Panel Discussions with Writers

Hollywood, Health & Society and the CAA Foundation co-sponsored a panel discussion titled “I Am a Citizen (and So Can You!) on June 27 at the agency’s Ray Kurtzman Theater in Los Angeles. In announcing the event, the CAA Foundation—the philanthropic arm of the legendary Hollywood talent agency—cited the polarization of American politics in Washington, D.C., as a major obstacle to addressing the nation’s problems, such as health care, social justice and the political system itself. “But all around us citizens are fixing what’s broken and reclaiming democracy,” CAA said. Moderated by HH&S Director Sandra de Castro Buffington, the panel included Mark Meckler, co-founder of Tea Party Patriots; Heather Smith, president of Rock the Vote; Jose Antonio Vargas, founder of Define American, whose goal is to elevate the debate around immigration; and Dr. Zoanne Clack, co-executive producer and medical adviser for the hit ABC series Grey's Anatomy.

Following the presentations for the 2011 Sentinel for Health Awards, the winning writers participated in a panel discussion that offered behind-the-scenes looks about their respective shows and the genesis of some of their TV stories. Taking part in the conversation were Bridget Carpenter, co-executive producer of Parenthood (NBC); Zoanne Clack, co-executive producer of Grey's Anatomy (ABC); Jennifer Cecil, co-executive producer of Private Practice (ABC); and Gabriel Llanas, a writer for Off the Map (ABC). Joining them were Martin Kaplan, director of the Norman Lear Center, and Sandra de Castro Buffington, director of the Lear Center's Hollywood, Health & Society program.

During their trip to India, members of the entertainment community participated in an inspiring panel discussion in Mumbai titled From Hollywood to Bollywood: How Film & TV Reach Global Audiences on Key Health Topics. American writers and producers were joined by representatives from the local entertainment community to share their thoughts on writing about health topics, their approaches to writing dramas with impact; and TV as a vehicle for education and social change. Panelists included director and producer Ramesh Sippy; Jennifer Cecil, co-executive producer, Private Practice; and Amole Gupte, writer, director and producer, Stanley Ka Dabba.

At this Hollywood, Health & Society panel discussion held at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, health and entertainment experts spoke about the science behind climate change and the way it affects health, emerging solutions and the entertainment media's portrayal of these issues. The keynote speaker, Dr. George Luber of the Centers for Disease Control, said the scientific findings about the planet's warming were "unequivocal" and a direct result of an increase in the emissions of greenhouse gases during the past 50 years.