What did a generation of young women—and men—learn about sex and relationships when the most iconic romance on TV’s most popular soap opera “General Hospital” began with a rape? Susie and Jess unravel the story of Luke and Laura, the beloved couple from the longest running soap of all time, whose wedding was such a huge cultural moment that it drew more viewers than an actual royal wedding (twice). CW: This episode contains discussion of sexual violence.


Guests: 

Cindi Leive, co-founder of The Meteor, former editor-in-chief of Glamour and “General Hospital” superfan
Danielle Thompson, our soap opera-obsessed pal who knows A LOT about the history of soaps

FOR MORE:
Why Are College Kids in a Lather Over TV Soap Operas? (NYTimes)
The Complex, Contradictory History of the American Soap Opera (Jezebel)

What did a generation of young women—and men—learn about sex and relationships when the most iconic romance on TV’s most popular soap opera “General Hospital” began with a rape? Susie and Jess unravel the story of Luke and Laura, the beloved couple from the longest running soap of all time, whose wedding was such a huge cultural moment that it drew more viewers than an actual royal wedding (twice). CW: This episode contains discussion of sexual violence. 
Guests: 
<ul>
<li>
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">Cindi Leive, co-founder of The Meteor, former editor-in-chief of Glamour and “General Hospital” superfan</li>
<li aria-level="2">Danielle Thompson, our soap opera-obsessed pal who knows A LOT about the history of soaps</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
FOR MORE:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1974/10/20/archives/why-are-college-kids-in-a-lather-over-tv-soap-operas.html">Why Are College Kids in a Lather Over TV Soap Operas?</a> (NYTimes)</li>
<li><a href="https://jezebel.com/the-complex-contradictory-history-of-the-american-soap-1842365076">The Complex, Contradictory History of the American Soap Opera</a> (Jezebel)</li>
</ul>

Is there a cultural moment from your past that looks different in retrospect? Maybe it’s a scandalous tabloid story seared into your teenage brain or a political punchline that just feels wrong now. It might be a very specific red swimsuit that inspired a decade of plastic surgery (see: “Baywatch”) or the inescapable smell of an entire generation of prepubescent boys (Axe body spray, anyone?). Each week on IN RETROSPECT, Emmy-winning journalist Susie Banikarim and New York Times editor Jessica Bennett revisit a pop culture moment from the 80s and 90s that shaped them — to try to understand what it taught us about the world, and a woman’s place in it.

Talk to us at @inretropod, @susiebnyc and @jessicabennett on Instagram. New episodes each Friday.

Is there a cultural moment from your past that looks different in retrospect? Maybe it’s a scandalous tabloid story seared into your teenage brain or a political punchline that just feels wrong now. It might be a very specific red swimsuit that inspired a decade of plastic surgery (see: “Baywatch”) or the inescapable smell of an entire generation of prepubescent boys (Axe body spray, anyone?). Each week on IN RETROSPECT, Emmy-winning journalist Susie Banikarim and New York Times editor Jessica Bennett revisit a pop culture moment from the 80s and 90s that shaped them — to try to understand what it taught us about the world, and a woman’s place in it.
Talk to us at @inretropod, @susiebnyc and @jessicabennett on Instagram. New episodes each Friday.

In Retrospect with Susie Banikarim and Jessica Bennett

A Soap Opera Romance That Started With An Assault

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a681a9b3-3da0-4726-8899-b083000e7601/transcript