Writing a soap opera column for over 25 years gives one the right to get on a soapbox at least one time. So, here goes. Lately, the news has been rife with actors driving drunk. From Mel Gibson to Britney Spears, having a shot or five of Stoli and getting into a car is the latest fad. And no one who has been caught drunk driving gets caught the first time they get behind the wheel feeling no pain.
Kirsten Storms (Maxi on "General Hospital")
On the daytime scene, we have had three actors arrested for drunk driving -- Kirsten Storms (Maxi on "General Hospital"), Sean Kanan (formerly A.J. on GH) and Wole Parks (the new Dallas on "As the World Turns"). Parks was not only a drunk driver, he killed a girl and left the scene of the crime.
Yes, alcoholism is a sickness. But having a friend or relative killed by a drunk driver makes one sick. Yes, it is a personal experience thing. Want to down a few or 10? Call a cab. Instead, stars that have enough money to have a driver get behind the wheel and find themselves on the wrong side of a California freeway.
Then comes the endless TV publicity for the star. Then comes the day in court. Then comes the sentencing -- three days of community service and a $1,000 fine. Yeah, Paris Hilton went to jail, and after she was released (for the second time), every network wanted to pay to talk to her.
Probably the saddest thing is the way daytime drama deals with drunk driving. On "Days of our Lives," Chelsea, the spoiled brat daughter of Bo and stepdaughter of Hope, has seen DUI from both sides. A drunk driver killed her adopted parents and almost killed her. Chelsea, taking a cue from this horror, started to drink and drive. End result, one dark and stormy night a drunken Chelsea ran over and killed Hope and Bo's infant son.
Chelsea kept drinking and driving and having accidents. As for the fine, of course Bo paid it. Jail time? Are you kidding? The most "what???" moment had Hope apologizing to Chelsea for being so hard on her because she killed her baby. Hello?
Soaps used to represent a moral compass, offering life lessons. The new message seems to be, "Hey, it's OK that Chelsea was drunk -- she didn't know what she was doing." Just as drunk drivers do not know what they are doing, it seems some soap writers do not know what they are doing, either. Over at "General Hospital," Kate had two prior DUIs. When she was caught a third time (she was framed), the judge who had a niece who was a drunken driver, fearing it would come out, gave Kate an ankle bracelet to wear. Kate had two priors (she was not framed for those). That's not acceptable.
How about a storyline where a beloved character makes the mistake of drinking, driving and injuring or killing someone they love? Have them feel heartbreaking remorse, do jail time and do an in-character PSA on the network that carries the soap.
Time to step down from the soapbox, have a soft drink and go for a ride.
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