It's a little unfair that so many gay men adore The Golden Girls, but fewer have heard of the show Soap, without which Blanche, Rose, Sophia and Dorothy wouldn't exist. It is also one of the most controversial sitcom in television history, and I have a new YouTube video coming this weekend all about Soap’s rocky road, and why for one summer in 1977 gay groups and conservatives agreed that the show could not be allowed to air. For this week’s episode of The Sewers of Paris, we’re jumping back to a 2015 interview about Soap, which was something of an obsession for my guest Andrew. That’s thanks in large part to the motherly power of the character of Jessica. Though her family was fractured and weird, her love never wavered. That family loyalty made such an impression on him that he still thinks about -- and aspires to it -- to this day.
We’ll have that conversation in a minute. Also don’t forget to head over to mattbaume.com to subscribe to my newsletter.
Also take a look at my YouTube channel for videos about film and TV history. My new video about the making of Soap debuts this Sunday, February 20, kicking off with a livestream at 11am pacific. And head over to my Patreon to support The Sewers of Paris and watch hours of bonus videos about queer pop culture.