WEEKEND SUDS FLASHES
Eric Braeden agrees to pay cut! Reckell and Alfonso on 30 Rock!
• Breathe easy, Canadian Y&R fans — we can all exhale now. This past Friday, Eric Braeden, who has played Victor Newman on the show since 1980, has re-signed with daytime TV’s No. 1 soap opera. “All’s well that end’s well,” Braeden told EW.com Friday. “Both sides were reasonable. We were both satisfied with the outcome. This business is tough.” Meanwhile, CBS released the following statement: “We’re very happy that Eric will be remaining with The Young and the Restless. Victor Newman has been an important part of the Genoa City canvas for nearly 30 years, and we know our audience will be tuning in to see what his plans are next.” Y&R mistress, Maria Arena Bell, released her own statement, as well: “We are thrilled to have Eric Braeden continue as the one and only Victor Newman. We look forward to his timely return … and we are delighted that Eric will continue his extraordinary work on Y&R.” The Emmy winner will last air on Oct. 30 in Canada. At press time, no return date was available but viewers can expect about a two-month wait for the Mustache to return to Genoa City.
• Crystal Chappell who? Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso are getting their own moment in the sun, thank you very much! Recently, Reckell revealed to BuzzWorthy Radio that the DAYS super-couple will be featured on an upcoming episode of 30 Rock. Congrats!
• Which AMC fan favourite is in talks to reprise her popular role for a short-term stint?
ANATOMY OF A CONTRACT SCANDAL
A dossier on Eric Braeden’s highly publicized ouster
1. Sony informs Y&R to brace themselves — they will force daytime superstar Eric Braeden to take a pay cut in the middle of his contract. “Everyone run for their lives!”
2. Y&R prepares for the inevitable onslaught by penning an exit storyline for their most popular character just in case Braeden bolts. As extra insurance, they devise a hackneyed storyline in which viewers will “hopefully” turn against The Mustache.
3. Rumours are leaked via Sony/CBS that Y&R is planning to either recast Victor Newman and/or create a new Victor Newman clone, Tucker. The press takes the bait.
4. Braeden denies rumours that he’s leaving the show because he has not been notified of the contract re-negotiations.
5. A cold, dry email is composed to inform a shocked-and-awed Braeden that he will have to take the mandatory pay cut without negotiation and face-to-face time with execs in the middle of his contract.
6. Furious, Braeden quits.
7. He tapes his last show on Y&R and gives an emotional goodbye speech to cast and crew. That sound you hear? A pin dropping.
8. Braeden goes on an exclusive interview press tour announcing why he quit and exposes Sony’s strong-arm tactics. The mainstream press pays attention.
9. After two weeks, Braeden announces to EW.com that he has ceased negotiations with Sony.
10. Rumours leak that Y&R has cast Tucker with a prime-time actor. CBS refuses to confirm the casting news.
11. A few days later, Braeden calls Sony and accepts the $500,000 pay cut.
12. Sony waits days before contacting and cementing the deal with Braeden.
13. This past Friday, Braeden and Sony strike a three-year contract.
Big Lesson? Who knew a soap star earned $1.5 million in this day and age?! Under this new contract, Braeden will now earn a million dollars.
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CASTING CORNER
Who should play daytime’s elite in a film?
Brian Frons — Alec Baldwin
Barbara Bloom — Sarah Palin
Ken Corday — Mel Gibson
Chuck Pratt — Ricky Gervais
Julie Hanan Carruthers — Julianna Margulies
Christopher Goutman — Hugh Laurie
Bradley Bell — Aaron Eckhart
Gary Tomlin — Woody Allen
Dena Higley — Glenn Close
Bob Guza — Paul Giamatti
Jill Farren Phelps — Linda Dano
Ellen Wheeler — Anne Heche
David Kreizman — Steve Carell
Frank Valentini — Adrian Pasdar
Ron Carlivati — Adrien Brody
Maria Arena Bell — Edie Falco
Hogan Sheffer — James Gandolfini
Scott Hamner — Larry David
Paul Rauch — Jack Nicholson
Agnes Nixon — Herself |
THE NELSON RATINGS
Can’t watch all the soaps this week? No worries — here’s a cheat sheet!
Top 3 Soaps to Watch:
1. Days of our Lives, NBC/Global
2. One Life To Live, ABC
3. As The World Turns, CBS
Top Show to Boycott:
1. All My Children, ABC/A
Top 3 Storylines to Watch:
1. The Madame Returns, DAYS
2. Cane Kills Abel, World Turns
3. Something Pink This Way Comes, One Life
Top 5 Actresses to Watch:
1. Crystal Chappell (Carly, DAYS)
2. Louise Sorel (Vivian, DAYS)
3. Terri Colombino (Katie, World Turns)
4. Florencia Lozano (Téa, One Life)
5. Eileen Davidson (Ashley, Y&R)
Top 5 Actors to Watch:
1. Jonathan Jackson (Lucky, GH)
2. Billy Miller (Billy, Y&R)
3. Austin Peck (Brad, World Turns)
4. James Scott (EJ, DAYS)
5. Michael Park (Jack, World Turns)
Top 3 Most Entertaining Performers:
1. Robin Strasser (Dorian, One Life)
—tie —Tuc Watkins (David, One Life)
3. Amanda Setton (Kim, One Life)
Top 3 Duos to Watch:
1. Carly and Bo, DAYS
2. Brad and Katie, World Turns
3. Todd and Téa, One Life
Top 3 Rivals:
1. Sami and Stefano, DAYS
2. Viki and Dorian, One Life
3. Blair and Téa, One Life
Top 3 Triangles to Watch:
1. Téa /Todd/Blair, One Life
2. Carly/Bo/Hope, DAYS
3. Nikki/Victor/Ashley, Y&R
Top 3 Guilty Pleasures:
1. AMC-free soap diet!
2. Y&R’s Adam admitting to that slut, Sharon, he’s gay for pay!
3. Sarah Brown’s camptastic final performances on GH!
Top 3 Families To Watch:
1. The Snyders, World Turns
2. The Cramers, One Life
3. The DiMeras, DAYS
Top 3 New-ish Duos To Watch (can they just do it already!):
1. Fish and Kyle, One Life
2. Layla and Cristian, One Life
3. Kate and Stefano, DAYS
Top 3 Cougars:
1. Barbara Ryan, World Turns
2. Jackie Marone, B&B
3. Dorian Lord, One Life
Top 3 Duos To Avoid Like the Plague:
1. Steffy and anyone, B&B
2. Greg and Rachel, One Life
3. Bo and Nora, One Life
Top 3 Recasts To Watch:
1. Jonathan Jackson (Lucky, GH)
2. Michael Lowry (Ross, One Life)
3. Lindsay Hartley (Ari, DAYS)
Top 3 Young Actors:
1. Eddie Alderson (Matthew, One Life)
2. Drew Garrett (Michael, GH)
3. Carmen LePorto (Jack, One Life)
Top 3 Biggest Wastes of Talent:
1. Carolyn Hennesy (Diane, GH)
2. Greg Rikaart (Kevin, Y&R)
3. Christian LeBlanc (Michael, Y&R)
Top 3 Hair Models:
1. Denise Vasi (Randi, AMC)
2. Jackie MacInnes Wood (Steffy, B&B)
3. Stephanie Gatschet (Madison, AMC)
Top 3 Soap Magazine Covers (based on art direction):
1. Soap Opera Weekly — One Life’s Bo and Nora/DAYS News
2. Soap Opera Digest — November Sweeps Preview
3. Soaps In Depth — Y&R’s Adam and Sharon!
Top 3 Best Reads/Buys at the Newsstand:
1. Soap Opera Weekly
2. Soap Opera Digest
3. CBS Soaps In Depth
Top 3 Soap Moments To Watch:
1. Tuesday: The “real” Lucky returns on GH! “Dude, why are you shorter?” asks Luke. “And Christian?”
2. Thursday: B&B’s Brooke makes Bill an offer. “Please, for the sake of humanity, allow me to dress you,” she pleads.
3. Thursday: Y&R’s Victor visits Colleen’s grave. The Mustache says, “Like, omigod, Colleen, like, thanks for totally, like, saving my life. You totally gwat that?”
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Nelson Branco is a Toronto freelance entertainment journalist, who regularly contributes to Hello! Canada, The National Post, The Los Angeles Times' theenvelope.com, TV Guide USA, tvguide.com, Inside Entertainment, OUT, and fab magazine, along with spearheading the soap coverage for TVGuide.ca's popular daytime TV hub. After graduating from Ryerson University in 1997, he moved from Toronto to New York in 1998 to take on the roles as senior news editor at Soap Opera Update. Branco first freelanced for Soap Opera Weekly as an intern in 1994, and after leaving Soap Update to help create and launch Bauer Publishing's In Touch Weekly in 2003, Branco continued to freelance occasionally for its sister publication, Soaps In Depth. Most recently, he helped create and launch Canada's first celebrity magazine, Weekly Scoop in 2005 as its news and entertainment director. Branco is also a contributor to a new TV show titled Planet Soap to air in Canada and America.
