Go, soap fans, go!

You know, we have a soft spot in our hearts for "save our show campaigns."  As some of you are aware, working to save the CBS show Jericho was how we met, and it's also how Margie and Edna were born. This week, we have very closely been following the fight of soap opera fans to save the suddenly-canceled All My Children and One Life to Live. In true fan form, they have organized and mobilized, and have launched some great campaigns.

Our personal favorite so far is the Soap 4 Soaps mail-in campaign (learn more here). The plan is to mail as much soap as possible to ABC on or by May 3rd. One thing we would like to suggest is that you include a note asking that ABC donate the soap to charity. In this economy, nothing should go to waste.

The other strategy that we particularly like is the planned protest nationwide on Tuesday, April 26th at various ABC and Disney studios (learn more here). If you are in any of the target areas, go out and show your support. There's power in numbers!

We are very impressed that you all are getting major media attention! The LA Times gave you some great coverage on Thursday.  

Finally, we love that after hearing from fans (among them his wife and mother) the vice-president of marketing at Hoover decided to pull their advertising from ABC until they bring back the soaps. Good for you, sir! 

Our advice to you, from two people who have been through this before? Keep it up. In a very short time, you have seen what kind of power the fans have when they band together. Stay focused, BE POLITE but persistent, and get your message out there. Time will tell, but based on what we've seen this week we have a very good feeling about the future of your shows.

Daily Affirmations

Edna: This young lady is truly adorable, and you surely do have to admire her self-esteem. Goodness, I hope I don't have to climb up on the bathroom counter for this to work for me!




Many thanks to Miss Amy Vernon for originally bringing this to my attention. Thank you, Miss Amy!

Party time, the Basement is one year old today!

Welcome to our one-year blogiversary party! Come on in, grab some refreshments, and crank up the party tunes. A party is only as good as its guests, and we know we've got some fine ones swinging by today to join in the festivities.

Now, for the main entertainment: our good friend Amy Vernon has honored us by writing a piece especially for today. She writes The TV Tyrant, and is the VP of marketing for SMAK News, which has its inaugural launch in two weeks (more on that at the end of today's post).

So, if you're comfortable and in the party mood, join us as we celebrate today. We're so glad you came!

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AmyV: Imagine my glee when two of my favorite bloggers ever asked me to write something up to celebrate their first year on the Internet.

I happened to have been around for the ladies' public debut, when they were so gracious as to discuss the goings-on in a little Kansas town called Jericho, on a blog I used to write for. They began to develop quite a following and came back often to discuss issues with me, for which I was grateful.

They would do Q&A sessions sometimes on another blog, but eventually the public outcry was such that they had no other choice but to start their own blog. And, on March 18, 2008, the ladies set up the server in their basement and started broadcasting to the outside world.

So when the ladies asked me to write up something for their one-year blogiversary, I thought I'd turn the tables on them and ask them a few questions:

1) Were you two ladies born in Jericho, or did your family move there at some point?
Edna: Dear, Margie and I were both born in the very house we're living in now; there was no hospital nearby in those days, and Mama was such a trooper. We'll probably die in Jericho, too, but hopefully not for many more years.

2) C'mon, tell me - who's older? Margie or Edna? We're all dying to know. For that matter, how old are you two, exactly?
Margie: Young lady, I thought you were raised better than to ask such a question. Would you like to tell us your bra size? I'm shocked.
Edna: She's shocked because she's the older sister. Now, as for how old that actually is...well, that I will keep to myself.

3) Who did you vote for? Johnston or Gray? If you had it to do over again, would you change your vote? [Note to newcomers to the basement: Johnston Green and Gray Anderson were vying for the mayoralty of Jericho during a very trying time in its history. Johnston was the incumbent and Gray owned the salt mine. Gray won.]
Margie: I voted for Johnston and I sure wouldn't change my vote. He always came to help Edna and me when we had problems with our clogged toilet. How many mayors would do that?
Edna: Oh, I voted for Johnston, of course! He reminds me so much of that nice man who used to be on "Simon and Simon." As for changing my vote, I never second-guess myself when it comes to politics, dear.

4) Who's the best-known gentleman you've had the good fortune of ... being acquainted with?
Margie: Oh, Jonah Prowse and Jensen Ackles of course. Such fine gentlemen and they know how to treat a lady too. There are things I could tell you ... but I won't.
Edna: In her dreams, she's never been 'acquainted' with either of those two gentlemen! As for myself, ladies simply do not gossip about who they're "acquainted" with. Amy, dear, you should have known better than to ask such a scandalous question.

5) What are your favorite desserts?
Margie: I just love a banana pudding and strawberries dipped in chocolate. Breakfast in bed is a dessert too isn't it?
Oh, my, Margie!
Edna: Typical, my sister just can't resist hussying up any question you ask of her. Personally, I love anything chocolate, but I am fond of a decent key lime pie too.

6) If you had your life to live over again, knowing everything you know now, what one thing (and one thing only) that you did would you change, if anything?
Margie: I would not have married when I was so young. I'd have been a party girl for a while first then I'd have married my cowboy. We'd have moved to his ranch in Montana and I'd never have had to live with Edna.
I'm glad you didn't, or else we wouldn't have had the good fortune to read your blog.
Edna: Well, it's never too late for you to move to Montana, you harpy, and good riddance! Amy, to answer your question, I'd have to say that I would not change a thing. I'm of the attitude that living one's life with regrets is simply a waste of time and energy. I cherish each and every experience, because it's made me who I am today.
That's beautiful, Edna.
Margie: Lordy, Edna, I wish those experiences hadn't made you who you are today. I wish you'd been a nice person.
Oh, Margie...

7) Boxers or briefs? (For the gents, of course.)
Margie: My stars, Miss Amy, I haven't blushed this much in years. I must say a gentleman always looks nice in briefs but I don't object to boxers. Frankly, they don't need to wear either if that's what they prefer.
Edna: I'm not sure this question is at all appropriate. Surely our readers don't want to know about gentlemen's unmentionables? I'd just as soon not think about them myself, so I respectfully decline to answer, dear.
Oh, Edna. Don't be such a prude. I knew Margie would play along. :-)

8) Let's get real for a moment here. You two always seem to hate one another. But don't you really love one another?
Margie: Miss Amy, I plead the Fifth as advised by my attorney.
Oh, Margie, I know you meant to say, "Yes."
Edna: I suppose we do love each other, in our own way. Of course, that love often takes the form of bickering and death threats, but what family doesn't have a little of that?
True, true.

9) How do you two decide on what to blog about? Is there a battle of the wills every day? It's hard to believe how prolific you are.
Margie: Thank you, Miss Amy. I must admit there is no daily battle of the wills. Edna and I love and appreciate all our readers so we always try to focus on them and what they might like to read.
That's not to say, of course, that we appreciate what each other says all the time.
Edna: Speak for yourself, Margie, I always appreciate what you say. I just don't always listen to it. Miss Amy, we do talk a lot about what our readers comment on, and we try to figure out what they might enjoy. We also try and stay as organized as possible, and we plan out our posts way ahead of time.
It's nice to see you two agree on something for a change. You do always put your readers first, no matter your personal ... conflicts, and we all appreciate that. We all love visiting with you.

11) What have you learned about writing a blog after doing this for a year? You've come so far in just 365 days. What advice would you give to other ... experienced ... ladies who would like to set up their own blog?
Margie: I've learned that it's easier to let my sister have her way rather than put up with her childish temper tantrums.
I would advise others to think long and hard before you write a blog with a relative. If you do decide to involve a relative, be sure they take their anti-psychotic meds every day.
Edna: Put a sock in it, Margie. At least I don't insist that every single post also has a picture of handsome naked men. [NOTE from Amy: They're not completely naked. And they sure are purty.]
My advice to anyone starting a blog is that they should write about something that they enjoy. If you're not having fun, you won't stick with it and your blog will suffer. Luckily, my sister and I have a lot of fun, which is why we're still here after a whole year.

AmyV: Well, we're glad you're still here after a year and that you continue to come up with interesting and entertaining things to say every day. I personally hope you stick around for another year, or two, or 10, or 20! I do plan on visiting more often, so please make sure you always have some of your special tea on hand for me. And thank you so much for making this bacon appetizer specifically for me; it's simply delicious. Of course, it's bacon, so I was bound to like it.

Anyhow, ladies, congratulations on your blogiversary and thank you so much for inviting me to share it with you.

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Thank you so much, Amy! (Folks, don't forget to swing by SMAK News to sign up for its launch in two weeks; it will be a social networking site made expressly for women, which we are very excited about!)

So there you have it folks, we hope you had fun at our anniversary party, and we thank you all so much for continuing to come and visit with us. Without our regular readers, we would just be blogging into the ether, and we are grateful every day that you all seem to enjoy reading the rantings and musings of these two old ladies.

Love, Margie and Edna

Margie and Edna: Movin' Out?

Margie: Edna, the Rangers did everything they could to save Jericho. What will become of us now?

Edna: Margie, I know they fought very hard, but sometimes things are just beyond our control. Maybe we should find a new place to live...or at least go visit somewhere else for a while. What do you think?

Margie: I think you finally have a good idea, sister.

Edna: Margie, maybe we should go to Miami, I hear they have a good crime scene investigation unit there. I always say you can tell a town by its law enforcement.

Margie: Edna, Miami was hit by the blasts too. I heard there are more gentlemen there now than ladies. Let's go.

Edna: Margie, you dimwit. If it was hit in the blasts, then there isn't anyone there right now, gentlemen or ladies. We'd better find someplace else.

Margie: Edna, you're so hateful. I had my bikini ready.

Edna: Well then, I guess we all dodged a bullet there, Lord knows no one needs to see that. I know of someplace that's not too far from here, it's just down the road in Lawrence, Kansas.

Margie: Edna, I heard that place is haunted. I'd be scared.

Edna: Margie, I heard the same thing. But I also heard that there are two brothers there who can protect us. They're used to fighting demons. Say, I have something in common with them, you're a demon every morning before you have your coffee.

Margie: Funny, Edna, the only demon is you when you lose your temper. Two brothers? We could try them then. I mean try that town.

Edna: On second thought Margie, maybe we’d better not. Wasn’t Lawrence destroyed by the bombs too?

Margie: Yes, Edna, so we can't go there. Hmm...why don't we see if we can track these young men down and hitch a ride with them in their cool car? I do so love a back seat.

Edna: Margie, for their sake, maybe we'd better think of something else. I don't want you corrupting those two nice young men.

Margie: Edna, I'm tired of you. I think I'll just go all by myself to a remote Pacific island.

Edna: By yourself? Margie, you wouldn't get 30 yards down the road by yourself, you know how easily you get lost.

Margie: I hate you, Edna. I'll just go visit MY friends, the Beckers.

Edna: Your friends? Why are they just your friends, you selfish ninny?

Margie: Because, Edna, I wrote to them and we communicated very nicely.

Edna: Well, that's all well and good for you, but maybe we should go visit one of my favorite friends, Amy Vernon. She told me that I'm always welcome in her home. She probably meant as long as I didn't bring you.

Margie: I know Amy. She said she likes me best. You'd scare her children.

Edna: Don't you lie to me, I know what she told you, and it wasn't that she liked you BEST. You'd better turn up your hearing aid.

Margie: Hush up, Edna. We'd better go visit Mr. Skeet Ulrich. I bet he'd love to see us.

Edna: I'd better call ahead and warn him that we're coming, I know what you have in mind for that boy and it's not decent.

Margie: Edna, it is decent. I just want to take him a new towel.

Edna: Margie, it's nice of you to take him a new towel, but don't you dare give that boy any of your special tea. He'll wake up a week later, missing his new towel.

Margie: Edna, what a lovely thought. Thank you, sister.

Edna: Oh my Lord, what am I going to do with you? We're never going to decide what to do, at this rate.

Margie: Edna, I need time to think. Where do I want to go and do I leave you behind?

Edna: Well Margie, I guess I need time to think about those same things. How long should we take to decide?

Margie: Until I say I've decided. I’ll leave you, Edna.

Edna: No you wouldn't Margie. I'm all you have left, and you're all I have left, especially if the town goes under like I'm worried it will. We'd better stick together, no matter where we end up.

Margie: Well, I suppose. Let's have an elderberry cordial and talk some more.

Edna: That sounds good, I'll go get the cordial glasses and meet you on the front porch.

Margie: I'll meet you there, Edna.

Amy Vernon tells all!

Amy Vernon, of the Remote Access TV blog, is probably the first fan that Margie and Edna ever had. She has been a staunch supporter ever since the ladies made an appearance on Remote Access back in August 2007. She is a long-time friend to Jericho, and an all-around lovely person, and we thank her for taking the time to sit down and answer a few questions from two nosy old ladies.

1. Margie: Edna, here's what I want to ask Amy: Do you know this Hughie Hefner fella? I think he wants to talk to me. Could you give him my number?

Amy: Well, um, er, [blushes] I'll see what I can do. Truth be told, he has mentioned you before. Both of you, of course.

2. Edna: Amy, Margie and I have a lot of fun writing out our thoughts (well, my thoughts, Margie doesn't have very many of her own). Do you think that there's anything we can do differently to make our blog more popular? We like to help as many people as we can, you know.

Margie: We'd also like more gentlemen callers.

Amy: Oh my. Well, as for making your blog more popular, I've learned most of what I know about networking my blog from a lovely lady named Jane; I believe you've met her? I can't imagine I could tell you anything in that respect that Jane couldn't.

As for the gentlemen callers, photos of scantily clad women usually helps with that. Don't you have any daguerreotypes from your youth?

Edna’s note: Don’t get fresh young lady, we’re not that old! We were quite the lookers when we were girls, do you think these snapshots will do the trick?

3. Edna: Amy dear, we know you spend a lot of your time watching the television, do you have any actors that you find especially mouthwatering?

Amy: Funny you should ask - you know Jake Green, of course. It seems there's this actor out there who looks JUST like him! Skeet Ulrich is his name. I've been known to time the "pause" button to a moment where Skeet shows up.

Hmm, who else? When I was a young girl, I had the biggest crush in the world on Richard Hatch. He has aged rather well. You can see him on "Battlestar Galactica" on the Sci Fi Channel. And Naveen Andrews on ABC's "Lost" isn't too hard on the eyes, I must admit.

Margie's note: Amy, you have good taste in men. So do I. Eat your heart out, dear.

4. Margie: Amy, we saw a truck in town last week with a CBS logo on the side. We don't know what that means but we think they're the ones who almost wiped Jericho off the map. What do you think?

Amy: You didn't hear it from me, but I'm pretty sure that's the broadcast arm of Jennings & Rall.

5. Edna: Amy, you've been our good friend for a while now, what are your plans for the future? We know you're busy at the paper, but will you come back to visit us in Jericho?

Amy: First off, I will always be happy to visit my favorite residents of Jericho. Just make sure you have some of your special tea waiting for me.

Margie’s note: Amy, dear, just a tip from Margie here. Drink 2 glasses of my Special Tea before you do your writing. You'll win a Pulitzer in no time.

Amy: As for the future, I really don't know. I'm glad you two have joined me in the blogosphere; I enjoy blogging quite a bit and hope to further my efforts in that area. I hope to be able to live-blog the coming civil war, but that future is still uncertain.

Margie and Edna: Origins

Edna, remember when that sweet Amy at RemoteAccess published this kind interview about us? I was just reading it again. I come across as the nice person I am while you sound like a heathen as usual.

Margie, don't start with me, it was a lovely interview about both of us. It's not my fault if you're jealous. By the way, Amy told me that she likes me better.
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"Jericho fans from across the nation recapped episodes for Remote Access each week. And one day, two women who were nuts for Jericho decided they’d try something a little different.

And, thus, Edna and Margie were born.

Of course, like all things in life, it was slightly more and slightly less complicated than all that."


Amy questioned Margie and Edna creators, Beth and Jane:


"How did you first come up with the idea for Margie & Edna?

Margie and Edna developed over a series of conversations between the two of us. We had both previously done a re-cap for Remote Access, and we had each separately agreed to do a second re-cap, for “Casus Belli.” As both of us recall, it was Beth who approached Jane about joining forces for our re-caps, but it was Jane who suggested that we do it as citizens of Jericho. We started e-mailing and PM-ing each other, and we eventually developed the “voices” of the two sisters while we were working on that first re-cap.

What do you think it is about the ladies that struck such a nerve with Jericho fans?

We’ve been told that it's their funny banter that the Jericho fans find appealing, as well as the fact that readers know that they love each other no matter what they say. Also, it’s as if the ladies have inserted themselves into the story, and are able to comment freely on things that they “observe” around Jericho. These are usually observations that the fans themselves make, such as comments about Jake and Emily, comments on some of the “suspension of disbelief” issues within the show itself (such as why everyone looks so well-groomed in the post-apocalyptic world), etc. Finally, some have also said how much Margie and Edna remind them of their own older relatives."