Working: A TV Critic Pivots to Exposing Hollywood Abuses

This week, host June Thomas talks to journalist Maureen Ryan, author of the book Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. In recent years, Ryan has pivoted from TV criticism to writing stories focused on abuses of power in the TV industry. Her new book touches on troubling situations on shows like Lost, Saturday Night Live, The Goldbergs, Sleepy Hollow, and more. In the interview, Ryan discusses her reporting process and what it's felt like to watch the creators of some of her favorite shows come under fire. After the interview, Thomas and co-host Nate Chinen discuss why there might be some reason for hope in Hollywood after all.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Ryan talks about how her pivot to this kind of reporting has affected her career. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Zak Rosen. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices