Advanced TV Herstory

Welcome to this anniversary episode of Advanced TV Herstory which is our annual chance to reflect on past highlights and share vision. Join Cynthia Bemis Abrams as she reflects on a decade of podcasting, noting the journey, and growth that led the mission of connecting the dots between feminism, TV, and American culture. In This Episode Podcast Evolution: Explore how Advanced TV Herstory has evolv...

Before Oprah. Before Arsenio. There was Della. Singer, talk show host, actor, minister, and cultural icon Della Reese shattered barriers across media genres — and made history as the first Black woman to host her own syndicated talk show in 1969. In this heartfelt episode, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams pays tribute to Reese’s remarkable career and unrelenting spirit. Drawing from Reese’s 1997 memoir A...

In this special Mother's Day episode of Advanced TV Herstory , host Cynthia Bemis Abrams explores the profound impact of women who shape our lives, with inspiration from Victoria Rowell's compelling memoir, The Women Who Raised Me . Rowell, a two-time Emmy nominee and 11-time NAACP Image Award winner, shares her incredible journey through the foster care system and the women who nurtured her into...

In this engaging episode, we sit down with Dr. Sherry Ginn, the current president of the Pop Culture Association (PCA) and a renowned scholar in pop culture and science fiction. Recorded live at the PCA National Conference in Chicago, the discussion covers a range of topics, including: the evolution of science fiction in popular culture, the enduring legacy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer , and the co...

Advanced TV Herstory host Cynthia Bemis Abrams delves into a captivating 1958 episode of Edward R. Murrow’s Small World , featuring Vivien Leigh, Samuel Goldwyn, and Kenneth Tynan. As we explore this rare television appearance, we uncover the dynamics of a conversation that challenges cultural norms of the time. With topics ranging from ethnic representation in theater to the transition of perform...

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 prime-time 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...

In this episode of Advanced TV Herstory , we celebrate the "Parade of Accomplished Women" by highlighting notable contributions of women in television, both in front of and behind the camera. Co-hosts Cynthia Bemis Abrams and Ashley Pacini delve into the legacies of women who have portrayed themselves on TV or represented the unseen, as well as those who have had prolific careers without becoming...

In this episode of Advanced TV Herstory , we celebrate the "Parade of Accomplished Women" by highlighting notable contributions of women in television, both in front of and behind the camera. Co-hosts Cynthia Bemis Abrams and Ashley Pacini delve into the legacies of women who have portrayed themselves on TV or represented the unseen, as well as those who have had prolific careers without becoming...

Advanced TV Herstory 's special series on TV Talk Shows examines one interview that became the focus of multi-year, high profile litigation. 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 for...

We know her as Meemaw, Mary Jo Shively, Emmie Sims, and the voice of Bo Peep. But Annie Potts is hooked on helping others, 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," an important phrase in a story she tells listeners. Annie's charitable organization, The Heart Channels, provides direct support...

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams proudly unveils 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...

Advanced TV Herstory , host Cynthia Bemis Abrams explores the groundbreaking contributions of women writers in the early days of television with special guest Annie Berke, PhD. As the author of Their Own Best Creations: Women Writers in Postwar Television , Dr. Berke explains the pivotal roles these women played from 1949 to 1963, highlighting their enduring impact on American politics, culture, a...

Hollywood legacy meets union leadership in this revealing conversation with Victoria Riskin. A second-generation screenwriter and former President of the Writers Guild of America West, Riskin brings stories from inside the industry's golden era—and the picket lines of today. Advanced TV Herstory host Cynthia Bemis Abrams and Riskin discuss the evolving power dynamics between writers and studios, t...

In this union-themed episode of Advanced TV Herstory , host Cynthia Bemis Abrams delves into the rich history and ongoing struggles of entertainment unions, particularly focusing on the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild—American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). As we approach Labor Day 2023, the episode highlights the significant role women have play...

From host Cynthia Bemis Abrams: A lot has happened politically and culturally since Advanced TV Herstory launched eight years ago. In this anniversary episode, I celebrate a number of wins while also reflecting on the importance of learning from history to avoid repeating past mistakes. For example, Lee Grant, an Oscar and Emmy-winning actress, overcame being blacklisted during the anti-Communist...

In the second of our two-part episode, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams continues talking with Elva Green about her book, The Jeffersons: A Fresh Look Back. Green offers insights, interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and rare photos from the iconic TV series that was a spin-off of All in the Family . Green reflects on one of the best episodes from the 7th season of the show, which featured a tour-de-fo...

In this first of a two-part episode of Advanced TV Herstory , host Cynthia Bemis Abrams welcomes Elva Green to discuss her book, The Jeffersons: A Fresh Look Back . Ms. Green shares her personal journey as a writer and the impetus for the book, which offers insights, interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and rare photos from the iconic TV series. Green interviewed cast and crew members, including...

In this episode of Advanced TV Herstory, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams takes a critical look at the groundbreaking sitcom Cheers , focusing on the iconic female characters, Carla Tortelli and Diane Chambers. Cynthia examines the complexities of these characters, portrayed by Rhea Perlman and Shelley Long, respectively, and their impact as strong female figures in 1980s television. The episode explores...

This is part one of a two-part conversation with author and TV/film historian, Lee Gambin. His double-volume work, Tonight, On a Very Special Episode: When TV Sitcoms Sometimes Got Serious , provides a launch pad for our thoughtful and fast-paced discussion of the issues and activists behind TV's "very special episodes," which date back 50 years or more. These TV events—featuring familiar, beloved...

I am very excited to share the first of a two-part conversation with author and TV/film historian, Lee Gambin. His double-volume work, Tonight, On a Very Special Episode: When TV Sitcoms Sometimes Got Serious, provides a launch pad for our thoughtful and fast-paced discussion of the issues and activists behind TV's "very special episodes," which date back 50 years or more. These TV events, featuri...

In 1989, Oprah Winfrey produced and starred in the two-part TV miniseries, The Women of Brewster Place , which was based on Gloria Naylor's award-winning debut novel. The book, and the movie, explore a variety of personal issues and social themes faced by seven Black women who live in an urban housing project. When, just for fun, we asked the new artificial intelligence software, ChatGPT, to conne...

On this episode of Advanced TV Herstory , we connect the dots between TV and feminism with American culture and politics by remembering the 1979 television miniseries, Backstairs at the White House. The series is based on the New York Times bestseller by Lillian Rogers Parks, a seamstress in the White House from 1939-1961. Parks based the book on her own experiences and on those of her mother, Mag...

As we wrap up our two-part In Memoriam for 2022 by honoring women women in television who died this past year. Some are famous names and faces, but we also pay tribute to those who were less visible yet made significant contributions to TV, both in front of and behind the camera. This celebration is the perfect time to reflect on the importance of acting as a champion for other women. Their succes...

Our In Memoriam episodes have become an annual tradition. As the universe of known, talented women in TV gets larger every year, so too does the number of women that we honor. In this first of two episodes, we highlight some of the women of music and theatre who made significant contributions to our culture and society. We lost some very big names in 2022, but as you've come to expect with these e...

In this episode of Advanced TV Herstory , host Cynthia Bemis Abrams welcomes Mallory Lewis , daughter of legendary puppeteer Shari Lewis , for an engaging discussion about her book, Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop: The Team That Changed Children’s Television . Published by the University of Kentucky Press, the book chronicles Shari’s extraordinary career, from her childhood beginnings to her groundbreak...