Exclusive @ Out.com: Behind the scenes at ATWT

As the World Turns fans took their complaints to a new and louder level in the past week: 

Fans of the fictional romance between Luke Snyder and Noah Mayer are baffled about why the two characters haven't kissed on-screen since September, wondering whether it's a sign of squeamishness by CBS or show sponsors Procter & Gamble Co.

The fans have started a letter-writing campaign, posted an online petition and even have a Web site that counts the days, hours, minutes and seconds since Luke and Noah last locked lips.

I sent longtime soaps reporter Nelson Branco to dig up some answers about the protest's impact inside the show. Is there really a conspiracy on the part of Procter & Gamble, CBS and ATWT producers to keep the GLAAD award-nominated Nuke apart?

Even the show's straight supercouple is calling foul:

Austin Peck (Brad) and Terri Colombino (Katie) -- whose steamy, straight sex scenes are by far the most racy on the show -- don't mince words when asked about the Nuke cool-down. "ATWT got scared off because there were two men," Peck tells Out. Colombino says there's one simple reason her character's sex life won't suffer the same fate: "I have a vagina."

Or is it all a ruse to rack up still-higher ratings? One veteran actor on the show told Out they wouldn't put it past their bosses to let the controversy brew for a few more crucial months:

"Now the powers-that-be are wondering how to turn the media attention to their advantage," the actor says. "I personally wouldn't be surprised if Noah and Luke kissed by May sweeps. There's an old saying in soaps -- make them wait. And perhaps that's been their intention all this time. Soaps are dying, and losing audience every day -- and they've been handed a life jacket. We'd be dumb not to put it on."

Read the full story now at Out.com.

Before you simply set your Nuke Countdown Clock forward, Branco did add one more cautionary log to the conspiracy fire:

With the upgrade in attention, though, there's also the possibility the soap may just cut their losses and eliminate the storyline all together. One rumor floating around online suggests a new character, Ameera -- who was raised by Noah's crazy father, Col. Winston Mayer -- may have to marry Noah to acquire a green card and stay in the country! ATWT did not respond to my request for more info on this latest possible twist.

Plus, Gay.com wants your vote -- to boycott or not to boycott?

Previously > The world keeps on turning

Comments

[Harold Levine]

Went to the NYC premiere of the new French film "Les Chansons d'Amour" and I'm still swooning. Heartthrob leading man Louis Garrel (imagine a younger, Gallic Hugh Grant) begins the film in a threesome with live-in girlfriend and a co-worker who shares the girlfriend's affections, but after a tragic incidence finds solace in the arms of the younger brother of the girlfriend's girlfriend's new boyfriend (following me? Love the French!). It's the most romantic man-on-man love scene since Rupert Grace's Alec Scudder climbed through Maurice's bedroom window 20 years ago. This is going to be a HUGE cult hit in the U.S. after it opens on March 31st. Trailer at http://movie-list.com/trailers.php?id=lovesongs; the man/man lovescene at http://youtube.com/watch?v=ir3s3WzZTRU. Filmmaker was interviewed and said in France there weren't any questions about the sexual/romantic fluidity; in the U.S. it's all anyone wants to know about. Shana, write about this!!

[Jessica Ramirez]

Hey: Luke Noah I love him so much and becuase kiss me today sex tape
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