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Behind-the-scenes of This is Life with Lisa Ling.
New CNN holiday special brings good tidings.
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Executive Producer of This is Life with Lisa Ling shares her five favorite moments from the series |
CNN's highly acclaimed and longest-running Original Series, This is Life with Lisa Ling, returns this Sunday at 10 p.m. ET with all-new episodes. In its ninth and final season, the show follows Ling on a cross-country journey to the far corners of America as she explores unknown or often misunderstood communities.
With the season premiere quickly approaching, we spoke with the show's executive producer, Amy Bucher, about some of her favorite moments from past seasons. Take a look:
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While shooting "Filthy Rich" one of the series' first episodes, we met a single, middle-aged mother of two from California whose life had turned upside down. Helen had been on the brink of a comfortable retirement when the Great Recession of 2008 wiped out all her savings. Instead of giving up, she drove more than a thousand miles to the Bakken Oil Fields of North Dakota and got a job refueling tanker trucks.
Lisa went the night shift with Helen in subzero temperatures, marveling at her stamina. I love the scene with the two of them in the cab of Helen’s rig, eating up the miles, rocking out to the radio, and talking about the men who "do a double take" when they realize the guy doing all the heavy work is a woman. We pulled over into the frozen darkness and filmed Helen climbing an icy ladder with a hose full of gas. It was an affirmation of our vision for the series: to get out on the road into America and tell stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
I think a lot about Helen these days as we slide into another economic recession, and I wonder whether I would have the same grit and determination if push came to shove. Helen is a true badass and continued inspiration.
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EPISODE 207: THE SEDUCTION GAME |
Transformation is at the heart of our most successful episodes. When we started looking into the world of pick-up artists, we learned it was full of shady misogynists who scored points by hitting on women and getting laid as often as possible. So, we prepared to meet a bunch of skeevy guys with shady intentions. Instead, we found Mitch —a shy, awkward, 40-something-year-old virgin desperate for love.
When Lisa meets Mitch at home in his barren bachelor pad, and he opens up to her on his double-wide Barcalounger, you can’t help but start rooting for this caterpillar to turn into a butterfly. Mitch became one of the most memorable — and beloved — individuals we ever featured on This is Life with Lisa Ling. A close second for me is Vince — the Prince lookalike, pink-mohawked pick-up artist whose website turned our stomachs. Lisa was prepared to hate him, but instead of an a**hole, Vince revealed himself to be the answer to Mitch’s conundrum— a warm-hearted guru whose workshop helped Mitch transcend his self-doubt and find the confidence to approach women.
Months after the show aired, we all cheered when Mitch sent a text telling us he had finally lost his virginity!
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EPISODE 204: FATHERLESS TOWNS |
All the episodes feel like my children, and you’re not supposed to have favorites, but "Fatherless Towns" gets in your heart and takes up permanent residence.
Aziz and Terrence are both incarcerated on drug charges when we meet them, days before one of the most critical events: a chance to reunite with their daughters at a dance being held as part of a fatherhood program at the Richmond City Jail. This is Lisa at her absolute best, able to put these guarded men at ease, and they open up to her about their fears and their shame, the disappointment they know they’ve caused their families.
Lisa also meets their daughters at home. I could watch her conversation with seven-year-old Deondra about which dress she’ll wear a hundred times and still want to see it again! And when we get to the dance, we understand how high the stakes are for fathers and daughters, and what unfolds is genuinely one of the most memorable, most moving, tissue box-worthy scenes in all nine seasons' worth of episodes.
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For whatever reason, it’s impossible not to be captivated by the sight of two separate individuals who look and sound the same. There are passages in "Twinning" that are awesomely fun and quirky— what we call "couchie" interviews, inspired by the brilliant beginning of When Harry Met Sally. But there’s another moment from that episode that caught me off guard when I first saw it, and I just started weeping.
Twenty-five years ago, identical twin sisters, Jenna and Jill married identical twin brothers — Phil and Doug. We learn that Phil has just passed away, and the three of them are packing for their annual trip back to the Twinsburg Festival in Ohio. As they are about to walk out the door, it hits them all anew, this fresh loss of Phil, and they come together in a hug, Doug in the center with his arms around Jenna and Jill, and they hold each other tight, lost in their grief. One of those moments where you feel intense gratitude to the people who allowed us to enter their lives and witness their deepest emotions.
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EPISODE 508: FURRY NATION |
One of my absolute favorite episodes is about a community that is completely misunderstood — and mocked — by just about everyone who isn’t a part of it. Say the word "furry," and people automatically think it’s a kinky fetish — humans who like to have sex in animal suits. I admit that’s what I thought too. But "Furry Nation" blows the stereotype wide open.
Some very vulnerable people put their trust in us and revealed why they cover themselves from head to toe in fictitious animal costumes: acute social anxiety. Inside their suits and their "fursonas," they have discovered a magical antidote to their discomfort — a safe way to let their guard down.
Together, they have created a surreal kind of world that’s beautiful, welcoming, and above all, compassionate, which we did our best to portray. And one of the many reasons I love this show so much is because after they saw it, Captain Boones, Leila, and Asheda, who were all incredibly brave to share their stories with us, loved it too.
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TRAILER: Tis The Season: The Holidays on Screen |
CNN ushers in the holidays with new Original Series |
To kick off the holiday season, CNN Original Series embarks on a cinematic festivity in the network's new on-air special Tis the Season: The Holidays on Screen.
The series celebrates the beloved genre of holiday films and television specials. Featuring decades of rich archival footage and lively interviews with notable celebrities, directors, producers and pop culture experts, the two-hour special unwraps the most memorable and festive moments on screen, exploring why these projects continue to delight audiences of all ages.
Do you love holiday movies? Check these out:
Don't miss it! Tis the Season: The Holidays on Screen premieres this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET/PT only on CNN.
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WATCH: Giffords says she is coming back 'better, stronger, tougher' |
How to watch new CNN Film |
The CNN Film Gabby Giffords Won't Back Down reveals a new, personal perspectives on the assassination attempt and recovery of former US Rep. Gabby Giffords, following a devastating mass shooting that wounded 13 and killed six in Tucson, Arizona. The documentary has a 100% Tomatometer score at Rotten Tomatoes.
“We’ve had the huge honor of telling the stories of some extraordinary American women, but Gabby Giffords’ story astounded us more than any other. We can’t wait for viewers to get to know this fierce, joyful, inspiring force of nature,” said directors Julie Cohen and Betsy West.
If you missed the CNN premiere last weekend, you can stream it now on CNNgo. The film also re-airs Saturday, December 3, at 9 p.m. ET.
Here's more about Giffords:
- Q&A: After a gunshot in the head, a former congresswoman could only say two worlds
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Essay: Gabby Giffords still struggles to find words, but she hasn’t lost her voice
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Op-ed: Gabby Giffords on how her dreams look different than she could have imagined 12 years ago
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This edition was written and edited by Alexis Garfield and Janelle Davis. |
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