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ATI's Romanovich speaks out on Daytime Emmy Telecast content decisions!
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
ATI’s, Jim Romanovich spoke to TV Guide Canada’s, Soapgeist, Nelson Branco, on this year’s Daytime Emmy Telecast. And while fans were upset over the lack of airtime for soaps, clips of the nominees, and the ATWT’s tribute, plus the insertion of an commercial for the Las Vegas Hilton inside the telecast itself, Romanovich told Branco why it all had to be done this way. Many industry insiders apparently offered their kudos f on this show being the best telecast in years. Here are a few excerpts:
Romanovich on saving the Emmys: “Perhaps what many genuine soap fans don’t realize is that the Daytime Emmys were allowed back on TV in spite of the soaps, not because of them. Had we not had a 20-minute tribute to Bandstand (which according to the ratings on the quarter hour was the spike that won the two-time period and the night for CBS) and the Las Vegas Hilton, we would have never had CBS. It would have been over. Therefore, the Daytime Emmys would have been a dinner at the Beverly Hilton. For the daytime community, that’s not a bad thing. It’s still a good, fun night for them. But what the Daytime Emmys represent by being on television is the strength of the content of daytime television. If the soaps have a chance in hell at being looked at as relevant in mainstream America, it has to be [related with what the general public considers] mainstream. As a soap fan, I’m telling you the sad facts, which is why I have worked so hard to keep the Daytime Emmys on television. The facts are that networks really have lost interest in their soaps. They are not the financial boons they used to be. What’s sadder is that if you poll most television viewers and ask them who Oprah, Judge Judy and Jerry Springer are, they know. Ask them again who Agnes Nixon, Susan Flannery and Maura West are and they don’t know. The soap opera fan alone cannot sustain the Daytime Emmys. Like all awards shows, you need entertainment as that wide net to capture as many fish as possible. If I can do that with some magic and music, while still maintain about an 80 per cent weight to the soaps, then we all win. What I’m hoping to do with the Emmys is prolong their relevance so that these six remaining shows can have a life beyond daytime TV when the Internet and à la carte television options presented to us in the near future is our only way of watching TV. That’s what I tried to do with Guiding Light. ”
Romanovich on ATI and CBS’s plan to make the show relevant in 2010: “If we never came forward and produced the Daytime Emmys in ‘09, what message would that have sent to the broadcast networks? Everything we did for the Daytime Emmys had a grand plan and last weekend was it — to make it big, on a top network, and relevant. Was it the same as 20 years ago? No, because the soaps aren’t the same (or as plentiful) as 20 years ago. As one who is doing everything for soaps I can, I will feature Lion Kings, Kabuki dancers and the roster of Motown if that’s what it takes to keep them on TV.”
Last week. the stars of The Bold and the Beautiful were in Monte-Carlo at their 65th annual TV Festival. With a full plate of: meeting the fans, attending the parties, talking with the press, and then shooting some remote scenes to air late this summer on the CBS soap, the cast had their dance cards full.
Kimberlin Brown (Sheila) sat down with the The Upcoming to give some insight into the life and times of Sheila Carter; acting on a soap for more than three decades, and a tease of what’s to come in the next few months for her character.
Brown previewed: “My producer last night shared some tidbits with me and there’s some really good stuff coming up for Sheila. It’s going to involve a little drama, a little bit of romance, and a lot of comedy.”
Photo: JPI
As B&B viewers know, Sheila wants Deacon (Sean Kanan) and Taylor (Rebecca Budig) to guarantee that she can be part of her son, Finn (Tanner Novlan) and her grandchild’s life in return for signing the divorce papers. Ultimately, will Sheila ever truly sign them? Stay tuned.
The popular star, who has made playing bad so good also added, “I mean where else can I do things that you should be in prison for? There are people at home going, ‘go, go get ’em.’ It is like they’re rooting for me, because I’m doing what maybe they want to do and would never get away with. So it’s an escape. Daytime is truly an escape.”
Speaking of the fun of playing all the plots she has involved with on daytime from her early years on The Young and the Restless to The Bold and the Beautiful, Brown noted “I think that the real joy to playing Sheila is I do things that nobody else does. And I was told when I got this part, don’t play it safe. There is no wrong. And as an actress to get a note like it just means that I can do things that nobody else can and smile about it and, you know, get away with it. Do I pay consequences? Yes, I do, but she always comes back. I’m the character that people love to hate and I’m the character that people sympathize with because all she wants is love.”
You can check out the full conversation with Kimberlin Brown below.
So, what do you hope Sheila does next? Do you think she will keep Deacon and Taylor apart? Will she get involved with someone else? Share your predictions via the comment section below.
News
Christel Khalil Reveals She Almost Quit Acting After ‘That’s So Raven’ Audition, But Then Came ‘The Young and the Restless’
The Young and the Restless fan favorite, Christel Khalil (Lily Winters) is the special guest on this week’s edition of Soapy Hosted by Rebecca Budig and Greg Rikaart which dropped today on Tuesday, June 23rd.
During the interview with Rebecca and Greg, Khalil who had played Lily Winters on-screen since August of 2002, nearly 24 years with the CBS soap, shared how early on her teenage acting career, she was ready to call it quits in show business, after a heartbreaking audition for the lead of a new Disney Channel sitcom, which later turned out to be the hit seres, That’s So Raven, starring Raven-Symoné which ran for four seasons from 2003-2007.
Christel recalled what happened. “I was 14 and I had always auditioned for all these Disney projects. So I auditioned for That’s So Raven, it was between me and Raven-Symoné and it was called at the time Absolutely Psychic,” explained Khalil. “The character was this girl who had psychic ability, but then when Raven got the role, they named the title of the show after her.”
Photo: CBS
HOW A BROTHERLY TALK CHANGED THE COURSE OF CHRISTEL’S CAREER
Reliving the disappointment to Greg and Rebecca, Christel explained, “I lost that part and I was just so devastated, because for the network call there were 20 people in the room watching me, and I just have always had such performance anxiety. I just completely bombed the audition and it was terrible. So, I was just devastated. I was actually going to quit acting and then I got the final call for The Young and The Restless and I wasn’t going to go.”
It was Khalil’s brother, who actually got her to reconsider, and if he hadn’t, we would not have our Lily Winters in Genoa City! Christel recounted, “I was like, ‘You know what? I’m done. I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m just going to hang out with my friends.’ I was just devastated. My brother, who is seven years older than me, and he had quit acting at the same age that I was at that time. He said to me, ‘I promise you, I actually really regret quitting. Just go on this audition and if you don’t get it, you can quit.'”
Christel’s screen-test for the role of Lily was actually with the late, great, Kristoff St. John who would play her father Neil (Later it was revealed to Lily, that Neil’s brother, Malcolm Winters was her bio-dad).
Photo: CBS
ACTING WAS EASY WITH THE LATE KRISTOFF ST. JOHN
“So, I went (to test for Lily) and I remember the screen-test was with Kristoff St. John. It was just so easy to act with him because he’s just so there. I remember just being on set, and that was my first time there for a screen-test where you were actually on set. I had never experienced that before. It was my first time being with an actor and having makeup done, which just helps you really be able to do your best work.”
Recalling the screen-test with the St. John, Khalil, “It was where I had to be emotional ( in the scene) and I always had issues being emotional at auditions. But I was there with him, it just came, and it happened. It was natural and I felt so good and it was amazing. It stands out in my mind a lot.”
You can check out the full Soapy conversation with Christel Khalil where she also discusses juggling motherhood, marital life, and the demands of soap operas.
Fan can listen to weekly episodes of Soapy on Audacy or wherever podcasts are available, and can watch full video episodes weekly on the CBS =Brand YouTube Channel. Whether a lifelong fan or discovering the genre for the first time, SOAPY offers a fresh, fun behind-the-scenes look at the stories – and storytellers – that define daytime drama.
Now let us know, over the years what had been your favorite Lily Winters story on Y&R as played by Christel Khalil? What did you think of of Christell’s recollection where she was up for the lead of “That’s So Raven” as a teenager, before it was even titled that? Let us know via the comment section.
This summer beginning on July 21, Netflix streams the return of WWE: Unreal for its third season. The behind the scenes docudrama series gives fans a glimpse of life in WWE and inside the writers room, as injuries, last-minute pivots, and career-defining decisions reshape WWE’s biggest event of the year, WrestleMania 42.
WWE Unreal is taking fans deeper than ever inside World Wrestling Entertainment’s creative process, The hit docuseries will once again pull back the curtain on some of the biggest moments, boldest decisions, and unforgettable storytelling with some of the WWE’s greatest legends who’ve shaped the industry and new stars who are emerging as prominent parts of the future.
In the new season of ‘Unreal’ which consists of 5 episodes at 50 minutes each: John Cena says goodbye, a fan favorite returns, and the next generation of Superstars rise to the occasion.
Photo: WWE
The cast and WWE superstars featured include: the aforementioned Cena, plus Cody Rhodes, Liv Morgan, CM Punk, AJ Lee, Trick Williams, Lash Legend, Stephanie Vaquer, Oba Femi, Bron Breakker, Chelsea Green, Matt Cardona, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch.
As previously reported AJ Lee revealed on General Hospital star Maurice Benard’s (Sonny Corinthos) mental health series, State of Mind, that she was part of the cast of WWE: Unreal.
WWE: Unreal production credits include: Directors/Showrunners: Chris Weaver and Erik Powers Executive Producers: Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ross Ketover, Keith Cossrow, Ken Rodgers, Jessica Boddy, Lee Fitting, Ben Houser, Marc Pomarico Sr. Producers: Harley Glantz, Brian Decker, Michael Flynn Producers: John Galiani, Dan Gati, Jeremy Lundblad Production Companies: Omaha Productions, NFL Films, Skydance Sports, WWE.
So, what do you think of the loglines for the new season of WWE: Unreal? Who are you most excited to see featured in the behind the scenes drama from the list of WWE superstars and the twists and turns leading into this past April’s WrestleMania 42? Let us know via the comment section below.
‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Kimberlin Brown Previews What’s Ahead for Sheila Carter
Christel Khalil Reveals She Almost Quit Acting After ‘That’s So Raven’ Audition, But Then Came ‘The Young and the Restless’
DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Marlena Looks Back at 50 Years in Salem
‘WWE: Unreal’ Season 3 Premiere Date, Cast of Superstars, Announced by Netflix
GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Carly and Lulu Make Plans to Rescue Their Children; Anna Looks Determined to Secure Her Freedom
Maurice Benard Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’ Writers; Teases Upcoming Sonny Scenes with Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric
‘General Hospital’s’ Controversial Luke and Laura Rape Episode: Writer Sheri Anderson Reveals Behind the Scenes Decisions and Admits ‘I Was Wrong’ to Defend It (Exclusive)
‘Days of Our Lives’ Eric Martsolf Recalls Moment He Learned He Was Cast as Brady Black, and Last Scenes with Drake Hogestyn (SOAPY Exclusive Preview)
GENERAL HOSPITAL Promo: Rocco’s in a Panic as Britt’s Health Takes a Turn, Chase is Called to the Carpet
Al Calderon Reflects on ‘Major Chapters’ Coming to an End on ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘Brilliant Minds’
‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Kimberlin Brown Previews What’s Ahead for Sheila Carter
Christel Khalil Reveals She Almost Quit Acting After ‘That’s So Raven’ Audition, But Then Came ‘The Young and the Restless’
‘WWE: Unreal’ Season 3 Premiere Date, Cast of Superstars, Announced by Netflix
GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Carly and Lulu Make Plans to Rescue Their Children; Anna Looks Determined to Secure Her Freedom
Deidre Hall Marks 50 Years as ‘Days of Our Lives’ Dr. Marlena Evans
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General Hospital3 days agoMaurice Benard Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’ Writers; Teases Upcoming Sonny Scenes with Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric
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General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’s’ Controversial Luke and Laura Rape Episode: Writer Sheri Anderson Reveals Behind the Scenes Decisions and Admits ‘I Was Wrong’ to Defend It (Exclusive)
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Days Of Our Lives1 week ago‘Days of Our Lives’ Eric Martsolf Recalls Moment He Learned He Was Cast as Brady Black, and Last Scenes with Drake Hogestyn (SOAPY Exclusive Preview)
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General Hospital1 week agoGENERAL HOSPITAL Promo: Rocco’s in a Panic as Britt’s Health Takes a Turn, Chase is Called to the Carpet
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Days Of Our Lives3 days agoAl Calderon Reflects on ‘Major Chapters’ Coming to an End on ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘Brilliant Minds’
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Am I the only person out here that feels a disconnect when listening to Mr. Romanovich’s claims of having the greater good of daytime television in mind when producing these past two years of Daytime Emmy telecasts? Really? Is his goal to represent the best in daytime television or is his goal to simply “air” the Daytime Emmys; because to me, he seems more concerned with the latter than with doing anything substanitive to honor those supposedly gathered.
How does he feel his telecasts represent the “strength of the content of daytime television” when a simple element as viewers aren’t even shown clips of why people are nominated leading into the awards presentation? How does he feel he “still maintains about an 80 per cent weight to the soaps” when the fact that three legendary actors (Mitchell, Reid and Wagner) passed away this year and their combined 129 years of service did not warrent a mention, yet somehow America just couldn’t live without a tour of the penthouse of the Las Vegas Hilton or an extended infomercial on Feed the Children? (People tuning-in weren’t expecting a heavy-handed public service announcement, they were expecting to see the daytime celebrated!) How does he feel “Lion Kings, Kabuki dancers and the roster of Motown” are “what it takes to keep them on TV”? If ‘them’ mean the Emmy Telecasts, that’s one thing that he definitely seems focused on … but the man ain’t ‘saving’ daytime or respecting it’s audience by green-lighting a two-minute GL tribute and a one-minute ATWT tribute! While trying to attract your ‘mainstream’ audience, you seem to be alienating your ‘core’ audience; how exactly is that good production business?
When he asks “if we never came forward and produced the Daytime Emmys in ‘09, what message would that have sent to the broadcast networks?”, it would say exactly what he already thinks: that America doesn’t consider soaps mainstream and that the networks have lost interest and it’s time to stop airing the telecasts. I say quit while you’re ahead, stop trying to produce a spectacle and return to a nice dinner/awards ceremony for the people that should be honored, produced by someone that will place a higher importance on daytime rather than trying to be all things to all people, and ending-up disappointing instead of inspiring.
Mr. Romanovich’s claims are a big pile of BS!!! I totally agree with the previous writer that they should quit while they’re ahead and go back to the nice dinner/awards ceremony where the people of DAYTIME can be honored and we’re not forced to watch an infomercial of Vegas and a hotel suite and a bunch of Vegas acts that I couldn’t care less about! Using the title DAYTIME EMMY’S as an excuse to air a Vergas informercial is a joke only it’s not funny at all!!! He has his numbers confused because Vegas took up 80%+ of the time with maybe 20% given over to daytime! And no red carpet, no Emmy reels, rushed and confused presenters, 30 second acceptance speechs, no views of the actors/nominees as their names were called and no MEMORIAL!!! SHAMEFUL AND RIDICULOUS AND A VERY POOR EXCUSE FOR WHAT THEY CALLED THE DAYTIME EMMY’S BUT CLEARLY THESE WERE NOT THE DAYTIME EMMY’S!!! This was the worse Daytime Emmy’s EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!