Did you know Vampires have more representation on TV and in movies then I do?! Seriously, 20% of Americans have a disAbility that affects as least one major life activity – How many Americans are Vampires? Go ahead & count all of the gothic kids if you want and I bet you still don’t get any where near the 56+ million Americans with a disAbility! I was watching my LA Lakers do their thing (whip up on those little lucky to be there leprechauns from Boston) YEAH, Game 1 in the NBA Finals and I see a commercial for a new ABC drama coming on this Fall – called “The Gates”. Please – at the risk of upsetting my nieces – whom I love dearly – and I know they love the vampire stories, well at least the Twilight Series – but don’t you think we have enough vampire television shows and movies? Come on, they are flooding the market with them and before long they will become the new “TV medical dramas”! I got so sick of medical dramas about 6-7 years ago – I have only seen 2 or 3 episodes of Private Practice in all that time! Seriously, I get ill just seeing commercials for upcoming episodes of any current medical dramas and I cannot do it anymore! Opps, wait! That is not entirely true. I recently became a fan of the Fox show “House”! My aversions to medical shows and the fact that I had the opposite problem Hugh Laurie said he runs into with most American fans when they hear him speak out of character and with his native British accent – I have been such a fan of British comedies and dramas for such a long time – that I felt it was weird hearing him with an American accent! But the show has such great writing, acting and directing that when I finally overcame my aversions and watched a couple of episodes – I was and am now hooked! Oh and that gorgeous Olivia Wilde – mmmm, somebody get me a date with her will you? Oh wait is she married? Probably married or has a boyfriend! But still, wow!
Okay back to the Vampire fascination! Now they are going to do the same thing they did with medical shows with vampire stories! All coming from ancient mythology and becoming famous through Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel over a hundred years ago, this monster has grown and developed over the years into a complete culture. And I am not completely against it – I loved Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 version of “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” with Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, and Keanu Reeves is beautifully shot, costumed, acting, directing, sets, and staying true to the novel.
But also who couldn’t help but be entertained by “Interview with the Vampire” with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt? And because I love Kate Beckinsale, the “Underworld” and its first sequel, were fun!
Maybe it is just the television versions of the vampires, starting with “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and going through the current series, “The Vampire Diaries”!
Still today, I think the vampire stories are being adapted into every aspect of life and this “The Gates” have to be proof of that! Soccer mom vampires? But really a mythical character that has spawned so many stories and additional characters that now vampires – who are not even real people – are portrayed and represented on television and movies 50+ times more then the largest and fastest growing minority in America! What is happening? You know I could write an interesting, honest, and authentic paraplegic character to be added to nearly every television drama or sitcom on today! Oh, that’s ,y in, huh? A Vampire paraplegic getting Social Security Disability and because s/he cannot live on the small amount every month – goes on a serial home invasion crime spree and when is surprised by the home owners – sucks their blood and turns them into Vampires too?
Maybe I am over reacting – I hear from a really good friend that “True Blood” on HBO is really good. So it is probably just that I am upset that instead of getting a television show with an authentically portrayed paraplegic – not even a whole show – or even a featured character – just one that is part of an ensemble cast or recurring supporting character that is a paraplegic or a person with another disAbility – authentically represented, but instead we get a new hour long drama show about a suburb of Vampires! What is next, “Desperate Vampire Housewives” or “The Real Vampire Wives of Orange County/New York/or New Jersey”? Oh, wait, I got it – a Hollywood dream – a medical drama with vampires as the doctors – “Grey’s Vampire Anatomy Diaries” – Oh, and the hospital administrator is a paraplegic and closet vampire! That is a MAJOR HIT – Can you say Emmy?!
Abilities United 
I am also sick of the Vampire trend. I tried watching the first Twilight movie, but took it out of the DVD player when there was probably less then 15 minutes left in the film – I couldn’t take it.