Episode 20: Guiding Light – Jonathan’s Story by Julia London
YOU GUYS TWENTY EPISODES. We absolutely never thought when we started this that we wouldn’t crap out long before now. Thank you so much for listening to us! You can download the latest episode HERE, stream it below or listen to it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.
Jonathan, allegedly hot bad boy of Springfield, fakes his death and flees with his also-fake-dead baby daughter to start a new life away from the clutches of bazillionare Alan Spaulding. Will he find love with Tammy, fellow Radiohound fan? Or will her Bad Dad literally fucking kill them all? LET’S FIND OUT in this, I kid you not, Guiding Light book which came out in hardback. And appears to still be in print in hardback and paperback.
There’s some sexual threat in this book but no real sexual assault. There is also a ggggggghost! AND YOU GUYS the book sort of forgets to mention that there is COUSIN FUCKING. In the past. So, “previously on” cousin fucking. A COUSIN FUCKING GHOST.
I have been 40 now for a couple of months
and let me tell you, I am going back to 39. I shall be that woman at 65 who
says she is 39. Also, I have started pricing Botox….don’t judge me Sara. I will
not go quietly into cronehood. (Editor’s note: CRONE LYFE.) As I battle this existential crisis let’s focus
on our next installment of my 4 Favorites! This episode’s book is not about the
book, I mean it is, but not really. We read, “Guiding Light: Jonathan’s Story,”
by Julia London and Alina Adams.
and let me tell you, I am going back to 39. I shall be that woman at 65 who
says she is 39. Also, I have started pricing Botox….don’t judge me Sara. I will
not go quietly into cronehood. (Editor’s note: CRONE LYFE.) As I battle this existential crisis let’s focus
on our next installment of my 4 Favorites! This episode’s book is not about the
book, I mean it is, but not really. We read, “Guiding Light: Jonathan’s Story,”
by Julia London and Alina Adams.
If
you have listened to five minutes of our show I am sure I have mentioned my
love of the now defunct soap opera, “Guiding Light.” I have been a stan since
before stan was a thing. I have solidified not one but two friendships based on
conversations about Reva Shayne (the show’s power heroine). I grew up watching
this in the summer with my Mawmaw and since the premise of our podcast is
reading books we stole from our Mawmaws it seems this is a fitting read.
Joining us for this episode is everyone’s favorite Kentucky Lady, Sarah (with an
H) so prepare for some heavy accents.
you have listened to five minutes of our show I am sure I have mentioned my
love of the now defunct soap opera, “Guiding Light.” I have been a stan since
before stan was a thing. I have solidified not one but two friendships based on
conversations about Reva Shayne (the show’s power heroine). I grew up watching
this in the summer with my Mawmaw and since the premise of our podcast is
reading books we stole from our Mawmaws it seems this is a fitting read.
Joining us for this episode is everyone’s favorite Kentucky Lady, Sarah (with an
H) so prepare for some heavy accents.
“Jonathan’s Story,” follows the offscreen
adventures of Jonathan Randall, Reva’s son. When his true love Tammy Winslow died saving his life,
Jonathan Randall had only one reason left for existing: his baby daughter
Sarah. But Sarah’s great-grandfather, powerful millionaire Alan Spaulding, was
obsessed with bringing her up himself. Faking his death, Jonathan fled
Springfield, leaving only his mother Reva Shayne aware he and Sarah were still
alive. Jonathan is not very good at
being on the run and eventually settles in a town called Tourmaline where, you
guessed it they mine tourmaline. (Editor’s note: actually the tourmaline mine is played out. Seriously.) He meets a girl named Aubrey Cross, she is
sassy and different. We know this because she wears band shirts with skirts and
cowboy boots. Anyway these two connect but then problems! There is a murderous
sheriff, enemies burying bodies, beach sex, and a ghost!
adventures of Jonathan Randall, Reva’s son. When his true love Tammy Winslow died saving his life,
Jonathan Randall had only one reason left for existing: his baby daughter
Sarah. But Sarah’s great-grandfather, powerful millionaire Alan Spaulding, was
obsessed with bringing her up himself. Faking his death, Jonathan fled
Springfield, leaving only his mother Reva Shayne aware he and Sarah were still
alive. Jonathan is not very good at
being on the run and eventually settles in a town called Tourmaline where, you
guessed it they mine tourmaline. (Editor’s note: actually the tourmaline mine is played out. Seriously.) He meets a girl named Aubrey Cross, she is
sassy and different. We know this because she wears band shirts with skirts and
cowboy boots. Anyway these two connect but then problems! There is a murderous
sheriff, enemies burying bodies, beach sex, and a ghost!
Like many soap operas, Guiding Light began as a radio broadcast.
The genre is named for the product placement and advertising that was used in
these shows. Catered towards housewives who were home during their airtime. The
Guiding Light was created in 1937 by Irna Phillips. She has lost a child due to
stillbirth and found comfort in the sermons of Preston Bradley. The premise of
the broadcast was to promote the brotherhood of man based on his sermons. It
would stay on the radio until 1952 when it was broadcast by CBS television.
These first episodes were 15 minutes long. The show’s length was expanded in
the 1960s from 15 to 30 minutes. In the 1970s the show began focusing on the
more youth oriented, risqué storylines that were becoming more popular with
soap operas and was expanded to an hour long program. The show ran on CBS until
2009 and at that time it was listed as the longest running drama in television
by the Guinness Book of World Records.
The genre is named for the product placement and advertising that was used in
these shows. Catered towards housewives who were home during their airtime. The
Guiding Light was created in 1937 by Irna Phillips. She has lost a child due to
stillbirth and found comfort in the sermons of Preston Bradley. The premise of
the broadcast was to promote the brotherhood of man based on his sermons. It
would stay on the radio until 1952 when it was broadcast by CBS television.
These first episodes were 15 minutes long. The show’s length was expanded in
the 1960s from 15 to 30 minutes. In the 1970s the show began focusing on the
more youth oriented, risqué storylines that were becoming more popular with
soap operas and was expanded to an hour long program. The show ran on CBS until
2009 and at that time it was listed as the longest running drama in television
by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Let’s look at some memorable storyline!
1) Roger
Rapes Holly. This was the first televised portrayal of spousal rape. It wasn’t
a hard ravishing it wasn’t treated as a romantic storyline. It was an assault
and the surrounding storyline really portrays the aftermath of spousal abuse.
PS she shoots him. These two go on to have decades long storylines and the
actor Michael Zaslow was an amazing villain
Rapes Holly. This was the first televised portrayal of spousal rape. It wasn’t
a hard ravishing it wasn’t treated as a romantic storyline. It was an assault
and the surrounding storyline really portrays the aftermath of spousal abuse.
PS she shoots him. These two go on to have decades long storylines and the
actor Michael Zaslow was an amazing villain
2) Reva jumps in the
fountain. I have talked about this at length, but here it is again. I am never
not showing it.
fountain. I have talked about this at length, but here it is again. I am never
not showing it.
3) Dinah kills Hart.
I loved Dinah’s crazy ass and was always team her over Cassie. I remember being
riveted by this whole storyline.
I loved Dinah’s crazy ass and was always team her over Cassie. I remember being
riveted by this whole storyline.
4) Danny and
Michelle. Y’all this storyline was a thing of romance novel dreams. Michelle
and her friend kill Danny’s brother in self defense and Danny has to marry
Michelle to save her life because guess what? His mom is head of the MOB. This
story was so damn good. P.S. Michelle had to break up with her boyfriend who
had her dead mother’s heart.
Michelle. Y’all this storyline was a thing of romance novel dreams. Michelle
and her friend kill Danny’s brother in self defense and Danny has to marry
Michelle to save her life because guess what? His mom is head of the MOB. This
story was so damn good. P.S. Michelle had to break up with her boyfriend who
had her dead mother’s heart.
5) Nola and Vanessa
have a catfight after both wearing Scarlett O’Hara dresses to the same ball.
Enough said.
have a catfight after both wearing Scarlett O’Hara dresses to the same ball.
Enough said.
6) Harley and Gus.
More romance novel dreams. Two sassy cops who “hate” each other. I was there
for it.
More romance novel dreams. Two sassy cops who “hate” each other. I was there
for it.
7) The Frank, Alan
Michael, and Eleni love triangle. I rooted for both dudes. One was poor and
honest, the other rich and a bit of a bastard. All the best tropes.
Michael, and Eleni love triangle. I rooted for both dudes. One was poor and
honest, the other rich and a bit of a bastard. All the best tropes.
8) Guiding Light also
gave us one of the first same sex couples in daytime. Olivia and Natalia. They
bonded over the death of Gus and fell in love.
gave us one of the first same sex couples in daytime. Olivia and Natalia. They
bonded over the death of Gus and fell in love.
9) The Reva dies,
gets cloned, and fight Annie Dutton series. Clones! Mortal enemies! Jumping
bridges! Joshua pining. It had everything
gets cloned, and fight Annie Dutton series. Clones! Mortal enemies! Jumping
bridges! Joshua pining. It had everything
10) Jonathan Randall,
like mother like son. Jonathan was fully nuts in the best way. He also slept
with his cousin in attempt to tear his family apart but jokes on him, they fell
in love. Also, people loved him so much he got the only Guiding Light book
written for him.
like mother like son. Jonathan was fully nuts in the best way. He also slept
with his cousin in attempt to tear his family apart but jokes on him, they fell
in love. Also, people loved him so much he got the only Guiding Light book
written for him.
