Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Tweeting Tony Geary


Yes, I was actually tweeting "him" yesterday during the Fluke scenes as if he's on Twitter and was going to read my comments. Just another example of a delusional soap fan; one of which he appears to disdain so much. I'm not going to sit here and pretend this op ed will do anything but make me feel better. I'm also not going to pretend that we don't all know that Geary has had a heavy hand in writing this Fluke "saga". 
Therein lies the rub... 


Tony's never really been into the soaps, and even though the 50th year anniversary gave us a rare glimpse into private/group interviews, I could tell he was distant and almost 'over' it all. ( I think he was 'over' it years ago.)  I remember reading an interview where he basically said GH paid the bills and allowed him to go to Amsterdam when he wanted to. Geary is such a fine actor that I didn't care if he was nice, crabby or indifferent to the genre. I just wanted him on my screen.
Times--like ladies wearing pants, have changed. 

During this long, drawn out tale, we've gotten two distinct lectures about the whole Luke and Laura story from the writers (and dare I say TG himself). One was about the identity of "Luke" being tied to an anti-hero when he was really a raging evil scumbag and another about the rape itself. How could we (the audience) have been so stupid as to enjoy such tripe? I guess we shouldn't have. Revisiting the past is one thing, making it into a mockery is another. 
And yep, I certainly felt mocked. 

Soap fans are a strange bunch, I'll give everyone that. I've seen and heard from people/fans that I wouldn't want being attached to my 'character' 24/7. I have also know and do know legions of great fans that want the best for this genre and really keep it alive, even when the networks are driving spikes into it's coffin. We realize the work and time that goes into the making of Daytime shows. We know the actors--for the most part, are awesome and very very talented. We show up to fan events and pay outrageous sums to just listen to and meet them. I don't see us that far off from other fandoms at all. But--seems to me when actors like TG dismiss us as a whole, we mean as much as gum on a shoe.

As a girl, I did love the LnL story and how they transformed the rape aftermath into something magical.  Geary and Francis made me believe in hard-core love, even if it was a fantasy. Like reading a good book, it wove a great story for me to savor. To have the fact that one of the main players actually despises it's existence tarnishes my love of it. It does. It makes me sad as well. I really thought when it was Tony's time to go, the story would be a magnificent one. Certainly he got a great acting opportunity here with the whole DID/Father Flashback. I personally could have appreciated it more if it wasn't changed in the middle of the game but it is what it is.  
I did love the acting. I did love the Flashback eppy. I even liked the Fluke "on Luke" talks in Miscaviage.  
People don't mention LnL "Phase II" much but that was also a great time in soaps. They came back strong, with location shoots...and adventure and one of the best casting choices in soap history: JJ as Lucky. Sorry if you didn't see his early years and interaction with Ruby those first few days--you missed a gem. Luke and Laura settled in and Luke started having 'the itch". That was realistic and moved them forward as a couple. By then, the Cassadines were born and LnL Era 3 began. My point is, LnL weren't ONLY that one dot on the map. There were several points and growth over the years.  In fact, we did revisit the entire rape thing when Luke talked to Lucky about it. That was some great acting and gave us all a bit of reflection and heartbreak. 

If Geary wants to leave the LnL thing in the past, we certainly have gotten that fact over the course of the last few years. Genie not being on the show also helped that along. I won't comment on her not being asked back after the  50th, but let's just say I do think she would have been on canvas if she could have.  I am also a big time Tracy and Luke fan. I love Jane Elliot and think the two of them make a great team. This isn't about that; it's about the past being used as a battering ram against this endgame story. 

I've watched GH so many years I've come to pinpoint TG's vacation times and accepted them as they were. Story disruptions be damned; he's such a great actor, who cared?  Now I hate to say this but it's time to go.  I don't want to see you tied to a hospital bed fighting your demons anymore, Luke. We got the point about 3 months ago. 
Take your bitterness about the whole LnL era with you. Soaps aren't about joy anymore anyway, so why make it even more painful to those of us that have watched so long?  Yeah, this is a 'first world problem"-- and no I don't have to watch. But I'm not going to sit here and not open my big mouth when something makes me mad.  I think you know that by now. 


Couldn't have been ALL bad....

And PS... when Genie and Tony look at each other as Luke and Laura? THAT's why I have watched soaps for the last 35 odd years. Maybe it doesn't mean much to he or the writers, but it sure does to this girl. 
Magic. And you can't take that away from me. No sir. 

10 comments:

  1. Hi Karen! I am not liking the Fluke story either though for a slightly different reason than yourself as I did not watch LnL during their '80s heyday. However I think it all boils down to the same universal reason of "what's the point?" So TG hated "Luke the Hero." So he wanted a big bang story line about his darkside. So...what? What now? And most importantly...why should viewers care?

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  2. Great blog. I have heard recently that TG's contract is coming up for renewal. There is speculation whether or not he will re-sign or retire. I too think it sad about the LnL storyline and how he has so much disdain having played the role of the hero and being "so over it". I guess it doesn't matter to him how we thought of that storyline as magical and how much we enjoyed watching at that time. Maybe it is time for him to go. If he doesn't value his acting as much as his fans do, what is the point? Maybe he thinks there is something bigger and better out there for him to do next. But I would think twice about that because of his age, good roles are not that easy to come by. This may have been his best and has nothing left to give. Who knows? Only TG. At then end of the day, I still believe he is a great actor.

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  3. I feel you. Especially your last paragraph. This regime has shown increasing disdain for '80s era fans since the Frisco & Felicia debacle at the GH50 Nurses Ball. They've trashed them, LnL, and now, it appears, Duke and Anna. Thanks for pissing on my memories, GH. But like you, Wubs, I know what I saw back then: It happened and it was beautiful and they can't take it away from us. Not really.

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  4. Very Well said. I agree 100%. I have watched this show since day 1. I was 5 years old watching with my mother 4-1-1963. I remember Genie long before Tony came on the show. I think Tony should retire. Bring Genie back if she wants to.

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  5. The day Tony Geary walks off General Hospital for good is the day I stop watching the show. He has sort of been like an actor/slide idol for me. There will be no more need for 44 year old man as myself to watch such a cool hero. If he leaves, that's it. Sorry, but everyone around me knows how I feel.

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  6. Spot on once again Karen!

    I lost all respect for Tony Geary the moment he decided he was bigger than GH. Can't wait for him and his giant ego to be gone....and he can take that repetitive, history destroying, hack of a head writer Ron Carlivati with him.

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  7. This is totally right on, Karen. I would like to add that Geary's massive ego does not seem to realize that it doesn't matter how great an actor is if no one is watching! Any performer needs to realize that the fans are the folks who make or break their careers. To have nothing but disdain and to look down on the very people who kept you working all these years is disgusting. Luke was only supposed to be a short term character, to help Bobbie break up Scottie and Laura. THE FANS LOVED HIM, SO THEY KEPT THE CHARACTER!!!
    I cannot stand to look at Geary on screen or even to look at a picture of him. I am disgusted with him and with myself for supporting him for so many years.

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  8. Great thoughts posted here by you and many others in the comments! I've been a faithful viewer since 1971 when ABC became available in the area where I live.... yeah, quaint. I once was even quoted in the soaps column of TV Guide (is it even still there?) standing up for Tony Geary because the editor was bashing him. Wouldn't do that now tho, sadly.

    I was prepared, and would have been much happier, if this whole debacle of Luke/Fluke would have ended with someone killing (ending!) him. I hadn't decided yet who I thought it would be, but I like many here thought it would be Tony's exit strategy and what a great dramatic final ending could have been done! Then he could happily go do whatever it is that he wants to do the rest of his years and we can, if we want, watch our soap in peace!

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  9. amen Karen....couldn't have said it better

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