The Golden Girls: A Cultural History

"This book is a much-needed addition to the growing body of scholarship around this beloved sitcom. An essential read for The Golden Girls fans and media studies scholars alike." - Library Journal, Starred Review Over the course of seven years and 180 episodes, The Golden Girls altered the television landscape. For the first time in history, Americans (and, later, the rest of the world) were watching sexagenarians-and one octogenarian-leading active, vital lives. These were older women who had careers, families, lovers, and adventures, far from the matronly television characters of the past. In The Golden Girls: A Cultural History, Bernadette Giacomazzo shows why this iconic sitcom is more than just comedy gold. She examines how, between all the laughs and the tales of St. Olaf, these women tackled tough issues of the time-issues that continue to resonate in the twenty-first century. From sexual harassment, ageism, and PTSD to AIDS, inter-racial relationships, and homosexuality, Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia weren't afraid to take on topics which were once considered taboo. This first-ever cultural history of The Golden Girls explores how the show forever changed the world's perception of what it means to grow older, and showed us the healing power of friendship, community, and sisterhood. It gave the voiceless a new voice and unveiled all the possibilities of what "family" can mean-no matter one's race, religion, creed, or sexual orientation.

Author: Bernadette Giacomazzo
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published: 08/15/2023
Pages: 204
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.04lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.63d
ISBN: 9781538166550


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 05/15/2023
Library Journal 06/01/2023 pg. 116

About the Author
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer with more than twenty years of bylines in the entertainment industry. Her work has been featured in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Post, and many more. Based in New York City, Giacomazzo has also worked on various film and television projects and is the author of the critically acclaimed dystopian fiction books, The Uprising Series.