NOM Denounces What Would You Do?

NOM isn't very happy with this week's edition of ABC's What Would You Do?, which showed Texas diner patrons coming to the defense of a two-mom family.

We can expect a lot more of this from the MSM. Let's note first of all that the behavior of the "waitress" in this setup up is outrageous. No boss, and no customers would tolerate it. Not even in the "conservative" towns of Texas. Good news for American common sense. The insidious propaganda point from ABC News is the suggestion that millions of good Americans who believe marriage means a man and a woman because children ought to have moms and dads, would or are behaving like this. Shame on ABC. Be prepared for lot more prejudiced stereotyping of decent and honorable Americans down the road by powerful elites.

ABC's What Would You Do? Tackles Homophobia Towards Gay Families

Even though the set-up took place in Texas, things definitely don't happen the way some might expect. Get a tissue.

(Tipped by JMG reader Gavin)

ABC Cancels Long-Running Soaps

ABC today announced the cancellations of two of television's longest-running soap operas, All My Children and One Life To Live.

The network announced Thursday that the two soap operas would end, with "All My Children" going off the air in September and "One Life to Live" going off the air in January. In their place, a Mario Batali-hosted food show called "The Chew" will premiere in September, and a health/lifestyle transformation show tentatively called "The Revolution" will premiere in January.

That leaves The Bold & The Beautiful, General Hospital, The Young & The Restless, and Days Of Our Lives still running on daytime network television. Only four? Is that right? That's a far cry from what seems like dozens of soaps during my childhood. But I still miss Dark Shadows and Peyton Place.

UPDATE: Susan Lucci reacts to the end of her 41 year run as Erika Kane. "It’s been a fantastic journey. I’ve loved playing Erica Kane and working with Agnes Nixon and all the incredible people involved with All My Children. I’m looking forward to all kinds of new and exciting opportunities."

No Same-Sex Couples For DWTS

The producers of Dancing With The Stars have decided that "America isn't quite ready" to see a same-sex couple compete on the show. The decision comes after Portia de Rossi declined an invitation to be the show's first contestant to dance in a same-sex pair.

"If Portia had agreed then this would have been a done deal," an ABC insider tells me. "She was the only star that could have pulled this off without completely offending the program's conservative viewers." But since the 'Arrested Development' beauty has rejected their offer, producers have decided to wait a few years and "not rush into creating a same-sex dancing couple just to get attention and publicity." The show has a soft spot for stunt casting -- Kate Gosselin, Florence Henderson, Bristol Palin, anyone? -- but isn't yet ready to invite on a same-sex couple. The last time a contestant did anything remotely gay -- Margaret Cho's rainbow dress -- she was promptly dumped by viewers.

Last week the same-sex couple on Israel's version of the show was eliminated.

ABC's What Would You Do? Tackles Homophobic Parenting

Even though it's acting, this is hard to watch.

ABC's Nightline Covers The "Ex-Gay" Retreat "Journey Into Manhood"

On Monday night, ABC's Nightline devoted most of their episode to the Journey Into Manhood, that "ex-gay" conference where self-hating homos "hug the gay away" by getting all up close and sweaty with other men out in the woods. Truth Wins Out's Wayne Besen lambastes Nightline:

Sadly, Nightline’s producers elected to trade accuracy for access. They bragged that they were the first network that got to take cameras into JIM. Well, not exactly. ABC was denied access to the actual JIM weekends — which are furtive, painful and bizarre — and instead allowed the network to film a JIM Reunion featuring canned spokespeople touting the Party Line. In essence, the PR people at JIM slyly created a Potemkin Village and ABC was suckered into videotaping the propaganda. Why would a network elect to create what essentially was an infomercial for JIM, while skimming over the harm perpetrated on the majority? Shouldn’t this story be told in the form of an expose from the perspective of the victims? [snip] Nevertheless, propaganda can only go so far. ABC does get credit for asking the right questions in terms of whether the so-called “ex-gays” are still attracted to the same sex. After hesitating, JIM’s spokesmodel, “Preston”, admits that he still thinks guys are hot. And, in a startling admission, his wife admits that they cruise men together. I’m sure church might even be fun with that couple!

(Via Chino Blanco @ Pam's House Blend)

GLAAD Places Full-Page Variety Ad Demanding Apology From ABC

Via GLAAD's press release:

"ABC now knows that it put out dangerous and false information about HIV/AIDS on its airwaves, yet the network still refuses to take responsibility," said Rashad Robinson, GLAAD’s Senior Director of Programs. "ABC and The View’s refusal to correct these inaccurate remarks comes at the expense of African American gay and bisexual men, straight African American women and millions of audience members who need facts about HIV/AIDS, not myths. It’s extremely disheartening to see a program that usually covers our community with respect, unwilling to correct this serious lapse in editorial judgment."

GLAAD Demands Retraction From The View Over Down-Low/AIDS Comments

GLAAD is demanding that View host Sherri Shepherd and guest moderator D.L. Hughley retract their comments that black men on the down-low are responsible for the majority of HIV infections in black women.

While discussing the FDA's ban that prevents gay and bisexual men from donating blood, Shepherd and Hughley communicated misinformation about the causes of increased HIV rates among African American women and used the phrase "down low" to describe men who have sex with men but publicly identify as heterosexual. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), however, has debunked the dangerous myth that Shepherd and Hughley cited on the program. Dr. Kevin Fenton, director of the Centers for Disease Control's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention talked about his research to NNPA News in October 2009. Fenton said that the CDC "has looked to see what proportion of [HIV] infections is coming from male partners who are bisexual and found there are actually relatively few," and goes on to attribute most infections to other factors.

GLAAD has posted contact information for the show's producers and ABC, asking that you request an apology and a retraction.

Bristol Palin's Acting Debut

From an upcoming episode of The Secret Life Of The American Teenager, which airs July 5th on ABC Family. Clearly Bristol has been studying at the Paris Hilton School for Robotic Acting.

ABC Pulls Ads From Perez Hilton Over Miley Cyrus Upskirt Post

ABC has yanked its banner ads from Perez Hilton's site after the gossip queen tweeted a photo of Miley Cyrus without underwear.

Perez Hilton, aka Mario Lavandeira, might not yet be facing legal action after tweeting a provocative picture of teen star Miley Cyrus, but he is facing repercussions from advertisers. A rep for ABC Daytime confirms that a rotating banner ad promoting “The View” was pulled from the celebrity blogger’s website, PerezHilton.com. At press time, earlier reports that MTV pulled ads for TV Land were confirmed to be untrue, but one well-placed source within ABC said that it’s not out of the realm of possibility that more advertisers could follow ABC’s lead.

Numerous Facebook groups have sprung up calling for a boycott of any company that advertises on Hilton's site.

ABC's What Would You Do? On Gay Families In Restaurants

ABC's hidden camera show What Would You Do? took actors playing gay families to a restaurant, where the proprietor (also an actor) pretended to refuse to serve them. Watch how patrons react. Or don't.

(Via - Towleroad)