Confessions of a Media Ho

The EOS motto is "If it's not fun, it doesn't get done." I really wish TPTB at ABC Daytime would adopt this as its own. They're making things really difficult for me this week, not to mention poor little Pollyanna.

No AMC today, due to events taking place in our nation's capital. On the East Coast, no GH (making me ever so grateful for SoapNet). To be honest, I'm not as sad as I normally would be about this. On GH, they've been setting the stage for "the most horrible act imaginable," and I have just one question: Why?

Daytime has a long tradition of addressing real-life horrors, from drug/alcohol addiction to racism, homophobia to breast cancer. AMC is currently running a domestic abuse storyline (Maggie/Jonathan) and GH is about to revisit something that is probably every woman's worst nightmare, rape. There is nothing about this story that merits its telling.

If it's a means to advance a storyline, it's cheap and vile and anyone involved in its creation and execution should be fired because they obviously lack the talent needed for their job. ("Oh, but this would be a great way to get Liz and Lucky back together; unite them in their grief and memories." Bite me.)

Here's the scenario I've dreamed up. A popular rumor roaming the 'Net lately is that high-level ABC execs have ordered GH to become more "female-friendly." So, in order to offend as many viewers as possible and collect a fat severance package, presto! Let's have Connor "attack" Emily. Collect your golden parachute at the door.

Last week, a reader wrote in to take issue with my pleas for the resurrection of the Nurses' Ball. The following is a portion of my response, and I'm repeating it here because it applies to this column:

"The Balls were hospital benefits, with the last few raising money for AIDS care and awareness. At a time when it was not a very popular topic, GH would display parts of the National AIDS Quilt, spotlight other fundraisers, and feature guests like the mother of Ryan White, a teenager who got AIDS from a blood transfusion and didn't live past his teen years. Sonny donated millions to set up a 'Stone Cates Memorial AIDS Wing' at the hospital. So, not only did the Nurses' Balls entertain, they showed a bit of social responsibility that is sorely lacking these days. (The show also used to mark Dec. 1, the 'Day of Compassion,' in memory of those lost to AIDS, but I haven't seen that in a while.)"

A bit of social responsibility that is sorely lacking these days.

That's all I have to say about that.

P.S. R.I.P., Ruth Warrick. One hell of a lady.