About a month ago I told you all I had received some great news. Life changing news. News that was going to make my entire year better. News that made 2013 worth living for. I didn't go into details because I know I'm going to get some crap for my dirty little secret, that I have kept from my Facebook page. I am a soap opera addict. I love my soaps! I love my stories! Yes I am the cliche stay at home mom who lives for her stories. I don't eat bon bon's though. It's Chex Mix and Doritos. Get it straight!
Here's the thing. I grew up watching daytime television. Before I could talk, my Bushia (great-grandmother) and my mother always had the television turned on to ABC at noon Monday-Friday. Neighbors came over with coffee and coffee cakes, and watched with them. One of my early childhood memories is of Tad Martin (Michael E. Knight) returning from the dead and Dixie (Cady McClain) slamming the door in his face. I think the story ran for two days like that, with them talking through a door. I can't remember the whole story, but I can remember my mom laughing and crying all at the same time, and jumping on the phone to talk about it with her friends afterwards. Even though I didn't watch them all the time because I was just a kid, I still followed those stories. I watched them on my summer breaks and all my vacations from school. No matter what was going on, the Soaps would always be there.
After High School was over I started working right away. I used to throw a VHS tape (what the hell is that?) in the VCR every morning. I would record 6 hours of television every day just so I could watch my soaps when I got off work. I began religiously watching them from that point on. Soap Network, and DVR kept me up to date with my soaps up until they were cancelled in 2011. Even my brother got into them a little bit while he was in college. My family owned a little store at the time , and that was how we spent our afternoons. Running the store and watching our stories.
Devastated doesn't even begin to describe how I felt when I read that my soaps were being cancelled. When I heard the news I felt like I was punched in the gut. Losing One Life To Live and All My Children was like losing a family member. These were shows that I had watched almost 25 years. These were shows I bonded with family and friends over. I grew up with the characters. And in real life, the actors are kind of amazing. Soap actors treat their fans very well. I cried. I admit it. I cried like a baby.
So what does a huge soap opera fan do when their favorite soaps get cancelled? You fight for it. And I did. I fought for my shows. I wrote into ABC every single day telling them what a mistake they were making. I told them they were taking away a piece of my history. My memories. I didn't get along great with my grandmother. We were like night and day. Some good memories I do have with her though, are the summer days spent at her home watching the soaps. Days spent with my family watching our shows. Bonding moments me and the sister in law had. All gone now. I joined groups and I did what they told me too. I wrote letters, and sent emails. Still the soaps were cancelled. We fought so hard, but they didn't listen. My soaps were gone forever, replaced by more reality television. Devastated.
Last October I had the opportunity to go to an interactive fan event with a few of the actors from One Life To Live, called Loving Llanview. I bought two tickets for me and my sister to go see our soap stars. When we got their my sister upgraded our tickets so we can meet them and get pictures with them and autographs. It was the best and worst day of my life. I was so excited to meet my soap stars, but so sad b/c I was there to finally let them go. I was basically there to give up and say goodbye.
After the fan Q&A was over we went in back to meet them. I tried so hard to hold it together. I really did. Got a picture with Melissa Archer (Natalie Buchanan) and talked a little. Made it through without making an ass of myself. Then we got in line to meet Kassie Depaiva (Blair Kramer). I could feel myself losing it a little. I stood in line holding back tears and trying not to faint b/c I was about to meet this woman who I have watched on TV for years and years. The little old man in front of us followed her everywhere. She knew him by name! How cool is that? She gave him the biggest hug and talked with him for a while, while I sat back and tried not to lose it, praying that I could hold it together.
Our turn! If you guessed that I would be strong and hold it together, you guessed wrong. I walked up to her, and completely lost it. I sobbed. I ugly cried, in a room full of people. I was able to get out a few words about how much I missed my stories, and Kassie gave me a few minutes to pull myself together, and a giant hug. This woman lost her job, and she was consoling me and trying to make me feel better. Soap stars are amazing, also they are hilarious. I made it through the rest of the picture and autograph session without any more incidents. We met Hillary B. Smith (Nora Buchanan), Rex Balsom (John-Paul Lavoisier), Victor Lord (Trevor St. John), and David Vickers Buchanan (Tuc Watkins). All of them were so funny, and so sweet. I did almost cry again on Hillary, but I was able to hold it together, since I had already unleashed on poor Kassie. I left the event feeling sad and defeated. I had fought for my soap stars. I fought and lost. Now I had just said goodbye.
Fast forward to this new year. In January a company called Prospect Park announced that they were reviving the soaps. One Life To Live and All My Children will be returning, only it will be online. I don't care where they go, b/c I will follow my shows anywhere. I'm excited to see the direction the soaps will be going in. I can't wait! I know where I will be this spring. I will be parked in front of my hulu + 4 days a week for 30 minutes, probably ugly crying. It may not seem like big news to you, but it is huge for me, and I meant it when I said that it would change my year. I encourage you all to check out the new and improved soaps, and the direction they are going. Do it for me! You won't be disappointed. I would totally do it for you.
Please check out these fb pages for more details. There might even be some pictures of me on the last link. Just look for the puffy eyes.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/paosrevolution?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/#!/SaveAMCandOLTL?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/#!/LovingLlanview?fref=ts
It was huge news to me too! I know you know this- but like you I grew up on soaps. It is the one thing I had left of my mom after she passed. She raised me on All My Children. She recorded it and wouldn't watch it (even though she was a SAHM) until I got home from school. I didn't get into OLTL until later on in life, but it soon became part of my "family" too. It was a kick to the teeth when they went off air, and I'm SO happy that they are coming back! I know AMC isn't going to be at all the same (it will be focused on a core group of HS students) but just to have it back, with Agnes at the helm where she should be- is enough for me!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I still think they never should have been taken off the fucking air for the crap that replaced them in the first place!
Ok, I remember my Aunt watching the Soaps....I should say Aunts.....and if you talked during them, you kissed the floor. I never could get into them....they was boring to me. Having ADHD, I couldn't keep track of anything that bounced around more than me. When the soaps went off.....I said something on FB.....about how maybe they'd finally replace them with something good that didn't bounce around, and why bother watching them when I lived in a town that's nothing but soap operas! WOW.....I got cussed out by a few "friends" and they blocked me! lol I guess for those that watch them, they are just as good for them, as my NCIS/NCIS Los Angles, and CSI are for me. I can't live without my NCIS fix either.
ReplyDelete