| AfterElton: How has ATWT handled gay storyline?; February 12, 2008 | |
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| Topic Started: Feb 13 2008, 11:08 AM (375 Views) | |
| lukeandnoah | Feb 13 2008, 11:08 AM Post #1 |
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How has "As The World Turns" handled its gay storyline? by Michael Jensen, AfterElton Editor February 12, 2008 When the producers of the CBS daytime drama As the World Turns decided to have the character of Luke Snyder (Van Hansis) come out as a gay teen, they had to realize that doing so would generate headlines and controversy. What they might not have realized was just how passionately some viewers, especially gay fans, would follow the saga of Luke's storyline as it unfolded. And that interest only increased last year when the show introduced Noah Mayer (Jake Silbermann) as Luke’s love interest. Indeed, the pairing of Luke and Noah (commonly referred to as “Nuke” by fans) has caused a sensation. The teen couple has been voted the favorite pairing on the show by the CBS Daytime Fan Panel, was named one of “Soaps’ best super-couples” by TV Guide, and just this month landed on Entertainment Weekly’s list of “17 Great Soap Supercouples.” And to a large extent, fans and critics have praised the show for its sensitive and thoughtful portrayal of gay teens. But all that popularity and passion by the fans can have a downside when those same viewers don’t feel their favorite characters are being treated fairly by the show. And such has been the case for quite some time when it comes to the handling of Luke and Noah’s romance, a storyline that has left many gay viewers feeling frustrated. All of that fan frustration boiled over last December during a Christmas-themed episode when Luke and Noah found themselves standing beneath some mistletoe, a kiss clearly imminent as the two leaned in toward each other. Unfortunately, at the last moment the camera cut away to the mistletoe and before you could say “Happy Holidays,” angry fans were all over the Internet venting their anger and trying to parse the meaning of the show’s actions. One AfterElton.com reader simply posted “COWARDS!” while another wrote “okay...now they're pissing me off. they deliberately cut away from the kiss, to the mistletoe. what are they going to do after christmas...cut away to curtains in an open window?” Was CBS getting cold feet regarding the storyline? Was pressure from advertisers forcing As the World Turns' executive producer Chris Goutman and head writer Jean Passante to give the characters a lower profile? Were conservative viewers complaining? And if the soap wouldn’t show Luke and Noah kissing under the mistletoe, would they ever show them in bed together as they do every other heterosexual pairing? When asked via email if the show was treating Luke and Noah differently by featuring them in only 12 of the 53 episodes that aired between Nov. 1st and Jan. 18th , (and not necessarily prominently) Brian T. Cahill, Sr. V.P., Managing Director for TeleVest Daytime Programs, the person responsible for the overall production of ATWT and Guiding Light said, “We are always pleased when our stories strike a chord with the audience and the Luke and Noah story has certainly done that. We appreciate all the feedback we’ve gotten from fans of the show, and we recognize the popularity of this couple.” “As soap opera fans know,” Cahill wrote, “daytime is a cyclical medium, where storylines vary in screen time. As with all the characters on the show, Luke and Noah are sometimes featured more heavily than other times. For instance, in July, August and September, they were on-air quite a bit. Fans will be seeing more of Luke and Noah in the coming weeks and months, as their story gets more air time.” Indeed, Luke and Noah have been slightly more visible in the past several weeks and their interactions have been more intimate, at least verbally as they have discussed attending a party that would include nude hot-tubbing and possible drug use, though they ultimately decided not to go. Luke has also discussed how special he wants to make his “first time” with Noah and the show has used the eating of sandwiches in several rather suggestive ways. But has Luke and Noah’s storyline been “cyclical” in the same way as other soap opera couples? Not according to TV Guide Magazine’s Michael Logan, who has written his “Michael Logan on Soaps” column since 1989. “It’s not typical,” he said. “I think that it’s pretty clear it is playing out in fit and starts. It’s gone in to periods where the audience wondered ‘Did they drop this?’ Affairs [on soaps] tend to move much more quickly.” Fans of Nuke often speculated that either complaints from conservative viewers or pressure from advertisers had been brought to bear on the show and that accounted for the couple’s infrequent appearances. “The vast majority of the feedback we've received about the Luke/Noah storyline has been supportive,” Cahill said. As to whether advertisers had balked at the gay storyline, he said only, “That question should be directed to CBS.” When asked if religious groups had pressured the show over its content as they have frequently done in the past with gay-themed programs such as The Book of Daniel, Cahill said, “I understand why you are asking the questions, but I can assure you that we make decisions on how to tell a story based solely on what we think will be best for the show creatively and our diverse audience.” Cahill would know, as the executive producer for ATWT reports directly to him and he is regularly involved in all aspects of the show’s production and storylines. Logan said he hasn’t heard anything about corporate pressure being brought to bear on the show, but has heard conservative viewers have complained. “I know they got some hate mail and some right-wingers are upset. ATWT has an older conservative audience, which is odd as these show are all about breaking the Ten Commandments. But they got gripes.” Given that the show itself is produced by Procter & Gamble Productions, many viewers wondered if it might not be self-censorship holding the gay content back. Again Cahill said that isn’t the case. “Both Procter & Gamble Productions and As The World Turns fully support the Luke and Noah storyline. It’s a story unlike any other in daytime television and one we’re proud to tell. Can a show sponsored by a corporation selling products to Middle America actually treat a gay couple in the exact same way as a straight couple? “The fact that we are having this conversation means, ‘Yes’,” Cahill said. “We are so proud to have relatable characters like Luke and Noah, who many people identify with and enjoy watching. And we’re taking great care to handle their love story and their relationship with the respect, forthrightness and sensitivity it deserves. We strive to give all our fans characters that entertain, touch their hearts and keep them coming back every day.” When asked if there might be disconnect between the show’s writing staff and those corporate interests outside of the show, Cahill said, “Everyone at the show is committed to telling this important story in a manner that is realistic, sensitive and has an entertaining dramatic arc. Everyone involved has done an extraordinary job, from Van and Jake, to the producers and writers. It’s clear to me that we’ve done something right with this storyline as we continue to receive support from the fans and the industry alike. In fact, ATWT was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award in the category of Daily Drama, and Luke and Noah were named Best Couple of 2007 in five different media outlets, including AfterElton.com. And, just this week EW.com name Luke and Noah one of their “17 Great Soap Supercouples.” As already noted, months have gone by with no more kisses between Luke and Noah (not counting a peck on the cheek last week). When it was pointed out that it seemed by not showing any more kisses, the show was treating the characters differently, Cahill said, “As I mentioned, the Luke and Noah story is one that we are all very honored to be able to tell. We are focusing on developing Luke and Noah’s relationship and presenting it in an entertaining and engaging way to our audience.” One of the moments that most offended fans of Nuke was the Christmas episode, which was ironic because for most of the episode it was quite gay positive with the Snyder family accepting Nuke as a couple and treating them just like any other. Emma, Luke’s grandmother, even made a toast to them at dinner. But then came what is now being infamously referred to as the "mistletoe moment" when the camera panned away just before Luke and Noah kissed. When asked about why the camera cut away, Cahill answered, “Since Luke and Noah became an on-screen couple several months ago, we’ve heard from numerous loyal viewers of the show – many of whom support the storyline and some who do not. We continue to tell Luke and Noah’s story in an authentic way that engages our entire audience. The decision to focus on the mistletoe at the end of that scene was an artistic decision.” “My take on that pan was they chickened out,” Logan said. “It looked like something out of the old Hayes code of the thirties. They didn't go there and they easily could have. If I saw a lot more of that, I'd think they were getting a lot of pressure [not to].” In fact, Logan said much of the way the Nuke storyline is being handled reminds him of the way soap operas used to treat romantic relationships. ”What’s going on here is almost reminiscent of how romances used to happen on soap operas. They were stretched out. It was when romance was important and it’s not so much anymore. We’ve gotten away from romance which used to be done much more slowly and subtly. It used to be folks were desperate to see couples get together. This is kind of retro, intentionally or not intentionally. Wrenches were thrown into relationships and it enhances the pleasure, the longing to see two people be happy. It’s different from the jumping in the sack.” And while Logan thinks the show’s producers are nervous about a potential backlash, he also thinks they deserve credit for what they are doing. ”I understand the impatience [of Nuke fans],” Logan said, “but I don't see any reason to blast these folks. I've written about the soaps forever and I see progress being made. I'm encouraged to stick with it. There are a lot of pressures on soaps these days. They are shaky and have to answer to a lot. These are no longer the days where they can do what they please. There is way too much focus groups, way too much research. What they are doing is difficult to do here as opposed to primetime.” Logan added, “The Luke and Noah storyline requires a different handling. ATWT and Guiding Light are considered the most conservative of soaps and more is happening on younger, ballsier shows. That ATWT has it not happening in non-sensationalistic terms is amazing. Chris Goutman who runs the show is a smart cool guy. He's not a jerk and he's very ballsy as a producer. This is not a case of somebody laying down at the command of the networks or Procter & Gamble and doing what they say. I credit him for sticking with it.” Logan noted that the story is still playing out. “This past week it seems like they aren't scared of this storyline,” he said, “but it could be a weird aberration because of the writers’ strike. We’re definitely on to new material and we all know the executive producer is supervising writing.” Logan also said that at the very least ATWT has stuck with their gay character as opposed to General Hospital which introduced a gay character only to then have him be gay-bashed, before simply disappearing. But Logan doesn’t think viewers should expect to see Luke and Noah in bed anytime soon. “We didn't see that with Eden Riegel (Riegel played the lesbian character Bianca on ABC’s All My Children) so I doubt we’ll see it here as that would've been a little more palatable. If we're talking hot steamy bedroom action, will they acknowledge it? It will be a real cheat for the audience if they take it that far and don't show it, but I’m not expecting it.” When asked about fans’ impatience with the storyline and why they should stick with it, Cahill said, “We hope all our passionate fans stick with As The World Turns because they feel connected to their favorite characters, including Luke and Noah. We appreciate the positive outpouring of support we’ve received from our fans and hope they continue to tune in to watch Luke and Noah deal with love and life as part of the larger community of Oakdale.” What might happen with Nuke’s storyline in the upcoming weeks and will Luke and Noah be allowed to kiss again? Cahill said, “I can’t give away the whole story, but I can tell you that a young woman from Colonel Mayer’s past will come to Oakdale and have a tremendous impact on Luke and Noah’s lives – and no, not in the way you might think! Luke and Noah will grow closer as the three young people deal with love, friendship and prejudice.” Asked if those involved with ATWT ever feel frustrated by the criticism over the Nuke storyline, Cahill said “We have been making groundbreaking television for over fifty years and understand the issues surrounding being ’the first.’ We’ve come to expect that our audience is very passionate about their opinions and devoted to their favorite characters and storylines. We wouldn’t have it any other way.” Is the show missing an opportunity to build on the popularity of Luke and Noah by not featuring them more? Logan pointed out it was hard to say just how popular the couple actually is, especially since Nuke’s fans tend to be more vocal and a larger presence on the Internet, while the show’s hard core audience tends to be older and more conservative. Indeed, Logan thinks that in order to reach out to those more traditional viewers, the writers had Luke’s grandmother Emma specifically react negatively to the boys’ relationship by laying down certain rules when they spent Christmas on the farm. ”I thought it was kind of a swell thing to have the beloved matriarch of the show expressing a pretty obvious display of maybe not homophobia, but discomfort with their relationship. I took it to be the show expressing the other point of view, someone who had been on the show and done and seen it all. It was a little salute to that audience.” According to Logan, the audience is probably more tolerant than they are given credit for as evidenced by the fact that there hasn’t been a mass organized revolt. As to where the storyline will go next, Logan said, “I really don’t know.” But he noted, “The ratings for the show are up. Now they are generally number three in households where a year ago they were number six or seven. And Luke and Noah’s first kiss now has over a million views on YouTube.com. That is not something the show’s producers can ignore. It’s a monster number that fits right in with the network strategy of ‘How do we get the young people hooked?’ That alone could’ve saved the storyline.” Whatever happens next, Logan believes the storyline has already been groundbreaking. “I think it will be looked back on as something pioneering. This is a big deal, a huge thing. However it winds up, it will be a big step. But I get the impatience. I really do.” http://www.afterelton.com/TV/2008/2/astheworldturnscontroversy?page=0%2C0 |
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| JaneLilian | Feb 14 2008, 10:43 PM Post #2 |
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After today's fiasco, that's debatable. |
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| lukeandnoah | Feb 15 2008, 08:49 AM Post #3 |
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I know. The entire interview was so vague and after Valentine's, they can not deny they have put a mandate on no kissing. |
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| PsiLord | Feb 23 2008, 10:21 AM Post #4 |
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It's not like they haven't already kissed so the backpeddling is sad. People who are put off by the gay storyline know when Luke and Noah show up on screen that they are gay so they can do what everyone else does when a character or storyline comes on the screen they don't like, ff or change the channel, I do it all the time when characters I don't care for are on screen. They shouldn't cave in to the bigots. |
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