She walked into our living rooms in 2005 accompanied by 5 interns at a hospital who have taken us through an emotional roller coaster in each episode for the last 10 seasons, and today she keeps us on the edge of our seats every Thursday with two more shows under her name. She is a woman who kicks ass with her writing skills plus producer magic, and she is our QUEEN SHEVA of this Wednesday.
Last Wednesday, Shonda Rhimes received the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at the annual Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Breakfast for her amazing work with shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder. But in The Hollywood Reporters words “I was getting the award in recognition of my breaking through the industry’s glass ceiling as a woman and an African-American.” she recalls in her acceptance speech at the breakfast.
Her speech was a bad ass response to that statement, saying that she didn’t break the glass ceiling, that her fellow women in the business before her had done that for her. She praised all the women that ran straight to the ceiling and crashed before her, making it super easy for her when it was her turn to go through that “tough-unbreakable” ceiling they have in the magical business called “show business”.
We could recall the entire speech, but we’ll let you watch it for yourself and see proof of the ease Shonda has with words and what an amazing storyteller she is. (Confession: a knot formed in our throat and we got watery eyes, no crying though, when we saw her acceptance speech.)
Her magic touch and her knack for words make her an inspirational women and our QUEEN SHEVA.
Some of our favorite quotes:
“Devote some energy to making the world suck less every week … it will allow you to remember that the air you are breathing right now is rare air, appreciate it. Don’t be an asshole.”
“Cynicism is a choice. Optimism is a better choice.”
“I want to thank all the women in this room and I want to thank all the women who never made it to this room. And thank you to all the women who will hopefully fill a room 100 times this size when we are all gone. You are all an inspiration.”
