Advanced TV Herstory Cynthia Bemis Abrams

This Mother's Day we celebrate the women who raise us, nurture and help us find our inner strength and outer voice. Typically, they are our mothers or stepmothers—but they also can be foster moms, grandparents, neighbors, dance teachers—any woman who holds a mirror up to our potential. They often enter our lives without warning and change us forever—though sometimes it takes years for us to realize it. 
These are my thoughts on Victoria Rowell’s compelling 2007 memoir, “The Women Who Raised Me.” Ms. Rowell spent her youth in the foster care system. But with the help of many dedicated and caring women, she became an accomplished dancer and successful actor. Her memoir is a tribute to the women who raised her, and she describes them in loving and vivid detail.  
“I was never meant to be raised by one mother, but by many.” 
-Victoria Rowell 
Ms. Rowell is a two-time Emmy Award nominee and has received 11 NAACP Image Awards. She is perhaps best known for her 20+ years on “The Young and the Restless” and eight seasons on “Diagnosis: Murder.” Rowell continues to act (look for “Summer Camp” in theaters May 31, 2024) and write, direct, and produce. Additionally, she has been recognized for her work with foster children and advocacy for education, the arts, and mental health awareness, support, and treatment. 
As always, thank you for listening to Advanced TV Herstory. And, as we celebrate Mother’s Day and National Foster Care Month, please show your gratitude to the women in your life. You know who they are.
RESOURCES
The Women Who Raised Me: A Memoir by Victoria Rowell
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-women-who-raised-me-victoria-rowell/1100571768
Victoria Rowell: Featured Speaker for the Paul & Louise Miller Lecture Series
https://youtu.be/A2CrcdUXRv8?si=Cow9hEBhED1jGMLx
National Foster Care Month
https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/
Summer Camp (in theaters 31 May 2024)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26928684/?ref_=nm_flmg_unrel_1_act
CYNTHIA BEMIS ABRAMS AND ATVH
ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com
Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/ 
Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia
Bluesky Social - https://bsky.app/profile/cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social
PRODUCTION
Video - Nivia Lopez - https://nivialopez.com/
Audio - Marilou Marosz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/
Music - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/
 

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 - https://pcaaca.org/
e-mail - sherry@pcaaca.org 
*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 - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2085421.Our_Space_Our_Place 
Joss Whedon's Dollhouse: Confounding Purpose, Confusing Identity by Sherry Ginn, PhD
- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/joss-whedons-dollhouse-sherry-ginn/1118329342
Power and Control in the Television Worlds of Joss Whedon by Sherry Ginn, PhD
- https://www.acappellabooks.com/pages/books/228952/sherry-ginn/power-and-control-in-the-television-worlds-of-joss-whedon
Being a Girl with The Doctor: Essays in the Feminine in Doctor Who (Edited by Gillian I. Leitch and Sherry Ginn)
- https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/being-a-girl-with-the-doctor/
To Boldly Stay: Essays on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Edited by Sherry Ginn and Michael G. Cornelius)
- https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/to-boldly-stay/
The Sex is Out of This World: Essays on the Carnal Side of Science Fiction (Edited by Sherry Ginn and Michael G. Cornelius)
- https://www.abebooks.com/9780786466856/Sex-Out-World-Essays-Carnal-0786466855/plp
CYNTHIA BEMIS ABRAMS and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY
ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com
Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/ 
Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia
Bluesky Social - https://bsky.app/profile/cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social
PRODUCTION
Audio - Marilou Marosz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/
Music - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/
 

We continue to celebrate the female voices that have provided a foundation for cultural advancement and modern discourse by featuring a rare TV talk show appearance by two-time Academy Award winner Vivien Leigh. 
The year was 1958. The show was “Small World,” hosted by American broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow. Appearing alongside Ms. Leigh are motion picture executive Samuel Goldwyn and British writer and entertainment critic Kenneth Tynan. 
Ms. Leigh, best known for her work as Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone with the Wind” and Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” died in 1967 at the age of 53, but her legacy remains profound. And, while some of the opinions in this broadcast would be considered outdated now, you’ll hear that Ms. Leigh was not afraid to mix it up with some of the most strident male voices of her day.
As always, thank you for listening. For the video version of this episode, visit @advancedtvherstory on YouTube. 
 
RESOURCES
Small World, Part 1 https://youtu.be/4c6kR9ORqUc?si=sXmP3bg5Cqzs63Zu
Small World, Part 2 https://youtu.be/P5roaRH9rY0?si=gfMmZhJTtrqdY85l
Small World, Part 3 https://youtu.be/tG0x68lPzso?si=TMitHcgm45BVl3Pf
Taylor Mayes - https://www.youtube.com/@Taylormayes
 
CYNTHIA BEMIS ABRAMS AND ATVH
ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com
Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/ 
Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia
Bluesky Social - https://bsky.app/profile/cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social
 
PRODUCTION
Video - Nivia Lopez - https://nivialopez.com/
Audio - Marilou Marosz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/
Music - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/
 

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams welcomes Yvonne Perry to Advanced TV Herstory. Yvonne is an award-winning actor, drama teacher, director, and intimacy coordinator. In addition to her work in film and primetime television, she originated the role of Rosanna Cabot on "As the World Turns." Yvonne’s experience in daytime TV, with its groundbreaking storylines and thoughtful intimacy handling, has informed her approach to work today. 
Cynthia and Yvonne reflect on the wins in the 2023 SAG-AFTRA contract, including new standards and protocols for the use of intimacy coordinators. Yvonne discusses her experience working in this emerging field and the value of providing a respectful and collaborative environment for actors, directors, and crew members. 
Yvonne also shares fun and informative stories from along her career path, including an important lesson she learned as Rosanna Cabot, her first kiss in front of the camera, the relationship between fight choreography and intimacy direction, what major league ballplayers think about daytime TV, and much more.   
It’s a lively and interesting discussion from an insider’s point of view. Thank you for listening! 
[February 6, 2024 - This episode has been edited to include Alicia Rodis' contribution to the field of intimacy direction and coordinating.]
YVONNE PERRY
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/YvonnePerryHulbert
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/yvonneperryh/
Website - https://www.yvonneperry.com/
RESOURCES and MENTIONS
Intimacy Directors & Coordinators - https://www.idcprofessionals.com/
Jessica Steinrock, PhD, Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/intimacy_coordinator_
Jessica Steinrock, PhD, TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@intimacycoordinator?/
Alicia Rodis - https://www.idcprofessionals.com/bios/aliciarodis
CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY
ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com
Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/ 
Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia
Bluesky Social - @cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social
 

In this special episode, Cynthia Bemis Abrams is joined by guest co-host Ashley Pacini for the Parade of Accomplished Women 2023. Instead of a somber “in memoriam,” we’re bringing you a celebration of the talented, influential women who helped shape the television industry. In this second part of our tribute, we highlight the women of daytime, the often-overlooked creatives working behind the scenes, and—new this year—the women of reality shows.
It is especially difficult to preserve the legacy of lesser-known women in an ever-expanding industry, but their influence is no less important. That’s why we consider this a call to action. We lost these women over the past year, but we must not lose the memory of them or their contributions to television history.
Thank you for joining us as we honor the enduring spirit of women in television.
THE REEL WOMEN
Ashley Pacini on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleypacini/
Website - https://thereelwomen.com/
Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thereelwomen
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thereelwomen/?hl=en
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thereelwomen/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@thereelwomen
AUDIO CLIPS and REFERENCES
Clips have been edited for length.
Remembering Jacklyn Zeman (General Hospital) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLfhlDtk-x0
Ellen Holly on Being at the March on Washington in 1963 (Foundation Interviews) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Aige_YvQGU
Ellen Holly on her New York Times article “How Black Do You Have to Be?” (Foundation Interviews) -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkEmOWaiWF4
How Black Do You Have to Be (NY Times, 1968) - https://www.nytimes.com/1968/09/15/archives/how-black-do-you-have-to-be-how-black-do-you-have-to-be.html
The Colors of Black (NY Times, 1968) - https://www.nytimes.com/1968/10/06/archives/the-colors-of-black.html
CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY
ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com
Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/ 
Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia
Bluesky Social - @cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social
 

OUT in 2024 - "In Memoriam"
IN - Parade of Accomplished Women 
This is the first of our two-part celebration of some of the talented, influential females we lost in 2023.  
Guest co-host Ashley Pacini of The Reel Women joins host Cynthia Bemis Abrams for this discussion. The Reel Women interviews and profiles women in the industry to increase visibility and opportunity for the next generation of women who want to work in television, film, and media. 
Cynthia and Ashley pay respects to the creatives who played pivotal roles in front of, and behind, the cameras. In addition to well-known names, they honor women who hustled for years as largely unheralded day players, others who stepped up to provide representation of the unseen, and several who risked their careers to speak truth to power.
While we can’t feature all the remarkable women who died in 2023, we believe it’s important to highlight the contributions and careers that might otherwise go unnoticed so that they are not lost to history. 
Thank you for listening and be sure to tune in to the second half of Parade of Accomplished Women 2023.
THE REEL WOMEN
Ashley Pacini on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleypacini/
Website - https://thereelwomen.com/
Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thereelwomen
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thereelwomen/?hl=en
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thereelwomen/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@thereelwomen
AUDIO CLIPS and REFERENCES
Sinead O’Connor - https://youtu.be/8LcmJErI8IQ
Inga Swenson - https://youtu.be/-4hjBu23hws
Cindy Williams - https://youtu.be/d-PlT-sHRTE
Behind the Velvet Rope Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/@behindthevelvetrope
CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY
ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com
Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/ 
Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/
X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia
Bluesky Social - @cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social