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From The Family Channel to You... Vincent is Beautiful
| Open Letter | |
|---|---|
| Title: | From The Family Channel to You... Vincent is Beautiful |
| From: | Earl Weirich, Vice President, Public Relations, The Family Channel |
| Addressed To: | Beauty and the Beast (TV) fans |
| Date(s): | July 16, 1990 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Beauty and the Beast (TV) |
| Topic: | |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
From The Family Channel to You... Vincent is Beautiful is a tone-deaf, smarmy letter by Earl Weirich, Vice President, Public Relations, The Family Channel.
It is both an open letter and a sort-of industry press release.
The letter is dated July 16, 1990.
It appears to be the second issue of the Family Channel Newsletter that was sent to fans; Weirich refers to an earlier issue of this newsletter as his first foray. [1]
It was reprinted in Dancing Lights. v.1 n.9 in July/Aug 1990.
Some Context
The Family Channel's involvement was not without controversy.
One of them: The Family Channel edited, or removed, scenes they considered offensive, non-Christian, and did not portrayal "family values." There was also a proposal to add and/or manipulate original footage in the third season to show Vincent Wells and Catherine Chandler getting married, therefore "legitimizing" the birth of their baby. Another proposal or rumor is that The Family Channel would removed any mention or scene with the baby.
In November 1990, a fan, Beth Blighton, wrote a long letter to the letterzine, Once Upon a Time... Is Now #27, encouraging fans to resist censorship in all forms in the broader world and included comments about "The Family Channel's" involvement with Reverend Wildmon. Throughout the late 1970s, Wildmon, a conservative Christian, actively protested television series that he thought promoted immoral lifestyles. Beauty and the Beast fans were specifically affected by Wildmon's crusade as he was a "consultant" on "The Family Channel's" handling of the series. [2]
And don't think that this sort of intolerance can't touch "Beauty and the Beast" as a work of art or as a fandom. Our little friend Rev. Wildmon] has already labeled B&B as being perverted and dangerous. I mean, after all... Bestiality! Sex between two unmarried persons (and one not even HUMAN)! Violence and the occult! Shocking! Remove it from the airwaves before it indoctrinates any more unsuspecting citizens into its cult!
See more at Beauty and the Beast and The Family Channel Controversies.
Some Topics Discussed
- Weirich says he has a lot to learn about Beauty and the Beast and why fans love it
- he retracts the opinion (his?) that Vincent Wells is frightening, and instead is beautiul
- he butters up fans, but also suggests they "go on, and on... and on"
- he makes a crass apology: "Okay, I'm sorry. Whaddaya mean that's not enough? I said I was sorry, didn't I? All right, I'm trying. You've got to understand a television executive's got his pride."
- he explains the time slot the reruns will air, saying it was picked with their needs in mind, and he admits most people will use a VCR anyway, suggesting the chosen time slot isn't a great one
- quotes some fan letters that exclaim their devotion to the show, but also to buying products advertised during it, to campaign to cable companies, and to taking out local ads in support -- Weirich loves this and proclaims: "Like I said: VINCENT IS BEAUTIFUL."
Excerpts
If there's one thing above all else that the staff of The Family Channel is learning about “Beauty and the Beast” its that there is more "beauty” than there is "beast." That perception comes from the best of authorities — the thousands of loyal fans of this show, dedicated people who I'm beginning to believe can walk through brick walls. And they’re making sure we learn our lesson well.'What do you mean, Vincent is frightening'?'’ inquired a Texas viewer with fire in her pen after my very first venture into writing a newsletter as this powerful yet sensitive being whose frightening appearance puts him in one of the most unique positions of any character on television.”
"THERE’S NOT A THING FRIGHTENING ABOUT "VINCENT,” an irritated fan from Dallas said, in capital letters. “HE'S GOT MORE GENTLENESS AND CHARACTER IN HIS LITTLE FINGER THAN YOU HAVE IN YOUR WHOLE INSENSITIVE BODY IF YOU CAN SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT. OBVIOUSLY”
Obviously.
Another suggested that I be sentenced to six months in solitary confinement with nothing to do but watch television commercials.
And on, and on... and on.
Okay, I'm sorry.
Whaddaya mean that's not enough? I said I was sorry, didn't I?
All right, I'm trying. You've got to understand a television executive's got his pride. But here goes anyway.
VINCENT'S BEAUTIFUL.
There, I've said it. Now will you let me get on with what I started out to say in the first place?
It's about a start date for "Beauty and the Beast." Alot of thought and planning went into mining the best day of the week and the time for this program that is so highly regarded Family Channel programming officials. They wanted to make sure it would be a more convenient time for all of you. We wanted to put it into a time slot that would be most conducive to your relaxation so you can settle into the show and thoroughly enjoy what you've been looking forward to for so long. So, we selected Friday evening, the end of a busy workweek for most of you, and a time we thought you'd enjoy most watching Linda and Ron in what you've told us you believe is the greatest love story ever to hit the screen.
[scheduling details snipped]
From the zeal that emanates from your letters and phone calls, I believe most of you will be using VCRs anyway. At least that's what many of you have told us.
Meanwhile, the letters continue to come in, and as time for the show approaches, the fervency, if anything, increases in momentum. Here are a few excerpts:
- "Beauty and the Beast" is the best program ever seen on TV. Even my young grandchildren ages 4 and 8 watch the show and love it too. I want you to know that my family and I will watch faithfully and will make a concentrated effort to purchase the goods of your advertisers." -- Lapeer, MI
- "My responsibilities as a professional attorney and as a mother have made my time too precious to regularly watch, let alone care about many of the programs on television. This was changed with the airing of the show Beauty and the Beast. This program, and the excellent abilities of its stars, touched me in so many way...I am pleased that The Family Channel will now be a home for this series for the next year. Thank you for your efforts on behalf of those who have taken Catherine and Vincent's story to heart." - Great Neck, NY
- "Thank you so very much for keeping our dream alive and putting Beauty and the Beast reruns on The Family Channel. There never has been a TV program so important to me. I taught senior English for 23 years. Never has there been a series that encouraged classical music literature, art and genuine caring about one another." — Mocksvile, NC
- "When the show starts we will run an ad in our local paper and tell ALL to watch The Family Channel for the return of "Beauty and the Beast' and give local channel number." - Frankfort, IN
- "It is so nice to see people in the television industry with some taste in quality programming. I am a fan of Beauty and the Beast. My next move is to make sure my local cable company has The Family Channel. If not, I guarantee I will work towards having it available by Fall" - Anaheim, CA
Catch the idea... er, the dream? Just don't stand in the way. Listen to this one:
- "There certainly isn't enough magic and fantasy at least in my world I am an RN), and I looked forward to that hour during the week to get me through. It was MINE. My kids and husband knew that unless someone was bleeding not to bother me! — Las Vegas, NV
Who's going to argue with that?
Like I said: VINCENT IS BEAUTIFUL.
Fan Reaction
Usually, when things like this are included in a zine such as Dancing Lights, fans have the opportunity to comment on it in the next issue.
There are letters of comment in the following issue, but none about this somewhat provocative letter. This is likely because fans didn't personally rock the boat and criticize the hand that was giving them a treat, or because they didn't want to antagonize other fans.
Instead, the letters include:
Isn't the Family Channel doing a great job? The credits placed above the tunnel stair well look lovely. Yes, there are some misspellings and also some reversed credits, but OUR SHOW is on the AIR! Let's send thank you's.
And:
I noted that Sears is advertising on The Family Channel during B&B. I wrote them a long letter last year asking them to continue their support of B&B on The Family Channel so, lets all write them a "thank you" for their support and BUY at Sears, OK?!
References
- ^ Another mention of this newsletter: "I haven’t heard or read anything from or about FAM in many USA months. I don't know if they're not doing their FAM n/l anymore or if they’re just not sending me one because I wrote them months ago in Feb to voice my displeasure at their handling of BATB and to ask how they can justify 'Maniac Mansion' which deals with outright manipulation & mutations of God’s Creation, but with the 2 objects of their fooling around a 6 foot 4-yr-old child and a human fly — both having "normal" facial features. So was their objection to Vincent being his face wasn't "normal "by their standards? They kept defeating all the lessons of BATB whereas all ’MM' does is make a joke out of everything. [FAM] always had a reputation of answering their letters (they even answered yours), yet they never answered mine. I sent copies to Mosier and Weirich, so I know they got at least one of them. Maybe they're just not answering their BATB mail anymore. Or maybe just not the negative stuff? I haven't heard or read of anybody getting anything from FAM, have you?" -- from Shadows of the City (August 1991)
- ^ "Mr. Weirich returning my call (my answering machine had been rude to him the day before), was still denying any present day existence as a "Christian Broadcasting Network" though at the same time confiding that the Reverend Wildmon (organizer of the A.F.A., which promotes the boycotting of sponsors based on a program's 'moral' content, see V3#3) had indeed been a "consultant" on their handling of the series." -- from Pipeline v.3 n.11 (November 1990)