Nelson Branco's SOAP OPERA UNCENSORED: Issue 48

by Nelson Branco

miss those days. In your opinion, what would Bill Bell think of Y&R today?

  [Laughs nervously]

  That’s my Barbara Walters question!

  I’m going to try to be politically correct, my man! First off, Bill would be incredibly proud that the show is on the air and moving forward since his demise. The show will never be the same since Bill Bell’s passing, I think.

  Maria Arena Bell thought otherwise!

  Will we ever get back to that? Possibly. But our golden era is gone. That is my belief. We’re living off of stories of old. And fumes. I don’t know how to quite answer this question. I mean, I think there is some stuff he would be shocked and horrified by, for sure. But there are some things I think he’d be very proud of also. One hopes that Y&R’s success continues and that we don’t have to fight off a cancellation in the next two years because of bad storytelling. We want to go out on top. Do we want to go out? No, we don’t. Y&R can go on for another five or ten years. We can. Will it? It remains to be seen. I would love to be a part of this show until the wheels fall off —but only time will tell.

  You got into the daytime arena towards the end of the glory days. How shocked were you when the medium began dying off?

  I’ve been talking a lot about this to my friends and not so much the press… Yes, I think the rest of the Universe has evolved with the times and I don’t know how much of daytime has evolved. We can’t keep telling the same stories that we were in the 70s, 80s, 90s, or even ten years ago, for that matter. Daytime has largely stayed the same. And the world has changed dramatically. The audience wants more topical stories and issues — but they also want the romances that made soaps so popular. We just need to roll with the times. You can’t go to the file cabinet and bring out a story from 1985 anymore. The incestuous nature of daytime relationships has gotten out of control — and the audience doesn’t want to see that as much as they used to.

  Amen. Speaking of epic romances, is it frustrating that Neil hasn’t clicked with anyone since Dru died? Also, do you want Vicki to return to Y&R?

  Of course, I want Vicki Rowell back on the canvas. Of course, I want Drucilla to rise from the ashes, or the river, as the case may be, wet and ready to reclaim our love. It worked then — and it will work now. That’s what the audience wants to see. The writers need to start paying more attention to what the audience wants. When there are a lot of loud voices barking about a return, I think a show should give the audience what they want. Of course, having said that, as you know, there are a lot of layers to that particular story [involving Vicki Rowell].

  Do you think Drucilla’s return would impact the ratings? Would Dru’s comeback shake-up the canvas from a narrative standpoint?

  I don’t know if her return would be a ratings bonanza or a blockbuster. I don’t know what defines that anymore. We have done a pretty good job bringing in ABC talent to our doorstep but I think we lost sight of what the three families in Genoa City are all about with the inclusion of so many network stars. The truth is, Drucilla is one of the top ten characters in the history of the show. Yes, selfishly, I want story. You look at certain actors who are given story year after year. On GH, Maurice Benard, Steve Burton and Tony Geary are written for all the time. With that, comes amazing work and incredible storylines. With Drucilla, there will be an amazing storyline there if they choose to go in that direction. I’m waiting to see what they have planned for the remainder of the year and what they have in store for us in 2013. Am I lobbying for Victoria’s return? Sure. I’m lobbying for a good storyline. That’s all.

  Do you agree with Rowell’s claims that the production company of Y&R is racist?

  There has been no overt racism that I have seen since I have started my run on the show. I think there has been neglect in terms of certain positions that could have been filled with African American talent; however, when you have shows that have run as long as forty years, you have a collective group of people who have worked together for so long — and they don’t purposely look outside their unit to establish new producers, writers, etc.

  And this show is a family-run soap. Moreover, this systemic problem is widespread across the entertainment business.

  Listen, they say ignorance is bliss. With Victoria ranting about the lack of African American representation behind the scenes, they did hire a few African Americans in key positions, so I’m thankful for that. I choose not to put myself in any kind of political light because it’s not my role to tell them what they need. I am hired to act. And that’s what I do.

  When Harmony controversially called Phyllis, “Miss Phyllis,” was that in the script? Or did Debbi Morgan ad-lib that line?

  I wasn’t there that day so I don’t know. But I know most of us are lucky to change our lines in our scripts often so, again, I don’t know.

  Either way, Debbi went with it. Let’s talk about Black Winters Wednesday! Why couldn’t Maria Arena Bell write for The Winters?

  [Laughs] God Bless Maria Arena Bell for taking on such a gargantuan load five years ago. She did as much as she could with what she had. It’s not like she didn’t have the proper training. She trained under Bill Bell, Kay Alden and Jack Smith. I think we just fell into — no pun intended — a black hole.

  Well, that’s going to change with Josh Griffith in charge!

  All I want to do is go on stage and make some magic.

  Black Magic!

  Shocking Soap News

  SEAN KANAN RETURNS TO PORT CHUCK!

  The B&B star is as surprised as all of us are that he’s back on GH!

  Choose your pick: Miracles do happen; and/or, Hell has frozen over!

  In last week’s UNCENSORED, I hinted in my blind item section that Sean Kanan would be returning GH despite the fact that the popular hunk is currently toiling on B&B as Deacon.

  Well, TV GUIDE’s Michael Logan let the cat out of the bag last week to the delight of soap fans and critics.

  After the news was leaked, Kanan called up UNCENSORED to celebrate the good news!

  “GH is the last place I thought I would end up,” laughs the hunk, referring to his infamous firing by ABC. In past interviews, the actor has been candid about how his raging alcoholism at the time led to his dismissal in 1997. The legacy character was later successfully recast with Emmy winner Billy Warlock.

  Now clean and sober, Kanan is amazed at how his life has turned around. Life does happen when you’re making other plans. And the GH opportunity “happened very quickly and very recently,” he says. “It wasn’t like a big, drawn-out deal. I’m pretty surprised, too, to say the least.”

  Re-joining GH only further punctuates Kanan’s recent good fortune and karma. He recently wed long-time girlfriend Michelle and the couple is expecting their first child together.

  “We just moved into our new house, too,” he says. “Just before I called you, Brad Bell called me to wish me good luck with GH. He’s been very good to me, what can I say? Yep, things are going pretty well. Knock on wood.”

  Kanan admits it’s going to be “surreal” to return to the studio where he worked 20 years ago as A.J. Quartermaine, the role he will reassume despite the fact that the character died in 2005.

  “For example, when I met with [executive producer] Frank Valentini,” he sets up. “He was sitting in the same office my old producer sat in so I had to make sure I wasn’t dreaming! At the end of the day, A.J. Quartermaine was a part I loved playing. And frankly, the cast pretty much consists of new people — with the exception of a few people who are there that I know from the old days of GH. It’s going to like starting all over again.”

  After bouncing back and forth from B&B to Y&R, Kanan finds it funny that now everyone wants a piece of The Kanan.

  “It’s pretty amazing,” he enthuses. “I’m really excited to work with Frank. I think he’s a pretty innovative guy. He’s sort of single handedly infused life into a medium that was a dying breed. I really want to hit a home run for Frank — and the fans.”

 
Reminder to all of us: Never say never.

  Soap Marketing

  FOOD POISONING AT THE CHEW? GH STARS CHECK IN!

  Is this a good or bad idea? Since GH is the strongest show on its daytime line-up, it seems ABC Daytime wants to take advantage of the soap’s renewed popularity and recent rating gains by using its soap stars to promote THE CHEW. Too bad the favour is never returned.

  Beginning Sept. 24, THE CHEW pays house calls to some of our favourite GH stars.

  Featured stars include Julie Berman, Finola Hughes, Ingo Rademacher, and Erik Valdez. The stars will open their homes to THE CHEW for a glance into their private, off-screen lives, sharing recipes and hobbies.

  It may have been a better idea for THE CHEW to produce an AMC-themed week considering it not only replaced the iconic sudser but it’s also been exactly one year ago that Pine Valley left the airwaves.

  News & Views

  SOAPILEAKS

  This Week’s Hottest News, Gossip, and Reviews!

  THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, CTV/CBS — A Break From Hope/Liam/Steffy?

  • Looks like B&B has re-issued a casting call for a new hunk. Here’s the breakdown: “[LEADING MAN] Male. Caucasian. 25-28 years old. Heartthrob. Very masculine. Edgy. Not afraid to get the job done.