When Pop Culture Saved America

When Pop Culture Saved America is an American documentary dealing with how American culture helped the country deal with the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. Produced by David P. Levin, the film consists of interviews with stars and personalities such as Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, Denis Leary, Dan Rather, Regis Philbin, and Ray Romano. It was produced by Brainstorm, Inc. for The Biography Channel (now called FYI), as part of their remembrance of the attacks on their 10th anniversary.[1] Which Entertainment Weekly cited as one of the 10 specials to watch on the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.[2][3]

When Pop Culture Saved America
Title screen from the documentary
GenreDocumentary
Created byDavid P. Levin
Written byDavid P. Levin
Emmett Williams
Directed byDavid P. Levin
StarringKristin Chenoweth
Idina Menzel
Denis Leary
Dan Rather
Regis Philbin
Ray Romano
Narrated byAlan Kalter
Production
Executive producersDavid P. Levin (Brainstorm)
David McKillop (Biography)
Lily Neumeyer (Biography)
ProducerEmmett Williams
CinematographyMartin Cole
Christian Meyers
EditorsBarry Hirschberg
David P. Levin
Memo Salazar
Running time120 minutes
Release
Original releaseSeptember 5, 2011 (2011-09-05)

The documentary

As the United States prepared to remember the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 on their tenth anniversary, many television networks developed specials. The Biography Channel (Bio), one of A&E Networks' channels prepared three to be aired in observance. with an additional production slated for the A&E channel. The three slated for Bio were: When Pop Culture Saved America, I Survived ... 9/11, and Beyond: Messages from 9/11; A&E's entry was Portraits from Ground Zero.[1][4] The producer, David P. Levin, interviewed almost two dozen celebrities from the worlds of television, film, theater and music to show how those in the world of entertainment chose to help the nation heal after the attack. The documentary also delved into how the terrorist attacks changed pop culture on television and in films.[5]

The show premiered on September 5, 2011, and was aired several more times over the following week, including a prime time airing on September 11, with its final showing the following day.[6] The show utilized Alan Kalter as its narrator.[7] In the run-up to the anniversary of the attacks, both the New York Times and Entertainment Weekly, named the documentary to their top 10 lists of shows to watch in commemoration of the terror attacks.[2][8]

Highlighted in the documentary is Alan Jackson's performance of his post-9/11 song, "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)".[9] The documentary also featured how pop culture was changed and influenced by the events of 9/11, such as the creation of the play 110 Stories, a "docu-play" which follows the course of the day as seen through the lives of ordinary people who lived through it.[10]

Appearances

The list of interviewees ran the gamut of the entertainment industry: theater, film, prime time and daytime television, and music.

References
  1. "A&E and BIO Channel Present Four Commercial-Free Documentary Specials Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of 9/11". TV by the Numbers. August 16, 2011. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  2. Stransky, Tanner (September 2, 2011). "9/11 Specials: 10 shows to watch". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  3. Gans, Andrew (September 11, 2011). ""When Pop Culture Saved America," Featuring Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, Airs on Biography Sept. 11-12". Playbill. Archived from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  4. Guthrie, Marisa (August 26, 2011). "9/11 Anniversary: What the TV Networks Are Planning". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  5. Mulcahy, Jr., Kevin (September 5, 2011). "When Pop Culture Saved America: a 9/11 Story". We Love Soaps. Archived from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  6. "When Pop Culture Saved America: a 9/11 Story". TV.com. September 5, 2011. Archived from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  7. "When Pop Culture Saved America: a 9/11 Story". CelebrityWC.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  8. "BrainStorm, Inc". BrainStorm, Inc. Archived from the original on February 7, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  9. "Alan Jackson to sing 'Where Were You' at Washington 9/11 concert". L. A. Times. August 31, 2011. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  10. "110 Stories". 110 Stories. Archived from the original on February 20, 2017. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
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