Billy Crystal and Soap Broke New TV Ground

Soap made a splash even before its ABC debut in September 1977. Created by Susan Harris, who was later behind The Golden Girls, it was a half-hour comedy lampooning daytime soap operas and centering on the eventful lives of two sisters, the affluent Jessica Tate (Katherine Helmond) and working-class Mary Campbell (Cathryn Damon). The show featured an early career turn for Billy Crystal as Mary’s son Jodie, who was among the first openly gay characters on primetime TV. After ABC screened two episodes for local affiliates, a Newsweek report in June 1977 exaggerated its depictions of sexuality and misrepresented certain plot points, including a scene involving a woman proclaiming her love for a priest during confessional. This led to complaints from religious groups, with the Roman Catholic Church calling for a boycott of products advertised on the show. Later that summer, ABC Entertainment president Fred Silverman responded to the “erroneous, exaggerated and, in a few cases, ridiculous” speculation and dismissed the notion that the network was “intent on debauching the morals of the American people.” Soap premiered as planned, though its first season included an introductory disclaimer about adult themes. THR’s review dubbed it the “most talked-about show of the new season” and stated that the farcical project included moments of brilliance but at other times was “simply silly.” Ultimately, the attention didn’t hurt the series, which was a hit out of the gate and picked up numerous Emmys over its four seasons, along with spawning the long-running spinoff Benson, starring Robert Guillaume. In a 2019 interview with THR, Crystal reflected on Jodie fathering a child and recalled that an ABC viewer poll showed overwhelmingly support for the character to get custody: “That was the big deal. They trusted him with the baby.” Co-star Dinah Manoff says she’s still proud of Soap’s inclusivity: “We were just so excited to see that kind of work on television and those issues being reflected.”