What happens when one of Hollywood's biggest icons subtly takes over network television for a night? In this live-recorded episode from the 2017 Southgate Media Group Podcast Marathon, Advanced TV Herstory host Cynthia Bemis Abrams breaks down a curious four-episode CBS Monday night lineup from 1996, all subtly promoting Elizabeth Taylor's "Black Pearls" perfume.

Cynthia reveals how sitcoms Murphy Brown, The Nanny, High Society, and Can't Hurry Love formed a loosely-connected marketing arc that spotlighted women-led series, creating possibly one of the most elegant product launches in prime-time history. We also reflect on Elizabeth Taylor's legacy on daytime TV and her 1970 appearance on Here's Lucy, questioning how celebrity clout intersects with network promotion, feminism, and cultural moments that shape media history.

Resources Mentioned:

Elizabeth Taylor: A Private Life for Public Consumption (2016) by Ellis Cashmore

CBS Follows the Scent of Missing Pearls, L.A. Times, Tom Shales https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-02-28-ca-40800-story.html

Lucie Arnaz on Taylor's 1970 "Here's Lucy" episode https://youtu.be/rz2nxNrhGtk?si=HPMqzACUmSpuAgmo

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PRODUCTION

Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/

Video Editing - https://nivialopez.com/

Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/