Soap vs Censors: The Fight Over TV's Most Controversial Sitcom

[@elsaadamson3521]

Billy Crystal's character was my first exposure to a positive gay role model. I wrote him a letter, pouring out my struggles. Amazingly, he wrote back and was so supportive. He's a beautiful human being. ❤

[@2degucitas]

That's heart warming. He knew his impact

[@EdwardFrawley]

I remember watching soap in the 1970's I loved it, if it was on TV now most people would say what's all fuss about 🤔

[@bobcole612]

And today, the gay community would complain because Billy Crystal was straight.

[@saucytruffle4738]

@@bobcole612 because today we've come a long way in almost 50 years, but for the time Billy's portrayal was revolutionary and needed representation

[@geenadasilva9287]

i guess Muhammad Ali saw something in him when he started calling him "little brother" Yes, Jody was one of my first empowered gay characters too.

[@casadashwood2245]

"I am (gay) and it shouldn't make any difference and if it does and you don't love me anymore because of it then you've never loved me at all" - quite right.

[@allisoncorona4842]

This documentary mentions Anita Bryant's opinion about homosexuality, but while she was bashing gays, she was also a spokesperson for Florida orange juice; when the two intersected with each other, the sales for Florida orange juice fell so fast and so hard you could hear the crash.

[@stevielambert2552]

I read about this while researching cocktails! There was a huge boycott of orange juice in gay bars and they served screwdrivers with apple juice instead. So a vodka and apple juice is called an Anita Bryant 😂 And yeah her political and musical career completely crumbled to nothing 😂

[@davidleethompsoniii8263]

Yahoo...didn't know that.

[@davidleethompsoniii8263]

@@stevielambert2552 ... Did not know that... Funny!

[@PrettyPennyTV]

I remember that. I was 12 then. They all said, "Squeeze a fruit for Anita. "

[@rockchildofthe60s69]

Lol I remember that. She became someone nobody wanted anything to do with after a while. My parents didn't like her and they weren't exactly hip to the day in the 70s but they had a live and let live mentally. My dad was a mini Archie Bunker and he couldn't stand that woman Bryant. She was awful

[@madoldbatwoman]

My favourite line (and that's a tough choice to make considering the material) from SOAP will forever be Jessica exclaiming, "Mickey Mouse's dog is *GAY*?!" when Jodie used Plato as an example of a someone famous who was also gay. I loved this show as a teen.

[@jillkarlene]

Mine too!! Pop came shooting out of me I was laughing so hard.😂 I still use that line!

[@susankeith326]

* Pluto

[@madoldbatwoman]

@@susankeith326 Whoooosh!

[@AxelQC]

Fun fact, when Anita Bryant divorced her husband and moved back to Oklahoma, her church kicked her out because they didn't allow divorces.

[@abushenob]

Thank you, thank you for posting this! (Although it does support the concept of a God who punishes sinners.) I never knew about this happy ending to the Bryant story. I always thought she had just two talents - one on the right side of her chest and one on the left. And absolutely nothing above the neck.

[@justincronkright5025]

@@abushenob I think that would be one who punishes SIGHNERS, ones who sign their names beside one another. So we're safe. I can bullshit almost anything... and unlike those pastours, I'll do it all for reasonable & non-greedy reasons!

[@shewow8612]

Not only that, Bryant faced so much backlash for her "activism" and becoming a laughing stock due to jokes by people like Johnny Carson, that she Iost almost all of her endorsement deals. That led to her being dropped as a musical artist by her label, as well. All she had was her church, which dropped her due to her divorce, because they were so conservative, as well as her once devoted conservative fans that disliked it when she started to soften her views on homosexuality to be "just don't flaunt it", and to show some support of feminism because of her treatment over divorce. She basically lost everything due to her anti-homosexual bigotry and the conservative values she espoused but couldn't uphold, which turned against her as a woman (because of course they did). She would up bankrupt a drinking sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

[@peterfinnfilms]

Leopard, meet face.

[@James-eg3nf]

I first saw SOAP a few years ago and was absolutely floored, and could not believe this was actually aired in the 70s. It's awesome on so many levels - clever, funny, self-deprecating, meta, and dramatic, plus it was full of superb (now legendary) actors.

[@joeheidenreich5217]

I watched this when it first came on saw every episode I was 12. Now I own it on DVD and watch it all the time loved it then love it now.

[@leonpse]

We’ve gone backwards. San Francisco government tried to vote to give killer robots to police.

[@Steve-q6l4v]

The writing was great too and hilarious.

[@kittiwhieldon4329]

I was a teenager in the late seventies. I LOVED Soap. It’s how I learned that there were gay people. Don’t laugh. I mean, it is funny. My mother wasn’t even able to explain tampons to me. There is no way in hell she could have articulated gay.

[@stevielambert2552]

I grew up in the 90s and didn't know what gay people were until shows like Will and Grace and Friends. I remember being about 10 and my mum explaining "yes men can be in relationships with men" and my exact reaction was "oh!! that makes so much sense!" I can't believe I lived 10 whole years not knowing that being gay was a thing, I was robbed

[@eliselianaboyd2547]

Not really all that funny at all. I learned about cross dressing 👗 from bugs bunny 🐰, also being transgender

[@ricahaurymn]

I was in grade school when SOAP aired and my parents, 1 catholic the other Anglican, found the show funny. Conservatives should preach to their congregation and not attempt to push their prejudices onto others.

[@MikeLinPA]

@@eliselianaboyd2547 Those cartoons were made for adults as warm ups for feature movies in theaters. I'm old enough to remember seeing a movie with a cartoon, shorts, and news reels. They were not made for kids.

[@eliselianaboyd2547]

@MikeLinPA that is very true. But i still like 30's- 40's Bugs Bunny over the bugs of today.he no longer Doses real drag anymore. And that's shame

[@alexiswilliams4489]

At age 7, inspired by Jody, I told my parents I wanted a sex-change operation. As muddled and unscientific as that storyline was, I am grateful that it gave me insight into my own feelings. Quite some time later, I did indeed fulfill that wish.

[@aprylrittenhouse4562]

Way to go me too❤❤❤

[@acewickhamyoshi8330]

Same, in australia SOAP was on 3 times a day ~ october 1977 Til 1990 , it was most quoted show , ,, we made school plays about it .. & goldern girls took the 7 ; 30 pm, 3pm 10 am slot ,

[@geenadasilva9287]

AWESOME!!!!! I remember thinking the same thing but wasn't brave enough to say anything. got there in the end tho! 🏳️‍⚧️

[@therealwilfreddierkes9980]

Yasssss! ❤

[@TuriyanGold]

I totally wished I had a dad that was always trying to set me up with a nurse...

[@wadsworthaaron]

"SOAP" was a generation ahead of its time and it was brilliantly cast. I grew up watching it and bought the series on DVD in my late 30s. It's timeless

[@kathleenking47]

SOAP could be a reason modern Hollywood is crap...I've hated the show since 1978

[@BadWebDiver]

..and it could be genuinely funny - top class comedy!

[@kbhprinsesse]

Timeless? Hardly. The harsh way in which Billy Crystal's character is made into a joke by the others, simply because he's gay, isn't timeless.

[@edwardr7520]

@@kbhprinsesse Yah, it is. You're just having a gay hissy fit.

[@kbhprinsesse]

@@edwardr7520 ok, boomer.

[@RowanWarren78]

I've read Billy Crystal's autobiography, and after seeing how he reacted to the backlash that accompanied playing a gay character, I respect him even more. What the writer said at 22:28 makes me cry. Im a volunteer counselor for lgbtq youth, and this is paramount. Matt, you were so thorough unwrapping this show, and the social implications.

[@RowanWarren78]

@@CorpeningMedia thanks, I'll fix it.🙂

[@middlefinger1565]

I lost ALL respect I once had for Billy Crystal when he praised that leech Andrew Cuomo for his Emmy.

[@itheuserfirst3186]

@@middlefinger1565 Pick your battles, sweerheart.

[@middlefinger1565]

@@itheuserfirst3186 Pick what battles? Cuomo let thousands of elderly residents die in nursing homes when he mixed in with them COVID patients. He's a disgraced ex-NY governor now. Complete pile of garbage...he and Di Blasio BOTH. Can't blame Sandra Lee for dumping Cuomo. What a cold hearted jerk!!

[@fromthehaven94]

@@middlefinger1565 Despite the issue with the nursing homes, Cuomo was a notch above the likes of Kristi Noem, Greg Abbott, and Ron DeSantis in dealing with the pandemic.

[@joeschmo2693]

What a gutsy turn for Billy Crystal, sticking up for persecuted others. A true humanist. Hateful people will always look for the next vulnerable minority to victimize. Hopefully there will always be brave, decent people like him to oppose them.

[@choosecarefully408]

Am I the only one who finds it odd that we have to look back *_that_** far* to find such an example? That was the 70s. The _70s!!_ Race relations & the way we look at human rights have *declined* since then. That's effin' scary.

[@davidburbage3348]

Yes, let's not have history repeating itself by not standing up to people who were persecuting others. Billy Crystal's people learned that the hard way.

[@trashbasket11]

@@davidburbage3348 .......his people?

[@victreebel170]

@@choosecarefully408 what? you're saying we haven't had good portrayals of gay/trans people since the 70s!? that's not what Matt is saying. he's saying this was groundbreaking for the time, but Jodie was an unevenly written mess of a character, and there have been a thousand better portrayals of queer people since. not to mention much more public acceptance.

[@choosecarefully408]

@@victreebel170 1) You pretend to ask what I'm saying when 2) it's right up there, clear as day, yet somehow 3) you manage to get it wrong & then 4) _still answer _*_your accusation_* before & without giving me the chance to respond. The without a chance to respond though _is_ unnecessary, because as I said. What I wrote clearly states that _race relations & _*_the way we LOOK AT human rights_* have declined in our lifetime. I said nothing *whatever* about what Matt said or about fictional representation. It's only there to point out how quickly you went from making an assumption to accepting it as reality *over* the reality staring you in the face.

[@terrykobleck6529]

I remember the first few weeks none of the characters were very likable. They were either buffoons or mean spirited. The producers must have realized this and Jessica became naive but sweet, Jodi stopped being so swishy and was a real relatable person. It became more watchable.

[@OneColdMonkey]

It's amazing Vlassic was so ride or die with the show, I wonder what the story behind that is.

[@EugeneGM1]

My mother purchased this on DVD and I watched Jodie's speech to his brother while I was in high school. Few things have impacted me like that again.

[@42fang]

Like Matt, I was a gay kid when this show aired and Jodie, flawed as he may be in retrospect, gave me hope. His coming out to Danny made me know acceptance was not only possible but my absolute right. Well done, Matt!

[@Maerahn]

Damn, just when I thought I couldn't have any more respect for Billy Crystal... what a great guy. Is it weird that I teared up several times during this video?

[@joecutro7318]

It might be weird, but I don't think so because I did, too. This show had a huge impact on the times. It was a fascinating thing to watch the impact in communities across America.

[@SamHarrisonMusic]

Actually me too. The moment where Jodi decides to take his life and the old fella talks about his struggles with happiness. Full on wept

[@flaneur5560]

64 yr old bloke here, I did too. Particularly when he's holding his baby.

[@bookbook9495]

I read the transition storyline more as a kind of “gay desperation”- it’s hard to phrase properly, but I guess that Jody perhaps thought there’d be more acceptance for him and his boyfriend if he could pass well as a woman? Even to the extent he started trying to fake it till he made it. I dunno, it’s just a thought I had about a possible explanation for the character’s actions….

[@golwenlothlindel]

or he was genuinely questioning his own gender as a result of homophobia… which is a real thing too.

[@bookbook9495]

@@golwenlothlindel yeah, I’m sure that would be an issue to some degree, especially back then

[@Austin_Kennedy]

I agree. The more I think about it the less sense it makes that Jodie would be trans. Given the time period, it wasn't safe for Dennis to date him publicly. People transitioning in order to be with a partner of the same gender has happened throughout history. The only thing that didn't make sense to me for a while was why Jodie told his family he felt like a woman if he didn't. But I thought about it and realized that no one in his family knew that he and Dennis were together until he was already in the hospital. He was lying about his reason for transitioning in order to protect Dennis' privacy.

[@this_Joe_Smith]

Yes i think you've all got it right.

[@TuriyanGold]

"Sex Change Operation" was such a running joke in the 1980s in school, it was hard for us to believe anyone would consider such a thing.

[@lesleywilliams1210]

I'm an Australian who watched "Soap" in the 80's and was sorry when it went off the air here (some time before the end of the series - I vaguely remember the alien abduction - but I don't think it was shown here at the time it screened in the US). I didn't realise how groundbreaking it was. Which probably says more about me and my upbringing, than the society I still live in. Thank you!

[@BadWebDiver]

Same.

[@Vincornelis]

There's no getting around the fact that Jodie is a mess of a character. He's gay. He's trans. Wait that is the same thing, right? His boyfriend breaks up with him and then he gets a woman pregnant and never looks at another guy again but trust us he's gay, OK. Still they did manage to get some great and groundbreaking moments in there. I guess ultimately some no doubt well-intentioned people who were pretty clueless about the subject matter and under heavy scrutiny from all sides at least made an attempt at representation at a time when nobody else would. They got a lot wrong but the moments that worked mattered and definitely need to be remembered as an important part of LGBT+ history on television.

[@BizzyDitchAZ88]

Agreed, but for the time, they tried. They broke ground.

[@danmerget]

Honestly, a lot of Jodie being "a mess of a character" could be that Jodie himself had trouble sorting out his feelings. I regard him as a cis gay man, but I'm already using vocabulary that was almost unknown back then. I never heard the term "cisgender" until sometime in the 21st century. Ditto goes for the distinction between sex and gender; they were considered synonymous in the 1970's. Same goes for the concept of "transgender": back then a "transsexual" was someone who'd had a sex-change operation, and "transvestite" was someone who dressed as the opposite gender, but the word "transgender" hadn't been popularized yet. People used phrases such as "woman trapped in a man's body", but that wasn't considered much different from being gay. Maybe some academics were drawing a distinction between those various concepts back in the 1970s. But even if so, would Jodie have heard about them? It's unlikely that Jodie's local library would carry a book about a topic that was mostly taboo at the time, and the technology to look it up online wouldn't exist until two decades later. So Jodie probably had to sort through his feelings, without the vocabulary to describe what he is vs what he is't, all after a lifetime of being raised to suppress them. I think he had cause to be confused.

[@manigje1]

@Rebecca Woolf Well, there was still societal pressure on gay men to be straight. I think Jodie liked her and maybe got his friendship feelings mixed up with his romantic feelings. So maybe he thought I like a woman

[@DrewberTravels]

@@manigje1 This also ties in with the notion that it just takes the right woman to make the man straight again.

[@RowanWarren78]

Agreed, I think it was also a reflection of the misconceptions the masses have about gay people at the time.

[@michaelsmeltz2363]

I was in high school throughout this brilliant show’s run, and I remember excitedly running up the stairs to my patents’ bedroom and watching each episode on a very small color tv. Always the fastest half hour in television history. Years later I retiled the ceiling of the den of my first home while watching a Soap marathon on TV.

[@jadaw644]

"Well, at first, I thought I was gonna be a serious writer, but anytime I put something down, it was funny." I feel bad for laughing at that. 😂

[@cc1k435]

Well, they're not wrong then. 😆

[@colinpierpoint5380]

I watched Soap in Britain during the original series transmission and never missed an episode. The controvecy and risky subjects never occurred to me at the time. It was just very funny, with many new ideas. I just loved the two sisters trying to get one up on each other, and the wonderful plot: she thinks she has won this time with "Bert has been beamed up by aliens" only for her sister to reply "That's nothing, my daughter has just given birth to the devil"!

[@bookofdust]

“Oh, you wear that belted!” was a line I instantly knew was iconic and I have used it ever since!

[@MelfinatheBlue]

OMG, Soap! I will forever remember sitting with my grandmother watching a Comedy Central marathon of it, and then her turning to me and saying "Huh, the homosexual is a better parent; I didn't think that was possible." Also, I had to explain to her how two women have sex thanks to Soap (I had good sex ed, she grew up in the deep South before the Depression in a very conservative family).

[@Kifflom240]

Soap was very popular in Sweden (called "Lödder" which means lather or suds), despite no one in Sweden had ever watched a daytime soap opera at the time, so the jokes and parody must have gone over the head of everyone watching. It was actually so popular that Swedish Television at one time had Arthur Peterson (of Swedish descent) flown in to "present" an episode.

[@Stroheim333]

There were soap operas on Swedish television, but we never called them that: Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Days of Our Lives... And what Swede's began to call soap operas during the 80's, with Dallas, was just a fraction of all the different shows that Americans used to call soap operas.

[@bjam89]

So thats why i had the feeling i have seen it

[@auldthymer]

The term "soap opera" comes from the days of radio. A program aimed at an audience of stay-at-home mothers would be sponsored by the soaps and detergents those companies hoped to sell to those mothers.

[@EIA954]

@@auldthymer My great grandma used to star the “Camay Hour” since Camay soap will patronize her radio novela back in the mid 50’s. The show “Soap” from I remember when I was growing up in Ecuador it was called “Shampoo”. I thought they have name it like that, cause usually back home in Ecuador we reference that if you are in a messy situation…it’s a shampoo! 🤣

[@RaymondHng]

@@Stroheim333 "Såpopera"?

[@dianamiller3307]

I loved this show as a kid. I had no idea it was controversial. My mother supported me watching it. She thought it was a solid show.

[@QueenOfTheNorth65]

Same here. And my family was devout Catholic, but very liberal.

[@brucecoleman4228]

SOAP was the first sitcom that my entire family would sit down together and watch. Yes my football coach dad, my Baptist choir member mom and my two rock and roll brothers would sit with this closted teen and just howl. We especially loved Bert. What a nut!

[@BadWebDiver]

It was truly funny show; I think that contributed to it's success.

[@jacksoneflin6006]

"One day you're gonna turn around and hear somebody laughing, and it's gonna be you!" Wow I didn't expect to WEEP OPENLY today.

[@adriang913]

45 minutes of Matt talking about the legendary TV show “Soap”? What a treat. I agree that the cross dressing and sex change plots were mis-steps for Jody, but when Carol, the baby and the paternity case were introduced, Jody’s story became serious and gripping. It was written smartly enough to showcase very believable bigoted behaviour and as such, keep audience sympathy on his side. It was all for nothing of course, as Season 4 stomped all over the personalities of the show’s characters and made up stories that made no sense at all. I can see why viewers complain that the writers “phased out” Jody’s sexuality and made him into a joke character - but in Season 4, everybody was doing stupid things and behaving out of character. What a waste of all the talented actors in the show, and a squandering of the warmth and depth established in the first 3 seasons

[@Cheepchipsable]

Well the show was meant to be a parody of Dramas, and I'm betting they were looking to newspaper stories for storyline inspirations, so alien abductions and South American revolutions makes sense from that perspective. This is how we got the comedy with a message genre, which tended to not be funny at all.

[@JoveJoved]

Crossdressing and sex changes are a misstep for anyone, in general.

[@codyw1]

New showrunners. It's always the way...

[@brainlock72]

Those first three seasons helped pave the way for major social change as the more open minded audience could see that LGBTQ+ were just regular people, too. Despite most of Jodie’s storyline leaning into stereotypes.

[@serenarock1763]

@@JoveJoved crossdressing is fun and simple and helps you appreciate other people more. Gender confirmation surgery is a therapy for people and none of them need your input in their lives.

[@chmeeeschannel8355]

Soap was a favourite show of my family when it first aired. I was 11 and we would always watch it together. When something regarding Jodie's sexuality was mentioned, my mom would always say "that's a different point of view, but it is not wrong". I don't know why I waited 8 years after the show originally aired to come out to her, but she's been so wonderfully supportive.

[@2degucitas]

I bet she knew about you and it was her telegraphing to you her acceptance.

[@hank_430]

I feel like I leave this comment after every video but thank you for being our queer film historian. It’s like reconnecting with the older generation and remembering that we’ve always been here, even in tv when most of generation thinks Ellen was the first gay character on tv. It’s both comforting and exhausting 😂

[@michelsurprenant4799]

The 70"s was a decade of groundbreaking changes to society. I was a teenager then and gay. I thank these pioneers (Susan Harris, Norman Lear) For their contributions to making my world a better one.

[@starri]

I only saw it when it came to Comedy Central in the early 90s, but loved it. I still remember hearing Barney telling Jodie about some day hearing himself laugh, and what an impact it had on me. For as over-the-top and funny as SOAP! could be, it had some surprisingly gentle character moments. Jessica Tate being intimidating enough for Satan to leave Corinne's baby alone being another one. And Robert Guillaume was as memorable as Billy Crystal was.

[@tohrurikku]

My grandma loved this show, which thinking on it now is weird since she was deeply homophobic and boycotted anything or anyone that supported gay people. I guess that illustrates how good the show was that she was able to ignore her homophobia enough to watch it. Too bad that Soap was censored to that extent. Sadly, even in this day and age there are those who do not believe that bisexuals are real. I have had heated debates with people over it. I am sure that Willow in Buffy is a bisexual too, but they ignored the possibility in that show too. Willow was attracted to and had sex with both genders.

[@marchi.fleming]

Even tho it was due to watching reruns at 3AM with pregnancy-induced insomnia, I will forever love Soap for giving me the 💡 moment to name my daughter. I wanted something unique-ish but not bizarre, something that I couldn't see becoming trendy. So "Corinne" it was. 😁👍🏼

[@MinaF99]

Love the name Corrine!

[@gaywizard2000]

You look like Rhoda!

[@kristopherwilhite]

Did you pronounce it Corr-renn like on the show?

[@grantc61]

What the hell's wrong with Jody???

[@notajp]

I had a huge crush on Corinne back then…

[@RicoBurghFan]

Harold Gould was one of the great comedic character actors ever, in movies and TV. He always injected humanity in his roles and the scene with Jodie was so meaningful and touching. Great actor, great man.

[@joaniec6178]

Except for Miles in The Golden Girls. An annoying character who outstayed his welcome.

[@Lensmaster1]

I am straight and was just fourteen when the show premiered, but I recognized how important and great it was that the show had an ordinary guy who happened to be gay. From recently watching interviews from those involved with the show I got that some of the questionable and inconsistent aspects were in the first half of that first season. Not being aware, Susan Harris put broad stereotypes in the first couple of episodes. Inconsistencies came with writing Jodie out if that corner, giving him an outside reason for wanting a sex change and then removing that reason. As gimmicky as it was, the scene where his mom finds him in her dress was better writing then most sitcoms had.

[@dwc1964]

Same demographic here, and same feeling about the show.

[@Redmenace96]

Me, too. It started a lot of conversations, and made me more open minded. Those two professors in the middle of this YT vid criticizing the inconsistencies of his sexual orientation are why we roll our eyes at SJW. They are criticizing things in the past, with current mores and understandings. At the time, and for many people, it was a positive portrayal. You can't please everyone! Also? It's a sitcom for cryin' out loud. It is meant to be zany, and bend reality. It is not a documentary! Cut 'em some slack. Ha, ha!

[@ThurstonCyclist]

I was so hoping for the Barney-Jodie scene to get a mention, and wow, did it ever. That scene remains probably my favorite monologue in TV comedy. Possibly in TV generally. When Harold Gould passed away a few years ago, despite the many roles he'd been in over the years, that was the scene that immediately jumped to mind.

[@kristopherwilhite]

Ever since viewing Matt Baume's channel and learning about different sitcoms and dramas and their various gay storylines and how the shows have handled and reflected the topic over the decades I have eagerly awaited for him to feature an episode on "SOAP!" He has held out up until now barely mentioning the show at all..making us yearn for his commentary and analysis on "SOAP." I am thrilled he is finally covering it! "SOAP" is my all time favorite show. I keep waiting for it to come back! I can't wait to hear all of Matt Baume's back story on this classic controversial sitcom that was such a whirlwind of extremes going from almost sketch comedy to moving pathos in each episode!

[@kristopherwilhite]

That was great and very insightful!

[@kristopherwilhite]

But a little over critical. Gimmicks maybe but still television genius!

[@aintnolittlegirl9322]

I loved that show. My mom and I watched it when I was a teenager. It was decades ahead of its time.

[@bruinfanucla]

I remember as a high schooler my folks caught me watching Soap. They immediately yelled at me and sent me to my room to do my homework. Only 1 or 2 times afterward had I the opportunity to sneak in episodes. As for this video, halfway thru I almost stopped watching thinking it was too long. Really glad I did not. You outlined the show and Jodie's character quite well and I got to see what I had missed. Great Job (as always).

[@kweeks39]

Matt, you’ve done it again. Awesome job on tackling these shows and topics and the time. It is so hard to believe all that has happened in media over the years to what is happening currently. What’s the saying, “Don’t blink now, it’ll be different when your eyes reopen.” Time moves forward, as do we. 👍🏻

[@quitti]

I remember finding this show as a kid in the 90s, and immediately loved it. I also remember being confused if Billy Crystal was actually gay(as a kid, i thought actors had to play what they were) but I adored it

[@tonyasmith1917]

Thank you SOOO much for that! I was born in 1969 and didn't discover SOAP until I got in middle school and fell in LOVE with it, but it was not talked about. I could not get any information about it and I could never (to this day) watch all of the episodes in it's natural order. You have just made me smile for the day!

[@Stroheim333]

I remember this sitcom as a child, it was a big deal back then and everyone loved it. But a few years after the last episode, nobody talked about it -- and today it is forgotten. I wonder why.

[@steelethescene]

Stroeheim i never forgot :)

[@krisrhood2127]

It's on Antenna TV tonight

[@queenannsrevenge100]

As a kid, I loved this show - in retrospect, I’m surprised my mom let me watch it at the time, but I’m glad she did. It was my first introduction as a sheltered kid to the word “gay”, to the idea of cults, to divorce, to a lot of real-world issues, and really as said in the video, it was one of the first times I’d seen such a thing on TV.

[@Religion0]

I was introduced to it in the 2000s.

[@Stroheim333]

@@Religion0 Of course it is not _totally_ forgotten. But compare with other sitcoms from the '70s -- MASH, Sanford and Son, Happy Days, Fawlty Towers, even Taxi -- they are classics on a whole other level in the public's mind.

[@BloodylocksBathory]

One of the classic moments of Soap that was quoted often in my house was the Plato exchange. "...... Mickey's dog is gay??"

[@jennytaylor3986]

Billy Crystal, known today for hosting the Oscars and Voicing Mike Wazowski Me: Oh yeah! Miracle Max! I love that guy! Good video as always. I'd actually never heard of this show and I'm always excited to learn about these things!

[@hawkpaul8735]

We didn't have all that crap in Britain. It was just on and we were hooked from the first episode. Friday evenings were always band practice and we would always finish early to get home and watch Soap. It was brilliant.

[@fusionspace175]

My grandma got me into this show and we loved it. It was airing again or still in the 90s. She watched actual soaps like general hospital but I liked the comedy of this one. I saw every episode and had them taped on VHS at one time, it's a brilliant and unique entry in the art form. Growing up in the 90s, I understood that gay and transvestite/transexual were different things because I read comics and they had a more progressive range of viewpoints than most culture then, so it confused me when older tv shows and movies acted like they were the same thing. Rather than tackle bisexuality by name, I think Jody's fatherhood plot was a way to explain to the public how gay men often had children and families, sort of a "they can with women if they want to, but mostly they don't want to" attitude, like with many Hollywood actors from the past.

[@Nikki-oe7gr]

My favorite characters on "Soap" were Jody and Benson. I was a child when it aired originally and watched it every week. I was so upset when it was canceled. They kind of dealt with the Jessica cliff hanger by having her spirit appear on "Benson" and tell him she was in a coma, but not dead. Getting back to Jody, the first season was too stereotypical. Jody became a far better character after they started writing him with depth. My take was Jody was not trans. He was in a toxic relationship, and like plenty of women who are in relationships with the wrong man and go to extremes to change themselves, including surgery, to please their partner, Jody, who didn't have confidence in himself yet, was going for an 'extreme makeover' to keep his football player boyfriend. When people are desperate to keep their partner, they will go to all sorts of extremes that may not fit them personally just to be what the other person claims they want. I don't know if Jody would be considered gay or bi. I lean towards him being gay, because Carol wore him down and emotionally manipulated him until he had sex with her, but there was never any indication that he ever wanted to be with a woman sexually. He also wasn't emotionally attached to her, so I wouldn't even categorize him as demisexual. Carol was more like a predator than someone he was at all attracted to. I was so happy when he got custody of Wendy. My own father was not a good parent, so when I saw a good dad on TV, I wanted the kid to have what I didn't have. On a side note, "Love, Sidney" was a TV movie first then a TV show. I watched both variations. "Love, Sidney" was a great show. Thank you for doing this video. Excellent work.

[@kidlitfanful]

This show began when I was 11. My bedtime used to be at 9:00, but allowed to read in bed before 9:30. However, Soap started at 9:30 and my parents let me stay up for it every week. I don't remember negotiating this or getting and reason for the exception, but considering how controversial it was at the time, it was pretty cool.

[@erikandrus4387]

I remember watching it at age 3 on red shag carpeting and wondering what was up with the guy and the dummy, lol

[@MrSwinefuzz]

I wasn't allowed to watch SOAP when I was growing up (but I still did). Such a shame I can't find one of the best TV shows ever on any of the streaming services in 2022. It is required viewing.

[@haydennault2706]

It’s on internet archive

[@rubynrags]

Don't know if you're still having this issue, but the full series streams on Tubi for free! :3

[@MrSwinefuzz]

@@rubynrags Whaaaat?! Best Christmas present ever! I will check it out! Thx! Happy holidays to you, yessiree.

[@AnimusBehemoth]

@@MrSwinefuzz So did you watch it? This thread was so wholesome, now I have to know how it turned out

[@TheMadMaple]

A bit off-topic here, but they actually did follow up on Soap's cliffhanger on an episode of Benson, when Jessica Tate's "ghost" showed up to haunt Benson. But in the end, she revealed that she wasn't dead, just in a coma somewhere in South America. And even as a straight cis male, the way they conflated homosexuality and transgender identity in the 70s seriously makes me cringe today. And I truly wish I could say that I felt the same way at the time, but I guess I was part of the problem. Thank God that as a society we all know better these days.

[@pug_63]

I’m always relieved that “Soap” made it across the Atlantic - so many US programmes (of all genres) didn’t. Loved it from Day 1. Didn’t hurt that I had a major crush on Robert Urich (lasted til he passed). Great to have followed Billy Crystal’s subsequent career. What a ground breaking show!

[@lillydee5978]

Hilarious show, I watched the reruns years ago. I learned it was so controversial that they tried to bury it by playing it late at night, and it lost all of it's sponsors as well which is what led to it's cancellation. Jody was a sympathetic character and Billy played it with a lot of heart. Jody was my favorite character, the one you rooted for. One of the most important sitcoms ever created.

[@klackon1]

Soap was just brilliant. So funny and well written. My wife and I used to love the series, easily one of the best comedy shows on UK TV at the time.

[@MysterySteve]

I'm only 22 and I loved Soap as a kid. My parents showed it to me on a DVD box set. We bonded over it as a family. Unfortunately, we watched it during the homophobic years of my life (none of the rest of my family were ever bigots), but I can't help but feel like this series helped me out of that.

[@nathanielyates6347]

Gays go to hell

[@therealitycheck287]

@@nathanielyates6347, only Christians think hell is a thing and sane people don't listen to sky fairy believers....

[@nathanielyates6347]

@@therealitycheck287 do you want to go to hell

[@therealitycheck287]

@@nathanielyates6347, are you selling tickets?

[@nathanielyates6347]

@@therealitycheck287 ok

[@justme-tj3jt]

This was awesome. Loved this. Thanks so much Matt, going to definatly share this.

[@johndyrness3797]

Another great video! Thanks for all you do to make these. I keep laughing whenever I saw Anita Bryant because of that episode of Golden Girls when Sophia was getting married and the wedding planner said the line "Excuse me for living, Anita Bryant" to Dorothy 😄

[@throatwobblermangrove8510]

First off, Soap is my all-time favorite sitcom. I watched it when it first broadcast, and since then I've worn out 3 DVD sets rewatching it. My son and grandkids also love it. Literally the only bad thing about Soap is the sudden end at the end of the 4th season, which was the biggest cliffhanger of the whole series. I wouldn't have labeled this video "the story of the most controversial sitcom in TV history" though, since 90% of it is about Jodie, and you barely touch on the rest of it. It's more of a deep dive into the Jodie portion of the controversies. He was one of my favorite characters, until he was hypnotized into believing he was an old Jewish man right after proposing marriage to the woman he'd hired to track down his daughter. I never saw that clip of Anita Bryant before, but I'm curious: how can you be an "ex-murderer"? At what point after you've murdered someone are you no longer a murderer? It's like being an "ex-veteran". I have an issue with some of the assessments of your guests on the show though. One mentions "stereotyping" when it comes to Jodie without seeming to understand the entire show is founded on stereotypes across the board. They're all stereotypes and extreme examples of characters. That's exactly how the show parodies soap operas. At the same time, your guests (and you also) seem to be stuck on the inconsistency of Jodie's motivations immediately after discussing that the very reason for the inconsistency was intentional changes to the character to please different people or groups. I mean, of course it was inconsistent. How can rewriting a character NOT make it inconsistent?

[@Ascenscion603]

Well done. I really appreciate all the effort you put into your content. You have a wonderful kindness that radiates from you and I love the passion you have for your subject matter.

[@MrSpike320]

I was born in '71, so I was way to young to watch Soap. However, in the late '90's Comedy Central had the reruns on in the afternoons and I was able to watch this series from episode one on. HILLARIOUS!!!! And if I remember correctly, Susan Harris either wrote or co-wrote every episode.

[@royd.6831]

Great video! I was a gay teen when Soap began and never missed an episode. LGBT content wasn't quite as invisible back then as people think now (I went to John Waters films and repeatedly saw Rocky Horror) but Soap was still a watershed moment for TV. I remember being frustrated that Jodie laughed off many of the gay slurs at first, but warmed to him as the seasons progressed. Despite my affection for the character, it annoyed me that he never had a relationship with a man after the first season, instead focusing all his romantic attention on various women (first Carol, then his lesbian roommate, and then his P.I. Maggie in the final season). It felt like they were trying to make him more palatable to the straight audience, despite the character's already huge popularity. But I can't deny how groundbreaking Jodie was, and how for many people he was their first exposure to both gays and LGBT parenthood.

[@TheGodsrighthandman]

I was a teen in the UK when this aired,in the 70s, and we didn't get many episodes shown. What I did see was utterly brilliant.

[@grabtharshammer]

Weird, I used to watch it every week

[@TheGodsrighthandman]

@@grabtharshammer Ah, it's maybe cos there wasn't a TV in the house 'til I were 12-13, @ 1976/77. Poverty was still an actual reality back in the early 70s.

[@Venemofthe888]

Honestly i love watching your videos because not only do you go over the show and its episodes but you also go over history from around the time period as well. I learn a lot from shows before my time and history i was never taught before

[@kcollier2192]

Soap was a GREAT show- funny and touching in equal measure, this show was always a guaranteed gut buster. A great, great series.

[@stevenfarrington5406]

Matt, you and your videos are a national treasure!!!! One idea for a future video: check out the actor who played the wacky gay guy on Airplane! I bet there’s a story there. Sadly, he died of AIDS in the 80’s.

[@paulmaggio8866]

Soap was so ahead of its time! They covered every topic you could think of. One of the funniest shows I have ever seen! This show had the best cast ever!

[@Pattiepies55]

I used to watch this and never stopped laughing !!! I'm a senior now and wish it was shown again !! It was hilarious.

[@SantaLorena]

I was 12 when Soap debuted. My mom wouldn't let me watch the first episode. The next day, I asked her how it was, and she told me it was no big deal and that I could watch it. I started with the second episode and it immediately became my favorite series, even though I had to wait till the reruns the following year to finally see ow it all began. It remains one of my prime examples of excellent storytelling.

[@TangoNoir798]

Re: conflation of gay with trans I think we forget about how oppression of gay people often intersects with the idea of upholding the nuclear family and traditional gender roles. If you're gay and not stereotypically conforming to gender ideals then pretending to be trans to try to conform is a genuine thing that happens in these oppressive circumstances. I think that the idea seems more impossible to us now, but it's a genuine thing that happens and needs to be talked about.

[@ladynoluck]

In some other countries being trans is viewed as more acceptable, so if you get the surgery/transition, you’ll be safe to be with a same-gender partner. I’ve read some heartbreaking stories on it…

[@russbear31]

This is true. I'm old and grew up during this era. When I was younger I was suicidal and landed in the nut house. The psychiatrist wrote in my records that I suffered from "gender dysphoria" simply because I'm gay. He automatically assumed I wanted to be a woman. Not true at all. Even the so-called professional medical establishment at that time was confused and trafficked in lame stereotypes.

[@PatManDX]

@@russbear31 In fairness, a lot of medical practitioners are still pretty horrible about trans topics even now, if what my trans friends who are trying to get HRT and/or gender-affirmation surgery is of any indication. Getting some of them to even listen is still a struggle even in Western countries like the UK. Obviously miles better than how it used to be, but it still seems genuinely traumatic, especially for some of my younger friends. I hope things only get better from here.

[@abushenob]

@@russbear31 Hey, I ended up in the same sort of venue when I was younger - I checked myself in. Fortunately the staff, nurses and doctors were so caring and skilled. My 11 months there was a real new beginning - to start with, the staff were the first non-clergymen I ever "confessed" my gayness to. Although I loath much about today's Catholic Church, the concept of "seal of Confession", that a priest could never, even on pain of death, reveal anything he learned during a Confession may have saved my life - or sanity. Not only did the "seal" exist, but the first priest I confessed to was caring and comforting and was a trustworthy confidante after that even outside the Confessional. I am almost certain that he was straight, fwiw. I couldn't believe he took my admission so calmly. My time at the nuthouse really began my ability to find myself, and a couple of years later, when I found the love of my life, I took him to visit one of the nurses who had been so understanding and accepting. But I digress. My point is that I, too, believed at the time that Trans was just one step 'gayer' for a homosexual. One of my greatest fears in the years before my hospitalization was that if I ever let myself have sex, I would began an inevitable slide toward wanting to bleach my hair and dress like a woman and become like the only gay people I ever saw or knew about (Of course that choice is just fine, but it wasn't who I wanted to be.) On one of those Imfromdriftwood coming out videos, another man said that he had the same fear. I would not be surprised if many, even most gay men at that time believed that Trans was just being a little gayer than they themselves were.

[@evelynsaungikar3553]

Literally the plot of Hedwig and the Angry Inch

[@1970joedub]

I’m 51 and queer. When I was a child in the 1970’s my father watched Soap, and the show was on in the background once a week, but I didn’t pay much attention to it. When I was a teen in the 1980’s, I was able to “rewatch” Soap reruns on late night television every weeknight during a summer vacation or two. Back then, Soap was broadcast on one of the 7 local television channels we had to choose from. I knew there was something controversial and groundbreaking about the show being on TV, but I was clueless as to how revolutionary the show truly is. Thanks for making this content.

[@gota7738]

The familiarity of scaremongering tropes used by transphobes often makes of how gay and trans people have been categorised interchangeably till recently (In some cultures there are still similair aproaches).

[@MrTaryns]

i was in High school and my mom in her late 40s, we would watch together and she would have tears of laughter running down her face episode after episode. her reaction to the show gave me the courage to come out to her.

[@edreid7872]

I recently rewatched the series, and I noticed that his homosexuality was barely mentioned as the seasons progressed, especially in the last season where he eventually hooked up with a woman..which I thought it was such a complete cop out for the character, which was a shame... The first season, Jodie was full of gay stereotypes, that would eventually disappear which was wonderful...I originally stopped watching when it became gimmicky.. The alien/exorcism was too much to bare..

[@aquariustheheretic7567]

crystal's response over the more mature depiction of gayness on how to get away with murder says it all. he was all about the so-called hilarity of being gay not a friend of the family

[@AxelQC]

The writers couldn't decide whether Jody was gay, transgendered, a transvestite, or bisexual. I guess their understanding of LGBT issues was muddled back in the late 1970s.

[@kristopherwilhite]

I loved all the storylines. The really outrageous stuff was the spoof of the genre incorporating aliens and exorcisms. Nothing was off limits in this show!

[@edreid7872]

Yes they were spoofs, but it became obvious they started using the kitchen sink method..using controversial issues, just for the sake of using them without much substance.. One of my least favorite was Danny dating a black woman.. The storyline was one of the weakest with terrible racial humor, and Billy dating his teacher.. That one went on way too long..

[@grantc61]

I remember as a teenager starved for role models I hungrily watched the first season of Soap but soon lost interest as Jodie's character morphed into nothing. I got much more queer satisfaction from Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman!

[@stormymac27]

I think it’s hilarious that some of the storylines in the final season are thought of as “wacky premises” when regular soap operas have had vampires (Dark Shadows and Port Charles), witches (Passions) and demon possession (Days of Our Lives). I mean, how many characters have been killed off of “serious” soaps and then brought back alive? Anyway, as silly as they were, there is very little that makes me laugh harder than Bert making himself “invisible”. 😂

[@slaterchest7153]

Soap is an all-time favorite of mine. Thank you for covering it, I was hoping you would.

[@jeaniebottle6758]

I watched it when aired in UK (1980's) & it became my favourite show of all time. It's ending was the saddest I ever got about a shows finish, as I never wanted it to ever end. The funniest show ever. I loved all the cast & there characters. It helped me through my teenage years. Thank you all involved in making the show. Loved it & love to you all.

[@CorwinFound]

In regards to transgender people (I am one), I feel like we are in the mid to late '70's. We are fighting the same fights all over again. I think Matt's exploration of how media impacted the gay rights movement 40+ years ago can help us create a path moving forward with trans rights. I've always enjoyed Billy Crystal without ever being exactly a fan. Changed today. Him experiencing a slice of what it's like to be treated as a gay man in the '70's and using that to push the character to greater depth is amazing.

[@chrissmith7669]

When Burt would snap his fingers and think it made him invisible it was roaringly funny

[@cme2158]

I remember watching this iconic show, “Soap” for the first time when I was in high school. I remember being home when “Comedy Central” had a marathon of the show and it couldn’t have come at a better time because I had the flu. I loved the show from the beginning..🤣

[@lizardog]

I have to mention that Here Come the Brides was hardly a failure. It was quite popular with younger people. I vividly remember watching it with friends as a young teen. I can still sing the theme song.

[@MTCesquire]

You mentioned Billy Crystal's record-breaking Winner's Circle time. How the hell did you know that? You just earned a sub, buddy!

[@Blackbeltkitten2D]

Oh my God, I'm only seven minutes and forty-ish seconds in and you've murdered me with the addition of Hedley Lamar screaming "-AND METHODISTS!" I don't know if I'm going to make it through this episode without cackling like a maniac.

[@blakejones409]

This is deep. Thank you for opening my eyes wider as to what my cousins went through back then. My LGBTQ+ family members blessed me by helping me truly empathize with the "other". Trying to understand an other is like trying to use a left-handed scissors for a right-handed scissors. Imagine being right handed in a world designed my left handed people.

[@lilyvonshtuup]

This was so fantastic! I had all but forgotten about SOAP. It was the first American sitcom I ever saw, it was the first time I heard the “filmed in front of a live studio audience” & the first time I had seen any of these actors. I was very young I don’t think it came to the UK until the 80s and I didn’t get to see all of them as it was on so late. I even remember the beginning “This is the story of two sisters-Jessica Tate and Mary Campbell” To this very day I still joke with my older brother if we get in a situation we don’t want to be in, we snap our fingers and flip our arms and we’re invisible. Confused? You will be.. Thanks for this , it was great remembering how much this show made me laugh.

[@williamj.dovejr.8613]

I was just a kid when Soap premiered...I would sneak and watch. I had to stifle laughter so as not to be caught. I adopted Benson's humor and delivery, as a African American kid, I loved Benson and watched the spin off. I did have a problem with people who hated it but swore they would never see the show. I had the same problem with people during the time of the film, " The Last Temptation of Christ ". I grew up baptist but I didn't think anyone could effectively debate that film without seeing it first. When I said that, ohh, if looks could kill. I saw the film finally and I understood it was a book adaptation but I found the film overly long and boring and no threat to my faith. To this day, I speak up when someone says they hate a show yet swear they'll never watch it...I think that's ridiculous.

[@jenleigh342]

I am 50 and I started watching this in the early 80s as i have much older siblings! I KNEW it was FABULOUS starting in GRADE SCHOOL! I have a SOAP CAST POSTER that I bought on ebay maybe 15 years ago and I CHERISH IT! This show, like All in the Family was GROUNDBREAKING!!! 😁😄😃😀

[@douglaso6428]

Matt, you did it again - a beautifully written and presented video. I was 15 in 1977. I was still holding my breath for the chance to see someone, anyone, who would give me hope that coming out was possible without being physically harmed and emotionally abandoned. We know the depth of Billy Crystal now, but thank god he came along when he did. My family loved this show. Did it take away my fears? No. But there were those moments that definitely helped. I never became devoted to watching the way I did with Mary Tyler Moore, MASH or Barney Miller. But I definitely took note and drew some hope which I seemed to be saving up like Green Stamps so that one day I could trade them in for a prize. (That day came in 1987) Thank you Matt for your work!

[@2degucitas]

Congrats, Douglas.

[@Empress-Inner-G]

Watched this as a kid in 80s reruns, one of my all time favorite shows! I have the box set, I love it so much! I watch it every few years, it's hilarious everytime. The writing is amazing, and the characters are great.

[@sadfaery]

I was really young when this was on the air, but I grew up watching it with my parents on TV and then watching it in reruns for years afterwards. I own the entire series on DVD now, and it's a show so weird and quirky that it just keeps you hooked. Plus, it had the most magnificent cast. I'd watch Robert Guillaume in anything, and he's just one of many. Sure, they did some questionable things with Jodie's storyline, but they also had an alien abduction body swap, a possessed baby, and a firing squad. And Chuck and Bob. It could have been much weirder and much worse.

[@larry6360]

Great job covering this show. I mentioned how it would be great in a comment a few months ago if you did an in depth dive into this show. I'm so glad you did and it turned out to be very interesting. I loved this show back then, even though I was pretty young, and I still try to catch it as often as I possibly can. Super impressed on your work here and a huge thank you for the work you put into it . ✌️

[@jamespaddick244]

I remember watching this in the UK late at night when I was about six years old. Obviously I never really understood much of it but for some reason it left a huge impression on me, particularly The great Katherine Helmond. I’m now 47 and have never revisited the show in adulthood. It’s definitely time.

[@christinareale4432]

Hi Matt!! I was 10 years old when Soap was on TV and I loved that series!! Some of the sexual references or innuendo went over my head but that was a great show! Thanks for a fabulous video about it! Very informative!! And I Love your Channel 💖

[@jayel1471]

I don't think his character should be retro-fitted as trans. He was clearly a gay man and the writers were confused about what that meant.

[@jameswalker5796]

Yeah in the 70s there was a popular conception that homosexuals, transsexuals and transvestites were interchangeable. It was confusing to me because I had no urge to be a woman or dress like one but I was attracted to other boys

[@peterriverajr6899]

@@jameswalker5796 I'm sorry you had to go through that. Thankfully I grew up in the 90s when it was less stigmatized.

[@troubleondemand7703]

Soap and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman were my mother's two favorite shows. I was so lucky to be able to watch them as a kid and am so thankful to her for it. Neither show was perfect, but they both went for it unabashedly and when they hit their heights, nothing came close.

[@ajlong404]

As always, this was a fantastic video, Matt. Thanks for all you do!

[@eldrichnemo9312]

I'm only ~15 minutes in but I was wholly ignorant of the gay history wrapped up in "Soap" (a sitcom I never got into even during my Nick at Nite/TV Land watching because the soap opera aspect was lost on me and the sitcom tropes were old hat to me by then). I was *literally* in the womb when this was all happening so this puts a LOT in context for me, like how far we LGBTQ+ folks have come and why we STILL struggle against hate today. Thank you so much for these wonderful videos!

[@AxelQC]

Jessica Tate visits Benson in Season 5 of his show and tells him that she's in a coma in South America, so she doesn't die, but she is injured. It's not clear how she projects into his office, and Jessica even says that she doesn't understand it herself.

[@jennifertochi6253]

I was born in 76 and found this amazing show in the early 90's and loved it as I still do. I recently found all the shows on VHS and I still love it.