If you were to ask me to point you in the direction of someone who knows how to put their finger on the pulse and create the thing that the world truly needs (while simultaneously making them cackle!), I’d point at today’s guest.
Today, the glorious and out-of-this-world joyous, Jen Ponton, joins us on the show. Jen is an accomplished actor, writer, producer, and prolific content maker. Prior to hitting record, I asked Jen what she wanted to share with you all, to which Jen responded, “I really want to talk about creative people making content.” And that’s exactly what we do in this episode.
Best known as the fiercely feminist fat activist ‘Rubi’ on AMC’s critical darling DIETLAND, Jen is an award-winning actress and body, liberation activist. Her television resume includes 30 ROCK, UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, LAW AND ORDER: SVU, THE BLACKLIST, and BLUE BLOODS.
As a screenwriter, she now has several pilots and feature scripts in development. She is also a puppeteer and co-creator of the digital puppet sitcom, THE WEIRDOS NEXT DOOR, now in its sixth season.
We discuss the power of creative works and the responsibilities it has when it highlights marginalization – normalization of Black-centric art, queer-centric art, size inclusivity and diversity, and a plethora of backgrounds and life experiences.
Jen also shares her hot take on cancel culture and the hope she has for society to recover from some of the insidious ways society conducts itself, such as undermining marginalized communities. We address the innate places that we need to uncover in order to unlearn the prejudices we were taught.
This conversation with Jen will challenge and flex your creative muscles, as it encourages you to create for change. Tune in as this inspirational veteran of the industry shares intimate stories and reminds us of the larger role that kindness and empathy plays in the entire journey.
CLOSER LOOK & TAKEAWAYS
- How to write with inclusivity and diversity in mind
- Why an emphasis on marginalized identities doesn’t make or break the story
- The shift in power to white women through soap opera television
- The option to rewrite history in narrative fiction
- Room for reparation and why we should hold white voices accountable
- What’s it like to come out as queer during the pandemic
- Disorientation from a heteronormative life
- Thoughts on cancel culture and how to approach it in a healthy way
- Jen’s call and mission to help bridge communities and healing for the world, especially in the plus-size community that thrived from the labor of Black femmes
- About the All the Fucks podcast and the coolness of not caring
CONNECT WITH JEN
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jenponton/
http://www.jenponton.com/allthefucks
Twitter https://twitter.com/jenponton?lang=en
CONNECT WITH ME
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/briansaysthat/
FREE TRAINING www.MakeAgentsWantYou.com
Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Brian Breaks Character!
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