Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams explores the one song that changed the use and capacity of a Public Service Announcement (PSA). Tune in to hear Cynthia explore how the Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) landed famed-Canadian feminist singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan and her hit song, Angel. Cynthia details the record-setting amount raised by the PSA effort in 2008 and 2009, and explores the tactics that raised visibility, yet invited discord.

Note: In 2023, McLachlan publicly called the visuals of neglected and abused animals "difficult to watch."

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In this anniversary episode of Advanced TV Herstory, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams shares some lessons learned, related to content, podcasting and technology, that make the entire endeavor rewarding.

From Mother's Day to a woman's right to make her own health care decisions (Sissy Spacek's TV Movie & China Beach) this year of episodes starts to shape the podcast's feminist structures. The podcast hit its stride, interviewing academic experts, writers and actors, as well as profiling feminists and their work.

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Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams welcomes TV writer April Smith to Advanced TV Herstory to explore storytelling from a woman's point of view. Writer-turned-novelist April Smith shares her television journey, from Lou Grant (1977-1982) and Cagney & Lacey (1982-1988) to Chicago Hope (1994-2000), and what it took to create Emmy-nominated episodes during a time some consider the "Second Golden Age of Television."

Smith's story is one of persistence, vision, and creative grit, as she wrote across genres and decades with unmistakable voice. This episode dives into:

• Smith's rise through Hollywood's male-dominated writing rooms;
• Emmy-winning work on Lou Grant and dramatic arcs for Cagney & Lacey;
• How women's voices shaped TV's most powerful characters;
• Smith's transition into writing thrillers and historical fictio;
• The balance of professional storytelling and political commentary; and
• Reflections on character-driven drama and timeless storytelling lessons.

April Smith's Website: https://aprilsmith.net/

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Barbara Walters, Lesley Stahl, and Connie Chung are the groundbreaking women who reported on the Watergate scandal for national television networks. Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams examines how their coverage shaped journalism history and how each woman leveraged new opportunities during a pivotal era of change.

Highlights:

• Barbara Walters' rise from Washington bureau to Today Show co-anchor;
• The role of Affirmative Action played in changing access to newsroom careers;
• How Stahl and Chung built lasting success amid fierce competition; and
• The larger impact of women's contributions to investigative journalism.

Emerging technologies like field cameras and satellites changed news coverage in the early 1970s, and created a new media landscape. Cynthia also discusses how the Watergate scandal, initially considered "a petty crime," became a defining moment in American journalism.

Resources and references:

Audition: A Memoir by Barbara Walters (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2847470-audition)

Reporting Live by Lesley Stahl (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/306446.Reporting_Live)

Watergate's Legacy and the Press by Jon Marshall (https://nupress.northwestern.edu/9780810127197/watergates-legacy-and-the-press/)

Personal History by Katharine Graham (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/70346/personal-history-by-katharine-graham/)

Related Advanced TV Herstory episodes:

11.4 The Epic Career of Connie Chung: Representation & Resilience https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/d3d17301-5179-4c90-96f6-7e76edab7799.mp3

3.6 On-Air Power of Curry & Pauley https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/d796fda1-44a1-4705-81de-89c135370b1c.mp3

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UPN's strong line up of African-American centric programming in the late 90s & 00s.

Tracee Ellis Ross led ensemble cast

Discussion with podcasters Stephanie Williams and Elizabeth Ajunwa of Let Go Let Flo

In this episode of Advanced TV Herstory, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams explores the remarkable legacy of Shari Lewis, the puppeteer, television host, and educator best known for Lamb Chop. From the early days of children's programming to her lasting cultural influence, this episode dives into how Lewis’s work shaped generations of young viewers.

Through her storytelling, song, and interactive learning, Shari Lewis created an educational TV environment that was both entertaining and formative. The discussion covers her career highlights, her battle against the commercialization of children’s programming, and the enduring impact of Lamb Chop’s Play-Along and other beloved works.

This episode explores:

• How Shari Lewis broke barriers for women in television.
• The origins and rise of Lamb Chop, Charlie Horse, and Hush Puppy.
• The balance between commercial success and educational integrity in kids' programming.
• The evolution of children's TV and its impact on modern programming.

Through interviews and expert insights, this episode honors Lewis’s contributions to children’s media, highlighting why her work remains relevant today.

Referenced Series:

• Lamb Chop’s Play-Along
• The Shari Lewis Show
• Charlie Horse Music Pizza

CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY

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Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams interviews Bryan Johnson, the force behind the wildly successful niche fan site "The Concluding Chapter of Joan Crawford." Cynthia and Bryan discuss the careers of aging Hollywood stars, as depicted Ryan Murphy's 2017 mini-series on FX "Feud: Bette and Joan." The series, starring Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange, depicts the very real limitations Hollywood created for its aging women actors, with limited opportunities in film.

As Johnson explains, Crawford's late career appearances on TV were important to her self-worth before she chose to step back from the public eye.

The Concluding Chapter of Joan Crawford: https://www.theconcludingchapterofcrawford.com/

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Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams has long thought of Florence Henderson's role of Carol Brady as having a worldwide effect. Every year at Mother's Day, Florence Henderson (1934-2016) sits atop every TV blogger's list. Cynthia shares some nuggets about the actor and singer's life as Henderson wrote in her 2012 memoir, Life Is Not a Stage: From Broadway Baby to a Lovely Lady and Beyond. Henderson tracks her humble beginnings, to Broadway, clear through to her extensive television career.

CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY

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Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams welcomes Susan Silver, writer for TV's The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Maude and Square Pegs to talk about some of the most iconic TV series and episodes ever. Cynthia and Susan discuss Susan's 2017 memoir, Hot Pants in Hollywood: Sex, Secrets and Sitcoms, with its frank look at what life was like for a woman writer in Hollywood in the 1970s and 1980s. Susan shares her path to becoming a TV writer and the supportive environments she encountered.

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Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams connects the dots between regional children's TV, women's health, and media's invasion of privacy through the story of Miss Sherri Finkbine. Finkbine was the Arizona-based teacher in the regional educational TV oriented to young Baby Boom viewers, Romper Room, and became a pivotal figure in the Thalidomide tragedy.

Cynthia examines how Finkbine's use of Thalidomide for morning sickness triggered a medical and legal crisis that preceded Roe V. Wade. The incident however launched an international discussion on a woman's rights to make decisions about her own body and health care. This major event in Second Wave Feminist history was brought to the small screen in the 1992 made-for-TV movie A Private Matter, starring Sissy Spacek.

This unforgettable story illustrates how early television shaped public awareness around women's healthcare, abortion, and agency.

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Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/