Page 36 - Abc Network News Today

"r." >> in 1990, 91, there was not a whole lot of original programing for cable, but they were airing movies. so we needed to compete and i felt that if we didnt, we were going to kind of get swept out. so i came up with a notion of doing a cop show that was r-rated. when abcs broadcast standards read our script, they went berserk. >> i was sitting with a pad and a pencil drawing pictures of breasts to try to show them what we would show and what we wouldnt show. grown-ups sitting in a room dood...

>> in the 90s, gay characters were always secondary or third. there was never a gay character that was the lead of a show. >> so you want to go look at apartments tomorrow? >> great idea! >> ellen degeneres, the comedian, was about to come out. as a lesbian. >> look, on the cover of "time." >> and she does it on "time" magazine. yep, im gay. but they decide that the character ellen plays on tv will also come out. >> it is just reprehensible that abc, now owned by disney of all companies, is goin...

>> im 35 years old. im so afraid to tell people. i mean, i just -- susan, im gay. >> ellen coming out was a huge moment for me personally because, you know, i was a closeted gay guy. gay child at that time. and it was the bravest thing i saw. >> that felt great. that felt so great. >> initial report suggests abc made a bundle on ellens highly publicized outing on national tv last night. the broadcast was accompanied by coming-out parties all around the country, including one in birmingham, alaba...

Essentially a art film doing in primetime television? >> american network television has long been considered the home of the blands, the cautious and the predictable. so it was with some trepidation that it the abc network launched a new series that was none of those things. "twin peaks" is already described by one critic as the series that will change tv. its directed by david lynch. >> david lynch was a filmmaker known for his taste in the eccentric and memorable. the idea that he would do ne...

The following movie is rated "r." >> in 1990, 91, there was not a whole lot of original programing for cable, but they were airing movies. so we needed to compete and i felt that if we didnt, we were going to, you know, kind of get swept out. so i came up with a notion of doing a cop show that was r-rated. when abcs broadcast standards read our script, they went berserk. >> i was sitting with a pad and a pencil drawing pictures of breasts to try to show them what we would show and what we wouldn...

Successful sitcoms but they werent the only network that found their way to having some success. tgif was on abc on friday, and it was their block of family-oriented comedies. >> i cant take it. i need the cake. >> it was not sophisticated television. but these were shows that people adored. [ laughing and snorting ] >> cbs. >> cbs was in a really bad spot. they had just fallen apart over the early part of the 90s and had gone through a couple different network executives. >> but then suddenly t...

Because there werent many portrayals of gay people period on television at that point. >> her name is marla. im seeing a woman. >> in the 90s, gay characters were always secondary or third. there was never a gay character that was the lead of a show. >> so you want to go look at apartments tomorrow? >> great idea! >> ellen degeneres, the comedian, was about to come out. as a lesbian. >> look, on the cover of "time." >> and she does it on "time" magazine. yep, im gay. but they decide that the cha...

This chapter in television where we realized we were in the right place at the right time. >> lets see how you like this, naughty boy. >> we certainly associate nbc of the 90s with having extremely successful sitcoms but they werent the only network that found their way to having some success. tgif was on abc on friday, and it was their block of family-oriented comedies. >> i cant take it. i need the cake. >> it was not sophisticated television. but these were shows that people adored. [ laughin...

Beastiality, incest, who knows. >> we were getting bomb threats. disney was really getting a lot of flack for even thinking about having a coming-out episode with ellen. >> im 35 years old. im so afraid to tell people. i mean, i just -- susan, im gay. >> ellen coming out was a huge moment for me personally because, you know, i was a closeted gay guy. gay child at that time. and it was the bravest thing i saw. >> that felt great. that felt so great. >> initial reports suggests abc made a bundle o...

So we needed to compete and i felt if we didnt we were going to kind of get swept out. >> son of a -- >> and so i came up with a notion of doing a cop show that was r-rated. when abcs broadcast standards read our script they went berserk. ♪ >> i was sitting with a pad and a pencil drawing pictures of breasts to show them what we would and wouldnt show. grown-ups sitting in a room good ling. >> then we started in on the language. >> some reporter called the -- brains of a flea. >> the show prem...