Nelson Branco's Soap Opera Uncensored: Issue 42

by Nelson Branco

late last week in New York State Supreme Court against Nielsen; its Indian joint venture, TAM Media Research; and Kantar Media Research, which owns a 50 percent stake in the Indian business.

  Maybe we soap fans should file our own suit to avenge the cancellations of AMC, ONE LIFE, GL and WORLD TURNS. We’ll give them a pass on PASSIONS.

  Power Player

  ANGELICA MCDANIEL SPEAKS!

  ON AIR, ON SOAPS’ Michael Fairman scored quite the “get:” an interview with Angelica McDaniel, Senior VP Daytime Programming CBS Entertainment.

  Not a lot is known about McDaniel, the woman who helped oust Maria Arena Bell at Y&R, but thanks to this interview we know a lot more.

  And what timing: Fairman asked her to explain the decision to replace the controversial Y&R Socialite as co-executive producer and co-head writer with Jill Farren Phelps and Josh Griffith, respectively; what the plans are for Y&R’s upcoming milestones; and what her involvement will be shaping the future of Genoa City.

  Below are the more interesting excerpts:

  Re: Y&R Shake-Up:  “I think it was something Sony was looking to potentially pursue, and CBS was definitely involved in that conversation. We support the decision Sony made to bring on Jill and Josh.  Maria did a great job the last five years she was with the show, but we are just looking forward to seeing where we can take the show next.  B&B has shown that soaps can grow.  We don’t have to accept that people say, “Oh, it’s a dying genre,” because it’s not.  Look at DALLAS and REVENGE and primetime shows!  Serial storytelling is not an exclusive genre to daytime.  It’s thriving in primetime, cable, and daytime   It’s just about welcoming Jill, who is fresh off her Outstanding Drama Series win for her work on GH and who has decades of experience in the day part, and also welcoming back Josh.  He was with Y&R before and really stepped up during the strike and helped out with the show.  We are so thrilled to have him coming back.  It’s about collaboration with Sony and with CBS, and Jill and Josh, and working together to positively affect the show and see where we can take it! It was time to do something different, and we are excited to see what that something different will be.”

  CBS’s future involvement in story:  “This is really is a collaborative partnership. THE TALK is on hiatus for the summer.  This really gives me time to be on set and visiting with the actors and the writers.   I am going to be really invested in the process. Y&R is something we care about and that I am very passionate about.  I will be working with Jill and Josh, Steve Kent (Senior Executive V.P Programming Sony), and Margot Wain (CBS Director of Daytime Programs).  It’s all of us coming together and defining what the clear vision for Y&R is as group.  We don’t always agree, but we are going to have respectful dialogue.”

  News & Views

  SOAPILEAKS:

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

  THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, CBS/CTV — My Big, Fat, Soapy Italian Weddings!

  • Is there room on the B&B canvas at this point? Well, show runner Brad Bell seems to think so! Here’s hot-off-the-presses casting notice: Male. Caucasian. 25-28 years old. Heart throb. Very Masculine. Edgy. Not afraid to get the job done. Bit of a cad. CONTRACT ROLE

  Sounds like me.

  • As UNCENSORED first reported, Joanna Johnson has taken a B&B hiatus for several months to shoot new CW series EMILY OWENS, MD starring Marnie Hummer. So where does this leave Crystal Chappell, who has created yet another breakout soap role?

  While show runner Brad Bell told UNCENSORED he had big plans for Chappell with or without Johnson on the canvas, La Chappell weighed in for the first time in an interview with ON AIR, ON SOAPS’ Michael Fairman. “Joanna is gone for now and I will miss her, although we have been emailing each other,” said the Emmy winner. “So it’s not something that is being ditched.  Brad Bell would never do that!  Joanna told me she would be more than willing to come back and play the story out when her schedule permits. I have some shows that are coming up, and I have been told there is story coming. Beyond that, I don’t know.”

  • Everyone’s getting hitched in Italy. First Don Diamont and now my good pal, Sean Kanan! I guess I need to visit Rome with Marco Dapper, STAT! Yep, during his most recent visit to Italy in July, Sean Kanan exchanged vows with Michele Vega. "We covered probably 15 different cities and small towns and had our honeymoon in Sicily," the actor enthused to DIGEST. "We had an unbelievable time.

  THE CHEW, ABC — No Accounting for Taste on ABC Prime Time!

  • File this under stupid, premature decisions: THE CHEW’s Mario Batali, Michael Symon, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly and Daphne Oz will travel coast to coast -- from California and New York to Hawaii and Nashville -- to bring viewers a sneak peek at the ABC Fall Primetime lineup. Interviewing some of the network's hottest new stars, the special has something for everyone. From diva-filled musical drama and deep and dark desires to quirky and "out of this world" comedies and thrillers, "The Chew Presents ABC's Primetime Fall Preview Special" airs Sunday, September 2. Where was Laura Wright’s invite? Remember the days when networks used to air prime-time TV specials of our favourite daytime dramas? Couldn’t they have used Katie Couric instead? Or Kelly Ripa? No one in America knows what the hell THE CHEW is. Regardless, it’s clear ABC is intent on making THE CHEW a hit at all costs. Conversely, their attempts at promoting GH pale in comparison to all the marketing its daytime lifestyle shows receive.

  DAYS OF OUR LIVES, NBC/GLOBAL — Davidson Back to Y&R?

  • Arguably the most anticipated comeback of the year, Eileen Davidson is still months away from reprising her iconic role of Kristen DiMera (and, more than likely, Kristen’s doppelganger, Susan Banks). In this week’s must-read DIGEST, Davidson retraces her wonky, drama-filled steps back to Salem. If you’re an UNCENSORED reader, you’ll already be aware of this.

  “I initially thought that I was fired, but I found out after the fact that basically I was kind of traded,” the soap vet says. “So my initial tweet about being fired wasn’t true.”

  According to my sources, Sony wanted Davidson to pull double duty on DAYS and Y&R, but the Y&R writing team refused to share Davidson and let her go.

  Davidson hints that she may be back on Genoa City in the near future. She says, “The last day on Y&R everybody said, ‘You’re not going to be gone forever. We know you’re going to come back home.’’”

  If Jill Farren Phelps doesn’t find out Davidson’s real age, that is!

  • Don’t forget to tune back in to DAYS next week when the drama returns after a two-week hiatus. NBC is airing a very enticing promo previewing the aftermath of the DAYSaster (no, not Dena Higley’s old long-term story). Too bad they show revealed everything but the kitchen sink. I wish the daytime wing of networks knew how to better effectively promote their shows; you know, instead of blaming the media for spoiling stories when no one is guiltier than they are. The good news? Sonny kisses Will! That sound you hear? Missy Reeves driving to Chick-Fil-A!

  GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABC/CITY — The Perfect Storms

  • Maxinista - noun

  1. The summit, the zenith, the pinnacle of beauty and sexual allure.

  2. A female character on the soap opera General Hospital also known as Maxie Jones

  3. A nickname given by the Jackal The Assassin of Cyberspace.

 

  Stephanie Sloane scored the first exclusive interview with Kirsten Storms, who graces this week’s issue of SOAP OPERA DIGEST in a rare solo cover.

  Storms, who admits she’s actually kind of nervous about reprising the sassy role, says she’s “thankful” to have the opportunity to put on Maxie’s pumps again.

  Pick up your copy today!

  • Lock up your AIDS patients: Yep, Sebastian Roché is back — and so is his on-screen brother, Ingo Rademacher, reports SOAP OPERA DIGEST.

  How long is Roché sticking around? “For the moment it's a few weeks... but we'll see,” the sexy bastard told TV GUIDE.

  What can we expect? “He intend
s to terrorize Port Charles on a massive scale and it's going to affect every character on the show. It's very deadly. I'm quite interested to see how he's going to pull this off,” he says.

  Meanwhile, UNCENSORED learned Rademacher was headed back to Prospect Studios earlier last week but DIGEST beat me to the punch again.

  Welcome back, boys. Though, I have no idea what could be Jerry’s motivation in kidnapping Robin. (The actor explained in the aforementioned TV GUIDE interview, it’s about money; whatever.)

  I was hoping it was Dr. David Hayward, Anna’s ex-love. It’d make sense that Dr. Hayward kidnapped his former daughter-in-law to save her life just as he had done with many Pine Valley residents. It would have also quieted the anti-ONE LIFERs by brining on an AMCer.

  • Executive producer Frank Valentini told XFINITY’s Sara Bibel the show plans on selling “the great Haunted Star t-shirts.” Smart idea.

  However, during the interview, Valentini said something perplexing. When asked if he had wished President of ABC’s Entertainment Group, Paul Lee and his seemingly pro-soap stance, were around when the net cancelled AMC and ONE LIFE, Valentini said, “I think coming to GH is my reward.” OK.

  In good news, Valentini,