Art, Politics and Popular Culture

Panel Composition & Context

• The panel "Art, Politics, and Popular Culture" was moderated by CNBC's Julia Boorstin.
• Participants included Sophia Bush, George Takei, Sarah Gubbins, and Damon Lindelof; Lee Daniels was absent due to illness.
• The discussion contextualized current political intensity against the 50th anniversary of the musical Hair, noting how art shifts mainstream discourse.

Sarah Gubbins: The Blacklist & Theater Parity

• Gubbins launched "The Blacklist" to highlight unproduced plays by female and non-cis male writers, mirroring Hollywood's screenplay list.
• The initiative aims to combat gender parity stymied in American theater despite a general "new play boom."
• Gubbins notes the list has secured productions for writers, yet overall industry numbers for diverse playwrights have not dramatically shifted.
• The curated list empowers theater boards to support diverse content, fostering different storytelling styles beyond the "well-made play."

George Takei: Historical Narratives & The Play Allegiance

• Takei shares his personal history as a child categorized as an "enemy alien" by the U.S. government following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
• Executive Order 9066 resulted in the incarceration of roughly 120,000 Japanese Americans in prison camps without due process or trial.
• The musical Allegiance, based on his family's experience, broke the Old Globe Theatre's 80-year box office record in San Diego.
• Allegiance ran for only four months on Broadway, overshadowed by Hamilton, before achieving a sellout run in Los Angeles.
• Takei highlights a 70-year transformation in public attitude, moving from viewing Japanese Americans as enemies to accepting Allegiance as a box office success.

Sophia Bush: Social Media as Activism & Project Selection

• Bush utilizes Twitter and Instagram as platforms for "cause" rather than lifestyle branding, citing the Deepwater Horizon disaster as a catalyst for her social media usage.
• She asserts a moral responsibility to reject scripts that lack positive messaging or promote "torture porn."
• Bush argues that art, whether through characters like The Help or superheroes like Black Panther, serves to teach audiences about "the other" and drive social change.
• She views social media as a tool for deeper, fact-based conversations that counter societal combative trends.

Damon Lindelof: Evolution of Storytelling & Diversity in Writers' Rooms

• Lindelof reflects that his earlier work on Lost lacked intentional messaging, as he was unaware of his privilege as a white, cisgender male at the time.
• He describes a personal shift from "playing it easy" to seeking discomfort and listening to others to make art more authentic.
• On The Leftovers, Lindelof maintained 50-50 gender balance but admits hiring only one or two writers of color was tokenism.
• For the HBO series Watchmen, Lindelof implemented a more diverse writers' room with six non-white members versus four white males to avoid groupthink.
• Lindelof advocates for "Trojan horse" messaging in entertainment, ensuring political themes are integrated naturally rather than feeling like lectures.

Industry Trends & Cultural Shifts

• The panel identifies a fragmentation in both news and content consumption (streaming vs. cable), leading to echo chambers and the need for art to bridge gaps.
• The success of Black Panther has altered studio assumptions, proving films with black protagonists can achieve significant U.S. and international success.
• The Time's Up and #MeToo movements have increased awareness regarding workplace disparity and the need for diverse, empathetic storytelling.
• Bush notes that #MeToo has shifted industry conversations from "sensitivity" to "superpower," emphasizing the need for allies in creating better content.
• Lindelof expresses concern that while intentions to address social issues exist, executive suites remain disproportionately white and male, hindering tectonic shifts in media culture.

Consumption Habits: Binging vs. Pacing

• Lindelof critiques the "binge" model, arguing that releasing all episodes simultaneously prevents audience digestion and social discourse compared to weekly releases.
• He compares binge-watching to consuming a gourmet meal instantly, suggesting it diminishes the appreciation of the creative process.
• Social media has evolved to create "social cachet" around binge-watching, making it a requirement to watch entire series immediately to participate in cultural conversations.

Audience Interaction

• In response to an audience member, Bush emphasizes that actors setting examples of political activism demonstrates that taking a stand does not ruin careers, encouraging others to follow suit.
• Bush cites her experience with George Takei as a "wake-up" moment, noting that a single person's public stance can inspire broader industry change.