Chatter: The Day After and Dad with A. B. Stoddard
Brandon Stoddard was one of the most accomplished executives in broadcast television history. In his career at ABC, he helped bring to the small screen such legendary mini-series as \u201cRoots\u201d and \u201cThe Winds of War,\u201d as well as the acclaimed television series \u201cMoonlighting\u201d and \u201cRoseanne.\u201d But arguably his most consequential and controversial decision was to air the made-for-TV movie \u201cThe Day After,\u201d which graphically depicted the effects of a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Stoddard faced opposition from his colleagues, pundits, and even the Reagan White House, which pressured ABC to pull the film. But having conceived of the project as an impetus for people around the world to grapple with the potential of a devastating war, Stoddard forged ahead and broadcast the film in November 1983.
It was an epochal event in U.S. history. One hundred million people tuned in to watch, and the movie became the most-watched in television history. It was a national moment of the kind Americans rarely share today.
Journalist A. B. Stoddard, Brandon\u2019s daughter, spoke with Shane Harris about her dad\u2019s determination to air the film and what he hoped to achieve. Stoddard is well known for her political commentary and work at The Bulwark. But today, she shares personal memories of her father, his illustrious career, and the legacy of his work. In November of last year, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of \u201cThe Day After,\u201d she wrote a column, \u201cThe Day My Father Scared America.\u201d
Among the works mentioned in this episode:
A.B. Stoddard\u2019s column on her dad
https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/brandon-stoddard-the-day-after
Shane\u2019s previous conversation with Nicholas Meyer, who directed \u201cThe Day After\u201d
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-day-after-with-nicholas-meyer/id1593674288?i=1000558946928
A.B. Stoddard\u2019s columns for The Bulwark
https://substack.com/@abstoddard
The catalog of Brandon Stoddard\u2019s work
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0830992/
Brandon Stoddard\u2019s induction in the Television Academy Hall of Fame
https://www.emmys.com/bios/brandon-stoddard
\u201cThe Day After\u201d (on YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utGRP9Zy1lg
Chatter is a production of Lawfare and Goat Rodeo. This episode was produced and edited by Jay Venables of Goat Rodeo. Podcast theme by David Priess, featuring music created using Groovepad.
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