Advanced TV Herstory

On location at the Pop Culture Association (PCA) National Conference in Chicago, I met with Sherry Ginn, PhD, the current PCA president. Dr. Ginn is an impressive pop culture and science fiction scholar and I’m grateful that we were able to sit down and talk about our mutual interests in television and the impact of women in society.  Our discussion includes the evolution of science fiction in popular culture, the legacy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the problem with Dollhouse, female representation and role models, feminism, diversity, inclusion, norm breaking, and the special challenges created by male writers and showrunners in science fiction.    As a tireless editor and author, Dr. Ginn combines her love of sci-fi with her expertise in neuroscience research and psychology. Her written work presents thoughtful analyses on a range of previously under-explored topics such as women in science fiction television and sex in science fiction. Dr. Ginn has written or edited works featuring Doctor Who, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Farscape, Fringe, and Dollhouse, among others. Check out the Pop Culture Association’s website below to learn more about the benefits of membership. Thanks for listening! CONTACT DR. GINN and the POP CULTURE ASSOCIATION* Website - https://pcaaca.org/ e-mail - sherry@pcaaca.org  *formerly the Pop Culture Association / American Culture Association SELECT WRITTEN WORKS  Our Space, Our Place: Women in the Worlds of Science Fiction Television by Sherry Ginn, PhD - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2085421.Our_Space_Our_Place  Joss Whedon's Dollhouse: Confounding Purpose, Confusing Identity by Sherry Ginn, PhD - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/joss-whedons-dollhouse-sherry-ginn/1118329342 Power and Control in the Television Worlds of Joss Whedon by Sherry Ginn, PhD - https://www.acappellabooks.com/pages/books/228952/sherry-ginn/power-and-control-in-the-television-worlds-of-joss-whedon Being a Girl with The Doctor: Essays in the Feminine in Doctor Who (Edited by Gillian I. Leitch and Sherry Ginn) - https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/being-a-girl-with-the-doctor/ To Boldly Stay: Essays on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Edited by Sherry Ginn and Michael G. Cornelius) - https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/to-boldly-stay/ The Sex is Out of This World: Essays on the Carnal Side of Science Fiction (Edited by Sherry Ginn and Michael G. Cornelius) - https://www.abebooks.com/9780786466856/Sex-Out-World-Essays-Carnal-0786466855/plp CYNTHIA BEMIS ABRAMS and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/  Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia Bluesky Social - https://bsky.app/profile/cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social PRODUCTION Audio - Marilou Marosz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/ Music - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/  

We continue to celebrate the female voices that have provided a foundation for cultural advancement and modern discourse by featuring a rare TV talk show appearance by two-time Academy Award winner Vivien Leigh.  The year was 1958. The show was “Small World,” hosted by American broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow. Appearing alongside Ms. Leigh are motion picture executive Samuel Goldwyn and British writer and entertainment critic Kenneth Tynan.  Ms. Leigh, best known for her work as Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone with the Wind” and Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” died in 1967 at the age of 53, but her legacy remains profound. And, while some of the opinions in this broadcast would be considered outdated now, you’ll hear that Ms. Leigh was not afraid to mix it up with some of the most strident male voices of her day. As always, thank you for listening. For the video version of this episode, visit @advancedtvherstory on YouTube.    RESOURCES Small World, Part 1 https://youtu.be/4c6kR9ORqUc?si=sXmP3bg5Cqzs63Zu Small World, Part 2 https://youtu.be/P5roaRH9rY0?si=gfMmZhJTtrqdY85l Small World, Part 3 https://youtu.be/tG0x68lPzso?si=TMitHcgm45BVl3Pf Taylor Mayes - https://www.youtube.com/@Taylormayes   CYNTHIA BEMIS ABRAMS AND ATVH ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/  Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia Bluesky Social - https://bsky.app/profile/cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social   PRODUCTION Video - Nivia Lopez - https://nivialopez.com/ Audio - Marilou Marosz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/ Music - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/  

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams welcomes Yvonne Perry to Advanced TV Herstory. Yvonne is an award-winning actor, drama teacher, director, and intimacy coordinator. In addition to her work in film and primetime television, she originated the role of Rosanna Cabot on "As the World Turns." Yvonne’s experience in daytime TV, with its groundbreaking storylines and thoughtful intimacy handling, has informed her approach to work today.  Cynthia and Yvonne reflect on the wins in the 2023 SAG-AFTRA contract, including new standards and protocols for the use of intimacy coordinators. Yvonne discusses her experience working in this emerging field and the value of providing a respectful and collaborative environment for actors, directors, and crew members.  Yvonne also shares fun and informative stories from along her career path, including an important lesson she learned as Rosanna Cabot, her first kiss in front of the camera, the relationship between fight choreography and intimacy direction, what major league ballplayers think about daytime TV, and much more.    It’s a lively and interesting discussion from an insider’s point of view. Thank you for listening!  [February 6, 2024 - This episode has been edited to include Alicia Rodis' contribution to the field of intimacy direction and coordinating.] YVONNE PERRY Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/YvonnePerryHulbert Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/yvonneperryh/ Website - https://www.yvonneperry.com/ RESOURCES and MENTIONS Intimacy Directors & Coordinators - https://www.idcprofessionals.com/ Jessica Steinrock, PhD, Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/intimacy_coordinator_ Jessica Steinrock, PhD, TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@intimacycoordinator?/ Alicia Rodis - https://www.idcprofessionals.com/bios/aliciarodis CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/  Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/ X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia Bluesky Social - @cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social  

In this special episode, Cynthia Bemis Abrams is joined by guest co-host Ashley Pacini for the Parade of Accomplished Women 2023. Instead of a somber “in memoriam,” we’re bringing you a celebration of the talented, influential women who helped shape the television industry. In this second part of our tribute, we highlight the women of daytime, the often-overlooked creatives working behind the scenes, and—new this year—the women of reality shows. It is especially difficult to preserve the legacy of lesser-known women in an ever-expanding industry, but their influence is no less important. That’s why we consider this a call to action. We lost these women over the past year, but we must not lose the memory of them or their contributions to television history. Thank you for joining us as we honor the enduring spirit of women in television. THE REEL WOMEN Ashley Pacini on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleypacini/ Website - https://thereelwomen.com/ Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thereelwomen Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thereelwomen/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thereelwomen/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@thereelwomen AUDIO CLIPS and REFERENCES Clips have been edited for length. Remembering Jacklyn Zeman (General Hospital) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLfhlDtk-x0 Ellen Holly on Being at the March on Washington in 1963 (Foundation Interviews) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Aige_YvQGU Ellen Holly on her New York Times article “How Black Do You Have to Be?” (Foundation Interviews) -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkEmOWaiWF4 How Black Do You Have to Be (NY Times, 1968) - https://www.nytimes.com/1968/09/15/archives/how-black-do-you-have-to-be-how-black-do-you-have-to-be.html The Colors of Black (NY Times, 1968) - https://www.nytimes.com/1968/10/06/archives/the-colors-of-black.html CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/  Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/ X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia Bluesky Social - @cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social  

OUT in 2024 - "In Memoriam" IN - Parade of Accomplished Women  This is the first of our two-part celebration of some of the talented, influential females we lost in 2023.   Guest co-host Ashley Pacini of The Reel Women joins host Cynthia Bemis Abrams for this discussion. The Reel Women interviews and profiles women in the industry to increase visibility and opportunity for the next generation of women who want to work in television, film, and media.  Cynthia and Ashley pay respects to the creatives who played pivotal roles in front of, and behind, the cameras. In addition to well-known names, they honor women who hustled for years as largely unheralded day players, others who stepped up to provide representation of the unseen, and several who risked their careers to speak truth to power. While we can’t feature all the remarkable women who died in 2023, we believe it’s important to highlight the contributions and careers that might otherwise go unnoticed so that they are not lost to history.  Thank you for listening and be sure to tune in to the second half of Parade of Accomplished Women 2023. THE REEL WOMEN Ashley Pacini on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleypacini/ Website - https://thereelwomen.com/ Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thereelwomen Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thereelwomen/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thereelwomen/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@thereelwomen AUDIO CLIPS and REFERENCES Sinead O’Connor - https://youtu.be/8LcmJErI8IQ Inga Swenson - https://youtu.be/-4hjBu23hws Cindy Williams - https://youtu.be/d-PlT-sHRTE Behind the Velvet Rope Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@behindthevelvetrope CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/  Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/ X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia Bluesky Social - @cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social    

Welcome to the next episode in our special series on TV Talk Shows. Big talk show moments, especially the controversial ones, provide snapshots that we can use to examine our politics and culture at a singular point in time. Some of the moments we discuss in this series may be unfamiliar to you or they may seem obscure or forgotten, but that’s the point. We’re here to preserve TV Herstory. Today, when alternative facts are part of our daily life, it’s especially instructive to look back more than 40 years at a grudge match over Truth and Reputation that played out on The Dick Cavett Show in 1980 and beyond. The combatants were two opinionated, strong-willed women: playwright/author Lillian Hellman and novelist/critic Mary McCarthy. Thank you for listening to Advanced TV Herstory. I encourage you to learn more about these women starting with the resources below.   RESOURCES FOR LILLIAN HELLMAN https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillian_Hellman Plays: The Little Foxes; The Children's Hour; Watch on the Rhein; Days to Come Books and Memoirs: An Unfinished Woman: A Memoir; Pentimento; Scoundrel Time About Lillian Hellman: C-SPAN's American History TV episode on Lillian Hellman Rollyson, Carl (1989) Lillian Hellman: Her Legend and Her Legacy Kessler-Harris, Alice (2012) The Challenging Life and Times of Lillian Hellman Gallagher, Dorothy (2014) Lillian Hellman: An Imperious Life      RESOURCES FOR MARY McCARTHY https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_McCarthy_(author) Books & Memoirs: Memories of a Catholic Girlhood; The Stones of Florence; The Group; Cannibals and Missionaries About Mary McCarthy: Kiernan, Frances (2002) Seeing Mary Plain: A Life of Mary McCarthy Brightman, Carol (1992) Writing Dangerously: Mary McCarthy and Her World Gelderman, Carol (1988) Mary McCarthy: A Life    INLINE RESOURCES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OfKEjABGGY Theatre Talk: Hellman v. McCarthy - CUNY TV Guests: Dick Cavett, Roberta Maxwell, Marcia Rodd Hosts: Michael Riedel, Susan Haskins    CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/  Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/ X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstoryB Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia Bluesky Social - @cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social

We know her as Meemaw, Mary Jo Shively, Emmie Sims, and the voice of Bo Peep. But Annie Potts is hooked on helping others—she’s very hands on—and she’s here to tell us about that part of her life. In doing so, she inspires us with her commitment and challenges us to “turn the car around.” Annie’s charitable organization, The Heart Channels, provides direct support quickly and creatively to people at critical crossroads in their life. Its mission reflects what Annie witnessed growing up—that wherever there was a need, people opened their hearts and quietly stepped in to help however they could.   The Heart Channels also mirrors Annie’s belief that we are one human family, no matter where on the planet we are. By opening our eyes to the needs of others, we can respond lovingly and immediately—neighbor to neighbor and heart to heart. I hope you’ll join us for this very special discussion. And please consider helping out. All donations to The Heart Channels—100%—are tax deductible and go directly to people in need. FOLLOW AND DONATE TO THE HEART CHANNELS The Heart Channels - https://www.theheartchannels.org/ On Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theheartchannels On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theheartchannels/ CONNECT WITH ANNIE POTTS Cameo (all proceeds go to The Heart Channels) - https://www.cameo.com/anniepotts Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thisisanniepotts/?hl=en CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/ Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/tvherstory Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory/featured PRODUCTION Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/ Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

Join host Cynthia Bemis Abrams as she launches a new limited series, TV Talk Shows, part of the Advanced TV Herstory podcast.  In this first episode, Cynthia delves into a study that reveals women are more prominently featured in unscripted television shows than in scripted ones—another example of the industry’s inclination to front women in projects that are less expensive to produce. She also touches on the recent strikes by SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and representation in scripted television. Cynthia then outlines the focus of the TV Talk Shows series, which will explore the historical context, memorable moments, and surprising controversies surrounding unscripted hosts and guests. The episode concludes by acknowledging the pioneering achievements of Della Reese as the first black woman to fill in for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show and Betty White's stance against the broadcast network executives who were reluctant to feature performers of color on her 1950s talk and variety show.  RESOURCES  Foundation Interviews - Della Reese on Guest Hosting “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” - https://youtu.be/M8hfse64sFU?si=8cIu3DrRN2AIdiBL The Television Academy Foundation – Della Reese - https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/della-reese  “He Stays”: Betty White refused to remove Black dancer from her show in 1954 - https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2022/01/01/betty-white-black-dancer-arthur-duncan/9067252002/  Retro Televisions – The Betty White Show (11-29-54) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k23zM-eLoI CBS Los Angeles KCAL - https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/women-more-represented-on-reality-tv-than-scripted-shows-sdsu-report-finds/ CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/ Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/  Podcast Archive - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/advanced-tv-herstory Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/tvherstory Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory/featured PRODUCTION Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/ Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

Advanced TV Herstory’s commitment to connecting the dots of TV & feminism and American politics & culture continues with an examination of the pioneering women writers during the early days of TV. My guest, Annie Berke, PhD, is the author of Their Own Best Creations: Women Writers in Postwar Television, part of the Feminist Media Histories book series by the University of California Press.  With a focus on 1949-1963, Dr. Berke’s foundational work appeals to scholars and students as well as others with an interest in gender roles, women in the workplace, and the cultural influence of women in media.   Along with a review of under-studied and influential women writers profiled in the book, our discussion leads to some interesting places, including the emergence of second-wave feminism and how postwar and current-day writers share many of the same struggles. I know you’ll enjoy this fun and fast-paced episode. Thank you for listening! CONNECT WITH ANNIE BERKE Website - https://www.annieberke.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-berke-ph-d-a102509/ Instagram, X (Twitter), and Bluesky - @sayanniething RESOURCES Pioneer Peg Lynch - https://around.uoregon.edu/content/library-exhibit-celebrates-legacy-tv-pioneer-peg-lynch The Broadcast 41 by Carol A. Stabile - https://broadcast41.uoregon.edu/ CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/ Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/  Podcast Archive - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/advanced-tv-herstory Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/tvherstory Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory/featured PRODUCTION Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/ Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

Cynthia Bemis Abrams welcomes Victoria Riskin, a second-generation filmmaker with a rich Hollywood legacy. Victoria's parents—Robert Riskin, a prolific, Oscar-winning screenwriter, and Fay Wray, best known for her role in the original King Kong—were instrumental in shaping the classic years of the motion picture industry. And Victoria has crafted an impressive career all her own. She is a producer, writer, digital magazine publisher, PhD in psychology, and past president of the Writers Guild of America (WGA). She shares her experiences as WGA president and explains how power has shifted over time to the imbalance that has writers and actors on strike now in 2023. We also learn how Victoria’s father tried leveraging his success with the studios to improve conditions for writers in the 1930s, but ultimately joined the Screen Writers Guild (SWG) as an early, active member. And, on the lighter side, you won’t want to miss Victoria’s stories from her trip to China with Norman Lear, Mary Tyler Moore, Larry Gelbart, and Carl Reiner. Victoria knows Hollywood from deep inside. No doubt you’ll enjoy the interesting history and fun stories she shares with us.  RESOURCES Victoria Riskin's website - https://www.victoriariskin.com/  Fay Wray and Robert Riskin: A Hollywood Memoir - https://www.victoriariskin.com/index.php/about Projections of America - http://projectionsofamerica.com/ The Last Best Year - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Best_Year Bluedot Living -  https://bluedotliving.com/ CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/ Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/  Podcast Archive - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/advanced-tv-herstory Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/tvherstory Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory/featured PRODUCTION Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/ Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/