As My World Turns - Why I care?

I have been a devoted fan of As The World Turns for 50 years. When it was cancelled, I lost interest in the genre because I honestly felt that a serial drama's worth and importance was based on it's history. I grew up with the Hughes and Lowell families; and listened to my mother's daily recountings of Lisa's antics and the drama with Penny, Jeff, Ellen and the Stewarts. I watched through the '60's, '70's, '80's, '90's and to the finale in 2010.

I have run a home-based business for the past 25 years. Watching ATWT every afternoon for my lunch break became my daily 'pleasure'. I was never obsessed, wrote a fan letter, joined a fan club or even tried to talk to my neighbors and family about the show. It was MY private time - my one hour of fantasy. My husband is not a fan of soaps or even fiction (other than Steinbeck and the classics) , but he never once said anything negative about my interests.

Don McLaughlin and Helen Wagner
as Chris and Nancy Hughes

When ATWT went off the air, I was somewhat lost. My 'reel' family was gone. Not just one character, all the characters. It doesnt matter to me that the executives have said that it was their time to 'go'. Marie Masters said in an interview, "Dont be sad that we are gone, be happy that we were here at all". Yes, I have 50 years of memories to fall back on through my albums and reflections with my fb friends. But, I am here because  I want more. I am not happy that ATWT is gone from my life. And, I intend to do something about it. I am not here to win a popularity contest and make the best fan page or even have the most fb friends. I am only here for three reasons.

First, to HONOUR my 'story', As The World Turns. I want to give back to the actors and writers that gave me pleasure for half a century.

Cast photo 2006

Second, to HELP save the entire SOAP OPERA storytelling history that IS the DAYTIME SERIAL DRAMA. I am not interested in which network and which executive is negatively responsible for dishonouring the genre. They all are. I know that, and you know that. Whining about it and having power struggles on the internet doesnt serve any purpose, whatsoever. That's why social media is important. It is where we can all meet and prove that fans can actually interact and unite for a common purpose.

 

Don Hastings and Kathryn Hays
on the last day on set

My third reason for being here is directly related to the people I have met on this social nework. I arrived here by accident last July when I was making a digital scrapbook as a tribute to ATWT before it went off the air. I stayed and I fell in love with facebook friends who shared a common interest. I have had a few difficulties along the way, but I am here for the love of my 'story'. I know most of you are here for exactly the same reason (whether your soap was GL, AMC, OLTL or ATWT). I will make a difference because I want to, not because I need to. And no one can take that away from me. I am here for the fans, ATWT and myself. And so are you.

Here is the interview with Don Hastings and Kathryn Hays, shortly before the end of ATWT. It is so heartfelt, honest and revealing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9ez4GvopGg

  
    

Helen Wagner and Eileen Fulton

I first started watching As The World Turns in 1960, just as Lisa Miller came to Oakdale. My mother watched Search for Tomorrow, the Edge of Night and As The World Turns. She would talk to me about what was happening in each of these serials. As a child, I became interested in Ellen Lowell's search for the son she had given up for adoption. I watched on sick days, holidays, summer vacations and loved the Christmas shows. I watched through High School, University and into adulthood. My best conversations with my mother always were when she would tell me what happened on ATWT. In the '90's (when the veteran actors were summarily dismissed in favour of young storylines that were not related to the core families), my mother lost interest in ATWT and started watching 'Coronation Street' and the Australian soap, 'Neighbors'.

The only time I would ever consider myself to be an 'obsessed' fan, was during the Douglas Marland years. In 1982, when Tom and Margo (Justin Deas and Margaret Colin) were running from Mr. Big in the jungle, I refused to go to the hospital, while I was in labour with my son. I watched the day's episode on a tiny 12 inch black and white screen (before I had a VCR). I was mezmerized by the love story, during contractions. My son was born a few hours later.  I often didn't care for the somewhat contrived storylines in the last years and the disrepect to the veteran actors, but I still watched; and never stopped. I couldn't. As The World Turns, the characters, the actors and even the writers gave me stories for half a century that I could relate to as some of the best memories of my life.

When news of the cancellation of ATWT came, I wasn't concerned because I heard that there was hope it would be picked up by someone else, including Lifetime. In June 2010, I obtained my first laptop and I joined facebook. I had already made several digital scrapbooks of vacations and my family, so I decided to make a scrapbook of ATWT. I had saved several photos from the 50th anniversary on the hard drive of my main computer; and I was quite dismayed when I found out that CBS had removed them. So, I needed to keep the memories of ATWT alive for myself. And, I had to do it in a hurry. I had no intention of sharing my scrapbook album. While I was scouring the internet for any pictures of ATWT, I discovered the facebook fan pages.I copied some pictures, made my tribute album and started to look at some of the comments on the fan pages.



Eileen Fulton and Michael Swan

One day, Michael Swan made a comment on the ATWT page.
I was completely awestruck. That was one year ago. I made my first comment (something like a true fan > "Hello Mr. Swan. I loved your portrayal as Duncan on ATWT"). I was 'hooked'. I sent my first friend requests to Micahel Swan, himself. I was like a 'kid in a candy store', when Michael Swan became my first celebrity facebook friend. I read on his wall that a lady by the name of Martha ...... wrote something to him. I immediately recognized the name as that of Martha Byrne (my wonderful Lily/Rose). I had finished my scrapbook tribute, so I sent it to her. I was absolutely thrilled when Martha ......... messaged back that she loved the album and really appreciated my efforts. She suggested that I share it with all the fans and on her fan page. I also saw a comment by Anthony Herrera and he also accepted my friend request. I was in 'fan heaven'.

Martha Byrne at the 2011 Daytime Emmys

I decided to post my scrapbook pages on the fan pages. I had joy in my heart that other people could see the memories, photos and tributes to MY favourite family generational daytime drama. That was the start of my heartfelt desire to not only save ATWT but the genre, itself. I joined the campaign to try to save ATWT, signed petitions, wrote letters and compiled testamonials for later use.

I was persuaded to make my own fan based fb page. So, in late October 2010, although, I was not proficient with my computer skills or facebook, I set up my fan facebook page. It was a true fan page with my tribute albums, photos, videos and I amassed many new fb friends that had a similar love of ATWT (even though it was now gone).

 In November, Colleen Zenk had expressed a desire to be on Dancing with the Stars. One of her close personal friends started a group page called Colleen Zenk Deserves to be on DWTS. Colleen opened up her personal page to accept friend requests form ALL her fans. We were ALL thrilled that we could give back to this fantastic woman, all that she had given her fans for 30 years. In a few short months, the group has 10,000 + fb members.

Colleen Zenk

I sent a personal message to Ms. Zenk  about how I felt about, not only her performance as Barbara Ryan on ATWT, but my admiration for her as an individual and as a two-time cancer survivor. Colleen Zenk sent back a most touching and heartfelt correspondences that I will always keep close to my heart.

In late February, I was directly involved with getting a facebook group started, with the express purpose of getting fan support to be in the position to ask Oprah Winfrey to consider adding As The World Turns and Guiding Light on her OWN network. We didn't care if she would consider new production, high quality reruns or even a soap talk show that would feature Martha Byrne. Oprah is the richest woman in the world. She showed an interest, her new channel was not doing well, and we had the idea. We worked the group with many fabulous posts, videos, and 'memories'. We wanted it to be a page that Oprah could go and see how much the fans cared about the losts shows.

After the ABC soaps were cancelled in April, the group changed it's focus away from Oprah and OWN and tried to support the campaign to save the entire genre. It is an uphill battle, especially since ATWT was part of the P&G legacy that has yet to be penetrated. If only we could get reruns on a dedicated cable soap channel or maybe even new production on the internet. And it would be a dream come true if DVDs of classic episodes could be made available.

Don Hastings and Kathryn Hays

Within the next five years, everything will be different. Technology is moving so fast, we will see what is in store for the serial drama. Storytelling will not die. From Aesop to Shakespeare to Dickens and Steinbeck to Dan Brown and then to radio serials, soaps on the 3 networks to the internet - society is ever-evolving. I hate reality television. I see absolutely no worth or merit. I call it 'fluff'. Who knows how we will be watching 10 years from now - cable/satellite, internet, tablets and iphones. Who knows if the television screens will even be around. I would hate to think that the scripted drama will not be around for my grand children to enjoy. Storyltelling will always be a way, not only into a fantasy world, but a way to deal with issues, societal mores and an insight into relationships . We all need a good 'story'.

Rosemary Prinz and Don Hastings as
Penny and Bob Hughes

I had always been reluctant to watch any other soap, because I didn't have any personal history; and I truly believe that, for me, that is the most important part of being a devoted fans love of a particular serial drama. I feel you must be able to relate to a character's personal history and develop a relationship with the families, town and life on the 'reel'. I can do that with ATWT. I always could.

Now, my 'story' is gone and I am left with memories, scrapbooks, a definite, small hope for the future and best of all, facebook friends that have shown me that a cliche can be true - 'even though a door closes, a window may open'.

That is why I have started writing this blog. That is why I made a facebook page dedicated to As The World Turns and it's cast and crew. That is why I became involved in groups and campaigns to save the genre. I do this for myself and for my 'friends' - you know who you are. Thank you.

Angie.