General Hospital News & Gossip
News for the week of 16-Jun-2008
So it’s true. My beloved Logan will disappear from the GH canvas, because the damned writers don’t know what to do with two hunks instead of one. At least, that’s the buzz from last week, that Johnny came on like gangbusters with Lulu, leaving Logan forgotten in the minds of the uncreative writing staff fresh from their writers’ strike. Goodbye Josh Duhon, sniff.
Stephen Macht and Rick Hearst get along famously, almost like father and son, more like respected colleagues and friends. But their alter-egos, Trevor and Ric—on-screen father and son—do not. It takes their mutual high regard and easy camaraderie to flesh out and fulfill the kind of believable familial conflict, angst and deep down, painful love viewers enjoy watching play out on their TV sets. Macht tries to insert that love—despite scripted disregard and animosity—in every nuanced interaction, as well as a little Jewish reference here and there. Macht is Jewish—and from what I hear, studying to become a rabbi—so it’s natural he’d draw from his Jewish roots to inform his fictional character’s relationship with Hearst’s. Whether it’s “You had the best of mohels,” or “boychick,” the Jewish references are Macht’s way of bringing to life the story of the Lansings in his theatre of the mind. Hearst whispered to Macht, in one cute scene, that the Lansings weren’t Jewish. To which Macht replied, “In your movie, you’re not. In mine….” There’s a lot of that quirky but real improv going on between these two fine actors.
They’re not so fine that they’re above a little kidding around about some of their physical similarities and … differences. Like, the hair. “We have matching hair. The only distinction is my swirl goes to the right and his goes to the left,” Hearst said, adding that he would be as gray if he didn’t color his grays out. And, the “schnoz. … The schnoz is not the same,” Hearst said. “[Ric] got his nose from Adela,” Macht quipped.
As for family, in real life it’s important to both Hearst and Macht. Hearst’s sons Cameron, 12, and Nicholas, 17, have their own lives, and rarely does the soap opera world cross into them (although occasionally the oldest will ask about ongoing story). That’s as Hearst intended. He said he is able to leave his character in the studio when the job is done for the day and focus on his family when he arrives home. Macht’s children range from attorney-turned graphic arts business owner Julie, 42, and actor Gabe, 40, to Current TV editor/producer/director Ari, 36, and The Hatch rocker/commercial production company employee Jesse, 25. Some of his kids manage to sneak in GH in their daily routine to keep up with their dad’s fictional exploits. “They see this as a small renaissance in their father’s life and his career. They’ve never seen their father have so much fun.”
As fathers, both Hearst and Macht have admitted to a tough learning curve. For Hearst, it’s having dealt with an absent father, a troubled relationship for a while, his death, and carving his own niche as a reinvented father on his own. Macht – who lost his own father at age nine, then his grandfather at 15 and mother at 20 – learned to be a better father from his children letting him know he hasn’t been now and again. His daughter, for example, has had to deal with similar problems as a mom now with her daughter that he went through with her. “Circles tend to repeat themselves. It’s learned behavior. Change doesn’t happen until one generation will say, ‘Hey, this doesn’t sit well with me,’ and it’s either received, as it was with you, which I commend you for, or it’s not,” Hearst observed. “My father was the same way and I changed the way I dealt with him. I merely said, ‘This is what I need from you as a father.’ Hopefully, that shores up the levels of communication and you can come to some kind of meeting place. If you’re lucky, it happens.” –Soap Opera Digest, “Raising The Bar (Mitzvah)” by Tom Stacy, June 17, 2008
Macht admitted to growing up in a tragic childhood rife with his dad’s constant illnesses and suffering. When he met his wife Suzanne, that changed. He credited her with saving him. The two of them actually tied the knot in the hospital room of a cancer ward where his mother stayed—two weeks before she passed on. Forty-three years later, they’re still together and very happy.
Having son Jathan, 1, has changed Greg Vaughan (Lucky) for the better. He’d be the first to tell you that. He’s also noticed that the acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree in terms of Jathan’s reputation with the ladies. On a recent trip to the Bahamas, he had all the ladies cooing over him, and loved every minute of it. Vaughan checked with his mom to see if that’s how he was as her little boy. “For 12 months old, the kid’s got power. I asked my mom and she said, ‘You were worse!’” Vaughan subscribes to the best parental recommendation in the world: go with your gut. –Soap Opera Digest, June 17, 2008
As announced in the June 10th issue of Soap Opera Digest and elaborated on SOAPnet’s website—complete with videos of behind-the-scenes commercial footage—Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth), Kassie DePaiva (Blair, OLTL) and Bobbie Eakes (Krystal, AMC) were picked to appear in the latest slew of print ads and commercials for the Got Milk?campaign. Under the captivating and soapy-sounding “Cause A Scene” theme, the actresses got into their roles for the shoot, complete with the trademarked milk mustache. They were a little concerned about how their milk mustaches would appear in the campaign, as well as curious as to how previous celebs had their mustaches put on. Despite Eakes claiming they just had to drink milk, and just milk, for these mustaches, according to that SOD article, the recipe includes cream cheese, milk, yogurt and ice cream among other sweet, silky, sticky ingredients. DePaiva said the flavor was quite delicious. Once each actress donned her mustache, the Got Milk? mustache expert toyed and fiddled and finetuned it to look just right above the lips before and between takes.
Ask Finola Hughes (Anna) about the Y&R controversy, and her lips are sealed. She will, however, bubble on about her continued appearances on GH and Rick Springfield’s (Noah/Eli) much-anticipated return. For those living in a cave and unable to access SoapZone.com’s News & Gossip, Hughes had originally accepted a role on the rival CBS soap this summer. But then the honchos at ABC Daytime asked her to turn that role down.
Daytime Confidential broke the news of Antonio Sabato Jr. reprising Jagger on GH: NS. It’s happening, folks. I saw him with way too much mascara on the other day in Circus of the Stars or some crap. So this SOAPnet spinoff should be a step up for him.
Rick Springfield (Noah/Eli) heaped tons of praise for Tony Geary’s (Luke) professionalism, humility and unique ability to be real in every scene in the fast-paced world of soaps. “Tony is always there and you know he will be truthful. Soaps are a tough call for an actor because a lot of it is about line memorization and not acting, just given the limits of time etc., but I never feel that when I work with TG. He is consistently excellent...and funny.” Whenever Springfield shared scenes with Geary and Jackie Zeman (Luke’s sister Bobbie), in their day (1980s), he knew he had to raise his acting level to keep up. Speaking of Zeman, she and Kimberly McCullough (Robin), Y&R’s Doug Davidson (Paul), rocker John Waite (formerly of the Babys) and former MTV vee-jay Mark Goodman will join Springfield on a special Carnival Cruise from Miami to Key West and Cozumel come November. Even though the Rick Springfield and Friends cruise is scheduled for November 13-17, most of the available tickets are already nearly sold out. Springfield will perform in a fan appreciation concert (all songs performed will have been voted on by fans through an online poll), so will musician Waite. There’ll also be more concerts, personal Q&A appearances by Springfield’s guest stars, a chance to win prizes, a beach party and lots more. Info: (888) 491-7673—or visit his website. –TonyGeary.net
Hey PC fans, remember when Jay Pickett (ex-Frank; Harper) only had two daughters and once wondered if they’d ever have another child, if he’d turn out to be a boy? Well, it happened. He and wife Elena have a cute boy named Tyler, 2, who is crazy about garbage trucks. Tyler loves them so much he’ll wake up to their sound in the morning, and want to watch them in action. “Now I end up taking him down to the sidewalk and we’ll wave at the trash men,” Pickett said. –Soap Opera Digest, June 17, 2008
Soap columnist Marlena De Lacroix introduced SOAP SHRINK, written by her friend, soap fan, and a real practicing therapist, Damon L. Jacobs. Jacobs will attempt to shed mental and emotional insight into the various soap characters out there. He started June 12th with GH’s Carly, diagnosing her with a Borderline Personality Disorder, characterized by feelings of abandonment and drastic methods to fulfill that emptiness, from faking her own death to see who would come to her funeral, to screwing around town whenever she’s down. IMHO, Jacobs isn’t being hard enough on Carly. In many ways, he’s way too kind and admiring of her: “This girl has resilience like nobody’s business. If you’re ever on the wrong side of a bullet during child labor, this is the person you want by your side. She can go toe-to-toe with cops, judges and mob bosses and usually come out ahead. She is fiercely loyal to those she loves, and has been increasingly able to accept unconditional love from healthier sources, namely her husband Jax.” But then I’m hardly a fan; I’m more willing to write her off as a *monster who was born evil than any sort of human being worth saving, i.e., she’s a meddling, cheating, selfish, self-serving bitch who would sell her own mother on a dime for nothing.
My latest Deep Dish Pieces rant (“Mother To Monster,” June 12) against Carly goes into the heartless way she treated Alexis at the Metro Court hotel last week. What kind of a mother (who just lost a son to a bullet, no less) would deny another mother the chance to save her child from the same fate? Only Carly, the so-called resilient, fiercely loyal diva we’re supposed to love and root for. Only on GH.
Gossip for the week of 16-Jun-2008
A cute little birdie told me that GH persuaded Vanessa Marcil to reprise her Brenda for summer sweeps and to enable her good friend Ingo Rademacher (Jax) to leave the show for good. But then, TIIC wouldn’t fork over enough clams for Marcil’s liking and the golden opportunity went out the back door with a firm, final slam.
Yes, folks, Rademacher – who may or may not hit for both sides – is done with GH for good and itching to move on. When the blond god departs (it’s not a matter of if), his departure may throw Sonny and Carly back together as a supercouple. That’d be great for S&C fans and Laura Wright’s airtime, but it’d probably suck for Maurice Benard’s personal preference for only Megan Ward (Kate). Benard’s said not to be much of a, ahem, Carly fan.
Nadine and Nikolas will stay platonic. Nadine may wind up attracting another guy’s attention though, maybe Lucky. I say Nadine’s guy should be Spinelli since Maxie will break his heart with the new doctor played by Jason Cook. (Btw, anybody swoon to British Spinelli, kissing Giselle’s hand? Oooh!)
Jason Cook’s character and Kirsten Storms’ (Maxie) will experience a loathing at first sight, which will predictably turn into passion and love.
Claudia gets married to either Nikolas, Ric or Jason. More likely Ric, as in an arranged marriage per papa Anthony.
Kate learns of Carly and Sonny’s limo infidelity and uses it for blackmail to restore Sonny’s parenthood of the boys. Carly goes researching into Kate’s past for dirt as blackmail herself.
Everyone’s thinking Steve Burton (Jason) might be the one nailing down a primetime gig on 24, or almost having nailed that gig down. As in, the blind item about a major actor lining up a primetime gig and leaving GH. But what if it’s Ingo Rademacher (Jax)?
I know there are a lot of SKate and S&C fans out there, but personally I’m done with both of these lame couples. They’re boring to watch, the first because there’s nothing there but the same wasted lines, and the second because … how many friggin’ times must we be subjected to Sonny and Carly’s self-destructive, self-absorbed dysfunction?! It’s like watching two bullies going at it. While Sonny and Kate are like watching my grandparents trying to engage in foreplay with all their clothes on.
Personally, if I never see Carly’s face again, I’ll be glad. At one point as she barged into Jason’s office flapping her gums about Kate, Sonny and her big bad self, I stopped listening and just zeroed in on her mouth twisting, turning, spinning, frothing, gyrating. Then, I changed the channel for some golf to cleanse the palate.
If Carly’s a *monster, then Lulu the devil incarnate. The only explanation for Lulu becoming this obnoxious, bratty, conceited and shallow—that I can come up with—is the writers are trying in vain to show she’s more like free spirit A-hole Luke than compassionate, caring Laura. But, correct me if I’m wrong, Luke could be an A number one A-hole but he was never stupid or conceited, and he would never waste his time playing love games with eye candy. Then, there’s this whole bully Lulu that I don’t care for. I’m waiting for Claudia—or anybody really—to haul off and give Lulu a proper beating for her big, fat, stupid mouth. When Claudia tried to warn Lulu to give it a rest, that Anthony was using her to manipulate Johnny and it would not end well, that wasn’t entirely posturing…it was the truth. Lulu reacted to Claudia the way she reacts to everybody else, be it Maxie, Carly, Kate, Jason or Spinelli, she just stared glassy-eyed, her mouth set in a stubborn smirk or a gaping maw, and acted like her sh*t doesn’t stink. Nothing penetrates that thick skull. Lately, all she’s been about is Johnny. Her entire family could be wiped out, the world could end, and she’d be standing there jutting her jaw out alternately scoffing or yelling about staying with her precious mob boyfriend no matter what. Where’s the justification? Where’s the motivation? Where’s the soft, engaging, winsome side to offset the pure evil of this muppet? I’m not supposed to root for Claudia and Maxie to break Lulu’s heart, but I am—because the writers failed to remember who Lulu really is and they’ve put her in the same familiar, unlikeable rut they have for every so-called heroine on this show.
General Hospital 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.
