Newsday (Suffolk Edition) from Melville, New York • 326

CIliMinssiHS to Shmmpcio itw sexually controversial first segment. The commotion began in May when ABC smnsEB represemanves goi nir nm iook ok soaps screwso-up tamwes, me cempoens and the Tates, at a network screening in Los By Leo Sellgsohn Even before its premiere, it was called "prime time poilution" and "sex miseducation. Church groups attacked it, about a dozen affiliates abandoned it, and several advertisers shunned It. At 9:30 PM Tuesday, viewers finally got a chance to Judge ABCs controversial "Soap for themselves and their cumulative verdict over the next several weeks promises to have more dout than anything that's happened so far. The two major forces contributing to that verdict are the Nielsen ratings and a Joint church effort, announced a taw weeks ago, to hit local ABC stations wound the country with letters and phone calls.

The campaign is not expected to begin in fufl until after the next episode or two because, under pressure, the network sanitized Angeles. The Nghflghts of the first two episodes included a suburban housewife beddbig down with a tennis pro; the pro in turn sleeping with her a transvestite son parading in Mom's dress, singing "There is Mottling Like a a phOanasmg dad; Fattier Ftotsky. a modem young priest, substituting Oreo cookies for traditional wafers at Mass in short, the series seemed to be asking: Is there anyone we haven't offended? The Initial answers came fast. WOWK-TV in LJ. hi ft 11 (ilnn lif nnb in nunmcnon, w.

va.9 oockjpo otOBOCBst "Soap. KMVT-TV in Twin Fate, Idaho, and WJZ-TV in Baltimore, fofiowed suit The next chapter in the "Soap" story was written by Newsweek in mid-June. In an article headSned "99 and 44100 Impure, the magazine reported that the Oreo cookie idea was Just a small taste of plot turns to come: that the Tates randy young daughter, Corinne, for example, was going to attempt the seduction of Father Ftotsky in church. That was followed by a report in the Los Angeles Times that the secuo-tion would be successful and that it was to lead to Corinne's pregnancy; that Father Ftotsky would leave the (mutch and that the baby would undergo exorcism. On the basis of what had been reported.

The Tidings, a Cathotic newspaper in Los Angeles, said Soap should not be shown at any time. Turn to Paga 38 Tkm Cwr The Campbefts (Richard Mulligan md CaJhryn Damon), Benson, the Tates buhercook amt put-down artist (Robert Guihaume, center) md the Tales (Katherine Hetmond end Robert Mandm). 4 NEWSOAY.