Advanced TV Herstory

In this episode of Advanced TV Herstory, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams takes listeners on a reflective journey through the podcast’s inaugural year. She shares insights on the challenges and triumphs of producing a show that blends feminist history with popular culture and the impact of television representation. Cynthia recounts episodes that delved into the careers and legacies of pioneering women in television, explored the powerful women behind The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and examined significant moments in TV history, such as Anita Hill's 1991 Senate testimony and the 1973 Battle of the Sexes between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.

With a distinct feminist perspective, this independent podcast seeks to offer context and critical analysis of the American television experience. Cynthia aims to engage a broader audience, including students and professors interested in gender studies, media studies, popular culture, and American history.

Advanced TV Herstory

Feminist history

Television representation

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Anita Hill testimony

Battle of the Sexes 1973

Gender studies

Media studies

Popular culture analysis

American television history

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams explores the 15th (final) season of NBC's "ER" and the accomplished Angela Bassett's presence as a lead character of the ensemble cast. The drama begins with exposition of department staff turnover and Cynthia details the workplace culture and tone set by Bassett's character, Dr. Cate Banfield. Cynthia explores the well-crafted backstory of the 9-month plot that guides the complex and intense Banfield character.

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PRODUCTION

Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/

Video Editing - https://nivialopez.com/

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

TV Herstory was made for a number of reasons in 1992, when CBS' Murphy Brown (1988-98) proceeded with an unplanned pregnancy. Advanced TV Herstory host Cynthia Bemis Abrams explores the controversy around the months-long plot line. Cynthia provides the seminal moments that include the celebrated, late actor Colleen Dewhurst as Murphy's mother Avery Brown, then-Vice President Dan Quayle's comments about Murphy's story arc and perception of fatherhood and the poignant performance by Candice Bergen AND her hair.

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams revisits the hit medical drama series ER (1994-2009) to determine how well it's held up after its original run. Cynthia was a big fan of the writing and all-star cast and initially had a positive impression of the representation of women in medical profession. Cynthia examines the characters of nurse Carol Hathaway (played by Julianna Margulies) and Susan Lewis, M.D. (portrayed by Sherry Stringfield) from the series' early years, finding missed opportunities for a more progressive approach to representation and storytelling.

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Monthly Newsletter - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/

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PRODUCTION

Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/

Video Editing - https://nivialopez.com/

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

MTV launched many careers beyond the original five VJs. Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams details the talented women creatives had a new outlet at the intersection of video, musical and visual arts. MTV's rise came as cable TV's coverage of middle America plugged MTV directly into consumer living rooms. In an instant, the VJs (video jockeys) Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, J.J. Jackson, Marc Goodman and Nina Blackwood became worldwide celebrities.

Decades later, Cynthia observes, sexism in the industry is rarely discussed. She profiles of women on the business side, agents of performers and video artists.

Resource: I Want My MTV: the Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution (2011) by Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum

Note: At one point, I suggest that the battle-tested video vet Sharon Oreck has enough stories to write a book. Well she did, in 2010. It's called Video Slut: How I Shoved Madonna Off an Olympic High Dive, Got Prince into a Pair of Tiny Purple Woolen Underpants, Ran Away from Michael Jackson's ... So I Could Bring Rock Videos to the Masses.

CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY

Monthly Newsletter - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/

Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-bemis-abrams-5046573/

PRODUCTION

Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/

Video Editing - https://nivialopez.com/

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

In this episode of Advanced TV Herstory, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams provides a compelling analysis of Anita Hill's historic testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in 1991. Hill's statements about workplace sexual harassment, given during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, became a cultural turning point, sparking national debates on gender, power, and credibility.

Cynthia explains the significance of Hill's statement, the aggressive questioning from male senators on both sides of the aisle, and the role of cable news in broadcasting the moment to millions. She also discusses Hill's continued impact as an author, professor, and advocate for gender and racial justice.

This episode explores:

• How the hearings turned CSPAN into a must-watch channel;
• Backlash against Hill and the challenges of being a public whistleblower;
• The legacy of the hearings, from #MeToo to modern discussions on power dynamics;
• Joe Biden's role as committee chair and his decision to limit testimony; and
• How Hill's story has continued to resonate with new generations.

Related Episodes: I Still Believe Anita Hill (5.5) (Refresh of this episode) https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/967daa56-dd95-42f6-9ffc-e2788e07424b.mp3

The media shapes public perception – CSPAN and network news brought the hearings into homes across America, influencing how history remembers them. History repeats itself, as we saw with the dynamics of the Hill-Thomas hearings that resurfaced in 2018 during the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation.

CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY

Monthly Newsletter - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/

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LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-bemis-abrams-5046573/

PRODUCTION

Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/

Video Editing - https://nivialopez.com/

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

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams walks through the high and low points of women television detective characters. Detectives followed the emergence of women in title roles of series, which happened at the same time feminist milestones Title IX and the campaign to ratify the ERA was changing American society.

High points include Pamela Sue Martin's walk out on the The Nancy Drew Mysteries (1978) set, Kate Mulgrew starring in the 13 episodes of Mrs. Columbo, the spin off from an unseen character from the hit series Columbo. Cynthia looks at Charlie's Angels, and Kate Jackson's reported influence on making the series more credible.

CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY

Monthly Newsletter - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/

Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-bemis-abrams-5046573/

PRODUCTION

Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/

Video Editing - https://nivialopez.com/

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

In this heartfelt episode of Advanced TV Herstory, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams honors the remarkable life and career of Anna "Patty" Duke. Just weeks before Duke’s unexpected passing, Cynthia reflects on her immense contributions to television, film, and mental health advocacy.

From her Oscar-winning role in The Miracle Worker to her trailblazing public discussions about bipolar disorder on The Phil Donahue Show, Patty Duke broke barriers and inspired millions. This episode highlights her best-selling memoir, Call Me Anna, and her efforts to remove the stigma around mental health while celebrating her lasting impact on Hollywood and beyond.

Patty Duke’s life was a testament to resilience, talent, and courage. In this episode, Cynthia Bemis Abrams examines how Duke’s early successes as a child star in The Miracle Worker and The Patty Duke Show evolved into a career of advocacy and cultural significance.

Cynthia recounts Duke’s groundbreaking 1987 memoir Call Me Anna, which candidly addressed her bipolar diagnosis and paved the way for open conversations about mental health. From her iconic performances to her fearless activism, Patty Duke’s story is one of triumph, transformation, and a commitment to breaking barriers.

Patty Duke mental health advocacy

Call Me Anna memoir

The Miracle Worker Helen Keller

Patty Duke Show TV history

Cynthia Bemis Abrams podcast

Bipolar disorder awareness on TV

Patty Duke Phil Donahue interview

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams concludes, "it's all in the sound!" Cynthia's explains First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt immense influence through media. Eleanor pioneering and prolific communication came through her radio shows and newspaper columns. While not often on TV unscripted, Roosevelt appeared on Frank Sinatra's show in 1959 and recited a poem in a voice that sends chills up a spine, as a distinct American voice and sentiment.

Just 15 years later, Betty Ford, unapologetic feminist catapulted to the role of First Lady. Cynthia details how the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew, led to Cong. Gerald Ford's (R-MI) appointment. In August 1974, President Nixon's resignation elevated VP Gerald Ford to the presidency and with him was Betty, his true partner. Betty cast a new mold for First Ladies, with her outspoken activism on health, addiction and women's issues.—

Resources: Blanche Wiesen Cook's Eleanor Roosevelt: Volumes 1 & 2

CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY

Monthly Newsletter - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/

Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-bemis-abrams-5046573/

PRODUCTION

Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/

Video Editing - https://nivialopez.com/

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