All My Children News & Gossip
News for the week of 18-Aug-2008
Vincent Irizarry reprises David Hayward on AMC after a one-plus-year absence. During that absence, the actor took on a Y&R role as David Chow, which ended recently.
Ricky Paull Goldin (Jake; ex-Gus, GL) likened his introductory scenes with friend/acting colleague Beth Ehlers (Taylor; ex-Harley, GL) as that of two fighter pilots dealing with a brand-new jet, feeling the other out, making new memories as new characters. They’ve been together off and on, on GL, for so many years that they could probably do scenes anywhere in their sleep. But that’s not who these actors are; they love the challenge and they enjoy inventing, forging, the whole creative endeavor. Their first AMC scenes were filmed on location in Port Washington, Long Island, as the two “jogged all over that freakin’ island!” Goldin remarked. Jake tries to suggest an improvement in Taylor’s jogging technique, and Taylor misinterprets his suggestion for a suggestive romp and flatly turns him down. He’s left staring down at his crotch after she leaves him with a double-entendre. Very impressive for their first time, which is probably what Goldin likes to hear, ‘cause shooting it felt strange to him. “We don’t even know these characters at this point, so we’re discovering all kinds of new things as we go,” he said. –Soap Opera Digest, August 19, 2008
Guess who brought Chrishell Stause (Amanda) and Graham Bunn (ex-The Bachelorette) together in the first place? None other than Stause’s cast mate Colin Egglesfield (Josh). He and Bunn are pals.
Look for new head writer Charles Pratt Jr. to feature Fusion in a different, hipper manner. He sees Fusion as the perfect template to riff off ABC’s primetime blockbuster, Ugly Betty, set in a fashion world. It’ll be like Amanda and Babe, representative of the fresh-faced working class girls, versus Kendall and Greenlee, the worldly girls of upperclass privilege, he said.
Kendall’s Alicia Minshew would trade places with Cleveland, the studio’s security guard, if she could for 24 hours. She thought his job was comparatively easy, hanging out in his chair with his TV, and he’s always so mellow and happy as the welcome wagon. Everybody else, from the producers to the hair/makeup/wardrobe departments, is always running here and there stressed out and under pressure, she added.
Ever since Jossip published a report on August 7th about Carolyn Hinsey’s firing from Soap Opera Weekly/Digest, the comment section has been overflowing with cheers, a few jeers, and lots of juicy, scandalous gossip—about Hinsey’s heavyhanded ways and about soap actors. At last count, there were 1,902 replies going. Everybody in the business—from columnists, fans and curious onlookers, to TPTB, actors, publicists and the like—have been glued to this page, checking frequently for updates in hopes of reading more scurrilous dirt. It’s like a bad car accident, guys, you just can’t look away.
Former Soap Opera Weekly“Critical Condition” columnist Marlena De Lacroix has responded to the Hinsey firing in her August 15th blog entry, “The Killing Fields of Soap Journalism.” De Lacroix basically quit doing her acclaimed column about 12 years after she started, because of Hinsey and her Digest Dames. Soap Opera Digest was put in charge of SPW and not much later, Hinsey was appointed as SPW’s editor, and that was that for De Lacroix. “Immediately, I knew that my critical voice, fiercely protected for years by SOW founding editor Mimi Torchin, was not compatible with the unhealthy political alliances the journalistically corrupt, bullying Digest Dames had made within the industry. So back in July 2001, I made my own personal comment on Hinsey and the SOD management: I quit.”
When the former and current but anonymous employees of SPW/SOD made their comments in reaction to Hinsey’s recent firing on the Jossip page, De Lacroix went through her own painful learning curve and realized she wasn’t the only victim. She acknowledged the following people as especially deserving of an award for all they were put through: “the funny and wonderful writer Alan Carter, SOW founding editor Mimi (with whom I worked on magazines as early as 1978), the super savvy publicist Frank Tobin, my column’s editor Robert Schork, and the many other staffers and industry professionals who suffered and/or fell after us.”
Best of all, De Lacroix reminded everybody that they were better off for the moving on. They moved on to better, more fulfilling jobs and continued to do good work despite the, um, roadblocks. IOW, “… all this pain taught me a lesson, one I frequently pass on to my college journalism students. Journalism is a competitive business. But while others may try to copy you, no one can replicate your talent or originality. Or take away your great love of what you do.”
Gossip for the week of 18-Aug-2008
Cassandra will leave and return as a recast. It’s called cleaning house, which happens with every new head writer.
Carmen will catch another guy’s fancy, not Jack’s.
All My Children News & Gossip, Copyright © 2008 Carol Banks Weber. Published by SoapZone.com / Jeff Jungblut. No part of this page may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed on this page are those of the author and may not be representative of SoapZone.com or its advertisers. Don't steal scoops.
