Advanced TV Herstory

Connect the dots of TV and feminism to American culture and politics with host Cynthia Bemis Abrams. Interviews with top names - in front of and behind the scenes - offer insights into TV that has shaped American culture and influenced the world. Check out episodes with actors Annie Potts, Margaret Cho, Stepfanie Kramer of Hunter, Kim Fields of Facts of Life and Living Single, and daytime's Cady McClain. Television veteran writers Georgia Jeffries, Victoria Riskin and April Smith are featured in episodes that explain storytelling as a writing craft. These discussions will forever change how you watch TV. Explore issues of race through interviews with academics Robin Means-Coleman and Charlene Regester, and influencer Karly Beaumont. Ever since the #MeToo Movement of 2017-18, Cynthia has highlighted key episodes and events surrounding sexual harassment - fictional and real life. With listeners around the world, Cynthia celebrates the progress of representation in media and captures the stories and insights that make TV a powerful storyteller and mirror of truth. In 2025, Cynthia started revealing more about the book she and a colleague are writing. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter at www.tvherstory.com. Promise, your data will never be sold.

Postcards From LA: A TV Feminist’s Hollywood Tour 11/06/2025

Hunter, Fame and Feminism with Stepfanie Kramer 10/11/2025

How TV Taught Us About Sexual Harassment 09/02/2025

11 Years of Podcasting: Elsie Escobar on Growth & Grit 08/05/2025

Georgia Jeffries: Writing TV, Fiction & Feminist Stories 07/01/2025

Murder She Wrote, Lansbury & the Power of Cozy Mysteries 06/05/2025

TV’s Funniest Women: Past, Present & Future 05/03/2025

The Epic Career of Connie Chung: Representation & Resilience 04/01/2025

TV Cooking Show Pioneer Julia Child feat. Julie Cohen 03/06/2025

TV Cooking Show Pioneer Julia Child feat. Julie Cohen Cynthia Bemis Abrams sits down with Oscar-nominated documentary director Julie Cohen to explore her career in network TV journalism and filmmaking. The conversation covers Cohen’s path to power as a storyteller, highlighting her work on films about Pauli Murray, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Julia Child. Cohen shares insights into her acclaimed projects, including: RBG (2018), the documentary about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which gained widespread recognition. My Name is Pauli Murray (2021), the film on the groundbreaking but lesser-known civil rights activist and attorney. Every Body (2023), a documentary about the intersex rights movement and personal narratives. The episode also highlights Julia Child’s pioneering influence on television and women’s roles in professional kitchens. Cohen discusses Child’s legacy as a feminist figure and the impact of her political activism, particularly regarding reproductive rights and HIV/AIDS awareness. Julie Cohen actively promotes her latest documentary, The Path Forward (2024). The Power of Storytelling in Documentaries Why she chose to spotlight Pauli Murray, RBG, and Julia Child Challenges in structuring historical narratives into compelling film stories Overcoming obstacles in starting and funding documentary projects Julia Child’s Television Legacy How Julia Child revolutionized TV cooking shows The impact of her work on modern food media figures like Martha Stewart, Ina Garten, and Rachael Ray Her hidden activism and why her political legacy is often overlooked The feminist undertones in Child’s career and influence on women in professional kitchens Behind the Scenes of Every Body (2023) How Cohen approached the intersex rights movement in her documentary Personal stories shared in the film and their broader significance Julie Cohen's Films: Julia (2021): The Path Forward (2024): My Name is Pauli Murray (2021): RBG (2018): Every Body (2023): To book a screening of A Path Forward : () . By Spring 2025, it will be available on paid streaming channels, including Apple+. CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter – Website - Podcast Archive - Instagram - Bluesky Social - /episode/index/show/advancedtvherstory/id/35564715

Original Media Influencer: Eleanor Roosevelt 02/06/2025

Original Media Influencer: Eleanor Roosevelt In this episode of Advanced TV Herstory, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams is joined by author Angela Beauchamp to explore how Eleanor Roosevelt, a trailblazing communicator, shaped early public affairs programming. They discuss Roosevelt's prolific media presence, from her “My Day” newspaper column and radio broadcasts to her groundbreaking television appearances. The conversation highlights how Roosevelt’s political influence extended beyond her time as First Lady, using media to engage the public and advocate for change. Angela Beauchamp shares insights from her book Eleanor Roosevelt on Screen: The First Lady's Appearances in Film and Television, 1932-1962, detailing the evolution of Roosevelt’s on-screen presence and her pioneering role as a media influencer. Podcast Episode Plot Summary Eleanor Roosevelt’s impact on early television was groundbreaking. Stemming from Roosevelt's popular writings and radio presence, she redefined how public figures connected with audiences. Cynthia and Angela discuss Roosevelt’s pioneering of television public affairs programming as host of shows with major guests, and remaining a worldwide cultural icon following World War II . Key topics include: Roosevelt’s transition from radio to television and the significance of her “My Day” column Television appearances on Meet the Press, Prospects of Mankind, and Today with Mrs. Roosevelt Her candid views on political figures like JFK and Richard Nixon and how those views influenced public discourse Behind-the-scenes details from her 1950s public affairs shows, from set designs to guest curation Episode Life Lessons: Leadership through visibility: Eleanor Roosevelt used media as a tool for public service and advocacy. Persistence breaks barriers: Roosevelt’s transition from radio to television set a standard for women in public discourse. Cultural legacy matters: Media coverage can preserve and extend a public figure’s influence across generations. Referenced Shows and Networks: Meet the Press Prospects of Mankind (1959–1962) Mrs. Roosevelt Meets the Public (1950–1951) Today with Mrs. Roosevelt (1950) Related Episodes: FLOTUS on TV: Roosevelt & Ford (1.25) Resources: Media History Project Eleanor Roosevelt on Screen: The First Lady's Appearances in Film and Television, 1932–1962 by Angela Beauchamp Pastor Hall Blanche Wiesen Cook (ER biographer) Eleanor Roosevelt Paper's Project at George Washington University CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter – Website - Podcast Archive - Instagram - Bluesky Social - /episode/index/show/advancedtvherstory/id/35170560

SNL's Gilda Radner: A Life Celebrated in Film 01/25/2025

A Trip to NYC's Paley Center: Revisiting Battle of the Sexes 12/23/2024

Comfort TV: Finding Joy with Karly Beaumont 11/26/2024

Shari Lewis’ Reinventions: A Documentary on Legacy and Talent 10/17/2024

June and Pepper: Early 70s LGBTQ+ Allyship 09/10/2024

June and Pepper: Early 70s LGBTQ+ Allyship In the last 10-20 years, attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people in America have shifted due to more positive visibility and evolving cultural norms. Cynthia takes a look at two moments from 1970s television that revealed glimpses of LGBTQ+ allyship—a talk show moment and a 1974 episode of Police Woman. In 1970, June Lockhart appeared on The Virginia Graham Show and stopped the hostess in her tracks, pushing back on stereotypes and tropes common for the time. And the story of how a 54-year-old clip is available for viewing is its own testament to advocacy. LGBTQ+ scholar and media documentarian Steven Capsuto's book, Alternate Channels, helped Cynthia connect the June Lockhart dot to an episode of Police Woman. Capsuto's book is an essential work for every media, gender, and social justice scholar. He traces television and even radio's early depiction of mostly gay characters and the absence of lesbians. His book also details the LGBTQ+ community's organization and support from straight allies that fought against distorted and ugly depictions of gay and lesbian characters in television and film for more than 75 years. The overall trend in American society has been toward greater understanding and support for LGBTQ+ people and this is, to a significant degree, the result of advocates and allies pushing for more positive and diverse characterizations in popular culture. Television largely ignored lesbians until the 1970s and even then, the characters were bitter, violent, and unstable. With just a few sentences, June Lockhart, in real life, and Angie Dickinson, as Sgt. Pepper Anderson, showed viewers the power of LGBTQ+ allyship. STEVEN CAPSUTO Website - Alternate Channels, 20th Anniversary Revised Edition (2020) by Steven Capsuto MENTIONS June Lockhart, Virginia Graham, Angie Dickinson, Rev. Troy Perry, Art Metrano, Donna Mills, Lois Nettleton, Randy Wicker, Judy Garland, Meet Me in St. Louis, Lassie, Lost in Space, Petticoat Junction, General Hospital, Quincy M.E., Police Woman, The Bold Ones, Medical Center, Charlie’s Angels, Cagney & Lacey, The Kinsey Report, Stonewall, HIV/AIDS, Metropolitan Community Church CLIPS The Virginia Graham Show, with June Lockhart and Rev. Troy Perry (1970) Police Woman, Flowers of Evil, S1E8 (1974) CYNTHIA BEMIS ABRAMS AND ATVH ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com Website - Podcast Archive - Email - Instagram - YouTube - X (Twitter) - Facebook - Bluesky Social - PRODUCTION Video - Nivia Lopez - Audio - Marilou Marosz - Music - /episode/index/show/advancedtvherstory/id/32992862

Reliving 80s TV, feat. 80s TV Ladies 08/16/2024

Reliving 80s TV, feat. 80s TV Ladies I love to talk TV and I really enjoy every exchange with Susan and Sharon, otherwise known as the 80s TV Ladies. When their podcast, 80s TV Ladies, launched, they invited me to be a guest. It was a blast and over the last two years, the two podcasts have furthered a shared exploration of how women have been represented on television and the impact that representation has had on society as a whole and females, of all ages, in particular. Like Advanced TV Herstory, their show features interviews and analyzes the work of women both in front of and behind the camera. Our podcasts aim to help listeners understand how our culture shapes the television shows we watch and, in turn, how those shows shape our culture. Listen in on this engaging and informative look behind the scenes as we discuss the motivations, joys, and challenges of creating podcasts that highlight the contributions of women in television. 80s TV LADIES Contacts Website – 80s TV Ladies - Website – 134 West - Facebook - Instagram - YouTube - Patreon - Awards 2024 Women in Podcasting, Nominee in Entertainment – VOTE at 2024 Webby Award – Best Indie Podcast 2023 People’s Choice Podcast Awards - Best Art, Best TV & Film, Best Female Hosted MENTIONS Podcast Episodes 80s TV Ladies (24 May 2023) – Advanced TV Herstory w/ Cynthia Bemis Abrams, Part One - 80s TV Ladies (31 May 2023) – Advanced TV Herstory w/ Cynthia Bemis Abrams, Part Two - Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus (11 Apr 2023) – Jane Fonda on Female Friendships - Shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cagney and Lacey, China Beach, Designing Women, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Grey’s Anatomy, Lou Grant, My So-Called Life, Murphy Brown, Remington Steele, and Scarecrow and Mrs. King People Annie Potts, Barney Rosenzweig, Diane English, Eilish Zebrasky, Eugenie Ross-Leming, Geena Davis, Jean Smart, Juanita Bartlett, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, Melissa Roth, Neema Barnette, Sergio Perez, Sharon Gless, Shonda Rhimes, Stephanie Zimbalist, and Tyne Daly Books Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women by Susan Faludi - Lou Grant: The Making of TV’s Top Newspaper Drama by Douglass K. Daniel – CYNTHIA BEMIS ABRAMS AND ATVH ATVH Newsletter – Website - Podcast Archive - Email - Instagram - YouTube - X (Twitter) - Facebook - Bluesky Social - PRODUCTION Video - Nivia Lopez - Audio - Marilou Marosz - Music - /episode/index/show/advancedtvherstory/id/32582227

Year 9: A Look Back and Ahead 07/15/2024

Talk Show First, Della Reese 06/12/2024

Women Who Raise Us - A Tribute From Victoria Rowell 05/12/2024

Talking Sci-Fi with a Scientist: Dr. Sherry Ginn 04/14/2024

Talking Sci-Fi with a Scientist: Dr. Sherry Ginn 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 - e-mail - *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 - Joss Whedon's Dollhouse: Confounding Purpose, Confusing Identity by Sherry Ginn, PhD - Power and Control in the Television Worlds of Joss Whedon by Sherry Ginn, PhD - Being a Girl with The Doctor: Essays in the Feminine in Doctor Who (Edited by Gillian I. Leitch and Sherry Ginn) - To Boldly Stay: Essays on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Edited by Sherry Ginn and Michael G. Cornelius) - The Sex is Out of This World: Essays on the Carnal Side of Science Fiction (Edited by Sherry Ginn and Michael G. Cornelius) - CYNTHIA BEMIS ABRAMS and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter – Website - Podcast Archive - Instagram - YouTube - X (Twitter) - Facebook - Bluesky Social - PRODUCTION Audio - Marilou Marosz - Music - /episode/index/show/advancedtvherstory/id/30810653

TV Talk Show Moment: Vivien Leigh as Herself 03/13/2024

Intimacy Coordinating feat. Daytime's Yvonne Perry 02/06/2024

Parade of Accomplished Women 2023 - Part II 01/20/2024

Parade of Accomplished Women 2023 - Part I 01/15/2024

TV Talk Shows: Hellman v. McCarthy 12/13/2023

TV Talk Shows: Hellman v. McCarthy 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 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 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 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 – Website - Podcast Archive - Instagram - X (Twitter) - Facebook - Bluesky Social - @cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social /episode/index/show/advancedtvherstory/id/29051388

Annie Potts on Heart Channels And Helping Others 11/21/2023

TV Talk Shows: The First in a Series 11/17/2023

Pioneer Women Writers of TV with Annie Berke, PhD 10/10/2023

WGA, MTM and Hollywood Stories with Victoria Riskin 09/12/2023

Women Leaders of WGA and SAG-AFTRA 08/16/2023

Advanced TV Herstory

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