TV Guide’s interview with the head writer of “One Life to Live” about the LGBT storylines on his soap

TV Guide’s Michael Logan talked with One Life To Live head writer Ron Carlivati about the crazy political race in Llanview involving Dorian in a sham lesbian relationship – a new twist in daytime’s first three-man love triangle involving Oliver, Kyle and Nick..

Here is an excerpt:

Do you consider “Rianca” and “Nuke” and “Otalia” to be stepping stones that got you to the Kyle and Oliver story?
Absolutely. Other soaps had to tell their gay stories before I could tell this one, so I’m indebted to All My Children and As the World Turns and Guiding Light for blazing that trail. We’ll see how it works out. I don’t want to be perceived as someone who was afraid to take the story to the same level we take any of our heterosexual love stories. Nor would I want to be thought of as someone who was afraid to drop this story at some point, if that ultimately proves to be the wisest choice and what’s best for the show. But I do feel a responsibility to continue it and to keep pushing forward.

Your thoughts on GL getting cold feet with “Otalia”?
I don’t know all the ins and outs of that, but it was such a popular story that it surprised me when GL didn’t take it further. Anything we can do to get those eyeballs to watch us we should do! If a couple becomes popular, why pull back?

Bringing all these gay characters to Llanview reminds me of when [former OLTL head writer] Michael Malone introduced a Latino community, via Angel Square. It seems more than just a for-the-moment story but, rather, a commitment, a solid presence that won’t go away as long as you are head writer.
I always have that fear about how far ABC will let me go. Is the network going to be concerned with any kind of backlash? They’ve supported the Kyle and Oliver story so far because it’s a good love story. The important thing is that we have a big cast of characters so this is not our only story. I don’t want to drive people away if they are turned off by it, but hopefully, if they don’t like it, maybe they’ll like what’s happening with Todd or with Rex. I can’t please everybody in the audience. We certainly try to. We hope to. It’s not a story that’s on every day. It’s not something we’re forcing down everybody’s throat. It’s not like OLTL is trying to be The Gay Show.

To read the entire interview, click HERE.