Dear Frons….SHUT UP!

Dear Brian Frons-

If that is your real name and not Satan.

Long ago I came to realize that expecting a classy, respectful interview out of you was like expecting Sonny or Jason to get out of the mob. It was never going to happen.  You are what you are and I tried to convince myself that for a man who deals with the media all day for a living, you were just incredibly bad with journalists.  I would have monologues with myself about how you learned the soap business in a different time, when every word you said wasn’t subjected to a litany of a million internet bloggers/message board posters and snarkers.  I tried to tell myself that sometimes, some of your statements had to reflect the way things were presented to you by the showrunners.  I can very easily see some of your more infamous remarks coming out of the mouth of the likes of Bob Guza.

But then you open your mouth.

The fact that Guiding Light is nearing the end of its historic run is certainly causing a limited amount of mainstream attention.  And seeing a well-respected publication like The Wall Street Journal talking about it is a sad thing but it could in the long run bring some good conversation about the state of soaps and how the genre can move forward. Which in theory would be a good thing for you…you know with your job and all kinda depending on it. 

But you talking about how GL brought it on themselves by not winning the all important demographic wars? Did you learn nothing from Ken Corday’s foot in mouth in SOD?  Really? Frons I’m not sure what demos you are looking at but YOUR shows aren’t winning the demos.   In fact there are weeks when all 3 set new records in low demographics!  The decison by all soap higher ups to chase those demos are what is killing the genre period.  Related….what demo is it that you are looking at?  You talk about chasing women 18-49….but your shows are routinely some of the most misogenstic ones on air.  And with the exception of OLTL occassionally, GH and AMC showcase women mainly as armcandy and chattel for the men. 

Didn’t your momma teach you not to kick people when they are down?  As a former GL watcher, I admit the show had its share of problems over the years. I was watching during the Amish Reva and Clone Reva years.  I admit the gone off the wall craziness of that era.  However this is not the time to talk about how they didn’t win the demos so oh well too sad so bad, next thing please.  The ending of an ear like this is a GOLDEN opportunity to discuss ways to save this genre. Ways to embrace change.  Ways to re-connect with the audience that if the internet is any indication still exists for quality soaps.  Moaning and groaning about the changing face of the audience while relying on marketing research that appeared to be last relevant in the 70s isn’t doing anything but continuing the perception that daytime is a dying industry that no one is interested in saving. 

I refues to believe that is true.  The sheer number of blogs out there devoted to soaps tell me this can’t be true.

And one last thing Brian….when you are talking about how change can be a good thing, please keep the names Luke and Laura out of your mouth.  You had nothing to do with their creation in the early 80s. You had nothing to do with their return in the 90s with their family.  You had something to do with the railroading of Genie Francis out the door and the decision to write Lucky Spencer as the town whipping boy.  You had something to do with the show’s decsion to create the role of Ethan Lovett and allowing Tony Geary to go all over creation proclaiming how Ethan being Luke’s long lost son and the revelation of Luke cheating on Laura as the viewers being challenged and a good thing.    The changes you are most associated with are changes that most viewers cringe at. 

So in sumation….not your lesson to teach there Fons….and shut your damn pie hole.