The Golden Girls: Tales from the Lanai is a rich collection of essays and interviews that explores the cultural impact of that iconic and comforting American sitcom. Featuring twelve original essays and in-depth interviews with producers, the book offers rare insights into the show’ s creation, its beloved characters, long-lasting life in syndication, and appeal for marginalized viewers, especially Black, queer, and female audiences. Perfect for both fans and scholars alike.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Introduction: Thank You for Being a Fan: 40 Years of The Golden Girls
Section 1: Industry and Historical Context
Chapter 1: “ Picture it, U. S. 2020… ” : Sitcom Nostalgia During the Pandemic, Kate Fortmueller
Interview: What did you do on The Golden Girls?
Chapter 2: Disney’ s Renaissance Woman: Susan Harris, The Golden Girls, and Touchstone Television, Peter C. Kunze
Interview: Creating the Golden Girls
Chapter 3: Golden Girls Again: The Golden Girls in Rerun Syndication, Taylor Cole Miller
Interview: Thank You For Being a Friend
Chapter 4: Golden Memories: Narrative Complexity and Flashback Episodes in The Golden Girls, Jessica Hoover
Interview: The Weekly Schedule – Taping Seasons 1-3
Section 2: Text
Chapter 5: Enquiring Minds: The Golden Girls and Tabloid Culture, Claire Sewell
Interview The Weekly Schedule – Writing Seasons 5-7
Chapter 6: I Need a Cheesecake: 1980s Diet Culture and The Golden Girls, Ashleé Clark
Interview: Working with the Girls
Chapter 7: “ AIDS is not a Bad Person’ s Disease, Rose” : Contagion and Comedy on The Golden Girls, Andrew J. Owens
Interview: Photographing the Girls
Chapter 8: Sex and the “ Biddy” : An Examination of Age and Sexual Performance in The Golden Girls, Jared Clayton Brown
Interview: Editing and Laughter
Chapter 9: Thank You for Being a Mom: Contradictory Lessons in Mothering from The Golden Girls, Beth L. Boser
Interview: The Great Herring War
Section 3: Audiences & Reception
Chapter 10: Golden Girlfriends: Black Women’ s Fandom and the Implicit Blackness of The Golden Girls, Alfred L. Martin, Jr.
Interview: On Bea and Betty
Chapter 11: Smut Upon a Time in Miami: The Golden Girls' Camp Comedy, Ken Feil
Interview: Why It’ s Still Popular
Chapter 12: Thank You for Making Drag Safe: Mainstreaming Queerness Through Live Golden Girls Stage Productions, Eleanor Patterson
Interview: From The Golden Girls to Golden Palace
Notes on Contributors
Notes
Introduction: Thank You for Being a Fan: Forty Years of The Golden Girls 1
Taylor Cole Miller and Alfred L. Martin Jr.
Part I. Industry and Historical Context
1. “ Picture It, U. S. 2020 . . . ” : Sitcom Nostalgia During the Pandemic 19
Kate Fortmueller
Interview: Meet Our Special Guests and Their Little Slice of
The Golden Girls 33
2. Disney’ s Renaissance Woman: Susan Harris, The Golden Girls,
and Touchstone Television 37
Peter C. Kunze
Interview: Creating The Golden Girls 53
3. Miami Thrice: The Golden Girls in Rerun Syndication 57
Taylor Cole Miller
Interview: “ Thank You for Being a Friend” 75
4. Golden Memories: Narrative Complexity and
Flashback Episodes in The Golden Girls 79
Jessica Hoover
Interview: The Weekly Schedule: Taping Seasons 1– 3 93
Part II. Text
5. Enquiring Minds: The Golden Girls and Tabloid Culture 99
Claire Sewell
Interview: The Weekly Schedule: Writing Seasons 5– 7 113
6. I Need a Cheesecake: 1980s Diet Culture and The Golden Girls 119
Ashleé Clark
Interview: Memorable Moments with the Girls 133
7. “ AIDS Is Not a Bad Person’ s Disease, Rose” :
Contagion and Comedy on The Golden Girls 137
Andrew J. Owens
Interview: Photographing the Girls 149
8. Sex and the “ Biddy” : An Examination of Age and
Sexual Performance in The Golden Girls 153
Jared Clayton Brown
Interview: Editing and Laughter 165
9. Thank You for Being a Mom: Contradictory Lessons in
Mothering from The Golden Girls 167
Beth L. Boser
Interview: The Myth of Ad-Libbing the Great Herring War 183
Part III. Audiences and Reception
10. Golden Girlfriends: Black Women’ s Fandom and the
Implicit Blackness of The Golden Girls 187
Alfred L. Martin Jr.
Interview: On Bea and Betty 201
11. Smut upon a Time in Miami: The Golden Girls’ Camp Comedy 205
Ken Feil
Interview: Why The Golden Girls Is Still Popular 219
12. Thank You for Making Drag Safe: Mainstreaming Queerness
Through Live Golden Girls Stage Productions 225
Eleanor Patterson
Interview: From The Golden Girls to Golden Palace 241
Notes on Contributors 243
Index 247
