by Lyle Masaki

What's going on with As the World Turns, Passions and Hollyoaks

While we're waiting for Noah and Luke to get some screen time on As the World Turns and for JP's friendship with Craig to turn into romance on Hollyoaks, here are a few items to hold you over.

First off, if you want to know about As the World Turns' recent shoot in Branson, the Springfield News-Leader covered the event and talked with fans who hoped to catch a glimpse of the soap stars. There's not much to read about Van Hansis or Jake Silberman but some of the fans' statements got me thinking about the significance of a character like Luke Snyder. The fans talk about years of watching the show with family members and when you spend that much time with fictional characters they feel like a part of the family. Unlike other gay men on American soaps, Luke has been a part of the ATWT tapestry since birth; after watching the character grow up, this is very much like having a family member come out.

Meanwhile, Out talks with Silberman. It's short, but when Silberman talks about realizing that the role of Noah was much bigger than the usual acting job, that got me thinking. Usually when you see this much anticipation over a soap opera storyline, there's a popular star or an established, well-liked character returning. In this case, there's been little hype and yet the Net is abuzz over this storyline (which has only been seen for one day in two weeks). I think that demonstrates the hunger to see a male romance in daytime. I've been thinking about what Michael said in reaction to Enrique Iglesias' G-A-Y serenade about how gay men still feel unaccepted by society. Here is another area where that strong desire to feel like an equal demonstrates itself. For years, gay men on soaps have been catalysts for storylines about tolerance, but the Luke/Noah romance would be one of the first times when a gay character was granted a full range of emotions, and not just someone to spur discussions of social issues.

Catch some Passions and Hollyoaks nuggets after the break...

Who's watching Passions? I'm curious what our readers think of the current storylines, because I've been debating if I should feel offended or not. Soon after Whitney discovers her husband having sex with Vincent, she accuses him of risking exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. Didn't the image of bisexual men infecting heterosexual women with "gay" STDs get banished by the 90s? (Additionally, does a woman with a friend who is currently trying to hide that she had a baby with her stepson really get to hold the moral high ground?) Meanwhile, it's looking like the He/She blackmailer will turn out to be Vincent. If that turns out to be the case, he'll be a murderous bisexual who wears a dress to commit his crimes (well, half a dress). Again, isn't this a bad stereotype that should have gone away long ago?

Finally, here's a clip of Hollyoaks' James Sutton being interviewed at the British Soap Awards. The interviewer tries to get a "Kissing guys is icky!" out of Sutton but he dodges that, noting that, after the first time "It's not a big deal."

Lyle Masaki's blog

Submitted by

Lyle Masaki

on Mon, 2007-06-11 15:51.

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The Hollyoaks Storyline....

Submitted by

Anthony D. Langford (8039 points) (1767 posts)

on Mon, 2007-06-11 16:00.

.... has been great to watch. Some wonderful person has been uploading the gay storyline to You Tube and I'm really digging the Craig/Jean Paul plot, especially the most recent developments. The reason why it works for me is because the show is treating it like any other romantic plot, full of romance, heartache and passion. The actors are very good, nailing each and every beat of the storyline and there is not an awkward or uncomfortable moment. It'll great once the BBC America reaches that part of the story.

Anthony

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ATWT and Passions

Submitted by

Jon (2500 points) (511 posts)

on Mon, 2007-06-11 17:04.

Apparently one of the people with ATWT made a comment to Soap Opera Digest that the "standards and practices" department probably won't let them do that much in terms of affection between Luke and Noah. So I guess that means we can assume Luke and Noah will have hugs at the absolute most. If even that. I have a feeling this storyline will be over very, very soon.

As for Passions, the story from the start has been nothing but ugly anti-gay stereotypes, right from the time the block of wood who plays Chad (Charles Divins) went on about his character not being gay, just having sexual addiction, or whatever it was he said. This story is a cheap attempt to cash in on the "down low" phenomenon, and has probably increased homophobia in the public eye.

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The version I heard is that

Submitted by

Lyle Masaki (3516 points) (4701 posts)

on Tue, 2007-06-12 04:54.

The version I heard is that Standards and Practices won't let them do "as much" with Luke and Noah as they're allowed with the heterosexual couples. Considering that they just showed Jack and Katie having sex on a WOAK set, I'm not sure how to take that comment since there's a whole lot less I'd still be very happy to see Luke and Noah get. Then again, the S&P rep could be someone who sees two guys kissing as automatically worse than any opposite-sex love scene.

On Passions, I think if you're going to do a "Down Low" storyline, you'd have to deal with the attitude that goes with it, one that insists that gay sex doesn't make one gay. However, both Whitney and Noah brought up STDs even though the bedhopping heterosexuals of Harmony never worry about any sort of infection.

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Does anyone have the exact

Submitted by

Cylon (814 points) (155 posts)

on Tue, 2007-06-12 16:14.

Does anyone have the exact quote about the standards and practices?

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I've contacted ATWT to get an answer about this. Do you have the

Submitted by

Michael Jensen (2510 points) (7493 posts)

on Tue, 2007-06-12 17:52.

exact quote bout them probably not letting them do much? "Apparently" is awfully vague.

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The whispering gallery where

Submitted by

Lyle Masaki (3516 points) (4701 posts)

on Wed, 2007-06-13 06:11.

The whispering gallery where I heard it only mentioned "a soap mag in the store".

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Best bit from the James

Submitted by

Jay (1749 points) (469 posts)

on Mon, 2007-06-11 17:43.

Best bit from the James Sutton interview:

"It's like a sausage factory." "Bang, Bang, Bang."

LMAO. I bet it is James with the amount of gay snogging that goes on on that set :P.

Talking of the intimacy between Luke and Noah, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was only relegated to hugs and things. In the UK they wouldn't be allowed to get away with that, as shown by Hollyoaks. But it isn't impossible that they could do a little peck on the lips between them...I mean it is 2007 you know.

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I'd Like To Think.....

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Anthony D. Langford (8039 points) (1767 posts)

on Mon, 2007-06-11 19:30.

that we would see some intimate moments between Luke and Noah. The actors have said that they have no problem with having to kiss their male co-star and consider it a natural part of the plot. And network tv (though it has only been nighttime tv) has proven that we can have a little man on man action and the world won't stop turning. I don't think we'll see those romantic moments, but it would be nice if we did.

And you're right... you could not get way with not showing the physical action in the U.K.. They expect to see it. Fortunately they aren't shy about showing it.

Anthony

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RE: Passions...

Submitted by

Mikey G. (419 points) (79 posts)

on Tue, 2007-06-12 01:11.

Well I personally haven't been offended by the "DL" storyline directly. It made me really uncomfortable (as it should make anyone uncomfortable I think - especially their violent "sex scenes"), but I think it was handled...well enough. Even though Whitney did make a few homophobic remarks and Chad has gone on and on about not being gay or bisexual, you have to keep in mind that this is an NBC soap (the only kind I watch) and things take a long time to get from Point A to Point B. The general "moral of the story" could quickly change.

As for the Blackmailer...I'm pretty confident that it isn't Vincent. I thought that for awhile, but last week it revealed that it is disfigured in some way and has been since birth. So I think that rules Vincent out.

As an aside, all of this talk about ATWT makes me wish I watched that show. I'm an NBC Soap watcher since birth and could never get into a new soap that I haven't been following for the past almost-20 years.

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