Shawn Roberts and Lauren Collins address tough issues nke date-rape'in "DeGrassi: The Next Generation." 'DeGrassi'de bomb with a newgen By MICHAEL GILTZ WHEN the stars of the hit high school drama "DeGrassi: The Next Generation" came to the u.s. for a nine-city tour, they ~ 1iuddenly realized how much the Canadian show has caught on with kids. "They were treated like rock stars -all these screaming fans," laughs co-creator Linda Schuyler, whose show airs on cable channel The N Fridays at Sp.m.</p><p> For anyone wondering what the fuss is about, to night's show is a perfect introduction since it's an homage to the teen classic "The Breakfast Club" and an introduction to the characters. "DeGrassi" is a Canadian institution that's been around in one form or an other for 25 years.</p><p> In Can ada, it is CTV's highest rated Canadian show.</p><p> It reportedly inspired Aaron Spelling to launch "Beverly Hills, 90210," but much of the noise re cently came from its hot button issues.</p><p> One recent episode on cutting -self-mutilation, often by girls -made headlines when some teachers argued students copied the show.</p><p> Another, on abortion, has yet to air in the U.S. as The N, geared toward teens, figures out if and how to present it. ' A third episode, on "a main character coming out, prompted an outpour ing of letters and critical praise. "My whole attitude' to ward producing the show is that if kids are talking about it in the schoolyarq, we can talk about it on the show," says Schuyler, il former eighth-grncfu teacher who decided to make a short film abOl-lt teens in 1979 that l~d t~ "De Grassi." ; "I would much raili~r have them talk about some of these issues basedotl what they've seen on~P1- Grassi' rather than basep on the misinformation they've picked up on the schoolyard, the movies and the Internet." It is the second of eight new summer episodes, with another 22 shows hit ting The N starting in Oc tober.
