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The Steve Burton Interview – The Young and the Restless

Courtesy/CBS

Photo Credit: CBS

One of the biggest stars in the soap genre landed in Genoa City two and half years ago, and since that time there has been no looking back for Daytime Emmy winner and fan favorite, Steve Burton.  Playing the role of a war vet and all around good guy, Dylan McAvoy on CBS’ The Young and the Restless, and learning about his on-screen family ties has been the backdrop for plenty of drama.  After all, it turned out Dylan is the bio-child of none other than rich, and often boozing socialite, Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), and the man always on the right side of the law, Paul Williams (Doug Davidson).  But while trying to adjust to his new connections, Dylan’s former flame Avery Bailey Clark (Jessica Collins) was also in town, and the two struck up their romance that had many ups and downs.  But in the end the two parted ways, especially when it became apparent that Dylan had fallen for the often misunderstood, often troubled, but loveable and beautiful Sharon Newman (Sharon Case), who has been doing everything she can to get her life back on track.  Now Sharon is pregnant with Dylan’s child.  The question is can the duo known as “Shylan” build a family, and find happiness that will last?

On-Air On-Soaps sat down with Steve Burton to get his thoughts on the rollercoaster ride that his character has gone through in the love department of late, and to chat with him about his co-stars, past and present.  Recently, Jessica Collins finished her four year run on the series as Avery, and shared heart-tugging final scenes with Dylan.  Steve fills us in on the dramatic and emotional finish to their on-screen relationship, and moving on to work with Y&R stalwart Sharon Case as his leading lady.

During our conversation Steve teases upcoming episodes where Dylan will work very closely with Paul.  And he pays tribute to his former General Hospital cast mate, Tony Geary (Luke Spencer) as the legend ended his 37-year-run on-air this week.  Steve also reflects on the joy of being a dad for the third time, and finding a new lease on life working at The Young and the Restless.  With great candor, charm, humor, and professionalism, you can’t get much better then Mr. B.  Here’s what he shared.

MICHAEL:

Viewers of Y&R recently saw the poignant goodbye scenes between Dylan and Avery, as Jessica Collins (Avery) left the series.  Major kudos has to go to both of you.  First, for the touching performances in your final on-screen moments together, and also for having the ability to bring to a life a back-story that no one saw previously on-air … and to make it work.

STEVE:

Courtesy/CBS

It was different for me to come on and have this back-story that we didn’t know.  All we knew was that Avery (Jessica Collins) was married, and it was then, “OK, now do your scene!” (Laughs)  Jessica is an amazing actress, and an all-around anything you can ask for in a scene partner, and always willing to work.  We worked on our stuff a lot, and trusted each other.  And when you trust each other, things can happen on the stage that are not planned, or aren’t on the page.  It’s the kind of relationship we had, and obviously the goodbyes are difficult.  We hate to lose her, and I loved working with her.  It wasn’t really acting, because you are saying goodbye to someone who you have a great working relationship with.  Those are not easy scenes, in general.

MICHAEL:

Did you rehearse those scenes, or did you let them organically happen, because the emotional stakes were high, in that it was Jessica’s final scenes with you?

STEVE:

It’s weird.  The person is leaving and your relationship on the show is ending.  I learned the dialogue, of course, but I don’t really want to say it out loud till we tape.  Everybody knew it was going to be emotional.  Christian LeBlanc (Michael) and all of her friends were there, and hanging around the set.  Those scenes you have to really hold back more on than cry.  That is what we really should be doing all the time.  For me, the more difficult one was the moment in the hotel room with Joe (Scott Elrod), and Dylan kind of said goodbye to her there, first.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/CBS

The most touching moment occurred after Dylan and Avery said their goodbyes. Dylan goes behind the coffee house counter, and pulls out his journal with a beautiful picture of Avery that he has kept with him all this time, and even through the war. What did you think of that little accent on the scene that gave it even more heart?

STEVE:

Actors leave and things change. They have to figure out how to give the person a good send off, and wrap it up and button up story.  I thought the picture was actually a very nice touch.  I haven’t had the journal that Dylan writes in on camera with me, so I thought it was nice that they did that for my character when she left.

MICHAEL:

What do you think about the contentious relationship that you have built on-screen with Scott Elrod (Joe) as the thorn in Dylan’s side?

STEVE:

We have had fun doing those types of scenes.  I like punching people! (Laughs) He is very punchable. (Laughs)  Scott is a great guy.  I liked the tension between the two guys.

MICHAEL:

Courtest/CBS

So when you found out that the powers-that-be were now going to pair the character of Dylan with Sharon (Sharon Case), I am assuming you clearly saw the writing on the wall that they were going to become another major duo on the canvas?

STEVE:

You could kind of tell that they were going that way.  The two brilliant things were: Josh Griffith (former head writer, Y&R, now co-head writer DAYS) doing it when I first got here as a friendship, instead of going romantically that way in the beginning.  If he hadn’t done that, we wouldn’t have had the payoff that we do now with the way Chuck Pratt (EP and head writer, Y&R) is writing us.  And it works!  The audience seems to respond to it, and it’s working!  It’s fun, and we have a lot of great story coming up.

MICHAEL:

I think these two characters have both suffered from forms of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in different points in their lives, so they probably have a deep understanding of what tragedy and stress can do to someone, which draws them even closer.   Do you think Sharon could calm Dylan down if he has an episode of PTSD?

STEVE:

(Laughs) I am the calming element in Sharon’s life right now.  Sharon has been very stable lately, and it’s great to show that side of her.  I enjoy the pacing of what we are doing, but who knows what’s down the line … or what could be coming?

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

MICHAEL:

Is it at all hard for you to play the good guy all the time?  I know Y&R head writer Chuck Pratt Jr. does see that as one of your strengths that you are, and can play a lovable, sincere, real good guy with emotional substance.  Do you think that is what you bring to the table?

STEVE:

I think more of my personality has probably shown than I could ever do before in my role as Dylan, which is great.  I don’t want to say I am playing myself, but a lot of times I am myself.  It’s much easier for me to play this role, because I can have fun, and can joke and smile! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Sharon is pregnant, and Dylan had a very difficult time upon learning the son that he thought he had with Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan), then baby Connor, was actually Adam’s (Justin Hartley).  Because of his previous heartbreak, is there just a twinge in him that thinks that the rug could be pulled out from under him, again?

STEVE:

Courtesy/CBS

I don’t know.  Dylan wants a kid so bad.  He wants a family. That’s the one thing he wants, and the normalcy of having a family.  And with him being off to war, and coming back and having issues with how Dylan and Avery’s relationship was, and they couldn’t really get together, that was hard on him.  Joe came back into the picture, and there was never any amount of serenity at all in Dylan’s life, including finding out who his biological parents were – all of the things that have happened in his life in the last two and half years.  Sharon’s pregnant now, and we are going to go down that road, and let’s see what happens!

MICHAEL:

Y&R is much faster-paced right now than it was in recent years.  It has more action, and less traditional two-person scenes.  Which do you prefer?

STEVE:

My personal opinion does not matter, because the ratings are the ratings right now.  Number one: they are doing something right.  Number two: I don’t mind the fast pace because for a while it was very slow.  Things weren’t moving, and Chuck Pratt came in and started moving things.  I know some fans like it, and some fans don’t, but again the ratings are what they are right now, and it’s pretty impressive.  I’ve got to say, I am impressed!  For a soap to have its highest rating in five years, in the daytime landscape now … people are tuning-back in!  That’s cool!  The great thing about coming to work at Y&R is I get to come to work and focus on it, and then I get to go home, and be with my family in Nashville.

MICHAEL:

Tony Geary’s (Luke Spencer) last episode on General Hospital aired on Monday, which means it’s the end of an era for a man that broke the mold in our genre.  What can you share about your time working with Tony while at GH, and his legacy?

STEVE:

Courtesy/ABC

When I came to GH, and I don’t want to take any credit away from any other daytime person who was before Tony Geary, but Tony changed the ballgame for daytime, and changed everything.  You had this guy who was such a phenomenal actor in this space that the story he was put in with Luke and Laura (Genie Francis), and the rape, and the fact that their wedding became the most watched television event in the history of daytime … you can’t forget that!  That was in 1981, and we are now 30 years plus past that.  He changed a lot for guys like me to come along, and be on a show, and do what we do.  Tony was always a great mentor, always a great guy, and professional when you worked with him. You’ve got to step up your game when you work with Tony Geary.  I know he is really appreciated by a lot of people.  He deserves all of the accolades he gets.  Tony is just a great person, and such a cool guy that he doesn’t make you nervous.  Now, Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH) he makes you nervous! (Laughs) And he knows what I am talking about! (Laughs)  But I remember I had one scene in Luke’s bar, where we were actually short.  It was right after I became Jason Morgan, and they basically let us improv a scene, which has never happened since then in my life.  They would go, “So, this has to be kind of about this.  So just go!”  It was cool to do that with him.  I am so glad Tony gets to go to his home in Amsterdam, because we would have conversations about it all of the time.  It’s been his last year for the last 20 years (Laughs)!  He would say to me, “Yeah. I think this is it, Steve.  I am going to leave.  I think it’s time.”  And I would go, “Get out of here!  Go home, man.” (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

The incomparable Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki) plays your mother on Y&R. How was it when you first met Mel, and the two of you created this mother and son bond?

STEVE:

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

With Melody, she was, and is awesome, and was open to me immediately.  I have the same chemistry with her as I did with Leslie Charleson on GH (Monica), where no matter how long we didn’t work together, when we did, it just felt like mother and son.  Same thing with Mel.  It was just kind of there. 

MICHAEL:

Doug Davidson plays your on-screen dad.  Paul is always telling Dylan to stop getting in his way during his official police investigations! (Laughs)  How was creating the relationship with Doug as father and son?

STEVE:

It was very easy.  Doug and I are close in real life, and that was a no-brainer.  I have spent a lot of time after work with him, and I love the guy.   It’s great that he is my dad on the show, because we are going to start working together a lot coming up.  There is some good stuff we are playing that will emphasize the father and son relationship.

MICHAEL:

In real life, you and your wife Sheree welcomed your third child almost a year ago at this time.  How has it been being a dad with three kids now?  Shocking? (Laughs)

STEVE:

Courtesy/SBurtonTwitter

It was surprise baby Brooklyn!  It is awesome!  I thought it was going to be a horrible drag being older now, and having an 11-year-old and a 9-year-old, and having such a huge gap.  I was like, “I don’t know if this is going to be good, or what’s going to happen.”  It’s amazing!   The kids love having her.  It changed the dynamic in the house.  As kids get older they start doing their own thing.  They are upstairs by themselves watching movies, or hanging out, so you might not see your kids for three hours, or be hanging out with them.  But now with the baby, everybody is always together.

MICHAEL:

How is Nashville working out for you?  It seems like all your buddies have moved out there, too!

STEVE:

I love it there.  I actually have a social life there, after 43 years I figure I could have one! (Laughs)  Scott Reeves (Ex-Y&R, DAYS, GH)  is there, Jonathan Jackson (Ex-GH, now Nashville) is there, and one of my wife’s best friend’s husband, who she went to school with got a job there as an Athletic Director at a private girl’s school.  We are all there, and it’s a lot of fun.

MICHAEL:

Does your wife ever watch your work on Y&R?

STEVE:

Photo Credit: Kushalagband

No, not really.  She is usually just asking, “So what’s happening on the show now?”  And I will go, “Well, you know I am at the coffee house, and Avery’s baking cakes.” (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

What would you still like to explore with the character of Dylan?  Would you be interested to delve into more back-story about what happened to him in the war?

STEVE:

I don’t think the war thing should ever be over with.  We just haven’t gone back and addressed it.  We dabbled in it.  I don’t know if we want to get into it so deeply, but it’s always a great thing to have, from a character aspect.  Anytime something can pop up!  I would like to work more with Melody and Doug, and do the brother thing with Joshua Morrow (Nick).

MICHAEL:

Ummm, the brothers have slept with each other’s girls! (Laughs)

STEVE:

Courtesy/CBS

It’s a soap opera!  I can’t even keep track of who’s sleeping with who on this show, and who’s been where.  It’s a small city, quite honestly! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

What have been some of your personal favorite scenes you have gotten the opportunity to play during your time at Y&R thus far?

STEVE:

It seems like I have had a lot of good scenes to play since being at Y&R.  I liked going down the road a bit with PTSD, and the material with Dylan and Avery being highly emotional.  The first year when Dylan found out that Connor was not his, was amazing to get to do.  Then, I would say the reveal with Paul that he is, in fact, Dylan’s biological father.  And I would say, I liked the scenes that just aired where Dylan and Avery say goodbye.

MICHAEL:

What are your thoughts about working with the iconic Eric Braeden (Victor)?

STEVE:

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Oh, I love Eric!  He has an energy about him that you just don’t know what he is going to do in a scene.  He could say something else that’s not even on the page, and you just roll with it.  We did this one scene, and it really wasn’t on the page and it ended up being a good scene.  Eric said, “Thanks for rolling with me on that!”  And I said, “Thank you Mr. Braeden.  I will have your coffee in your room in about an hour!” (Laughs)  By the way. I paid my dues here with Joshua and Eric.  I will be serving the Newmans for the next few years! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Dylan looks to be truly in love with Sharon right now.  What are your thoughts on that, coming out of having this long-standing relationship with Avery?

STEVE:

He has a great relationship with Sharon right now, and Dylan loves her.  But I do want to say what has been unique, and this is one thing I never got to play as an actor … I never had to play that I had feelings for two women at the same time.  That is a very interesting dynamic for me, because that is so not what I was used to before.  As an actor, I found it very challenging where things weren’t really great between Dylan and Avery.  She is up with Joe taking care of this guy who is using her, and she can’t see through it.  But then there is this girl over here who is a friend, who is attractive, and wait a minute … I am feeling something here, too!  Then, there was no communication between Dylan and Avery, and there were a lot of assumptions.  Then a lot of things happened where Dylan just kept going towards Sharon, and taking care of her, and finding that she needed him.  So it was interesting, because as an actor I can see that he loves Avery, but I also could see how Sharon and he are friends, and it could be more one day … and it ended up going there.

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: Ashtonion Twitter

When Avery was raped, Dylan was just ripped up inside.  When he went to see her following that, it was just heartbreaking. What made it interesting also is that he had to leave Sharon to go check on Avery to make sure she was alright, because that it the kind of guy he is.

STEVE:

If it was even a friend, or an acquaintance of someone who got raped, I would be torn up.  And if it was someone you love and wanted to be with forever, and that happened, I would kill somebody.  I get goose bumps now thinking about when Dylan saw her for the first time after she was raped.  It was also how Jessica played it, too.  And you are right, Michael, at that point you could see that Dylan was leaning towards Sharon.  Then all of a sudden the rape happened!  He was like, “I’ve got to go over there and take care of Avery real quick.”  He likes to take care of people!  I don’t know if this is a serial bad habit (laughs), or a good thing?

MICHAEL:

So for all the Shylan fans out there, can you tell them that this relationship has legs?

STEVE:

I believe it does.  It’s a love story.  I don’t see any other way it would go right now. Working with Sharon Case (Sharon) is fun, and she is never in a bad mood   She has a very positive outlook on life.  I am in good hands at Y&R, and I know I have said it a million times, but it’s true.  The cast and the crew have been so welcoming.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/Pinterest

In closing, when you look back at when it was announced that you were coming to Y&R and showed up at this fantastic new place for you to work, you don’t think anyone was going, “Oh, God!  Burton’s coming?” (Laughs)

STEVE:

Well, I am sure a lot were, because someone new was coming on to the show, and I am not joking when I say, I started over here.  It’s great, and making that transition, and going to Nashville, and coming here has turned out to have been life-changing for me, personally.  Once there was an end, there was a new beginning for me.  I could not be more grateful.

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This is one great interview Michael and Steve…..thanks from Beautiful BC.

I doubt I could ever enjoy Dylan and Sharon
as a couple! They lack chemistry that way in
my opinion. Some say they are good together,
but I am not seeing it, and in fact, I can see
Sharon just dragging him down soon enough.

I like Steve Burton a lot, and glad he seems
so happy on the soap and in his life in general.

I do not see Steve and Sharon together

thx michal

luv Dylan n Sharon ,

I have long been a fan of Steve & Sharon albeit on different shows,I am still a fan of both.Thx.for the interview.

Great interview. Steve sounds like a good person to be around. Liked what he said about Shylan being a love story.

Awesome interview! Steve is doing an amazing job on Y&R! So glad he’s there. Love his on screen chemistry with so many. Especially loving what he and Sharon Case are bringing together on screen with Shylan!

Great interview and the good buy scenes between Dylan & Avery were heart breaking ,love Steve Burton and will Miss Jessica Collins. Thanks for the interview.

Thanks for the interview Micheal. Love Steve’s comment about the scene in the hotel room, I could see Steve’s true emotion coming out there as he fought to get the words out, it was similar to when he was interviewed when he left GH.. I love all the scenes he does with Paul, you can see they are comfortable with one another. I just hope that with his relationship with Sharon the writers mix romance with the angst. I have been disappointed with recent scenes the way the cut off and leave us hanging in the romance department.

I, too, love Steve and Doug’s scenes as son/father. I LOVE that Dylan in Nikki and Paul’s bio-son. Their scenes are seamless and they really seem to care for each other as a new-found family. Great acting all around by Steve, Doug and Melody.

Thank you BOTH, Michael & Steve, for this wonderful, candid, insightful interview! Although I’m a total Shylan “shipper,” as I’ve said before, I don’t care who Dylan is with, as long as Steve Burton is in the role & happy playing him!

nice interview michael – thank you!

Ah, loved this interview, Mr Fairman–thank you.
Steve Burton has the bluest eyes in show business and he has a self effacing humor which comes through in both his interviews and in his acting.
I enjoyed what he said about Tony Geary and Eric Braeden.

PS. Is it me, or does Donald Trump remind anyone else of Victor Newman? I mean, think about it—Trump had a dark mustache and a German accent, he’d morph into Victor Newman.

I like that Dylan and Sharon are together and seeing sharon happy again and not bothering anyone else. Let her and Dylan move on the interview was great!!

U R right on! This guy picked up & carries it away! He conquered Victor (Eric)for Lord sake! A bit, just a bit of that JASON control we all love & know…he’ll never loose that! Loosing Avery, huge mistake, HUGE..Jessica Collins was a shining force, clean upstanding character the writers can’t figure out, or deal with AND she can COOK!!! Like the writers think we didn’t appreciate the recipes?………Sad we lost her, she and Phylis would have made such a perfect sounding board…worth a million in my book…AND so it goes, THEY just don’t listen!
…..BURTON Love Sam & Liz a bet??? Kinda 4got, huh! Huh! U look like Jeter too by the way! Not a bad thing! Love U more thAn my luggage too by the way!

No I disagree trump is loud and a pompous ass. Victor is low key and very controlling. Trump is a shiowoff. Victor is for his family and himself. Trump is out to try and conquer the world

One thing came to mind while reading this interview. Burton says he was finally given the opportunity to play a man in love with two women (Avery and Sharon) at the same time on Y&R.
When he played Jason Morgan, I clearly recall him being in love with both Lizzy and Sam at the same time.

Yes u r correct and I likes Jason much more on gh. On y&r he seems rto flounder between stories on gh he seemed more confident and solid

A Huge Big Thanks for this interview, Mr. Fairman and Steve Burton. I have been a viewer of Y&R only through the years of 1980’s, 1990’s, and 2000’s basically. So, only have watch this actor, Steve Burton, until he joined the cast of Y&R. I instantly love this actor SB as Dylan and how he met Sharon literally bumping into each others at Crimson Lights and the first person he became acquainted with after he arrived in a new place. How Dylan became friends with both Sharon and Faith are one of my favorite storyline and how Faith was smitten with Dylan and how he found her after getting lost in the woods and how he kissed Faith to get her to wake up was one of the endearing scenes between Dylan and Faith and how they bonded ever since. Sharon has been disappointed and treated horribly by her ex-husband and childhood love, Nick Newman, and taking Faith away from her or taking away the 50/50 custody was not necessary. I really hope Sharon and Faith have a happy ending with Dylan and that Sharon will finally have some sense of security and a future with a life with Dylan, Faith, and possibly a baby in the future. So, loving Shylan and happy to see my favorites Sharon and Dylan and of course Faith. Thanks again for this interview.

Hate Sharon but I love me some Steve so I’m trying to hang in there; just really bummed he’s stuck with Sharon now since she’s pregnant.

Great interview. I’m so glad he’s still on daytime so I can get my daily fix. I do wish they’d stop making him such a bully though. They are making him one note and Dylan has so much more to offer than kissing Sharon’s butt and punching people. I want some depth to the character. I keep praying things will change. He was actually more likeable when he was with Chelsea but they always make him appear to be dumb.

I watched Steve Burton for a very long time on GH and I’ve been watching him as Dylan on Young and the Restless and I’m sorry to say his character has lost the edge which, in my opinion has made him very boring to watch. He is a way better actor on General Hospital then he is on Young and the Restless the two don’t even begin to compare

Yes I agree

This is one leading man who is better than the average soap actor. Someone like Sharon can match and challenge him and they have great chemistry. I hope the writers let them marry and have a normal family unit.

Nice interview, Michael. I love Shylan and how this relationship began as friends. I remember wanting Sharon and Dylan to be siblings when he first came to Genoa City. I was still holding out for a permanent Shick reunion. Once that was torched with the terrible writing of the paternity story line, and Nick’s refusal to ever stand by Sharon, my desire for that couple was over. Shylan is the most root-worthy couple on Y&R. These writers have been known the throw a rock to a drowning man so I truly hope they don’t eff this story up.

Go Shylan!

Steve is a great guy. I would love to meet him. I just dont see or remember anything that he has done on Y&R that is memorable, YET!

Great interview Michael. Steve comes across as a really genuine person. Been a fan of his since he started GH. I’ve gone to 2 of his concerts of Port Chuck and all of them seem great. I wish them all the best. I will say I’m not a fan of Sharon/Dylan as a pairing. Sharon should be a much stronger character.

I really enjoyed this interview. SB seems to be a great guy and I really enjoy watching him on the Y & R.
I am hoping that they will give him more of a story and get him out of the coffee shop more often. It seems such a waste of his talent.

Yes he needs to ho back to gh

I’m happy to know someone agrees with me. Let the real Jason come back!

For some strange reason, TJ’s mother who is actually playing a FED on GH is actually Keesha Ward. I just had that strange feeling. I read a peice of article a few years ago with the possibility that GH was trying to recast members of the Ward family who was active in the 1990s. Senaiti Ashanti who played Keesha Ward was starting out her acting career and I thought she was brilliant. But I didn’t think GH writers were not ready to have a black female playing a major role with an upcoming white actor during that time. Then, Steve Burton wanted to play a meaner role in order to keep his job as an actor. However, GH still could’ve built Keesha ward’s character as time progressed. That was the 1990s. This the second decade of the millinium and a lot has changed since. It would be nice to see Keesha again; even if another black female actress can sell the role. What do you think?

What do you think about that? GH ratings will go through the roof!

What? Keehsa who once dated Jason Q.? Oh, remember that and you’re wright. GH writers were racist back in the 1990s. I don’t think They would put them together becouse Jason is a different person; even back then. That shit wouldn’t work and Keesha has been off the rador for over 20 years. She would too old to play that role and Sam McCall got Jasom Morgan’s heart. He is can’t remember who is is right now.

I loved the Keesha Ward and Jason Q pairing but I don’t see the new Jason being able to pull it off and the only reason this last year of storyline and the bug reveal was set was so that the Liason fans could get the Liz Jason pairing they have always wanted and still somehow honor the JaSam fans as well. I didn’t buy the Patrick and Sam thing but Liason could have worked if he didn’t care about being his old self. Honestly I would like to see a different actor play Jason sense Steve is likely never to return. He moved to Nashville. That was nail in the coffin on staying at GH. But Billy Miller is not doing it for me. He’s the complete opposite of Jason Morgan. Hes super expressive in emotional scenes but in a ackward way. Hes very in your face when he talks and he leans ALOT. Jason was stoic and seemingly unresponsive in very important scenes. I think the leaning and super ackward closeness he gets in scenes is Billy’s way of trying to hide nerves when working with veteran actors that have more of a role in his story than he does right now. I’d like to see JaSam but apart of me just wished they left him dead. STEVE had an incredible chemistry with all of those actors that flowed very naturally. Romance can’t be forced and it looks like that’s exactly what they are doing to please the crowd. That being the case I wish this Jason turned out to be a clone or something because he doesn’t do it for me in this character at all. I don’t think he can do JaSam justice and Liason is over. Let them all move on. Keesha would be great with Rick I think. I’d also like to see her and Carl become friends and also complicate things for Sonny the Jeromes and the Quartermaines. She could be great and also would make a great catalyst for bringing back Robin to PC with Anna’s help and hunting down Jerry Jacks. She could be a very key player if the writers would make the effort

Agree with you on many of your points. I just am not feeling nuJason or Billy. He is not Jason and I don’t want Jason to just be a normal guy. He was the most unique character on daytime. It’s like they have just wiped away his brain damage or something but he still is not like JQ. He’s a new character. I don’t want to see Jasam because I’m still pissed that Sam has not paid for her past. Most of the town doesn’t even know what she did to little Jake. She was never publicly exposed like Liz always is. That should have never been forgotten. Heck Jason even remember or know about that tidbit but every one of Liz’s sins is exposed. They even had Sam joke about sleeping with men and conning them. Ewww. Jason should have never gotten back with her because it was a slap in the face of his son who he willingly walked away from. So, I have no desire to see them. They bored me. I just don’t like the Jake character at all. He was a bump on the log for most of the time since he appeared. They are forcing everything. I agree with that for sure.

I see what you mean, but the only reason Jason Q. lost his memory, was due to a car accident that his brother AJ caused. He was a jealous kid who resented his parents for favoring Jason over him. However, he actually loved Keesha while struggling with alcohol addiction. I think they should have work things out and got married. I also thought the Quartemaines were more comfortable with AJ having someone to simpathize with him and not them directly deal with that issue. I can also understand why AJ statred drinking.

AJ started drinking before Jason came into the picture. He was away at boarding school. His drinking at the time had nothing to do with Jason. Understandable or not, he trashed his own life. He could have made different choices and manned up but he didn’t.

Dam, You have a good memory of that show back then. I’m impressed. I agree, The Quartermaine were a little prejudice and they didn’t want their “prize Jason” be with a black girl. I remember when Jason and Keesha went to Paris and how the 2 families were shocked and did not want them to go. I loved it because I know how white viewers react to that kind of thing. ha! ha!

The Shylan story is being well played and obviously baby Sullivan is either going to turn out to be Cristian Newman or he will be taken away or kidnapped or something. It’s Faith”s storyline all over again when she was born so it’s not a surprise that she’s living at the house now that Sullivan is there. I hope that means eventually Dylan and Sharon will somehow split. Maybe the PTSD thing will come up again for both of them and they just won’t be able to find their way back. I want Dylan with someone younger and more interesting. Sharon is beautiful and interesting but in a more old fashion sense. They made Steve lose wait so the character could look younger but then they’ve paired him with women that seem to be in the early 40”s stage. Sharonville has teenage an adult kids. I’d like to see him with a mid to late 20 something with a bit of a wilder or troublemaker side. I’m not saying another Sam McCall, been there done that, but this playing house thing is boring. Maybe a younger girl with no kids and a one nightstand or something simple and it starts out where she can’t stand that’s he’s so nice and always trying to help her. Maybe she resents him or something. But Steve has the chops to do pretty much anything except play the antagonist. He can make it work. Right him into a corner and then let him struggle with getting out if it. Adam is a perfect example. He tries to do what’s right sometimes but he makes huge mistakes. I’d like to see a lit more that way with Dylan but less evil

The baby story line is unbelievably cruel. I’m not enjoying it at all. That will be 3 babies that Dylan has lost—enough already. I also find Shylan believable as friends but do not have good sexual chem at all. It seems so forced and they don’t look really comfortable together. Dylan is supposed to be in his 40’s. The math wouldn’t work if he wasn’t. Sharon is supposed to be around 40. They sorased the kids but not the adults. I think mid 20’s would be way to young for him, but I would love to see him with someone in their 30’s. They need to give Dylan more layers. They had him blindly kissing Sharon’s butt and it made him look like an idiot. He never follows directions (Paul) and it makes him look stupid. I’m tired of them making him look brainless. You’re telling me that no one but the crazy person Patty noticed that Sharon didn’t have a belly? Really? He barely gave Sharon a 2nd thought while she was in Fairview. The writing was so horrible. Please break Sharon and Dylan up. They are just not lighting up the screen. They do nothing for me and give Dylan his brain back.

I like Steve Burton the actor . I liked him better on General Hospital though.
I wish he had not left General Hospital . I would like to see him back on General Hospital someday . Maybe it is wishful thinking on my part.

He is a good actor though.

Steve Burton is one of the best emotional actors

Steve Burton is one of the best actors on the young an the restless I hope he don’t leave the show, as I stated one of the best emotional actors on the show bar none thanks

I wouldn’t Mind if Steve came back to Gh…he can come back to Gh and be the real Jason…and be surprise to see Sam is pregnant by the guy posing as Jason Morgan

Yes bring him back to Gh ..and let Sam Morgan be
Pregnant by Billy Miller…that will be a good storyline

Interviews

The Young and the Restless’ Michael Damian On Christine/Danny/Phyllis: “It’s a Fun Triangle Story That They’re Having Us Do, Because It’s Very Retro”

This week on The Young and the Restless, while Danny (Michael Damian) and Christine (Lauralee Bell) hit the sheets, and Phyllis (Michele Stafford) sets off an alarm as payback (literally!), the top-rated CBS soap opera continues to weave the tale of these three characters decades later, finding themselves in very familiar territory with each other.

We know that Christine and Phyllis are basically, mortal enemies, while Danny, who has been the man in the middle, has had a past with both women. However, it is Christine who has been, for all intent and purposes the love of his life.  But, will Phyllis’ machinations make it near to impossible for Danny and Christine to be together? Stay tuned.

Last week, Michael and his real-life wife, Janeen Damian visited the Michael Fairman Channel promoting their #1 streaming film on Netflix, Irish Wish starring Lindsay Lohan. The film was produced by the Damians, while Janeen directed it and co-wrote the romantic story. Michael is featured on the Irish Wish soundtrack performing his track, Wild Irish Heart.

Photo: Netflix

During the conversation, Michael shared what it has been like revisiting the Christine/Danny/Phyllis triangle years later. Damian addressed the fans on the livestream, who inquired. “It’s a fun triangle story that they’re having us do, because it’s very retro. And I think it’s fun to bring that nostalgia, retro thing back.”

Photo: JPI

Recalling a tender moment between Danny on the piano alone with Christine (during the standalone episode which honored Lauralee Bell’s 40th anniversary with Y&R), Michael expressed, “I think what they’re doing is so smart, and they’re reconnecting a lot of the fans to a lot of the story. I mean, we’re talking years and years of story.”

Photo: JPI

The longtime Y&R fan favorite, added, “I’m really glad they did the thing on the piano because people have been asking, ‘Why are you not doing any music? Why are you not singing? Where’s your band?’ You know what I mean? Janeen is asking the same thing, ‘Why aren’t you singing something on the show?’ The last time I sang on the show was when we thought Phyllis was dead. So, you know, that didn’t count. (Laughs)

One of the funniest moment in the revisiting of the triangle occurred when Phyllis and Christine were arguing over Danny, and he was right there in the room with them. The two women got so engrossed in their fight, they forgot he was there, and thus he walked out of the room.

Photo: JPI

Michael revealed, he liked that scene too! “They’re fighting. They’re arguing and Danny’s like, ‘Listen, I’m over here. Please stop it.” And then they don’t stop,” Damian recalled. “And so Danny just grabs his coat, picks up his sheet music, because he was working on a song. He goes to the door. In the scene, I even look back to see if they are even noticing me leave, and then I just left. That one was pretty funny. I’ll be honest. I was laughing out in the hallway when I left. I was thinking, ‘Should I slam the door? But then if I slam the door, they still have dialogue.’ They’re still talking and they would’ve turned, and then it would’ve ruined it. So, I just gently closed the door and left.

Photo: JPI

During the livestream, Damian teased he has some upcoming scenes with longtime Y&R co-star Beth Maitland (Traci), “I just worked with Beth Maitland actually the other day, and that was really fun. I can’t wait for people to see that show.”

Check out the the Michael Fairman Channel chat with Michael and Janeen Damian below.

Now, let us know, are you rooting for Danny and Christine? Do you think Phyllis will continue to be a disruptor in this relationship and somehow worm her way back into Dannys good graces? Share your thoughts in the comment section. But first check out this sneak peek for this week’s Y&R featuring the trio.

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Days Of Our Lives

Days of our Lives Star Blake Berris Chats On the Everett Lynch/Bobby Stein Mystery, Working with His New Co-Stars, and the Last Christmas Episode with Bill Hayes

On Days of our Lives, the return of Blake Berris is making for some very intriguing drama, with the audience guessing just which way the story will go.

When Berris arrived back on Days of our Lives, after previously playing Nick Fallon, he was taking on the new role of Everett Lynch, who has a past with Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein) and Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu). Only, as it has been revealed, the past he had with Jada was under the name “Bobby Stein,” who from what we can tell was far from a nice guy.

Blake visited the Michael Fairman Channel for a livestream interview this week, where fans in the live chat were weighing-on what could be the truth about the guy – is he a split personality suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder? Did the accident that cost him a year of his life in a coma, never happen? Recently, someone set fire to the beloved Horton house. Fans are suspecting it would have been “Bobby” who is working for Clyde Weston (James Read). Others believe that Everett/Bobby could actually be Clyde’s son. With upcoming therapy sessions with Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) about to start, things are about to get more juicy in Salem.

Photo: JPI

Here are just a few excerpts from our conversation with Blake on a myriad of Everett/Bobby subjects. Make sure to check out the full interview for more.

Did you know that they were going to make Everett Lynch a Jewish character? This is only the second time in the history of the show that they have even had a Jewish character on the canvas. Didn’t they reveal this at the Horton family Christmas episode?

BLAKE: No, they never asked me. I am half-Jewish on my dad’s side. There was never like, ‘You’re Jewish, right? We can call you Jewish on the show?’ At the Horton Christmas, “They made a real point of it, yeah.”

And now the new ‘character’ is “Bobby Stein” …

BLAKE: “Right, and that suggests more Jewish, and then Lynch must be coming from somewhere else, maybe the mother. I was so curious because I think the show has been historically, I’m gonna say, Catholic more than like Wasps. With the Bradys there’s this sort of Irish influence, and then the DiMeras, that’s Italian. So, we’ve got Catholics sort of on both sides that are dominant. Now I, “represent”.

Photo: JPI

What has it been like working with Abigail Klein?

BLAKE: I think she is extraordinary. We start off sort of frosty, or she’s frosty with me, like she doesn’t want to let me in. And then, for a while things are going really well. I just could not adore Abigail more. She’s such a good actor. I could always rely on her to bring me back into a scene and be there in this emotionally, supportive way.

Photo: JPI

Everett and Chad seemed to be becoming friend-ish, when all went awry when at the PCPD interrogation room, Everett let him know about Elia and Bobby Stein, and Chad let him have it for worming his way back in to Stephanie’s life.

BLAKE: Billy would call us the ‘disgusting brothers’ and that’s a reference from Succession, because all of a sudden they’re just so chummy with each other. It’s like all of a sudden we just had this like ‘Bernstein and Woodward’, sort of dynamic duo. I think that Everett really started to think of Chad as a friend and feels sort of disappointed, and he feels, “Oh, it’s that easy? I just needed to have some other identity and now you’re a fair-weather friend?”‘

Photo: JPI

In recent scenes, Jada sees Bobby Stein for the first time, and we see you and Elia Cantu share scenes with each other for the first time. What is it like working with Elia?

BLAKE: She’s fire, man. She comes in hot and she tells you the way it’s going to be. I think early on, we were trying to suss each other out and the more we worked together, the more comfortable you get with somebody. I think actors do this sometimes with each other; if there’s spice on screen, you like to keep some of what you have on-screen in your (real-life) interactions because it helps … it helps the work.  Eventually, we just sort of wore each other down and we’re like, ‘I actually totally get you, and you’re great.'”

Did you know that they were going to make Everett Lynch a Jewish character? This is only the second time in the history of the show that they have even had a Jewish character and didn’t they reveal this at the Horton family Christmas episode?

BLAKE: No, they never asked me. I am half-Jewish on my dad’s side. There was never like, ‘You’re Jewish, right? We can call you Jewish on the show?’ At the Horton Christmas, “They made a real point of it, yeah.”

And now the new ‘character’ is “Bobby Stein” …

BLAKE: “Right, and that suggests more Jewish, and then Lynch must be coming from somewhere else, maybe the mother. I was so curious because I think the show has been historically, I’m gonna say, Catholic more than like Wasps. With the Bradys there’s this sort of Irish influence, and then the DiMeras, that’s Italian. So we’ve got Catholics sort of on both sides that are dominant. Now I, “represent”.

Photo: JPI

You were on set and in the annual Horton Christmas episode which sadly marked the last for Days of our Lives legendary Bill Hayes, who passed away in January of this year.  What do you recall of that tape day?

BLAKE: It was the Christmas episode when we were watching Susan (Julie) and Bill, say ‘Merry Christmas.’  And there was something about it that just felt like it could be the last time. I mean, it wrecked us all on set. Bill gets so choked up and there was something really profound about the moment. They kiss each other as they have so many times before on the show. It was just beautiful. It felt beautiful to be there for that last Christmas. He’s just such an icon. Every time I’d see him, he was so with it … he knew my name, he knew his lines. What an incredible, incredible man.

Photo: JPI

Fans will get to see Everett in therapy sessions with Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall)? Would you say she is helping the guy?

BLAKE: Deidre’s always making jokes about Marlena, ‘She’s the worst therapist in the world’ (Laughs) I remember in the first therapy session, we almost couldn’t get through the scenes because it’s just so clear that Everett has a litany of very profound psychological issues that he is going to have to work through. He’ll keep coming back. This guy’s gonna pay the bills!

Photo: JPI

Viewers are waiting to see how they mystery of Everett Lynch/Bobby Stein plays out. What can you say as a tease for what’s to come?

BLAKE: As far as a tease, I would say, you have all these characters sort of, trying to wake up the ‘sleeping giant’ in a way. I think it’s safe to say that like if you poke a bear, the bear might wake up.

Watch the livestream chat with Blake in full below.

Now let us know, what do you think is going with Everett/Bobby? What has happened to him in his past? Share your theories in the comment section below, and make sure to catch Days of our Lives next week on Peacock for more to his story.

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Interviews

Y&R’s Melody Thomas Scott Talks on 45 Years as Nikki Newman, the Keys to Playing Drunk, And Those Genoa City Relationships

February is ‘Nikki Newman Month’ in soapland as the The Young and the Restless iconic Melody Thomas Scott celebrates her 45th anniversary in her leading role.

My how time flies! Nikki has had numerous marriages, and some to the same man, battled her addiction to alcohol too many times to count (and we loved it all), and faced so much heartache in the process.

Currently, on all-new episodes of the top-rated CBS daytime drama series, Nikki can’t quite get a grip as Jordan (Colleen Zenk) is out there and in the middle of her next master plot to make Nikki suffer, all the while Nikki is drinking again. Thanks to the heinous plot concocted by Jordan and Claire (Hayley Erin) that revealed itself last November.

Photo: JPI

In a special conversation for You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel, Melody shared her thoughts on a myriad of subjects including: her current story, those long tape days at Victor and Nikki’s weddings, why she plays drunk better than anyone on television, plus we take a mini-deep dive into Nikki’s past.

Y&R fans were stunned when the powers-that-be had Nikki kidnapped and then hooked her up to an IV of booze. Just how much did Melody know of the story going in? She elaborated, “I knew Nikki would be terrorized. That’s all that I knew. I thought that sounded like great fun. I didn’t know for a little bit that she was going to fall off the wagon in the process of it. And then when I heard how it would happen, I was thrilled to bits. I did kind of want to have a little leader (or crawl) down at the bottom of the screen saying, ‘Hey, people don’t put an IV with vodka in your arm because that will kill you.’ But, poetic license, I suppose.”

Photo: JPI

Melody also weighed-in on if she thinks Nikki will stop drinking anytime soon, expressing, “She just can’t get out of this. Then of course, Jordan’s not letting her out very easily. Just when Nikki thinks she is mentally strong enough to never take another drink, well, of course she does, because something else happens. I think it’s also a learning point for people who are watching the show who may have an addiction problem. Now, I could be wrong, but I think it’d be highly unusual for somebody to be just mentally strong to be able to stop.”

If you wondered if Melody enjoys playing a drunk Nikki, look no more, “I do. That’s simply for selfish reasons,” she shared. “That’s for my enjoyment. I take great pleasure in it. It’s fun for me, and just the process of pretending to be drunk. I love the end result. I try not to do too much because there’s nothing worse when an actor is overplaying drunk. So you have to kind of keep it a little bit underneath (the surface). However, sometimes because of Jordan, Nikki does get much sloppier than I normally would play it.”

Photo: JPI

In recent episodes, it seems that Jack (Peter Bergman) and Nikki are gravitating more to each other, as both are drawn together through their shared experiences with addiction. Victor (Eric Braeden) is not happy that his arch-nemesis is helping Nikki try to stay sober. Could Melody see Jack and Nikki becoming romantic again? “I love Peter. I mean, Peter was my second favorite husband on Y&R. It would be wonderful, but I don’t know if the fans would go for that,” she explained. “They’re so invested in Niktor that I think they would really be upset about that unless Victor did something really crummy, then I could buy that.”

Photo: JPI

One of the more ‘out there’ stories during Melody’s 45-year run, was when Nikki was paired with Crazy Edward, and he took her home to meet his mother … who was in an urn! You would think maybe Melody didn’t like the story .. but think again! “Bill Bell (co-creator, Y&R) was writing the show in those days, and Bill kept that information pretty tight. I don’t remember us knowing even a week in advance. Maybe, we would get our scripts, three or four days in advance and that was it. You knew nothing about future story, but I loved the story,” she raved. “It was almost Hitchcockian, shall we say. The actor who played Crazy Edward, Paul Tulley was so magnificent and such a sweetheart. We loved working with each other so much, but man, when that red light came on the camera, he scared the you-know-what out of me. He was absolutely terrifying. But then, the minute the scene was over, we’re fooling around and laughing and everything. He was so good. So good!”

Photo: JPI

According to Melody, the pairing of Victor and Nikki was not something she, nor Eric Braeden, initially thought would made sense: “I was a little terrified when I heard that he and I would be doing scenes. I thought, ‘What, what?’ He also wondered, ‘What am I going to be doing working with that young kid, that snotty kid?’ We had no idea what Bill Bell saw. He had a vision with us and somehow knew that we would have chemistry. It didn’t take Bill long to show us in the scripts why he put us together. Then, we started to see it. Although, it was hard to imagine at first, certainly we knew it worked by the time Nikki had baby number one during the ‘Who’s the father?’ storyline. Nikki and Victor weren’t even married yet. So, we did figure it out pretty early on.”

Photo: JPI

From her early years as Nikki Reed, Melody reflected back on some major story points in her character’s history, relating, “I actually did like her in the very beginning when she was just a little brat living with her sister and her father, who of course ended up trying to rape her…  and she had hit him over the head with a lamp … and he died. I did not care for the stripping storyline at all. Only because I knew that I didn’t have the natural dancing ability. I wasn’t fluid enough to really look good up there stripping. I know they hired wonderful choreographers and everything for me, but I just didn’t feel worthy of being up there … I guess is what it was. Of course, now I look back on it and I think, ‘Oh, I guess it wasn’t too bad.’ Later, there was a strip she did in the Colonnade Room. At the time, she was married to Jack. Victor’s sitting there with some other woman and she’s drunk. I saw that scene recently, and I thought it was great. I didn’t at the time, but looking back, I thought, ‘Wow, that was good.'”

Photo: CBS

Watch the full 45th anniversary conversation with Melody below.

Now let us know, are you enjoying Nikki being back on the bottle? Would you want to see Jack and Nikki try their relationship one more time? What has been your favorite storyline of Melody’s over the last 45 years on Y&R.  Let us know in the comment section.

 

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Video Du Jour

Peter Reckell returns for a second visit with Michael Fairman following the wrap-up of his recent run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives.Leave A Comment

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