1 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business Varieties weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,599 Speaker 1: Cynthia Lyttleton, co editor in chief of Variety Today. My 4 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: guest is Sheila Duxworth. She is executive producer of the 5 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: CBS daytime soap Beyond the Gates, and she is president 6 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: of the CBS Studio's NAACP Content Partnership. Beyond the Gates 7 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,160 Speaker 1: was the first project out of the Gate for that initiative, 8 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,560 Speaker 1: launched in twenty twenty. The show also has an innovative 9 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: partnership with Procter and Gamble, and it marks its one 10 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: year anniversary on February twenty fourth. Duxworth is a TV 11 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: veteran who has worked with all kinds of programming and production. 12 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: She's been a soap fan since she was ten years old. 13 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: You can hear it in her voice how much it 14 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: is meant to her to be able to get Beyond 15 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: the Gates to season two. The show is up for 16 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: an NAACP Image Award later this month, as well as 17 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: a Writers Guild Award next month. Here, Duxworth tells the 18 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: origin story of how Beyond the Gates came to be 19 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: and why the work of the CBS Studio's NBACP partnership 20 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,320 Speaker 1: is so essential at this moment for media and entertainment. 21 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 1: Gela Duxworth, executive producer of the CBS daytime serial Beyond 22 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: the Gates and President of the CBS Studios NAACP Content Venture, 23 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 1: thank you so much for joining me. 24 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 2: It's my pleasure to be here today. 25 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 3: Congratulations. You are just about to mark the one year 26 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 3: anniversary of the debut of Beyond the Gates. Actors have 27 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 3: always said, actors and writers have always said, one of 28 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 3: the hardest jobs in all of entertainment is keeping a 29 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 3: five day a week serial going, and so, you know, 30 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 3: congratulations for surviving year one. I want to talk to 31 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 3: you about the origin story of Beyond the Gates and 32 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 3: the CBSNAACP ventures, But first I just want to ask you. 33 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:09,959 Speaker 3: You're a television pro. You've been doing this a long 34 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 3: time in development and shepherding shows. What are some of 35 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 3: the biggest things you've learned after one year of producing 36 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 3: Beyond the Gates. 37 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,399 Speaker 4: Well, I have to say exactly what you just said 38 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 4: about a soap opera. It really is something else, and 39 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 4: I have to say the amount of work that it 40 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 4: takes to keep one going and to say something new 41 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 4: and fresh every day for more than two hundred episodes 42 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 4: every year. It's definitely a tall order, but it's been phenomenal. 43 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 4: It's been fantastic. Certainly, launching a soap has been the 44 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 4: most different thing that I have ever done in all 45 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 4: of my years of producing soap opera is wholly different 46 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 4: when you look at the longevity of all the soaps 47 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 4: that are on the air now, anywhere from thirty something 48 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 4: years with Bolden the Beautiful to fifty some years with 49 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 4: Young and the Restless to more than sixty years with 50 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 4: a General Hospital and Days of our Lives. This is 51 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,799 Speaker 4: something that I knew needed to be built to last, 52 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:14,079 Speaker 4: and as such took many years of preparation to get 53 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 4: to where we are today for people to see not 54 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 4: just the launch of it last February, but also to 55 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:24,959 Speaker 4: make it to season two and now the anniversary of 56 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 4: our launch next week. My love for soap operas began 57 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 4: when I was ten years old, and when I was 58 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,519 Speaker 4: ten and watching General Hospital and watching End of Night, 59 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 4: it was very apparent that there were a lot of 60 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 4: things that were that I was not seeing on soaps. 61 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 4: It was very homogenious, and I was looking for, you know, 62 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 4: kind of people that looked like me, look like people 63 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 4: that I knew, and kind of just reflected reality, and 64 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 4: there wasn't a lot of that, and so I remember 65 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 4: thinking and waiting and wanting. On General Hospital, I'd see 66 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 4: Claudia come on, the character Quaudia every now and again, 67 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 4: and the character Brian, who had come on every now 68 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 4: and again, and it was important for me to see 69 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 4: people that I felt look like me and maybe had 70 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 4: shared experiences. So it was something that really kind of 71 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 4: started many, many, many decades ago, and then it built 72 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 4: when I was watching Generations, which was a show that 73 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 4: came on in the late eighties, and that was what 74 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 4: some people called an integrated show where there was one 75 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 4: black family, one white family and got us closer to 76 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 4: I think, kind of what the world looks like. But 77 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 4: that was short lived and was on for about a 78 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 4: year and a half. And it was really that show 79 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 4: that kind of gave me the impetus to say. I 80 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 4: was living in New York at the time, and I thought, 81 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 4: I'm gonna move to Los Angeles and I'm going to 82 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 4: get into TV and I'm going to make a soap opera. 83 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 4: And truly I came to Los Angeles with that vision 84 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 4: in mind, and kind of as the years went by 85 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 4: and as I started working in development, I actually had 86 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 4: the really great fortune to work with Vivica Fox, who 87 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 4: was in Generations, and once we sold our show, I 88 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 4: let her know I had said, you know, one of 89 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 4: my biggest streams is to do so and she said 90 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 4: to me, well, if you want to do a soap, 91 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 4: then you need to meet Michelle Valjean, who was a 92 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 4: writer on Generations, and she. 93 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 2: Introduced me to her. 94 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 4: And so for more than twenty years, Michelle and I 95 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 4: have said, we're going to find a soap. We're going 96 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 4: to do a soap and make that happen. And so 97 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 4: we kind of made that pact amongst ourselves, and I 98 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 4: really pushed over all of these years to find an 99 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 4: opening to get a soap made. And so truly what 100 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 4: ended up happening was I was speaking with CBS in 101 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 4: twenty twenty, the fall of twenty twenty with George Cheeks, 102 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 4: and we're talking about this new venture that he had 103 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 4: just put together, this CBS Studios NAACP Venger, and we're 104 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 4: talking about me coming on board and in that conversation 105 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 4: I let him know that I'd be really interested in 106 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 4: doing all day parts, so it's late our fringe or 107 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 4: daytime or kind of own wheelhouse a prime time. I 108 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 4: wanted to do it all and he was very supportive 109 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 4: of that. And then I kind of narrated down and 110 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 4: he actually said, well, actually, we've been talking about doing 111 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 4: a soap opera. And that opened the door because I 112 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 4: had an original idea that I had been thinking about 113 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 4: for a very long time based on what I knew 114 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 4: was happening, and I shouldn't say was happening, but based 115 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 4: on what I knew was in the DMV, meaning the Washington, DC, 116 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 4: Maryland and Virginia area, and I knew that that area, 117 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 4: that bucket of America had the greatest expanse of wealth 118 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 4: amongst Black Americans in all of the United States. If 119 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 4: you were to look at the top communities of majority 120 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 4: black populations in America, half of them would be in 121 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 4: suburban Maryland. And I knew that these gated communities that 122 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 4: were predominantly black existed there across several counties, and so 123 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 4: I pitched something idea. The next thing was a phone 124 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 4: call to Michelle, and I pitched the idea and she 125 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,160 Speaker 4: said she would be interested in writing it, and we 126 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 4: were off to the races. 127 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 3: How did Procter and Gamble come in and what does 128 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 3: that partnership do for the show. So Procter and Gamble 129 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 3: came in actually super early in the game, about two 130 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 3: months after I had started at CBS, So it was 131 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 3: the top of twenty twenty one, and George Head wanted 132 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 3: me to join a zoom with Mark Pritchard Rodrian Gambell 133 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 3: and so the three of us were on a zoom 134 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 3: and truly we were just talking about in general how 135 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 3: we might look to work together. And at that moment, 136 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 3: as we're talking about, you know, the projects that we 137 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 3: could think about doing, I pitched, I said, we have 138 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 3: a soap opera that we're in business affairs with right now, 139 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 3: but in due time, we're going to have something that 140 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 3: we think is going to be amazing, especially with you 141 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 3: and your roots in soap operas, that I hear a 142 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 3: big win for everybody. 143 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 4: Well, Mark, really, after I pitched him the premise of 144 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 4: the of the show, Mark said that this is something 145 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 4: that he thought could be really interesting, and when we 146 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 4: were ready to have him hear it, he wanted to 147 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 4: hear it and truly true to his word. A year 148 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 4: and a half later, the Bible was written. We had 149 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 4: gotten many things in order, and by twenty twenty two 150 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 4: we were ready to pitch Mark and his. 151 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 2: Team and they loved it. 152 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 4: And so that was really the beginning of where we 153 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 4: are now. And it's a joy working with them, because 154 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 4: talk about a full circle moment, you know, Propter and Gamble, 155 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,079 Speaker 4: this is where all started. They've been doing this now 156 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 4: between radio and TV for one hundred years. So to 157 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 4: be in alignment with them and to be in business 158 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:45,439 Speaker 4: with a company such as Procter Gamble, it's been incredible. 159 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 3: Are they like a presenting sponsor? They have kind of 160 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 3: a foundational sponsorship. Is that how it works? 161 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 4: Well, it's a real partnership that we have with them, 162 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:58,559 Speaker 4: and truly are everything from talking about creative to really 163 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:02,719 Speaker 4: amplifying the show. They have so many outlets, as I'm 164 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:06,199 Speaker 4: sure that you're aware of, you know, in the outreach 165 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 4: into the community. They're fantastic in terms of, you know, 166 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 4: getting a word out for the soap and supporting the 167 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 4: soap in every single way. 168 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 3: What have you learned in the year about your audience 169 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 3: and I'm also very curious when they watch. Is your 170 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 3: audience at home watching during the daytime or are day 171 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 3: time shifting and watching on their own timetables. 172 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 2: So that's the beauty too. 173 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,319 Speaker 4: Of there were so many new and interesting things that 174 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 4: we saw that we could do with our soap right 175 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 4: out of the gate, that us being able to be 176 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 4: accessed in so many different ways. So you know, there 177 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 4: are people that this is appointment TV. People will say 178 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 4: to me, okay at one o'clock or on the East 179 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 4: Coast at two o'clock, I stop, don't golly, It's so 180 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:55,079 Speaker 4: true and it's so gratifying on so many levels. Amazing 181 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 4: to hear things like that and how they watch it. 182 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 4: But certainly people watch it right there when it's on air. 183 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 4: But we also have the ability for people to watch 184 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 4: this obviously on Paramount Plus. So we've got all the 185 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 4: episodes we are out in two hundred and thirties and 186 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:15,959 Speaker 4: you can watch all two hundred and thirty episodes leading 187 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 4: up to today on Paramount Plus. And it's also on 188 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 4: the CBS app, so people can watch it, you know, 189 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 4: on their phones or their tablets right on the app. 190 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 4: So there are so many ways to people for people 191 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 4: to access the show. It's really great. There's really no 192 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 4: reason to miss it, is what I say to people. 193 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:38,199 Speaker 4: It's really accessible. And beyond just that, soaps are written 194 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 4: so that if you didn't start watching from day one, 195 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 4: you can actually still join in. And that's exactly true 196 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 4: of our soap. You Oh my god, I can just 197 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 4: see it on your face. Listeners, if you could see 198 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 4: Sheila is just lighting up as she talks about it. 199 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 3: Who is the audience? Is it largely female or do 200 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 3: you have a good gender balance? 201 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 4: So we have a little bit of everything for everyone, 202 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 4: and we have found that every different kind of person 203 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,320 Speaker 4: is watching the show. When we first set this up, 204 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:11,959 Speaker 4: it was intentionally designed that there's something in here for everybody. 205 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 2: So we literally looked. 206 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 4: At, you know, kind of in our family, what is 207 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 4: the expanse of this family and with the Dupries, we 208 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 4: have four generations of duprez all the way from our 209 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 4: patriarch and our matriarch all the way down to teenagers 210 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:31,079 Speaker 4: in high school and everything in between, so we get 211 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 4: all the ages. As you can see, we have a 212 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 4: fairly great mix on race. So you know, we have 213 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,080 Speaker 4: black characters, we have white characters, we have Asian, we 214 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 4: have a Latino. We have all different kinds of people 215 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:48,680 Speaker 4: in the same way with gender, the same with socioeconomic lines. 216 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 4: That as we said in the beginning, some people have 217 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 4: a view from behind the gates and some people have 218 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 4: a view from the other side of the gates. I 219 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 4: think reward is when people say that this story reminds 220 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 4: them of themselves or someone that they know, because that was. 221 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 2: Really the goal. 222 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 4: It was really to represent and be inclusive in storytelling, 223 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 4: so that people felt like they could relate and maybe 224 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 4: a portion of their story was being told. 225 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 3: And I understand that you have a fun, very intriguing 226 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 3: guest star coming up for an arc. 227 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:20,679 Speaker 2: We do well, I will tell you this much. 228 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 4: We had a lot of really great guest stars on 229 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 4: the show between season one and season two. If you're 230 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 4: watching season one, in that toward the end of the year, 231 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 4: we had a couple of big events going and we 232 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 4: had Kenny Lattimore singing on our New Year's lead Shipkey Wyatt. 233 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 4: We have lots of folks coming up. In fact, we 234 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 4: have for our Easter episode of very special guests. I 235 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 4: can't say who, but I will say Tony Award winner, 236 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 4: a Grammy winner, and someone of both television feature and 237 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 4: Broadway status. So we're excited that you're going to be 238 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 4: seeing that in April. But we also have coming up 239 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:05,720 Speaker 4: next week a very special guest, and that guest is 240 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 4: Gail King, and we're so excited about that. One of 241 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 4: the tenets of our show again is really speaking, putting 242 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:18,959 Speaker 4: truth into just readal life into stories, and we try 243 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 4: to come up with stories that feel, you know, really 244 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 4: authentic and of the moment. One of the things that 245 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:29,720 Speaker 4: was really important was for us to talk about cancer. 246 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 4: So we are gonna as I think people who are 247 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 4: watching already know, we know that the Duprees and specifically 248 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 4: Anita Dupree is undergoing all kinds of treatments and care 249 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 4: and you know, all of the things towards her breast 250 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:50,679 Speaker 4: cancer diagnosis. And we have a very special guest that's 251 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 4: going to be on on Monday, and that is Gail King. 252 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 4: Where Anita Dupree tamaraw Toomey's character CBS Mornings and she 253 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 4: has a conversation with Gail, who actually discussed the facets 254 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 4: of recognizing, you know, taking care of your health and 255 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 4: recognizing some of the symptoms and all of that. We're 256 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 4: doing that in conjunction with a non for profit called 257 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 4: No Your Lemons, and it really is going to be 258 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:18,960 Speaker 4: a very special episode that we think will go a 259 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 4: long way towards helping people beyond just television and into their. 260 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 2: Own homes in real life. 261 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 3: We're obviously very METUS CBS, but also a real world 262 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 3: touch of who the person in your show would come 263 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 3: and do something, would sit at the table with Gail. 264 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 2: Will you be doing that. 265 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 3: Actually in the New York studio or did you build 266 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 3: a little CBS Mornings set in your studio? 267 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 4: We actually did go to New York, and I have 268 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 4: to say it was incredible and really, really I think 269 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 4: that this is going to be something that when I 270 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 4: talk about the importance of TV and how it can 271 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 4: change lives, I truly believe that this episode will be 272 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 4: changing lives. It will be saving lives. 273 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 3: Let me ask you, because earlier you talked about different 274 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 3: day parts, daytime, fringe, late night, that kind of stuff, 275 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 3: and it seems in our world of everything being on 276 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 3: demand and so much focus on streaming, that those seem 277 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 3: almost anachronistic. But when you're producing beyond the gates, when 278 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 3: when you're shaping it, shaping new arcs and things. Are 279 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 3: you truly thinking that this is a daytime show, that 280 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 3: people are going to watch this in daytime or are 281 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 3: you a little bit more freed in terms of material 282 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 3: and context that people are going to timeshift and create 283 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 3: their own schedules. 284 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 2: Well, I love that. 285 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 4: Question because that was one of the things that we 286 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 4: really did talk about and wanted it to feel like 287 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 4: this could be anything, This could anywhere. It was important 288 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:47,480 Speaker 4: to me that the look of it still looked like 289 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 4: a daytime show, and that's just the look of it, 290 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 4: just because we want to alienate people with they've been 291 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 4: accustomed to kind of just optically to you know, take 292 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 4: in what a soap is, so we wanted to look similar. 293 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 4: But we actually really really are looking at stories that 294 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 4: are outside the box and outside the scope of what 295 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 4: you would typically see in daytime. We have a lot 296 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 4: of big events coming up in the near future. People 297 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 4: have been talking about Cotillion. We are so excited to 298 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 4: share this Katillion, which you will be seeing. I can't 299 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:26,120 Speaker 4: wait to see the hats. There's gonna be some hats. 300 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 2: It is quite an episode. 301 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 4: It is going to be so good and I can't 302 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 4: wait for the world to see it and that was 303 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 4: kind of a bigger leap outside the box of what 304 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 4: we would normally do. 305 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 2: That's going to be coming up in May. 306 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 4: And then you all have probably read about the big 307 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 4: crossover event that we actually have done, which we just 308 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 4: recently shot, and that is going to be coming in June. 309 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 4: It's a lot of big eventizing. And so to answer 310 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 4: your question, yes, it looks and still feels and fits 311 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 4: in daytime, but it's beyond that too. 312 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 3: Well, you had a couple decades of development that you 313 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 3: were thinking turning it over in your head. You started 314 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 3: out soap operas with General Hospital. I started out with 315 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 3: Young and the Restless and Beno a City. So with 316 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 3: your upcoming crossover with Young and the Restless, what was 317 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 3: it like to plug into that? 318 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 4: It was so fun to watch now. I was watching 319 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,680 Speaker 4: it from Los Angeles. That's where i'd be. So I'm 320 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 4: here in Los Angeles and we shoot this in Atlanta, 321 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 4: So this was shot in Alta. And I have to say, 322 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 4: bringing the Newman's and the Abbots together and it's hurting them, 323 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 4: you know, in our show with our patriarch in Meatriarch 324 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 4: and our whole Depre family, it's going to be a 325 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,160 Speaker 4: great week. I have to say we have several days 326 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 4: of six Young and the Restless cast members who I 327 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 4: think people are going to be thrilled to see this 328 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 4: block of soap so and I will say too that 329 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:00,880 Speaker 4: it's looking at kind of how the slopes are. 330 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 2: Laid out on the network itself. 331 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 4: It's just to me, just so it kind of bringing people, 332 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 4: I think, especially myself and probably you as well, back 333 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:14,399 Speaker 4: to the old days where it was soaps one after 334 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 4: the other, you know. And what we have here with 335 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 4: this block of Young and the Restless, flowed by Bold 336 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 4: and the Beautiful, followed by Beyond the Gates, it's unique 337 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 4: and the only network and the only place that you 338 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,919 Speaker 4: can actually watch three stories all back back bring you 339 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 4: back to the way that it used to be. And 340 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:37,919 Speaker 4: so with this crossover, we're just so excited to double 341 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:40,640 Speaker 4: down and really kind of dig into, you know, this 342 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 4: full block and have people join in on the fun 343 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:44,640 Speaker 4: of it. 344 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 3: It's going to be an incredible week of episodes outside 345 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 3: of Beyond the Gates. Are there other projects anything you 346 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 3: can give us a hint about in terms of other 347 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 3: projects in the hopper for the CBS and LACP joint venture, Well, 348 00:18:57,600 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 3: we have several. 349 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:01,160 Speaker 4: Things that are definitely on a slate in various stages 350 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 4: of development, some of them sold, some of them hopefully 351 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 4: getting on their way to being sold, and some of 352 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 4: them ideas. For now, it's really about putting a lens 353 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:15,199 Speaker 4: on shows and characters and marinas and all kinds of 354 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 4: things that on the one hand might seem familiar, but 355 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 4: when I talk about the specificity of it, for it 356 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 4: having some kind of connection in a way that hasn't 357 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 4: been made before. So love the fact that I get 358 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,399 Speaker 4: to do what I truly love to do and at 359 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 4: the same time tell stories that feel fresh and new 360 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 4: because the voices behind them, the people behind them, it 361 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 4: is fresh, it is news. So it's really incredible the 362 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 4: number of things that we have that I think that 363 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 4: are really going to blow people's minds. So I'm looking 364 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,720 Speaker 4: forward to getting those out and having people see them 365 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 4: and you know, sharing them, just like they have been 366 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:53,959 Speaker 4: with Beyond the Gates. 367 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,920 Speaker 3: So appreciate you taking the time and really appreciate your 368 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 3: intentional work here. As I've said, it's just it's really 369 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 3: in labor of love. What's really important. 370 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:05,120 Speaker 4: I think that you think about the things that are 371 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 4: important in the world and how you can get that 372 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 4: out in an entertaining and fun but a different kind 373 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:14,160 Speaker 4: of a way that feels fresh, that feols new. 374 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 3: What we have now is it's beyond wildest dreams. Your 375 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 3: ten year old self is just smiling ear to ear. 376 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 3: I can absolutely see it. Thank you so much, thanks 377 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:25,680 Speaker 3: for listening. 378 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 5: Be sure to leave us a review at the podcast 379 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:29,400 Speaker 5: platform of your choice. 380 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:31,120 Speaker 3: We love to hear from listeners. 381 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 5: Please go to Variety dot com and sign up for 382 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 5: the free weekly Strictly Business newsletter, and don't forget to 383 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:41,120 Speaker 5: tune in next week for another episode of Strictly Business.