Port Charles News & Gossip

News for the week of 12-Feb-2001
by Carol Banks Weber

PC received an Entertainment Industries Council's Prism Award nomination for its portrayal of Karen as a drug addict last year. The half-hour soap joins AMC and DOOL in the category. One of them will win on April 4. The 5^th Annual Prism Awards nominees were chosen from 248 viables. The awards, certificates and commendations will go out to deserving winners who depict an accurate, harrowing and educational portrayal of abuse. The Prisms are conducted in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes of Health.

ABC soap opera Port Charles and Fox drama Ally McBeal share sex in common, as in the act of intercourse displayed for their viewing public on a regular basis. The two shows were singled out recently in a study researched for the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, comparing sexual content on television shows in 1999-2000 versus 1997-1998. Not surprisingly, the numbers are 68 percent now to 56 percent then, including an "impressive" rise in teen characters participating sexually on-screen than ever before, tripled from 3 percent. Along with teens sexing it up, they're also talking responsibility and risk more. Even though PC had been singled out for its depiction of sexual intercourse, the study found that soaps in general (along with talk shows) declined in sexual content, from 85 to 80 percent. Included in the research: 1,114 shows, movies, series, soaps, news magazines and talk shows on broadcast and cable channels, from ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, to HBO, PBS, TNT, USA, Lifetime and the WB, randomly chosen for analysis by the University of California at Santa Barbara researchers. [SOURCE: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 7, 2001]

His day in the sun will come, by the next chapter "Destiny." Jay Pickett (Frank) can't wait. With a promise from on-screen other half Marie Wilson (Karen) to stick around post-pregnancy (she's due to give birth any minute), Pickett's ready to set the screen on fire with his own special brand of love-making. His DL-56-influenced personality gives this impending story and his character uncharacteristic edge. "I like never knowing 100 percent where Frank is at - - it gives him an air of mystery and unpredictability," Pickett explained. "I want it to be like a new love - - fresh, with the sparks flying. Like myself, Marie has not been an integral part of the story for a long time, so she is raring to go. We both feel like we have something to prove." [SOURCE: ABC Soaps In Depth, February 6-20, 2001]

When Thorsten Kaye (Ian) agreed to end his rarified interview stance, did he realize he'd have to do it with three major soap mags? He's been in ABC Soaps In Depth, Soap Opera Weekly and now, Soap Opera Digest. What's left, Soap Opera Update?

At any rate, this latest dig into his private affairs turned up a couple of juicy crumbs courtesy of Carolyn Hinsey. Right off the bat, Kaye throws the first punch at a former OLTL executive who turned his intended exit as Patrick into a personal vendetta over a lousy suit. His last days required Patrick to be shot in the arm at his wedding to Marty. Only, the resulting blood spilled everywhere. "The reason I got shot in the arm . . . was not because they wanted me shot. It was because the only thing I wanted to take with me from that show was that suit, and [a former OLTL exec] made sure that not only did they put blood on it, they cut it off me so I couldn't take it," Kaye explained. He never intended his opinionated takes on storyline and character to be taken so damned personally by this female executive, but alas, they never really got along from day one. Can't say that about his former OLTL co-stars, most of 'em anyway. He's still buddies with Robert S. Woods (Bo), Robin Strasser (ex-Dorian) and Clint Ritchie (ex-Clint), but some others turned too Hollywood for him (Nathan Fillion [ex-Joey], anyone?).

With any other topic, Kaye's still very much straight-shooting, straight-cussin' opinionated. He hates talking about himself or anybody he loves, hates people talking about him, but has no problem doing dirt on those he can't stand. Generally, he finds talking in depth about deeply personal matters, deeply phony and self-indulgent. "You know I hate it when I read those f***ing magazines and people are going on and on about themselves. Those are things that somebody else should say about you. I'm not going to say, 'Oh, I lost somebody so I have to share that with you and show you the deeper meaning.' This is not therapy, this is a business. I show up and I work, and with the money I make I can go to therapy. I am not going to yammer on about me."

If nothing else, tell this consummately professional, passionate actor his motivation and his spoiler beforehand, so he can better effect the performance part he never claims to be the master at. Okay, back to OLTL - - a huge pet peeve - - where he was never told about this big secret his character kept from everybody, including himself. Patrick has Marty in his arms, but his expression must hold this secret in check. Uh, what secret? "Did I have sex with little boys or do I have a million dollars? What is it? He said, 'We haven't decided.' I said, 'You can't do this to an actor!' I'm not a very good actor, but you can't do it to any actor. I don't know if that's a problem on all soaps or just the ones I've been on."

And, forget putting him on the number one-rated soap in daytime. Y&R's just for glam bare aesthetics, nothing more. "Honey, if I were on Y&R, I'd be shirtless every day of the week, so I'm glad I'm not." Nothin' wrong with that, except, remember, the guy's in this to act, not pose. [Dammit!]

Besides, a man who refers to himself as "wrinkly" and resembling 47, smitten with the female gender, mouth of a sailor, features of an Adonis, well, he's just something else altogether, something refreshingly odd in a sea of the same. [SOURCE: Soap Opera Digest, February 13, 2001]

Lucy and Scotty, over? Nah, never. There's at least one more fully-fledged story from their residual, mostly physical attraction, as far as Kin Shriner's (Scott, GH & PC) concerned. "I think it mostly boils down to the physical. They have great sex!" [SOURCE: ABC Soaps In Depth, February 6-20, 2001]

Erin Hershey (Alison) used to get off on annoying former co-star Sarah Aldrich (ex-Courtney), just kidding around of course. The two were like night and day, sour and silk. "We called her 'Sunshine.' I miss her," Hershey said. "I like Sarah. She's fun. She's so feisty, and I'm so bubbly [laughs]." [SOURCE: Soap Opera Digest, February 13, 2001]

Reprising a role with a third on-screen daughter? No problem, Denise Galik-Furey (Rhonda) said, the dynamic's already there between her and Marie Wilson (Karen). They met and it felt kismet to play. "I just liked [Marie] so much. She's very straight and professional. I like that because, at times, Karen was more of the adult in their relationship than Rhonda was." [SOURCE: ABC Soaps In Depth, February 6-20, 2001]

One of his daughters seems primed for a career in acting, the other could care less. Jay Pickett (Frank) surmised this from observing their reactions to visiting his set several times during days off from school. His eldest, Megan, 13, takes the biz with a nod and a respectful glance, but nothing beyond. This soccer team captain seems much more interested in her mother's field of expertise, as Lucky Jeans' national sales manager with the lavish showroom of samples, if truth be told. Give the stardust to Michaela, 8, however. The rambunctious, dramatic fireball and ballet prodigy takes to everything stageworthy. "She really soaks it all in and loves it. She's very observant. She doesn't say a lot, but you can tell she's not missing anything." [SOURCE: Soap Opera Weekly, February 13, 2001]

Becoming a newborn mother gave Marie Wilson (Karen) enough pause to honor her own, a selfless, giving role model who barely got enough shut-eye raising her brood of three daughters. "She had us young, so she was more like a girlfriend. Whenever she came to school to pick us up, people would ask, 'Is that your sister?' I always thought that was cool." What would be even cooler, Wilson raising her own daughter, who turns out to be just as stubborn as she was that age. And, she was. [SOURCE: ABC Soaps In Depth, February 6-20, 2001]

That Kiko Ellsworth (Jamal) look! How? Just farting around, twisting parts of his afro, finding the entire 'do a bit silly, letting it go then removing the spirals until a friend wanted them back. The friend assisted him to that end. "Now I can have an afro and I have a friend who puts some gel in it, grabs a little patch, and starts twisting away!" Despite its complicated set-up, his hairstyle is easy as pie to maintain. He usually just wakes up and goes. [SOURCE: ABC Soaps In Depth, February 6-20, 2001]

CASTING:

• They're on the lookout for two recurring 20-something female roles, a black woman and a sexy street siren.

ALUMNUS:

• Shell Danielson (ex-Dominique) returns to daytime but not here. She'll play Bunny on Y&R.

Port Charles News & Gossip, Copyright © 2002 Carol Banks Weber. 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 not necessarily those of SoapZone.com or its advertisers.