General Hospital News & Gossip

News for the week of 08-Jul-2002
by Carol Banks Weber

Carly fans weren’t the only ones worried when the character appeared very much dead under water in April. So too, portrayer Tamara Braun. She’d gone to producers to ask for time off in May. That’s when they told her she’d be off earlier, storyline-dictated. Of course she worried for her job in asking what the deal was, but everything turned out for her best, including the reason for the faux-death in the first place: a Sonny and Carly reunion. Braun can’t complain there.

A little while ago, on the way to a Michigan public appearance, she wound up chatting with the previous A.J., Sean Kanan (Deacon, B&B), in a limo ride. The two talked about how he was the "real" father to little Michael and he was the "real" stud Carly bedded on that infamous one-night-stand, in a typical mutual ego stroke. Kanan’s been keeping up on GH’s goings-on and is greatly relieved for Braun that the initial shaky reaction to her recast has turned out, well, for her best.

Part of the perks of extra time is finding archived gems online. The Robin Christopher (Skye) interview at SoapNet is a perfect example. Taken during April’s Super Soap Weekend, the Q&A reads short, succinct and point-by-point, to-the-point nice, humble and insightful, as is Christopher’s tendency. She spoke at length about character motivation, behavior, background and the reasons she creates to excuse Adam’s absence from her life as the only father figure Skye’d ever known, proving she knows as much, if not more, than her writing predecessors. Addressing the possibility that falling for Jax has muddied Skye’s usual take-no-prisoners agenda, Christopher mused that it’s more about self-awareness, forced to pause and take stock in an insecure woman who only knows of pushing herself forward to make up for a lack in her fractional childhood. "Meeting some incredible guy who's really a good person has really made her think about her own motives, and her own needs, and why she wants things, why she desires certain things. So, I don't think she's losing her edge, I think she's just becoming more self-aware." Also there is the ever-present alcoholism, teetering on the wagon. The actress doesn’t see that changing, at least doesn’t hope to unless the situation really warranted Skye giving up her one shining trophy of control. But back to Adam and that whole crossing over through three soaps deal… The key is, quite simply, believability. As many daytime veteran fans have commented throughout various soap boards, to throw any new character, regardless of previous nearby soap affiliation to the contrary, into an existing community situation is to invite trouble without significant preparation and a slow ease into introduction. Christopher agreed. "There has to be a reason why she's there to make the relationships with the other actors really work, really believable. I mean, you can't do anything about the chemistry, it's either there or it's not. I have to play it as real as I can because it's really making people stretch their imaginations. Story has a lot to do with it and also just playing it as realistically as I could."

If I ever have another baby, a baby girl, I’m naming her Robin, after Robin Christopher (Skye), then Metheny (after jazz musician, Pat). I just find almost everything about this Italian-American actress so down-to-earth approachable, yet finessed outstanding. That her favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs, she finds Pink Panther, Mel Brooks and her wrestling felines funny, and refuses to vacation anymore with other people, other than her husband Matt Crane (ex-Matt, AW)–just resonates even more to my basic, uncommon, surprisingly child-like self. And, she used to room with her wise grandmother as a child, a grandmother who showed her the value of "the small things in life, to be grateful for what you have. I have always kept that with me." —ABC Soaps in Depth, July 9, 2002

Back to "This Thing Of Theirs," the ancient Soap Opera Digest [July 9, 2002] interview with Maurice Benard (Sonny) and Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis)… Seems the two vets know how to joke around about the caricatures of their characters, her hyperventilating talkativeness, his penchant for breakables in shouting distance. They riffed as only they can about feeling the respect, the flow and the friendship-based love in the moment, as well as their independently contradictory, complementary personality gaps. It’s easy to sort the best in each of their on-screen counterparts. Like Sonny’s lawyer, Grahn spoke bunches for Benard, who occasionally interjected minimalist, but gentle, accord. To wit:

"It was like real life. I care about Nancy as a friend. Sonny cares about Alexis that way. Deep caring." —Benard

"Plus, you think I’m beautiful and sexy and sometimes find yourself not being able to resist me. But you resist that feeling." —Grahn

"It’s not that Sonny didn’t want to have some fun with Alexis, but…." —Benard

"Hey, you pig! What do you mean, ‘Have some fun with her’? You shallow tamale." —Grahn

"I’m talking about Sonny now." —Benard

"Is that considered a racial slur if I call you a tamale?" —Grahn

"Nah, it’s actually good." —Benard

See what I mean?

Chris Robinson (Rick Webber) is proof that God exists. Or at least, answers some prayers. Not one day prior to receiving a call from GH’s PTB, the Arizona-based veteran actor/commercial-orchard rancher asked the Lord to see fit to return a dream: act again. Then, FF to practically in the middle of a desert–how much more symbolic can you get?–fixing his car… And yes, readers, he would stay on forever, if only. Just reacquainting himself with former colleagues alone made the trip back in time worth the jar to the memory banks.

Stuntman-turned-actor, Billy Warlock (A.J.), will try any adventure. Within his control, that is. Jumping 50 feet into the safety of a gigantic cushion surrounded by every safety precaution is one thing, Warlock said, but skydiving is quite another. "When you’re free-falling from 10,000 feet and you go to rip that cord and that sucker doesn’t open, you’re dead." —ABC Soaps in Depth, July 9, 2002

Jaime Ray Newman (Kristina) uses rehearsal time to grow more accustomed into the actual filming. Of love-making scenes, that is. With some actors, it’s a cakewalk, with others, it takes some wiggle room. "Oftentimes, you’ll giggle your way through a rehearsal…" she added. —Soap Opera Digest, July 9, 2002

On the June 21^st SoapTalk–a new SoapNet cable talk show–Sean Kanan (Deacon, B&B; ex-A.J.) found himself doing stand-up, on a roll about the hazards of soap acting, namely the dreaded "tags," the final scene where an unlucky actor must hold a pose and a suitably enigmatic expression for all of 30 seconds before cut-to-commercial. He mocked the overly-dramatic studly look in a what-if real-life scene over dinner at a restaurant, much to the audience’s laughing approval. Then reverted to serious for a homily about the challenges of soap acting, proving the genre much more than the frivolous stepsister to mainstream. He and co-hosts Ty Treadway (Troy, OLTL) and Lisa Rinna (Billie, DOOL) agreed that the voluminous work per day surpasses that of film and primetime–a virtual walk-in-the-park by comparison. Here’s where the benefit of actors taking the place of journalists comes through; they all understood the subject matter of soaps’ pros and cons and riffed appreciably as only industry insiders could. Yeah, I watched this show again, after swearing off the first time, curious about the guests. And yeah, it still sucks, although Treadway’s improved, looser, funnier with the quipped reactions. But Rinna seems more into listening to herself talk than anybody else.

Too bad Sean Kanan didn’t have time to slip in the time he received the bitch-slapping of his life, within and between characters, when co-star Susan Flannery (Stephanie, B&B) let him have it. He cowered in her presence, but as soon as the coast cleared and he dropped his hands as shields, she hauled off and whacked him again for good measure! In-character, of course. "I had this look of complete surprise on my face. I tell you, I deserved stunt pay that day." —Soap Opera Digest, July 2, 2002

The Deacon and Brooke love-making scene proved so titillating, that B&B executive producer/head writer Brad Bell admitted (tongue-in-cheek?) he locks himself in a private place to re-watch, purely for viewer enjoyment. The same scene that caused Soap Opera Digest editor Carolyn Hinsey to blush and wonder about the cleancut daytime rating anymore, as Brooke gasped out loud in obvious orgasmic response? The very same. Presented, concocted and pitched to TPTB by portrayers Sean Kanan and Katherine Kelly Lang. Lordy, lordy, those two must’ve had themselves some pleasure.

Is it my imagination, or does Tava Smiley (ex-Chloe) come off post-GH…edgier? She even said "BS" in relation to Hollywood’s tendency to exaggerate its promises in a

SoapCity interview. She even admitted to regret, regret that she took the BS on GH to the detriment of her character’s integrity. Maybe, just maybe, she should’ve spoken up on her behalf. "I wasn't in love with some of the things that happened for [Chloe] during General Hospital -- I think I let a lot of things happen to Chloe. I allowed the writers and everyone to make decisions for Chloe, and I just kept playing Chloe," Smiley explained. Ah, well, y’know what they say about hindsight…

Jennifer Sky (ex-Sarah, the original) nabbed another new, promising series, as a babe appendage in Fastlane, set to air on Fox, Wednesdays at 9 p.m., come fall.

Gossip for the week of 08-Jul-2002
by Carol Banks Weber

Nothing cleaves an actor to a former popular soap role than a new baby. Steady pay, steady hours, on-set daycare… probably why Vanessa Marcil (Brenda) won’t leave any time past the usual temporary three-four months as reported. And as board poster, SIPort, added, "She has to think about someone other than herself. She's not married, and I don't see Brian Austin Green having Steven Bing kind of money." Think three years, not months. Ah, poor, poor Skye.

Poor Skye? Poor everybody else of the female persuasion under GH’s cast list. Be prepared for The Brenda Show, just like old times, just like the combustible mid-90s when soap boards across the Internet roared regularly with factionary flames. Throw the S&C fanatics into the ring and, well, pass the popcorn and Vanilla Coke.

Seems Sarah Webber II will soon become III. Sigh. Why, Lord, why? And, why Gina Tognoni (ex-Kelly, OLTL), as a suggestion? She’s better off back at OLTL to finish the Antonio and Keri triangle.

Alexis’s baby may not be out for the count. A petition started by fans may help convince TPTB to spare the next S&C obstacle.

A reader last week alerted me to this possibility: Gia, gone. Already, troops rallying.

Word is, Jacob Young (Lucky) has hesitated, slightly, in lieu of quite the groveling from TPTB to stay. Lucrative outs. Juicy storyline. Deceptively-sincere butt-kissing.

A rumor circulating several message boards has Elizabeth Rohm (ex-Dorothy Hayes, OLTL) fired from NBC’s primetime dramatic hit, Law & Order, because of incomparable weakened presence to her predecessor Angie Harmon … to be replaced by Robin Christopher (Skye). Now that I’d love to see, although I thought Rohm fared excellently amidst a sterling cast.

Fans hope into speculative spoiler-spin that Stephen Nichols (ex-Stefan) and Mary Beth Evans (ex-Katherine) will resume their DOOL roles as Patch and Kayla for a special show in November.

As the newbies exit, stage left, more newbies are sure to enter, stage right, such as possibly Kimberley Simms (ex-Mindy, GL).

Gedstern’s ever-changing, ever-expanding banner of images as scoops clues confuses me too much to deduce away. Let the growing fans do the work in the biggest online craze next to looking up half-nude pix of Amy Weber (ex-Lark, PC). Charlene Tilton (ex-Lucy, ex-Dallas) is up there, maybe at face value, as in guest appearance?