Apologies if I should put this in the actual B&B thread--but as I only watch about twice a week, and have little history with it, I didn't think I should.

Today I came home and caught the last ten minutes of The Talk. Anyway they had the actress who plays the nosey neighbour on Desperate housewives talk about being one of five women to come on B&B and talk about their real experiences with cancer. Anyway, much praise was given to "Brad" for being tired of "writing fantasy only" and incorporating real life and real issues into his soap, and it was implied this was an alltime first (well by Sharon Osborne who prob knew no better).

Now as the Agnes Nixon geek that I am, I of course did a double take... Now having no experience really with B&B I know they did a similar "story" with the homeless in the Fall using real people. Is this brand new for Bell soaps? OLTL of course did this back in the early 70s, and I know AMC has done it regularly with their issue storylines since then...

Bill Bell did homeless stories, one with Stephanie around 1991.

I don't believe any of this is fresh or now. Brad Bell says all this to get attention and to hide what a bad writer he is.

These stories are tacky and offensive. It is offensive to have someone who is mentally ill commit suicide and then say it was noble. It is offensive to have a woman with Alzheimer's presented as a raving lunatic who is accidentally drowned in the pool during a catfight.

Well from the little I've seen the juxtaposition does seem wrong--they have a story liek the one you mention with Alzheimer's--and then it's liek to make up for it he has a boring story where they talk to real homeless people for a week.

I guess my question was is this the first time they've used REAL people in these kinds of stories the way the Agnes (and other) soaps have.

t is offensive to have a woman with Alzheimer's presented as a raving lunatic who is accidentally drowned in the pool during a catfight.

This was particularly offensive. It's amazing that no one in the soap press called him out on it. But not surprising.

Well from the little I've seen the juxtaposition does seem wrong--they have a story liek the one you mention with Alzheimer's--and then it's liek to make up for it he has a boring story where they talk to real homeless people for a week.

I guess my question was is this the first time they've used REAL people in these kinds of stories the way the Agnes (and other) soaps have.

If I have my facts straight, yes, it is.

Although there was one time in the early 90's at one of their many unsuccessful attempts at diversity, they had a real life mentally challenged kid related to a character named Jazz(IIRC). I forget what the "challenge" was, but I remember he was featured as a recurring character on the show.

I can't remember his name either. Was it Kevin? His older brother had a crush on Macy, I think. Their aunt was the homeless woman Stephanie met and who appeared off and on until somewhere around 1997, the failed wedding of Steph and Eric with the sex photo in the Bible. I always liked her.

I can't remember his name either. Was it Kevin? His older brother had a crush on Macy, I think. Their aunt was the homeless woman Stephanie met and who appeared off and on until somewhere around 1997, the failed wedding of Steph and Eric with the sex photo in the Bible. I always liked her.

It was Keith Anderson played by Ken LaRon (1993-1995) and Kevin Anderson played by Keith Jones (1993-1995)

Thanks. Very confusing names.