‘One Life to Live’ Wins GLAAD Award

Photo: ABC

Sunday, March 14, 2010 3:00 AM ET | By Scotty Gore

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — In an ironic twist, the ABC soap is named “Best Daily Drama” by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation organization the same week the show fired the actors who portray Llanview’s only on-screen same-sex couple. 

On Wednesday news broke that Brett Claywell and Scott Evans were being let go by “One Life to Live” and that their characters Kyle Lewis and Oliver Fish (known affectionally as ‘Kish’), were being written off the canvas.  The decision resulted in a backlash that forced the soap to issue a statement thanking fans for supporting ‘Kish’ and saying that they “understand the fans’ disappointment now that it [the storyline] has concluded.”

Evans and Claywell accepted the award alongside “OLTL” Head Writer Ron Carlivati at the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards Ceremony in New York City on Saturday night. The show beat out “All My Children,” “As the World Turns,” and “Guiding Light” for the honor. 

“The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives,” according to the organization’s website.  “The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.”

Click here to see a picture of the group accepting the award.  Fans can also visit Brett Claywell’s and Scott Evans’ Twitter pages for commentary by both actors as they prepared to the awards show. 

“One Life to Live” airs Weekdays on ABC. Weeknights on SOAPnet. Anytime on ABC.com and SOAPnet.com. Check local listings.