Steve Burdick
Encyclopedia
"Steve Burdick" is an episode of the 1990 NBC
television series Lifestories
, an anthology drama that each week followed a new set of characters dealing with a medical issue. The episode revolves around Burdick (D. W. Moffett), a gay
television newsman with AIDS
. When his lover dies of the disease, Burdick reveals his own diagnosis on the air to the displeasure of his station manager. The episode was loosely based on Paul Wynne, a newscaster out of San Francisco who died of AIDS in 1990.
The episode was originally scheduled for December 2, 1990. However, NBC pulled the episode, sparking criticism from gay and AIDS activists. The network rescheduled it for December 18, when Lifestories was changed from being a weekly series to a monthly special. The episode was critically acclaimed, winning a GLAAD Media Award, but financially unsuccessful for the network.
and both test positive. Burdick struggles to keep himself together as his lover's health declines. When his lover dies, Burdick breaks down on the air and announces the death and that he too is HIV-positive. Station managers want to fire him, but his producer, Barbara Hudson, convinces the station that AIDS reportage is newsworthy and socially responsible. Burdick's pieces are tagged with a viewer discretion advisory. He continues to report until he begins to show symptoms of AIDS, at which time the station managers pull him off the air.
. Gay and AIDS activists accused NBC of pulling the episode out of fear of advertiser backlash, a charge that NBC denied. A network spokesperson also denied that network schedulers were aware of World AIDS Month and, in a perhaps unfortunate choice of phrase, characterized the decision to pull the episode as a "straight programming decision". Series producer Jeffrey Lewis also believed there was an economic motive, saying "I suspect a show about AIDS would not be popular with advertisers — particularly (when it focused on) a gay person with AIDS." NBC changed Lifestories from a weekly series to a monthly one in December and on December 5 confirmed that "Steve Burdick" would be the first of the monthly episodes aired.
(themselves the subject of protests from gay and AIDS activists), as "network series TV's finest AIDS-related dramas to date". Right-wing activists criticized dialogue from the episode in which Burdick overhears his hospital roommate in prayer and admonishes him that he didn't pay attention well enough in church to learn that God ignores the prayers of "faggots".
"Steve Burdick" scored a Nielsen rating of 9.7, equating to approximately 9.5 million viewers, and a 17 share, meaning that 17% of all television sets in use during its time period were tuned to the episode. NBC reported losing $500,000 in advertising revenue. Speaking of this loss, then-NBC president Warren Littlefield
said, at odds with NBC's earlier denial of possible revenue loss being a factor in its scheduling decision, "There are few things in broadcasting that we know for sure, and one of those is that when you do an episode of any series that deals with AIDS, there is going to be advertiser sensitivity to it. And if you choose to do it anyway, you better count on losing money."
"Steve Burdick" won a GLAAD Media Award as the best television drama episode of 1990.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television series Lifestories
Lifestories
Lifestories is an American medical drama television series that premiered August 20, 1990, on NBC. Done in a documentary style with off-screen narration by Robert Prosky, Lifestories was an attempt to make an extremely realistic medical drama answering questions like, "Exactly what goes on during...
, an anthology drama that each week followed a new set of characters dealing with a medical issue. The episode revolves around Burdick (D. W. Moffett), a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
television newsman with AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. When his lover dies of the disease, Burdick reveals his own diagnosis on the air to the displeasure of his station manager. The episode was loosely based on Paul Wynne, a newscaster out of San Francisco who died of AIDS in 1990.
The episode was originally scheduled for December 2, 1990. However, NBC pulled the episode, sparking criticism from gay and AIDS activists. The network rescheduled it for December 18, when Lifestories was changed from being a weekly series to a monthly special. The episode was critically acclaimed, winning a GLAAD Media Award, but financially unsuccessful for the network.
Synopsis
Steve Burdick is a local television news anchor who keeps his homosexuality private. He and his lover are tested for HIVHIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
and both test positive. Burdick struggles to keep himself together as his lover's health declines. When his lover dies, Burdick breaks down on the air and announces the death and that he too is HIV-positive. Station managers want to fire him, but his producer, Barbara Hudson, convinces the station that AIDS reportage is newsworthy and socially responsible. Burdick's pieces are tagged with a viewer discretion advisory. He continues to report until he begins to show symptoms of AIDS, at which time the station managers pull him off the air.
Cast
- Robert ProskyRobert ProskyRobert Prosky was an American stage, film, and television actor.-Life and career:Prosky, a Polish American, was born Robert Joseph Porzuczek in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Helen and Joseph Porzuczek. His father was a grocer and butcher...
– Storyteller (voice) - D.W. MoffettD.W. MoffettDonald Warren Moffett is an American actor known for the recurring role of Joe McCoy on the NBC series Friday Night Lights since 2008, and as Dean Winston on The WB series, For Your Love.-Early life:...
– Steve Burdick - Joyce HyserJoyce HyserJoyce Hyser is an American actress.-Career:Hyser appeared in various films in the early 1980s, the last of which — Just One of the Guys — achieved some cult status. She then mainly guest-starred in TV shows, including a recurring role in L.A. Law as Jimmy Smits's girlfriend...
– Barbara Hudson
Scheduling controversy
"Steve Burdick" was originally scheduled to air on December 2, 1990. Had it aired on that date it would have been one of several programs relating to AIDS airing in early December, which is designated World AIDS Month, with December 1 being World AIDS DayWorld AIDS Day
World AIDS Day, observed December 1 every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. Government and health officials observe the day, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an...
. Gay and AIDS activists accused NBC of pulling the episode out of fear of advertiser backlash, a charge that NBC denied. A network spokesperson also denied that network schedulers were aware of World AIDS Month and, in a perhaps unfortunate choice of phrase, characterized the decision to pull the episode as a "straight programming decision". Series producer Jeffrey Lewis also believed there was an economic motive, saying "I suspect a show about AIDS would not be popular with advertisers — particularly (when it focused on) a gay person with AIDS." NBC changed Lifestories from a weekly series to a monthly one in December and on December 5 confirmed that "Steve Burdick" would be the first of the monthly episodes aired.
Reception
"Steve Burdick" was well-received by critics. The Seattle Times described the episode as "as honest an exploration of AIDS as anything seen on commercial network TV". Moffett's performance was singled out for praise, as was Richard Gollance's script, for "look[ing] at a number of aspects of the AIDS problem, exploring a variety of attitudes about it". The Times marks this as the best episode of the series. The Hartford Courant concurred in this assessment, citing the episode as the most memorable of one of the season's most daring new series. Gollance's script was also praised by critic Jon Burlingame, writing for United Features Syndicate, for delivering accurate information on AIDS and HIV. Burlingame called the episode "as much an indictment of commercial television for its skittishness in dealing with the AIDS crisis as it is a show about AIDS patients" and speculated that this may have been the reason NBC initially pulled it. He cited this episode, along with two AIDS-themed episodes of NBC's Midnight CallerMidnight Caller
Midnight Caller is a dramatic NBC television series created by Richard DiLello, which ran from 1988 to 1991. It was one of the first television series to address the dramatic possibilities of the then-growing phenomenon of talk radio...
(themselves the subject of protests from gay and AIDS activists), as "network series TV's finest AIDS-related dramas to date". Right-wing activists criticized dialogue from the episode in which Burdick overhears his hospital roommate in prayer and admonishes him that he didn't pay attention well enough in church to learn that God ignores the prayers of "faggots".
"Steve Burdick" scored a Nielsen rating of 9.7, equating to approximately 9.5 million viewers, and a 17 share, meaning that 17% of all television sets in use during its time period were tuned to the episode. NBC reported losing $500,000 in advertising revenue. Speaking of this loss, then-NBC president Warren Littlefield
Warren Littlefield
Warren W. Littlefield is an American former television executive.A protégé of Brandon Tartikoff, Littlefield developed Cheers, The Cosby Show, and The Golden Girls as senior and executive vice president of NBC Entertainment under Tartikoff...
said, at odds with NBC's earlier denial of possible revenue loss being a factor in its scheduling decision, "There are few things in broadcasting that we know for sure, and one of those is that when you do an episode of any series that deals with AIDS, there is going to be advertiser sensitivity to it. And if you choose to do it anyway, you better count on losing money."
"Steve Burdick" won a GLAAD Media Award as the best television drama episode of 1990.
External links
- "Steve Burdick" at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...