I'm sorry, but I have lost all respect for NLG. If that article in SOW didn't do the trick, then this one surely finished the job.
I still just can't see ABC/GH going this route for many reasons, but here is what I honestly see happening here.
I'm sure that people will take this as an NLG bash and I'm sorry if it offends some, but this is what I see and how I feel. So, I am going to say it!!
Every article praising Sexis in the last few months seems to have one main support person, NLG. I haven't seen one word from Maurice Benard that says that he wants this pairing. In fact, I have seen and read the exact opposite! And, the man has been very consistent on that point.
In the SID article, Man in the Middle, Maurice all but shut the door on Sexis. He said she is like the sister he never had and said that it was a relationship that he didn't want to turn romantic. He also said it would be great for him and Carly if the writers could find the balance and give them the comedy of Suxass along with the drama he gets with S&C!
In the January 29th issue of SOD, he was asked how much Sonny thinks about Carly. He said "BOTTOM LINE, he wants his family" and that Sonny isn't the type of man that goes bouncing from woman to woman.
As of the publication of these issues, I dare say that Maurice would know where this story is heading because if I am not mistaken, they usually film about 3 weeks out, but they get the scripts several weeks before that. So, Maurice would know exactly what is coming for sweeps. Why would Maurice make these comments if he knew they were going to do Suxis? Sonny and Carly fans have been very loyal to him this past year. Why would he choose to screw us over now by subtely telling us that Sonny and Carly are the story if they aren't?
I'll admit I was very upset about the SOW "Alexis In, Carly Out" article, but once I calmed down and thought about it, I realized this was just a blantant manipulation attempt to get the story to shift to Sexless. First of all, she maligns the S&C fans as a "joke" yeah whatever She is also the only one doing all the talking with a few OLD quotes from Maurice. Now, correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't it be better for them to get new and fresh quotes from Maurice if he is behind this pairing now. This article came the same day the SOD one did where Sonny say's the bottom line is he wants his family. Now, since that is a storyline specific question, I'd bet that comment was alot more recent than the ones used in SOW (since we know those quotes came from the Houston Chronicle in November and again, if an I am not mistaken the article came out the same weekend as SSW where Sonny says that at present, his favorite leading lady is Tamara!).
Okay, now we have this new article with NLG speaking about the story. Yet again, she is the ONLY one talking and pushing for this story. I feel like she is blatantly trying to manipulate us, but this time, I think she is trying to manipulate TIIC too. She makes a crack about ageism, bringing up her age and then bringing up Tamara's age. If the powers that be go with Sonny and Carly, then she can say it was because of her age. Kinda puts TIIC in a delicate position doesn't it.
Again, she maligns the Sonny and Carly fans. That statment had absolutely NO business in the article. What a few fans do should not be attributed to all fans. Also, she makes it sound again that everyone wants this story. Which, I know just isn't true!
Nancy -- I don't think it was anyone's intention to put Sonny and Alexis together, basically the audience dictated that this woman who is not 30 gets to play this wonderful story with some nice supporr from the media
If this pairing is fan dictated, then why is there so little support for it on SZ anymore? Why do the Sonny and Carly fans CP dwarf the Suxis ones in responses at least 3 to 1. Why do Sonny and Carly consistently win the favorite couple poll in SID every week? This is what I don't understand? Sonny and Alexis have made it twice and not even in consecutive weeks. Sure they've won a couple of questions, like the SOW one in the Jan. 29, issue and the SID one in which they won the favorite couple poll, but there is no consistency here!
So, what is the point of this article especially now on the brink of sweeps?
Well its simple really.
1. Support has been waning on SZ for Sonny and Alexis. Some fans are turned off by how this storyline is making her look, some people are being completely turned off by Alexis period. Many of these turn offs come from her own fan base. I wonder how the offline fans feel about this, or if this is just a trend from SZ. Maybe she's hoping that by implying that Sexis is a go the ones that bailed will come back. Also, the Sonny and Carly CP's still generate alot more buzz than the Suxis CP's. Even when they are not together on the show, the S&C CP dwarf the Suxis one with responses and now views at least 3 to 1.
2. She wants to send waves of shock and disillusionment into the ranks of the Sonny and Carly fans. Hoping they will stop writing and calling and give up on their story. If the S&C fans just give up then she has a better chance of getting her story. One thing though that I don't think she is counting on is that we are a very resilient bunch. We can roll with the punches and take it all in stride. We've been doing it for 10 months now. Maybe she believes the Carly fans will turn their attention to Jax or Zander. Many fans like myself plan to tune out if it appears that Sonny and Alexis are a go. I don't think she is counting on the dive the ratings are going to take LOL!
3. This story has to turn. We've seen previews of the first two weeks of sweeps (thanks vern), but we have yet to see the last part of sweeps. MMT said in all her sweeps previews that Sonny will find out about Zander's feelings for Carly and hey, maybe he'll find out about the kiss. This is the story turn. Sonny realizes he is not as over Carly as he thought and everything changes.
Sonny better be careful what he requests, because he requested that Zander get close to Carly. How close will he get?
Sonny, Carly, Alexis: ''Sonny may think he's going on without Carly'', says Megan McTavish, "but if he becomes aware that someone is interested in her, he may not be as over her as he'd like to believe. Zander is becoming attracted to someone who is forbidden. When Sonny finds out, what will happen? I'm not saying that Sonny finds out about Zander right away, but he may not be as over Carly as he thinks. And that might cause Alexis to take steps of her own to make Sonny realize he can't live without her''.
Also, Maurice even mentioned this shift in the Man in the Middle article. He said it would be dreadful if/when Sonny found out.
This is where the story turns back once again to Sonny and Carly. This is the second part of the sweeps story. So, I think it is VERY premature to say that Sexis is a go and that S&C are not going to get back together. If the Sonny and Carly get the scenes for the last two weeks of sweeps and it is about them (which I believe it is), then many S&C fans will tune back in wanting to see the reunion or the start of it. If S&C fans believe that it is just another roadblock to Sexis, then maybe the fans won't come back for what could be the reunion or the start of it. So, NLG needs and wants those fans to stay away and not spike the ratings. If the ratings spike for Sonny and Carly, the age thing won't be an issue.
Now, I know I have made some pretty serious charges against NLG, but the way in which she has presented herself in the media the past few weeks IMO supports what I have to say. I'm sorry if I have offended anyone, but this is what I see going on!
As for Sonny and Carly, Maurice has been my beacon of hope that the Sonny and Carly story will continue thoughtout this whole ordeal. So, until he gives the word that Sexis is a go, I'll be hanging in there with Sonny and Carly, thank you very much!