About
"I was told by one executive, 'You know, this network is mostly male and you’re bringing a lot of women.' And I go, 'This network isn’t working, so I’d better bring in people that will increase the audience size.'”
In her three-hour-plus interview, Gail Berman discusses her early interest in theater and how she came to produce the original production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She describes how she transitioned to working in television and her early work for the Comedy Channel. She then shares why she moved to California, how she came to work for Sandollar Television, and talks about several of the shows she executive produced while at Sandollar, including All-American Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Berman discusses moving to Regency Television and developing Malcolm in the Middle, and talks of her time as president of Entertainment at Fox Broadcasting (the first woman to hold that title). She discusses many of the shows she helped shepherd at Fox, including 24, American Idol, The Bernie Mac Show, Firefly, Family Guy (and how she revived the series after canceling it), The O.C., Arrested Development, The Simple Life, Temptation Island, and House. She recounts why she left Fox and describes the state of the network when she left, recalls her time at president of Paramount Pictures, and shares why she left Paramount to co-found BermanBraun. She talks about founding the Jackal Group and details several projects she executive produced there, including The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again and Tidying Up With Marie Kondo. She talks about producing the film Elvis during the COVID-19 pandemic, her involvement with the Netflix series Wednesday, and executive producing The Perfect Couple. She shares what she enjoys most about being a producer, talks about her involvement with the Producers Guild of America, and recalls receiving the Norman Lear Achievement Award from the Producers Guild in 2024. She concludes with advice to aspiring producers. Amy Harrington conducted the interview in a joint venture with the Producers Guild of America on October 31, 2025 in Culver City, CA.
Highlights
Gail Berman on adapting Buffy the Vampire Slayer into a television show with the film's original writer, Joss Whedon, and on Whedon's pitch for the series
Gail Berman on casting Malcolm in the Middle
Gail Berman on how Fox picked up American Idol
Gail Berman on canceling Family Guy and bringing it back
Gail Berman on receiving the Norman Lear Achievement Award from the Producers Guild in 2024
Gail Berman on advice to an aspiring producer
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On growing up in Long Island and Philadelphia; on her early interest in theater; on attending the University of Maryland and moving to New York after college; on how she came to produce the original production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
On why and how she transitioned to television after working in theater; on her work for the Comedy Channel and the show The Sweet Life, meeting Maggie Lear, and later meeting Maggie's father, Norman Lear
On moving to California and how she came to work for Sandollar Television; on how her role at Sandollar evolved; on executive producing All-American Girl
On why she wanted to adapt Buffy the Vampire Slayer into a television show and how she got the adaptation made with Warner Bros. while she was at Sandollar; on the possible Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot at Hulu and on the legacy of the show
On her interest in female-oriented shows; on how Angel came about; on when and why she left Sandollar; on her work developing Malcolm in the Middle while at Regency Television, and on Doug Herzog ultimately wanting to make it; on the casting and legacy of the show
Chapter 2
On becoming president of Entertainment at Fox Broadcasting and on being the first woman to hold that title; on her management style and how the programming process at Fox worked; on the success of 24
On how American Idol got picked up and the importance of the show for Fox; on what makes a good pitch and the importance of upfronts and TCA
On what intrigued her about The Bernie Mac Show; on how Firefly came to Fox, how Family Guy was canceled and brought back, and how The O.C. and Arrested Development came to Fox
On the appeal of 24; on how The Simple Life, Temptation Island, and House came to Fox; on why she left Fox, and on the state of the network when she left
Chapter 3
On becoming president of Paramount Pictures and getting the 2009 Star Trek film made; on getting fired from Paramount Pictures and on co-founding BermanBraun; on founding the Jackal Group; on executive producing The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again and Tidying Up With Marie Kondo
On producing the film Elvis during the COVID-19 pandemic; on her involvement with the Netflix series Wednesday; on executive producing The Perfect Couple
On what she enjoys most about being a producer; on her involvement with the Producers Guild; on receiving the Norman Lear Achievement Award from the Producers Guild in 2024
On how the industry and opportunities have changed since she started in the business; on not having mentors throughout her career; on advice to an aspiring producer and her thoughts on the value of oral history interviews; on her proudest career achievement and career regrets, and on how she'd like to be remembered
Shows
24
Gail Berman on the success of 24's second season on Fox
Gail Berman on the appeal of 24
All-American Girl
Gail Berman on executive producing All-American Girl and working with Margaret Cho and ABC
Gail Berman on the legacy of All-American Girl
American Idol
Gail Berman on how Fox picked up American Idol
Gail Berman on the state of reality television when Fox picked up American Idol and the success and impact of the show
Arrested Development
Gail Berman on what she loved about Arrested Development
Bernie Mac Show, The
Gail Berman on what intrigued her about The Bernie Mac Show
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Gail Berman on why she wanted to adapt Buffy the Vampire Slayer into a television show and how she got the adaptation made with Warner Bros. while she was at Sandollar
Gail Berman on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot for Hulu that was planned at the time
Gail Berman on the legacy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Family Guy
Gail Berman on canceling Family Guy and bringing it back
House
Gail Berman on wanting a medical drama for Fox and getting House
Simple Life, The
Gail Berman on how The Simple Life came to Fox
Sweet Life, The
Gail Berman on her work on the Comedy Channel show The Sweet Life and putting Jon Stewart on camera for the first time
Topics
Advice
Gail Berman on advice to an aspiring producer
COVID-19 Pandemic
Gail Berman on producing the film Elvis during the COVID-19 pandemic
First Big Break
Gail Berman on how she came to produce the original production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Gail Berman on her first opportunity to work in television -- on the Comedy Channel (later Comedy Central)
Health and Medicine
Gail Berman on producing the film Elvis during the COVID-19 pandemic
Historic Events and Social Change
Gail Berman on being the first woman to be president of both an American TV network and of a movie studio
Gail Berman on being the first woman to hold the title president of Entertainment at Fox Broadcasting
Gail Berman on her process for setting the schedule at Fox - and on being asked to make coffee her first year setting the schedule
Gail Berman on the titular character on House having a visual disability
Gail Berman on her interest in making female-oriented shows (including All-American Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Pivotal Career Moments
Gail Berman on how she came to produce the original production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Gail Berman on her first opportunity to work in television -- on the Comedy Channel (later Comedy Central)
Representation on Television
Gail Berman on being the first woman to be president of both an American TV network and of a movie studio
Gail Berman on being the first woman to hold the title president of Entertainment at Fox Broadcasting
Gail Berman on her process for setting the schedule at Fox - and on being asked to make coffee her first year setting the schedule
Gail Berman on the titular character on House having a visual disability
Gail Berman on her interest in making female-oriented shows (including All-American Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Television Industry
Gail Berman on how the industry and opportunities have changed since she started in the business
Gail Berman on advice to an aspiring producer
Underrepresented Voices
Gail Berman on the titular character on House having a visual disability
Women
Gail Berman on being the first woman to be president of both an American TV network and of a movie studio
Gail Berman on being the first woman to hold the title president of Entertainment at Fox Broadcasting
Gail Berman on her process for setting the schedule at Fox - and on being asked to make coffee her first year setting the schedule
Gail Berman on her interest in making female-oriented shows (including All-American Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Professions
Executives
Gail Berman on becoming president of Paramount Pictures, and on working in film
Gail Berman on being the first woman to be president of both an American TV network and of a movie studio
Gail Berman on getting fired from Paramount Pictures and on co-founding BermanBraun
Gail Berman on becoming president of Entertainment at Fox Broadcasting, being the first woman to hold that title, and what the job entailed
Gail Berman on her management style
Gail Berman on her process for setting the schedule at Fox - and on being asked to make coffee her first year setting the schedule
Gail Berman on how the programming process at Fox worked
Gail Berman on what makes a good pitch
Gail Berman on the importance of upfronts and TCA
Gail Berman on taking risks while she was president of Entertainment at Fox, coming into the network when it was in fourth place and leaving it in first place, and why she left the network
Gail Berman on how she came to work for Sandollar Television as a junior television executive, and on how her role at Sandollar evolved
Gail Berman on when and why she left Sandollar, and on her role at Regency Television
Producers
Gail Berman on what she enjoys most about being a producer
Gail Berman on her involvement with the Producers Guild, and on her contributions to the Anti-Sexual Harassment Guidelines
Gail Berman on her time as a co-president (with Lucy Fisher) of the Producers Guild
Gail Berman on receiving the Norman Lear Achievement Award from the Producers Guild in 2024
Gail Berman on advice to an aspiring producer
Television Executive
Gail Berman on being the first woman to be president of both an American TV network and of a movie studio
Gail Berman on becoming president of Entertainment at Fox Broadcasting, being the first woman to hold that title, and what the job entailed
Gail Berman on her management style
Gail Berman on her process for setting the schedule at Fox - and on being asked to make coffee her first year setting the schedule
Gail Berman on how the programming process at Fox worked
Gail Berman on what makes a good pitch
Gail Berman on the importance of upfronts and TCA
Gail Berman on taking risks while she was president of Entertainment at Fox, coming into the network when it was in fourth place and leaving it in first place, and why she left the network
Gail Berman on how she came to work for Sandollar Television as a junior television executive, and on how her role at Sandollar evolved
Gail Berman on when and why she left Sandollar, and on her role at Regency Television
Genres
Animation
Gail Berman on canceling Family Guy and bringing it back
Comedy Series
Gail Berman on what intrigued her about The Bernie Mac Show
Gail Berman on canceling Family Guy and bringing it back
Gail Berman on what she loved about Arrested Development
Gail Berman on her work on the Comedy Channel show The Sweet Life, and on putting Jon Stewart on camera for the first time
Gail Berman on executive producing All-American Girl
Gail Berman on her work developing and casting Malcolm in the Middle
Drama Series
Gail Berman on executive producing The Perfect Couple
Gail Berman on the success of 24's second season on Fox
Gail Berman on how The O.C. came to Fox and on the importance of younger audiences for the network
Gail Berman on the appeal of 24
Medical Dramas
Gail Berman on wanting a medical drama for Fox and getting House
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Gail Berman on executive producing The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again
Reality TV
Gail Berman on executive producing Tidying Up With Marie Kondo
Gail Berman on her approach to reality and non-reality competition shows, and on working with Mike Darnell
Gail Berman on how Fox picked up American Idol, the state of reality television when Fox picked up American Idol, and the success and impact of the show
Gail Berman on how The Simple Life came to Fox
Gail Berman on the rules for casting Temptation Island, and on contestants lying about their background
Gail Berman on the importance of casting in reality television
Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series
Gail Berman on her involvement with the Netflix series Wednesday
Gail Berman on how Firefly came about
Gail Berman on her work adapting Buffy the Vampire Slayer into a television show
Gail Berman on how the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff Angel happened
Sports
Gail Berman on the importance of football for Fox
People
Peter Chernin
Gail Berman on becoming President of Entertainment at Fox Broadcasting, being the first woman to hold that title, and what the job entailed
Gail Berman on Rupert Murdoch's interest in American Idol
Gail Berman on when and why she left Sandollar, and on her role at Regency Television
Margaret Cho
Gail Berman on executive producing All-American Girl and working with Margaret Cho
Bryan Cranston
Gail Berman on casting Malcolm in the Middle
Susanne Daniels
Gail Berman on Warner Bros. (Susanne Daniels) asking for a pilot script for the TV version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Mike Darnell
Gail Berman on her approach to reality and non-reality competition shows and on working with Mike Darnell
Tom Hanks
Gail Berman on producing the film Elvis during the COVID-19 pandemic
Mariska Hargitay
Gail Berman on Mariska Hargitay appearing on All-American Girl
Doug Herzog with Emerson College
Gail Berman on her work on Malcolm in the Middle while at Regency Television, and on Doug Herzog ultimately wanting to make the show
Ron Howard
Gail Berman on what she loved about Arrested Development
Mitchell Hurwitz
Gail Berman on what she loved about Arrested Development
Hugh Laurie
Gail Berman on wanting a medical drama for Fox and getting House, and on the titular character having a visual disability
Norman Lear
Gail Berman on receiving the Norman Lear Achievement Award from the Producers Guild in 2024
Gail Berman on the first time she met Norman Lear, via his daughter Maggie
Rupert Murdoch
Gail Berman on Rupert Murdoch's interest in American Idol
Jonathan Murray
Gail Berman on working on The Simple Life with Jonathan Murray
Dolly Parton
Gail Berman on Dolly Parton's involvement with Sandollar Television and on working with her
Jon Stewart
Gail Berman on her work on the Comedy Channel show The Sweet Life and putting Jon Stewart on camera for the first time
Quentin Tarantino
Gail Berman on Quentin Tarantino guest starring on All-American Girl
Dean Valentine
Gail Berman on notes from Dean Valentine for All-American Girl, and on the direction ABC wanted to take the show
Larry Wilmore
Gail Berman on working with Larry Wilmore on The Bernie Mac Show