ABC Daytime President
Brian Frons threw down the gauntlet claiming that
All My Children’s lesbians are cuter than
Grey’s Anatomy’s.
During a lunchtime interview with Melissa Grego for her dining out column, Mel's Diner, for Broadcasting and Cable magazine at Madeo in West Hollywood earlier this month Frons extolled the virtues of AMC’s lesbian storyline, which this year features the show’s on again / off again resident lesbian Eden Riegel’s Bianca and her new love, Tamara Braun’s Reese, in a committed, often passionate relationship.
Mel’s Diner: Brian Frons on ABC’s Best Lesbian Storyline from Broadcasting & Cable on Vimeo.
“Our lesbians are cuter,” Frons joked when an interviewer mentioned that while AMC’s lesbian storyline is blossoming, Grey’s Anatomy’s was axed.
“That’s being phased out,” Frons said, adding that he doesn’t have the scoop on the demise of Grey’s gay girl story line between Sara Ramirez’s Callie and Brooke Smith’s Erica.
But Frons touted AMC as a pioneer in spearheading and sticking with a well drawn lesbian character.
The Emmy winning actress Riegel plays Bianca, he said. “She came out on air playing Susan Lucci’s daughter. My God. The great Erica Kane has a lesbian daughter," Frons said. "Fabulous. Daytime’s all-time femme fatale’s daughter likes girls."
The president of ABC Daytime then told an anecdote about a family dinner during which his cousin bemoaned Bianca’s former status as a single lesbian woman whose baby had been stolen. He said he pointed out to his cousin that while America was debating gay marriage, she just wanted Bianca to be happy, to which his cousin replied. “Bianca has transcended her sexuality and deserves her baby and deserves love.”
Making Bianca a lovable character whom fans care about has helped keep the gay storyline in play, Frons suggested.
“When you can humanize someone and make something not an issue but an emotional journey that’s good,” Frons said. “That’s a good soap opera. That’s particularly All My Children.”