Spotted on IMDB ...

[apocalypsos]

CBS and Procter and Gamble have been caught in a pincers attack over a storyline involving a gay couple on the long-running As the World Turns, the Los Angeles Times indicated today (Friday). Gay activists have complained that two characters, a young gay couple named Luke and Noah (portrayed by Van Hansis and Jake Silbermann), have not been allowed to kiss or behave on camera the way heterosexual couples do. Damon Romine of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) told the newspaper that "while tremendous strides have been made on soaps, it's clear that we're not at a place where gay and transgender people are treated the same on daytime as they are on prime-time or cable." On the other hand, the American Family Assn. on Thursday urged members to contact Procter and Gamble to demand that it stop sponsoring "overtly pro-homosexual television programs." A spokeswoman for the company, which produces ATWT, said "We're trying to be sensitive to all the different audiences who watch our show. We do make our decision based on what we think is best for the show's diverse audience and what's best creatively."

Have I mentioned lately how much I hate the AFA? 'Cause I do. SO MUCH.

Comments

[marag.livejournal.com]

::snort:: The AFA is definitely one of those groups where I live in hope that all of their members will develop a nasty untreatable itchy skin rash in embarrassing places.

Either that, or I'll get the opportunity to walk around and smack them over the head with a wet mackerel. Or, y'know, a 2x4.

If the leadership of the AFA were to develop that rash, I would be willing to consider believing in a deity :D

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

I just love the fact that they're harping on the show for being having awful HORRIBLE homosexuals on it when everybody else in the show in currently involved in blackmail, murder, attempted rape, drug addiction, adultery, and kidnapping. Oh, but it's the harmless sweet gay boys who aren't allowed to kiss who are the problem!

[marag.livejournal.com]

::dies laughing:: I didn't even think about that, but yeah, that's pretty much how soaps are.

::snort:: Yep, murder, rape, drugs, and kidnapping are definitely less of a problem than gay boys.

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

My favorite part of the whole not-being-allowed-to-kiss deal is if you ignore that you have two boys who've been dating for a few months now yet still only hug, Luke and Noah are currently the best couple of the show. They can't distract themselves from their problems or arguments or whatever by kissing onscreen, so instead all we see them do is talk through any issues they might have and flirt when they're not having a problem. It's no wonder they're one of the few couples on ATWT who are getting along.

[lots42.livejournal.com]

Mad TV has guys making out all over the place. What the hell is ATWT's PROBLEM?????

[girlwiththebook.livejournal.com]

ACK. How DARE they attempt to get in the way of the eye-candy?

FOR SHAME!

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

THIS IS CLEARLY SATANIC.

[marag.livejournal.com]

::stares:: No, that is clearly hot. Very very very hot. Okay, I have no idea of the context, but I really really want more clips like that.

::goes to watch it again, y'know, for research into, uh...something::

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

Here, this is when Noah still thought he was straight, and they just had a bunch of sexual tension. *snerk*

[marag.livejournal.com]

Yup, straight. Definitely straight. Couldn't be any straighter. ::snerk::

[girlwiththebook.livejournal.com]

IT HAS THE DEVIL IN IT.

Because, you know, only the devil is responsible for me putting off my paper to watching ATWT clips on youtube.

I don't even LIKE soap operas.

soooooo pretty.

[impertinence.livejournal.com]

Oh man, how unsurprised am I? But I kind of wish GLAAD would give it a rest, too. Baby steps, people.

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

I think the problem is that up to a point, they WERE treating them like normal boys in love. When they were falling in love they had two major kisses (which was pretty impressive considering their time on the show and that one of the boys in question still considered himself straight), but then as soon as they decided to become boyfriends -- and between the kisses and becoming a couple groups like the AFA had plenty of time to deluge P&G with complaint letters -- they're all, "Oh, let's hold hands and go take a romantic walk and stare dreamily into each other's eyes! Who needs to kiss, right?"

I might agree with the baby steps thing if it weren't for the fact that ATWT didn't start out taking them, either. They were moving in a direction where Luke and Noah would treated like a real normal homosexual relationship, and then promptly yanked them back into Celibacyland when the bigots started dumping angry letters in their laps.

[impertinence.livejournal.com]

Ugh, yeah, that sucks. I wasn't aware of the backstory there.

[kkgee.livejournal.com]

Believe it or not, my frustration is mostly with Proctor & Gamble.

The conservative wack jobs will always be wack jobs, regardless of how much Luke/Noah interaction is shown. The mere existence of the couple is enough to set them off.

In attempting to be "sensitive", all that they're doing is pissing the fan base off. In this situation, there is truly no way to please everybody. I just wish they had the guts to continue down the road they started on and at least make some people happy.

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

I love how they say:

We're trying to be sensitive to all the different audiences who watch our show.

'Cause seriously, did you see the previews for next week?

[beanarie.livejournal.com]

Dear Family Values and Morality flag wavers,

Gay people exist. Sometimes they're even monogamous and they aren't always dressed in drag.

Respectfully,
ATWT


Dear ATWT,

OMG HOW DARE YOU DESTROY THE SANCTITY OF THE SOAP OPERA WITH THIS PERVERTED AGENDA.

FU,
The AFA

[lots42.livejournal.com]

I want to know the list of shows the AFA think is pro-gay so I can watch them even more.