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Love and Marriage on Guiding Light

September 11, 2009 4:16 PM

As the lights begin to dim on the 72-year-old soap opera "Guiding Light," Kim Zimmer and Robert Newman - Reva and Josh - talk about their multiple marriages.

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by angry-viewer September 30, 2009 6:37 AM EDT
Dear Nina Eaglin/Letters:
I am writing to complain about David Martin?s interview with General Stanley McChrystal (September 27), the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Though McChrystal was transparently campaigning for more funding for war, Martin asked not one tough question, not one challenging follow-up. Despite the fact that McChrystal's arguments might have been lifted from Westmoreland's Vietnam playbook, Martin raised not a peep of doubt or skepticism about the feasibility of the General's plans. Viewers might have learned, for instance, that there are currently MORE U.S. military personnel in Afgahnistan (including private contractors) than the Soviet Union had at the peak of its occupation in the 1970s. Nor did Martin question any of the basic assumptions about why the U.S. is there, or what its mission is.
McChrystal has a public record of what can at best be characterized as poor judgement, and at worst as outright deceit and rank propaganda. Recall the 2003 Pentagon press briefings on the progress of the Iraq war, where he offered this zinger: "I could anticipate that the major combat engagements are over.? McChrystal also headed the unit that found and killed Abu Musab al-Zarquai, Task Force 6-26. That unit was notorious for its frequent use of torture. And McChrystal was involved in the cover up of the Pat Tillman friendly fire incident. Even a tepidly critical journalist would have broached these subjects, but Martin touched on none of this. He seemed more interested in gushing over a U.S. "war hero," admiring the General's personal qualities (even likening him to a monk).
I was shocked and kind of awed by the story's sheer propaganda. An old Soviet journalist couldn't have produced a better piece for the USSR's adventures in Afgahnistan. I don't expect radical muckraking journalism from 60 Minutes, but this kind of "news" has no place in a free press.
Sincerely,
Andrew Gebhardt
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by gone2abc September 24, 2009 12:45 PM EDT
I totally agree. CBS has killed their own daytime ratings. In my area they air infomercials every week day from 10-11 AM. That would have made a good spot for another game show since it precedes The Price Is Right. Guiding Light was pre-empted A LOT and that was the only soap I followed on a regular basis. Most of the time I miss Y&R but can always catch up on Soapnet. Since they have dropped GL I don't want to get caught up in their other soaps because they'll probably drop them too. I've turned to ABC soaps now. Since they've "turned off the light". I've turned off CBS. I watch none of their programs, day or night. Not even my local news since I can watch that elsewhere. Loyalty has meant nothing to them. More infomercials. game shows and talk shows is what they know best. Goodbye CBS..............
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by dhenriks September 20, 2009 12:47 PM EDT
CBS I have been following The Guiding Light since I was 7 years old and am now 62 which is 55 years! I have been on vacation since September 4th and not where I could access television but had no worries as I thought I would be able to watch all the segments when I got home on your webiste. HOWEVER I AM FROM CANADA AND YOUR WEBSITE DOES NOT ALLOW CANADIANS TO WATCH THE SEGMENTS!!!!! YOU HAVE TRANSMITTED MY ONLY SOAP OPERA I WATCH TO OUR COUNTRY AND NOW I AM NOT ABLE TO SEE THE END! THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!!! Yes I am upset with CBS and if I can find an address I will be writing a "snail mail letter" to your station! Doreen in Canada
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by WVLittlebetsy316 September 19, 2009 6:11 PM EDT
how could you take off the guilding light it was the best soap that you had on the air. yes i watch the y &r , as the world turns , and the bold & beautiful , but they can not take the place of the guilding light, no game show can replace them. bring back the guilding light , where you left off. with reva and josh togather again, and the rest of them . don't care if i ever watch another show on cbs after as the world turns again.
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by sidw1000 September 18, 2009 5:18 AM EDT
Today is a day of mourning for all of us Guiding Light Fans. For a lot of us this is our extended family. I have been watching for over 30 years and feel that I have grown up with most of the actors.I cannot imagine a day without Guiding Light...now I am forced too. I can only hope CBS does some justice and release Guiding Light on DVD from the very beginning. I am sure we will laugh and cry today as we say GOODBYE to our GUDING LIGHT....may the light always shine....I will miss this show terribly. I will never watch another CBS soap as I am afraid that will start to cancel them also.
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by mcgraw14me September 18, 2009 1:54 AM EDT
Guiding Light Will Be Missed!! CBS Will Not!! I Will Not Be Watching ANYTHING on CBS Any Longer. Not Even for My Local News. I Will Be Switching To ABC. So Sad.
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by Momonole September 17, 2009 10:24 PM EDT
I first listen to Guiding Light on the radio. Then I rememer watching it with my grandmnother and her sisters. No matter where I moved over the years, Guiding Light was there. I am saddened it is leaving and the scene of Alan dying with Phillip was just the saddest part. A game show! I won't be watching CBS anymore. What a shame.
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by MrLawrence September 17, 2009 2:44 PM EDT
Im still in shock,I can't believe it,I know I heard about GL going off,but thought It would never happen...tomorrow will be my last time watching CBS,I'll still watch Big Brother but that all...GL Fan
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by coconutrose September 16, 2009 1:03 PM EDT
Why don't CBS care how everybody feels about Guilding Light being taken off TV I just don't understand how they could be this cruel. I Love that soap show and I'm so heart broken that they are taking my favorite show off that I agree with alot of other people not to watch CBS anymore after Guilding Light is gone not even the other soaps they have, I've decided to start watching the soaps on the other tv stations after 9/18/09 it's bye bye CBS you will regret it when most people stop watching you CBS. Think hard about it CBS or you will be going out of business for ever and we are not kidding we mean business about not watching your channel anymore. So Guilding Light stays on or you are history.
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by auntienan September 14, 2009 4:23 PM EDT
I, like many other GL fans, shall boycott whatever mindless dribble is used to replace our beloved GL. And I shall also urge any and all GL fans to boycott products sold by Proctor & Gamble since THEY made the decision to pull the plug. If P & G cannot afford to produce GL, I cannot afford to spend my money on their many products. Oh yes, the last day for GL will be my last day of purchasing any P & G products.
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by KMCinVA September 14, 2009 3:23 PM EDT
Guiding Light was an incredible story that transcended generations - I remember watching this show with my grandmother and mother, and now in my own generation, it has been cancelled. I am appalled that this show has been cancelled when there are so many terrible shows on TV today. So called reality shows; shows that glorify dangerous stunts and bad behavior; and absurd, crude humor; all of these survive when a show with amazing actors and actresses does not. This says a LOT about our country and its values. Granted, this is a soap opera, but the real value here is not in the genre of TV but in the depth and relationship of the characters in Springfield. I, for one, will cherish my memories of Springfield and its residents and I sincerely wish each of the talented actors and actresses much future success, and I do not plan to watch any further broadcasting on CBS given their unwillingness to keep quality TV on.
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by prairiej September 13, 2009 10:00 PM EDT
I am heartbroken.
Guiding Light stands apart not only for its longevity but for its focus on family and friendship. Sure, GL has had its share of drama and trauma as well: affairs, faked deaths, babies switched at birth, cars driven off cliffs and a good cloning or two but the mainstay of Guiding Light has been family. That was why it appealed to my grandmothers 72 years ago on the radio, my mother 50 years ago, and to me as an adolescent and now as a stay-at-home mom of 3. And as it goes dark, I feel I'm losing a precious strand of connection between those 3 generations. Whatever problems my mom, sister and I were having, we could laugh and say they were nothing...at least we didn't have Roger Thorpe (or pick your villain) after us...or at least we weren't as crazy as so-and-so.
When Guiding Light first transitioned from radio to television, the powers that be were unsure if the switch would be successful. When the soaps were on the radio, women could listen while they were(supposedly)doing their housework at the same time. The decisionmakers didn't know if women would stop doing their housework long enough to take a break and sit down and watch a soap opera on the television. Were they crazy? Obviously, those people had never done a day's housework in their lives! It wasn't long before women all over the country were telling their children, "Quiet! It's time for my stories!"
And they were right. They are our stories. Soap operas are essentially women's stories(or at least more old-fashioned ones like Guiding Light are), told the way women traditionally tell stories: very personally, with lots of detail, maybe a little repetition, some drama. They're about family, surrounding the home and day to day life, who wore what, who said what, who's hurting, who needs help. And I'm wondering about the insight of the decisonmakers now just like the ones who weren't sure if women would take a break from housework 72 years ago to watch? Who's deciding that these stories don't matter? And that the older women who watch them and care about them don't matter either?
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by Sylviastel September 13, 2009 8:48 PM EDT
Too little, too late is really an appropriate response. Where was CBS when the show turned 70 or when As the World Turns celebrated 50? CBS and the other other networks don't really care about it's fans but the cost of putting a show on. Guiding Light could have been cut for a 30 minute show and saved. I have watched soaps for about 30 of my 36 years. I have seen it all on a lot of soaps. I have been a fan at one time or another. Guiding Light's cancellation hit home because we became fans in 1991. I was hooked on Roger Thorpe's character. I loved Beverlee McKinsey and still love Marj Dusay as Alexandra Spaulding. If you go to England, soap fans include Sir Ian McKellen and the late Lord Laurence Olivier. The favorite female soap character was Hilda Ogden who wore a hairnet and cleaned. She wasn't the brightest bulb on Coronation Street but she had her share of admirers including Larry Olivier who formed the Hilda Ogden appreciation society. When Jean Alexander left the series, it had it's highest ratings. Soaps in Britain are far more celebrated and characters like Pauline Fowler, Vera Duckworth, Dot Cotton, Hilda Ogden, Bet Lynch, and Ken Barlow are household names. It's because British soaps air later in the day and the network like the BBC runs East Enders also on Sundays in marathon style. Coronation Street and other British soaps are thriving where as American soaps are dying slowly and painfully. Watching American soaps today, the older veteran character actors are pushed aside for younger and prettier. It's a shame! Irna Phillips should have 2 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio and Television but her legacy is largely ignored. Helen Wagner who has played Nancy Hughes on As the World Turns is also ignored and not recognized by her peers. Who else has given life to role that has influenced so many mothers over 50 years? Of course, she deserves a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for television. I remember when there were 14 soaps on television. Now, we're down to 7. What happened? Why is this happening? Is it because of low ratings or because the network has decided to pull life support. I don't expect the finale to be spectacular. They have been working with so little for so long. They don't have the resources to bring in more people.
Also the cancellation of Guiding Light and the cross-country move of All MY Children really hurts the industry that once was centered in New York City. Where will the actors, actresses, writers, and others go to work in a fictional series? With only 2 soaps based in NYC, the number one reason that many ex-cast members left Guiding Light was to pursue options in Los Angeles. They don't have the same opportunities in NYC. You can't expect an actor to do a soap and do a play on Broadway for 8 peformances a week without burning out. I liked the Vegas style where it's 4 shows per week instead. I remember visiting the set of Guiding Light in 1993 in part thanks to a friend. It was one of hte memorable times of my life. I never thought I would have to say goodbye this Friday. I don't think it will be forever, maybe just a break for now.
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by siosello September 13, 2009 8:45 PM EDT
I have been watching Guiding light since 1984, I also watch, y&R, ATWT, and B&B. I am now 38 years old, how young of a viewer are you looking for? I cannot believe you are taking it off the air, really cannot believe it. I hate reality shows and game shows. I understand from what is being said that ratings are down, but dont tell me that it hasnt happened before over the past 75 years. It has always come back and survived. I am very disappointed. I may not watch CBS soaps any more.I think this is wrong. Dont you think it would have been a good idea to ask the viewers what they wanted before you decided this for them.Since you say this is for ratings...how about what we want.
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by sisterlove808 September 13, 2009 8:39 PM EDT
I can tell you what happened with the ratings. Me and everyone that I know who watched wanted more joy going on on the show. There was just too much sadness and tragedy. When Josh and Reva broke up and he married Cassie was horrible. Half of everyone that I knew stopped watching. The other half stopped when Tammy died and Reva's son faked his death and let Lizzie think that her baby was dead. People need some joy. The happiness,love,and joy was gone. As The World Turns will be next because they are getting the same way. You should not feel depressed and sad after watching a soap opera.
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by Clem1958 September 13, 2009 8:30 PM EDT
I am still in disbelief that CBS could/would do this! Like so many others I will be changing my tv viewing. NBC will get lots of new viewers due to this horrible decision. Sorry the over 50 population means so little to CBS! Can't wait to see your rating plummet.
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by tamtamap September 13, 2009 8:21 PM EDT
I wish the guiding light would never end I just got my husband hocked on it a year ago.I used to watch it with my mother when I was young it is one of the nice memory's I had of some thing we did together. The guiding light is like our family.Please I hope they bring it back.I work nights and it is the only show I watch now.will be sad to see it go.My husband and I never liked the same shows till this show.They will be missed thank you for all the years we had.
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by seminoleno1 September 13, 2009 7:49 PM EDT
I, too, will probably no longer be a cbs soap fan any more. Having been a GL viewer since the 60's, I've been loyal to all of the CBS programs. It's frustrating that these last two weeks have almost been cut in half because of tennis!!! This, on top of the insult of being replaced by a game show. Looks like networks are always looking for the easy, cheap way of providing "entertainment" - - game and "reality" shows. Thanks go out to all of the hard working actors who have become friends through the years. We will miss you! The sponsors of CBS programs might take a look at other networks for their advertisements.
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by gmatt908 September 13, 2009 5:26 PM EDT
I have loved this show for years and years. I have only ever watched CBS Soaps, with ATWT as my ultimate favorite. I stopped watching Y&R a number of years ago and stayed with B&B, ATWT and GL. I record the shows every day and watch them when I get home from work and as I get ready in the morning. This is my regular routine, these characters and actors are like family to me. I feel like I know them personally. The cancellation of this show has not only angered me, but it has made me wonder (with the talks of cancelling ATWT in the future) What does this network have to offer a viewer during the day?
I can guarantee that I will not record and watch Let's Make a Deal. I don't care for game shows, I hate the judge shows, and have little interest in the talk shows. I really feel sorry for Wayne Brady who is such a talented performer. I love Wayne Brady. CBS is setting him up for failure. Why would they deliberately do that? What do they think their viewers would enjoy? What would their sponsors think they could show to get the most "bang" for their buck? It sure won't be a stupid game show. I can only hope that CBS will learn to regret this decision instead of finding a rational way to fix this legend of a show.
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by LujackLvr September 12, 2009 11:38 PM EDT
I adored GUIDING LIGHT and its actors. I have had the amazing opportunity to meet some of the actors at various appearances over the years. GUIDING LIGHT has seen me through scholastic disasters, medical crises & employment debacles. I would love to say "thank you" to GUIDING LIGHT's cast & crew. May you always know how much this show has meant to me. I am ever grateful to GL's cast & crew for giving me a healing outlet during difficult times in my life. It saddens me that my favorite show is ending. I am at a loss for words thinking about GUIDING LIGHT ending...somehow "thank you" seems so little, but it will have to do.
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