Fresh from the Associated Press: Unexpected Protest at a Soap. 3/2/2008

The key word in your argument is "history", as in "days gone by". The technique is completely antiquated in this day and age. Could you really see it being used if the scene involved a heterosexual couple like, say, Jack and Carly?

Even if one accepts the "artistic decision" explanation at the time of the episode's original broadcast, with all that has happened since then (i.e. Valentine's Day) and all the behind-the-scenes revelations, I have a hard time believing that statement now.

I am glad that you guys enjoyed the postings of this stuff and I have to congratulate so many people on here for being so critical in bringing attention to both the good and the awful about this show when it comes Nuke. I think that it's now or never. 

As in any community, including ours, there are going to be differences of opinion about almost everything under the sun, including how we see things differently. For example, I saw the "teaching moment" presented in such a false/revisionist manner, that it made me more upset than glad to see it addressed.

What I saw on in those poorly executed scenes did not resemble a gay bashing/beating. Monday's show had Holden describing what sounded like a xenophobic gone gay beating by a couple of Aberzombies who would probably have attacked Emma, Baby Hallie, or Uncle Bob. To me it almost does a disservice to have this incident be protrayed as an example of a gay bashing. These guys did not go after Luke or Noah because they were gay, thought that they looked gay, nor did the incident get heightened after the "f" word got thrown out as it does all the time.

In high school, I found myself in a sitation that could have left me in the hospital/morgue had I not ducked at the perfect moment. Some townies decided that my shaved head and Quadrophenia drag looked "gay." One of the guys in the back seat of a car took several swings at my head with an alluminum baseball bat as I rode my Vespa (for the full Quadro-clone effect) home very late one night.  I was chased for a good 15 minutes until I got a flat back tire after too many James Bond-like stunts based on not wanting to die. I wound up taking off on foot and hid behind a bush. These guys, total strangers to me, meant business. Even in liberal Northern California, this nightmare was taken as a joke by the police. Even though they did not touch me due to my survival instincts, that incident will always be a part of me that I wish were not. 

In retrospect, that incident may have been a classic example of my attire pissing someone off as it made them think that I was gay. I even had less experience than Luke as I was in my 20s before I even held another guy's hand, but the point is that it was something about my "gay" look was the impetus for the attack. Had Luke and Noah been nuzzling as the Aberzombies drove by......... then they would have been on to something. Even a little HRC sticker on the car. ANYTHING except just running into drunken college guys in a low rent Deliverance-like scenario. I see this as continue opportunism by the showrunners to continue to use of Nuke for ratings and unearned respect. People want to see them expressing their love as that would be the revolutionary element they they talk about. If they want to go with what they think "diverse" people will tolerate (beatings, HIV, AIDS, loneliness) they are doing nothing new. They get no credit for me on this.

The only credit that I do give them is that, they put on a heck of a fun show yesterday and I have not seen one in a while. There was bo Luke or Noah in site, but it was fun. It appears that shows currently airing were written by none other than Chris Goutman, who had been co-writing with Jean Passanante beforfe the strike. If Goutman can do this bette without Passanante, he should fire her, tackle showing what he can do as head writter, or find a replacement and show that he's hearing the fans via better management of existing talent and better casting choices.

I am now blogging the show elsewhere but focusing on the whole show, not just Nuke. I am also working on a fun video blog and even doing some odd/silly puppetry to try to find other ways to enjoy the spirit of the show and make people laugh. I'll let you know when there is something for me to share with you.

To see some of the junk in my trunk: http://www.myspace.com/gserritiello

All ideas, suggestions, craziness are welcome. as I will continue my Nuke-specific stuff here.