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Issa Rae explores history of Black representation in TV in documentary: “It makes such a difference”

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Issa Rae explores history of Black representation in TV in documentary: “It makes such a difference”


Award-winning actor producer and writer Issa Rae is opening up about what inspired her new documentary, “Seen and Heard: The History of Black Television.” She’s executive producer of the two-part series that explores the history of Black representation on TV and how Black artists and creators revolutionized the industry while confronting major challenges.

The series, which Rae and her collaborators started creating in 2019, features media icons such as Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Tracee Ellis Ross, Norman Lear and Shonda Rhimes.

“What inspired me to even get my start was just seeing the people that I love, the people that I know, the people that raised me on TV, and that representation was so essential for me to recognize that I could do it,” Rae told “CBS Mornings” Tuesday about her inspiration growing up in the 90s.

In the early 2000s, Rae said there was a “disappearance all of the sudden” of Black characters and shows on TV, but they reemerged about a decade later.

In the 2010s, “there were just so many new shows, new shows of color,” she said. But now, Rae said TV and media is once again in an era where Black characters and shows have disappeared.

“I think the advent of cable made a huge difference where, you know, now these networks had to try to capture the broadest audience possible because they were losing audiences to different niche cable networks and so they were like, ‘how can we maximize the audience we have?’ and they have a tendency to go broad then, and broad sometimes just means White, the most eyeballs that you can get,” she said.

Even though shows like “Family Matters” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” were universal and watched by a broad audience, there is sometimes a feeling that Black shows may exclude an audience, she said.

The documentary also explores the importance of representation behind the camera.

“It makes such a difference when you’re thinking about something as small as set design. I’ve seen that just even on my own productions and watching movies. Sometimes you’ll watch a movie and you’ll see a Black character’s bedroom, and you’ll be like ‘they would never, what? They would never have that.'”

The details in a show could also apply to how a character dresses or their hair.

“I don’t want to be taken out of a story. If I’m immersed, like those small details really, really matter, and there’s just — also there’s a different level of honestly, pride that goes in, in creating something that you know you’re a part of and you understand on a different level,” Rae said.

She said the changing media industry is challenging, “but it’s another time that I’m confident we’ll get through. There’s so many opportunities in the digital era and that’s where I came from. I find hope in knowing that I can create. If I want to tell a story I’m going to tell a story regardless.”

The HBO documentary film “Seen and Heard: The History of Black Television” debuts Sept. 9 on HBO and HBO Max.



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8/31: Sunday Morning

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8/31: Sunday Morning



Hosted by Jane Pauley. Featured: David Pogue on how AI is affecting job searches; Jane Pauley talks with Dr. Sanjay Gupta about treatments for chronic pain; Robert Costa interviews singer-songwriter John Fogerty; Steve Hartman explores the bedrooms left behind by children killed by gun violence; Elaine Quijano visits the studio of painter Alex Katz; and Luke Burbank checks out the world’s largest truck stop.



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Katie Lowes talks character’s secrets and fan response to hit series “The Hunting Wives”

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Katie Lowes talks character’s secrets and fan response to hit series “The Hunting Wives”


Actor Katie Lowes, who plays Jill on the Netflix series “The Hunting Wives,” said the hit show that merges complex relationships and Southern culture has garnered a huge fan following.

“I am getting texts, emails, DM’s from everybody I know and don’t know – strangers and family alike who are obsessed with the show,” Lowes told “CBS Mornings Plus.”

The series debuted in Netflix’s global top 10 and stayed there for five weeks. 

“It’s a summer, summer spicy show,” she said. “I think it’s getting a lot of attention because there is an amazing lesbian love story at the front of the show, and I’m thrilled that it’s getting the attention it deserves.”

“The Hunting Wives” tells the story of Sophie, played by Brittany Snow, who moves from Boston to east Texas for her husband’s job. She strikes up a friendship with the charismatic Margo, played by Malin Akerman, and her clique of friends, including Jill. Sophie discovers she doesn’t fit it and things take a turn when a teenage girl is murdered.

In the series, each woman has her own secrets. Lowes said Jill, who is the preacher’s wife and a pillar of the community, “hides her secrets in her hair.”

“Her marriage is horrible and she has a very interesting relationship with her son,” Lowes said about Jill. She enjoys playing “juicy, complicated” characters like Jill.

“I grew up in New York, and when something comes in where someone is going to say yes, like, do something that’s not like you, talk not like how you speak, have an accent, wear different clothing,” she said. “I mean … I’ve been an actress since I was a little kid playing pretend, and it’s the goal. It’s awesome.”

Lowes said she feels lucky, previously starring in shows like “Scandal” and “Inventing Anna.” While many know her as Quinn on “Scandal,” she said that’s changing.

“I have to say I was at the U.S. Open with the ‘Scandal’ family this weekend with Shonda Rhimes there and I was getting a lot of ‘Hunting Wives’ mentions.”



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Radiohead breaks seven-year hiatus with UK, Europe tour

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Radiohead breaks seven-year hiatus with UK, Europe tour


Radiohead announces UK, Europe tour

Radiohead are headed to the UK and Europe!

The iconic band will be starting off their 20-date tour on November 4, playing a series of shows in Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and Berlin, their first since 2018.

Radiohead will kick off their first tour concert at the Movistar Arena in Madrid, on November 4, where they will also play on the 5th, 7th, and 8th.

The Creep hitmakers will then land in Italy to play four nights at the Unipol Arena in Bologna on November 14th, 15th, 17th, and 18th.

As they return to their homeland, UK, they’ve scheduled four shows at London’s O2 Arena on November 21st, 22nd, 24th, and 25th. Then, they head to Copenhagen, Denmark, for four shows at the Royal Arena on December 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th.

In a message to fans, the band’s Philip Selway said: “Last year, we got together to rehearse, just for the hell of it. After a seven year pause, it felt really good to play the songs again and reconnect with a musical identity that has become lodged deep inside all five of us.”

“It also made us want to play some shows together, so we hope you can make it to one of the upcoming dates. For now, it will just be these ones but who knows where this will all lead,” he further added.

News of the tour broke on September 2nd, when fans flocked to Reddit to share flyers that appeared in each of the five European cities that Radiohead are visiting on tour.

Furthermore, earlier this year, Radiohead’s management also hinted that the band would make their comeback to the stage some time soon.





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