DRW50

No amount of strong EPs will balance out someone who hates soaps. Sheffer bragged about how he wasn't a soap writer, and he was appalled at the basic tenets of storytelling which didn't involve "men with balls" and random characters humping. He said as much himself. He may have been a good writer in another genre, but not daytime. Marland would have left ATWT within a few years, as he had another soap planned. The main difference might have been that he could have left ATWT in a better place. ATWT was actually in good shape when P&G and John Valente began hacking it to pieces, but the year to two years before that had been terrible for the show - moribund, dispiriting, and almost daring viewers to stop watching from sheer apathy.

It was mostly just done to try to make us feel sorry for Craig, as Hunt Block awkwardly tried to force out tears and made weird trombone sounds before they had Carly give him pity sex. The whole story was gross to me, and crass. Sheffer hated soaps and it showed from start to finish. The writers who were forced into daytime due to lack of real options elsewhere and openly expressed contempt for the genre - while being cheerleaded by the likes of Michael Logan and other shills who also saw themselves as being above daytime - helped kill the genre off for good. Even now we have Mr. "Jack Abbott black rabbit," who was supposed to have left the genre for greener pastures, going back and forth. Just go write more for the WWE - that's become a bad parody of a soap anyway.

So Tom knows how much we treasured incredible lines like "Cut the crap!"?

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53695338 Wayne Fontana, singer of "The Game of Love" among many others.

I never blamed the writers for the lack of cameos. Goutman's ego was all over those episodes and his contempt for the show - and fans - was clear. To this day I still resent the fans who bent over backwards to praise him for his bravery in having so few returns. All they got was a dead gay man and a plastic globe. That may be their kink, but it sure as hell wasn't mine.

It was a major story on ABC, Politico, etc. RCP's average has steadily narrowed to nearly 6. Hopefully once the junk polls fade out some better polls will increase. I guess at least it prevents complacency.

I'm hoping Ryan, Karl, or Kelvin (who seems to still be friendly with people at Emmerdale) will cameo in some way, but the timing is just about the worst. I guess this shows just how little they care - not that we should have expected more.

I keep thinking about the cravenness of this, and how our media, along with so many paid operatives, will turn a blind eye while praising Trump for his illegal executive orders and "both sides-ing" or blaming Democrats for the stimulus package Trump and his foot soldiers like McConnell and Meadows refused to pass, or instead trying to make the race about the latest Biden gaffe. They will do anything for this man, and so many people seem to fall for it. More attention is paid to a stupid comment from Biden than people suffering and literally dying every day. Yet the polls narrow and Trump continues to stumble on. This country is so broken it's hard to know what can repair it.

@I Am A Swede thought you'd want to know (or anyone else who wants to read the spoiler) that

I've seen some speculation that Meadows wants to tank the bill for Trump. I wouldn't be shocked. That way Trump can do some executive orders and get praise as taking tough action Congress won't.

I didn't see that until afterward (apparently she has also deleted some of her tweets to that effect...). It's sad how much loathing and paranoia about Kamala Harris feeds the far left.

More updates on the viral photo from a Paulding school.

With the media already gaming the debates for him, trying to push the cognitive decline issue (just a little while ago they released a clip of him asking a reporter if he needs to take a test to prove he isn't a junkie to try to take attention away from Trump's disastrous interviews), Trump trying to sue states that allow mail-in voting and with his supporters killing themselves door-knocking in a pandemic to help him, I can't help thinking it's going to be very close, especially after 2016, but I certainly hope he will lose. Right now I'd say it's 50/50. Missouri passed an amendment to their constitution to expand Medicaid under the ACA. The rural areas voted against it (shocking, I know) and the cities prevailed. Hopefully they can keep their legislature from ruining everything. https://www.vox.com/2020/8/5/21353985/missouri-primary-election-2020-medicaid-expansion-results Lacy Clay, whose family has held his Congressional seat in Missouri since the late '60s, lost his primary to a Ferguson activist and nurse, Cori Bush. Rose Twitter and saboteur sites like Intercept being so gleeful makes me wary, but she may have a lot of merit and will be an effective rep. I shouldn't judge her by them, I realize. Hearing that Clay supported a Republican-friendly gerrymander to keep his seat safer made me see why some were glad to see him go. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/05/cori-bush-missouri-primary-winner-beats-democratic-incumbent-clay

People crave controversy and tension, and the GOP is happy to stir the pot. Some Democrats are happy to as well. I was not surprised to learn it was Joe Lockhart who set the boat out for the "Democrats say Biden shouldn't debate" narrative that is now dominating the media and helping Trump - Clinton-era strategists have done nothing but drag the party down over the last 20 years. Honestly the race is going to narrow, severely, barring some miracle, whatever Biden does or doesn't do. I just wish people who are so concerned would donate their time or money to candidates in need. Jaime Harrison is tied with Lindsey Graham in SC - they should go help him, not wear out their Twitter fingers. But that would mean actually giving a damn.

I think in this case it is more important as they have a huge chance of becoming VP, but I also feel there is a media narrative to try to drag Biden down (they are doing the same over debates). I do think it's getting close to time, but on the other hand, I'm glad they waited because with the pushback against both Kamala Harris and Susan Rice, Karen Bass may have been the choice a few weeks ago. If he had, then the announcement would have been completely overshadowed and ruined by the stories coming out about Cuba, communists, $cientology, etc.

Thanks @marceline . I'll cross my fingers. Anyway, there's a lot of push today about the great registration numbers for the GOP in swing states. This breaks down the reality.

I see that the media has, after getting their early gawking in for the Axios interview, have ignored the most callous parts of that interview and already pivoted to something that will get a sympathy backlash for him (not knowing how to pronounce "Yosemite") from his brain dead supporters. Oh well. It's a primary day in a number of states - probably not much to follow, but I am hoping Rashida Tlaib loses ,unlikely as that is. Here is Jerry Falwell Jr completely obliterating what was left of his and his father's image.

No wonder Iannucci refuses to revive Thick of It and walked away from Veep. He's exhausted with this stuff. Sad to say this type of interview is exactly why so much of the media wants 4 more years.

@sivad40 if memory serves Ben is one who has pushed right wing narratives (and also pushed stuff against Ronan Farrow). The NYT needs Trump to win again and they will do their best to make it happen. The media will declare Trump as winning on election night unless it's a blowout.

This is just going to keep getting worse and worse.

I don't know if it was ever confirmed but I think the plans before Marland's death were to recast Frannie again.

What bothers me is the media is supporting this no-mask push by Republican operatives and officials. Look at the tone of their campaign coverage for the no-mask strategy - "defiant" and "dominating." They are cheering illness and death.

With Kim's hair I might have too - if not for Betsy leaving for good in fall 1988 I would have a harder time knowing. (I still think never having her come back, aside from a few very short bits, was a mistake, but oh well)

Late summer or early fall 1988, probably.