WORLD AIDS DAY

Click on the ribbon. It will lead you to a site that has a cursory timeline for the portrayal of HIV and AIDS in popular culture. For Toobworld, there are clips from 'Law & Order', 'ER', and the HBO TV movies of "And The Band Played On", "Gia", and "Angels In America".

There are also mentions of such facts as:

In its first season alone, 'ER' had eight HIV/AIDS subplots.

'St. Elsewhere' was the first series to have an AIDS related storyline, back in 1983.

Thanks to my TV Trivia buddy JHolst at TV Acres, here are a few TV characters who have passed away from AIDS over the years.....

Michael "Stone" Cates
'General Hospital'

Gill
'EastEnders'

Jesse McKenna
'Life Goes On'

Dr. Robert Caldwell
'St. Elsewhere'

(I believe there may have been at least one other from the series 'OZ'......)

On the more upbeat side, Jeannie Boulet, a physician's assistant who had the HIV virus, will be coming back to 'ER' for at least one episode. According to a report at TV Guide, Jeannie "returns to the ER on Jan. 10, when her character needs treatment for her HIV-infected son. She initially clashes with the staff over her child's care, but eventually allows Dr. Greg Pratt to help her through the difficult time."

So when a character with HIV leaves a TV show, the return of Jeannie shows that it doesn't have to be seen as a death sentence.....

This is hardly enough to mark this day. It never could be.

BCnU...
Toby OB