In this episode, we're joined by Ashley Spencer, author of Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel’s Tween Empire. She shares her four-year journey researching Disney becoming the choice tween TV channel, and shares details from her interviews with former executives and cast/crew members, like the infamous Hilary Duff and LaLaine fallout or how the Zac/Vanessa High School Musical romance came to be IRL. We explore Disney's internal culture and show development, the role of pop music in Disney Channel's success (Samantha Mumba!), and get all the tea from our favorite 90s and 2000s shows and DCOMs. And last but not least, we can’t help but touch on how things have changed since our Zoog Disney days—from modern media consumption patterns, the implications of binge-watching, and the loss of monoculture. And don’t forget to check out Ashley’s book below! Enjoy.
Read Disney High by Ashley Spencer: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250283450/disneyhigh
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TAGS: Ashley Spencer, DCOM, Disney, Interview, Guest, Disney Channel, High School Musical, Zac Efron, Hilary Duff, Hannah Montana