Judy Garland’s TV Breakthrough: The Judy Garland Show’s Impact
In this episode of Advanced TV Herstory, I dive into the fascinating world of Judy Garland’s short-lived yet legendary CBS variety show, The Judy Garland Show. Joined by Emmy-nominated performer and Judy Garland scholar Angela Ingersoll, this is the first of a five-part series exploring the powerful intersection of TV, feminism, and the entertainment industry. Angela and I examine Garland’s groundbreaking...
Change Agent With False Eyelashes
In 10 years of watching TV for the podcast, I often identify an exact moment when I see something profound. Six years ago, a 1967 episode of That Girl caught my attention, as Ann Marie found herself in a quid pro quo while she was doing Donald Hollinger a favor. Hear the whole story in my 2018 podcast episode at the link...
Ranked #1 in Top TV Podcasts – September!
Ever have that moment when you’re pondering what podcast to listen to next? Like, you wish someone knew your interests so a good recommendation would just POP on your screen… This podcast is grateful for recognition by the folks and our peers at Goodpods, for making our work more visible. This is our first #1 ranking in any category. In the past,...
TV Podcasters to the Rescue!
Podcasting’s greatest gift has been the opportunity to meet people who share a love of TV. My late July broken leg and wrists upended my production schedule, so I was exuberant when Susan and Sharon agreed to record an episode together on short notice! Getting to know Susan, Sharon and Melissa (not pictured) of 80s TV Ladies has felt like...
Depth and Impact of Pop Culture
In March I attended the Pop Culture Association national conference in Chicago. It’s the annual gathering of media and cultural studies folks and offers an array of fascinating panels. Yes, I scout the panels for potential guests and troll the exhibition room where publishers promote their wares destined for syllabi, pleasure reading and occasionally this podcast. Lucky for us I...
Women Characters in the Military
In my November newsletter, I listed TV series that featured women in the military. Novelist, coach podcaster Beth Barany reminded me of the TV women characters serving in military capacities in space: Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and Killjoys (2015-2019). Beth has written on the character Samantha Carter, Air Force astrophysicist in the series Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007 on Showtime and SciFi network). Like the Geena Davis Institute...
Annie Potts!
It’s often said, usually when one is debating whether or not to do something, that “you can’t get a hit if you don’t swing.” A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a social media post about Annie Potts and the non-profit organization she and others have started. Having followed Annie’s accounts over the years, I sensed that this was a...
The State of Trust: Who Knew?
This month, Acast, the world’s largest independent podcast company, released some fascinating findings of listener opinions. Acast reports that half of all U.S. podcast listeners consider podcasters the most trustworthy sources of information. YouTube comes in second. Mainstream journalism seems to have lost its credibility. My past is filled with numerous roles where I consulted or made decisions, many of...
Book Rec: Vanessa Redgrave, An Autobiography (1994)
Before reading this, I only knew “of” Vanessa Redgrave. I had seen a few of her films (Julia, Howard’s End), heard her narrate as Nurse Lee on TV’s Call the Midwife, and had read a few articles about her activism. I knew enough to sense that the only way I could understand her distinguished career and commitment was to read her own...