#at the same time there is a male character of color openly hitting on kevin

[bewires]

riverdale is just. so bad at historical anything. why did they set this season of the show in the 50s. why.

[calzona-ga]

Timely stories, inspiring legions of medical students and empowering women (and its cast): showrunner Krista Vernoff and star Ellen Pompeo and the rest of the cast talk with The Hollywood Reporter about breaking 'ER's' record as TV's longest-running medical drama.

Two weeks before Grey's Anatomy's March 2005 series debut, series star Ellen Pompeo thought her ABC medical drama was, in her words, "dead in the water."

"The day the network changed our title to Complications it was like someone died in here," leading lady Pompeo tells The Hollywood Reporter from the show's L.A. set during an early January visit.

The title change would not stick. Two days later, ABC would revert back to Grey's Anatomy and, now, 14 years and 332 episodes later, Grey's Anatomy, with Thursday's installment, will break ER's status as TV's longest-running primetime medical drama.

It's a feat that creator Shonda Rhimes and showrunner Krista Vernoff, who spent the first seven seasons working under the former, never expected during the show's early days.

"After we produced 10 of our 12 episodes that first year, I went away to make a pilot and my assistant stayed behind in L.A. and she called me and said, 'They're making us pack up our offices.' They made us move out. They didn't think we were getting a season two," says Vernoff, who worked with former ER showrunner John Wells on Showtime's Shameless before being hand-picked by Rhimes to take over Grey's in season 14. "We owe a huge debt of gratitude to ER — without it, Grey's wouldn't exist. … We have surprised everybody — and ourselves. The staying power is amazing."

And the Seattle-set drama really does have some staying power. Seriously. It ranks as ABC's No. 1 series for the 2018-19 broadcast season with an impressive average of a 3.1 rating among the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic. Grey's is also, sources say, one of Netflix's top performing acquired series. The streamer has helped bring in a new legion of viewers that further propels first-run originals on ABC. What's more, Grey's has global reach: It is the key asset among all the Shondaland shows that have been licensed in more than 235 territories worldwide and dubbed in more than 67 languages. Grey's remains a top performer for foreign broadcasters and has been adapted into localized versions in Mexico, Colombia and Turkey. The series remains a top-performing U.S. drama abroad.

"It's a $4 billion business and it's everywhere in the world," says Pompeo, who ranks as TV's highest-paid leading lady on a primetime drama series with $20 million per season (plus points of the show's lucrative back end and producing fees). Adds Vernoff: "Shonda says I'm leading a multibillion-dollar worldwide corporation but if I think about that for too long, I won't be able to get out of bed!"

Global Reach Every single one of the current 11 Grey's series regulars has a story about the impact of their show. Most of them include anecdotes from viewers — and their children — about entering the medical field and becoming surgeons and nurses because of Grey's. "Graduating female surgeons have gone through the roof since Grey's Anatomy started," says Caterina Scorsone, who is the only (primetime, live-action) actor to start on a spinoff as series regular and wind up holding the same status on the original series.

Kevin McKidd — who was originally cast as a love interest for Sandra Oh's Cristina Yang and has now appeared in more Grey's episodes than the Killing Eve star did during her tenure — was recognized a few years ago on a dirt road in the "middle of nowhere in Mozambique," where he was helping a doctor friend improve conditions at a local hospital. "To see that in the farthest reaches of a very poor and struggling country there was this show that inspires people was pretty emotional," he says.

TV legend Debbie Allen, who exec produces, directs and has a recurring role, says she's now approached more about her time on Grey's than her iconic part on Fame. "I was in Cuba and accosted by these young girls who were screaming, 'Katherine Avery!'" she says with a laugh.

Giacomo Gianniotti, who has been a regular since season 12, is now repeatedly spotted in his home of Italy. "Because I'm Italian, there's this pride — like one of us made it to America and made it on our show that we watch," he says. "I traveled to Kenya doing some volunteer work this summer and a lot of people approached me to say they love Grey's. The reach is just huge."

Sums up Pompeo, who had an impact off-screen when she fought for her record-breaking salary: "Everywhere I go I get, 'My daughter is a surgeon because of you.'"

Empowering From the Start Grey's was the first TV series creator Rhimes got on the air. (ABC previously passed on a Rhimes drama about female war correspondents). Grey's broke out in season two and became a cultural phenomenon, contributing terms like "vajayjay" and "McDreamy" to pop culture. Grey's has also birthed two spinoffs — Private Practice, which ran for six seasons and 111 episodes — and Station 19, which is currently in its second season on ABC. The success of Grey's has led to other opportunities for Rhimes, who really broke out with ABC's political soap Scandal. That series built on Rhimes' penchant for color blind casting on Grey's. (Former star Isaiah Washington nearly played the McDreamy part that went to Patrick Dempsey, while network execs expected Oh's role of Cristina to be played by a white actress.)

"When they had me come in to read for the role of chief of surgery, I hadn't seen an African-American in that kind of role before," says James Pickens Jr., who remembers sitting next to Rhimes at the 2005 upfronts when she hoped to get five or seven episodes on the air. "Grey's is more than just entertainment. Shonda always wanted to make sure that the show impacted the landscape in a way that we hadn't seen before on TV. I like to think that Grey's had a big part in how the industry casts shows."

In addition to Rhimes' breakout success — she left her longtime home at ABC Studios last year for a $300 million Netflix overall deal — the cast has also been able to add to their skillsets. Grey's has launched directing careers for stars including showrunner Vernoff, Pompeo (who made her debut in season 14), Jesse Williams, McKidd and Wilson, the latter of whom helmed Thursday's record-breaking hour. (Former star Sarah Drew also earned an Emmy nomination last year for directing a Grey's digital short.)

"The atmosphere here is if you want to try something, you're encouraged," says Wilson, who along with Pompeo, Justin Chambers and Pickens is one of the four remaining original stars.

For Williams, that outlook has also afforded him the opportunity to build up his own businesses. "Grey's has made a home for me so that I can launch three tech companies and can go on speaking tours and live a life. A lot of that has to do with being on a show that's run by women and people who can actually multitask," says Williams, who will direct again this season.

Grey's has also created a safe space for its (many!) pregnant stars, who have always been afforded job security. Wilson, for her part, thought she'd be written out of the series when she told Rhimes of her pregnancy early on in the show's run. Instead, it was written into Bailey's season two storyline (and the character's son is now old enough to have been featured in a season 14 episode exploring unconscious bias).

"Instead of shunning it and hoping you don't get pregnant, I watch producers actively encourage all of our actors to have a family," Williams says. "That is the formula and secret for longevity: feeding into a healthy life and happiness instead of running from it or trying to press you out of it."

Opening Hearts, Changing Minds Beyond creating a new legion of directors and producers (Pompeo has an overall deal with ABC Studios and produces both Grey's and Station 19), the long-running medical drama has made an impact on-screen with empowering storylines. More recently, Grey's has explored domestic violence with Camilla Luddington's Jo, unconscious bias and new stories for transgender characters. Grey's this season features a same-sex relationship with its first openly gay male surgeon (Alex Landi, whose Nico is romancing Jake Borelli's intern, Schmitt) as part of its "Season of Love." The latter is especially true for Pompeo's Meredith, who is now exploring serious relationships after losing her "person" when Dempsey's Derek was shockingly killed off back in season 11.

"The most empowering storyline for me has been to portray a woman who has lost the love of their life and what does life look like having to continue on after losing the right side of your body? Did his departure mean I no longer mattered or my magic and chemistry was somehow gone? We saw that I could stand on my own and that women who do lose their partners or children, there is a way for people to go on. To be able to portray someone who could go through the hardest thing you could go through — the death of a loved one — and to be able to portray the survival of that is the most meaningful," a tearful Pompeo says, comparing Meredith's loss to the passing of her own mother at a young age. "After that, you think you can't go on. … So it's all come full circle."

Other cast members point to medical storylines that have helped viewers diagnose loved ones. Wilson is especially proud of the cyclic vomiting syndrome episode, while Chambers singles out exploring mental illness with Alex's mother in a storyline first planted in the show's early days. But all involved can point to several subjects the series has explored that have helped open minds and let viewers see versions of themselves on TV.

"Callie and Arizona's wedding was a really big deal and you think of the different countries that the episode was broadcast in and they may not have thought they were ready for big things like that," Williams says. "Whether it was the transgender young woman I just met who felt like she was included because she saw a trans patient whose storyline wasn't focused on her trans-ness, or the police violence episode — which is close to the work that I do — the running theme is allowing people to feel seen and considered."

And sometimes the impact Grey's is making is subtler than a storyline or patient.

"I've had black women say that I'm the reason they decided to go natural with their hair," says Kelly McCreary, who has played Meredith's half-sister, Maggie, since the end of season 10. "If seeing me on screen representing our hair in its natural state freed viewers from any ideas they had about that being bad, unattractive or unprofessional or whatever else they're trying to feed us about it, that's remarkable."

Doing Something New (That Still Feels Familiar) Everyone on the Grey's call sheet will give credit for the show's creative and ratings resurgence to Vernoff, who as Chambers says, "hit a refresh button and reinvigorated the show." Kim Raver, who reprises her role as Teddy after previously serving as a series regular for seasons six through eight, feels the same old-school energy now that she did a decade ago and credits Vernoff for "infusing the quintessential Shonda Rhimes vibe of it." And while Vernoff smiles when told of the cast's kind words for her work, she is aware of the power that comes with writing for a beloved character like Pompeo's Meredith Grey.

"When Meredith Grey speaks, people listen," says Vernoff, who recently signed a big overall deal with ABC Studios. "There is so much darkness and so much to be frightened of and this show has so much impact. People have grown up with Meredith. So, my goal is to have a voice on the planet and to have an impact: to change hearts and minds."  

Vernoff is aware that she is already achieving that impact. The showrunner — who has been outspoken about timely issues surrounding Hollywood including the #MeToo movement, salary parity and more — recalled a recent conversation with Rhimes in which the Grey's creator shared a story from a makeup artist who noted that his brother is a Korean gay man and was moved to see himself represented on screen. Other highlights include hearing from a current Grey's writers PA who wrote a letter sharing a story about experiencing his father's death at the age of 16 and finding solace in a storyline with George (T.R. Knight) and Cristina talking about the "Dead Dad's Club."

"To put my painful loss on TV and help other people through that is deeply meaningful to me," Vernoff says of the origin of that storyline.

As for what comes next, Vernoff did not want to write in a wink and nod to ER — fitting given her relationship with Wells on Shameless and the fact that the former NBC medical drama was one of the series that made her want to be a TV writer in the first place. Instead, Vernoff opted to do something that Grey's had never done before.

"In the 300th episode we did a huge number of winks at the show's history and beginnings. I don't know if ERdid it or not but what I came up with was a no-medicine episode," Vernoff says of the Grey's first. Adds McCreary: "We're in this party scene and I keep waiting for somebody to need a tracheotomy! But instead it's great because it feels like a real celebration of these characters."

Meaningful Milestone As the episode doubles as a celebration of sorts of the record-breaking milestone, the stars all share the same refrain when asked about the significance of doing a whopping 332 hours of television. All involved recall their initial shock that the series few thought would work has become the powerhouse franchise it is today.

"My goal was to do the pilot, take the check and pay some bills!" Wilson recalls with a laugh. Adds Chambers: "When we were in season two, I'd say to everybody, 'Do you think we've got two more years? I just wanted to get my kids to college.' And now some of them are done with it!" Pompeo also points to the record's value in the current TV landscape where viewers have an option to pick from nearly 500 scripted series and 700-plus unscripted offerings on an array of platforms as competition for eyeballs expands to other forms of entertainment like video games and podcasts.

"The fact that we're still the network's No. 1 drama and can stay afloat in this landscape after 15 years is incredible," Pompeo says. "It's also incredible in a larger sense because it's something that I resisted [and] that I said I would never do."

For his part, Williams has now appeared in more than two-thirds of Grey's Anatomy's total episodes after first joining the cast as recurring player Jackson Avery in season six. It's a jarring fact for the actor who initially thought the show would only be around for only a few more seasons when he first signed on. He now scoffs at those who use Grey's Anatomy as a punchline.

"That response — 'Oh, Grey's is still on' — at first, I took offense to it but now I don't because it's not really about our show; it's about the business because shows don't last that long," says Williams, whose tech companies are all inspired by the message of visibility he sees every day on Grey's. "I'm really proud of what we do here — I wouldn't be here this long if I wasn't."

The Future While Grey's has not officially been renewed for its 16th season, it's considered a lock as Pompeo's deal covers the 2019-2020 broadcast season. ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke and ABC Studios topper Patrick Moran both bow before what Pompeo and Grey's have been able to accomplish. "We are awed by this rare and incredible achievement," Moran says. "To make 15 seasons of television that are creatively fresh and compelling — and now record breaking — is almost unheard of, but Shonda, Betsy Beers, Krista, Ellen and the incredible cast and crew have managed to do that. We're very proud of this show and this team." Adds Burke: "How fitting and well deserved it is for Grey's Anatomy — a show that never ceases to inspire, surprise and move us — to achieve something no other primetime medical drama can lay claim to. The creative bar set by Shonda, Betsy, Krista, Ellen and the entire cast and crew will keep this iconic show in rarefied air for generations, and as one of their millions of fans, I congratulate them on this historic milestone."

Pompeo, too, knows she has experienced something special in her decade and a half on Grey's, where she has been afforded a rare ability to evolve Meredith as a character while growing as an actor and producer. "I've come full circle on this show from being an actor with no voice, no say and terrified to speak up or advocate for myself in any way," Pompeo says. "I'm now someone who is heard here and who has a say here. I'm one of my bosses and that's an unusual situation for an actress in Hollywood — to get to say what I want and what I don't. If I left the show, I don't think I'd have that same situation anywhere."

That's not to say Pompeo hasn't toyed with the idea of leaving Grey's over the years. The actress has been candid many times about experiencing the nagging pull many stars on veteran series experience as they consider leaving and taking on new and different roles. But at the end of the day, the idea of stepping away from something as big as what Grey's Anatomy has become has proven impossible.

"You can't ignore the worldwide phenomenon that this show is. How do you walk away or ignore that?" Pompeo says. "Being the face and voice of something that can generate that much money, there's only a very small number of people who can say that they have achieved that. If you're lucky enough to be the face and voice of something that's generated billions of dollars for a network, that's something to be proud of."

Meanwhile, Pickens is in talks for a new deal that would see him continue on as Grey's Anatomy's elder statesman Richard Webber. ("Nothing is solid yet but more than likely, I'll be here," he says.) Pickens adds the thought of going after Gunsmoke or Law & Order: SVU — the latter of which will break the former's record as TV's longest-running primetime drama series when it is renewed for its 21st season — remains "intriguing." Wilson, for her part, has one goal in mind now that Grey's has snapped ER's streak. "I would love to be a starter and a finisher of a thing," says the original star, whose contract is also up this season. "When the show is ready for that last shot, I want to be in that."

Seeing Ghosts Of the many notable cast departures, Vernoff, Pompeo and the cast all have quick answers at the ready when asked about which former Grey's co-stars they'd like to bring back to Prospect Studios:

Pompeo (Meredith): "I would love for Sandra Oh to be on the show but not more than I love seeing Sandra Oh out there in the world doing her thing. Not more than I love seeing her shine on her own at the Golden Globes and on Killing Eve. So I would say no [to that]. I love everybody who has been on this show, regardless of their time here and whether it was tumultuous or not."

Chambers (Alex): "Richard Herrmann. He played my intern for a while and was such a joy to work with. He passed on but I felt very lucky to work with him."

Wilson (Bailey): "Bailey was crazy about George O'Malley. But the thing about our show is we always keep our past characters alive; there is nobody we don't ever not talk about because every one of those characters has been the foundation for why we're here."

Pickens (Richard): "I've been in this business almost 40 years and Sandra Oh brought something very special to every scene."

McKidd (Owen): "Sandra Oh's Cristina, especially the way things are right now with Amelia, Teddy and Owen. To throw her into the mix at the same time? Owen would literally keel over and never get up again."

Raver (Teddy): "Sandra Oh. I started off having crazy, intense scenes with her — like when Henry (Scott Foley) was dying and I love her as a friend and admire her as an actress."

Williams (Jackson): "Frances Conroy. She was here in season seven and I didn't get to work with her. She is tremendous and was on one of my favorite shows ever: Six Feet Under."

Luddington (Jo): "Kyle Chandler. I love Friday Night Lights."

Scorsone (Amelia): "Chyler Leigh (Lexie). She is so much fun and is great with drama and comedy. I'm sad that I didn't get to work with her more."

McCreary (Maggie): "Kate Burton. I'd love for Maggie and Ellis to interact. Kate and I did a play together in 2014. She's one of my favorite people."

Gianniotti (DeLuca): "Jessica Capshaw. We would laugh until snot was coming out of our noses. I miss having her around."

Allen (Katherine): "I had so much fun directing Patrick Dempsey when he was here. I nicknamed him Dash because he would come on the set, look at his watch and want to keep it moving. He never liked to do a lot of takes but was always great. I didn't get to act with him but I did some of his best scenes while I was here. We think of him fondly."

Vernoff (showrunner): "Sandra Oh. I miss writing for Sandra and Cristina."

[mentalhealthportrayedinmedi-blog]

Mental Health and Race in the Media

Mental health is a prominent issue in today’s society. Television shows have been trying for years to portray mental health issues in a raw and truthful manner. 

NBC’s hit show This Is Us did just that. Randall, a hardworking father and the African-American adopted brother of Kate and Kevin Pearson, suffers from an anxiety disorder. Towards the end of the season, the show provided insight into how anxiety can manifest itself in such intense symptoms, such as a panic attack. According to the article “’This Is Us’ Showed How Debilitating and Scary an Anxiety Attack Can Be” written by Kathleen Mulpeter, “Anxiety is a mental health disorder, but the symptoms of a panic attack are very real. During Randall's present-day attack, he's shown shaking, sweating, hyperventilating, and having difficulty breathing” (Mulpeter). The scene received positive feedback from viewers, particularly those who deal with an anxiety disorder themselves and were glad a show finally provided a glimpse into what many deal with day to day. “On social media, viewers applauded the show's portrayal of anxiety (and the fact that Kevin finally showed up for his brother when he needed him most),” Mulpeter wrote. Mental health does not discriminate based on race. It can affect anyone, and is an issue that needs to be discussed more openly as a way to raise awareness of a disorder that affects so many. When shows, such as This Is Us, include a character who many can relate with, their show becomes that much more impactful and successful.

Article: https://www.health.com/anxiety/this-is-us-anxiety-attack

The full scene can be found here:

 https://twitter.com/NBCThisisUs/status/831699571763875841

Due to recent events, it appears as though gun control is more necessary than ever. Mass shootings and gun violence are at an all time high, and the media is there to cover the horrific news. Without a doubt, there is a connection between these events and mental health. Based on a CNN article titled, “Who commits mass shootings?” written by Dana Ford, “According to data compiled by Mother Jones magazine, which looked at mass shootings in the United States since 1982, white people -- almost exclusively white men -- committed some 64% of the shootings”. This evidence suggests that white males are involved more than any other race in these shootings. Ford continued, “Black people committed close to 16% of the mass shooting Mother Jones looked at, while Asians were responsible for around 9%. People identified as either Latino, Native American and unknown rounded out the study.” These statistics provide insight into mental health as it relates to race, and more specifically, how race and mental health relate to mass shootings. The media portrays mental health differently in terms of race. When a mass shooting occurs, and it is executed by a white individual, the media uses the words “mentally ill” to describe the shooter. If it was someone of a different race, for instance Middle Eastern, the term “terrorist” is often used. Race plays a significant role in the way the media covers a story such as this. 

Article: https://www.cnn.com/2015/06/27/us/mass-shootings/index.html

Scholars Kristen Harrison and Barbara L. Fredrickson researched the effects that sports media has on adolescents’ mental health, specifically body image. Their article “Women's Sports Media, Self-Objectification, and Mental Health in Black and White Adolescent Females”  takes a look at the impact that exposure to sports media has on black and white female adolescents in regard to their mental health and body image. Their study found that “For White participants, watching lean sports increased self-objectification, whereas for participants of color, watching nonlean sports had the same effect.” The way females reacted to each sport varied depending on their race. According to the study, “Self-objectification in adolescents of all ages predicted mental health risks including body shame, disordered eating, and depression,” (Fredrickson & Harrison). Regardless of which sport caused an increase in self-objectification, it is evident that there is a relationship between watching sports and mental health.This article also reveals the different reactions that occur not only in young females, but how each participant in the study reacted based solely on their race. 

Article: Journal of Communication, Volume 53, Issue 2, 1 June 2003, Pages 216–232,https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2003.tb02587.x

Regardless of race, mental health is a prominent issue that society needs to be willing to talk about more. Through these examples, it is evident that race does affect the way the media portrays it, especially in regard to mass shootings. The media has a significant impact on mental health disorders, which is something each and every person could feel the effects of. 

Citations:

Ford, Dana. “Who Commits Mass Shootings?” CNN, Cable News Network, 24 July 2015, www.cnn.com/2015/06/27/us/mass-shootings/index.html.

Harrison, K. “Women's Sports Media, Self-Objectification, and Mental Health in Black and White Adolescent Females.” Journal of Communication, vol. 53, no. 2, 2003, pp. 216–232., doi:10.1093/joc/53.2.216.

Mulpeter, Kathleen. “'This Is Us' Showed How Debilitating and Scary an Anxiety Attack Can Be.” Health.com, www.health.com/anxiety/this-is-us-anxiety-attack.

[jesbakescookies]

Too Hot To Handle: Chapter Sixteen

So I kinda wrote a different kind of fanfiction. It’s nothing as in depth as my other fics so I am going to post it here. ENJOY!!

***Actor, Real Person Fanfiction, Walking Dead RPF***

Featuring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan X Original Female Character, Norman Reedus and others.. (FYI this is total fiction, as in I know nothing about JDMs life or that of his real SO and son etc. Because of this, for this work of fiction, they don’t exist. Jeffrey’s been a typical actor playboy dating fellow stars etc. This is written for sick daydreaming pleasure.)

Aria St. James is a busy woman with a thriving restaurant. She thought she had everything she needed until a few famous faces visit her dining room. A tall, dark and handsome actor decides Aria’s just what he’s been looking for.

Rating: Mature : NSFW

"Okay so I have a confession." Aria stated, her finger swirling a pattern-less trail on his chest. Jeffrey hummed deeply, his hooded eyes meeting hers while sliding a hand up her nude back. "Is this gonna be your veto story?" He asked with a crooked grin. 

Smacking his chest, she giggled and shushed him. "Noooo. Do you want to hear it or what?" "Fine, fine. Don't mind me, I'm all ears my dear." Snorting, Aria commented, "smartass." Wrinkling his nose adorably, he urged. "Tell me." "I've seen some of your movies and you freaked me the fuck out in the Resident and I hated your guts after the pool table scene in Watchmen." Jeffrey couldn't contain the bark of laughter as he clutched her tighter. "Doll, that both hurts and flatters me." Laughing with him, she continued, "And I cried like a fucking baby when you died in Grey’s." Cupping her face, he pulled her up and kissed her softly, his lips pulling at hers. "I'm sorry I upset you, baby.” "Shush." She smirked, her cheeks heating. "Is it weird being with me?" Rolling her eyes she replied, "No. I mean when I first met you, I thought of those roles but I detached them from you after speaking for that little bit." "That's good. I don't want you thinking I'm some psychopath." Giggling, she replied, "Oh I do, I just don't mind. The sex is too good to walk away from." Chuckling deeply, Jeffrey cupped her head and kissed her forehead. His voice was gruff and deep, the sound vibrating under her. "Happy to please darlin'. Happy to please." They were quiet, both reveling in the softness of the bed and each other. Aria nuzzled into his side and stretched out along his body, enjoying the warm he generated. “You fit good.” Jeffrey muttered, his arm wrapping her waist and cupping her head. “Your little curves fillin’ every space.” Smiling, she tilted her head up to see him smiling down at her. Kissing his palm, she replied, “happy to please.”

Jeffrey had a huge favor to ask Aria and he wasn't sure how she would take it. He'd been invited to be on the cooking show similar to iron chef. Two competing chefs cooking to win money for different charities, each chef had a few stars putting up money for the charities. One chef dropped out last minute leaving the show hanging and close to being put on hiatus. It wouldn't have been such a big deal but a group of Walking Dead fans had been invited to watch, all of which were make a wish kids. Jeffrey did not want them to be disappointed so he told the producer to give him the afternoon to butter up a close personal friend who happened to be a chef. He wasn't too sure how Aria felt about being on television but with her reaction to just a press release regarding their relationship weeks ago, he wasn’t too hopeful she’d agree. Jeffrey did know she was a giving person who often donated to local shelters and homeless youth programs. He hoped she would be just as generous to some sick kids. Walking into the restaurant he received a wave from Cheryl who pointed to the back of the dining area to see Aria sitting with a man in a sharp suit. Narrowing his eyes slightly, Jeffrey sauntered towards them. Jealousy wasn't something he ever felt, maybe he had a big ego but he didn't often feel envious of others. The man chatting up Aria however, had a gleam in his eye and a smirk on his lips which had Jeffrey's jaw tightening and eyes hardening. Sliding his sunglasses on top of his head, he cleared his throat softly and caught Aria's attention while throwing her a wink. 

"Jeff." She spoke with a bright grin, standing up to greet him. Kissing him chastely, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a pleasant hug. All feelings of unease melted away as she was so openly affectionate in front of the stranger. "Hey sweetpea." He rasped, kissing the crown of her head while wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "This is Kevin, he's an investor and developer. We were just talking about a few opportunities in the near future. Kevin this is my boyfriend, Jeff." "Nice to meet you." Jeffrey stuck his hand out and flashed him a knowing smile, the polished blonde covering his distaste for the change in the situation. "Yeah, you too. I recognize you from a few of your movies. You're very talented Mr. Morgan." "Just call me Jeff and thanks, man. Always appreciate a fan." He replied with a wink, his dimples deepening as the man's cheek twitched in irritation. "So what're you doing here, I thought you were starting to film that show?" "Well I'm actually here to talk to you about an opportunity also. You have some time?" "Of course, yeah. Kevin if you're okay calling it a day. I'm glad you came by, let me go over all the numbers, see if it's a fit for us." "Just remember what I told you Ari. We've known each other a long time and you know I won't lead you wrong." Jeffrey smirked at the man's prods towards him, his eyes twinkling. Placing a hand on Aria's lower back, he slid his fingers along her waist to hold her hip. He knew he was being an alpha male fuck but he couldn't help himself. The look of indignation on the slick suited creep was far too enjoyable to stop the cocky gesture. "Of course," Aria spoke as though oblivious to the men flashing their tail feathers. "I'll get back to you by Monday." Rising from the booth, Kevin shook Aria’s hand and gave Jeffrey a nod. "Good to meet you." "Likewise Kenneth." Jeffrey drawled, mistaking his name on purpose with a smirk. "Kevin." "Right, Kevin. Thanks for comin' in to visit." Watching him leave, Jeffrey felt Aria looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "You done pissing all over my dining room?” Barking out a laugh, Jeffrey shrugged his wide shoulders lazily. "What? I couldn't help myself. That needle dick fuck wants in your teeny, tiny panties and no one and I mean no one, goes near those cock teasing things except me." Aria smirked at him as they took a seat in the booth, Jeffrey sitting right next to her instead of Kevin's spot. "You have no reason to be jealous." "I'm not jealous." "Yes you were." "Maybe a little but I'm not now. He is not your type at all." "What's my type?" Rolling his eyes, he peered down at her and rasped, "you like tall, sexy older men. Successful, devastatingly charming and dimples. You need dimples." Biting her lip, Aria murmured, "you forgot foul mouthed and exceptional in bed." Slowly smiling at her, Jeffrey leaned in close and kissed her neck. "I wanna fucking bend you over one of these tables and take that kitten in front of all these people." "Fuck, Jeff." She whined under her breath, "don't start something we can't finish." "Oh I can finish you doll." "Stop." She laughed, smacking his chest. Jeffrey grinned at her, licking his lip and saying, "I can't help it. You're so damn beautiful." "Okay player. What're you doing here? What opportunity?" "Alright doll, keep an open mind." "Oh god. This sounds terrible already." "Easy baby. Easy." He laughed, tucking hair behind her ear. "The show I was supposed to film hit some snags." "It's the cooking one right?" "Yeah. One of the chefs dropped out." At that, Aria narrowed her eyes and seemed to figure out where the conversation was going. Placing a finger on her lips to hold back her words, Jeffrey explained. "Hear me out. The proceeds go to charity and there's a group of kids from Make a Wish coming, their fans of the show. Norman's on the other team and I can't let the little fuck win. He's rooting for a Julio Santiago from El Perez." Pulling his hand away, Aria exclaimed, "Fuck, I'd cook against Santiago? You'll lose your money." "One, if I do, it goes to charity. Two, you won't lose, you're amazing." Sighing, Aria scrubbed her eyes and asked, "When?" "Filming can be pushed back a few days but.." "Jesus. That's no time to prepare!" Aria exclaimed, her eyes wide.  "I can't just go on with no plan." "I have faith in you." "Fucking hell." She sighed, looking towards the kitchen in thought. "Have whoever is doing this call me. I need to know everything, the rules or whatever. Now I gotta go talk Javie into it because he is my only hope at pulling this off." "I ever tell you how amazing you are?" "Suck up." "Is it working?" "Obviously. I just agreed to do something I would never do because of a guy I lo- like." She stuttered over the word which had Jeffrey's eyebrows raised and a knowing smirk curling his lips. "You lo-like huh?" Her cheeks turned a delicious shade of pink which had his dick twitching and eyes darkening. It was so similar to the shade that would paint her chest while cumming below him. Jeffrey now knew she felt the same way he did, there was no need to hesitate telling her any longer. "Stop." She whispered, her nervous eyes flicking away. Leaning closer, Jeffrey dipped his head into the curve of her neck and kissed her sweetly. Dragging his whisker covered face up her neck to kiss behind her ear, Jeffrey murmured, "I love you to sweetpea." Pulling back she peered up at him, her caramel colored eyes widening slightly at his expression. Cocking his head to the side, he bite his lip and smirked at her. "Don't look so surprised." Curling her hand in his t-shirt she pulled his lips to hers, breathing the words into his mouth. "I love you, Jeff." "So this mean you're gonna do it?" "Yeah I suppose I've got too now." "I didn't tell you to grease the wheels." "I know." She replied, her lips quirking to the side. "Me neither." Snorting he asked, "what do you need from me?" "Megan is getting married, her man child finally popped the question." Chuckling, Jeffrey cocked an eyebrow. "And?" "There's an engagement party at her parents place in Vermont. It'll be hoity toity bullshit and I need you to keep me from losing my mind while her mother talks about how I'm basically hired help because I cook for a living." "Seriously?" He scoffed, his brow furrowed. "Yeah it's pretty fucking awesome, so maybe if I bring a successful man with me, she'll stop shitting on me and calling it "motherly advise." Jeffrey scowled at that and grumbled, "you don't need some fucking man to make you successful." "No shit but in her eyes I do. I don't really care, it's just exhausting to stop myself from saying something horribly inappropriate. I need a buffer." "Well say no more, I'll buff you baby." "I bet you will." Wrinkling his nose, Jeffrey smiled at her, his hand gripping her thigh. "When are you done tonight? I gotta thank you proper for doing me a huge favor." "You're doing me a favor too." "Still, mines bigger, you'll be on tv. There's gonna be cameras in your face while you cook, they’ll probably do interviews and take shots of your restaurant. Then there’s the factor of them possibly finding out about us and outing us completely….” "You're talking me outta doing it." "I just want to prepare you. It's a huge favor and I don't want you to do it if you really don't want too. No pressure at all." "I can't say it's anything I would've seen myself doing but it's for a good cause and well, I'm pretty sure you could ask me to do just about anything and I'd do it." Jeffrey's grin couldn't get larger at her confession. "Oh yeah?" "Yeah but don't take advantage of it." "Never doll, never." He rasped, brushing a thumb across her jaw. "Just so you know, you've got me wrapped around your adorable little pinkie finger also." “Yeah?” “Oh fuckin yeah.” Leaning down he kissed her softly and murmured, “I really do love you sweetheart. Have for awhile now.” “Me too Jeff.” She replied, a smile curling her lips. “Very much.”

Find Chapter Seventeen here:

http://jesbakescookies.tumblr.com/post/162922595086/too-hot-to-handle-chapter-seventeen

I started posting this fic over on AO3 also. I will probably post in both places since I’m still figuring out AO3 formatting etc.

Let me know if you’d like to be tagged for updates. I’ll try my best to remember!

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[biofunmy]

How streaming, diversity, #MeToo shaped TV decade of change

LOS ANGELES — “Game of Thrones” was both an unprecedented achievement and old-school role model in the TV decade that’s rolling its final credits.

Installments of the elaborately produced hit were doled out one at a time by an established outlet, premium cable channel HBO. That was standard TV operating procedure until, suddenly, it wasn’t. The new era arrived in 2013 when a full season’s worth of “House of Cards” popped up amid Netflix’s on-demand movies and old TV shows.

The drama’s unexpected home appeared simply to be an option to the 500-channel universe born in the 1990s. But “House of Cards” foreshadowed a streaming gold rush and volume of programming dubbed Peak TV in 2015 — and with no drop in altitude in sight.

The result: Nothing is the same, whether it’s how much television we consume; how and where we do it; who gets to make it, and the level of respect given the creatively emboldened small screen. We don’t just watch TV, we binge it until we’re bleary-eyed if not sated. We still change channels with a remote control, but more often we’re logging in to watch shows on our phones or other devices and on our schedules, not network-dictated appointment TV.

We’re couch potatoes and office and car and everywhere potatoes.

A comic strip, “Zits,” recently summed up the current reality in three panels. “What’s on?” a father asks his teenage son, who’s sitting cross-legged in front of a TV set and is bracketed by a smart phone on one side and a laptop on the other. “Everything ever videotaped, filmed, recorded, photographed or otherwise documented whenever I want to watch it,” the teen answers, nonchalantly tossing popcorn into his mouth.

“I miss television,” the downcast dad tells his wife.

ALL HAIL STREAMING

Generational nostalgia aside, consumers have embraced the change in their media world, said Robert Thompson, director of Syracuse University’s Bleier Center for Television & Popular Culture.

“This was the decade that streaming became for many, many people the dominant way in which they watch television,” said Thompson. It’s a rapid shift that bears little relation to the previous entertainment industry revolution, cable TV.

Only about a quarter of U.S. homes had cable in 1980 despite its availability since the mid-20th century. While growth finally exploded in the ‘80’s, it wasn’t until the tail end of the 1990s and the arrival of HBO’s “The Sopranos” and “Sex and the City” that premium cable received critical praise and honors, Thompson said.

In contrast, it took less than a decade for leader Netflix to skyrocket from about 12 million U.S. subscribers at the decade’s start to 60 million this year and 158 million worldwide. The streamer reportedly lavished $15 billion on programming for 2019 alone, and earned buzz with series including “The Crown,” “Stranger Things,” and “Orange is the New Black.”

Even major films, among them Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” are making themselves at home on Netflix while still in theaters.

Others in the fray include Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, although “streaming wars” became the aggressive phrase applied to the increasingly competitive marketplace. With newly emboldened (and sometimes mega-expanded) media companies intent on getting a piece of the streaming action, there was a growth surge that won’t abate in the new decade.

Apple TV Plus launched Nov. 1 with Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg among its first wave of producers, and was quickly followed by Disney Plus. The latter has a storehouse of Disney movies and TV shows to draw on, along with acquired properties from Marvel Entertainment and Lucasfilm and its “Star Wars” franchise.

Among the other services set for 2020: Peacock from NBCUniversal; Quibi, run by ex-Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg and former eBay head Meg Whitman, and HBO Max, is counting on HBO, TBS and the Warner Bros. studio assets acquired by parent company AT&T to lure subscribers.

While cord-cutting became a quest for viewers seeking to shed hefty cable bills, there is still a price tag for the gusher of riches, as much as $14.99 monthly for HBO Max alone.

A bonus for viewers as they sort through the competing options: More programming doesn’t just mean more of the same.

VARIETY STORE

If retailers can provide every type of yogurt known to humanity, why can’t TV take the same eclectic approach? It has in the past 10 years, as the increasing demand for content and the growth of niche programming created opportunities for diverse and candid voices. Ongoing efforts by advocacy groups also contributed to the gradual but unmistakable shift.

Donald Glover illustrates the before and after. The future multi-hyphenate writer, musician, actor and director had a respectable run as a cast member on the network sitcom “Community.” Two years later, he was the creator and star of FX’s “Atlanta,” which drew raves for its innovative storytelling focused on African American characters.

Jill Soloway called on family experience to create the groundbreaking “Transparent,” about a trans woman and how her decision to be open has a ripple effect on her children and their circle.

Ryan Murphy, already established as a successful producer with “Nip/Tuck”and “Glee,” exercised his clout to make FX’s “Pose,” set in the LGBTQ ballroom culture scene of the 1980s and ‘90s. Its star, Billy Porter , became the first openly gay man to win the best actor Emmy. Credit RuPaul and his “Drag Race,” which arrived on the cusp of the previous decade and grew in popularity, for setting the table.

Even mainstream broadcasting expanded its field of vision, with ABC the first network in 20 years to air an Asian American family sitcom, “Fresh Off the Boat,” ending this season. Nahnatchka Khan was its executive producer, one of the women who gained prominence behind the camera in a sector long dominated by men.

As producers, directors and writers, women put complex female characters in the center of the frame — a switch from the male antiheroes of “The Sopranos,” “Breaking Bad” and other turn-of-the-century hits. With women taking the reins as storytellers, female characters became as varied and complex as their male counterparts and began to encompass a fuller view of the modern experience.

Lena Dunham’s “Girls” presented more than cookie-cutter young women, both in body and spirit, and foreshadowed the rise of actresses whose talent demands more attention than their weight, including Aidy Bryant of “Saturday Night Live” and Chrissy Metz of “This Is Us.”‘

African American women took the spotlight in creator-star Issa Rae’s “Insecure,” while Jenji Kohan’s “Orange is the New Black,” featured characters notable for their ethnic, sexual and class diversity. Writer-actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s “Fleabag” provided the decade’s big finish with its bold sexuality, earning six Emmys last fall including top comedy.

Some established female producers further cemented their success. Shonda Rhimes added “Scandal” and “How to Get Away with Murder” to her body of work, with the latter’s star, Viola Davis, becoming the first African American to win a best drama actress Emmy. Ava DuVernay, already a filmmaking force, spearheaded “When They See Us” and “Queen Sugar.’”

Reese Witherspoon, adding producing to her portfolio, made good on her vow to bring strong female characters to the screen with the hit series “Big Little Lies” and “The Morning Show.”

Statistics confirm the anecdotal evidence. Across all TV platforms in 2017-18, women accounted for a historic high of 31% of those working in key behind-the-scenes jobs including directors, writers and editors , according to research by San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film.

Good, but not good enough, said Kirsten Schaffer, executive director of the advocacy group Women in Film, which joined with the Sundance Institute in 2017 to create and lead ReFrame, an initiative that works with companies and others to foster hiring of women across the media landscape.

“Our goal is to have the industry reflect the population of the United States,” Schaffer said, and that’s 51 percent female and 17 percent women of color.

While television moved toward better reflecting the world at large, it was forced to look inward as well.

#METOO FALLOUT

Revelations of sexual misconduct hit the TV industry hard and with more lasting effect than any other sector of Hollywood, even compared to producer Harvey Weinstein’s fall from moviemaking heights.

Two of media’s top powerbrokers were brought down in the #MeToo era. Les Moonves was ousted in 2018 as CBS CEO after an outside investigation of abuse claims, with Moonves denying any non-consensual sexual relations. Roger Ailes, who built Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News Channel into both a lucrative operation and major force in American politics, was forced out in the wake of sexual harassment claims.

Harassment claims also ended the Fox News career of host Bill O’Reilly, who called it a “hit job.”

Matt Lauer (“Today”), Charlie Rose (“CBS This Morning”) and PBS host Tavis Smiley were wiped away from TV screens for alleged misbehavior of varying types and their denials notwithstanding. “60 Minutes” executive producer Jeff Fager, a CBS News veteran, denied the misconduct claims that got him fired.

Top-tier actors and a famed comedian lost their jobs, including Jeffrey Tambor of “Transparent,” Kevin Spacey of “House of Cards” and Louis C.K., whose TV projects included “Louie,” which he starred in and produced. Tambor and Spacey rebutted the misconduct allegations, Louis C.K. apologized.

The reverberations continue. NBC repeatedly has been confronted by Ronan Farrow’s claim that he was prevented from breaking the Weinstein story on its airwaves, which the network denies, while CBS was criticized for renewing “Bull” despite actress Eliza Dushku’s claim that she was dropped for complaining that the show’s star, Michael Weatherly, made crude comments about her on set.

Dushku received a reported $9.5 million settlement under its then-CEO — Les Moonves.

———

Lynn Elber is at lelber@ap.org and Twitter at http://twitter.com/lynnelber.

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