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Cancer Survivors Lobby Lifetime TV to Order More of “Side Order of Life”
National movement Urges
Network to Renew Acclaimed Series
NEW YORK, NY, March 12, 2008 -- Network executives and
producers of the popular series “Side Order of Life” are being inundated
with calls, blogs, e-mails, faxes and letters by the thousands asking
that the series be renewed. These are not just ordinary fans. Many of
the people who followed the critically acclaimed show are Cancer
survivors who are not used to giving up a fight. What has ignited these
fans is that one of the characters, “Vivy” (played by actress Diana-Maria
Riva), was diagnosed in the show with Cancer in a way that is not filled
with the clichéd television stereotypes but with humor, compassion, and
even sexiness. Matthew Zachary, founder and director of the “I’m Too
Young For This!” Cancer Foundation says, “’Vivy’ is the first accurately
portrayed, young adult Cancer victim character in television broadcast
history. She is setting a precedent that hearkens back to Ellen
DeGeneres’ openly gay character in the 1990’s. Today we can suspend
disbelief when watching Sean Hayes on ‘Will and Grace’ and not question
his personal lifestyle and ‘Vivy’ has the same potential to destigmatize
Cancer and bring the message of adult survivorship into millions of
households.”
“At a time when everybody
is doing the Internet, watching DVDs, playing video games, even reading,”
says Ray Richmond, television critic of the Hollywood Reporter, “it seems
almost quaint that such a highly committed grassroots campaign to save a
television show might still be successfully mounted and maybe a
galvanized group of fans will be able to rescue the Lifetime series.”
Leah Shearer, a Rochester, New York teacher, and a Cancer survivor
herself, says, “Television is a tremendous tool in this capacity for
advocacy and there are people who, because of ‘Vivy’s’ story have reached
out to support and resources and realized they are not alone. I hope the
Lifetime Network brass is listening.”
“Side Order of Life,” created by Margaret Nagle, stars Marisa Coughlan,
Jason Priestley, Riva, Christopher Gartin and Susan Blakely.
SOURCE: Matthew Zachary, I’m Too Young For This! Cancer Foundation; Leah Shearer, www.lifesandwiches.blogspot.com
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