ALL: Oprah-Are You The Biggest Soap Opera Fan?

[Sylph]

No! Don't be silly! It's a new term in your soap opera studies! Nostalgia — I've seen, but provincialism — not until now! So I want to know!!!

[Darcy]

Actually Michael Nader was arrested while working on AMC in February 2001 and charged with the felony crime of "criminal sale of a controlled substance" - he sold a $20 bag of cocaine to a club patron at an illegal social club in NYC which was raided by the police. After his felony arrest, he was taken to New York's Bellvue Hospital for treatment of an undisclosed illness (News reports said it was unclear whether he suffered some sort of injury during the arrest or if it was an ongoing ailment - internet fans had been speculating about his health on message boards for several months.)

Michael Nader was also arrested in 1997 for drunk driving, resisting arrest and child endangerment after he was pulled over by police for speeding with his 13-year-old daughter in the car.

[All My Shadows]

I don't think it's hard to see provincialism in soap fandom. I've seen enough deluded fools say that Y&R isn't really a soap opera because it's so much better than that. Please.

[Jonathan]

I remember also he was on Larry King talking about his issues and him suing ABC. I'm still amazed that he was able to get himself on a high profile talk show like Larry King to talk about his problems.

[Gray Bunny]

I'm surprised nobody brought up the HIV rumor.

[bellcurve]

That could have been what Darcy was alluding to without mentioning said disease.

[Sylph]

Let me pull out the dictionary. Because I'm bored and we don't want Irony: The Provincial Chronicles. This time, Webster's Unabridged:

Here, obviously, we're referring to the meaning 2b. But defined this way, it can also refer to people who like One Life to Live but have never had any interest in The Young and the Restless. For example.

So I was looking for some more examples from both of you, what specifically do you refer to when you speak of provincialism.

[marceline]

That's what I was referring to. The narrowness - actually utter lack - of perspective. Oprah should've devoted a week and brought on vets and new faces and writers and execs and producers because soaps are just that important. Except nothing in reality reflects that. Not the shows, not the audiences, not the numbers, not the rampant cancellations, pay cuts, budget cuts, young actors who basically treat soap jobs like a part-time job at Borders. Nothing. But still soaps are this amazing entertainment/art form and damn Oprah for not treating that way. Except she did! She did a whole show devoted to the genre. She had to stock the audience with soap fans because the rest of the world just doesn't care but she did it.

That's what I meant by "provincialism" although insularity probably would've been a better word. It's like when Trekkers fight over Heisenberg compensators or transporter technology. Some (not all some) people get so into the niche that they lose sight of the big picture, then they get pissed when someone reminds them that it is - in fact - a niche.

Like I said, you're bored so you want to see some blood. We had moved past all this.

[All My Shadows]

I was thinking more along the lines of...

Hence, some of the people who complained wouldn't have said a dicky bird if it was an explosion of OLTL love or DAYS love. "I don't carrrre if this brings at least a little bit of interest to soaps as a whole. They didn't show mah Viki or mah Dorian or mah Marlena or mah Bo'n'Hope, so I don't care!!! Oprah sucks at life, and it's all Frons's fault! And Susan Lucci eats babies!"

[Sylph]

Thank you!

Now I have to go and find that post where you explain why Slezak wasn't invited. Your fifth or sixth about the same issue. If you wrote it at all.

That I'm bored – I am. That I want to see some blood – I really don't. I have almost always been utterly annoyed by silly message board wars and the like. One or two were fun, but the vast majority were sheer horror that drove people away in droves. Which is why you cannot really blame me for being bored because there's not much happening here, is there? I come, I click on View New Content. Then I click on Mark All As Read. I think the status updates are the new threads. All the activity is happening there.

Seeing all these definitions... It seems almost banal to say soaps are provincial. It's a given.

[marceline]

I didn't write it. I get tired of trying to explain it. In a nutshell, there's a difference between "Erica Kane" and "Victoria Lord Buchanan Carpenter Banks Whatever Last Name She Has This Week" The characters are different and the actresses approach them differently. Slezak plays Viki, Lucci IS Erica. Slezak does her job and goes home, Lucci loves the fame! She's gonna live for ever, she's gonna learn how to fly, baby remember her name!

The only other soap actor who even comes close in crossover appeal/recognition, and it pains me to say it, is Eric Braeden.

I knew it was more than just the Youthful Essence!

[Kylie]

I think anything and anyone who brings attention and notice to the genre is a good thing. I've seen the episode and I thought it was really good, really well done. It wasn't what I was picturing it to be weeks ago when we first heard about this. I know a friend who watched this on Oprah and said to me, "Do you still watch soaps?" and I was like, "On and off." and she said, "Which one would you recommend if I want to check one out?" I resisted my urge to say AMC and said that they're all good, she should check them all out. LOL I have no idea if she will, but I thought the fact that seeing that made her think of me, and then made her curious to check them out...is a good thing.

[Pine Charles]

I agree, Kylie.

It was so much better than I expected. The fans were enthusiastic without crossing the line into freakishness.

[Dr Neil Curtis]

LOL

[Pine Charles]

Did I make a funny?