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Michael Giltz: TV: "Secret" Success -- Creator Brenda Hampton Gets The Last Laugh
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/tv-secret-success----crea_b_157212.html [4/5/2009 12:40:48 PM]
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Posted January 12, 2009 | 03:40 PM (EST)
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TV: "Secret" Success -- Creator
Brenda Hampton Gets The LastLaugh
Read More: 7th Heaven , ABC Family , Brenda Hampton ,
Cable , Fannie Flagg , The Secret Life Of The American Teenager , Tv, Entertainment
News
Brenda Hampton, the creator of 7th Heaven and
the new ABC Family hit show The Secret Life OfThe American Teenager , is smiling. Sure, she's
calling me from her car near Silverlake in LosAngeles so I can't really see her face. But I knowshe's smiling nonetheless.
The numbers have just come out for the latest
episode of Secret Life and they're tremendous.Airing Mondays at 8 p.m. (the stomping groundfor 7th Heaven, the longest running family
drama in TV history), The Secret Life Of The
American Teenager just kicked off the second half of its first season with a massive 4.4 millionviewers. That's a huge number for the basic cable channel and almost 50% bigger than the much
buzzed-about Gossip Girl on CW, its competitor. And the show hasn't peaked yet. During its debut
with 11 episodes last year, Secret Life started strong and grew virtually every week. Now this newepisode has opened even bigger, so the sky is the limit.
"I think by the time our little Amy (Shailene Woodley) has the baby we'll really get a lot of
viewers," says Hampton. "In the next to last episode of the season, we see the day she got
pregnant. We see her at band camp with Ricky [the bad boy and foster child who got her knockedup]."
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Michael Giltz: TV: "Secret" Success -- Creator Brenda Hampton Gets The Last Laugh
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/tv-secret-success----crea_b_157212.html [4/5/2009 12:40:48 PM]
With all those fun, ratings-grabbing storylines ahead, Brenda Hampton is getting the last laugh.
"I shopped this around to all the networks including the CW so the success of the show is very
sweet," says Hampton, one of the few women working in TV drama. "I do get quite excited. 'I won!
I won! Yea!'"
Despite the landmark success of 7th Heaven, Hampton couldn't convince any network to pick up
one of her many other ideas for a TV series. Not ABC or CBS or NBC or FOX or even the WB, the
weblet she had given the biggest hit it would ever have. And Hampton's ideas were hardly esoteric.
A teenager getting pregnant ( Juno , anyone?) is certainly a provocative hook for a drama filled with
beautiful teenagers caught up in the usual preoccupations of sex and popularity and homework.
Is it because 7th Heaven was burdened with the label of "family programming?"
Hampton didn't pitch Secret Life as such, but readily admits, "It is family programming. I still
think people believe that family programming doesn't sell. And this is such a fun show."
Besides, we're talking about a show that deals with teen pregnancy, friends with benefits, oral sex
and other button-pushing topics (not to mention John Schneider as an evangelical dad of a "good"
girl and Molly Ringwald as the mom of our pregnant heroine). So if that's family programming,
what would non-family programming look like? Frontal nudity?
"I don't know!" laughs Hampton.
But she does know a lot about being a single mother. In the second season of 7th Heaven ,
Hampton adopted a little girl herself"Then I married her teacher," she laughs. "Then we adopted two more children just a couple of
years ago. So I know what it's like to be a single mom because I did have her for a while on myown. Whether it's a 15 year old girl or a 45 year old woman I'd like to see more people supportiveof that. Because it happens. Whatever the reason."
While some people angst over the possibility that simply showing a teenage mother will somehow
make teen pregnancy seem glamorous, Hampton knows exactly what she's up to with Secret Life.
"I don't think that, in the end, if this show goes the way I want it to go over the years, that we will
be glamorizing teen pregnancy," says Hampton. "It's going to slowly set in [how hard it is] and
while we'll make it that the community is going to try to support her because that is what I hope
all communities would do for all single mothers, it's still going to be incredibly difficult. When the
kid's 12 I think [the heroine Amy is] going to go, 'Wow, how did I do that?'"
But how did Hampton do it? How after the irony of massive success and massive rejection did she
finally get a new series on the air?
"I had shopped this around to the networks and CW," says Hampton. "I read in the LA Times a
review of Greek and how ABC Family was growing up. And I called my agent and said, 'Get me a
meeting with ABC Family. They're growing up. And I'd like to help them do that.'"She laughs again (Hampton is in a very good mood, naturally). So is ABC Famly, which has now
delivered three hit shows in a row, each one bigger than the last. ( Greek was preceded by Kyle XY
and all of them are still on the air, with Greek returning in March.) So did any of the top network
heads who turned her down send Hampton a congratulatory telegram, wishing her the best and
smartly trying to stay on the radar of a proven hit-maker?
"Um, not really; I don't think so. It's very competitive out there."
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Michael Giltz: TV: "Secret" Success -- Creator Brenda Hampton Gets The Last Laugh
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/tv-secret-success----crea_b_157212.html [4/5/2009 12:40:48 PM]
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So how long will it take before some smart channel snaps up one of Hampton's many other
projects, including her burning desire to turn Fannie Flagg's novel Standing In The Rainbow into a
weekly series about life in a small town right after World War II?
"I've got a list of ideas," says Hampton. "You just get me the meeting."
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JScott See Profile I'm a Fan of JScott permalink
She had better be using a hands free phone because in Calif. THAT'S THE LAW and NO TEXTING!
BTW I hope this really disturbs Pat Robertson, oh that's right he doesn't care as long as his 700 Club is
shown-the poison pill.
EllyBell See Profile I'm a Fan of EllyBell permalink
I love this show, im not surprised that its getting such good ratings...its addicting! The seasonhas been great so far and I can not wait until the last episode where they show the day amygot pregnant... I hope its sweet, i kinda want her and ricky to end up together, i think he's agood guy deep down...
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Michael Giltz: TV: "Secret" Success -- Creator Brenda Hampton Gets The Last Laugh
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/tv-secret-success----crea_b_157212.html [4/5/2009 12:40:48 PM]
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/tv-secret-success----crea_b_157212.html [4/5/2009 12:40:48 PM]
APRIL 5, 2009
HOME POLITICS MEDIA BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT LIVING STYLE GREEN WORLD CHICAGO
COMEDY 23/6 VIDEO BLOGGER INDEX ARCHIVE
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Michael Giltz
Award-winning freelance writer
Posted January 12, 2009 | 03:40 PM (EST)
BIO
Become a
Fan
Get EmailAlerts
Bloggers'Index
TV: "Secret" Success -- Creator
Brenda Hampton Gets The LastLaugh
Read More: 7th Heaven , ABC Family , Brenda Hampton ,
Cable , Fannie Flagg , The Secret Life Of The American Teenager , Tv, Entertainment
News
Brenda Hampton, the creator of 7th Heaven and
the new ABC Family hit show The Secret Life OfThe American Teenager , is smiling. Sure, she's
calling me from her car near Silverlake in LosAngeles so I can't really see her face. But I knowshe's smiling nonetheless.
The numbers have just come out for the latest
episode of Secret Life and they're tremendous.Airing Mondays at 8 p.m. (the stomping groundfor 7th Heaven, the longest running family
drama in TV history), The Secret Life Of The
American Teenager just kicked off the second half of its first season with a massive 4.4 millionviewers. That's a huge number for the basic cable channel and almost 50% bigger than the much
buzzed-about Gossip Girl on CW, its competitor. And the show hasn't peaked yet. During its debut
with 11 episodes last year, Secret Life started strong and grew virtually every week. Now this newepisode has opened even bigger, so the sky is the limit.
"I think by the time our little Amy (Shailene Woodley) has the baby we'll really get a lot of
viewers," says Hampton. "In the next to last episode of the season, we see the day she got
pregnant. We see her at band camp with Ricky [the bad boy and foster child who got her knockedup]."
Be the First to
Submit
This Story to Digg
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Comments
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Fashion Face-Off!
Michelle Obama And
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
Finally Meet In
France (VIDEO,
PHOTOS, POLL)
*Video, poll and slideshow
Levi Johnston TalksSafe Sex With Tyra
Banks (VIDEO)
***UPDATE*** 8:30pm:
People.com is reporting
that Sarah Palin has
issued...
Oscar de la Renta
Slams Michelle
Obama's Buckingham
Outfit As Major
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Michael Giltz: TV: "Secret" Success -- Creator Brenda Hampton Gets The Last Laugh
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/tv-secret-success----crea_b_157212.html [4/5/2009 12:40:48 PM]
With all those fun, ratings-grabbing storylines ahead, Brenda Hampton is getting the last laugh.
"I shopped this around to all the networks including the CW so the success of the show is very
sweet," says Hampton, one of the few women working in TV drama. "I do get quite excited. 'I won!
I won! Yea!'"
Despite the landmark success of 7th Heaven, Hampton couldn't convince any network to pick up
one of her many other ideas for a TV series. Not ABC or CBS or NBC or FOX or even the WB, the
weblet she had given the biggest hit it would ever have. And Hampton's ideas were hardly esoteric.
A teenager getting pregnant ( Juno , anyone?) is certainly a provocative hook for a drama filled with
beautiful teenagers caught up in the usual preoccupations of sex and popularity and homework.
Is it because 7th Heaven was burdened with the label of "family programming?"
Hampton didn't pitch Secret Life as such, but readily admits, "It is family programming. I still
think people believe that family programming doesn't sell. And this is such a fun show."
Besides, we're talking about a show that deals with teen pregnancy, friends with benefits, oral sex
and other button-pushing topics (not to mention John Schneider as an evangelical dad of a "good"
girl and Molly Ringwald as the mom of our pregnant heroine). So if that's family programming,
what would non-family programming look like? Frontal nudity?
"I don't know!" laughs Hampton.
But she does know a lot about being a single mother. In the second season of 7th Heaven ,
Hampton adopted a little girl herself"Then I married her teacher," she laughs. "Then we adopted two more children just a couple of
years ago. So I know what it's like to be a single mom because I did have her for a while on myown. Whether it's a 15 year old girl or a 45 year old woman I'd like to see more people supportiveof that. Because it happens. Whatever the reason."
While some people angst over the possibility that simply showing a teenage mother will somehow
make teen pregnancy seem glamorous, Hampton knows exactly what she's up to with Secret Life.
"I don't think that, in the end, if this show goes the way I want it to go over the years, that we will
be glamorizing teen pregnancy," says Hampton. "It's going to slowly set in [how hard it is] and
while we'll make it that the community is going to try to support her because that is what I hope
all communities would do for all single mothers, it's still going to be incredibly difficult. When the
kid's 12 I think [the heroine Amy is] going to go, 'Wow, how did I do that?'"
But how did Hampton do it? How after the irony of massive success and massive rejection did she
finally get a new series on the air?
"I had shopped this around to the networks and CW," says Hampton. "I read in the LA Times a
review of Greek and how ABC Family was growing up. And I called my agent and said, 'Get me a
meeting with ABC Family. They're growing up. And I'd like to help them do that.'"She laughs again (Hampton is in a very good mood, naturally). So is ABC Famly, which has now
delivered three hit shows in a row, each one bigger than the last. ( Greek was preceded by Kyle XY
and all of them are still on the air, with Greek returning in March.) So did any of the top network
heads who turned her down send Hampton a congratulatory telegram, wishing her the best and
smartly trying to stay on the radar of a proven hit-maker?
"Um, not really; I don't think so. It's very competitive out there."
"Washington
Unplugged"
Arianna was on CBS'
"Washington...
Alex Leo The "Real
Housewives Of New
York City" Flowchart
Of Hate
I'm a little embarrassed tolove this show as much
as...
"BRUNO" TRAILER!
Calamity, African
Babies, ChaseScenes And More
(NSFW VIDEO)
IT'S HERE! The trailer for
this July's Sacha BaronCohen...
NATO Leaders Focus
On Afghanistan, But
Most Reject Obama's
Plea For Troops
(SLIDESHOW)
STRASBOURG, France
— On the eve of the
NATO...
First Lady Fashion At
Friday's NATO
Concert (PHOTOS)
Another night, anotherfashion opportunity forNATO leaders and their
spouses! See...
Diana Palin, SarahPalin's Sister-In-Law,
Arrested ForBreaking Into Home
ANCHORAGE, Alaska —Police say Alaska Gov....
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The Real Reason You
Never Touch The
Queen (VIDEO)
John Oliver was upset
enough to drop his
monocle when he...
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Reporter From India
During Press
Conference (VIDEO)
Obama held a conferencepacked with press fromaround the world on
Thursday. He called...
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"Over" (VIDEO)
On Thursday's episode of
"Mad Money" host Jim
Cramer declared that the
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Michael Giltz: TV: "Secret" Success -- Creator Brenda Hampton Gets The Last Laugh
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/tv-secret-success----crea_b_157212.html [4/5/2009 12:40:48 PM]
Michelle Obama's Clothing
Has Sean Hannity All Out OfSorts
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Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld: DoesIran Harbor Osama binLaden?
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Comments 2 Pending Comments 0
Reality Star Jade
Goody Buried In
Lavish...
Robert De Niro
Nanny Sues For
$40,000
Demi Moore's
Twitter-Based
Suicide Intervention
Anti-Chris Brown
Song Hits Radios
So how long will it take before some smart channel snaps up one of Hampton's many other
projects, including her burning desire to turn Fannie Flagg's novel Standing In The Rainbow into a
weekly series about life in a small town right after World War II?
"I've got a list of ideas," says Hampton. "You just get me the meeting."
More in Entertainment...
HuffPost Stories Surging Right Now
Ads by Google
ABC Family's Roommates
Find ABC Family's new comedy
series Roommates & watch your fave shows.
www.ABCFamily.go.com
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being
approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
View Comments: Newest
First Expand All
JScott See Profile I'm a Fan of JScott permalink
She had better be using a hands free phone because in Calif. THAT'S THE LAW and NO TEXTING!
BTW I hope this really disturbs Pat Robertson, oh that's right he doesn't care as long as his 700 Club is
shown-the poison pill.
EllyBell See Profile I'm a Fan of EllyBell permalink
I love this show, im not surprised that its getting such good ratings...its addicting! The seasonhas been great so far and I can not wait until the last episode where they show the day amygot pregnant... I hope its sweet, i kinda want her and ricky to end up together, i think he's agood guy deep down...
Women's
Rights
Michelle
Obama
Europe
Newspapers
Cars
War Wire
Video
Financial
Crisis
Barack
Obama
MORE BIG NEWS PAGES
»
Books by this author
A cabin of one's own: New
England's MacDowellColony celebrates 100years of artistic utopia.And the gay and lesbianartists who prosperedthere celebrate ... (Thenational gay & lesbiannewsmagazine)
by Michael Giltz
Affairs to remember:Farley Granger beddedAva Gardner, ShelleyWinters, and LeonardBernstein. In hisautobiography, IncludeMe Out, Hitchcock's muse... (The national gay &lesbian newsmagazine)
by Michael GiltzIn America
(SLIDESHOW)
It's great to love the city
you live in, and better to
love it for a reason likebeing green!
FastCompany...
HUFFPOST'S BIG NEWS PAGES
Favorite
Flag as abusive Posted 02:24 AM on 01/13/2009
Favorite
Flag as abusive Posted 04:27 PM on 01/13/2009This Blogger's Books from
Michael Giltz: TV: "Secret" Success -- Creator Brenda Hampton Gets The Last Laugh
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/tv-secret-success----crea_b_157212.html [4/5/2009 12:40:48 PM]
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Ads by Google
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Find ABC Family's new comedy
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www.ABCFamily.go.com