Indeed:

> The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored by soap manufacturers.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_opera

Yeah. I believe that's where the term "soapies" originated.

Shows originally brought to you by washing powder manufacturers.

G'day, mate? (I've never heard the term "soapies". Is it Australian slang? Having lived a decade in Hong Kong, I got exposure to a fair amount of Australian slang, and this fits the character.)

South African ...

Although I was under the impression that soapies was an American word.

I've only ever heard "soap operas" or "soaps" in the Upper Midwest and East Coast.

Let's blame Australia.

I've found that quite a lot of South African slang is mistaken for Australian slang, while a South African accent is often mistaken for a British one[1].

[1] I've actually been asked, once, "You're English, right?", when I was in the states.

I've never heard "soapies" in my part of the US. It's "Soaps" or "soap operas" here.

> I've never heard "soapies" in my part of the US. It's "Soaps" or "soap operas" here.

After reading the other replies, I believe that it's not just your part of the US.

I'm going to put this down in the TIL column - I always thought it was American slang, TIL I learned that it's not.

It’s pretty close even if it’s not actually an Americanism.

"ies" doesn't sound very American.

It may be. It could be a very regional item. Like soda vs pop.

I personally never heard it until this thread. I have heard 'soaps'.