As The World Turns‘ gay gamble sure paid off.
Despite all the conservative outcry over gay teen couple Luke and Noah, the long-running soap’s storyline has bucked the trend and garnered new viewers, reports the hilariously disinterested Gina Bellafante:
Soaps have been shedding audiences for years now. The young, especially, have found their absurdities elsewhere; there is almost nothing put forth by the writers of All My Children that could, in a stupidity contest, outrank a single moment of The Hills.
…
Since its introduction of a gay-theme story line last summer As the World Turns has actually gained viewers, specifically younger viewers, some of whom turned to the show, unpredictably enough, after following the romance of the college-age characters Luke (Van Hansis) and Noah (Jake Silbermann) via YouTube clips posted by fans – new media reviving fossil media.
While the show broke new ground with this storyline, says Bellafante, the writers have not strayed too far from the “preposterous” twists and turns endemic to soaps. Nor does As The World Turns deserve as many lauds as it’s received:
As the World Turns hasn’t done anything revolutionary with its gay kiss – gay characters on ABC’s Brothers & Sisters, on Sunday nights, display their affection for each other constantly – it has merely discovered the currency of the culture wars.
Well, we all know war’s great for business.
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Bellafante’s definitely got a point, but it seems to us that this kiss (this kiss!) does deserve some praise. Imagine a little homo soap fan in Kansas seeing his – or, less likely, her – first happy gay couple. Most people can’t imagine the happiness of cultural affirmation, an affirmation that’s necessary to the development of a new generation of self-confident gays. And, besides, the “preposterous” storylines are why people love soaps.
ColeWake
Love It! This is great! The AFA has been all over P&G for this threatening boycotts of their products and the show….now I find out that viewership is up!
Just goes to show how irrelevant groups like the AFA and FRC are becoming…
ILOVEZ
We need more of this!
http://www.ilovezeren.com
todd
It might have something to do with the fact the ATWT is the least moronic of all the lame old Soaps. The Nuke storyline is pretty actually pretty tame.
Shabaka
Of course it helped up their viewrship! Still can’t get me to watch five minutes of it though. But I get it! To each their own!
hell's kitchen guy
Sex sells soap. Sex sells everything.
Hell-A
I would buy more P & G products to support the show. AFA and those groups need to get current and get real!
michael
I agree. In order for we GLBT to really progress we have to bring up a generation that receives the positive affirmations and role models that most of us do not. I have done volunteer work with GLBT youth and it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
To give love and healing to our younger brothers and sisters is something for all of us to think about. Its also a great way to heal ones own self.
Ronald Wade
I just watched 50 episodes on You Tube after this posting. Terrific & well-done storyline! Guess I am a new “As The World Turns” viewer!!!
wilmajennings1946
I have watched as the world turns for many years now.but i am going too stop because of the gay boys.It is just wrong no matter how you look at it .We do not need our kids looking at such stuff. It is against God’s laws .check in romans in the bible. wilmajennings