A Soap Opera Romance That Started With An Assault

What did a generation of young women—and men—learn about sex and relationships when the most iconic romance on TV’s most popular soap opera “General Hospital” began with a rape? Susie and Jess unravel the story of Luke and Laura, the beloved couple from the longest running soap of all time, whose wedding was such a huge cultural moment that it drew more viewers than an actual royal wedding (twice). CW: This episode contains discussion of sexual violence.

Guests: • • Cindi Leive, co-founder of The Meteor, former editor-in-chief of Glamour and “General Hospital” superfan • Danielle Thompson, our soap opera-obsessed pal who knows A LOT about the history of soaps • FOR MORE: Why Are College Kids in a Lather Over TV Soap Operas? • (NYTimes) The Complex, Contradictory History of the American Soap Opera • (Jezebel) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.