The Bold and the Beautiful’s Karen Spencer isn’t the only one coming out of the closet; so is her portrayer Joanna Johnson. The actress-turned-producer opened up about being a lesbian in Hollywood to TV Guide’s Michael Logan. Here’s a snippet:
TV Guide: With this announcement you seem to be the only officially “out” star currently in daytime soaps, even though the shows are loaded with gay actors. What’s up with that?
Joanna Johnson: Daytime is a whole different world than primetime or theater or film. There’s a greater intimacy between the viewers and the characters. They think you are your character. And that creates a lot of fear. Fear of rejection. I was so worried I wouldn’t be employable as an actress if people knew I was a lesbian. Or that I wouldn’t be believable in romance stories. I had to deal with a lot of self-loathing.
TVG: How bad did it get?
Johnson: After I started playing Karen, I remember doing a fantasy scene that showed what life would have been like if Caroline had not died of cancer. She was married to Ridge and had two kids and a wonderful life. When we finished shooting, I ran to my dressing room and just cried and cried because I knew I was never going to have that kind of life.
TVG: Yet you did!
Johnson: I did! I’m married to [L.A. club promoter] Michelle Agnew and we have two beautiful children, Julian, who is five, and Harlow, who is two. And now we’re finding out that Karen is married to this great lady Dani and together they have raised her daughter Caroline. So times have certainly changed. I guess that’s why I’m ready to open up. It feels weird and wrong to play this revelation about Karen’s life and not talk about my own.
I used to hang out with Ellen Degeneres, k.d. lang and Melissa Etheridge back in the day and thought it was so beautiful they were out, even though I didn’t have the nerve. When I realized I was gay in my early twenties we didn’t have role models like Ellen. I’m not anywhere near as famous as those ladies, but I guess it’s my turn to do my little part. It’s time to live a fully authentic life.
TVG: Did you feel any pressure to come out when you were around all those open women?
Johnson: I never felt any pressure from them. I think they understood my professional concerns because those concerns were very real. When Ellen came out she took a big hit. It certainly hurt her career as an actress. When Angelina Jolie said she was bi, it was sexy. The industry wanted her even more. It’s quite another thing to say you’re a lesbian. Back then anyway. I really admire the courage of people who have been out and noisy. I had to struggle to become proud.
TVG: If you could go back in a time machine, what would you say to your younger self?
Johnson: Have the courage to embrace who you are. Don’t project your own fears and low self-esteem onto others. Let your light shine!
TVG: What were your thoughts when you found out Karen is gay?
Johnson: When [exec producer-head writer] Brad Bell called and pitched the story I was kind of thrown. I just said, “Oh.” And there was this very long pause. Then I said, “Where’d you get that idea?” He laughed. I laughed. And I said, “Just make sure you get me a hot wife.” And he did!
TVG: There’s a scene coming up where Karen’s a–hole brother Bill claims Dani is coming onto him. Knowing Bill, it’s probably all in his mind, but would the show have the nerve to make Dani bi? Or would that be a PC nightmare, considering this is the first gay storyline in B&B‘s entire 25-year history?
Johnson: We shouldn’t feel pressure to make Karen and Dani some paragon of virtue. I think the gay community would love to see us portrayed just like any straight couple, flaws and faults and all. I wouldn’t be offended if Dani strayed with a guy. Not at all! Brad should look at that movie The Kids Are All Right and do something like that because it was fabulous. I want to play the truth of life. [Laughs] Who knows? Maybe Karen should make a play for Brooke! It’s a soap! There’s no drama in playing the perfect gay couple.
TVG: How are things going with you and Crystal?
Johnson: [Laughs] She’s straight and she’s more comfortable playing gay than I am! When we first met up at the show we had to shoot some photos — vacation-type snapshots of Karen and Dani to put on the mantel — and I felt kind of nervous and awkward. I think Crystal thought I was a little crazy but when I explained that I hadn’t yet come out publicly, she got it and has been very lovely and supportive.
TVG: How long have you and Michelle been a couple?
Johnson: We’ve been together nine years and had our wedding in 2008 during the two minutes when same-sex marriage was legal in California. When we realized Prop 8 was going to pass, we thought we should try to get in under the wire and be part of the movement. So we ran down to the Beverly Hills courthouse in our workout clothes to get the license, only to hear it might be really hard to find someone to marry us before the election. There were all these other gay couples there, too, and somebody from the court comes out and says, “We’re picking straws if there’s anyone who wants to get married right now!” And Michelle and I won!
TVG: Well there’s a sign from the universe!
Johnson: I know, right? We called our nanny to bring over our son, who happened to be in a pirate costume because it was Halloween, so there we were getting married in our workout clothes in this bizarre little room with a pirate and a male British nanny. It was all so surreal. Michelle had just bought a new iPhone so she took photos at the wedding, but then she decided to return the iPhone because she didn’t like it and forgot our photos were in it! So now we have nothing. It was crazy! [Laughs] Someday maybe we can do it right.
TVG: Any worries about coming out now?
Johnson: Of course! I would be very sad and hurt if the B&B fans were disappointed I’m a lesbian, or somehow feel betrayed that I kept it secret. There is already a backlash from some unhappy people on Facebook about Karen being gay. They don’t understand how she could have dated guys but then ended up with a woman. I certainly don’t think it’s unrealistic. I tried dating guys. [Laughs] I lived this story! It used to be that daytime was so much racier and progressive — soaps used to lead the way — and then all of a sudden things shifted, maybe because they feel the audience is more conservative than it used to be. So, yeah, I’m nervous. I hope the viewers will give this a chance.
TVG: Caroline had an epic love affair with Ridge. Karen had romances with Thorne and Connor. Ever have trouble playing the boy-girl stuff?
Johnson: Never. I’ve always been able to respond to men. I don’t think I was cast on B&B because of my acting. It was my screen test with Ronn Moss where I turned bright red and was just smitten! He was so beautiful and charming back then — he still is! — and I would get downright giddy around him. [Laughs] I had a huge crush on Ronn, which only confused me more! I love men. I’m just not in love with them.
TVG: Did the rest of the cast eventually learn the truth about you?
Johnson: Gradually, but only after I came back to the show as Karen. I was the most nervous to tell Katherine Kelly Lang. She and I started out as the two ingénues of the show and we looked so much alike that people got us confused. In magazine photos they were always ID-ing her as me and vice versa, so much so that we started calling each other “Twin.” Maybe it was hard for me to tell her because I felt she was what I was supposed to be — the beautiful girl with the great body, married to a guy, a mom. I don’t know. I really struggled with that one, but it was all in my head. Katherine had no issues with me being gay whatsoever. She’s a good dame, but I didn’t know enough to trust that. When your own parents reject you, as mine did, you think the rest of the world will do the same.
TVG: So you came out to your parents?
Johnson: I told my mom when I was 23. She was the first person I ever told. It was the first time I ever said it out loud. This was before I’d ever had a relationship with a woman. Both she and my dad were very hard on me. Their response just broke my heart. My mother once said, “Can’t you just be celibate?” I told her, “It’s not so much about the sex. I don’t want to live my life without love and partnership.” Why would you want that for your child? Why would you want that for anyone?
TVG: Did it ever get better with your folks?
Johnson: Unfortunately, my mom passed away before we were able to come to peace with it, but my father did come around. He and I didn’t speak for three years because of this. But, to his credit, he struggled through his beliefs and prejudices and came to realize I didn’t do this to hurt him. He loves me and wants to be in my life. He loves Michelle and our children. It would be nice to say I didn’t need that approval in order to love myself. But I did and that’s my story. I’m here. I’m queer. [Laughs] And I’m just getting used to it!
The Paley Center’s “An Evening With Days of Our Lives” Brings Out Stars!
Days of Our Lives’ Kristian Alfonso, Lisa Rinna, Chandler Massey, Deidre Hall, Bryan Dattilo, Lauren Koslow, Alison Sweeney and Galen Gering came together to celebrate “An Evening with Days of Our Lives,” hosted by The Paley Center for Media on May 9.
General Hospital’s Jane Elliot: “I Think I’m The Only 65-Year-Old Actress in Los Angeles Who Hasn’t Had Plastic Surgery”!
Just when I thought it was impossible to love Jane Elliot any more, she goes and gives a hilariously direct interview to TV Guide’s Michael Logan. The multi-soap vet, who originated the role of mean-spirited, daddy’s girl Tracy Quartermaine on General Hospital back in 1978, shared her thoughts on the soap’s new showrunner Frank Valentini and her plans should GH come to an end. Here’s a snippet:
TV Guide Magazine: What’s it like after all these years to still play scenes with Geary?
Elliot: It is so rich. We go back to 1978. That’s 34 years! Off-screen, we’re great friends. We travel together. There’s nothing like having all of us — Tony, Finola, Robin Mattson [Heather] — back in the building as a group again. All those years we spent together are still in our muscle memory and it really pays off. When Tony and I look at each other on camera you see all of that history. It goes beyond the words. It’s two people who have spent more than half their lives together. [Laughs] Tony and I went on a trip to Norway and we were at the bottom of a funicular, one of those trolley things that goes up a mountain, when this couple came up and said “We knew Tracy and Luke were on vacation but we never imagined you’d be here!” If we could have crawled into a hole together we would have. Tony and I have the grace of a gnat when it comes to being recognized. But it’s one of the things that bonds us.
TV Guide Magazine: How would you be if GH came to an end?
Elliot: I have so many paths in front of me. Part of me wants to get an agent and stay in the business. I think I’m the only 65-year-old actress in Los Angeles who hasn’t had plastic surgery, so somebody’s gotta play the old-lady parts! I’m the only one who will look my age! I do know this: I am not going to die sitting in traffic on the 405. My goal has always been to retire to northern California. My kids want to reconvene there someday. My daughter, Annie Rose, is now in the Midwest. My son, Adrian, is in San Francisco. I want to end up somewhere around there but not for a few years yet. If I am going to pursue work I need to be in L.A. But do I need it? I’ve done theater, TV, film. There are mornings when I wake up and go, “I don’t need this anymore. Just go, Jane! Move on! Get to the next part of your life!” I have nothing left to prove.
Soap Experts Handicap This Year’s Daytime Emmys at Gold Derby!
Reigning three-time champ “The Bold and the Beautiful” was snubbed in the Best Drama Series race this year.
Five of our Experts are backing the bid by “General Hospital. It has already racked up a record 10 wins as Best Drama Series — 1981, 1984, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2008 — from 22 nominations. It has odds of 8 to 11 to extend its record.
The pundits predicting victory for this last remaining ABC daytime drama which first aired in 1963 are: Nelson Branco (Soap Opera Uncensored), Michael Fairman (Michael Fairman Soaps), Dan J. Kroll (Soap Central), Roger Newcomb (We Love Soaps) and Paul Sheehan (Gold Derby).
Two of them — Jamey Giddens (Daytime Confidential) and Tom O’Neil (Gold Derby) — foresee victory for sentimental favorite “All My Children.” This recently-cancelled show, which debuted on ABC in 1970, has three wins (1992, 1994, 1998) from 30 nominations. It has odds of 9 to 4 to win one last time.
“Young and the Restless” has seven wins (1975, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1993, 2004, 2007) from a record 31 nominations. This top-rated CBS daytime drama premiered in 1973 and has odds of 14 to 1 to prevail this year.
This is the first bid since 2009 for “Days of Our Lives.” This sudser, which began on NBC in 1965, has only one win (1978) from 15 nominations. Prior to that 2009 nod, it had been a decade since this show contended. Compare that to a run of six straight bids starting with the first Daytime Emmys in 1974. It is the longshot with odds of 25 to 1.
Drake Hogestyn, Stephen Nichols and Jeanne Cooper Ham it up in Ellen’s Soap My Fair & Square Lady!
Ellen premiered a new soap-within-a-talk show, My Fair & Square Lady, this week. In its debut episode, Days of our Lives star Drake Hogestyn turns out to be the groom at Ellen’s mysterious wedding.
Later in the spoof series, which is part of Ellen’s JC Penney campaign, The Young and the Restless’ Stephen Nichols and Jeanne Cooper show up. Nichols starts out wearing an eye patch, until Cooper arrives and reminds him he hasn’t been on that soap for years. A classic slap fest erupts and it is revealed Cooper enjoys Fifty Shades of Grey, just in time for an epic cliffhanger revelation.
Watch Young and Restless Star Melody Thomas Scott in Ellen’s Soap Spoof!
What do you get when you pair funny gal Ellen DeGeneres and The Young and The Restless’ Melody Thomas Scott in a soap spoof? Hilarity! Watch the pair duke it out in Ellen’s My Fair and Square Lady.
It Wasn’t Me, It Was My Split Personality: 10 Memorable Soap Opera DID Storylines!
No. 10: Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri, General Hospital
Icy, fashion bible helmer Kate Howard (Megan Ward) wasn’t in town long before everyone figured out she was really round the way girl Connie Falconeri from Bensonhurst on General Hospital. Connie had changed her name and history decades earlier to forget about the old neighborhood and her childhood sweetheart Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard). The re-christened Kate did a great job keeping the past in the past, until she became involved with Sonny again as an adult. Unfortunately for Port Charles’ answer to Anna Wintour, no one informed her that dating the dimpled don meant you might need to invest more in bullet proof vests than the latest couture!
After being shot on her wedding day—and later finding out that Sonny had slept with his four-time ex-wife Carly (Laura Wright)—Kate ended things with the corrupt coffee importer. Flash forward to 2011, when Kate returned to Port Charles just in time to help a post-Brenda (Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo) Sonny pick up the pieces.
This time something was different about Kate (Kelly Sullivan). No, I’m not talking about the newly recast face, or the questionable style choices for a supposed fashionista. Something else about Kate was a little…off. When Kate was found standing in her bloody wedding gown, looking as nutty as a box of Cracker Jacks, fans knew something was terribly wrong with the Crimson queen.
It turned out, Connie Falconeri, the Bensonhurst version of herself that Kate Howard shed years before, was back and determined to destroy Kate and Sonny’s romance forever! So far, Connie has made a pass at her cousin Olivia’s boyfriend Steve (Scott Reeves), Kate’s shrink Dr. Ewen (Nathin Butler) and even screwed Sonny’s mortal enemy Johnny Zacchara (Brandon Barash) to make her goal a reality.
Those aforementioned stunts were tame compared to what she did to poor Ewen’s skull when he tried to have her committed! Then there’s that whole business of the gun found in Kate’s office, that was used to shoot out Anthony Zacchara’s (Bruce Weitz) tires, thus killing Starr Manning’s (Kristen Alderson) family. I wonder, if Kate/Connie turns out to be responsible for Cole and Hope’s deaths, will Starr will be able to forgive her? I mean, practically the songbird’s entire family back home in Llanview suffers from DID, so she should be sorta empathetic, no?
No. 9: Jessica Buchanan/Tess/Bess/Wes, One Life to Live
Some girls get their eyes from their mothers; others their witty personalities, or curvy bottoms. What Jessica Buchanan (Bree Williamson) inherited from her mama, however, isn’t anything to write a hip-hop song about! When Niki Smith, the rowdy alter of distinguished publishing queen Victoria Lord (Erika Slezak) took Viki’s young daughter to a bar—inadvertently allowing the child to be molested—Jessie’s alternate personality Tess took over to help Jessica endure the tragedy.
When Tess re-emerged many years later, she wasn’t nearly as concerned with keeping Jess safe, as she was behaving like a wannabe Paris Hilton, complete with the bed-hopping and the social diseases. Much like her mother Viki split into both the outrageous Niki and sensible, gatekeeper Jean personas, Jess not only had Tess, but know-it-all Bess lurking beneath her alabaster skin. If that wasn’t kooky enough, at one point our troubled heroine also morphed into a horny, hetero dude named Wes! It’s a wonder the Lord-Buchanans didn’t set up a Friends and Family discount plan at St. Ann’s psychiatric hospital.
No. 8: Beth Raines/Lorelei, Guiding Light
The township of Springfield was mourning the loss of heroine Beth Raines (Beth Chamberlin), when Bill Lewis (Daniel Cosgrove) happened upon a sassy, Southern fried Beth doppelganger named Lorelei Hills in 2001 on Guiding Light. Wild, wanton Lorelei was nothing like pristine Beth, and proved it by having a raunchy fling with the much younger Bill and later getting mixed up with the late Beth’s nefarious husband, Prince Edmund (David Andrew McDonald) of San Cristobel!
Edmund hired Lorelei to impersonate Beth. He wanted to strike back at his beloved’s wealthy, former in-laws, the Spauldings. Little did he (or Lorelei) realize, she was in fact the believed dead Beth Raines, suffering from a split personality! The Beth/Lorelei saga proved so popular, it got it’s own mass market novelization, Lorelei’s Guiding Light, written by Lorelei herself!
No. 7: Alexis Davis/”Kristina”, General Hospital
Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) knows a thing or three about having more than one identity on General Hospital. Okay, so she never truly suffered from DID; Natasha Davidovich most certainly faked having the psychological disorder in order to beat a murder rap!
To keep from going to prison after offing maniacal arms dealer Luis Alcazar (Ted King), Alexis started sporting tacky, red wigs, successfully convincing authorities she had taken on the persona of her dead sister Kristina. You see, Lexie held Alcazar—along with her baby daddy Sonny (Maurice Benard)—responsible for the young woman’s death. The fact that Alcazar also left Alexis helpless, pregnant and suffering from contractions, was enough for the usually law-abiding, legal eagle’s Cassadine instincts to kick into high gear.
Although the “DID made me do it” defense (for which she cited One Life to Live’s Todd Manning’s own faked DID escapade) worked, it temporarily cost Alexis custody of Kristina (daughter, not dead sister). The infant was awarded to her legal father Ned Ashton (Wally Kurth). Never fear, our plucky Alexis decided to dress up as a male butler named Dobson to infiltrate the Quartermaine mansion and be close to her tyke. Kate/Connie couldn’t have a better attorney handling her case.
No. 6: Kimberly Brady/Lacey/Clare, Days of Our Lives
All it took for tragic, Days of Our Lives heroine Kimberly Brady Donovan’s (Patsy Pease) DID to be trigged was a hit-and-run accident. The trauma resulted in Kim flashing back to unspeakable sexual abuse at the hands of her uncle Eric. Enter Kim’s alters Lacey and Clare, who ran amuck in Salem during 1992-93.
While other soap heroines with DID tend to have at least one non-murderous alter, BOTH Lacey and Clare were out for blood! Lacey killed a man who tried to rape Kim and Clare shot Kim’s big brother Roman (Wayne Northrop). Luckily, Kim’s sister-in-law and bestie Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) was able to prove Kim wasn’t in her right frame of mind when she committed those crimes against her friends, lovers and brothers.
No. 5: Sharlene Frame/Sharly/Kate, Another World
It isn’t any wonder Sharlene Frame (Anna Holbrook) had trouble keeping her identities straight on Another World. When she was a kid, her sicko brother Jason (Chris Robinson) pimped her out to his pals for money! Sharlene’s first alter—the brash, flame-haired Sharly—didn’t appear until decades later, while Sharlene was newlywed to Vietnam vet Dr. John Hudson (David Forsythe). Sharly quickly got herself entangled in a steamy fling with dashing politico Grant Harrison (the late Dack Rambo). The affair resulted in Sharlene’s lookalike niece Frankie (Alice Barrett) being mistakenly kidnapped by Grant’s brother Ryan (Paul Michael Valley), on orders of the image-conscious Harrison patriarch Spencer (David Hedison)!
Eventually, Sharlene sought help from Dr. Taylor Benson. That heifer was more interested in giving John some of her bedside manner than helping Sharlene or Sharly! Everyone believed Sharlene had died in 1991, courtesy of an explosion caused by Dr. Benson. However, in 1994 a brunette named Kate Baker moved to Bay City with her foster children. Soon it was revealed that Kate was another of Sharlene’s personalities, who had kicked in following the blast! John and Sharlene reunited and lived happily ever after — until he cheated with one of her best pals, romance novelist Felicia Gallant (Linda Dano).
No. 4: Eden Capwell/Lisa/Channing/Suzanne, Santa Barbara
While childhood sexual abuse is generally what causes DID, Santa Barbara’s Eden Capwell Castillo’s (Marcy Walker) bout with the mental illness was triggered by having witnessed one of her mother Sophia’s (Judith McConnell) extramarital trysts with Lionel Lockridge (Nicholas Coster) as a young girl. Decades later (and just in time for Walker to exit the series in 1991!), Eden’s DID flared up, causing her to morph into her dead brother Channing, who promptly shot Sophia! This turn of events recalled the soap’s origin story, which saw Sophia accidentally killiing Channing five years prior to SB’s 1984 premiere. Eden also split into a bitchy dame named Lisa for a time.
Sadly, Eden went tumbling over the side of a cliff to a watery death, amid her struggles with multiple personalities. Or so we thought! Shortly after Eden’s “death”, her widower Cruz (A Martinez) met an artist named Suzanne. Whaddya know, Suzanne was really Eden! Eventually Eden left town and Cruz started dating the real Suzanne (Terri Garber), who had been a girlhood chum of Eden’s.
No. 3: Dr. Sonni Carrera/Solita, Guiding Light
Perhaps the most convoluted multiple personality story in the history of soaps was that of Dr. Sonni Carrera (Michelle Forbes) and her twin sister/alter Solita on Guiding Light from 1987-89. Sonni was the first wife of Oklahoma oil scion Josh Lewis (Robert Newman). The presumed dead, Venezuelan beauty turned up in Springfield just in time to catch Josh on the rebound from Reva Shayne (Kim Zimmer). The pair picked up where they left off, and eventually remarried. Too bad for Josh, Sonni was screwing his best friend Will Jeffries, and plotting to kill the Lewis Oil exec!
It was ol’ obliging Reva to the rescue when Will and Sonni (Whom he called “Solita”) caused Josh to drive off a bridge to an icy death (What was it with Jeva and bridges?!). After believing she had killed Will, “Solita” was stunned when he turned up alive. She convinced him that it was Josh who had tried to murder him. However, by that point Reva had shown Josh photographic proof of Will and Sonni/Solita’s dastardly affair. Perpetual thorn in the Lewis clan’s side, Alan Spaulding (Christopher Bernau and Daniel Pilon) got himself all up in the Sonni/Solita mix and ended up getting shot by the loca chica for his efforts!
By this point in time, everyone believed Solita wasn’t really Solita, she was Sonni (Whew!). Will and Sonni/Solita managed to kidnap Reva and Alan, holding them hostage at the old Carrera estate, where they planned to off them both. This time it was Bud to the rescue! Will was once again presumed dead—at the hands of his lady love— and Sonni, Solita, or whoever this trick was calling herself by this point, was taken back to Springfield to stand trial.
When “Sonni’s” testimony proved to have more holes in it than a Swiss cheese sandwich served at Company, Josh and Reva headed to Venezuela to figure out what was what and who was who! They found “Solita’s” grave and wrongly assumed “Sonni” had killed her sister. As it turned out, Sonni had caugh a major beat down by the girls’ vile padre, when the old man saw whom he thought had been Solita and Will in a clench. The jerk couldn’t even tell his own daughters apart! Not that it mattered, because when the real Solita came home, he beat her tail too! Devastated, Solita killed herself and Sonni took on her dead sister’s persona out of guilt. Not exactly Sweet Valley High, huh?
No. 2: Carrie Marler/Carrie Todd, Guiding Light
For Ross Marler (Jerry verDorn) Carrie Todd (Jane Elliot) was more than simply the girl who got away on Guiding Light circa 1981-82. When blackmailing, double dealers Diane Ballard and Joe Bradley both turned up dead, no one suspected fun-loving Spaulding Enterprises employee Carrie may be the culprit. That is until Carrie confessed by mailing half the population of Springfield suicide notes, copping to the crimes!
It turned out, Carrie’s life had been ruined by Diane, who had caused Carrie’s husband Todd to kill himself, following an accounting scheme gone wrong back in Milwaukee. Carrie was so distraught over losing the man she loved, she had to be institutionalized, while the baby she bore Todd was put up for adoption! If that wasn’t enough to make someone push a wench into a fireplace, I don’t know what was!
Swell gal that she was, Carrie accidentally offed Joe, while trying to convince him not to blackmail Ross and their friends. After Carrie vanished without a trace, Ross tracked her down and ultimately discovered the woman was suffering from three distinct split personalities. In 1982, all of the Carries headed for England for therapy, leaving and Springfield behind.
No. 1: Victoria Lord/Niki Smith/Tori/Jean/Tommy, One Life to Live
There isn’t enough HTML code to properly sum up Victoria Lord’s (Gillian Spencer, Erika Slezak) battles with DID, as they spanned the soap opera One Life to Live’s entire run (1968-2012). As it was originally conceived, reserved, WASPy Viki split into bar-hopping Niki Smith as a result of all the pressures placed on her by her tyrannical father, publishing tycoon Victor Lord.
It was later revealed that Viki’s split personalities were the result of something much more sinister — the girlhood sexual abuse Viki suffered at the hands of the Lord partriarch! For decades, Viki struggled to keep Niki and her other various alters (Jean, Tori, Tommy) at bay. For some reason (namely Sweeps periods and Daytime Emmy reels), she never quite managed to stay integrated though. We wouldn’t have had it any other way!
SoapClassics Releases New GUIDING LIGHT DVD: Farewell To Springfield!
SoapClassics has released a new GUIDING LIGHT DVD today, “Farewell To Springfield.”
The set features the final ten episodes of the series that aired in September 2009.
In the final two weeks, the Springfield community came together for a double wedding, and many lives are changed forever as couples reunited, friends from the past returned, and a longtime villain died.
The Bauers, Spauldings, Reardons, Coopers were all there along with Otalia, The Four Musekteers and more. As the final episode faded to black, Reva and Josh drove away to their happy ending.
The latest DVDs and all the previous sets are available now at SoapClassics.com.
DAYS OF OUR LIVES Stars Deidre Hall & Chandler Massey On GOOD DAY LA!
DAYS OF OUR LIVES star Deidre Hall and Chandler Massey appeared on GOOD DAY LA on Monday morning to talk about Will’s coming out storyline (and the positive reaction it has received, the longevity of the show, Deidre Hall playing a grandma and more.
Soap Opera MAD MEN and the term “soap opera”!
From Matt Zoller Seitz at Vulture: “Dark Shadows” was a great title, self-reflexive in a good way. It tied in with the overall darkness of this season, with its free-floating unease and threats of random violence, at the same time that it name-checked the beloved, campy vampire soap that provided grist for the Julie-Megan scene. “I’ve seen a soap opera,” Megan told her actress pal Julie, who was auditioning for a then-new show titled DARK SHADOWS. “I haven’t seen one this bad.” Then she allowed that she’d love to win a part in “crap” like DARK SHADOWS, speaking for every actor who has ever drawn breath. Throughout, the episode examined and mocked the phrase “soap opera” even as it embraced its basic pleasure: the thrill of watching people say and do dramatic things as stridently and inelegantly as possible.
NBC committed to Will’s storyline on DAYS OF OUR LIVES!
Bruce Evans, the NBC executive who is in charge of the show, assured a fan from Portland, Oregon that the storyline would continue, saying, “We wouldn’t have gone there if we didn’t think it had real value, and boy, has Chandler [Massey] just batted it out of the park. Certainly, we care about fan reaction and things that are written. But we also have to stay the course. Fans have various favorites, and they want you to pull to them. If we tried to satisfy everyone, we wouldn’t have a show.”
Yvonne Zima OUT at Y&R! But is Someone Else Being Shown The Front Door Too? !
Many soap fans, and in particular those who watch the number soap, The Young and the Restless will be pleased with this bit of news courtesy of Nelson Branco of Soap Opera Uncensored! The most hated character probably in the history of the soap, Daisy, is finally being written out! That means her portrayer, the also heavily maligned, Yvonne Zima is out! According to Branco, “Insiders confirmed that Zima has been let go from Y&R, and she won’t be back. The actress filmed her last scenes this week!”
However, that is not all folks! Branco also reports that another controversial actor has been let go at Y&R! But he cannot reveal whom, as it would spoil a major story twist!” However, he did give a hint! “The actor in question will finish filming his last scenes next week.
Charles Shaughnessy last airdate May 23rd!
Charles Shaughnessy: The ISA superspy, who came back for a brief run, last airs on May 23. “There is a scene where I believe in the middle of the craziness, and trying to bring Stefano down, Roman says to Shane, ‘I’m just going to HQ to check on a couple of things. You want to come with me?’” previews Shaughnessy. “Shane answers yes and that is the last you see of Shane. It happens. [Laughs]. When I first came on the show, they told me that one of the Hortons, I can’t remember who it was, but apparently one of the Hortons went to get some extra bedding in the attic and came down 20 years later fully grown.”
Soap Opera Digest: Stuff we know and shouldn’t tell you!
“We’re hearing that Christie Clark – who wrapped taping last month – will be headed back to Salem soon…”
“Molly Burnett’s contract is up in June, and word around the set is that she won’t be renewing it. The actress made her first appearance in Salem in July 08 and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 2010. Though she reportedly had to turn down offers for outside gigs, she still managed to film some guest spots: In April, Burnett appeared on an episode of CSI: New York. Her other credits since she joined Days include True Blood and Good Luck Charlie.”
Interview with Patrick Muldoon!
What have you been up to since you left Days?
Things have been going. Everything’s cool. Right now I’m just songwriting. The past couple of weeks since Days has been about music. That’s pretty much it.
Tell us what happened…
Well, as you know, we heard that there were some problems going on with the writers, Darrell and Marlene. When those rumors start going around, everybody kind of gets nervous. Especially, the actors that came in with Marlene and Darrell. It’s just kind of par for the course with daytime. If you come in with a writing regime, those actors usually get nervous if there’s word that those writers are being let go. So it wasn’t such a terrible shock. Although, it was a bummer. We all love working together. We all love Days of Our Lives. So it’s sad. In daytime, it’s like a family situation. A lot of us have known each other for twenty years. When this all happened again, obviously we were looking forward to that kind of family reunion and working with each other again. It lasted almost a year, so it was great while it lasted.
We’ve heard horror stories about actors finding out they were let go through Twitter or magazines. Did anything like that happen?
No. Not at all. There were rumors about Marlene and Darrell, and there were calls that came from upstairs. That’s pretty much how it went down.
Were you surprised when they let the writers go?
Sure. Of course. It was all a surprise. We get our scripts, and our job is the acting part. Whatever is going on behind the scenes as far as managing the show, we’re not really privy to that. It was a bit of a surprise for all of us.
What did you think of the writing?
I thought Marlene and Darrell did a great job. The thing is, essentially a lot of the supercouples got broken up. That’s kind of a long process. The sad thing about it is we only go half way through that process.You’ve got to break them up for story and then either put them together or build relationships and put them together with other people. We only got to the end of the break up. Austin’s story was what happens when you lose the love of your life. That’s the acting job I’ve had: to express the emotions and what somebody goes through when that’s happening. As an actor, it’s great stuff to get your teeth into. When you hit those notes, you get some first class drama. There was a lot of great drama that went on.
What did you think about the Abigail story when you first heard about it?
I was excited because it was kind of not your average soap opera story. I thought it was really kind of original. It was like a Lolita story or a Fatal Attraction story. I thought how it was written was fantastic.
What can we expect to see between now and when Austin exits?
There’s some big things that happen. I’ll say that. It’s not like we just blow out. I won’t say that we go out with a bang, but we go out with some pretty big drama.
Is it a sudden exit or is there a lead up to it?
I don’t know if I can talk too much about that. I don’t want to give anything away. I want you all to be surprised.
What are the chances you’ll return?
What are the chances? I have no idea. I heard some rumors of Christie coming back. Those are kind of flying around. I haven’t heard about me. I guess I can tell you that we don’t die. The door is open. I would love to. There’s tons of story for us. The main story to tell is the side of the character that people probably wanted to see from me, the heroic kind of warrior side to him. If there’s a chance of me coming back, I definitely would hope that I would ride back into town a lot stronger.
In The Year 2011!
Madison’s daughter was born premature and then put on a respirator. Scott was determined to win Madison back, so he asked Greenlee for an advance on his salary to rent a bigger place for when Madison and the baby were ready to go home. Madison and Ryan decided to name their newborn daughter, Sara Lavery. Tragically, Sara developed pneumonia and a bacterial infection in her blood. Ryan was stunned when the doctors broke the news to him that Sara had died. Madison was devastated when Ryan told her about the passing of their little girl. The survivors from the explosion at the quarry managed to dig their way out. All but Asher were unharmed. Asher suffered a spinal injury that left him temporarily paralyzed. Griffin and Kendall continued to work together to uncover proof that Ricky had killed Zach. Ricky surprised Kendall with a wedding proposal. Kendall was forced to agree to marry Ricky to keep him from growing suspicious. Griffin uncovered proof that Ricky had known Diana. Ricky was shocked to learn that Kendall hadn’t told Spike and Ian about their wedding plans. Jane, Erica’s look-alike, found that it wasn’t easy to walk in Erica’s shoes. Jane recalled having plastic surgery to look like Erica. Jane’s odd behavior as Erica raised a few eyebrows, but Jane managed to cover her mistakes. Meanwhile, the real Erica tried to bribe her guard to release her from captivity. Erica was curious if Jane had people in her life who would notice Jane missing. A woman with an uncanny resemblance to Dixie managed to draw a star on her prison wall before she passed out.
Thomas and Brooke repeatedly discussed their joint hallucination on the island. Brooke insisted that they had to tell Ridge that they did not know what had happened while they were reacting to the berries. Thomas refused. Katie and Bill did not have a heartwarming reunion, and Bill had another makeout session with Steffy. Thomas took some berries, which he had stuck in his pocket on the island, to a lab friend for analysis. The lab technician said the berries caused feelings of grandeur, heightened sexual attraction, and more, but had no residual effects. Taylor accidentally consumed one of the berries and hallucinated. She relived a long-before, happy moment when Ridge had proposed to her at St. Thomas. She became amorous when she thought that Whip was Ridge. Whip became concerned when Taylor gasped for breath, and he called paramedics. Thomas showed up and realized Taylor had consumed the berries and had suffered an allergic reaction. Tawny continued to intercept and answer Liam’s text messages to Hope. Liam, thinking Hope no longer wanted a relationship with him, agreed to move in with Amber.
After spending some quality time with Sami, Rafe got his memory back, and he and Sami made love. Later, Sami and Rafe warned fake Rafe that he and the DiMera’s would pay for trying to ruin their lives. Brady offered Victor partial control of Titan in exchange for Troy’s contact. Taylor seemed suspicious about what Nicole had on E.J. that would force him to stay married to her. Brady vowed to get revenge for Arianna, and then accidentally blurted out to Taylor that E.J. was indirectly responsible for her death. Stunned by what Brady told her, an emotional Taylor rushed over to the DiMera mansion and confronted E.J. Reluctantly, E.J. admitted to Taylor his involvement with Troy, but explained that he had never ordered Troy to run down Arianna. Angry and repulsed at seeing E.J.’s true colors, Taylor stormed out of the mansion to be alone with her thoughts. Jennifer and Daniel went out on their first date. Later, Daniel felt jealous when Jennifer bumped into an old friend who asked her out a date. Jennifer assured Daniel that she enjoyed his company and did not want to date anyone else. Melanie and Dario seemed at odds, but neither could admit that they were attracted to each other. Victor encouraged Melanie to make things right with Maggie, and Hope told Maggie not to give up on Victor. Chloe hooked up with Quinn again after she saw Jennifer and Daniel kissing. In a flashback scene, E.J. handed over control of the drug cartel to Quinn.
Jax took custody of Josslyn, while Carly was in San Antonio with Sonny. Jax uncovered some alarming information about Shawn, which he shared with Carly in an attempt to discredit Shawn. Shawn decided to resign, so that Jax couldn’t use him against Carly. Carly accused Jax of slowly trying to drive her out of Josslyn’s life. Sonny reunited Brenda with her son, Alec. Brenda confessed to Jax that she didn’t feel the same instant connection to Alec that she had felt toward Lucian. Brenda continued to harbor resentment because Sonny had asked Carly to join the rescue mission, instead of Brenda. Ethan was stunned when Kristina offered a few of her herbal supplements to him. Ethan warned Kristina that the pills were actually narcotics. Kristina confronted Lisa about the deception, but Lisa claimed that Kristina had known all along that the pills weren’t herbal supplements. Ethan went to Johnny with his concerns about Lisa. Johnny realized that Lisa was mentally and emotionally unstable. Patrick suspected that Lisa was behind his sudden credit card problems. Lisa took steps to frame Patrick for Robin’s murder by arranging for a gas leak in the basement of the Drakes’ home. Robin unwittingly walked into Lisa’s trap. Lisa locked Robin in the basement, hopeful that Robin would be dead within an hour, but Robin managed to turn the tables on Lisa. Alexis had concerns about Jason and Sam having a baby together because of the danger surrounding Jason. Sam assured Jason that she would understand if he decided that he didn’t want to have children.
John and Brody found Dr. Buhari’s murdered body. Wes helped Marty evade capture. Natalie learned of Liam’s kidnapping from a news report on television. Marty was horrified when she was told that Marty had most likely murdered Dr. Buhari. Clint offered a substantial reward during a press conference to appeal for information leading to the recovery of his grandson. Clint made a full confession to Eddie’s murder when he realized that Blanca intended to run a story about Matthew being the killer. Clint also admitted to switching the paternity tests and sending David to prison. Nora was stunned to learn that Clint needed a heart transplant, but Clint was unlikely to get one because of his rare blood type. Clint was determined that his last act would be to save Matthew. Kelly slowly recovered from her near-fatal injuries. Joey told Kelly that he knew the truth about Aubrey and Cutter. Dani realized that Matthew had killed Eddie. Nate overheard Destiny beg Dani to keep quiet about Matthew’s role in Eddie’s murder. Nate confronted Matthew in a rage and then punched Matthew. Matthew hit his head during the altercation with Nate. Nate demanded that Matthew go to the police to admit the truth about Eddie. A man, bearing a strong resemblance to Todd prior to the plastic surgery, emerged from a catatonic state after eight years. Agent Baker, the man in charge of the project involving the man with Todd’s old face, explained that they had a few things to discuss, starting with John McBain. Agent Baker also accused his prisoner of taking something that Agent Baker wanted returned.
After the crash, Tucker needed immediate surgery for a brain bleed. Tucker fell into a coma. Kay found a loophole in Tucker’s living will that allowed him to remain on a ventilator. In order to protect Abby, Ashley said that she’d driven the car. Diane told Detective Mauro that she had seen the car run Tucker down on purpose. Because of her accusations against Ashley, Victor banished Diane from the ranch and left her penniless. Tucker’s lawyer, McGinnis, revealed that Tucker’s wishes were for Kay to take over McCall Unlimited if he was incapacitated. Tucker also wanted the search for his missing son to continue. The cause of Jana’s death was a brain aneurism. Chloe and Billy fought over Delia’s custody. Daniel felt pressured by Phyllis, Billy, and Victoria. Lily was surprised when Colin couldn’t see Cane, but frightened when the twins could. Piper reminded Sharon of Cassie. Colin met with the imposter Cane and revealed his plan to drive Lily mad so he could raise his grandchildren as Atkinsons. To vex Victor, Adam let Diane live with him. Abby confessed to Ashley, Traci, and Jack that she had manipulated Tucker and Diane to meet at the cabin. Ashley was arrested for attempted murder.
PREVIEWS FOR NEXT WEEK!
Monday, May 21st
The sting operation leads to Stefano’s arrest; Carrie must break the news about Rafe to Austin; Victor confesses to stealing Maggie’s harvested eggs.
Tuesday, May 22nd
A man from the CIA demands Stefano’s release; Carrie buys a pregnancy test; Lucas and Sami talk.
Wednesday, May 23rd
Carrie struggles to come to terms with her situation; Rafe checks on Nicole; Daniel confirms to Lexie that she doesn’t have much time left; John, Marlena, Bo and Hope remember the terrible things Stefano has done.
Thursday, May 24th
Gabi asks Will about getting a job with E.J.; Stefano hosts a lunch for Lexie; Bo and Hope spend the day together.
Friday, May 25th
Lexie collapses; Austin and Carrie run into Rafe and Nicole at Daniel’s office; E.J. and Will talk about Sami; Kate gives Sami advice regarding Will.
Felicia finds comfort from Anna.
Edward and Monica get upsetting news.
Sonny faces off with with Todd.
ELQ is on Edward, Tracy and Monica’s minds.
Connie and Johnny both claim responsibilty for the tire shooting that led to the death of Cole and Hope.
Both Sam and Molly see Jason and Liz together.
Elizabeth encourages Jason to mend things with Sam and be there for her and the baby.
Kristina shows up.
The Quartermaine’s learn serial killer Franco is a long-lost member of the family.
Bill and Justin track down Deacon
Bill asks Deacon to break up Hope and Liam
Deacon waits for a chance to turn the tables
Hope’s therapy explores her “daddy issues”
Brooke confronts Steffy
Steffy demands that Liam make a choice: Steffy or Hope!
Brooke retaliates against Ridge for choosing Steffy over Hope by inviting an inflammatory wedding guest
Rick realizes that Brooke was right about Amber
Caroline tells Thomas why Karen doesn’t want him to know about Danielle
Katie shocks Bill with the surprise of a lifetime
Bill’s strong reaction shocks Katie in return
Bill’s opposition to Katie’s decision grows
Noah returns
Nikki discovers the truth about Sharon and Victor
Ricky approaches Danny for information
Christine explains Cane’s impossible choices
Sofia decides the future of her marriage
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Get your hair back!
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