How to Spell 'The L Word' with Ilene Chaiken
Unladylike
Unladylike Media
4.8 • 3.7K Ratings
🗓️ 12 November 2019
⏱️ 42 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In early 2000s Hollywood, Ilene Chaiken did the seemingly impossible, co-creating and running a hit TV show entirely about lesbians and queer women. But the iconic television writer, producer and occasional director is no one-hit wonder. Caroline and Cristen talk to Ilene about navigating toxic male egos, tokenization and tough audience feedback on her way to creating all sorts of genre-breaking TV shows that you've definitely watched.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | What was the elevator pitch for the award? |
| 0:07.8 | For the award? |
| 0:08.8 | I know that the thing that sold the show was my telling him about a conversation that |
| 0:13.3 | most lesbians I knew had had, which is when you start a new relationship, is it okay |
| 0:20.3 | to just wash your old dildour? |
| 0:22.5 | Do you have to buy a new one? |
| 0:24.5 | It's a good question. |
| 0:28.6 | He just stood up in the room and said, I love this we're doing it. |
| 0:32.3 | I'm sorry. |
| 0:49.2 | Hey y'all and welcome to UnLadylike. |
| 0:51.1 | This show that finds out what happens when women break the rules and reuse old dildos. |
| 0:55.6 | I'm Caroline. |
| 0:56.6 | I'm Kristen. |
| 0:58.2 | 15 years ago, Eileen Shaken did the seemingly impossible in early 2000s Hollywood. |
| 1:05.1 | She co-created, sold, and ran a TV show entirely about lesbians. |
| 1:11.5 | And the L word was pretty much an overnight pop cultural phenomenon. |
| 1:26.7 | Even before the L word premiered in 2004, online fan communities were already emerging. |
| 1:33.9 | Like showtime renewed it for a second season after only two episodes. |
| 1:37.7 | L word watch parties were springing up. |
| 1:39.8 | And they might spring up again since this December showtime's rebooting the L word |
| 1:45.0 | as the L word generation Q. |
| 1:47.7 | And speaking of generations, Kristen. |
... |
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