. Soldiering on, he received a rare double arm transplant in 2012 and is now going through physical therapy at Walter Reed.

Produced & Edited by Nicki DeMarco

Photos & Video by Michel du Cille

June 2014

As part of The Post series From the Ground Up, I followed the progress of veterans Harrison Suarez and Michael Haft as they built what is now Compass Coffee in D.C.'s Shaw neighborhood. The series won second place for Best Multimedia Presentation from the Association of Food Journalists in September 2015.

April - September 2014