This is the script for our 8th anniversary episode (July 2023)

Happy Anniversary, listeners! It was in late June 2015 that I jumped into podcasting – selecting as my topical area the vast HIStory of television that had been little discussed, barely written about or glossed over – that which featured women as the actors, producers, writers or catalysts. These anniversary episodes are a chance for me to share with you what I’ve learned in the past year and provide longitudinal context to the TV herstory we see unfolding today.

It’s been said that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. That’s part of the core mission of Advanced TV Herstory. While the tagline is connecting the dots of TV and feminism to American politics and culture – what I try to do is present the case for what happened, why it happened and how we can use it as a lesson for the future. 

In past anniversary episodes, I’ve bemoaned the fact that so few prominent women are written about in books or were big enough to warrant a book deal for a memoir or autobiography. By the time most women of the silver or small screen hit their 40s, they’ve slinked off to private life – no roles for women of a certain age, tired of the sexist or misogynistic crap or perhaps not enough interest or ability to re-invent themselves and remain in the public eye. 

Lee Grant, an Oscar and Emmy winner now in her mid-90s, taught me many lessons this year and I really encourage you to explore her career through books and videos more. Her memoir is I Said Yes to Everything, from 2014 caught my attention for her recounting of 2 of my key interest areas. She was one of the few blacklisted women of entertainment who actually regained her career. As a young actor married to a producer/writer, she was targeted by the anti-communist forces – watched closely for allegiances and statements. Lee Grant spoke a eulogy at a colleague’s funeral and that earned her a 12 year ice-out from the industry.

Lee Grant’s return to acting and later producing, is just as fascinating. Do you remember Lifetime network’s Intimate Portrait series? It was from the 1990s and early 2000s…. she directed 45 episodes of that really admirable series. As one who complains that publishers have little interest in women’s memoirs or biographies, I see in Lee Grant’s work a close and kindred value. She used her lifetime of industry contacts, skill sets and values to shoulder much of the content that made Intimate Portraits a part of TV herstory. Before IMDb and Wikipedia, cable TV was the smartest, most expedient way to get history to the American public.

Her contributions to TV herstory are many, but capturing interviews of then-aging and now dead performers, speaking about women colleagues in the entertainment field or themselves, holds immense value. NO ONE ELSE WAS DOING THIS! Read I Said Yes to Everything and find Intimate Portrait episodes on YouTube. 

In my monthly e-newsletter, I shared my Lee Grant observations and asked whether I should pursue an interview with her. Responses came back overwhelmingly supportive and YES, see if she’ll chat for us. I’m still working on it but please, subscribe to the newsletter for an inside view of actions and thoughts that never make it to social media. Go now to TVherstory.com.

My points about the preservation of history – which is usually written by men – and about Lee Grant’s convictions have proven true in my research for a book I’m working on with a retired professor of law here in Minneapolis. Our data set is a list of about 100 TV episodes and my research, in addition to viewing and recapping those episodes, is scouring books, articles and interviews that pertain to the episodes, showrunners and writers. I have a lot of respect for the late Steven Bochco’s work – primarily Hill Street Blues and the first season of L.A. Law. His memoir, self-published in his later years while battling leukemia, seems like a dictated memo of arrogance and privilege, with occasional references to women who for the most part, were difficult to work with (he mentions Lee Grant by name) — or –those  he didn’t trust were up to the job. Bochco’s glory days and best stories, as you might expect, were of series he worked on with hardly a credential to his name or he hired guys from similar situations or hired guys who others deemed difficult to work with but by golly, their work was gold!

Listeners, in these 8 years of national turmoil that is political, social, cultural and becomes personal when families break apart from intolerance, it feels like there are thousands of history pieces scattered on the floor. It’s overwhelming and unsettling at the same time. In 2015, Steven Bochco boasted and denigrated without regard for his reputation. Bochco remains an icon in the industry and many would question why his memoir is anything but the truth. 

In that same year, the Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media was gaining momentum and created a catch phrase to teach representation “if she can see it, she can be it” For 8+ years, they’ve been documenting why it’s important, how it happens – all that and its impact is being felt across industries, countries, generations and populations of other beyond just women – LGBTQ, older, BIPOC and physical condition.

And this podcast, started that same year, continues to keep an eye on the ball with the factual and contextual knowledge that comes from doing something this long. No question a highlight from this year in podcasting is my Zoom interview with Mallory Lewis, daughter of ventriloquist and children’s TV pioneer Shari Lewis. Mallory’s sister Lambchop was on the call and Mallory explained why the rights Lambchop image and likeness ended with Shari’s death. 

Another highlight is that this podcast is now recognized on IMDb. It’s going to take a lot of work to build the profile on that site, but since I have interviewed a dozen women who also have IMDb profiles, I hope Advanced TV Herstory will reach a whole new group of listeners.

What to expect in the coming year – for sure we will have one if not two episodes celebrating the lives of TV women who pass in 2023… Raquel Welch, Tina Turner and General Hospital’s Jackie Zeman have already made the list. We’re working on securing interviews with a few people and I have a series and some episodes that I intend to discuss in depth. My work on the book often creates unexpected opportunities for the podcast.

Most likely, this year will hold more whiplash-inducing change – even in the seemingly mundane world of TV watching. The Writers Guild has been on strike since spring and the actors’ union may join them. What are they striking for? Two key things: Compensation that factors in the byzantine business relationship and verifiable viewing stats for first run and syndicated airing of their work. The old contract was written before streaming was widely available, before the show owners also owned the streaming service (thereby owning the data of how much it was viewed). The writers and actors are also gravely concerned about the introduction of Artificial Intelligence into their spheres by the very companies that are reaping billions in profits and unwilling to budge on payment formulas that allow writers, performers and crew to earn a live-able wage.

There is a lot of money in the hands of a few people who think they control the future of entertainment. Will American ingenuity outwit them and take entertainment in a whole new direction? Possibly. But the people effected by corporate greed – whether in this industry or any other – are real people. With real mortgages or rents, real health insurance needs. Artificial Intelligence is a lucrative can of worms that no one is prepared to or able to control today. 

When your high school teacher (or your kids’ high school teacher) talked about the importance of critical thinking, they were attempting to prepare us for all this upheaval. While it’s wildly overwhelming to think about all this change as a whole, it’s my goal that Advanced TV Herstory provides you with a refresher on critical thinking, as well as a way to model it for others. Television has long been a common ground – a Switzerland of Shared Experience. 

It’s an honor – and I mean that – every time you choose to pull up my recording. It’s our time together to focus on something we love and that’s important to us, and breathe new life and meaning into it. You’re why I podcast.

Last fall I bid so long to my talented longtime audio editor and media engineer Catherine Yang as her project plate overflowed. Consulting a trusted podcast consultant, I was paired with Marilou Marosz. Marilou not only is a meticulous audio editor, she provides insights and knowledge about podcasting and the user experience to all of our work. 

When I say “all of our work,” that includes the actual audio and sometimes video files of the show, the shownotes and graphics – that’s just for the production. We’re sticking with Twitter as a primary promotion and interactive social platform, but are also on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Episodes are also posted in Medium as Advanced TV Herstory. For insights into what I’m reading, following me on Goodreads and Story Graph ( – equivalent of Goodreads that is NOT owned by Amazon). And please, go to tvherstory.com and sign up for the monthly e-newsletter. Your data will not be shared or sold. 

In closing, happy anniversary to all of you who listen regularly or only once in a while to us. We’re happy to have you along for the ride and value your time and insights. Drop a line to advancedtvherstory@gmail.com, leave a note at the website or message me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. I’ll say it twice this time – you’re why I podcast, I’m your host, Cynthia Bemis Abrams