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55 January 10th, 2012 ABC President, Paul Lee on GH’s Future: “We have not made a decison & we do not have a time frame for making that call either!”

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At the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour today, ABC president Paul Lee commented on various series status on the alphabet network including General Hospital!

But according to TV Line, “Regarding the suspect fate of ABC’s soon-to-be-lone soap opera, given the September 2012 arrival of Katie Couric’s daytime talker, Lee said, “I’m a fan of General Hospital but we have not made a decision, and we do not have a time frame for [making that call] either.”

So given that piece of news, and the arrival of the talented twosome of former OLTL creatives, Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati to try and save the show from cancellation, what do you think are the chances for GH to get its second life to live? Let us know your thoughts!

Tags: abc, General Hospital, Paul Lee, TCA's

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aria says:

January 10, 2012 at 7:21 pm

I pray that mr. Lee stays a fan of GH and keeps it on the air, GH is now getting back to life, and w/ Valentini and carvilati, hopefully it will live much longer.

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lipstickcat replied January 17th, 2012 at 10:07 am
It looks like they’re on the road to cancellation just like AMC & OLTL since they bringing back characters who left long ago! That’s what they did on those too!

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Joanne replied February 4th, 2012 at 5:26 am
He needs to recognize the rath of the AMC & OLTL coalition. Looks like it is time for me to tape the revolting Revolution and update the list of products we are not buying because they sponsor it.
D says:

January 10, 2012 at 7:43 pm

The View (which should be on its last legs also), Chew and Revolution questionable. I don’t see how Katie Couric could not be a followed by the View and change the time? Since Oprah left a lot of stations with a open hour for local programming I don’t see how the can’t use that slot instead of killing GH.

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barbara t replied January 11th, 2012 at 9:49 am
If they would just get rid of all the crap shows they could put oltl and amc back and admit they made a big ,big mistake,because abc lineup of shows is a big joke, you can go anywhere on other channels and its the same crap.I wish disney never bought abc back in the 80s ,we wouldnt be here wishing they wouldnt kill the soaps for garbage ,and I repeat garbage , tv. on t.v.tonight I heard that on one of the shows, a little kid ,you see on her lips saying F u. thats the disney channel,walt disney has got to be spinning because abc keeps going lower and lower ,on dwts porn stars, playboy,not stars,reality crap,j.r i love and miss you on all my children,abc should get there act together,because there are to many people who do not like what you did to our soaps.

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Jared says:

January 10, 2012 at 7:53 pm

I love RC/FV, but I won’t be watching GH or any abc programming after this Friday. I’m not confident that GH will be around much longer anyway. However, I can’t believe people want to see Katie Couric. She didn’t do much for CBS News. But I’m learning in my 40′s that the corporate world in 2012 America is not run by intelligent people. Sad but true, the you-know-what rises to the top. Anyway, I digress. I’m also wondering what’s going to happen to the goo’s ratings now that they can’t piggyback off of ONE LIFE TO LIVE by rolling over into our beloved show’s time slot. Hopefully the numbers will show what I think that the goo is a bunch of disgusting spew that no one wants to see. I think Y&R should pick up RC/FV and turn that show around. Judging by the numbers over at Y&R, which have done a recent skyrocketing turnaround, Y&R isn’t in danger of being cancelled any time soon. RC/FV could return that show to the jewel it is.

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barbara t replied January 11th, 2012 at 10:11 am
You said it,Katie couric to me is a waste ,cbs did get rid of her,because she sucks,of course if abc needs someone to do a colonoscopy ,katies there girl ,she will do anything so people notice her.however, general hospital needs our support,after friday ,only have abc on at 3 or when ever it airs in your town, then shut it off.abc is going downhill,and hopefully we can help to bring down there ratings.ABC YOU DONT KILL SHOWS WITH HISTORY and try to replace them with SHIT CHEAP PROGRAMING.

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melissa says:

January 10, 2012 at 8:02 pm

I pray they save GH…Can not imagine my life without my shows..Losing AMC and OLTL is hard enough..Enough of all the garbage talk shows/reality crap..
However, I do not trust ABC..Think they have sealed it’s fate and have yet to drop the hammer.Sad I was so loyal to ABC and Disney for years..Never watching a soap on another channel ever.Disney has got SO much of my money!! Well what has happened since April has changed my feelings..No loyality to Disney or ABC.Only GH!
I am sure many others feel the same.

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david says:

January 10, 2012 at 8:14 pm

Aren’t those almost identical to the same words spoken in late 2010 or early 2011 before OLTL and AMC were cancelled?

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lipstickcat replied January 17th, 2012 at 10:11 am
Yes! And nobody should be stupid enough to believe them again! GH is already on the way out but they’re not admitting it!

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Heather says:

January 10, 2012 at 9:22 pm

Redeem yourself ABC by keeping General Hospital on the air. If you do, I will forgive you for murdering All My Children and One Life to Live, and I will watch again your primetime shows as I used to do before (although I still won’t watch The Chew/The Revolution).

We want concrete actions that you will actually keep General Hospital on the air. Not lies and fake promises a la Brian Frons.

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Heather says:

January 10, 2012 at 9:49 pm

Why can’t ABC move General Hospital in the morning if it’s the 3:00pm timeslot they absolutely want for Katie? Why does ABC absolutely want to reduce its daytime programming from one hour. Doesn’t ABC realize that once they give an hour to their affiliates, affiliates will never give it back.

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1loveabcsoaps replied January 10th, 2012 at 10:20 pm
Abc shouldn’t move GH to the morning. That will as much KILL the show. People are use to seeing that show at 3pm. It has ALWAYS been in that timeslot. U want to kill the show, let them move it. One woman suggested something, now this makes sense. If abc want Katie Courie, place her in the mornings after The View. The Fan’s have been upset and lied to enough, and fustrated since the April 2011 announcement cancelation of AMC, then OLTL. So MOVING GH to another time slot for Katie would ALL but kill GH, Heather. That’s just like someone asking you to move your property over to make room for property they want to place there, when U own, and barely have room for yourself. GH is barely holding on by the skin of their teeth. Move them after 40 year’s and GH dies.

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1loveabcsoaps replied January 10th, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Here is that person I was telling you about, regarding placing Katien the mornings. It’s on this same page, by a person name D.

The View (which should be on its last legs also), Chew and Revolution questionable. I don’t see how Katie Couric could not be a followed by the View and change the time? Since Oprah left a lot of stations with a open hour for local programming I don’t see how they can’t use that slot instead of killing GH.

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Heather replied January 11th, 2012 at 9:41 am
True, a morning timeslot would eventually kill GH. But then again, all four remaning soap operas are subject to cancellation notices within the next 5 years. With a morning timeslot, GH would at least get to stay another 2 or 3 years, especially given that ABC-Disney has already made its decision to give the 3:00pm slot to Katie’s syndicated show.

And speaking of Katie, she wants to become the next Ms Oprah Winfrey. Well, wouldn’t airing her show at 4:00pm be logically one of the first steps to be like Oprah. This is BS coming straight from Anne Sweeney. Frons may have been in love with GH, but Sweney does not nearly share this loyalty for GH and that’s why she purposely gave GH’s timselot to Katie’s syndicated show. She could have easily gave the 4:00pm timeslot instead if she wanted to.

1loveabcsoaps replied January 12th, 2012 at 11:48 am
Wow Heather, I dont mind an opposing view as long as it has some rational, as your’s. Although U do agree with me that a morning slot for GH would kill the show, you provide PERHAPS an alternative of why it could help. As for Katie being another Oprah with abc thinking that, NO ONE will never be another Oprah. That’s once in a lifetime. And as much as I have read Fron’s being beat up on this site, as being a Soap hater, (WHCH SURPRISED ME) bc I would watch the short flicks with him on abc.com with the soap star’s. And then U said something that made sense! From my recall, Fron’s was usually seen with cast of GH in between the commercial brakes at abc.com. So U put some perspective on ALL THE POST I read of Fron’s being a Soap hater. Can’t be all true, he like GH. Thanks

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barbara t replied January 12th, 2012 at 12:23 pm
Well,that sure explains why he killed all my children and one life to live.no to general hospital in the morning,Ive got things to do and places to go.I like my afternoons to relax and watch the soaps,when there on.
Linda Dowell says:

January 10, 2012 at 10:26 pm

Man, oh, man, as part of Occupy, the protest of the financial institutions and all of the current political unrest – I wish – as a person involved for years in the political BS of Corporate America – that CEO’s, and other executives, would just tell the effing truth instead of the constant BS and more BS and more BS. What did he say? He just said a huge bunch of colorful but meaningless and absolutely uncommitted bunch of bull.

What do I think he meant? Any day, any time, from tomorrow to 2013, GH will be cancelled….maybe, if they come up with something cheaper that will make them more money…some nice reality soap opera…The Kardashian Kloset, or something………I’m so sick and tired of their sick and tired lack of creativity….they’re so inept it’s mind boggling.

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BRYAN SALTON says:

January 10, 2012 at 10:29 pm

I BEEN A FAN OF GENERAL HOSPITAL AND SOAPNET SINCE I WAS IN MY TEENS I HEARD THAT SOAPNET WILL BE GONE IN MARCH IT MAKES ME REALLY MAD AND SAD I WILL MISS AMC AND OLTL SO MUCH I LOVE THE WHOLE CAST SO MUCH PLEASE HELP ME TO KEEP SOAPNET TO STAY FOR GOOD MY BIRTHDAY IS ON MONDAY JAN 16TH 2012 FOR MY BIRTHDAY GIFT I WANT SOAPNET TO STAY ON AIR CAN YOU FIRED KATIE SHE MAKES THE SOAP MESSED UP AND CAN YOU TAKE THE NEW DISNEY OFF AIR THATS WHAY EVERYTHING IS A MESS CAN BRING SOME AMC AND OLTL CAST TO JOIN THE CAST OF GH AND ON CONTRACT AND ON THE OPENING AND ON ABC BIO THANK YOU SO MUCH

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david replied January 18th, 2012 at 1:09 am
Happy birthday, Bryan! Unfortunately, none of us really get what we wish for on our birthdays. ABC is lying about bringing OLTL cast members to GH. DePaiva says she will only appear on a couple episodes. It will be a miracle if GH is even on for your next birthday. The world can be an ugly place when money rules. Sorry, Bryan.

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Jenna says:

January 11, 2012 at 1:14 am

I would say slim to none.

I think ABC has its head up its you-know-what. I just read something else Lee had to say. I don’t think ABC knows what it is doing anymore.

After OLTL goes black on Friday, I am D-O-N-E with ABC forever or until they bring soaps back. Not that I watch anything else on there now.

“Sorry, GLAAD — ABC Entertainment topper Paul Lee doesn’t get why you have issues with Work It.

While talking to reporters at the annual Television Critics Tour in Pasadena today, Lee said he was stumped by a campaign from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and the Human Rights Campaign that accuses the cross dressing comedy of being harmful to transgenders. “I didn’t really get it,” he said. “I loved Tootsie. I still love Tootsie. I didn’t get it. But that’s probably me.”

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ethel says:

January 11, 2012 at 5:22 am

i am not believing anything that comes out of his mouth……………

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Mo says:

January 11, 2012 at 7:14 am

It doesn’t look good.

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Deb says:

January 11, 2012 at 8:02 am

I think the writing from the new staff will say it all in the next few months.
Surely contracts were made. Were they 6 month contracts or longer?
IF the show picks up, and is in the #1 slot, surely they can’t take it off the air. Can they?
Who is this guy? The new Prez of abc?? Frons long gone?

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Linda says:

January 11, 2012 at 9:33 am

Not everyone wants to watch crap like the Chew and Revolution. Let us keep our one remaining soap – we are the loyalest fans on the earth. Wouldn’t watch Katie if you paid me.

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Heather says:

January 11, 2012 at 10:41 am

I would love to believe that Mr.Lee is truly a fan of General Hospital. After all, he did worked with Brazilian and British soap operas in the past. But then again, Brian Frons had been in the soap opera business since 1978 and that didn’t stopped him from killing AMC and OLTL (as well as several NBC soaps).

So Lee’s words are hardly encouraging or reinssuring to me and GH fans.

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Jim H says:

January 11, 2012 at 4:11 pm

I hope GH stays around a long time and I hope that the Chew And Revolution crash and burn real soon. I for one have noy watched the Chew and have no plans to watch The Revoltion ABC lost me for those 2 hours.

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krktoday says:

January 11, 2012 at 4:59 pm

I love the soaps. I have watched them since day one of GL and ATWT’s. I hate that the network’s are cancelling such great programming so often. I hope The Chew and The Revolution are failure’s. I haven’t watched The Talk or that game show ever and never will. I realize they cost money to produce but they also took in a lot of money on commercial’s which run every 5 or 6 minute’s. The network’s are just greedy and it will bite them in the butt in the end.

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Kathy Thorp says:

January 11, 2012 at 8:04 pm

What difference does it make – Mr. Lee is going to do whatever he wants regardless of what the viewership wants as we have seen with AMC and OLTL. My prayers to the shut-ins and those in nursing homes and assisted living centers that paid ABC’s bills for so many years who no longer have their beloved soaps to watch. I no longer trust ABC due to the unethical business practices as they no longer put any value on their viewership as we have placed our loyalty to ABC for so many years. Goodbye ABC.

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sking718 says:

January 11, 2012 at 8:35 pm

ABC doesn’t care about us….they only want money in their pockets!! They will move General Hospital to mornings so that they can show lack of viewers and can cancel it also. ABC are “soap haters” and are going to do whatever they have to do to “remove” our soaps.

Dear ABC, you DISCUSS me!!! Why don’t you care about your loyal viewers??!!!!!

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Eden Jones says:

January 11, 2012 at 9:21 pm

What i think abc needs to do is bring back all my children and one life to live and just cancel the chew and revolution all together because i hate that they didnt put those crapy shows on a different network at least amc and oltl could stayed on the air abc is really pissing me the fuck off

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Gloria replied January 12th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
OH, ME TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Susan says:

January 11, 2012 at 10:52 pm

I will never watch any of these replacement shows leave our soaps alone stop outsourcing our soaps for these reality shows

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Susan says:

January 11, 2012 at 10:56 pm

Like screw the chew&revolt the revolution, daytime fans unite

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Greta says:

January 12, 2012 at 8:53 am

Please keep GH on the air! People are watching, it’s just hard to rate viewership with DVRs and shows being available online but people are watching!!! Soap operas are a vital part of daytime tradition and each network should honor that by at least holding on to one of its’ daytime dramas!

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Heather replied January 12th, 2012 at 10:29 am
They don’t care that you watch it online or on DVR because if you do that means that you”re not watching the commercials.

If it’s not possible for you to watch it straight from ABC, the second best way to support GH is to watch it on Soapnet (well for the little time it has left).

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Greta replied January 13th, 2012 at 7:28 am
Does watching it “live” still count if you don’t have a Nielsen’s box?
barb johnson says:

February 3, 2012 at 11:49 pm

They are going to be canceled since ABC/Disney does not want any thing to do with soaps any more. Then why don’t they sell the rights to AMC and OLTL to some one. GH has no chance of staying on the air. Katie Couric will be on and get bad ratings just like The Chew and The Revolution does.

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krogers says:

February 4, 2012 at 4:50 am

I would love to be able to believe this but anything coming from ABC/D is had to count on since they are liars and don’t care about their viewers.

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Debbie Hamilton says:

February 4, 2012 at 5:55 am

Its a shame they can’t see the forest for the trees and bring the iconic soap operas AMC and OLTL back to its million + fans. ABC’s ratings have plummeted by their reckless and brainless moves.Prospect Park needs to release the rights to these shows and deliver them to Agnes Nixon. They are hers, she created them.Noone in their right mind is going to believe a single word that PP says ever again.
The Revolution is bombing and The Chew will follow suit, and Katie Curic lol she stands about as much a chance as a snow ball in hell of making it. I’ll sit here and say “Told ya so!”

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Janet says:

February 4, 2012 at 6:53 am

Really unbelievable that they would even consider cancelling GH after how angry everyone is about OLTL and AMC. REALLY? REALLY? Do they want to lose what they have left. PLEASE send me a Nielson Box! I would love to know what idiots they give them to, probably exes from there station. LOL I have never know one person that has had one. I think it is a joke! Bring back our soaps and get this crap off the network!

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penny andrews says:

February 4, 2012 at 7:16 am

I hope ABC keeps general hospital, please let us have one soap left to watch. I hate those two shows you replaced all mychildren and one life to live with. the chew and revolution are the dumbest shows ever. how many reality, cooking, talk shows do we need. thats all ABC will be if you take off General Hospital. if you do take gh off the air, i promise i will NEVER watch ABC again and alot of people feel the same way so that will make your ratings go way down!
thank you,
penny andrews

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Nancy Melman says:

February 4, 2012 at 7:45 am

They can’t make any decisions except the wrong ones. You are going down fast ABC. BRING BACK OUR SOAPS. Why the hell are you so stupid? Why don’t they care about what the people want to watch. Hate ABC.!!!!!

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Barbara Schuima says:

February 6, 2012 at 11:45 am

When something isn’t broken you don’t fix it or you have a “revolution” on your hands !!!

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cheri flowers says:

February 6, 2012 at 11:52 am

i think the show should stay on air, you have taken enough from us,

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Lisa says:

February 6, 2012 at 12:30 pm

Go ahead ABC take off GH & make the SAME MISTAKE they did with AMC & OLTL Katie will BOMB also!! Have you NOT learned your lesson by 2 seriously failing shows??? WHY NOT PUT ON A 3rd?? Do yourselves a favor STAY THE HECK AWAY FROM OUR SOAPS ALREADY!!!! PUT BACK ON AMC & OLTL & SAVE YOUR NETWORK!

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Mary Ellen says:

February 6, 2012 at 12:33 pm

Just what we need more liberal indoctrination. Couric will get the GH timeslot. They have an agenda and they are trying to shove it down out throats.

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Shirley Broome says:

February 6, 2012 at 5:37 pm

I will believe it when ABC brings back the other two soaps. ABC could have cut the shows back to 30 minutes and there would have been room for all six shows. Sure I would have been bummed, but at least I would have had my favorite soaps. But to just dump them? Sorry, I feel that ABC will say anything to stop the boycott. Then go ahead and do as they jolly-well please. I have just removed all of the Discovery Channels from my line up because I found out they are part of the Disney/ABC franchise.

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countrymom56 says:

February 7, 2012 at 9:02 am

I am hoping that they do not cancel GH when Katie Couriq;s show aires

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Mary says:

February 7, 2012 at 2:53 pm

I think GH has been better in the past week so I am hoping it’s because of the new writers. They SHOULD put AMC and OLTL back if they had any clue because they are killing their network. The new shows are terrible.

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Tanya says:

February 7, 2012 at 2:58 pm

I hope they leave G.H. alone but doubt that they will. They will do whatever they want & to hell with the fans.

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Annie G says:

February 7, 2012 at 5:59 pm

ABC took off OLTL…I do not care if they save GH or not, I am done with them. And as for Katie Couric, please. She is so 30 seconds ago.

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Annie G says:

February 7, 2012 at 6:02 pm

Boycott Disney movies, too if you really want to get the going! Anyone letting their kids watch the Disney channel today is off target. There is so much subliminal messaging going on with Disney shows it is scarey. And the kids are so rude on the shows. Disney is a big part of the lack of respect kids have today and their lack of what life is all about. They take all their kid stars and turn them into little sluts when they grow up, it is sad.

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C. Jezierski says:

February 10, 2012 at 10:27 pm

The last thing we need on daytime is another talk show – you have The Chew which I don’t care for – The Revolution which I don’t care for and now you are talking of taking General Hospital. I watch in San Diego and you have two Who Wants to be a Millionaire shows from 3 to 4 – why not take one of those shows and put Katie’s show there – even though I will not watch that either because right after that you have The Doctors. I have always been a loyal ABC watcher, but you are changing my mind really fast. I have been watching GH since I was 8 with my mom, great memories, even thru college, babies and my boys grown, they have even watched the show with me – PLEASE do not take this show off the air. I doubt that you will even see this, but if you do, please think of all the loyal fans – we don’t need another talk show or reality show.

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ed tennessee says:

March 29, 2012 at 11:06 pm

ABC has hit rock bottom. One Life to Live, and All My Children was and still are ICONIC shows. People do not want this reality crap, you have 1 show called The Chew, which is a cheap food network substitute, comming on showing you to eat all kinds of fatty foods, that had to book other stars on it to get it’s ratings up, then followed by The Revolution telling you to loose weight, this look’s better on you, change your life REALLY REALLY. Brain Frons, Anne Sweeney, and Paul Lee have destroyed ABC DAYTIME. I hope General Hospital does not get the ax, but the hand writing is on the wall ABC IS NOT WATCHED AT MY HOME OTHER THAN GENERAL HOSPITAL, if it goes thats it for me and ABC! Good luck to the MOUSE HOUSE, LETS NOT FORGET TO WISH PAUL LEE, ANNE SWEENEY and former Mouse houser BRIAN FRONS OUR BEST WISHES. You know this network ( ABC ) has received out cries over this, and yet they don’t care that tells people alot, but when you keep your head in your ASS, sometimes we loose our senses. Hope the Mouse House does not get to greedy, and go for the cheese in the trap it might get its neck snapped. P.S CATIE COURIC IS NO OPRAH. GOOD LUCK

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