Five Questions with FCB Chicago’s Shannon Clash

What do The Rolling Stones, Grey’s Anatomy and the X-Men have in common? They’re all right here as FCB Chicago Story Supervisor Shannon Clash stops by for a thoroughly entertaining round of Five Questions with SCREEN. Let’s get to it!

SCREEN: If you could be a member of any musical group in history, what would it be?

SHANNON: I gravitate to music that I can listen to on records and music that gives me an intense reaction. I would have loved to be a member of The Love Unlimited Orchestra or The Rolling Stones. The Love Unlimited Orchestra because it’s a 40-piece band, conducted by Barry White, that had a female vocal trio. At that time, there weren’t any other ensemble creating live, authentic music. And hands down, there is nothing better than hearing the start of a track and bridge from such an ensemble on vinyl. 

Let’s enjoy this classic from The Love Unlimited Orchestra!

SCREEN: Most famous person you’ve ever met?

SHANNON: I can’t pick one of these wonderful women because literally all of them have made impact on my life. I met Barbara Walters, Ava DuVernay, Angela Davis, and worked with Andrea Mitchell. Angela Davis was a BIG one because as I grew up my grandmother had a picture of Jesus, JFK, Martin Luther King, and her on the wall. So, when she spoke on campus at the University of Maryland, College Park, there was NO WAY I wasn’t meeting her. Weirdly, I saw her go into a bathroom and I waited until she came out to have my moment. Even standing next to her to take a picture, you could feel her power. I couldn’t wait to call my grandmother afterward.

SCREEN: Your  favorite commercial ever?

SHANNON: My favorite commercials are the 1999 Budweiser “Whassup” commercial and the 2023 Adobe Acrobat “Puppy’s Gotta Go.”

I remember as a kid, my Uncle Rickey had the Budweiser Frog cup that said “Whassup” when you pushed the button. Imagine a 7-year-old going around with a Budweiser cup screaming Whassup for a year. Unfortunately, the button stopped working and the cup is long gone, but our family still greets each other with a Whassup!

 As for the Adobe Acrobat “Puppy’s Gotta Go,” this commercial is an accurate depiction of my life in advertising, working with adobe files, and myself having a red Dachshund, named Sage, that doesn’t care about my work when he needs to go. It is so accurate. Adobe should have casted me! 

SHANNON: Favorite restaurant on the PLANET?! That’s a hard one because food is my love language. But if I had to pick, I would say Ship’s Café in Baltimore, Maryland. I am a Baltimore Girlie! Anytime I can have a jumbo lump crab cake or snow crab legs with Old Bay seasoning, I am there! 

SCREEN: If you could play any superhero in a major motion picture, who would it be?

SHANNON: I would want to play is Storm! She can fly and expresses her emotions, even though it shows up as a literal storm. And one of the most beloved X-Men/Avengers romance is between Storm and Black Panther.

Here is a closer look at that romance for Shannon and all fellow comic book fans!

BONUS QUESTIONS!

SCREEN: What’s inspiring you today?

SHANNON: Just experiencing my journey unfold. It took me a long time to accept the phrase “What is for me, won’t pass me.” Now that I have a grasp on this concept, I am inspired by what is to come, what I have accomplished, and what is already planned for me. I am even more inspired by the next generation. I am called the Black Mary Poppins in my family because I make sure to show up and inspire all my younger family members, but really, they teach me so much and inspire me to stay youthful.

SCREEN: What’s that TV show you’re a little embarrassed to admit you love to watch?

SHANNON: I’m a little embarrassed to admit I am still a faithful Grey’s Anatomy viewer and never miss a Thursday. I even restart the series sometimes. I love it because I always watched medical
shows, like ER, with my mom. I started rewatching when my best friend began medical school to stay connected with her journey (minus the drama of course) and then Grey’s became my guilty pleasure when I needed to disconnect from grad school/working at NBC News. Now, I just can’t let it go even though the storylines don’t make sense and Meredith is not even there.

Shannon, these Season 14 highlights are for you!

Thanks for playing, Shannon! For more from Shannon and the team at FCB Chicago, click right here.

Be sure to check back here at SCREEN Magazine for next week’s round of Five Questions with SCREEN. You can also click right here to subscribe to our weekly email newsletter.