07
Chris Nee
Creative Courage and Talking Stuffed Animals
Our guest today is an inspiring, creative, and formidable television screenwriter and producer who created Doc McStuffins. Her show went on to be a global sensation and Disney’s longest running series other than Mickey Mouse, featuring a Black girl who looks up to her mother, a doctor, and cares for her many ailing stuffed animals. Working with both Disney and Netflix, Chris has created a fleet of shows, both independently and with the Obamas, for which she’s won three Emmys, five NAACP Image awards, a Peabody award, and the Humanitas prize.
She explains the key negotiation points for creatives in the TV industry, including “overall” deals, “backend” performance participation, and the imperative of controlling your own IP.
Chris and I talk about how ocean swimming develops muscles of courage, her views on wokeness in America, and advice to creatives coming up in the entertainment industry.
Listen : Spotify | Apple | YouTube
“In the beginning Netflix was just like ‘Here are the keys. Drive this car as fast as you possibly can.’ ”
Show Index
00:00 Introducing Chris Nee: Award-Winning Creator07:35 Creating International Versions of Sesame Street
20:11 The Impact of Doc McStuffins
35:08 Balancing Control and Creativity
37:12 Advice for Young Creatives
42:48 Explaination of Overall and Backend Deals
49:34 Critiques of Wokeness
54:18 Current Projects and Personal Insights
56:58 Hot Takes
Show Notes
Internet Funnyman
Building a Digital Hearth
No Mud, No Lotus
You Can’t Just Switch It Off
Purpose & Play
Creative Courage and Talking Stuffed Animals
Silencing the Discursive Mind
Striking Internet Gold
Givers Are Getters
Hosting a Rave for the Intellect
The Hunt for Big Ideas
Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal
Not investment advice. Read important disclosures.