We Disrupt This Broadcast

Today, we’re delving into the complex realities and cultural commentary about the state of motherhood in America as we examine the twisty crime thriller, All Her Fault. Caty Borum, the pod’s Executive Producer and Executive Director for The Center for Media & Social Impact, speaks with series creator Megan Gallagher about giving voice to the nuanced cultural shame often imposed on working mothers in the United States – through the lens of a soapy drama and crime whodunnit. Later, Caty chats with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, the CEO of MomsRising, an organization that seeks to support moms on a policy level by bringing about change through education and grassroots initiatives.

Host Gabe González introduces us to the brilliant, absurdist, hilarious Peabody Award-winning HBO series Fantasmas. In a funny, enlivening conversation with creator, writer, and comedian Julio Torres, they explore how Torres uses humor to uncover the real absurdity of our immigration, healthcare, and economic systems. They discuss how creating fiction – like the “proof of existence” that the fictional Julio is so desperate to avoid – can expose our even stranger realities, like the “aliens of extraordinary abilities” visa that real Julio applied for when immigrating to the U.S. In the second half, Gabe speaks with Andrew DeWaard, author of Derivative Media: How Wall Street Devours Culture. Andrew’s work focuses on the cultural cost of the financialization of media. And don’t worry, he also explains what the word “financialization” means.

Writer, comedian and showrunner Sharon Horgan joins Executive Director of the Center for Media & Social Impact Caty Borum for an in-depth conversation regarding the themes of her critically acclaimed shows. From Catastrophe to Divorce to the Peabody Award-winning Bad Sisters, Sharon’s work is singularly focused on showcasing messy, strong women as they navigate critical junctures in their lives and chart new paths. Afterwards, Caty sits down with therapist and author Oona Metz to discuss women’s empowerment and resilience, divorce, and the insidious and often invisible nature of coercive control in intimate relationships–themes explored brilliantly by Horgan’s work.

Executive Director of the Peabody Awards and resident musician Jeffrey Jones talks with Nida Manzoor, creator and writer of the Peabody Award-winning We Are Lady Parts and the action comedy film, Polite Society. They dive deep into the show’s delightful use of punk music; Nida’s musical inspirations, as well as teaming up with her siblings to write hilarious songs for the show; the joy and burden of representing muslim women on-screen; and the classic dilemma many artists face: staying true to themselves or selling out. The conversation continues as Jeff speaks with stand-up comedian and host of Hulu’s Muslim Matchmaker, Yasmin Elhady, on the role of comedy in disrupting stereotypical depictions of Muslim women.

This week on We Disrupt This Broadcast, we’re talking about one of the most thrilling and politically thoughtful shows out right now - Andor. Peabody Awards Executive Director Jeffrey Jones talks with Andor creator and showrunner Tony Gilroy about the ideologies explored in the Disney+ series in the Star Wars story universe. They dive into how revolutions are formed, what pushes someone to become a revolutionary leader, and how studying historical revolutions informs Gilroy’s creative journey. Jeffrey then joins host Gabe González to unpack what can be learned from Andor as a tale of a fascist, authoritarian state, as well as how audiences might react to the show in the current political climate.

Comedian, writer and actor Mo Amer joins host Gabe González to talk about his Peabody-award winning show Mo. The show is a heartfelt yet hilarious glimpse into the lives of a Palestinian-American family waiting to be granted asylum in the US. The show explores grief, trauma, and our complicated immigration system while also depicting Amer’s deep love of his hometown, Houston, Texas. They talk about Amer’s comedy roots, his personal experiences as a refugee as well as writing season 2 of his show in the wake of October 7th and its aftermath. Following their conversation, Gabe considers broader questions of immigration and its representation on TV with Saket Soni, a labor organizer and human rights strategist working at the intersection of racial justice, migrant rights, and climate change.

We are back for season 2. Join us as we talk to the risk takers that help reinvent and reimagine the kinds of stories we see on TV and who disrupt what we’ve come to expect on our screens and in our culture. We Disrupt This Broadcast, a podcast from The Peabody Awards and Center for Media & Social Impact is produced and distributed in partnership with award-winning audio production group PRX and hosted by comedian Gabe González. We Disrupt This Broadcast explores how the minds behind critically-acclaimed TV shows are re-imagining the world and tackling the big issues that move us forward. From intimate interviews with award-winning TV creatives to real talk with experts and social movement leaders, join us as we explore the inner workings and cultural significance of the shows that are changing all the rules and shaping our future. Listen to We Disrupt This Broadcast - back for its second season on February 6th. Available wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode, we ask the question, “Why is normalizing the experiences of adolescence, especially for young girls, so disruptive?” Caty Borum, WDTB Executive Producer and Executive Director for the Center for Media & Social Impact, interviews legendary author and disruptor Judy Blume, author of Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, Blubber, Forever, and the center of the recent Peabody Award-winning documentary about her life, Judy Blume Forever. Caty and Judy discuss her inspiration, using writing to find a way to a better life, puberty as a time to celebrate girlhood, and finding community through fighting book bans. After their interview, Caty speaks with Chelsey Goodan, author of Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls, about the untapped power of teenage girls and the importance of feeling seen.