Nelson Branco's Soap Opera Uncensored: Issue 44 Read online

SOAP OPERA UNCENSORED

  Volume 02, Issue 34 (No. 44)

  BY NELSON BRANCO

  Copyright 2012 Nelson Branco

  INSIDE — PART TWO: Y&R’s JEANNE COOPER CONTINUES TO SOUND OFF ON MARIA ARENA BELL — Soap Icon Susan Flannery To Exit B&B! Is There A Publicity War Between Ronn Moss and Brad Bell? B&B Guest Star Phyllis Diller Dead! Her Last Interview Inside! Find Out When Genie Francis’s Y&R Contract Expires! Sean Kanan Returns to B&B! Why Eric Braeden Is Still Fuming Mad; Plus: His Latest Unprofessional Outburst! Whoohoo: Nadia Bjorlin Returns to DAYS! But For How Long? Is Christel Khalil Out At Y&R? Find Out If Farah Fath Is Back On Soaps! Another Y&R Behind-The-Scene Change! Also: Two Writers Fired! More Dish on Y&R’s 10 K Episode! Plus: First Airdate For The New and Improved Y&R! Last Week's Reviews, Unbelievable Blind Items, and Next Week's Cheat Sheet!

  UNCENSORED MASTHEAD:

  FOUNDER/EDITOR: Nelson Branco

  EDITOR AT LARGE: Denette Wilford

  Follow Soap Opera Uncensored at: @nelliebranco or @SoapUncensored

  NOTE FROM EDITOR/FOUNDER:

  You asked — and it’s happening. For more information on subscribing to daytime’s first weekly e-zine SOAP OPERA UNCENSORED, email [email protected]

  1 Year: $24.99 (*normally $129.48)

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  COMING SOON: VENICE — UNCENSORED

  To pre-order your upcoming book VENICE THE SERIES: UNCENSORED for a special price email: [email protected]. The Sapphic tome, which will be out this summer, chronicles the web soap’s meteoric rise, punctuates and analyzes its relevance in serial storytelling and its groundbreaking achievements in the online and soap opera medium. With every single Crystal Chappell interview I’ve ever conducted in one e-book — and those of her VENICE co-stars/directors — this is one must-buy keepsake in addition to episode synopses and reviews, top ten lists, fearless predictions, translated quotes, humour, and exclusive season four previews. Plus: Tributes to GUIDING LIGHT’s Otalia and new interviews! Order your copy now!

  Say What?

  UNCENSORED QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

  “It seems to me, from what I understand from doctors, that’s really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something: I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be of the rapist, and not attacking the child.”

  — U.S. Rep. Todd Akin in a controversial, career-killing interview

  Translation: There is no difference between legitimate rapemances, forcible rapemances, either, daytime showrunners!

  “I wouldn’t be doing it without them. I couldn’t do it without the fans. I have to stress that because it’s not just the paycheck. It’s not just the paycheck that is a part of living, but it’s about these people that have come on this journey with us and this family that we’ve grown with.”

  —Ronn Moss in a long-winded ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY interview

  Translation: Fans, get me my pay raise and screen time, now!

  “You get signs in your life of things that happen that are knocking you on the shoulder, knocking you on the head, and if you don’t listen to them, you’re being silly. We very often go through life and say, “Why didn’t I see the sign? Why didn’t I listen to that? Why didn’t I listen to that instinct? Why didn’t I listen to that thing that happened?” If you start looking at them and realize the different ways that you are being affected, it all adds up to an awareness of a direction you need to go.”

  —Moss continues

  Translation: That sign is named Scott Clifton.

  “Because I loved this family that we have. This show is owned by one family. That in itself is very unique, and I loved and love [deceased B&B creator] Bill Bell and [his wife] Lee Bell, who looked at me 25 years ago and said, “This is that thing that we want.” They believed in me, and I have never stopped thanking Bill and Lee, and I will never stop thanking them for giving me that opportunity. So it was that family thing, it was the steadiness, it was the growing and being able to cultivate it, to build it myself. I had such a big hand in cultivating that character. I wasn’t filling somebody else’s spot. That made it uniquely mine. I was able to grow, and it was like living two different lives. I lived Ronn Moss, and I lived Ridge simultaneously, just going along. What an amazing, odd thing to do. What a journey!”

  –Moss answers why he’s been on B&B for a quarter of a century

  Translation: Fuck Brad Bell!

  “Note to NBC: If you measured viewership on college campuses #parksandrec would be 2 and Half Men on steroids. But funnier.”

  –Rob Lowe on Twitter

  Translation: DAYS would shoot up the ratings, too.

  “Gigantic surprise coming #GH.”

  —GH Executive producer Frank Valentini on Twitter

  Translation: And it’s between my legs.

  “Well, I was pretty sure coming into the role that Will would be my love interest, but then there was talk about maybe Chad being the love interest. Which would have be fine. He is an amazing guy and a great actor but I think is a bit too tall for me. [Laughs]”

  —DAYS’s Freddie Smith in THE ADVOCATE

  Translation: He’s super hung; only Chandler Massey can handle The Deidrick. I’m more into Judi Evans….

  Award Show Central

  NEW DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS DIRECTOR ANNOUNCED!

  Changes this way comes: The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) announced that David Michaels, Actor, Producer and Founder of TV Cares has been appointed Senior Executive Director of the Daytime Entertainment Emmy® Awards.

  Yep, this doesn’t sound good given the guy’s resume. Read on:

  “David’s experiences in all genres of daytime television make him the perfect candidate to head up our Daytime Emmy® Awards operations,” said Malachy Wienges, Chairman NATAS. “His long time association with The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS) will be a valuable asset as the two Academies work closer together sharing the same goal of awarding excellence in television.”

  “The Daytime Emmy® Awards remains the favorite annual event for so very many fans throughout the country,” said Mr. Michaels. “In a world where the face of television and especially Daytime is constantly transitioning and changing, we strive to keep the Daytime Emmy® Awards a vital and exciting event. I am very excited and honored to be working with NATAS as Senior Executive Director and about the upcoming awards year.”

  With the changing landscape of daytime, it would appear NATAS is refocusing on the game and talk show genres since those are the arenas Michaels has had most success in.

  Cover Story

  THE OLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: PHYLLIS DILLER’s LAST INTERVIEW

  Hello; Goodbye, Gladys: Hollywood is paying tribute to comedy trailblazer Phyllis Diller, who died in her sleep “with a smile on her face,” at her home in Los Angeles. The irreverent stand-up icon — famous for her big hair and even bigger laugh — was a late bloomer. A mother of six, she didn’t enter the world of comedy until she was nearly 40.

  But in no time, she won over fans (including Sonny and Cher and Bob Hope) with her blend of self-deprecating humour and irresistible one-liners, often aimed at her imaginary husband, Fang.

 

  “I was with her a few weeks ago,” says former AMC star and fellow comedian Carol Burnett. “She had me on the floor with a few choice jokes. Funny, charming and loving — I’ll miss her.”

  In what is believed to be her final interview, conducted in April after she had appeared on B&B to celebrate the show’s 25th an
niversary, Diller opened up to Hello Canada in a candid chat about her peers, her fans and her legacy.

  Here it is for you UNCENSORED readers!

  It’s an honour to speak to you.

  What’s up, doc? Where are you?

  Toronto.

  I’ve been to Toronto many, many, many times. I love Toronto. I used to play The Royal York Hotel.

  Loved having you on B&B during its 25-year celebration.

  I love B&B. I was very close to [B&B co-creators] Lee and Bill [Bell]. I had a blast working on the show during the 90s. They helped a broad out, you know? They did the same [thing] for Betty White before she became famous again. The Bells are special people. I loved working with Susan [Flannery] and that old, silver fox [John McCook]. I think he wanted me, to be honest! [Laughs] I will always have a special place for B&B in my heart. I was the ‘beautiful’ in the ‘bold,’ you know!

  Don’t I know it! What do you credit your