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PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: INSIDE MEDIA: UGLY BETTY IS BACK! {LONG VERSION}

Summary

One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Paley Center for Media's Inside Media events. Held at the Paley Center in New York, this evening honors "Ugly Betty," a comedy-drama series about Betty Suarez, a young Queens woman trying to make it in the fashion industry despite her unglamorous appearance. Christy Carpenter, executive vice president and chief operating officer of The Paley Center for Media, offers opening comments before introducing moderator Jessica Shaw, senior writer for Entertainment Weekly. Then, the show's executive producer and writer Silvio Horta introduces the "Ugly Betty" episode "Rabbit Test," which is screened in its entirety. (For episode synopsis and credits, see "Ugly Betty: Rabbit Test," ACCNUM 100045.)

After the screening, Shaw introduces the panelists: Horta; executive producer Richard Heus; co-executive producer Victor Nelli, Jr.; costume designer Patricia Field; production designer Mark Worthington; and cast members Mark Indelicato (Justin Suarez), Tony Plana (Ignacio Suarez); Ana Ortiz (Hilda Suarez); Becki Newton (Amanda Tanen), and Vanessa Williams (Wilhelmina Slater). Scheduled guest Judith Light (Claire Meade) was unable to attend. Shaw notes that America Ferrera (Betty Suarez), Eric Mabius (Daniel Meade), and Michael Urie (Marc St. James) were shooting an episode at the time of the taping.

Panelists touch on such topics as: when producers realized that the show had connected with its audience; the manner in which the writers combine comedy and drama; Urie having graduated from guest star to series regular due to his chemistry with Williams as part of "the dastardly duo"; how Newton developed a weekly podcast with Urie about their characters' lives away from Mode; the ways in which most cast members incorporated their musical comedy backgrounds into the show's characters; the program's move to New York for its third season; reactions of New Yorkers to seeing the actors on the streets of Manhattan and Queens; the visual aspects of the show having evolved over the last two years; how Field keeps coming up with new fashion-challenged outfits for Betty; the expanded use of guest stars in season three; how Ortiz worked throughout her real-life pregnancy; and future plot developments.

Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics: if Betty will ever get her braces removed; if the characters of Alexis, Connor, and Gio will return; the differences in tone between "Ugly Betty" and the Colombian show on which it is based, "Betty La Fea"; if there's a formula for the writers to use in spotlighting all the major characters; how political themes have been integrated into the plots; the increased use of New York City locations to open up the show; if any of the plots are meant to mirror real tales from fashion magazines; if Wilhelmina is based on Anna Wintour; and why the Woolworth building was chosen as the site for Mode.

Details

  • NETWORK: N/A
  • DATE: April 29, 2009 6:30 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:48:32
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: 100043
  • GENRE: Seminars
  • SUBJECT HEADING: LGBT Collection; Hispanic Americans
  • SERIES RUN: N/A
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Christy Carpenter … Host
  • Jessica Shaw … Moderator
  • Silvio Horta … Panelist
  • Richard Heus … Panelist
  • Victor Nelli, Jr. … Panelist
  • Patricia Field … Panelist
  • Mark Worthington … Panelist
  • Mark Indelicato … Panelist
  • Tony Plana … Panelist
  • Becki Newton … Panelist
  • Ana Ortiz … Panelist
  • Vanessa Williams … Panelist
  • America Ferrera
  • Judith Light
  • Eric Mabius
  • Michael Urie
  • Anna Wintour