Jeffrey Carlson joining All My Children- Page 2

[jimnysf]

Posted: 12/3/06 at 11:12pm

And still another. This one was on the FRONT page of Friday's San Francisco Chronicle.

San Francisco Trannyshack participants (from left) Heklina, Cookie Dough and Pollo DelMar react to the introduction of a transgender character on the ABC soap opera "All My Children."




As the gender turns: New territory for TV
Soap 'All My Children' breaks ground with character's male-to-female journey

All My Children," the 37-year-old ABC soap opera, has gone where no scripted network television series had gone before. On Thursday, it depicted a character about to undergo a transition from man to woman.

Zarf, an androgynous male rock star, began his journey to becoming Zoe, a woman romantically involved with the show's beloved lesbian, Bianca.

"Telling the story of a character's transition from male to female is groundbreaking television," said Damon Ramine, entertainment media director of Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, or GLAAD.

"It's a story that hasn't been told in other forums, which is one of the things that those involved in daytime take pride in," said Mara Levinsky, associate editor of Soap Opera Digest, who covers "All My Children" exclusively. "Soap operas are often first to tackle things that the mainstream doesn't delve into."

Soap operas, like network programming as a whole, have seen their ratings fall in the past two decades. Long gone are the days when an event like the wedding of Luke and Laura on "General Hospital" could draw 30 million viewers. "All My Children" typically gets 3 million viewers daily, 2 million shy of the top-rated soap, "The Young and the Restless," according to Nielsen Media Ratings. In the Bay Area, "All My Children" airs at noon weekdays on KGO Channel 7.
.....

In an apartment in San Francisco's Hayes Valley, three performers from the weekly South of Market drag show Trannyshack gathered at The Chronicle's request to watch and comment on the latest move by "All My Children." While none of the assembled identifies as transgender, as drag queens they are experts in camp and gender roles.

"He already looks like a drag queen," rasped Heklina, a tall, blond bombshell who is Trannyshack's hostess.

Heklina was sitting on the couch with two other Trannyshack stars, Cookie Dough and Pollo DelMar. None was impressed by the soap's presentation of Zarf, who first appears naked in a lotus position in the office of a cosmetics company.

"I think he's going to have some obstacles to gaining viewer affection, so why add more obstacles?" said DelMar, noting Zarf's vague foreign accent. "Why does the gay or trans character have to have more oddities?"
....

Link to full article below.


San Francisco Chronicle

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 12/4/06 at 12:44am

"He's pompous and condescending."

Zarf is a rock star. A lot of them are pompous and condescending.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 12:20am

26 April is Jeffrey's last day on AMC.

Something tells me it's just the right time...

http://www.bestweekever.tv/2007/04/20/zarfs-final-word-oh-em-gee-zarfs-music-video/

[Luvinbroadway]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 12:38am

OYYY! Poor Jeffrey...POOR All My Children..
Sigh...