Soap Opera Uncensored: Issue 7 Read online

couldn’t come through for them and we were very much looking forward to working together.”

  While AMC and One Life are dead in the water online, rights will automatically revert back to ABC. Yes, someone can still come in and save the shows. Hopefully, the soap opera coupon campaign will convince a cable network to air these shows (which was and remains the original goal of the Core Four/Save Our Soaps Movement).

  But thanks to the mismanagement of Prospect Park (and ABC not leasing their shows to other bidders with cash), AMC and One Life both scripted cliffhanger finales thinking they had more life to live. Had Prospect announced their change of heart, One Life could have changed the ending last week before it taped its last show on Friday. Let’s pray ABC does the write/right thing and schedules two-hour TV-movies on prime time to wrap things up. That’s the least AMC and One Life deserves, right?

  Meanwhile, AFTRA hit back after various mainstream outlets blamed the union for killing the deals. Which is ludicrous since PP has no money to even pay these actors.

  “AFTRA was deeply disappointed to read that the executives at Prospect Park have decided to suspend their efforts to produce the long-running and popular daytime serials, One Life to Live and All My Children, via online distribution. Despite initial progress in our negotiations with Prospect Park toward resolving a fair agreement to cover the performers appearing on these programs, we were perplexed and disappointed that for the past month Prospect Park has not responded to our repeated inquiries to resume those discussions. We now conclude from the press reports that Prospect Park faced other challenges unrelated to our negotiations, which prevented continuation of those discussions. We remain hopeful that an opportunity to revive these two popular series will emerge in the future, and remain ready to resume discussions should that opportunity arise.”

  It would have been nice if mainstream outlets had fact-checked claims that AFTRA was a factor. After all, any dummy knows that AFTRA and SAG have green-lit many an online project. Just ask Crystal Chappell and Martha Byrne.

  Meanwhile, spoiler queen Raven Beauty posted this report on Facebook:

  Guys, I wish I could elaborate, but I will tell you this much, Disney is more involved in the shows not going forward than you know. They are disgusting in every conceivable way. Details will be forthcoming, but now is not the time. There are people working their asses off behind the scenes to make this work another way. They are not giving up (some VERY huge people involved). Someone’s feet will be held to the fire and it won’t be who you think it is. The mouse is behind ALL of this. Actors and crews devastated right now, but don’t you worry, blood will be extracted, and with it a glimmer of hope. I don’t know how far things will go, but please know that there are people behind the scenes whose names you would easily recognize, that are working overtime to make this happen another way. Facts about what really happened here will also be leaked when it’s safe to do so. The story is not a pretty one. The people ... ruthless and despicable. Disney made sure this deal would never take off. Karma is a bitch and so is payback. Enjoy your Thanksgiving tomorrow and just know that some very big names are working like little elves behind the scenes to pull some strings. I love you guys. I am as heartbroken as you are. This has been a very painful day. Next week will shed a little more light on things ...

  • Uncensored’s roving reporters, Shawn Brady and Tammy Kreiss, prepared this for our readers from the frontlines of #OccupyLlanview last week (this report was written before Prospect Park announced it was permanently shelving One Life and AMC):

  It was a sombre day at the last day of taping of One Life Friday. Some actors were visibly and emotionally upset during the last few days of filming and opted to use a side entrance to enter and exit the studio. There were a few who braved the front entrance and the fans who were there to support them at 320 West 66 Street one last time.

  Executive Producer Frank Valentini does not yet know where fans can write to contact the show; ironically, he passed out empty souvenir address books along with One Life pens and tote tags. Then, One Life anniversary books were passed out to some fans who braved the cold to see their favourite actors who have become like family members.

  Andrea Evans has been having a blast filming her scenes and says she will always come back to tape scenes at One Life if asked. However, she loves her life in California and has no intention of re-locating to N.Y. at this time.

  The new Cole, played by Van Hughes, was well-received by fans outside the studio. He was grateful for their attention and for supporting him in replacing Brandon Buddy, who unfortunately had to bow out of the role he created due to personal issues.

  Susan Batten, who is back playing Luna Holden, has apparently not seen the outpouring of love the show has received online and via Facebook. Why? Because she apparently does not know how to work a computer!

  An emotional Bob Woods relayed that both Ron Carlivati and Frank Valentini are continuing the show for practically nothing. “You should see the huge pay cuts they had to take!” exclaimed Woods. According to Tammy Kreiss, the Emmy winner convinced both Carlivati and Valentini to take a drastic pay cut to continue the legacy of the show. Carlivati is not giving up. He has continued to write for the show after it ends on ABC and has had to wrap up major storylines while continuing others for version 2.0. Woods said he has “every confidence One Life will be back on soon,” and tearfully added, “Frank is going to make it happen.” Most importantly, Bob Woods added he has NOT been signed to PP due to funding issues and that while he has bought a new home upstate for his family, he wants to work for PP/One Life and can commute to the new studio from his home.

  Kreiss also had the opportunity to clear up the status of the Alderson clan on PP/One Life: Momma Alderson told Tammy Kreiss that the whole family is moving to LA for five months to “see what’s out there.”

  One mystery we were also able to clear up: according to Carlivati, the reason Jimmy DePaiva did not make the cut to return to the show as Max Holden is because of storyline constraints and budget issues with ABC. Carlivati made it clear he loves Jimmy and that his absence was “nothing personal.” RC had to take into account all the other returns and where Max would fit in the canvas, especially with Blair juggling Todd/Victor/Thomas.

  Last, but not least, when Agnes Nixon made her way out to the street after filming her scenes as the Head Writer of Fraternity Row, she was overwhelmed by all the fans showing her support and said “do not give up yet — we are only losing the studio.” Nixon said it has been a privilege to have been a part of One Life’s ending on ABC. Nixon, Valentini and Carlivati told Kreiss we are going to love this upcoming storyline dedicated to us (i.e. Roxy’s coupon campaign) starring Ilene Kristen. If it wasn’t for us, they all said, we wouldn’t have come this far. Take that, naysayers!

  And that’s all she wrote for Llanview’s last day at ABC. Or is it?

  • Congrats to Kathy Brier! She and her and husband, Jason Munt, welcomed their first child, a son. “Thank you to all of my fans for the well wishes on the birth of my son. He and I are doing well. He is a cutie, but I would say that. :),” Brier wrote on Facebook this morning.

  Venice, venicetheseries.com — Season Three Begins Today! Win a free season pass!

  • With the sad but expected news that Prospect Park has opted out of producing AMC and One Life online, the season three premiere of Emmy-winning serial, Venice, could not have come (cum?) at a better time! If you haven’t bought your season subscription yet, don’t fret: Uncensored is giving away a free season pass to one lucky reader. All you have to do is answer this question on Nelson Branco’s Facebook page: Which actress was originally tapped to play Lara before Soap Opera Spirit Award winner Nadia Bjorlin stepped in to the breakout, sensational role? All entries will be thrown in a draw and announced in Issue 8. Good luck! If you have already bought a sub, give it to a friend for the holidays!

  • Why did Venice recast Emmy winner Gina Tognoni as Sami Nelson? Well, besides the horrible last name (teeh
ee!), a source tells me Tognoni couldn’t devote the time to the web serial this season because she’s hard at work auditioning for a paying gig. Hillary B. Smith’s friend, Anikka Noelle, plays the new Sami. The newcomer was recently in a Hallmark movie, but is still an acting novice. Tognoni is a tough act to follow, but Uncensored wishes Noelle the best. She’ll have her work cut out for her because not only is Sami a recast, but also so is her love interest, Van, now played by my future hubby, Eric Martsolf, who stepped in for The Playboy Club’s Wes Ramsey. Good luck!

  • Uncensored was going to publish a Venice: Season Three preview with exclusive interviews (as I’ve been doing these past few weeks), but I’ve decided to print a separate e-book, Venice: Uncensored, on the past and current seasons of the hit web serial in the coming weeks instead. More details to follow.

  The Young and the Restless, CBS — Braeden: “It’s Bullshit!”

  • The Great and Powerful Eric Braeden caught up with Uncensored earlier this week to discuss life, politics and soaps. Braeden is over the moon that his co-star Melody Thomas