ATWT fans protest (Luke/Noah)

[dragonflies]

Seriously actors are losing their jobs or feel they have no choice but to quit and some are worried about two people kissing?

ITA!

[Y&RWorldTurner]

It's not so much the protesters who've gotten their way, its PGP's unwillingness to tell the story in full detail. P&G is a very conservative company, and the two P&G soaps screw very heavily to older audiences, when compared to the other existing soaps. They know their target demo and they know a lot wouldn't be accepting of a homosexual relationship. As I said before, if P&G knew they weren't going into full details with this storyline, they should've never OKed Luke coming out in the first place.

But my thing is, why aren't Nuke fans campaigning for better storylines for their couple? Eveything those two have been given have been nothing but subpar, contrived, and convaluted. It is really that important that they kiss when their storyline is written deploribly? If I were a Nuke diehard, I'd want a realisitic storyline that's featured significantly moreso than the two swaping spit everytime we see them on screen, you know? Kissing isn't going to make their storyline any better or worse for me.

As I've said before, people had way too many expectations for Luke and Noah even before the storyline started. Why aren't Nuke fans upset over the way these two were paired, since it seemed to come out of nowhere? Why aren't they upset we've yet to see significant character development of Noah? That's what I look for in soaps and soap opera couples first, not the total affection they show towards one another.

I genereally DISPISE the fanbase phenomena, that's why I have trouble with many DAYS and GH fans who pull the same crap. IMO they're looking out for the betterment of their favourite couple/chracter, not the betterment of the show as a whole.

ATWT needs to focus on getting better as a whole, the Nuke kissing can be apart of that.

[Soapsuds]

Like

Scott Bryce being fired. Grayson McCouch leaving and also Cady McClain.

Read my above post. I am so over Nuke. Yes, it is great to have them on the show. But CBS/P&G/the writers...whoever has botched their story.

[RogerNewcomb]

ATWT reached an all-time low at the end of May 2007. Noah started on June 1st. Since then, ATWT is #3 and has gained 600,000 viewers. I have no idea why the viewers are up, but no one can claim Nuke is hurting the ratings.

This is from the Boston Globe article. I believe after the AFA con call, P&G tried to find a middle ground which is my mind doesn't satisfy either side.

But Tharrington and CBS officials said they heard complaints from viewers opposed to the story line - though they won't say which side draws a bigger response. The American Family Association, a conservative group based in Tupelo, Miss., has received hundreds of complaints about the Luke-Noah romance - particularly their kisses, said Randy Sharp, the group's spokesman.

"It was a big turnoff for them," Sharp said. "The word 'repulsive' was used once or twice. 'Offensive' was used more than once. . . . It was overtly gratuitous. It's not necessary to the story line itself."

Sharp's group championed a boycott of Procter & Gamble in 2004, complaining about some of its gay-friendly corporate policies. This time, Sharp said, group leaders had a phone conference with Procter & Gamble officials, and asked members to contact the company.

"Our request to them was to do away with the homosexual characters," Sharp said. "Your writers can come up with good story lines that the general public would watch and not be offended by."

[Soapsuds]

I think Nuke is a part of ATWT increase in the ratings but so was Maura's return from maternity leave. Analyzing last week's ratings and you can see Maura & Co. are bringing in the ratings. Nuke hasnt even been featured that much lately. So I give credit to continuing story of Jack and Carly. That IMO is what is bringing in the ratings as of late.

[dragonflies]

I never really felt what the big deal about them was. I always thought Luke was a better fit with Kevin than Luke, plus IMO Van carries the "Nuke" pairing

If it were me I'd be campaiging for better storylines, better writing, for actors not to be losing their jobs, stuff like that.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I find that a lot of people really wanted to love Luke and Noah together because they were gay, and that was something different from the typical soap opera norm. However, as a fan of the soap opera genre first, their pairing just didn't work for me. It was horrible that Luke fell for Noah 5 minutes after meeting him, it horrible how Noah came to terms with his sexuality and that whole debacle with his father, it was horrible when Luke was shot, its horrible now with the Ameera crap. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, we all want equal treatment for couples, regardless of race or sexuality. The fact is, had this been a straight couple, many would be outraged over how horribly their storyline/relationship has been told and TPTB probably would notice that and if Luke were straight, they'd most likely try to find another love interest for him. Just because this is a gay relationship, that doesn't mean that many like me can't see that this relationship isn't working in the right way. Hell, most new straight romances on soaps aren't working for me either. I refuse to give away blind love and devotion to a couple that's written for horribly.

I'm a soap fan first, I will not put a couple or character before the soaps as a whole first.

[Soapsuds]

I agree with you. I so wanted a Luke and Kevin pairing but that was dropped. It was better written than Nuke has been. I think they dropped the ball on that one.

I wish there was more campainging to save actors jobs. Those who left and are leaving.

[BinkyMimo88]

Wow, ITA with what's been said. I used to love the L/N storyline -- or rather the potential it might have had, but now I just wish both of them would leave, or rather Noah leave because their story and drama has fizzled into nothing. I think the only reason they are still going is because they are gay, sad to say. Had Luke been with a girl all of this time, this story wouldn't even have hit the radar with anyone the way it's been told IMO.

I'll admit that I started watching this particular soap last summer for their storyline because I thought it would be hot -- I really didn't care if it was breaking any ground or whatever, I was in it for the story, and for something different. And while these two used to be my first concern, they have pretty much been knocked off my radar as I started FF them last week and I now care way more about the other stories on this soap, whereas I didn't before. What a reversal LOL.

I also agree about Kevin -- I've seen this part of Luke's story on youtube, but I thought it would have been better to the story overall had he stayed and a romance been born out of friendship. How easy would it have been to have made Kevin a closet homosexual, or even bisexual. From what I have read, a lot of gays in the closet come off as the biggest homophobes until they learn to accept themselves, and that could have explained Kevin.

As much as discrimination pisses me off, I kind of don't care anymore if Nuke kisses or not because I don't care about them as a couple. They really do nothing of high soap interest and TPTB that have made them both good gay boys that never do anything wrong and it's annoying as hell, because no teenager knows it all. I don't see them as the end game and I think Luke shouldn't settle for someone as dry/dull as Noah. I think ATWT missed the boat in casting bigtime, and in writing for Noah's character.

So, I hope people that are fans of this couple get what they want because it's not right what they are doing, but at the same time I couldn't care less anymore. Sorry. JMO

Hi Zendall Fan!! Miss you over at the soapcentral boards!

[EastMA2]

I really think this whole campaign will backfire on the Nuke fans. I don't believe there is any intentional backlash against Nuke. The research from P&G probably says that most fans would like a better acting partner for Van Hansis. lol. Silberman probably won't get an Emmy anytime soon. He's horrible.

[dragonflies]

Hey Binky Great post

[sungrey]

Horrors then -- what if you recast Noah? No, I better not say it, I might get stuff thrown at me by the Nukers.

I consider myself conservative -- but in no way does the AFA speak for people like me. I'm not the least bit offended by the story. What offends me, like many others, is the executive hot potato. Dropping the ball on the story. Providing no clear-cut direction.

When Maddie was placed in the middle and Noah slept with Maddie, the first thing I said was "bad move, guys!" What happened, in the eyes of some fans, was Maddie became the victim because poor Luke and Noah led her on (and Maddie eventually to depart the show)... that's just bad writing.

[Soapsuds]

Great post!!!

I agree. Bring back Kevin for Luke.

[MTSRocks]

Screw Nuke. I don't know what Nuke fans are expecting here. No offense, but given the abysmal and prejudice state of daytime as a whole, did fans honestly thing that Nuke (a homosexual pairing) would get amble airtime and worthwhile stories? HELL NO. Is it fair? No. But come on, there are far more bigger things to worry about.

[BinkyMimo88]

God forbid you say one bad thing against the character of Noah, you'll have your head chopped off -- IDK why as he's not all that and a bag of chips. That's why I don't go to Van's site anymore. I can't deal with the fanatics.