For grins and giggles, as I am not going to submit anything to them, I wanted to see if I could answer the questions listed on Oprah’s site. They give you a maximum of 2000 characters, and I doubt I will be able to be that concise. Instead of waxing poetic on my favorite things (past and present), I’m just going to answer the questions or attempt to if someone wants to submit their answers they can go to Oprah’s site and apply to be on the program. Back in the 90s, I could have seen myself actually submitting something, but now I’ve gone through too much hurt as a viewer to feel comfortable talking about the shows without a caveat of some sort. That said if this episode comes to pass, I plan on recording it as it will be interesting to see what kind of viewers they do speak with about the programs.
Are you a devoted soap opera viewer?
If someone fills out this survey for soap fans, I would figure they would be devoted in some way.
Do you plan your day around watching soap operas?
Before I owned a recording device, which would have been a VCR, I did make sure I wasn’t in school. If I didn’t get home in time I would be upset. Also if something major was going on, I would try my best to stay home.
Do you record the soaps while you are at work and rush home to see what your favorite characters did that day?
I record while I am at work, and watch in the evenings. Over lunch, I watch a bit as well to get a preview for what I will see at night.
Do your favorite stars feel like members of the family?
Not really as while I know a lot about them professionally, they don’t know me personally. There are some actors I feel like I’ve known “forever”, but it is more how a student feels about their favorite teacher than a close family member. Then again this attitude may be one I have as I started watching these shows pre-puberty, so a lot of my favorites are a decade or more older than I am.
Do you live vicariously through their triumphs and struggles?
Who is being talked about in this question the actors or the characters? I am happy when characters get what they want. When characters are sad and a performance is moving I may also cry.
Do you remember where you were when Luke and Laura got married or when Erika Kane walked down the aisle for the tenth time?
No I was too young when Luke and Laura got married to have seen it. Is this a trick question as Erica’s first name is spelled wrong? That wedding was in 2005.
Who are your favorite characters? Which couples did you desperately want to see together again? Which storylines made you laugh, cry or changed your life? Which soap that is no longer on the air do you miss the most?
I have many favorite characters, though most of them are no longer on the air as the programs they were on have been cancelled. Again cancellation and issues with actors having other jobs made it impossible to see certain characters again. I’m just happy seeing photos of actors I enjoy, or seeing actors I love to watch in one role still working. There are a lot of stories that have made me laugh or cry. Sometimes because they were so great, sometimes because they were so silly, and sometimes because they made me that upset. The range of emotions can be staggering. I chose my college major based on the profession of a favorite character. Hence I would have been great for this show in the 1990s when I was in college. I miss a lot of soaps that are now off the air. Losing Santa Barbara and Another World was tough in the 90s and losing Guiding Light in the last few years was difficult as well. It doesn’t get easier, but you do learn how to hold on to the memories and the lessons that were learned. The impact doesn’t disappear even if you cannot watch a program anymore or see beloved actors and characters.
Okay so if I was just answering the questions, as posed that’s what I would have written. I think trying to write a heartfelt message in 2000 characters would be incredibly difficult. Over the years, on my blog and elsewhere I’ve written hundreds of thousands of words about my soap opera interest. For better or for worse, soap viewing is part of the fabric of my life. Regardless of what happens in the coming years with the programs, the amount of time I’ve spent discussing, reminiscing and interacting with people who share a similar passion is considerable. You invest a lot of time and energy in something it is bound to change you. Soap operas may be a waste of time to some, and a guilty pleasure to others, but at their best they provide entertainment which touches the heart and mind.
No comments:
Post a Comment