DC Exclusive: "John Black" Co-Creator Reacts to Days' Shocking Firing of Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn! Submitted by Jamey Giddens on November 25, 2008 - 7:21pm.
Thom Racina, the man who wrote the ratings juggernaut wedding of a couple of soap opera characters named Luke and Laura (Tony Geary and Genie Francis) on General Hospital, before moving on to Days of Our Lives, where he and fellow co-head writers Sheri Anderson and Leah Laiman continued the supercouple craze, penning lush, romantic storylines for Patch and Kayla (Stephen Nichols and Mary Beth Evans), Bo and Hope (Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso), Shane and Kim (Charles Shaughnessy and Patsy Pease) and John and Marlena (Drake Hogestyn and Patsy Pease) speaks exclusively to Daytime Confidential.com about the shocking ouster of Hogestyn and Hall. Read why Racina believes Ken Corday's move to fire Days of Our Lives' most popular couple, reportedly to trim costs, was the "wrong way to fix what's wrong" with the NBC sudser. Find out what Racina feels Days can learn from his most recent employer, The Young and the Restless, in terms of rebuilding itself by focusing on core characters as opposed to focusing on younger viewers. When you're done, go back and listen to our podcast interview with The Father of the Modern Soap Opera Supercouple (DC# 191). It's a true can't miss Thanksgiving treat for a soap fan.
Daytime Confidential:Hi Thom. Hope you've been doing well. As the co-creator of John Black and one of the head writers responsible for the character's early breakthrough romance with Dr. Marlena Evans, I wanted to get your take on Ken Corday's decision to fire Drake Hogestyn and Deidre Hall and write out those iconic characters.
Thom Racina:Jamey, is nothing sacred? Citibank collapsing, Lehman gone, Marlena too? I honestly was shocked [by the news of Hall and Hogestyn's firing], in an industry where nothing shocks me, and just think it's the wrong way to fix what's wrong [with the show]. First off, I love John and Marlena and know the fans do to, so John and Marlena would be last on the list of people to dump. There are other ways to save money. I fear this will do more damage than they realize.
DC:As a veteran of the daytime industry, what does this mean for the soap opera genre as a whole? If Days of Our Lives can get rid of its two most popular stars, is any soap star safe?
TR:No, no star on any show is safe today.
DC:As the writer who co-wrote epic romances for remaining supercouples Bo and Hope and Patch and Kayla, as well as co-creating the character of Steven "Patch" Johnson, what do you think Days needs to do to rebuild these couples? What about the show as a whole?
TR:I think they need to do what Y&R is doing. Go for the characters people know and love. I believe the coveted young viewers are never going to come, not today, not in the world of iPhones and podcasts, but young viewers will join older ones to watch these families and friends that have been their vicarious families and friends for years. Case in point, Y&R: Maria is doing a smashing job–doing just that, investing in the core characters, making it all about family, focusing on the people we grew up with. I did an Internet radio show to talk about my stint on Y&R and I was astounded that the audience, mainly kids in their 20's, were passionate about Nikki and Victor and Kay and Jill. They want the steady warmth of the characters they knew when they were much younger and started watching. If there are young people in those stories, fine and good, you need them for balance and energy, but they are not watching because Y&R is doing some teenage love affair. They are watching because Y&R is giving them compelling story, featuring the cast they have invested in. That's what Days should do.
DC:Would you considering returning to Days of Our Lives in some capacity?
TR:I'd love to go back to Days to write scripts, actually. I loved my gig on Y&R doing that. I also put it out there that Susie Horgan (former As The World Turns writer and one time executive producer of One Life to Live and now Racina's writing partner) would go back as head writers, but only as a team. I honestly think these shows need people who don't constantly think "we need young, young, young stories", people who really remember the glory days.
Posts: 5352 | Location: New York/California | Registered: September 30, 2006
DC Exclusive: Soap's Original Bad Boy Sean Kanan Talks A.J., Deacon, Jack Rio and "Sex" Submitted by Jamey Giddens on December 3, 2008 -5:25pm.
General Hospital and The Bold and Beautiful alum Sean Kanan is thinking a lot about sex these days. He has to, it's part of his job description. Kanan is starring in It's Just Sex, a daring, comedic exploration about what can happen when three couples decide to switch partners. The play runs through Dec. 28 at the Two Roads Theatre in Studio City, Ca. Daytime Confidential recently caught up with Kanan about his role in It's Just Sex, as well as his new movie Jack Rio, and his time in Port Charles as Quartermaine bad seed A.J. We also reminisce about his memorable stint as Deacon Sharpe, the man who notoriously deflowered a young Bridget Forrester (then-Jennifer Finnigan) while he had her father Eric (John McCook) muted on speaker phone, and later sired baby Hope with Bridget's own mother, the sexsational Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang).
We also get Kanan's thoughts about the planned update of The Karate Kid—Kanan starred in The Karate Kid III— producer Will Smith's dream project for his and Jada Pinkett-Smith's son Jaden. Then we ask the question Kanan's droves of loyal soap fans have been waiting years to have answered, would the talented actor/writer/producer ever consider a return to Sudsville, U.S.A? His answer may surprise you.
Daytime Confidential:So let's talk about sex. What is the story behind your new play?
Sean Kanan:(Laughs) Well, to tell you about It's Just Sex, I have to take you back to 1996. I was producing and starring in a performance of Sam Shepard's True West directed by Mark Blanchard, who also co-produced it with me. We had a blast working together and always said we wanted to do it again. So flash forward 12 years later and he's directing It's Just Sex. Mark said, 'I want you to do this play', I read it and thought it was terrific.
DC:What is the premise of It's Just Sex?
SK:The basic plot is, you have three couples who are all good friends, and are all at different places in their marriage. One night, they come up with the great idea to swap partners, which leads to life-changing, poignant, yet very funny, circumstances.
DC:Wow, sounds kinky, but then you're no stranger to kink after your role as Deacon on The Bold and the Beautiful. Is there any chance we might get to see you steaming up the sheets with some Forrester females anytime soon? SK:(Laughs) Well...you know, I don't know. They've had ample opportunity to bring me back. It was a great experience playing Deacon and I would definitely consider going back, but I am looking forward to the future. Gotta keep moving.
DC:I heard that! Well, if Deacon can't make a return visit to the fictional Los Angeles universe of the Forresters and Logans, what about him showing up in Genoa City? Your former onscreen partner-in-crime Adrienne Frantz (Amber Moore) is doing the work of her career on The Young and the Restless. Would you consider taking Deacon to the other Bell soap?
SK:I would absolutely love to do Y&R. I loved working with Adrienne. She is an amazingly-talented person. It would be great to have Amber and Deacon mixing it up again.
DC:It would be amazing! As great as Amber's crossover has been, the one thing I've always had a bit of an issue with is that she seems to have forgotten Little Eric, or Little D as Deacon renamed him when he won custody (Deacon fathered a child with Amber's cousin Becky on The Bold and the Beautiful. Amber passed the child off as her son with Rick Forrester. Once it was discovered, Deacon ultimately won custody of his son, but allowed Amber to stay in his life). That kid was such a huge part of Amber's mythology; I can't imagine she wouldn't be in touch with Little D. and Deacon.
SK:I agree.
DC:So let's talk about your other popular soap role, AJ Quartermaine on General Hospital. Have you followed the soap since you left? Were you aware that The Powers That Be decided to kill the character off?
SK:Oh yeah, I knew they killed him off. I hang out with a couple of guys from GH. Tyler Christopher (Nikolas), Derek Cheetwood (Max) and that whole gang.
DC:Was it weird for you to know AJ had been killed off?
SK:Not really. I felt bad for Billy Warlock (Warlock assumed the role of AJ after Kanan). I was sorry to see that run end for him, but I have been out of that world of GH for so long. I had a lot of fun doing that character, but I don't think their plan is to call me back anytime soon! (Laughs)
DC:One of your fellow Bold and Beautiful alums, who also co-starred in Carpool Guy with you, Rick Hearst has been on GH for a couple of years now and has a large and vocal fanbase. Any chance we'll see you two work together again? You make pretty hilarious rivals.
SK:Rick is definitely someone else I would love the opportunity to work with again. He is a brilliant actor and a great guy. I would definitely think about him for parts in any project that I produce.
DC:Speaking of producing. I recently read that Will Smith is producing an update of Karate Kid for his son Jaden to star in. Any chance we'll see you reprise your role from Karate Kid III?
SK:You know I read about that! That would be great. Who wouldn't want to work with Will Smith?
DC:Maybe Mike Barnes (the villain Kanan beat out over 2,000 actors to portray in KKIII) has a kid who could go up against Will’s son and Daniel (Ralph Macchio) could be the good kid's karate teacher?
SK:(Laughs) I love it! Ralph as the new Mr. Miyagi!
DC:Will Smith isn't the only actor producing his own projects; you recently helmed the indie movie Jack Rio, written by All My Children and Days of Our Lives alum Matthew Borlenghi and Gregori J. Martin (who also co-wrote Manhattanites with We Love Soap's Roger Newcomb). What is Jack Rio about?
SK:Jack Rio stars Matt Borlenghi in the title role, as a famous actor trying to escape the television persona that made him famous, when a string of murders start happening around him. It's a really intense, psychological thriller. There are a lot of familiar faces from daytime in the movie, like Nadia Bjorlin(Chloe, Days of Our Lives), James Patrick Stuart (ex-Will, All My Children) and Monti Sharp (ex-David, Guiding Light; ex-Justus, General Hospital). We're in the process of getting distribution.
DC:It's awesome to see so many talented people from soaps branching out and doing their own thing.
SK:You have to, that's the thing. Daytime is changing. I loved doing soaps and if the right opportunity came up, I would go back, under the right circumstances, but for right now I am content doing theater and doing my movies. I'm happy where I'm at. Who knows what's going to come next?
For information on tickets and showtimes for It's Just Sex, call 818-762-2282, or visit the Two Roads Theatre page at nohoartsdistrict.com. No patrons under 18 will be admitted. To keep up with the latest news from Sean Kanan, visit him on My Space or visit his official website. You can also learn more about Jack Rio at the official My Space designation for the flick.
Posts: 5352 | Location: New York/California | Registered: September 30, 2006
DC EXCLUSIVE: Graham Shiels Reacts to his First Number One Movie, Yes Man Submitted by Jamey Giddens on December 20, 2008 - 8:34pm.
Graham Shiels is a happy man tonight. I just told him Yes Man, the Jim Carrey laffer he has a small, but memorable role in, premiered Friday at number one at the box office,taking in $6.5 million. The movie is expected to also take the top prize for total weekend box office, with an estimated $24 million haul. We talked about his role in the movie as "The Boyfriend", then he fills me in on the fiery demise of his sex-crazed, undead character Liam on the HBO hit True Blood, and of course I couldn't let him hang up before we talked about General Hospital's popular-yet-missing-in-action Cody, not to mention the back-to-back gigs he's booking on primetime's hottest shows.
Daytime Confidential:Congratulations on Yes Man premiering at number one at the box office!
Graham Shiels:It did? Wow, that's awesome. That's definitely a first for me. Hopefully it will translate into big DVD sales and reflect in my residuals! [Laughs]
DC:I remember form our podcast interview with you, that your character, The Boyfriend, gets into a fight with Jim Carrey's character Carl right?
GS:Yeah. He [Carl] hits on my girlfriend and I challenge him to a fight. The premise of the movie is that Carl has to say "yes" to everything. So he says yes to the fight and we go out into the alley and have a brawl!
DC:Who wins?
GS:Oh I kick his ass! [Laughs] I'm really excited to see our scenes, because Jim was improvising so much. I can't wait to see what they kept! I'm sure it will be hilarious.
DC:Oh I bet. So what about True Blood? I am behind on my primetime shows, my DVR que is full! Will Liam be back next season?
GS:Oh no, Liam burned.
DC:He burned?
GS:Yep. He's dead. He's done. [Laughs]
DC:But he's a vampire. They're all dead.
GS:Good point! But as far as I know he's really dead. He was burned at the Lair.
DC:Man, that bites. So what's up with Cody? Are you coming back to General Hospital anytime soon?
GS:I haven't been at GH for a couple of months now, so I don't know what's going on with Cody, but I am totally grateful to all the fans who support the character. Who knows, maybe GH will see Yes Man and bring Cody back and have him do some comedy?
DC:Hey, it's a possibility. You survived the Russians!
GS:[Laughs] Yeah, that's definitely a good thing.
DC:So what else have you been up to?
GS:Well, let's see, I just finished an episode of CSI: New York and the first of the year I will do an episode of Numbers.
DC:Somebody better sign you to a contract fast!
GS:I appreciate that. What I would really love is to do more film comedies. Maybe a Judd Apatow film.
DC:Well when you do, we'll be the first in line at the theater!
Posts: 5352 | Location: New York/California | Registered: September 30, 2006
