GH: August 2024 Discussion Thread

[Contessa Donatella]

"Poor Kate" does not have to do anything of the kind. She chose to speak up at this juncture & in doing so, basically she stepped in it rather than go around. 

As fan campaigns go, today has been rather amazing. I have personally been involved with 2 that prevailed. AW saving Donna Love. The flip side to that is that we lost Frankie Frame. Then, DAYS Alarr but in a very real way it was Fran Drescher & her people that actually got the creep fired. Today is mostly making fans feel better over the loss of yet another LGBTQ+ pairing.. Every single time this happens people tell themselves never again. But when they dangle that carrot, mostly people bite. 

[Sapounopera]

I don't see soaps as a  crussade. I love SON because the posters are smart and have discussions on a different basis. Sometimes I read old threads, almost like a book. I was very specific in my comment about crazed fans who obsess over couples and demand to write the show themselves. Think GL and ATWT. 

The GH lesbians were not even as important as the P&G "supercouples". How do you know that they are not recasting or bringing a new girl for Kristina?

The real issue is that they are keeping a character nobody likes because they are obsessed with name actresses and desperate for a new Sonny pairing. Which is stupid. 

Watching soaps is a totally different experience for you than it is for me. And that's ok. 

Edited August 16, 2024 by Sapounopera

[Contessa Donatella]

I don't see soaps as a crusade either although I have been involved in fan activism. But, those were specific situations. Obviously I have been a fan of many more soaps with no fan activism involved at all. Say a ratio of 47 none to 3 some. I have no idea who you are referring to unless it was one of GL's more ridiculous couples wars. To me that has nothing in common with my own experiences. I think I experience soaps pretty typically. I honestly have no idea how you do. My only other experience with fan campaigns was Last Tango in Halifax & they literally killed half of the lesbian couple in Season 3. SON is one site where I go. 

[Sapounopera]

I never mentioned you in my post and I don't believe there is such thing as soap activism. I don't even know what this is supposed to mean. That's ok.  But your experiences having nothing to do with my post, I was talking about the Mansi tweet. It's all good Contessa. 

[ranger1rg]

Even if that's true, it certainly didn't help the ratings. We all know what's happened to the numbers in the last few months.

I agree with others that Kate Mansi could have handled this easily, and much better. Why she chose another route, we'll never know. Maybe she is like some of us -- including me -- who can't walk away from internet trolls or comments that are off-base. Maybe she was fine with Kristina being bi/gay but didn't like the Blaze story as written. Maybe she just didn't get along with JGL and the feeling was mutual.

I never liked the Kraze story. A female partner for Kristina, fine. But I never bought that Blaze was a musical star or performed in concert. I never bought that she was popular on social media. JGL did not work for me in that role.

I'm gay and I'm glad she's gone. Sadly, her pathetic and disgusting homophobic mother is still around.

I don't think Frank is keeping the homophobe around. He's slobbering over Eva LaRue and -- once again -- COMPLETELY ignoring what fans think and want.

I've seen posts on X from soap fans I just about always agree with slamming Kate Mansi. I've stayed out of it -- rare for me. I think they're wrong on so many levels, but like KM responding, it's a losing game if I counter anyone.

[Contessa Donatella]

The Nielsens represent only one, out of 4, ways of watching the show. I'm more interested in GH being #2 on Hulu 2 weeks ago. And, we have no clue about people watching on abc.com or the app. Even when you look at the Nielsens GH in the demos is often ABC's best show. They always beat the ABC & NBC news shows & The Talk. They often beat The View, Today 3rd Hour & Today Hoda & Jenna. I don't think Disney cares about the CBS soaps. It's possible that the lesbian is being sacrificed on the altar of 20 weeks with less than 2 million viewers. 

 

[carolineg]

The thing about all this is no one is asking Mansi to join a Blaze/Kraze fan campaign.  They are slamming her.  If Kraze has so many fans their time would be better spent writing, emailing, organizing a well thought out campaign to send to TPTB on GH.  Not harassing Kate Mansi.  Just saying...

[Sapounopera]

But the lesbian was not the only one to go, right? 

[ranger1rg]

I don't think it's fair to say "the lesbian is being sacrificed" since we know that MANY other characters and plots were sacrificed. Because of writer changes and 180-degree turns, GH has been all over the place.

I understand your point about ratings and the Nielsens. And yes, GH does beat all the other shows you mentioned, but it's also much more expensive to produce.

Regardless, my point about the ratings was that although Kraze might have brought GH new viewers, they did nothing to stop the slide in overall viewership. I honestly don't think ANY couple or pairing is going to spike ratings considerably. Years ago, bringing back a soap star or a big name guaranteed a jump in viewership. No longer.

What can I say? The way GH has handled gay couples and relationships over the years is maddening and disgusting. I'm angry about it. Did that get me to stop watching? No. That's the power and addiction of soap opera.

[Contessa Donatella]

I'm sorry. Who is it you are thinking of?

I agree. 

 

[Sapounopera]

Michael Easton and several others like Michael Harrison, Michael E. Knight, James Patrick Stuart?

[Contessa Donatella]

You said the way you & I experience soaps is apparently to you very different. That is mentioning me. 

I am amazed. Tom Freeman got the Seattle affiliate to put AW back on the air.

BITD, working with Eddie & his AWHP, fan activism for Another World certainly not only existed but accomplished things. Of course, the actors were working with us also.

But, you don't have to believe it ir you don't want to. 

 

 

Michael Easton, like Roger Howarth, both problematic actors held over from OLTL. Who is this Harrison fella? And, JPS has come & gone, repeatedly over the years. Is it known that he is gone for good now? I don't recall any news to that effect.

I do recall that Marty, Cyrus & one other who I'm forgetting, we were told they would be resting them, off canvas.

[Sapounopera]

I meant that I didn't mention you in my original post Contessa. 

Since English is not my first language, I looked activism up. I doubt saving Donna from a serial killer on AW has anything to do with it. BTW I am sure everyone is fed up with us by now.  
 

activism

/ˈaktɪvɪz(ə)m/

 

noun

 

1. the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change.
   
    

    

    

[ElleWoods]

Exactly. People need to leave her alone and stop blaming her for things she can't control. 

[Sapounopera]

And "Jac" was modern day Helen Gallagher, right? Or her arrival was similar to Joan Collins on Dynasty and Heather Locklear on Melrose Place? Please.

Edited August 16, 2024 by Sapounopera