A Fan's Farewell

At A Loss For A Cure:

A Fan’s Farewell To Michael Zaslow
by Elizabeth Hoberg

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The Dennis Millers of the world were they to read this, this essay regarding the death of a soap opera star, I might be sorely mocked. There is some shame for those of us with what we believe to be an image to consider, in being followers of that certain TV genre referred to hereinafter as “soap.” C’mon, you’d never catch the likes of Roger Thorpe watching soaps. Well, I’m a grown-up, I’ve upheld many images: house wife, young urban professional, babe o’licious babe, drop-out, mommy, writer, and I watch ‘em. I have now for twenty years. I can take the heat for expressing my heartfelt emptiness for the loss of Mr. Michael Zaslow.

I started watching “Guiding Light” when I was about 14 years old, back in 1977. It came on at 3:00 p.m. and then it switched to 2:00 p.m., which was a drag because the school bus dropped me off between 2:30 and 2:45 p.m. This meant that sometimes I would get just a little hit--maybe a scene or two--or tune in in time to see the credits roll.

My little sister and I had it bleak: dead mother, absentee father, cold empty house often without utilities or adequate food. But we had a TV (no knob; had to turn the channels with a pair of pliers) and when the electric bill was paid, we had a cure for what ailed us. The second our feet touched the pavement off the bus, we tore down the street to catch a crumb of our show, “The Guiding Light.” Sure Justin was cute (we thought he sounded like Robert Wagner) and oh, Alan had his handsome days, but hands down, our hearts belonged to Roger.

The thing I liked about Zaslow’s presence in light of my own many ups and downs, and profound losses over the years, was this person seemed to emblemize what I admire, ultimate discipline. And man, was he cute. He appeared incredibly fit for an adult of any age and his art was right on the mark. It’s not an easy thing to whip off pages of lines you just learned that day as though they were thoughts coming to you at the moment, and he was such a natural. The guy had to have incredible focus which I learned comes from the finer things in life: devotion, commitment, and a clarity of heart and head. Here he was dying and he had it in him to create public awareness about his disease, ALS. He performed to the last.

I have thought a lot of Mr. Zaslow since I wondered where he went from “Guiding Light” and later learned he was ill. I can’t help but mark a personal milestone with his passing and it will probably be a very cold day before I let myself be charmed or soothed by the likes of him again. I’m going to miss the artist and his spicy characters. I can’t imagine the loss his friends and family are feeling for the loss of Mr. Zaslow as a human being. *