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Exclusive - GL tribute NOT cut for time! .....

-The GL tribute controversy doesn't show any signs of dying down. Suds offered Michael Fairman, of On-Air, On Soaps, some major real estate in order to give fans more insight as to why his award-worthy Springfield tribute was cut down significantly. Here are his thoughts - and your burning questions answered:

I can't believe as of today there are just six more episodes left of Guiding Light. I know from reading fans' posts, emails and reactions to the Guiding Light tribute that many feel the same way as I do, that what went down at the Daytime Emmys for GLwas unsatisfying for many reasons. One last time I want to address the issues surrounding the package controversy. Let me say, that I have produced many tributes for the Emmys and other shows including The MacDonald Carey Daytime Emmy tribute after his passing, and 25 years of AIDS retrospective in film and television. So, to be handed the ball to produce this GL tribute package was an honour and something I took with the highest regard to honour and reflect the show. Unfortunately, others did not feel the same.

In retrospect, one of the inherent problems was that the producers had gone to the press in advance of the event touting the Guiding Lighttribute as one of the most highly anticipated events of the broadcast. So of course, fans were encouraged that a tribute befitting of the show's legacy was going to be delivered.

ATI's Jim Romanovich has been a great soap ally and professional friend, and has championed the soap genre in amazing ways; including getting the Emmys on TV after it lost its home. He was not involved in the creative process of the clip package, nor did he have the final say on what tribute clip package made it to air. But Jim graciously allowed me to go ahead and post the four-minute version online and I cannot thank him enough. Truth over fiction: I produced a four-minute tribute package as my original concept and vision that I believed told the history of GLin a contemporary way using visuals, memorable performances and characters without the stereotypical narratives seen in standard tributes. To clarify: This four-minute tribute was not cut for time. This tribute package was "killed" by certain producers of the show who felt it did not pull at the emotional heartstrings of the audience, and who did not understand its contents, and disliked the direction of its concept. And that is their prerogative. I had also produced shorter three and two-minute versions of it. (You have to, for live shows in case other segments preceding it run long.)

Next, it was clear that the Emmy creative team was going for a more entertainment-driven, quick-paced and packaged show. They wanted the piece around two minutes. I came up with a new direction with Rihanna's "Take a Bow" as the centrepiece. This time, per the producers, they wanted a traditional standard tribute with voiceover narratives. They asked me, "Who should voice it over?" I said, "Kim Zimmer". Somehow, they decided it best for Betty White to do it. Go figure. Eventually, they cut down most of the narration, too, as the tribute needed to be one minute and 30 seconds to accommodate timing issues, as the show was running long. Thus more clips had to be cut out.

Some answers to some FAQs about the content in the tribute: Why were many legacy and long-standing characters not represented?
I also did a version highlighting all the Springfield mainstay families, the Bauers, Spauldings, Coopers, Lewises, etc. Because the powers-that-be cut part of the new tribute for time, that is where many of the actors who had been on for years fell to the cutting room floor, unceremoniously. I received wonderful historical footage from GL. Some was good broadcast quality to use, but unfortunately some was not, which dictated, at times, scene selection.

Why did you not use the actors talking to the camera about their feelings on GL's ending, or incorporate the final episode behind-the-scenes tapings in the package?
I pitched that, too. I wanted to have a crew go to New York to be at the final Guiding Lighttaping, and utilize some of the emotional moments from that in the revised package. However, we were told they could not accommodate another crew on set that day, but they would try and send us some behind-the scenes clips later. Then, as we were near our final editing stages, GL's Ellen Wheeler preferred that we not air the behind-the-scenes clips because it showed finality, and the show still had three more weeks to air after the Emmys.

Why was there so much footage of the current cast used?
I knew that the entire current cast was going to be flying to L.A. and in attendance, and taking the stage. I knew there might be some hurt feelings if they were not represented, and I would not blame them. So, I asked the show for a second round of footage including more of the current material from the last few years, some of which, I got to tell you are some of the best, riveting moments in this show's history, and the last Bauer Barbecue in particular was moving. I mean, Pelphrey, Forester, Deas, Otalia … hankie moments!

In the end, as much as I fought for Guiding Light's package to be given more airtime, it was not meant to be, and the backlash I knew would happen, did. I attempted in a minute 30 to cram in as much as I could to represent the show once everything was reconfigured. I feel the disappointment of many who wanted to come together for one final moment and pay homage to the longest running soap at the Emmys. But as I have said, previously, the show has meant so much to so many people's lives and for generations that can anything short of a 10-minute tribute package really be a proper send-off?