Won't Play Gay.....Or Even Gay Friendly

clockwise from upper left corner:
Patricia Maucer, Saundra Santiago,
Brett Claywell, Scott Evans

I have been a fan of One Life To Live since Viki was married to Joe. or was it Clint? Or Sloane? Or Ben? Charlie?

I forget.

But I remember when OLTL did the first gay teenager storyline about a young man coming out of the closet. it was very well handled, and well told. So, I was happy to hear that OLTL was going to have a new gay couple on the show. Officer Fish, played by openly gay actor and brother of Chris Evans, Scott Evans, and his old college buddy Kyle, played by Brett Claywell..

They're calling them Kish. I hate when they do that.

And I was even more surprised to learn that Patricia Mauceri has been fired from the recurring role of Carlotta Vega on OLTL due to her protests about Carlotta's small role in the upcoming gay storyline. Apparently, OLTL wanted to go against stereotype and show Carlotta as a gay friendly Latina mother.

Mauceri objected to Carlotta's positive attitude about homosexuality, saying it conflicted with her personal beliefs. So, Mauceri was fired and the role was recast with Saundra Santiago, who has no trouble separating her religious beliefs and the part she plays on a soap opera. I wonder how Mauceri would have felt if an actor chose to be fired rather than play out a scene with a Latina. It's called acting, dear; it isn't real life. You can still be a homophobic hater on your days off. It's all good.

Here's how it all went down:

When Officer Fish (Evans) decides to come out to his very religious family, he purchases a book on how to come out to your parents. Somehow this book ends up in Cristian's possession and Carlotta mistakenly believes Cristian, who is her son, is gay, leading to a comedic scene where she is shocked, but then begins to accept "her" son's sexuality citing his sensitivity, artistic temperament and concern for his appearance.

The scene was meant to be played as a comedy of mistaken identities, with Cristian continuing to insist he isn't gay. The laughing stopped when Patricia Mauceri went to the producers and demanded the scenes be re-written, or she wouldn't play them. Patricia felt Carlotta would never accept her son's "gayness".

When the producers informed her the scenes would play out as is, Patricia persisted and the decision was made to recast the role.

Patricia Mauceri has worked extensively with gays in theater and on film over the years, but her personal religious beliefs have changed.

Again, dear, it's a job. Not a lifestyle.