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News for the week of 10-Aug-2015
Not long after news came out about Ron Carlivati getting replaced as head writer, came even more dismaying news about Michael Easton (Silas) also getting axed. According to Carlivati — who was interviewed by Soap Opera Digest prior the announcement of his leaving the show — Silas was in a prime position to be the next murder mystery victim, story- and cast-wise. Alas, Silas ended up being in the middle of all the action, tying several storylines together, from the masquerade of Ava/Denise, and her dalliance with Kiki’s boyfriend, to Madeline/Ric’s gaslighting of Nina for her estate. “So, it was a way to kind of kick both of those stories — the Ric/Nina story and the unmasking of Ava story — into high gear in a big way. To do that, we had this murder be committed,” Carlivati told an SOD reporter. Another factor Carlivati said they considered was bringing the popular Rebecca Budig (Hayden) back on in a more permanent role. For that to happen, they had to remove a cast member. GH has one of the largest casts in soaps. “It’s hard to trim it down because I love all the characters and I’m always sort of like, the more the merrier! But every time you want to add somebody — bringing somebody new, or you want Hayden to wake up from her coma, it’s a question of room on the canvas, it’s a question of the budget, it’s all of these considerations. And then, aside from the practicality, it’s also the desire for big stories, and what’s higher stakes than life and death? So, sometimes we do make that hard decision to kill somebody off.”
The person in charge of overseeing GH wasn’t much help in her August 6th interview with Michael Fairman. But then Vicki Dummer, ABC executive vice president-current series programming, gets paid to make things work and smooth things over, right? She praised outgoing head writer Ron Carlivati, but said they needed to work on exploring “a little bit more of the romance. We want to dig a bit more into the adventure of the show. I think that is the DNA of General Hospital. It’s in the DNA of what I have loved about it since I was a viewer back in the 80’s, and really explore that with Shelly and Jean as co-head writers. They also know the DNA of this show, and I think they are the women to do that.” She pointed to FABLife as the future of ABC Daytime and Katie Couric’s failed talk show as the reason for the big “gap” in the “ratings decline,” which didn’t make a whole lot of sense to fans. “I don’t think the ratings decline is a function of the storytelling, or a function of Ron’s work. I really don’t. That people are focusing on that for a motivation for a change is not really what the story was,” Dummer said. “For me, our entire daytime line-up is depressed right now, because I think we had a hole in it when Katie Couric’s talk show Katie left, which we are now looking at the FABLife to fill that gap in a big way. We have a lot of hopes pinned on that show, which will elevate our entire daytime line-up. That’s not under my purview, but I am very excited about it. I think that will bring more viewers to our daytime programming.” She dropped news in passing of Carlivati’s “blind script” with the network for primetime “that we are going to be focusing on for him,” as proof TPTB haven’t abandoned the former soap head writer. As for the other half of Cartini, Dummer said that executive producer Frank Valentini will remain with the show because he’s proven he works hard, keeps the show on budget, and still remains creative.
Vicki Dummer indirectly answered a question about the firing of Michael Easton (Silas) in Michael Fairman’s On-Air On-Soaps interview. But it wasn’t very satisfactory. It also didn’t really address the firing. She basically brushed over the firing of a proven actor (a big deal really, considering his primetime origins) to refocus viewers on the new murder mystery at hand. “Yes, that was a challenge. But what it did afford us was a really great opportunity to tell a murder mystery. That’s what we are really digging into now, and telling that story. So, we are excited to see how that all unfolds.”
Meanwhile in the real world, Michael Easton (Silas) addressed his exit by posting a two-part Q&A (Part 1-August 3, Part 2-August 6) on his official Facebook with fans. Easton and his people selected the Q&As that would best express who he was and how he felt. He didn’t throw anyone under the bus, like Tony Geary (Luke) did, yet his opinions were firm, direct, and respectful. Throughout the fans’ obvious disgust and anger at TPTB firing him, Easton remained supportive of the show, encouraging them not to boycott but to continue watching. Highlights below:
>> (Part 1…)
1. Michael, Please don’t go! How could you? What happened? -- Trina
I’m sorry if I let anyone down. I tried my best. I’ll consider taking some refresher courses at the college.
2. Although I really liked Silas, I LOVED McBain and was really holding out hope we’d see him again. -- Jennifer
Not to worry. McBain’s out there, somewhere, traveling through the Midwest, doing good deeds and drinking beer. He may also be traveling with a dog-named “Boutros”.
3. As recently as a few weeks ago (with zero storyline) you were voted #1 actor on ABC in the SOAPS IN DEPTH readers’ poll. In the middle of a ratings battle how do they justify letting one of the most popular actor’s in daytime just go to a rival show? - Jeanine
Well I don’t know where I’m going, it’s just time to go. And I don’t think production or the network needs to justify anything. They all work very hard and if they believe this is what’s best for the show and increasing viewership then I have to respect that. …
5. Follow up question: Did anyone at ABC ever hear of loyalty? What about what they’re doing to the actors with young kids at home? – Tammie
They have been good to me over the years. I appreciate your concern but business is business. It’s my responsibly to provide for my family, not the network or the show.
6. Michael I love that you are intensely private. I liked when Ty Treadway said on SOAPNET that you were the “Johnny Depp of Daytime.” Do you think that not being more public (having a twitter, instagram, doing lots of press) do you think that hurt you in the eyes of the Producers? -- Sandy
I don’t think so but you’d have to ask them. For me it’s always been about the work. And right or wrong, at the end of the day, I live with myself. …
8. What do you say to the GH fan that says, “Good, He was never one of us”? -- Hattie
God bless you. You have a right to your opinion and to be protective of your show.
9. Do you have souvenirs from your work on the roles you played on ABC Daytime? Caleb’s ring from "Port Charles" or McBain's police badges from the Llanview? - Jeff
I know I have their shoes somewhere. I think McBain wore the same pair for nine years. They just kept sewing on new soles. I liked that. …
23. Things look really bleak for GH right now. Is it headed for cancellation?
Every show, every character, for that matter, is one inspired storyline away from turning it all around. A wealth of hard working talent remains in that building and if anybody can make it work they can. …
25. I’m heartbroken. When did you shoot your last scenes? What did you do on your last day? -- Beth
I tried to leave the dressing room as tidy as I found it and picked up flowers for my wife on the way home.
TO BE CONTINUED…
(Part 2…)
1. First, I have to thank you for being such a kind soul and always respecting your fans. I loved the character of Silas Clay as much as John McBain and that's because you gave him such depth & integrity that had very little to do with the words he spoke. This one is a bit more introspective. Do you feel that things like this, however painful, happen for a reason? Perhaps forcing us to take the next step in life that we've been avoiding or postponing? I've been dealing with a little bit of that lately so thought we might commiserate. – Becca
That’s a pretty deep question Becca. I’m sorry you’re dealing with some things right now. All I know is we can’t ever let life – no matter how uncertain -- frighten us. We must always live in the vision we have for ourselves and not within the circumstances that life sometimes gives us. In the end we are always stronger than we think we are.
2. I was wondering will you be staying in CA or moving back to NYC? --Cheryl
Not sure where we’re headed next. Maybe Ireland. Maybe the desert. Perhaps somewhere in between. …
5. I never liked the OLTL actors coming over to GH. I don’t really like any of the new characters on the show. I just want to see my favorite legacy characters every day like they do on nighttime shows.
It’s important to have favorites. For what it’s worth, most primetime series do twenty or so new episodes a season while daytime dramas produce around two hundred, which may explain the larger cast. Maybe give some of the new kids a chance, I think you'll like them. …
11. If you could have written the exit of either of your characters, what would be your ideal goodbye? – Sue
Perhaps something a little more uplifting. Three of My three favorite endings are, “Dead Poets Society”, “Brubaker” and “An Officer and a Gentlemen” so that might give you some idea how I’d like to have gone out.
12. It’s like they don’t care anymore what we want to see. Well off goes my TV. And I’m starting a petition for others to do the same. It seems like low ratings are the only way the network listens anymore. -- Valerie
I appreciate the gesture and the desire to want to have your voice heard but I really don’t want that. I have too much respect for the show to encourage anything that would affect viewership. I truly want to see GH run for another fifty years. …
14. I just wanted to know if you were in any type of negotiation with another soap opera on any of the other networks? – Lisa
I’m in negotiations with my wife right now for me to cook dinner more often.
15. I’m sorry to see you go Michael but it’s been a great run. Is it true you were originally only signed on for a ten week arc as Caleb on Port Charles and that led to OLTL and then GH? -- Jaxon
That is true and before I go I’d like to extend my gratitude to Mark Teschner, (ABC Casting) for getting me into this mess with a single phone call fourteen years ago.
17. Any last words for the fans? – Mary V.
I’d wish I could buy you all a drink. …
27. Production said you went on vacation for a long time. Do you think that disrupted the flow of your storyline? – Darla
There was never a vacation. That must have been a rumor. I can’t imagine Production making up something like that. You don’t need a vacation when you’re not on the schedule for weeks on end. …
29. Did you see the writing on the wall? -- Tara
When I came back the second time I never really unpacked the suitcase if that’s what you mean. If you do this long enough you see it and you know. …
37. Once you “take the knife out of your back” don’t you just want to go straight to another show, bring all your fans with you and just laugh at these “producers” for making such a huge mistake?
I’ve never been motivated by spite. That just becomes poison in your heart and it will halt you from creating something beautiful. You look after yourself and move on. …
41. Any regrets? Do you look back and think there were things you could have done differently. And how did you handle the news it was over? -- Emma
I don’t look back much. So there wasn’t much reflection. I try to live in the moment, then move forward. If I’m being honest, I was briefly reminded of my Father. I remember being young and us not having much and he came home one night and he had either been fired or he had quit his job. I wish I could talk to him now. He always knew what to say. …
43. Did you get drunk after it all went down? -- Sara
Alas, in the old days that’s what would have happened. This time I went home and the kids were waiting with hugs. Everything was better from that moment on…
…In time, it will always be better.<<
Not a lot of actors would’ve done what Michael Easton did for his fans. His fans have responded by generating a petitionto save his job at GH, FWIW. Initially, the author of the petition, Laura Gentili, hoped to just get 2,000 signatures to “Bring Back Michael Easton to General Hospital” when she first created it the other week. But with 6,885 signatures as of Friday, August 7, there’s a very real chance that she can make 7,500 by August 14. She also says that they are planning to give the petition to TPTB at the GH Fan Club Weekendgoing on August 6-10 at Glendale, CA’s Embassy Suites.
In news I’m not too thrilled with, Lisa LoCicero (Olivia) returns this coming week to chew what little scenery she gets after having her baby, Verity, May 30, and going on maternity leave. Soap Opera Digest online broke this news on August 7.
Gossip for the week of 10-Aug-2015
I’m still writing weekly commentary for SoapHub. My latest is on Michael Easton (Silas) and the crappy way TPTB let him go. For me, it’s personal. Read why in “I Love Michael Easton For Personal Reasons.” If the commentary’s not up yet, keep checking. Or ask.
What if this new murder mystery wastes viewers time with mostly B-list actors, only to find that Ava, Morgan, and Madeline are red herrings for Caleb, the vampire from PC, who really stabbed Dr. Silas Clay? Dumber things have happened in soaps.
According to the latest rumors, TPTB are looking to bring back Jenny Eckert, Bill’s sister, but not with the original actress. Found in a Soap Central forum thread, “Casting RUMOR: Another big soap star!,” maybe Cady McClain (ex-Kelly, YR; ex-Dixie, AMC; ex-Rosanna, ATWT). McClain went on social media last week to deny the rumor.
General Hospital News & Gossip, Copyright © 2024 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.
