The ousted writing team of General Hospital took home the WGA Award in the Daytime Serial category at ceremonies held tonight at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles! The writing honors are for excellence in motion pictures, television series and specials, new media, and video games.
The General Hospital writing team of Meg Bennett, Nathan Fissell, David Goldschmid, Robert Guza, Jr., Karen Harris, Elizabeth Korte, Mary Sue Price, Michele Val Jean, Susan Wald, and Tracey Thomson, bested teams from All My Children and The Young and the Restless to nab the prize.
Michele Val Jean, who is now writing at B&B, took to her facebook page after GH’s victory stating, “Bittersweet WGA Award win for the (decimated) writing team of General Hospital. Congrats to all my former colleagues. It was a great ride and we got one last trophy to boot.” Meanwhile, according to a tweet from Variety’s, Dave McNary, scribe Karen Harris noted in the GH acceptance speech that ABC did not buy seats for their nominated writers!
The rules for submission and judging in the daytime writing category were that each daytime drama submitted three scripts and a précis, which is a recap that covers an integrated period of time and describes what has been happening on the program, and the relationships of the characters. WGA does not comment on what episodes were submitted by the nominees. You can view the complete list of winners here.
So what do you think of the victory for the GH writing team? Let us know!
I bet the story line was that of Michael in prision and the struggle he went thru . That could be the only story line that was worthy in my opion. Its a shame they killed Abby I thought she added alot to the team of actors. Chad Duell should defenitly get the emmy for his part in the story It was well told congratulations to GH
Heather
12 years ago
While I’m happy for General Hospital, Guza does not deserve any award. This idiot has destroyed General Hospital for more than 10 years with his ridiculous-Sonny-mob-nonsense to the point that the show may very well end this year.
If there’s one thing that I must congratulate Brian Frons for, that’s his decision to get rid of Guza. Too bad he hadn’t done it long before.
Jules
12 years ago
What. A. Joke.
aria
12 years ago
It’s ironic thats for sure. I don’t dispute their talent, but they have to realize fans were not happy w/ what they were putting out. Guza only concentrated on a handful of characters yet had a cast of five times that. He didn’t get the concept of balance, they ignore the own shows rich history, and quite honestly got cocky thinking just because they had an awesome cast that they could ride of from that. They turn the show so dark and so repetitive, it was like groundhog day everyday w/ Sonny, Carly and jason, and their gang. Fans kept begging for balance and we never got it. So, michele val jean, the reason that your team finally got decimated was because your team lived in this closed box were you only listen to yourself, and forgot that there was an audience you were suppose to be writing for.
Christine (formerly known as Jenna)
12 years ago
I really don’t know what to say about this one.
When award-winning Breaking Bad wins AND the previous writing team for General Hospital, which, by most accounts, has been rife with complaints by the fans … I’m speechless and, apparently, I can’t finish my thought. 🙂
I mean Breaking Bad is kind of in a class by itself. For the most part, it has excellent writing. GH on the other hand. Maybe the WGA just likes drug cartels and mobster storylines or the other contenders didn’t submit their best work???
david
12 years ago
I can’t believe OLTL writers were not nominated. I can’t believe ABC was too cheap to buy seats for their nominated writers. ABC/Disney has to be the lowest form of corporate sleaze. They didn’t even care if GH won and garnered positive publicity? GH is finished–they have already made their decision.
toscanti
12 years ago
Another example of poor leadership helming ABC daytime!!!!!!
Debbie Hamilton
12 years ago
The GWA Award was wonderful! Kudos to the writers 🙂 I am so praying ourr beloved soaps AMC and OLTL return to us and with GH still going strong that soon we will
all be back to normal and our sad hearts will be healed.
Onward and upward General Hospital Gods Blessings to you always. We love you!
heidi
12 years ago
I think it’s great! Wish it could have been OLTL but if not them… happy it was GH! Disappointed ABC did not pay for seats for their nominated writing team! More and more it is sounding like GH is going to be stopped in the near future and I am so sad to have to worry about that. Please someone save our soaps!
Debi
12 years ago
WOW. Now that comment makes me believe it is over.
Jan
12 years ago
Lets be honest GH has been winning policitly for how many years now.
OLTL was just as good.
barbara t
12 years ago
I love the sonny corinthous show,I mean general hospital, but its boring and the writing has been bad ,do these idiots watch the soaps every day,where is the award for the writing that was done on one life to live?are you kidding me, I think that all these so called judges should have to watch the soaps every day 5 days a week because the stories on one life to live are far better then anything I have seen on general hospital in over a decade,help me here ,what story has stood out on general hospital that should get this award?the only stories are ,sonny this ,and sonny that,and the finger painting of franco,its always the same characters every day,the same recycled crap.In one year when this award comes around again,I wonder if general hospital will win .because as far as Im concerned the writers who took over gh now, are the ones who should have gotten the wga award yesterday ,or when ever they picked the winner.anyway on a brighter note ,abc are you paying attention ?
Iakovos
12 years ago
I would have expected GH to prevail over AMC and Y&R in this awards derby, especially with the assumption it was the intervention storyline that was submitted. It was riveting television and allowed excellent actors to excellent work.
Sad to hear — but not surprised — ABC did not promote the show by buying seats for its nominees (even if they are no longer on board). Where is the respect afforeded others in corporate America, including Hollywood?
Torrey
12 years ago
Too bad OLTL wasn’t on that list….where they should have been.
Debi
12 years ago
OK this is how the situation was explained to me. The writers who won, (which I can’t figure out how) were the old writing team. Now we are on to a new team.
Cancellation may not be lurking like I thought it was after I read this article.
Jared
12 years ago
Why don’t these awards decision makers watch the whole year of a soap? GH always has a decent batch of episodes that are potentially award worthy, but the show sucks 95% of the time. Long live ONE LIFE TO LIVE.
thats what I said ,I dont believe these jerks watch anything except what the actors give them to watch ,and thats the emmys ,so I dont find that to be very fair.and Like you, I agree that general hospital sucked Ill say,99% of the time ,one life to live had very good stories ,and I dont understand why they werent even in the running for a award.how can anyone read 3 scripts and be able to judge a story on that ,it takes months and months to put everything together,one life to live was my choice for best writing ,and I watched all 3 abc soaps ,I know what I saw on t v and theres no doubt in my mind that one life to live had the best stories all year.when gh is on I can leave the room ,come back a week later ,its the same sonny stuff,when oltl is on Im glued to my set from beginning to end,only get commercial breaks,and I do it in record time.dont get me wrong I love gh ,but one life to live was the best soap,and it has been for a very long time.and I dont understand why no body in the award world doesnt see that.
SS
12 years ago
LOL!!!
kay killgore
12 years ago
All I know is I watched yesterday because of this Robin storyline and I almost threw a shoe at the tube if none of you have seen it yet I will keep my mouth shut. But it stunked it up because once again it is all about Jason.As far as I am concerned I hope they bring John McBain on to kick the mob out of town once and for all. Sopranos not!!!!!
john mcbain knows how to put people in jail and keep them there,to bad bo bucannan cant help him clean up port charles for good,and I also hope that robin isnt dead ,that she walked out of there not knowing who she is.
Michelle
12 years ago
hope these new group of writers can switch things up, you can always predict whats going on with sonny, jason, sam, johnny and his crazy father/granddaddy. and especially that franco role, come on now, really! every week nothing changes. they really need to be done with that mob crap, its done, out lived itself. i’m pretty sure sonny get tired of shooting people and nothing happens to him. the writers know they can be very creative when it comes to changing storylines, but don’t change storylines thats just gonna say the same thing at the end
Looks like there is another new actor in the younger set on General Hospital. Tristan Riggs is taking over the role of Elizabeth Webber’s (Rebecca Herbst) son, Aiden.
Previously, Enzo De Angelis played the part of Liz and Lucky’s (formerly Jonathan Jackson) son since 2021. Soap Opera Digest confirmed that Riggs is now firmly in the part.
The switch happened on today’s Thursday May 2nd episode in scenes. Recently, Aiden came out as gay to him mom after admitting his interest in one of his classmates.
Photo: ABC
As Riggs begins in the part, it looks like Aiden is being bullied at school. Elizabeth is trying to get to the bottom of things and made an appointment with school counselors to find out what’s going on, after seeing his book bag had pink paint on it.
Riggs has been acting since he was 7-year-0ld and has appeared on the TV series Walker, True Lies and Best Foot Forward to name a few.
So, what do you think of Tristan Riggs as the new Aiden? Do you hope Aiden’s story becomes more front and center? Comment below.
Juliet Donenfeld is the Temporary Recast as General Hospital’s Georgie
May 2, 2024
Those who saw the GH preview for today’s May 2nd episode were a bit confused when they saw a young actress sitting with Lois (Rena Sofer) and Violet (Jophielle Love). As it turns out, that young girl is a recast Georgie.
Juliet Donenfeld is stepping into the role temporarily replacing Lily Fisher. As viewers know, Georgie is the young daughter of Maxie (Kirsten Storms) and Spinelli (Bradford Anderson) named after Maxie’s sister, Georgie who passed away.
According to Soap Opera News, Fisher will be back soon in the part.
As for Donenfeld’s credits, she has appeared as JJ in the Netflix’s WWE series The Big Show Show, Better Call Saul, Good Girls, Station 19, and Sydney to the Max to name but a few.
In addition, Juliet became the youngest nominee for an Annie Award, gaining recognition for voicing the character of Sally Squirrel in the Animated TV/Broadcast Production of Pete the Cat.
Watch today’s GH teaser below, and let us know your thoughts about Juliet as a recast Georgie via the comment section below.
‘Daytime Stands Up: A Benefit For Stand Up To Cancer’ Live Virtual Event Announced; Featuring Soap Opera Notables and Moving Tributes
May 2, 2024
Stand Up to Cancer in collaboration with Alan Locher and Michael Fairman, will come together for a a three-hour livestream benefit, Daytime Stands Up: A Benefit for Stand Up To Cancer … We All Have a Story.
Several stars from from daytime drama television past and present are scheduled to participate for an evening of stories of emotional on- and off-screen experiences with cancer, and moving tributes to beloved daytime favorites who lost their battle plus musical performances.
Daytime Stands Up: A Benefit for Stand Up To Cancer … We All Have a Story, streams live on Thursday, May 16, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET/5 to 8 pm PT simultaneously on StandUpToCancer.org and YouTube channels The Locher Room and Michael Fairman Channel.
Photos: CBS and JPI
Tune-in for cancer survivorship stories with General Hospital’s Cameron Mathison and The Young and the Restless’ Colleen Zenk, who will reflect on the impact of publicly sharing their diagnoses; 2024 Daytime Emmy nominee Eric Braeden, who shares his cancer journey as well his memories of beloved The Young and the Restless co-star Meg Bennett, who passed from cancer April 11; and more.
Moving tributes to soap stars who’ve lost their cancer battles, including: Daytime icon Jackie Zeman, who played nurse Bobbie Spencer on General Hospital for 45 years, shared by daughters Cassidy MacLeod and Lacey Gorden, a tribute to Elizabeth Hubbard who played the iconic Lucinda Walsh on As the World Turns and Dr. Althea Davis on The Doctors, as shared by her on-screen daughter Martha Byrne and real-life son Jeremy Bennett, two-time Emmy Award-winner Jerry verDorn (Guiding LightOne Life to Live), shared by widow Beth verDorn and his on-screen wife on Guiding Light, friend and co-star Liz Keife, the iconic Andrea Evans, who played Tina Lord Roberts on One Life to Live, shared by her husband Stephen G. Rodriguez and daughter Kylie Rodriguez and Kamar de los Reyes shared by his One Life to Live co-stars Michael Easton(General Hospital)Trevor St. John (The Young and the Restless).
Photo: MEastonFacebook
Poignant reflections from actors who have portrayed breast cancer survivors, including Sharon Case and Eileen Davidson from The Young and the Restless; Erika Slezak from One Life to Live; Tina Sloan and Kim Zimmer from Guiding Light and more.
Additional talent slated to participate in the virtual benefit include (*subject to change): Eddie and Kristen Alderson (One Life to Live); Elia Cantu (Days of Our Lives); The Day Players, Featuring Days of OurLives castmates Carson Boatman, Brandon Barash, Wally Kurth (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee), Eric Martsolf (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee); Kassie DePaiva (One Life to Live); Don Diamont (The Bold and the Beautiful); Linsey Godfrey (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee, Days of Our Lives); Leo Howard (Days of Our Lives); LesliKay (The Bold and the Beautiful); Eden McCoy (General Hospital); Kin Shriner (GeneralHospital); Michelle Stafford (2024 Daytime Emmy nominee, The Young and the Restless).
Courtesy/LaceyGorden
“Daytime television invites viewers into the private lives of characters, often bringing important issues like cancer screenings into living rooms and around water coolers. Soaps debuted the first cancer storyline in 1962 – years before the topic was discussed in the mainstream, and it left an indelible impact: a whole generation of women who scheduled a potentially life-saving Pap smear for the first time,” said Daytime Stands Up host Alan Locher. “For so many viewers, this brought the issue front and center,” added co-host Michael Fairman. “Today, it’s become almost impossible to avoid; but there is hope with cancer research, thanks to organizations like Stand Up To Cancer.”
SU2C Co-Founder Sue Schwartz, SU2C President and CEO Julian Adams, Ph.D., and SU2C Health Equity Committee Member Elizabeth Jaffee, M.D., will also participate to speak to the importance of early detection, exciting scientific breakthroughs, and the ongoing work yet to be done to make screenings and treatment equitable for all.
“This year, an estimated 2 million people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer, presenting an opportunity for the public to stand with us and rise to the occasion,” said Adams. “We’re thankful to Alan Locher, Michael Fairman and our friends from the daytime television community, who will raise critical funding to honor those we’ve lost – and to propel new scientific breakthroughs for current and future patients. Everyone has a story, and we’re grateful to all of you for sharing yours.”
For over 15 years, SU2C has leveraged its relationship with the entertainment community – which includes more than 1,100 celebrity ambassadors – to generate public donations, increase awareness and fund cutting-edge cancer research. SU2C research has contributed to the development of more than 10 scientific breakthroughs that have significantly impacted the field and provided new treatment options for breast, colorectal, lung, melanoma, pancreatic, pediatric and prostate cancers.
Photo: SUTC
In support of the event, SU2C will also be launching a 10-day eBay silent auction, from May 16 through 26, for fans to bid on items, including a meet-and-greet experience with the cast of NBC’s Days of Our Lives; an autographed script from the cast of Young and Restless and signed merchandise from the Bold and Beautiful cast; a 1:1 video call with General Hospital’s Cynthia Watros, Maura West and Laura Wright, and with daytime legends Robert Newman, Vincent Irizarry, Colleen Zenk, and more. Full details will be shared the evening of May 16, on Stand Up To Cancer’s website.
Are you looking forward to this very special one-night only virtual event to help benefit cancer research and shed light on the stories, performances and lives of the people we love and have loved in daytime TV? Comment below.
I’m still shocked they were nominated…
AWESOME!!!!
I bet the story line was that of Michael in prision and the struggle he went thru . That could be the only story line that was worthy in my opion. Its a shame they killed Abby I thought she added alot to the team of actors. Chad Duell should defenitly get the emmy for his part in the story It was well told congratulations to GH
While I’m happy for General Hospital, Guza does not deserve any award. This idiot has destroyed General Hospital for more than 10 years with his ridiculous-Sonny-mob-nonsense to the point that the show may very well end this year.
If there’s one thing that I must congratulate Brian Frons for, that’s his decision to get rid of Guza. Too bad he hadn’t done it long before.
What. A. Joke.
It’s ironic thats for sure. I don’t dispute their talent, but they have to realize fans were not happy w/ what they were putting out. Guza only concentrated on a handful of characters yet had a cast of five times that. He didn’t get the concept of balance, they ignore the own shows rich history, and quite honestly got cocky thinking just because they had an awesome cast that they could ride of from that. They turn the show so dark and so repetitive, it was like groundhog day everyday w/ Sonny, Carly and jason, and their gang. Fans kept begging for balance and we never got it. So, michele val jean, the reason that your team finally got decimated was because your team lived in this closed box were you only listen to yourself, and forgot that there was an audience you were suppose to be writing for.
I really don’t know what to say about this one.
When award-winning Breaking Bad wins AND the previous writing team for General Hospital, which, by most accounts, has been rife with complaints by the fans … I’m speechless and, apparently, I can’t finish my thought. 🙂
I mean Breaking Bad is kind of in a class by itself. For the most part, it has excellent writing. GH on the other hand. Maybe the WGA just likes drug cartels and mobster storylines or the other contenders didn’t submit their best work???
I can’t believe OLTL writers were not nominated. I can’t believe ABC was too cheap to buy seats for their nominated writers. ABC/Disney has to be the lowest form of corporate sleaze. They didn’t even care if GH won and garnered positive publicity? GH is finished–they have already made their decision.
Another example of poor leadership helming ABC daytime!!!!!!
The GWA Award was wonderful! Kudos to the writers 🙂 I am so praying ourr beloved soaps AMC and OLTL return to us and with GH still going strong that soon we will
all be back to normal and our sad hearts will be healed.
Onward and upward General Hospital Gods Blessings to you always. We love you!
I think it’s great! Wish it could have been OLTL but if not them… happy it was GH! Disappointed ABC did not pay for seats for their nominated writing team! More and more it is sounding like GH is going to be stopped in the near future and I am so sad to have to worry about that. Please someone save our soaps!
WOW. Now that comment makes me believe it is over.
Lets be honest GH has been winning policitly for how many years now.
OLTL was just as good.
I love the sonny corinthous show,I mean general hospital, but its boring and the writing has been bad ,do these idiots watch the soaps every day,where is the award for the writing that was done on one life to live?are you kidding me, I think that all these so called judges should have to watch the soaps every day 5 days a week because the stories on one life to live are far better then anything I have seen on general hospital in over a decade,help me here ,what story has stood out on general hospital that should get this award?the only stories are ,sonny this ,and sonny that,and the finger painting of franco,its always the same characters every day,the same recycled crap.In one year when this award comes around again,I wonder if general hospital will win .because as far as Im concerned the writers who took over gh now, are the ones who should have gotten the wga award yesterday ,or when ever they picked the winner.anyway on a brighter note ,abc are you paying attention ?
I would have expected GH to prevail over AMC and Y&R in this awards derby, especially with the assumption it was the intervention storyline that was submitted. It was riveting television and allowed excellent actors to excellent work.
Sad to hear — but not surprised — ABC did not promote the show by buying seats for its nominees (even if they are no longer on board). Where is the respect afforeded others in corporate America, including Hollywood?
Too bad OLTL wasn’t on that list….where they should have been.
OK this is how the situation was explained to me. The writers who won, (which I can’t figure out how) were the old writing team. Now we are on to a new team.
Cancellation may not be lurking like I thought it was after I read this article.
Why don’t these awards decision makers watch the whole year of a soap? GH always has a decent batch of episodes that are potentially award worthy, but the show sucks 95% of the time. Long live ONE LIFE TO LIVE.
thats what I said ,I dont believe these jerks watch anything except what the actors give them to watch ,and thats the emmys ,so I dont find that to be very fair.and Like you, I agree that general hospital sucked Ill say,99% of the time ,one life to live had very good stories ,and I dont understand why they werent even in the running for a award.how can anyone read 3 scripts and be able to judge a story on that ,it takes months and months to put everything together,one life to live was my choice for best writing ,and I watched all 3 abc soaps ,I know what I saw on t v and theres no doubt in my mind that one life to live had the best stories all year.when gh is on I can leave the room ,come back a week later ,its the same sonny stuff,when oltl is on Im glued to my set from beginning to end,only get commercial breaks,and I do it in record time.dont get me wrong I love gh ,but one life to live was the best soap,and it has been for a very long time.and I dont understand why no body in the award world doesnt see that.
LOL!!!
All I know is I watched yesterday because of this Robin storyline and I almost threw a shoe at the tube if none of you have seen it yet I will keep my mouth shut. But it stunked it up because once again it is all about Jason.As far as I am concerned I hope they bring John McBain on to kick the mob out of town once and for all. Sopranos not!!!!!
john mcbain knows how to put people in jail and keep them there,to bad bo bucannan cant help him clean up port charles for good,and I also hope that robin isnt dead ,that she walked out of there not knowing who she is.
hope these new group of writers can switch things up, you can always predict whats going on with sonny, jason, sam, johnny and his crazy father/granddaddy. and especially that franco role, come on now, really! every week nothing changes. they really need to be done with that mob crap, its done, out lived itself. i’m pretty sure sonny get tired of shooting people and nothing happens to him. the writers know they can be very creative when it comes to changing storylines, but don’t change storylines thats just gonna say the same thing at the end