 by Brian Juergens
Video Blogs
TV Shows:
Find Articles On:
Who's onlineThere are currently 14 members and 763 guests online.
|
Liveblogging "As the World Turns": Looking for Mrs. Wheatley
Today Luke is back on As the World Turns, this time focusing his Harriet the Spy-like energies on finding the dirt on his handsy new step-peepaw, Brian "Wheatables" Wheatley. So what exactly will Dame Wheatables reveal about Brian's past? And how will it play into what will no doubt be the most awkward Christmas in recent Snyder memory? Join us after the break and refresh often to find out ... as it happens! Let's get snoopy! 2:55PM EST: Luke explains to Noah that he doesn't want to ruin his grandma's life but that he can't let her live with a lie. Wheats gets back to the Lily Pad and Lady Drumstick is there waiting up for him and asks where he's been. He sweet-talks her and says he had business and she seems to kinda buy it. Aaaaaand the other people talk some more. Preview Time! No Nuke but I find myself craving crescent rolls... 2:49PM EST: OMG please make it stop. I wonder if I fell asleep during a liveblog my hands would just keep typing "Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"? Emily and Ice Truck Killer meet in the park and Craig of course overhears them. Back at Java Wheats lays some mad guilt on Luke for snooping into his life after all he's done is try to help him. He tells Luke that he and Caroline are still good friends and that his "truth crusade" doesn't give him the right o break the rules. He says that he doesn't know why Luke has it out for him, that maybe it's because Luke is gay and single and he's not. Wheats says that before he goes "outing" him to anyone else, Luke should think about whose lives may be ruined because of it ... and he knows exactly who he's talking about. He storms out and even Noah seems a bit suspicious about his little hissy-fit. 2:37PM EST: The Remaining Mrs. Kardashian stops by to yell at Dusty and Meg berates Ice Truck Killer for not taking his Zoloft. She goes to get a refill and tells him to "stop thinking" while she's away. Tall order! Hey, it's Noah! He's working at Java and Luke stops by to bend his ear about his ambush of Dame Wheatables. Noah is of course floored that Luke is still sniffing his way along this trail and Luke spends five minutes telling Noah about the scene that we just watched. Luke is upset that Caroline wasn't the answer and that everyone looks at him as the town drunk or the town lunatic. Just then Wheatables barges in, barking, "I'll have a venti half-caf no foam latte with a shot of hazelnut!" Sorry, he actually yells, "Who the hell do you think you are?!" 2:27PM EST: Emily and Dusty continue their televised couple's counseling and Ice Truck Killer kicks out Craig. Yawn... Ah! Luke tells Caroline that Brian is his new peepaw and asks her why they split up. She says it's personal and he's a complete stranger. She says she's under no obligation to tell him "a damn thing" and walks away. Back at Mutual of Oakdale's Wild Kingdom, Lady D and Wheatables are getting hot and heavy when he pulls away. She calls him on it and he says that there's much more to their relationship and that they'll do the deed when she's better. She says maybe she should be the one to decide that, and that when it happens it'll blow his chunks mind. Just then Wheats gets a call ... from ex-wifey! He listens, and Lady D listens in the background. Dusty tells Emily she's "mean" and "pathetic". Careful, dude - that's foreplay! And Craig has a rendezvous with his minion in the woods, and she asks him to "throw her a bone". Popular theme today, ain't it? 2:15PM EST: Wheats and Lady D talk about how much fun it is to do the tango and you know he means it because his tie is loosened. Meanwhile, Luke is ambushing Caroline Wheatley outside her office, which is at The College Board. Hey, maybe she'll get him back into school! Or try to get him to sign up for a student VISA... Craig is threatening Meg but I'm distracted by the three stark all-white stockings hanging on the mantle. They look like they're made out of mattress pads. 2:07PM EST: Emily isn't all about backing up Dusty on his "I only shot the Ice Truck Killer because he was doing his Joan Crawford on me" claim. Back at the Lily Snyder Home for Swinging Seniors, Lady Drumstick and Brian "Wheatables" Wheatley are getting tango lessons from some hot little number named Jessica. At one point Lady D whips her rodeo-fringed gam around Wheats's back and bucks like she's ready to spawn. AWESOME. Luke comes in and cryptically notes that he can't stay and watch the mating ritual because he's "got something to do". Yeah, like lose his lunch. With ya, Luke! Meanwhile, Craig has returned to stalk Meg and her unborn child, telling her that he's "seen her knocked up before, up close and personal". What a charmer! Submitted by on Mon, 2008-12-08 14:55. |
 Recent Comments
Recent blog posts
|
Welcome to AfterElton.com!
- Login
- Join Now!
News, Reviews & Commentary on Gay and Bisexual Men in Entertainment and the Media
Meg/Craig/Paul
I'm bored...
The Problem Is...
.... with the Paul/Meg/Craig stuff is that we've seen it 10 times before with 3 other Craigs. it's the same drama, the same story, the same threats over and over and over. And nothing every really changes no matter how many times they shoot each other, shove each other over cliffs, steal each other's women, destroy each other in one way or another. It's always the same.
And about Luke and Noah..... does Luke recall that Noah didn't believe him about Brian and they fought about it? It's like last week never happened.....
Blonde Craig!
UGH!
What the hell? Horrible episode. My god, Rose Nyland is sharper than Meg. When did she become a total idiot? I think I'm ready for the Brian/Luke/Lucinda thing to be over with.
Can you handle THE 80'S ACCORDING TO SNICKS?
Pretty Boring....
As per Luke and Noah, I don't get why folks are complaining
Everyone wanted Luke and Noah to break up, now they have and folks still aren't happy.
Noah is doing what he said he would which is continue to be Luke's friend and people are still mad at him.
Are they not even allowed to be friends?
If Noah refuses to talk to Luke then he's being ungrateful for all that Luke and his family have done for him.If he continues to talk to Luke and listen to him and try to help, then he's stringing him along.
It seems to me that folks evaluate what has happened over the past year as if it was Only Happening To Luke and Noah's relationship to what was happening (with his mother, his father, Ameera, the election) was insignificant.
Maybe that's what folks are supposed to fee since Luke is a main character but I really like the character of Noah.
Noah get's very little exposition and we only get Noah's side when Dusty magically appears so that plays a role in how folks evaluate Noah's actions. I mean no one ever even asks Noah how he feels about anything except Luke. Which is weird given the givens and also keeps the viewers at this weird emotional distance from Noah's character.
Not only did Noah not agree to any of the election related business, but he was adamant in his disagreement, very open about how he felt and Luke didn't give too figs, he just went right ahead with it. Normally I'd think folks might have some sympathy for Noah.
It's not really about lying or not lying. It's about whether or not your lover should be forced to do something that they think is totally wrong just because they love you. Noah never tried to force or manipulate Luke into anything (even the Ameera thing).
The worse part is that Luke doesn't really seem to think he did anything wrong. He acts as if everything just "happened" to him.
If I were Noah, I'd think I'd want to take a break from Luke as boyfriends.
But I would probably continue to love him and be his friend and want to help him.
Part of the problem with this part of the storyline for me is that up until Italy (maybe just after) writing and directing for Nuke was a lot more romantic and touchy/feely and and couply and they held hands a lot and cuddled more.
The scene when Noah got back and the bench scene (same day) were the most couply they were all summer.
Since the election thing started, they have been a lot less touchy/feely so seeing them post break-up doesn't feel like as much of a departure as it should which takes away from the impact of the breakup.
This storyline with Brian really should be an opportunity for Luke and Noah to talk about everything that has happened but it doesn't seem to be going down that road.
"Heterosexuality is not normal, it's just common." (Dorothy Parker)
I Never Had The Feeling....
.... that people wanted Luke and Noah to break up. Speaking for myself, I just wanted for Noah to stop being such a doody head and be a better partner and for the guys to kick it. I didn't get either.
In terms of Luke vs. Noah and who did what to whom and who's wrong and whose not, I think they've both been fools and they've both acted like idiots and they both need to get their crap together. They have both handled things very badly. However, I can't understand folks who think Noah is the perfect boyfriend who's never made a mistake in this relationship. That's just baffling to me.
Luke has admitted that he was wrong and what he did was wrong. He doesn't think any of this just 'happened' to him. He hasn't thought that for weeks.
I don't think Luke and Noah should be friends because it's too soon. They are at different stages in the breakup. Luke still loves Noah and wants to be back with him. Noah feels the relationship is over and they are just friends now. He's already given Luke the 'just friends' line and given no indication he'd like anything to ever be different. It's not healthy for Luke to be around Noah under those circumstances. Maybe once Luke is over Noah like Noah is done with Luke then they can be friends. But not now.
Well, I wanted them to
Well, I wanted them to break up, but I wanted a real break up. Either they could stay broken up or start the kind of hot, highly charged courtship that they mostly missed out on the first time around. Right now, them being broken up is not much different from when they were together.
Wait! I don't see any
ducking his wife
Does Brian's wife know he's a con, but she's afraid? Why's she so hostile toward Luke? Does she know what Brian is like or capable of and perhaps doesn't care and only wants her cut of the loot. Or is there another motive, like revenge, that we don't know about.
He's not in love with Lucinda. We know that now. The whole thing with Luke, I am still hoping that Brian is trying to work the same con on Luke that he is working on Lucinda.
I don't know, maybe Brian was born Bianna, but hasn't had the full change, and is suddenly attracted to Luke, you know how ironic that would be? Explains whey they would want to keep such a 'powder keg' a secret by hiring family.
I don't get the Noah bashing either
I don't care what anyone says Noah broke up with Luke because of Kevin. If my boyfriend, let me rephrase that and say if I had a boyrfriend and he was as obsessed over someone as Luke seemed to be over Kevin during the election (and yes I am aware of the surrounding circumstances) I would want him to take some time to figure out what is what.
But instead what does Luke do, he starts drinking, then starts his one man scooby gang to uncover the truth about Brian. How much time has he spent dealing with the reasons why he and Noah split? It is one distraction after another. If I was Noah I would be mad that Luke seems more interested in outing his new grandpa then anything else.
I am not saying Noah is blameless.
I also think they need to wrap this storyline up and move onto getting Luke and Noah back together and have some stability. It's okay for them to be a couple and have normal couple issues, that can still create drama. It would be a nice change for them to be fighting over everyday stuff instead of green card marriages and rigging elections and homo grandpas.
I agree.
Why him?
Many folks would have walked out on Noah a very long time ago. Now after months of being Noah's doormat, Luke stumbles and falls hard. Who is there to catch him? Not Noah, who was quick to get out when the going got tough. It's Wheatly, who seems to be laying some kind of trap.
Back together or apart. What has the real difference been? There is none. I am yearning for them to break up forever and for Luke to find someone willing to romance him. Since last December he rest of his story has been boring bull.
WHAT'S TO WONDER ABOUT?
Does no one understand that all this is to guarantee that Luke and Noah NEVER EVER and I do mean NEVER EVER become a "real" couple that actually have sex together like very other normal couple in the history of coupledom?
But the lame plot S/L's are so bad, even for soap operas, that I for one find it difficult to believe that anyone actually watches this rubbish on CBS daily. I watch You Tube only and even that is getting more & more painful. As much as I am drawn physically to Jake & Van there may come a point when the only way to watch them will be without sound.
Alas, I am one of those, and while I know I'm not alone, most of the bloggers here seem to disagree with me, who genuinely aches over the "lost" gay love story that began in August 2007 and then disappeared. There is NO Nuke, there is only this rather pathetic kind of platonic friendship. The S/L's that could have developed w/problems galore concerning two young gay guys that we cared about makes me sad indeed that that one brief shining moment came to nought.
Can't you just imagine what S/L's might have begun if Luke & Noah were actually a real, life "gay" couple...instead, the AFA has turned ATWT into an anti-gay soap in my view.
Lost hope.
I have to agree. This was advertized to fans as a "ground breaking event" and instead has made a mockery of susposed comitted Gay relationships. The "boys" could have had plenty of drama issues which could have helped support young Gays coming out, but instead took some mythical road into grean card marriages, mushroom hunting with grannie and student elections.
Luke's behavior is totally out of context. In the past, he was stronger, doing whatever he felt was necessary to help Noah or to try and protect him. Now, he's the defeated whimp? When Brian barged in with "Who the hell do you think you are?" Luke should have stood up, looked him straight in the eye and responded with, "I'm your friggin' boss. The one that signed your contract. That's who I am and I have every right to investigate who is managing my money. Now, don't you ever talk to me again like that" and dismissed him. Instead he just sat there. How many times in the past when Noah asked him to back down, did he tell Noah, I won't.
The writers and producers have proceeded in creating a dysfunctional Gay relationship, and as a Gay man I am ashamed of the image that they are presenting to America - the world for that matter. Where once I had hope, I have abandoned this couple for the most part. They should just break up permanently and fade into the background.
NUKE thoughts
Here were my thoughts on NUKE. I have loved and supported NUKE, but for me Noah dropped the ball. Noah also needs to tell Lily and Holden about the drinking. Previous post below...
It's true the whole Snyder family agreed to help with Ameera, however after that first conversation and visit with the lawyer, they were not part of the story except for a blip here and there. Luke was fully on board with the marriage, that is not in doubt. In the conversations between NUKE, Noah promised how this would not change of affect their relationship. Luke did start to object afterwards (and yes after he gave his blessing), but that is because it WAS affecting their relationship. I have friends who did this very same thing, had very similar conversations, with similar fall out (save the kidnapping/death of anyone's father!). Luke didn't act like that much of a drama queen (I don't remember any stomping), but again had valid problems with the marriage and how it affected NUKE. He was the first to see Ameera's feelings for Noah, and how she was purposly interfering. Christ--they would have HAD SEX the day in the bedroom if Ameera hadn't again interrupted. Luke chose to help his boyfriend do what was technically illegal. He lied for Noah, but the "outcome justified the means" (Ameera lives). The same could be argued about having a fair all -inclusive class president elected at Oakdale U rather than a frat boy who would not support all-inclusive events (Film Festival) or ideas (anti discrimination verbiage in the campus mission statement). Yes one involves a human life. You CAN'T compare the two situations fairly, but Luke was lying to save a life, and supporting his boyfriend to keep him out of the hands of the ICE. Doesn't Noah owe it to Luke to keep his mouth shut? Noah threw his boyfriend under the bus as far as I'm concerned....Hmmm the more I think about it, Luke CAN do much better.....Casey may not have right to tell people how to act, but if that were the case, there would be no dialog from anyone in Oakdale. Casey was correct in telling Noah when in a similar situation, Luke lied (or whatever you want to call it) for Noah, and Noah did not do the same. Yes Luke is spiraling, but we keep forgetting in the confines of the show, Luke is 19. A 19 year old does not think they are going to die, even if they have a bad kidney and that is what doctors & family say. If I were Noah, I would tell Lily and Holden immediately that Luke is putting his life at risk and deal with Luke's reaction later. At least Luke would be alive to have a reaction.
Luke agreed to go along with the Ameera situation. He
knowingly and willingly agreed to it before it happened.
Whether he did it because he loved Noah or he did it because he wanted to help Ameera, he agreed. It was a huge decision and you can't just change your mind about something like that after the fact just because it's uncomfortable.
However we feel about the decision to marry Ameera or Luke's willingness to go along with it to save Ameera, he did agree to it willingly.
Noah made every effort once he was married to Ameera to try to make Luke comfortable, to show him he loved him, tell him he loved him. He only asked that they pretend he was in a couple with Ameera OUTSIDE of the house. In public, on campus, and other places where the I.C.E. might see.
This is something they both knew would be necessary. That's just logical. Luke may not have known how hard it would be emotionally but TOUGH, you have to suck it up and deal. Figure out a way to get through it, make it work for you.
Luke just could not stand it. He moaned and whined and complained. He yelled at Noah, he glared at Ameera (who was never going to get anywhere with Noah no matter what she may have wanted). Luke moved in, Noah was like "YAY, Here's all your favorite groceries and Oh, Here, let's go into the bedroom and be alone together."
What does Luke do? He freaks out because he can "sense" that Ameera is in the livingroom being unhappy (to which Noah responds "Who cares, she knows how I feel about you") But Luke jumps up and runs back to the farm. WTF?
I'm not saying it wasn't going to be complicated for Luke once Noah married Ameera, but really it was just as hard on Noah. They were both each other's first boyfriends, they clearly both wanted to be alone together.
It wasn't enough for him to just be okay with them only being able to be together in private (even though that is what he agreed to when he agreed that Noah should marry Ameera). Even with that, Noah laid a great big kiss on him in Old Town just to proove that he wasn't falling for Ameera (on the birthday present episode). The second Ameera kissed Noah, he called Luke. Like, immediately!
If that's not being a good boyfriend, I dont' know what is (under the circumstances)
I thought them all living together was the pefect solution accept we all know then they'd have no reason to keep Nuke from having sex. Like someone else said. "Pulling it out of your___writing"
But in terms of how the story was received by us, the viewers, I just don't get why Noah should have to apologize for that repeatedly and forever or "make up for it". Maybe some other things (he's not perfect) but not Ameera.
Isn't that emotional blackmail? To keep dragging up the past to make your lover do what you want in the present?
I still feel like Luke just wants what he wants, when he wants it, how he wants it or it's NO WAY . That's part of what makes his character so fun and exciting to watch. But it is also what makes the Nuke situation so hard to stand.
The stakes are higher because it's the only American story of it's kind that we have and we expect a lot more from it
As horrible as Kevin and Mark were, Luke behaved the same way he did with Ameera. No reasoned response, no thinking things through, he just reacted and went ballistic. He refused to listen to reason or be patient At All.If Noah had agreed with what Cassey and Luke were doing with regard to the election and if Noah had agreed to go along with the ballot stuffing and if Noah was supportive of Luke's position with regard to the election and beating Kevin at all costs and then he refused to lie to the Dean (just to save his own behind) then they might be comparable situations.
It is not fair to ask your boyfriend become complicit in (and thereby an accomplice to) an action taken by you about something YOU chose to do knowing full well that he is completely opposed to it.
If anything, knowing how Noah felt about it, Luke should have tried to keep him out of it. The second the Dean called Noah, Luke should have given it up HIMSELF.
But why not just leave him out of it altogether. Give him plausible deniability. Don't tell him you're going to do it and don't tell him you did it after the fact. Then he doesn't have to lie AND he doesnt have to give you up to the dean.
I know, the writers needed a reason to break them up AGAIN.
Why in the world should Noah risk his own education and academic reputation to lie about something he completely disagreed with when it was inevitable that the truth would come out anyway (Kevin would have made certain of that) and he has A Lot more to lose that Luke. Why would Luke expect that of him?
I think the fact that Luke was willing to go to such lengths and was completely beyond talking to and wouldn't listen to reason was part of what made Noah freak. This wasn't just about homophobia on campus or discrimination. It was ABOUT KEVIN and Luke couldn't even admit or properly deal with that fact. He was tunnelvisioned. If I had been Noah, I would have been more than a little bit freaked by the getting Kevin obsession completely taking over Luke's sense of right and wrong or reason.
Beyond the issues of "lying or not lying" (which I still don't think is the point) Noah has no parents (and hello, could there be more trauma around that?!) no family that he's aware of, very little money to speak of and no support network. He also has an independent spirit and a no-nonsense upbringing.
Luke has an entire town of people who love himand who have known him his entire life. Between his inheritance, his grandmother, his mother, he has more money than he'll ever need. He's hardly left out in the cold to fend for himself without Noah.
Why is Noah soley responsible for Luke's behavior, happiness, wellness and sobriety.
Yes, they love each other, yes until recently they were a couple (I hope they will be again because I think the actors have a lot of chemistry and there is so much potential if the writers could ever get out from under the thumb of the inherent conservatism of P&G/CBS).
I just don't get why NO ONE in Luke's entire family has noticed that he is drinking except Brian. How ridiculous and unrealistic is that little piece of writing?
The folks who have noticed (Cassey, Allison who have known him all his life) don't seem to be expected to tell his parents or do anything about it.
Exactly how is Noahsupposed to know whether or not Luke is endangering his health. He moved out and they hardly see each other. But Cassey and Allison DEFINITELY KNOW and have done nothing about it.
Noah is not responsble for his father's actions. Not one iota. He may feel responsible or guilty or ashamed but he's not and shouldn't be. He should nto have to keep making it up to Luke. He has lost just as much as Luke. He has lost any sense of security he ever had. He has lost his mother TWICE. He's lost his future plans. He's lost his father (crazy or no).
If he hadn't been feeling so guilty about Win Mayer's promises to Ameera (and everything else) he would probably not have felt compelled to help her.
In the end, I know that it is ridiculous that NUKE isn't sexually active. I don't think anyone on this site doesn't get that. But it's not like that's some secret or something that is just going to all of a sudden change because CBS becomes enlightened.
Everyone knows gay men and lesbians have sex with each other (um duh) and everyone knows that the fact that this couple isn't doing so is completely unrealistic (and yes, some homophobic viewers are probably happy about that).
Yes, it's conservative censorship and heterosexist and homophobic, etc. De we expect something different from CBS? P&G?
And what? It is a soap opera. There are things that are JUST AS outrageous as this happening all the time and unlike folks who have watched soaps for years, I have never expected "good writing" or "good storytelling" or anything resembling "realism" in a soap opera.
They are racist and homophobic and sexist even when they DO have people of color and gay people as regular characters. All the women are insane adn ridiculous and portrayed using every possible stereotype (even conflicting ones) one could have about women.
Why are we perfectly willing to accept every other ridiculous, offensive underlying message of soaps EXCEPT the lack of sex with regard to NUKE?
Maybe because we actually do care (whether we want to or not)
It was groundbreaking. It still is (warts and all).
They are still the ONLY gay couple on US Daytime AT ALL and they are still the only teenaged gay couple regularly appearing on non-cable television every week.
As imperfectly as they have been written, that is still siginificant. If it wasn't we wouldn't still be talking about it.
These gay characters are not like gay characters of the past on soaps (for the good and the bad) and I would still rather have them on television with the hopes of the writers getting a clue or some cajones then have them NOT be on television to fight about.
"Heterosexuality is not normal, it's just common." (Dorothy Parker)
Okay
Noah threw Luke under the bus when he ratted on him. Simple as that. If he didn't like what Luke did he could have left him, which he ended up doing anyway. Instead he had to punish Luke on the way out the door. That is the worst possible kind of boyfriend, lover or husband to have. You talk about viewers punishing Noah in our mind, when it is Noah who is doing the high and mighty punishing act.
What Luke did was wrong, we all agree on that. But he did not deserve to be betrayed by his lover, especially when he begged him not to.
Agree
What a load ...
of crap that misses the point completely. While a GREAT discourse of the presented storyline, it does NOT address the underlying problem(s). There is nothing here that is in anyway indicitive of a comitted Gay relationship. True to form, even though it's a soap, people fall prey to psycho analyzing the characters as presented.
Here's a clue. You can't rationalize irrational behavior. And in the context of homosexual behavior, there is NOTHING rational about this storyline.
"482 days, 12 hours, 27 minutes, and35 sexless seconds (as of this date have elapsed) since Luke & Noah began their courtship on As the World Turns" according to this very site. Two supposedly 19 year old horny college students, one that married a woman that he's known for all of 2 weeks because she claimed to be in danger. One that committed a federal crime, that for whatever reasons, claimed that it was right while his boyfriend loved him enough to allow it. One that ran after a father believing that his father could be helped despite the fact that the father killed his mother and tried to kill the man he loved. And then attempted to join the military in a further attempt to prove something to his (dead) homophobic father.
All the while every other couple are coupling. Not just with each other but with every one else as well.
Again, this storyline has NOTHING to do with being Gay or for that fact, "normality" in the soap context world, unless we are watching science fiction. It offers little about relationships and how they function. Hell, more people are concerned about their hair than than how they interact as a Gay couple.
And that is an insult.