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October 1992

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Subject:
From:
Gorham A Kindem <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 9 Oct 1992 16:31:00 EDT
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How did we get from the word "soapumentary" to "soupumentary"?
Is the latter a truly postmodernist pastiche or simply a
misspelling, a telephone chain game mistake, or a Rosanne
Rosannadanna (Saturday Night Live) misunderstanding?  Perhaps
documentary and dramatic fictional categories are so mixed
up that the concept of soapumentary or even soupumentary
makes sense.  But if we are concerned about the fate and
treatment of the people presented in An American Family or
other documentary series of this type, isn't it because we
believe that they are neither public figures (right to
privacy, etc.) nor fictional characters/actors?  What precisely
do these series and soap operas have in common?  Aren't
the conventions as well as the audience assumptions and
beliefs concerning these programs radically different from
daytime soap operas?

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