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Welcome to Advanced TV Herstory, the podcast that connects the dots of TV & feminism and American politics & culture. We tell the stories of women in TV who have had a profound impact on the confidence and aspirations of generations of girls and women.

We highlight the pioneering journalists, talented actresses, and gutsy writers who challenged societal norms and provide historical context for their achievements within the cultural and political trends of the time. By exploring the past, we ensure that the struggles, triumphs, and milestones of these women are not lost to history.

Hosted and produced by television scholar Cynthia Bemis Abrams, Advanced TV Herstory is more than just a podcast. It is a research-based examination of the evolution of television and women in our society. Each episode is an opportunity to inspire listeners to believe in themselves, challenge norms, break barriers, and shape the future of television and our world.

Learn more and subscribe to our newsletter at www.tvherstory.com/.

Jan 23, 2016

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams chats with Wendy Burns-Ardolino, PhD and author of "TV Female Foursomes and Their Fans" about an important episode from "Designing Women." The plot for "They Shoot Fat Women, Don't They?" was a result of months of tabloid headlines asserting that showrunner Linda Bloodworth-Thomason was not getting along with star Delta Burke. Rumors circulated that Burke's weight gain had become an issue and that she was becoming increasingly "difficult to work with." Cynthia and Wendy discuss how the 1989 episode was ahead of its time for calling out fatshaming.Cynthia Bemis Abrams

Resources: Delta Burke's 1998 Delta Style: Eve wasn't a size 6 and neither am I

Wendy Burns-Ardolino's (2015) TV Female Foursomes and Their Fans: Featuring the Golden Girls, Designing Women, Living Single, Sex and the City, Girlfriends, Cashmere Mafia and Hot in Cleveland