Don’t drop the soap opera

The love affair between two young men on the venerable CBS soap opera

“As the World Turns” has triggered a protest campaign by angry viewers.

the Associated Press is reporting March 2nd.

Viewers are upset over the kissing scenes,

the lack of kissing scenes, actually.

Fans of the fictional romance between Luke Snyder

and Noah Mayer are baffled about why the two characters

haven’t kissed on-screen since September,

wondering whether it’s a sign of squeamishness by CBS

or show sponsors Procter & Gamble Co.

The fans have started a letter-writing campaign,

posted an online petition and even have a Web site

that counts the days, hours, minutes and seconds

since Luke and Noah last locked lips.

“We totally support this show and applaud the show f

or doing this story line,” said Roger Newcomb, a computer worker

from New York’s northern suburbs and the man behind the campaign.

“We just don’t understand why they have to be censored or treated differently.”

“As the World Turns,” which premiered in 1956, had the first gay male character in daytime drama in 1988. Last August was another milestone—believed to be the first time two gay men kissed on a soap—when Luke surprised Noah with the sign of affection.

They kissed again in September, at a time Noah was still coming

to grips with being gay. But since officially have become a couple.

Fans first sensed the new attitude around Christmas,

during a tender scene where the two men proclaimed their love

for one another. It was clear they were about to kiss,

but the camera instead panned up and focused on some mistletoe.

“I’ve been watching soaps for decades,” Newcomb said, “and that doesn’t happen.”

Valentine’s Day featured fantasy sequences involving several of

the show’s couples. All the stories ended in a kiss,

except for Luke and Noah’s. They hugged.

That’s when the campaign started.

The soap’s producers seem to want it both ways,

to get credit for having a gay couple but no backlash

from long-term viewers for showing intimacy,

said Carolyn Hinsey, editor of Soap Opera Weekly.

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