Liveblogging "As the World Turns": The Rainbow Reconnection

After months of anticipation, today's the day that we will see Oakdale get its Pride on when Yo's is converted to a gay bar and pop legend and gay rights activist Cyndi Lauper drops by to play a benefit for Oakdale U's LGBT club. Of course, while she's there she crosses paths with on-the-outs Luke and Noah and uses some of her fairy dust to help the couple find their way back together.

Having been on set for the filming (oh, did I already mention that? Silly me!), I'm curious to see what the Dive Bar: Extra Gay Edition set looks like filled with rainbow flags and gay extras (gay-players?) and find out exactly how things fall into place. Will Cyndi help the lads see one another's "True Colors"? Will the cumulative gayness of the whole event spontaneously summon the ghost of Uncle Albert to join in on tambourine? And perhaps most importantly ... will Noah have a chance to cop a feel on Tony before he sees the error of his ways?

Grab your pride flags, click on through the jump, and refresh often to find out ... as it happens!

When this world makes you crazy and you've taken all you can bear...

2:55PM EDT: Preview Time! No Nuke, but Austin From Days in an Uncle Sam hat and Blonde Obstacle in about a pound of makeup. Hot!

Alright, before I go, I have to say that for the first Pride in daytime history, this was pretty damn cool. (As far as Luke and Noah's story goes, not so much, but that's another story.) There was lots of screentime, a sassy (and solid!) guest appearance, an unmistakable message of pride and understanding and the a clear point that gay love is love, and nothing less or different. What'd you guys think? 

2:54PM EDT: The bar has emptied out and Luke is trying to talk some sense into Noah, which we all know at this point is like pushing a rope.

Well, at least they had a few seconds of romantic bliss.

Noah tells Luke that he needs to be in a place with rules, where he knows what is expected of him, and he feels secure. Sorry, bud - you'll have to go farther than the Army to find that. 

Holden almost kisses QOL but GL interrupts when she calls asking him to bring home eggs and blueberry muffin mix. Oh please, Lily - box mix? Alright, I don't like you anymore.

Luke tells Noah that he doesn't think he's cut out for the Army and when Noah says that his recruiter told him he'd be a good little soldier, Luke waves a rainbow flag and asks if he told him that he's gay. Noah says that's not important and that he leaves the next day.

Luke is understandably upset that Noah is leaving him right after getting back together with him (seriously, I'd have kneed him in the doodle), and Noah kisses him and leaves. 

2:45PM EDT: Back at Plato's Retreat Gilded Lily's house, the party abruptly breaks up. GL has picked up on the fact that QOL is acting strangely but not that her husband is doing her. Sigh...

Meanwhile, the necking gay boys go back into Yo's to thank Cyndi for getting them back together, and tells her that "True Colors" is their new song. Cyndi congratulates them and tells them to be proud.

Luke is so excited to be together, and he tells Noah that the farm is empty tonight and that he wants Noah to to spend the night with him. But Noah says that he can't.

Luke's all, "you WHAT?" and Noah tells him that he has to go because he enlisted in the Army. And that means you have to leave right away? Okaaaayy ... Then how about a quickie on the pool table?

2:39PM EDT: Meanwhile, Gilded Lily, Holden, Quaker Oats Lady and The Blonde Obstacle's Obstacle are having a barbecue. I've clearly been watching too much Swingtown because it's got overtones that really don't belong there.

Henry "crossed the Delaware" and "chopped down that cherry tree" and they now have "more wood" and are "a more perfect union" and I'm going to "vomit up my tuna sandwich".

Back at Yo's, Cyndi dedicates "True Colors" to her new friend, Luke. She pulls him on stage and sings it to him. Somehow Noah is back in the bar (he and Tony took off during her last number ... what'd, he forget something? And where's Tony?) and he sees the whole thing.

Meanwhile, the crowd of gay-players sway back and forth to the song. It's sweet. Noah and Luke are visibly moved. Maybe Noah got some of that yogurt, because he looks much more comfortable. 

Cyndi gives Luke a big hug and Noah comes up and pulls Luke outside. Luke asks Noah why he didn't tell him that he was dating Tony and Noah says he doesn't want to be with anyone else, and that all he wants ... "is this".

Kiss! 

Reset that clock! 

2:27PM EDT: Okay, seriously - what's wrong with Noah? Is he ill? Did Tony slip him a Roofie? Cyndi thanks the crowd for helping to end some discrimination and supporting the cause. By the way, she looks ADORABLE. Can you believe the gal is like 55?! 

2:25PM EDT: Cyndi's first big number! She launches into "Into the Nightlife", her new dance song, and tells Luke she's gonna "make his body blister". She freaks Noah, who is either thoroughly horrified or desperately needs some of that yogurt that helps you poop.

Tony has the White Man Overbite and Noah looks like he's going to vomit. This is so awesome. Meanwhile, Luke's giving Noah the stink-eye from across the room and Cyndi makes him spin her around.

There's also some guy with biceps bigger than Luke's hairdo in there. Throw Luke over your shoulder and take him back to your cave! 

2:18PM EDT: Meanwhile, Henry is in George Washington drag for the 4th of July parade, and I'm sorry but I can't help but notice that he's rocking some mad cameltoe in those pants. (or is it "Mooseknuckle"?). He quickly makes reference to his "doodle" being a "dandy" and throws General Foods International Coffees Cafe Vienna down behind the counter in order to do something with his John Hancock (don't worry, guys - that one's on me). 

2:15PM EDT: Boy, there's more Nuke airtime already than there's been in the last three weeks! And Cyndi has more dialogue than Butters generally gets in an episode. The manager of the concert (they've been in a rainbow-festooned Yo's this whole time, btw) grabs Cyndi and as she leaves Luke she tells him that she's psychic. Um, duh ... does she think Luke has never seen Vibes? She also says that Luke and Noah are gonna get back together. 

2:10PM EDT: Luke nervously interviews Cyndi (I swear I had it together much better when I met her) and she explains that she's been a gay rights advocate for years and says she doesn't understand why some people are threatened by gay people loving one another. 

Noah enters with Tony and Luke is visibly thrown, and when he tells Cyndi that he's "over the tall one", Cyndi picks up that he's not over him at all. Who is she, Perry Mason?! 

BTW, in between scenes we learned that Gilded Lily and Holden are also excited that Cyndi Lauper is in town. I'm going to start shooting whiskey any time anyone says "Cyndi Lauper" or works a song title into a sentence. You with me? 

Anyway, GL says "girls just want to have fun", and Holden laughs, observing, "yeah, girls love that song." Right, girls, and your gay son. 

2:06PM EDT: Wha? What just happened? The network just dropped during a Cheerios commercial. Maybe it blew the gay fuse?

Okay, here we are: BAM! Instant Cyndi! Luke goes up to her and asks her if he can interview her for the school paper. He's really nervous and it's kind of cute. She says she never turns down publicity (cough!) and calls that Luke is actually Italian. Must be the hair.

Oh, she's holding a Pride flag. He explains that she's here on the True Colors tour and plugs her album. Then she plugs her album. And then he plugs her tour. Good God, this show's got more plugs than The Pleasure Chest.

Cyndi explains why she came to Oakdale: the people in small towns' rights are at greater risk. Luke agrees that there are gay people everywhere, he's proof of that. Cyndi asks if he has a boyfriend or a story, and Luke nods. He's also got a whole set of luggage to go with it!

Meanwhile, Noah's working at Java. Tony shows up and tells him that he missed him at the Frisky Oakdale Hot Tub Summer party, and is quick to point out that he and Reg broke up because Reg is looking for something serious, which worries Noah. Tony suggests that he go with him to the Cyndi concert.

Okay, then we cut to Henry and the Blonde Obstacle's Obstacle. Is it just me or did anyone think for a split-second that they were going to be on a date? They always come in threes! 

1:57PM EDT: Okay, is it just me or does it feel like it's been a year since the last Nuke episode? Just me? Never mind then.