Yvette Lee Bowser

In her three-hour interview, Yvette Lee Bowser discusses moving to Los Angeles at age five, her early interest in writing, and attending Stanford University. She shares how she got her start in television -- as an unpaid apprentice writer on A Different World -- and recounts her path to becoming a staff writer and producer on the show. She describes the writers' room on A Different World, recalls pivotal storylines and episodes, discusses why she decided to leave the show after season five, and comments on the legacy of A Different World. Bowser then talks about her unique challenges working on Hangin with Mr. Cooper, and outlines her path to creating her own production company, SisterLee Productions, and her first television show, Living Single. She describes the origins of Living Single's main characters, how she cast the show, the writing and production of the pilot, key episodes and cast departures, and speaks about the show's impact and legacy. She recalls co-creating Lush Life, creating For Your Love, and running and executive producing Half & Half. Bowser then talks about her writing process, her involvement with the Writers Guild Showrunner Training Program, and the value of mentorship. She discusses her time as a consulting producer on Black-ish, as an executive producer on Dear White People (and showrunner for the first three seasons), and as executive producer (and showrunner of the first season) of Run the World. She talks of working with Onyx Collective on UnPrisoned, shares her thoughts on Zoom writers' rooms and Zoom pitches, and offers advice to aspiring writers and showrunners. Adrienne Faillace conducted the interview in a joint venture with the Writers Guild Foundation on August 8, 2023 in Encino, CA.