Most unbelievable phone call...

I haven't given this little secret away for fear that if it didn't happen I'd end up feeling way silly and who would believe this anyway? It's totally unbelievable. All I can say is... who knew that a little idea like sending menus and writing letters and just caring about a show would somehow reverberate into something greater.

This morning I am not believing this really happened so I'm just pinching myself. Ouch!
But it did... last night I got a call from Hollywood. The cast of Side Order of Life! Nope check the date...this is not an April Fool blog post. Last night as they gathered for a cast party (sadly, a sort of goodbye party)they called me!
Holy canoli!

Each cast member spoke with me for a few minutes each and thanked me for what I did to try to save their show. Since I've known about this for a few days, I had to have a witness there-- otherwise anyone hearing me recount this story might think I was loony bin certifiable. My sister Mary and her roommate Natalie were sitting next to me as I clicked my speaker phone on. As Jason Priestley came on both my sister and I could barely suspend our screaming.
If you grow up in an age of 9021o, you just can't put that teen idol scream fest away.
I spoke with Diana Maria Riva, Marisa Coughlan and Christopher Gartin, Lisa Waltz...and of course Margaret Nagle, the creator of the show. Margaret Nagle is the woman who brought this beautiful project together. It is her brainchild that has inspired the devotion of not just me but countless thousands of admirers. Her robust laughter echoed through the phone as I told her " I can't believe this...I can't believe I'm talking to you". I was enchanted.

Hearing them all was incredible, but of course...it is Diana Maria Riva, whose Vivy has moved me beyond words with her performance, that I feel is like my ol' pal. Not only does this actress need an Emmy yesterday, but through subsequent emails I have learned the woman who portrays her is just as warm and wonderful a person as she can be. No one aloof among this Hollywood set...a group of consumate professionals that are also genuinely caring and gracious people.

It absolutely amazed me that in the midst of their celebration they would take time to reach out to me and thank me. I was star struck and like a little kid on Christmas as I spoke with each one of them. Those characters and that beautifully crafted story is so much more than the average "Hollywood creation". Behind the characters and the show is an ensemble that is truly one of a kind. They realized that this show was speaking out to something truly meaningful. Though the fight to save the show was lost (because of blindingly ignorant tv execs) the cast of Side Order did not forget what was important...what really mattered about this show, the audience.

It might be said that television, a medium that has faced the absolute indignity of reality programming, viewer apathy and all around senseless degradation...perhaps has some redeeming value the Nielsens can't calculate. When you look at a cast like that...people who were bonded by a project that really meant something, an audience they cared about...you can not tell me that there isn't hope for television. The problem is---it's those higher ups making those unpardonable decsions that we need to hold up for condemnation, because without their belief quality can not be fostered.

The truth is this story spoke out to an ordinary person..living a very unglamourous life.
Somehow in a surreal way the real people behind the characters she grew to love included her from 2,600 miles away as a "long-distance guest" at their Hollywood party.

Lifetime Television needs to listen

There has been a major campaign by cancer warriors to try and save Lifetime Television's Side Order of Life. Somehow despite the numerous internet postings, the swell of heartfelt support, the unprecedented buzz, empassioned letters, emails, blogs, comments, phone calls and all out outcry...

Lifetime has not moved to renew...yet.

But no one is giving up.

Especially not Diana Maria Riva, the actress who plays Vivy, cancer survivor extrodinaire and Margaret Nagle, creator of the show. To date I have received emails from both of them and they continue to fight hard because they know how much this show means to cancer survivors like me.

If you are a cancer survivor, a friend or family member of one and you believe that the media should start portraying the journey responsibly...you have a personal stake in this.

Let's speak out against mindless reality tv and tell the world we don't accept heroes in the form of Paris Hilton or Britney Spears. We need real and heartfelt characters on quality and well written shows.

Even if you have not seen Side Order of Life...take a moment and call Lifetime today. It is our absolute right as to demand that quality and conviction return to television.

Sitting back without speaking is the same as apathy. CALL LIFETIME AT 212-424-7000