Norman Lear's Producing Partner Reflects on Creating “Maude” 1972 Abortion Episode: 'It's a Slice of Life'

“When it was going to be rerun, the right wing in America seized on it and saw it as a point that they could rally behind and that's when they got all the flack," Phil Rosenthal added

Nearly six months after Norman Lear's death, his friends and colleagues looked back at a revolutionary storyline from his show Maude.

On the closing night of the ATX TV Festival on June 1, Lear's former producing partner and A House on Brame Productions CEO Brent Miller, actress and writer Pamela Adlon, Somebody Feed Phil host  Phil Rosenthal and Good Times showrunner Ranada Shepard reflected on Maude's groundbreaking abortion episode, which aired in 1972 on CBS.

When asked if Lear discussed the difficulties of getting the episode made back then, Miller explained, “Norman was never someone to talk about it in a way that it was difficult for him to do it. I mean, of course it was difficult and there's all the stories that are out there. He talked about it in a way that it just had to be done. Like there's no reason to not have these stories be told 'cause it's a slice of life."

Related: Rob Reiner, George Clooney, Tyler Perry and More Pay Tribute to Norman Lear After His Death: We 'Lost a Titan'

“I think what's interesting about the ‘Maude's Dilemma’ [episode] ... actually that's a two-parter episode. We did these specials on ABC, these live specials with Jimmy Kimmel,” he said, referring to Live in Front of a Studio Audience specials, which aired in 2019. “We were wanting to show the relevance of the shows now, kind of what we've been talking about tonight and why we chose these episodes tonight.”

“And to your question about could Maude be done today, we tried to actually do this episode on one of those live specials. And unfortunately it wasn't green lit,” he continued. “It kind of answers your question... that maybe it's not able to be on TV today for whatever reason. But it is something that we pursued.”

Rosenthal also recalled a conversation he had with Lear about the episode and the country’s reaction, sharing, “When it premiered, it was just an episode. Correct me if I'm wrong, it played like every other Maude episode and nobody said anything. It was just a good episode. Two episodes.”

“When it was going to be rerun, the right wing in America seized on it and saw it as a point that they could rally behind and that's when they got all the flack and all the trouble. It wasn't on the first run of it, it was on the rerun, and then they pulled it after that. This country has problems sometimes,” he explained with a laugh.

Adlon jokingly added of the country, “She's trying to figure herself out.”

The event, hosted by Hollywood, Health & Society, celebrated and honored Lear, who was 101 when he died, and his incredible legacy as a writer, producer and activist.

Lear died in December 2023 of natural causes, according to a release from his representatives. The news was later confirmed on his official Instagram account, as his team said he died "surrounded by his family as we told stories and sang songs until the very end."

"Norman lived a life in awe of the world around him. He marveled at his cup of coffee every morning, the shape of the tree outside his window, and the sounds of beautiful music. But it was people—those he just met and those he knew for decades—who kept his mind and heart forever young," the caption read. "As we celebrate his legacy and reflect on the next chapter of life without him, we would like to thank everyone for all the love and support."

Along with Maude and Good Times, Lear was best known for creating All in the Family, a sitcom that was acclaimed for covering a multitude of issues, including prejudice, menopause, rape, homosexuality, sexual dysfunction and religion. The sitcom earned a whopping 55 Emmy nominations over its nine-season run and took home 22 of them.

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Hours after his death, he was honored at the 2023 Sentinel Awards, and his wife, Lyn Lear, made a statement on his behalf that was read by Marty Kaplan, the founding director of the Norman Lear Center.

“I would have been there tonight if not for the passing of our beloved Norman,” she said. “He was so proud of the work of The Lear Center and Hollywood Health and Society. And he would not have wanted all of us to mourn. He would want us to celebrate the important shows you are honoring tonight, and most of all ... he would want us to laugh.”

In his own statement in honor of the television pioneer, Kaplan said during the event, "Norman's shows moved our hearts and minds to embrace our common humanity and live up to what's best in us. Doing that is why these winning writers are being honored."

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