[Encore] Kate and Franklin sit down with Steven Canals, the brilliant mind behind Pose, to talk about growing up Afro-Latinx in the Boogie Down Bronx, why Cardi B is everything, and how a 2004 screening of Paris is Burning lit the spark that would eventually become one of TV’s most groundbreaking shows. They dig into the complicated, beautiful realities of intersectional identity, the tough questions that came up in the Pose writers’ room, and how Steven stayed true to his vision every step of the way. Plus, he drops some incredible answers to the Black List Pod questionnaire — including a wild (and amazing) mash-up of The Color Purple and Transformers.

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

This conversation took place in 2021.To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

Mentions:

+Pose: fxnetworks.com/shows/pose

+Paris is Burning: rottentomatoes.com/m/paris_is_burning

+The Color Purple: rottentomatoes.com/m/color_purple

+Terminator: rottentomatoes.com/m/terminator

In a special Emmy-themed roundtable, Franklin and Kate welcome three powerhouse creators—Billy Porter (Pose), Robin Thede (A Black Lady Sketch Show), and Ramy Youssef (Ramy)—for an unfiltered, deeply personal conversation recorded just ahead of the 72nd Annual Emmy Awards. This episode breaks the usual format to let the magic of the moment unfold. The trio dives into what it means to bring their full selves to the screen, the evolving responsibility of the artist, and the lessons they’d share with their younger selves. (As Billy memorably puts it: “A b*tch has to have boundaries!”)

It’s raw, real, and refreshingly honest—touching on identity, representation, and the complexity behind creating truly authentic work. As Kate says, “We just got out of the way and let it flow.” And flow it does.

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

This conversation took place in 2020. To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

Mentions:

+Pose: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/pose

+A Black Lady Sketch Show: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/a_black_lady_sketch_show

+Ramy: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/ramy

Olympic gold medalist. Figure skating icon. Self-proclaimed "dramatic monster." Adam Rippon joins Franklin and Kate for an unhinged and hilarious episode that covers everything from Molly Shannon obsession to curating the perfect skating soundtrack. The trio dives into Useless Celebrity History, shares pop culture hot takes, and gets wonderfully derailed during a chaotic movie quiz. Plus, Adam opens up about his first on-screen crush (spoiler: Zac Efron inHigh School Musical) and the very unexpected hobbies that moment inspired. This episode is pure gold — just like Adam’s medal.

Questions? Comments? Criticism? Hit us up on social media at @theblcklst.

This episode was originally released in 2020 To learn more about The Black List, visit www.blcklst.com.

Mentions:

+Superstar: http://rottentomatoes.com/m/1093874_superstar