Designing Women with Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, Part 1

80s TV Ladies

Susan and Sharon are honored to speak with the creator and writer of Designing Women, Linda Bloodworth Thomason. Novelist, playwright, documentary filmmaker and philanthropist, Linda is a five-time Emmy Award nominee who has created, written and produced such signature hits as "Evening Shade", "Hearts Afire", "Women of the House" and "Filthy Rich".
Her TV writing career began with episodes of classic shows including "Rhoda", "Paper Moon" and "MASH". In a career spanning six decades, Linda Bloodworth Thomason is known for her singular style, mixing humor with serious topics; her lovable, outspoken characters; her unique blending of the romantic and the political, and her indelible portrait of the modern South.
In Part One of a wide-ranging conversation, Linda touches on her early days working with TV legends James L. Brooks, Larry Gelbart, and Norman Lear; her astonishing success with Designing Women; living through – and writing about – historic times, and the challenged state of feminism in 2023.
THE CONVERSATION

• BUILDING THE PERFECT CAST: How legendary casting director Fran Bascom helped Linda nab everyone from Burt Reynolds to Delta Burke to John Ritter – and discover future Oscar winners Billy Bob Thornton and Hilary Swank!
• Bringing the Southern accent back to primetime TV – by way of Dixie Carter’s eloquent, melodic voice. And wait, how did Susan lose her accent, anyway?
• All of the original four Designing Women were from the South and used their real, regional accent – except one. Can you guess who??
• A BOOK OF VERSE, A JUG OF WINE AND THOU -- Jimmy Carter’s romantic nights at the White House with First Lady Rosalynn!
• The Designing Women Foundation (also known as The Claudia Foundation) – started with Linda’s income from Designing Women under the umbrella of The Claudia Foundation to honor of her mother, Claudia Bloodworth. The Foundation provides scholarships and opportunities for young women in Southeast Missouri.
• BENEVOLENT MASCULINITY: How a certain kind of Southern man became a new archetype on Linda’s shows: “Find yourself a jock who also reads poetry and loves his mother.”
• A GIRL, A CANOE AND THE WORLD: How a canoe from her father changed Linda’s life – giving her the courage to discover herself and the world by exploring the Current River in Missouri.
• DARKNESS AND LIGHT: Finding out that Designing Women was picked up to series on the same day as finding out that her mom had AIDS from a blood transfusion.
• "What's Happened to Women?" Podcast - How the next generation of women is facing our culture’s onslaught of misogyny and greed with kindness and equality – and how we can help.

So join Susan and Sharon – and Linda – as they talk The Idol, Shakespeare, the KKK – and Hilary Clinton’s mom!
AUDIOGRAPHY
Check out the fan website: Designing Women Online.
Stream Designing Women on Hulu, Amazon Prime, Pluto!
The Facebook page: Facebook.com/DesigningWomenOfficial
Find more cool podcasts at Weirding Way Media.
Visit our friends Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess at their podcast “Astonishing Legends".
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