All My Children
Daytime Emmy Telecast gets fried by L.A. Times!
The reviews and feedback are coming in on last night’s Daytime Emmy Telecast on CBS which already has many soap fans and viewers in an uproar who have posted comments all over the Internet. Of note to them was: that the show was only a commercial from Vegas, there was way to much time spent on the charitable angle, that Oprah Winfrey had a huge salute and tribute segment only to not be present herself, and that there were no clip packages of nominated performances in the the soap opera categories. And that is just for starters!
Well now today, The Los Angeles Times seems to be in agreement, and has taken the whole production to task citing their review title as Daytime television deserves much better than the Daytime Emmys. Here are some excerpts below!
“From the opening act featuring host Wayne Brady dancing with JabbaWockeez, to in-show advertisements and plugs for Vegas hotels, travel show host Laura McKenzie doing a bit that would have been more appropriate for 4 a.m. on a My Network TV affiliate and having Penn & Teller present an award, it was clear that actually recognizing the stars of daytime television was going to play second fiddle to squeezing a few tourism and travel ad dollars out of Sin City.
At a time when many daytime soaps are struggling, one would think that the folks behind its biggest award show would be interested in highlighting the hard work that goes into making soap operas. Perhaps give the fans of this fading genre a look at some stars. While many soap stars were on hand, their work wasn’t. Apparently, unlike the Oscars and Prime Time Emmys, which actually show clips of the shows up for awards, that’s not how the folks behind the Daytime Emmys roll. It’s a slap to the producers and actors to deny them a platform to show the very work that this show purports to be saluting.”
So the L.A. Times gave their opinion, now its your turn, soapers. What did you think of this year’s Daytime Emmy Telecast? Let us know!
All My Children
Eva LaRue Talks On Her Daytime Emmy Nomination, And Opens Up About The Loss Of John Callahan
For Eva LaRue, the past two months have been some of the most emotionally gut-wrenching and challenging of her life, following the passing of her ex-husband, father of her child, and dearest friend, John Callahan (Ex-Edmund, All My Children). The outpouring of support she has received not only from her former AMC cast mates, but the soap world in general illustrates just how dear Eva is to all of us, and how many people had special memories of their time with John.
While mourning the loss of Callahan along with their daughter, Kaya, there was some heartwarming and re-affirming news that any actress would love to hear. Eva was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in the Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series for her work as Celeste Rosales on CBS’ The Young and the Restless, and she is great company as her former AMC co-star Michael E. Knight (Ex-Tad) is also nominated along with her for his work on General Hospital.
The coronavirus pandemic has hit our country and world hard, but through it All My Children virtual reunions emerged as fans were engaged by the content, transported to happier times that brought them back to familiar faces in Pine Valley in which Eva participated along with her good friends, Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos and so many more, thanks to the EW. com weeklong event which concluded on Friday.
Michael Fairman TV talked with Eva in this very candid, at times heartbreaking, and open conversation where she shares details into the final days of her beloved John, her last moments with him, and how she tried to plan a memorial in his honor during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For so many of us, 2020 has certainly seen more lows then highs, but in the end for Eva, to receive a nomination now (an award she was last nominated for back in 1997 as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her work as Dr Maria Santos on All My Children) couldn’t have come at a better time. Here now is our conversation with Eva.
Photo: JPI
I’ve been thinking so much about you. I’m glad we could do this, and in the midst of the tragedy of losing John Callahan, and then receiving a Daytime Emmy nomination. What was your reaction when you learned you were nominated in a category with none other than your former AMC castmate and good friend, Michael E. Knight (Ex-Tad, AMC, now Martin, GH)?
EVA: Oh, I know! He’s the first person I texted! I was like, “Congratulations, Michael! Did you ever in a million years think that you and I would be in the same category of anything?” Then I said, “And when you win this, can I just borrow it for the weekend just to dress it up and take pictures with it… just want to borrow it, just babysit the trophy for a weekend, please?” (Laughs)
Photo: JPI
What did you end up submitting that landed you the nomination for your role as Celeste on Y&R?
EVA: I submitted a scene with Peter Bergman (Jack, Y&R), who I have been friends for 30 years, if not more, and in all that time we had never worked together. I met him when I was married to John O’Hurley (Ex- Dr. James Grainger) because John was over at The Young and the Restless at the time. I went to a Christmas party with John to Peter and Mariellen’s house, and do you know who else was there? Lisa Rinna (Ex-Billie, Days), and it was before she had gotten Days of Our Lives. She was dating Peter Barton (Ex-Scott Grainger, Y&R) at the time. We both ended up on soaps at the same time. So, I submitted a scene with Peter, who is amazing, warm and open and such a great actor. Then I submitted a scene with my on-screen daughter Sasha Calle (Lola, Y&R) – I love that girl, and another one with Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, Y&R) who has also been my great friend for a couple of decades. The other scene I put on my reel was with me and Jordi Vilasuso (Rey, Y&R) who I also adore. He is awesome and such a sweetheart. I only had two months worth of material to draw upon. So, I just submitted the scenes that I liked the best, and they all were within story, and all made sense.
Photo: Getty Images
Where is Celeste supposed to be now?
EVA: She went back to Florida, and that was that. I would never say never to anything, but it was always supposed to be a short stint, and it was great.
So not only is it you and Michael E. Knight, but Jeffery Vincent Parise, Chrishell Stause, and Elissa Kapneck. This Guest Performer category is loaded!
EVA: I know! I know and love, Chrishell (Ex-Amanda) because we worked together on All My Children, too, right before I left, and she is a doll. She just might be the sweetest, kindest, girl on the planet. She literally might be the sweetest person who ever lived! I don’t know the other two nominees personally. So, I’m excited for them too. It’s such a diverse category. It’s just really fun to be nominated with all of them.
Photo: Hallmark Channel
You were nominated before, though, for your work as Maria on All My Chldren during the emotional baby switch storyline; working opposite Susan Lucci (Ex-Erica) for a lot in it.
EVA: Yes. I was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for All My Children, and I was nominated for Best Original Song. I wrote a song when Maria came ‘back from the dead’ to All My Children, with a producer friend of mine from Miami Sound Machine.
Photo: Live with Kelly Ryan
So, you’ve been doing all of these All My Children virtual reunions, which is so interesting that in this pandemic, people are looking for content, and they dip back into these beloved shows. Was it fun doing the EW.com Santos Family reunion with everybody?
EVA: Oh yeah, it was really, really fun. I only saw in the big picture everybody else’s photo who was a part of it, and the people who I actually do hang out with the most, and see the most, and talk to the most, are Kelly Ripa (Ex-Hayley), Mark Consuelos (Ex-Mateo), and Sydney Penny (Ex-Julia). I don’t see Sydney as much, but I do see her probably once every two years at least, but Sarah Michelle Geller (ExKendall) I see all the time and talk to all the time. Kelly, Mark, and Sarah are the ones who walked me through that first week when John Callahan passed. They literally were on the phone with me, the three of them, almost every day, but I got beautiful outreach, from what seemed like everyone. This is when no matter how many years have passed since you have been in daytime, that the daytime family as a group – there used to be fifteen shows, now there are four – and people have bounced around and they are on other shows- – but the entire soap opera community reached out, I cannot even tell you how much that meant to me. It was overwhelming, and it was really, spectacularly beautiful.
Photo: JPI
I hope it was some solace to you knowing how much people loved John, and also that they love and care so deeply for you.
EVA: I mean, people who did not even work with John reached out. Every soap was represented by getting a hold of me, sending a text or a phone call, or if they didn’t have my personal information, they tweeted, or whatever it was… literally from every reach of soapdom. It was amazing.
And your relationship with John was amazing with all of the ups and downs you went through; that you remained such dear friends.
EVA: We remained really great friends all the way.
Photo: JPI
I so remember when the two of you first got together and it was this storybook real life soap couple romance. John was always so sweet to me. I was so, so sad, and you know, my heart just broke for you.
EVA: I think it was just such a shock. I don’t think anybody, and even Kaya were talking about it, because she graduated this week, and her dad is not here. We’re not having a graduation, because of COVID-19, which sucks on top of it, but we were just kind of talking through the feelings of it. She said, “You know what’s weird? I guess I never pictured dad getting old, and I always wondered why, and now I know.” When I would get on John about his heart or his health, he used to always say, ‘Oh, don’t worry Evala, (he always called me “Evala”). I’m going to be here. I’m going to be here a long time. I’m fine. I’m going to be here to walk Kaya down the aisle and see her kids and all that. Stop worrying,” Every time he said it to me, something in my gut said, “I don’t think he is. I don’t think he is,” but I always just dismissed that. But never in my wildest dreams did I think John wouldn’t make it to her high school graduation. He was only 66.
Photo: JPI
I had heard you ended up running to Palm Springs to be near John. I can’t even imagine what that must have been like.
EVA: The only good thing about this pandemic is that we had been shut down for only two weeks at that point. Kaya and I got in the car. John had some heart procedures the day before, on a Thursday. I called him in the morning before he went in for the procedure. I said, “Call me as soon as you get out of there. Call me as soon as you come-to again, and you’re good,” and he said, “Okay, I will.” I said, “I’m going to send Kaya out to you on Friday for the weekend, just so you have somebody to hang out and watch you, and I might come out too,” And then, I said, “Maybe, I’ll come down too in case you are feeling weak, just to watch out for you for the weekend.” So, he called me after the procedure. I said, “I cannot believe they sent you home! You just had some major heart stuff done.” He said, “Oh no, they said I’m fine. It was just run-of-the-mill heart stuff, angiogram…” I was like, “Are you sure?” He said, “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just tired. I’m going to go to sleep.” I said, “Do you want me to send Kaya out tonight?” and he was like, “No, no, no. Send her tomorrow.” So, in the morning, I called him at 9:00am. No answer. I texted him. He always texted me like Johnny on the spot, and then texts me immediately back. So, I call him again at 10. Nothing. His best friend calls me about a half-hour later, “Hey, I talked to John at about 8:00 this morning. He said he was feeling really, really shitty and was going to go back to the hospital, and then, I texted him again at like 8:30 to just tell him something, and he hasn’t texted me back, and he always texts me immediately back.” I said, “Oh my, God, I’ve been trying to get a hold of him for two hours; he hasn’t texted me back,” I said, “You know what, I’ll call you back.” So, I called his friend who lives down the street from John, and I said, “Go to his house, please right this second, knock on the door, jump the fence, knock on his bedroom, he might be asleep, I don’t know.” So, he gets there, nobody is answering. I said, “Break into the house please. So, he did, and John was collapsed in the bathroom. They called the paramedics, and as soon as they called me back and said, “John is unresponsive in the bathroom,” Kaya and I threw everything in the car, and what usually takes us two and a half hours without traffic, we made it down there from Los Angeles in an hour and forty-five minutes.
Photo: JPI
I don’t know how you made it down there in one piece. Thank, God!
EVA: I drove so fast, like literally broke all land speed records and thank God because we got there just in time. He was in emergency. He hadn’t been put up in ICU yet, where we wouldn’t have been able to see him. They weren’t going to let us in the hospital. Thank God the person answering the door was an All My Children fan. She was the one saying, “Sorry, no one is allowed in the hospital, no one can come in,” and I was like, “No, no, no, my ex-husband just came in.” She said, “Was it Edmund?” and I said, “Yes, it was Edmund!” She said, “Okay, follow me.” Thank God for All My Children. Thank God. So, we followed this woman secretly, and we get to spend a half-hour with him in Emergency. He was already on life-support, totally unresponsive, but we got to play John his favorite music, we got to just sit there and hold his hand and talk to him, and tell him how much we loved him. Sarah Michelle Gellar called right when we were in the hospital in Emergency, and she said, “Put the phone by his ear,” so I put the phone by his ear, and she talked to John too, and she told him how much she loved him. She used to always call him “GP”, which was short of grandpa, because she came on the show when she was 15, and she didn’t have a dad, and John acted like a dad to her – but she used to always call him “grandpa”, and he hated “grandpa”, so he was like, “You can call me “GP”, but not grandpa,” so she always called him GP. I just put the phone by John’s ear, and what was crazy is that when she talked to him, his feet started twitching. He started moving his feet. Then, when Kaya was talking to him about Yankee season, he started moving his feet. We were kind of hopeful that something was changing for the better. We had about a half-hour with him, and then, they took him up to ICU, and then, we knew we couldn’t see him again. They called us later that night that he had passed.
Photo: JPI
I am just so thankful that you got to see John one last time.
EVA: I thank God every day that we got to say goodbye, because if we hadn’t gotten there in time to say goodbye, I just don’t know.
It’s very rare that a couple after a divorce, who have a child, and went from romance to dear friends, end up maintaining that relationship so many years later in their lives. I know so many people who were together at one point in their lives, for years, and they don’t even talk to each other now.
EVA: Well, you know, like any divorce, the first four years afterwards were super contentious but then, by year five, we kind of had this major breakthrough, and from then on, he was one of my closest friends, and one of the things we always kept alive for each other was we loved to dance together. We fell in love, I think, dancing because originally our characters on AMC met at this country-western bar, and we had to take country line dancing lessons on the show. They hired a choreographer for us so that during those scenes where we were falling in love, we would actually be able to do a two-step! So, we went out and practiced at Denim and Diamonds, which was a big country-western place in New York City at the time. We used to go out with a whole group of us. It was me, and Teresa Blake (Ex-Gloria) and Kelly Ripa, and her boyfriend at the time, Winsor Harmon (Ex-Del), sometimes Walt Willey (Ex-Jack); we just had a whole crew of us who would go out country dancing. John and I also loved singing together. He had the most amazing gravely kind of rockstar voice, but his real talent was harmonizing. He could harmonize to anything. So, when he would come over, we would sit in the kitchen and sing, and sing, and sing until the late hours because that’s what we loved to do, and that’s what he loved to do. That’s one of my favorite last memories of us. He was just over the month before, and Kaya’s bedroom is near the kitchen, so she came out and was like, “Can you two shut up?” It was like two in the morning and we were still singing in the kitchen. (Laughs) John was my dear friend and my confidant.
Photo: ABC
Were you able to have some kind of service during this stay-at-home pandemic we are all dealing with, in order to mourn the loss of John?
EVA: It’s been so crazy. We couldn’t even have a funeral. That’s what made it all the more heartbreaking. There were less than twenty of us, and we just got on a Zoom call and memorialized John. I thought we were going to do a big Zoom memorial, but it seemed so overwhelming and so impersonal, it just was rubbing us wrong in every way. Every way we were looking at it, we were like, “Oh my, God, we just can’t.” We wanted to invite everybody he had ever worked with, and we were like, “No, we want to do that when everything can open back up again, and invite every person, and have a party” because John was always the life of every party. Maybe we can do that in the fall or next year. I kept trying to write something for the small memorial we did do for three days. I kept coming back to this one song, because John was always the consummate bartender, too. I sang a song that Bette Midler sang on the very last episode of Johnny Carson. It was “One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)” and it’s about a bartender who has got a big personality and a lot to say. I changed some of the words around a bit just to reflect who John was, and so, I ended up singing for it instead of speaking. We always talked about that last episode of Carson; how stunningly emotional it was when Bette sang that song to kind of sing Johnny off for of all of his years on the air. So, that’s what I did and because we loved to sing together, it just made sense.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
I do think you touched upon something, earlier, too. I don’t think any other genre would have that kind of unbridled camaraderie. It’s such a family, like you said. I don’t think you would find that quite like this; certainly in show business.
EVA: I really don’t think you can. Even though there is always a good amount of competition in the soaps as well; between the soaps it’s like they are any sports team, but there is always a level of respect, love, and familial connection within the community. I think that is why they have stood the test of time. I really do think that is what hooks our audience, that is what keeps them there after all of these years, even though unfortunately the genre is antiquated looking, there is something about it that is nostalgic, familial, and comfortable for people.
Photo: JPI
Every time I talk about All My Children, why do you think everybody go ga-ga for it, when it’s been off the air for several years now?
EVA: It speaks to people’s childhoods. It speaks to how we grew up. You can’t undo nostalgia. You can’t. It’s in the way we grew up, the things we loved, the things that we scheduled our lives around, the people we fell in love with on the shows that we watched, who we cared about and loved their storylines. I grew up watching All My Children, General Hospital, and Days of Our Lives.
It must have been a spectacular moment for you when you realized you were actually in Pine Valley and a member of the cast of All My Children then?
EVA: It was amazing. I was a fan when I got the show. I was a straight up fan. I fangirled walking through that dressing room hallway for the first time! I was trying to keep it in check, but you know … (Laughs)
Photo: JPI
So, in closing, you would say, “Thrilled to be nominated”?
EVA: Yes. So fun. It has really been a rollercoaster of a couple of months here. That nomination was literally the bright, shining spot in all of this.
So, happy to hear Eva is in the running for a Daytime Emmy? Were you moved by Eva’s sentiments she shared on her relationship with the late John Callahan? Do you miss Pine Valley’s Dr. Maria Santos? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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Robin86
June 20, 2011 at 11:05 pm
My Nephew had an award ceremony in which he received an “golden statute” for Student of the year. I think the Emmy could have learned a thing or two from the elementary ceremony…
cinnamon
June 20, 2011 at 11:06 pm
I was really disappointed in them. There were no clips for anything to do with the soaps. I didn’t mind all the charity stuff but everything could of been something about the soaps that were being cancelled. Or even just showing clips of the Soaps in General. Best part about theEmmy’s was when Galen Gering and Ari Zucker were presenting the award for youngest actress. I think the last time I thought there did show clips was two years ago. Then the Emmy’s were good. There was no tribulation to anyone that passed away or even to the soaps that are being cancelled.
Angela White
June 20, 2011 at 11:08 pm
The daytime emmy’s was ridiculous! It showcased Vegas, Oprah and the talk shows, but gave NO RESPECT to the soaps that made Daytime! They didn’t even show the daytime stars during the telecast. Way to show your support of our beloved shows. Even the tribute to Susan Lucci, was saturated with the talk show and game show stuff.
I wanted to see the clips that the stars submitted. How about a tribute to the Soaps, showcasing the history of them? It just goes to show, Daytime gets no respect!
melissa
June 20, 2011 at 11:10 pm
They sucked glad I recorded it so I could fast forward though most of it
kathy tatum
June 20, 2011 at 11:19 pm
That was the worst Emmy show I have ever watched. It was an insult to the soap actors. Never mind they never showed them in the audience but when the nonimees were annouced, they weren’t shown either. Jonathan Jackson”s award was a joke by Penn & Teller. This is serious to us. Then the Elvis thing which maybe good in Vegas but not on this show. Ok now the Oprah tribute…why? She wasn’t even there. She wasn’t daytime…the soaps are daytime. It was a slap in the face to daytime and I don’t remember when the show wasn’t about the soaps. Pat Sajek and Alex Trebek didn’t need to get awards this awards this years. They’re not going anywhere. It was an insult to the soap community. I was happy about Laura and Jonathan Jackson but that was about it.
t
Kate
June 20, 2011 at 11:28 pm
Honestly, this year’s Daytime Emmy telecast was such a disgrace to the hard work and talent of the daytime community, specifically the soap actors. It’s bad enough that nominee clips weren’t shown, but viewers didn’t even get screen shots of the nominees before or (reaction shots) after the award was announced. Further disappointing is the fact that some nominees were already waiting backstage for their award (i.e. Maria Arena Bell); I think the winners of these categories were denied the experience of walking through the group of people that make their show happen; they were denied the opportunity to wade through their cast and crew while receiving hugs and congratulations from their colleagues. It was pretty much blink-and-you-missed it as awards were being presented; theme songs were barely played because actors had to haul ass to the stage to receive Emmys. It seriously seemed like presenters and award recipients were being herded like cattle on and off the stage. How many years have fans been waiting for Scott Clifton to FINALLY pick up the gold he so truly deserves,only to have him worrying about not having adequate time to say his thank-yous in his acceptance? Two foundational dramatic serials faced “forced retirement” as apathetic host Wayne Brady announced, yet The Emmy telecast did absolutely NOTHING to honor the contributions these shows have made to both the industry and society. Oprah received a special award yet she couldn’t even be bothered to show up in person to accept. This telecast was an utter disgrace and a disappointment, to the hardworking, talented, and generous daytime community of actors, and they deserve FAR better than what fronted as an awards show this past Sunday night. Thanks.
Laura
June 24, 2011 at 9:04 pm
I absolutely agree. It didn’t seem to be much about the soaps at all. We hardly saw any of our soap stars.
And why did Oprah get a, what seemed like a 30 minute tribute for 25 years. ATWT, was on 54 years, AMC and OLTL have also been on much longer than Oprah.
I will continue to watch the two remaining CBS soaps, for whatever time they are on. The way shows have been cancelled, that may not be long. I will boycott whatever CBS replaces them with and I will continue boycotting the two shows that replaced ATWT AND GL.
Ann Curry
July 3, 2011 at 10:21 pm
I agree. It is futile, but I will not watch the Talk, no matter who is on. The game show that replaced GL..would never watch something like that anyway.
I am trying to stay with YR til the end.
Fiona
June 21, 2011 at 12:54 am
The soap stars and daytime television deserved better than what the Emmy’s gave them. SL’s “tribute” was a joke. It was a mockery of everything she and soaps stand for. Their disrespect toward the daytime community is astounding. Just because it is daytime tv doesn’t mean they don’t deserve their hardwork being noticed and appreciated. The only person to get respect was Oprah, and she wasn’t even there. The 38th Daytime Emmy’s broadcast was a travesty.
ethel
June 21, 2011 at 3:52 am
well what can i say – it was the most awful daytime emmy show i have ever seen – what in the hell were the producers thinking?!?!?!?!?!
it was truly a slap in the face to all soap opera performers & salt in the wounds to us soap opera fans.
ethel
June 21, 2011 at 4:04 am
and i for got about that comment from wayne brady about oltl, amc & erica being forced into retirement – that was so uncalled for!!!
Lisa
June 21, 2011 at 4:26 am
My guess is that the only way that the producers could get enough money to produce the show is to make it a travelogue of Las Vegas with financial contributions from that City’s businesses. The soap world would have been better off without being part of such a “tribute”. It is a real indication of how the networks and the entertainment community feel about soaps – what a slap in the face.
shawn
June 21, 2011 at 4:50 am
it pretty much stunk..the way people came off on that show was fake and was like they didn’t even care..one life to live got shafted and it was mostly bold and the beautiful that got the attention which was wrong..it was great seeing amc and general hospital get something but it all just seemed fake
Kelly
June 21, 2011 at 5:43 am
I submitted a comment yesterday stating pretty much all of the above! I was VERY disappointed and felt so bad for the actors and actresses that work so hard. The fact that there were NO clips of their outstanding work just boggled my mind, plus it seemed like they even rushed thru the nominees in each category. This is such a big night for our soap stars and they should’ve been celebrated!! I was really offended with the winners having to rush thru their acceptance speeches because they took up so much time on everything else. The opening of the show had NOTHING to do with anything daytime! I’ve always loved it in the past when the host puts themselves in soap scenes with our stars and makes us laugh! I really wanted James Scott to win for Lead Actor because he’s AMAZING, so that just made the night even worse!
sus
June 21, 2011 at 5:54 am
I didn’t mind the charitable organization angle at all. Daytime in it’s heyday always did a good job of bringing attention to issues that are larger than ourselves. But the show seemed to push what the networks want daytime to be; cheaply made talk shows (the Oprah thing was just too long, and too much) and game shows, and not what the real daytime audience, the core daytime fans wanted to be honored, their daytime dramas. It appears there were tons of stars there that we didn’t even get a glimpse of…. the acceptance speeches were so short, that it seemed disrespectful to these great actors (they seemed so rushed and flustered to get off the stage in 5 seconds). A few tweeters expressed their desire to actually see the clips the actors were nominated for, when we found out they were not available, and we were told that is not what the emmy audience wants to see. Seemed to be pushing the network agenda just when the audience doesn’t want to be swallowing what they are dishing out.
Luke
June 21, 2011 at 6:14 am
I agree with every word of the Times review of the Daytime Emmy show –
it was flat out insulting to Daytime actors and Daytime fans –
They might as well not have it next year if that is the best they can do –
it was so embarrassing to watch that I felt bad for the actors who were there, the smart ones skipped it.
Ellen
June 21, 2011 at 6:18 am
I agree 100% with the LA Times, and am happy that they took the Daytime Emmys to task on it!!!! I was so looking forward to watching the broadcast and ended up being extremely disappointed, as it seemed more like a live advertisement for Las Vegas, as opposed to a celebration of daytime television. What happened to the days where we (the fans) were able to see snippets of the clips the stars entered, when their names were read during the nominations, as well as the clips from each of the top nominated shows? How do we expect to get more interest back into the soaps if we don’t take advantage of shows, such as the Daytime Emmys to showcase all the talent in our beloved genre? This was a blown opportunity in showcasing our soaps, and a ridiculous ad for Las Vegas!!!!! Don’t get me wrong, I think Vegas is great, but this was not the platform to promote it.
Andrea Dawson
June 21, 2011 at 6:34 am
It was a horrible insult to daytime and daytime fans!
Judy
June 21, 2011 at 6:36 am
It was the worst Daytime Emmy show ever.. We were not interested in Smiles Trains, a Salute of Oprah, honoring game shows hosts , shows in Las Vegas and the rest of the traveloge that make no sense to Daytime. Soap stars work so hard to accomplish these awards and they didnt even have time to speak or show clips of what they submitted to win. Bring the awards back to Radio City in New York.
Kelly
June 21, 2011 at 1:06 pm
I totally agree……..BRING THE DAYTIME EMMYS BACK TO NEW YORK!!!
Judy
June 21, 2011 at 5:14 pm
Here, here! Radio City Music Hall was THE BEST! It’s been downhill since the award show left New York. First Hollywood then Vegas. It just got progressively worse.
Lily
June 21, 2011 at 6:37 am
I agree. Jim Romanovich and ATI need to step away from the Daytime Emmys. This wasn’t a love letter to daytime or its fans. I would have preferred the Emmys were transmitted on the web that didn’t require commercial sponsorship.
Michael Jenkins
June 21, 2011 at 6:54 am
It was the worst Emmy`s I ever watched!
Wanda Williams
June 21, 2011 at 7:48 am
I have always looked forward to watching the Daytime Emmy Awards…and this year I did at first but as the show went on I began losing interest! What happened to the clips of the actors and shows that were nominated! They use to run clips throughout the entire show until the winners were announced! This year was a real bummer!!
Beach Dreamer
June 21, 2011 at 7:59 am
I thought the Emmys were a joke. It was advertised as a celebration of the soap genre and it turned out to be anything but. I’m so tired of the “bait and switch” method. It’s glaringly obvious that ABC isn’t the only entity that feels the soaps aren’t a viable investment anymore. IF there is another Emmy show next year I won’t be watching if it is produced by the same company.
Carol D
June 21, 2011 at 8:15 am
What better way to show that the soap genre is a dying breed and not worth keeping than to produce an awards show that sucked? I am a long long time Days watcher and this was a huge slap to the soap opera community. Shame on you CBS.
Iakovos
June 21, 2011 at 8:21 am
The LA Times hits a bullseye. It was a disappointing show and presentation. Why Las Vegas anyway? And why ignore the raison d’etre for the whole affair? And I said it in anothe rpost, it was sad the stars — not our soap stars, mind you — could not be nothered to attend and to support their industry, and clips and entertaining packages from the nominated programs were not highlighted. And where were the awards fgor all the children’s programs and such, too?
ario
June 21, 2011 at 8:33 am
Totally agree w/ the L A times review, it was simply horrible, i don’t understand who ever produce it can stand behind this horrible production. only one who is probably happy is the city of vegas, and probably Y&R for trying to sell that awful Jabot crap, it was really simply cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesy..
Gmbenet
June 21, 2011 at 9:12 am
I was not that enthused about the Daytime Emmy telecast either, primarily for the reasons mentioned above. HOWEVER, I did consider the possibility that budget factors played a major role in how the telecast was presented. There were a lot of soap actors there – at whose expense? Maybe by showcasing acts appearing in Las Vegas, costs for the event space and/or the expenses of having so many daytimers there were reduced. Also I thought most of all about the soap actors who attended the event. They go to work everyday to ENTERTAIN the soap audience. If these actors enjoyed THEIR NIGHT of BEING ENTERTAINED, then it is okay with me. They deserve to have a night of “letting somebody else do the work”.
I did not mind the tribute to Oprah. I just wish more had been said about Regis Philbin. I also did not see a memorial to deceased members of the Daytime industry. I think there were quite a few deaths during the past year of veteran Daytime actors. A tribute to them would have been nice.
Keep in mind when reading the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Hollywood and the State of California do not make money when such entertainment events are held in Las Vegas (or anywhere else). I am sure the people of Las Vegas and the State of Nevade are appreciative of the revenue and I hope they were very hospitable to the Daytime industry.
In these challenging times, it pays to be flexible and sometimes think about others rather than yourself.
todd
June 21, 2011 at 9:15 am
It was the most offensive 2 hours I have ever watched. No clips, no montages from the nominated shows, few presenters, no shots of stars in the audience….except Susan Lucci, and no in memorium (we lost some greats this year). All I got out of it was that I now know I do not want to plan a trip to Vegas. Marie Osmond and Celine are they best they got. I’d rather stay in Brooklyn and go see Billy Magnussen and Tom Degnan’s band Reserved for Rondee.
Kalamaty
June 21, 2011 at 9:44 am
I couldn’t agree more…. so glad to see someone really getting the word out there about how preposterous it all was. Did the producers not feel the backlash, or read the negative feedback, about how last year’s show sucked so bad? Was a repeat of the debacle of last year really necessary? Makes you wonder if they read/listen to feedback whatsoever.
I am so tired of Susan Lucci being the “face” of daytime and getting so much recognition….. for WHAT?! Because she was nominated so many times in a row and always failed to win? That is the notoriety of Lucci….. not because she’s an amazing actress, but because she finally won an Emmy!? Now she is the spokesperson for all things daytime…. totally infuriates me.
Carol
June 21, 2011 at 9:47 am
I agree with what you said. I particularly missed seeing clips of the nominated performances. The musical numbers – performed by Vegas acts were (accept for Celine Dion) third rate. The Jabbawockeez (who I love) barely danced. Cirque D and Marie Osman and her group were embarrassing. It was all about Vegas and celebrity charities and not about Daytime TV.
Dan
June 21, 2011 at 10:54 am
The LA Times article is spot on. Glad to see someone in the media recognizing what a disgrace that show was. I understand they need to have some entertainment to spice things up, but can’t there be a happy medium somewhere? How much trouble would it be to show some brief clips of the nominees, and a few shots of the crowd, so we can see our favorite soap stars. That’s all we want. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. But apparently it is.
Instead they treated the awards like a minor annoyance that they wanted to get through as quickly as possible, so that they could get to the next musical act. We soap fans have been getting slapped in the face a lot lately, and this show was just another slap in the face.
Marsha
June 21, 2011 at 12:04 pm
ICAM with all the comments. When they decided to do a little thing for Susan Lucci, it felt like they were trying to honor AMC by being cute–there is nothing cute about the cancellations of those shows. Shame on you! I felt, last year’s effort was one big ad for Vegas. This year, you can add Universal Orlando and the Bahama’s to the advertisement. I think CBS decided to air the program so they could push their new “jabot” cosmetics and get “free” advertising for Y&R and B&B–two of the four remaining shows.
When they finally got around to announcing the winners for the daytime dramas, they said the nominees names so quickly, I wondered if anyone really knew who they were. I wonder if they understood who their audience really was…? Otherwise they would have realized the people who watch daytime dramas are the ones who tune into this award show…not the talk show audience. Honestly, if that’s the only audience they are catering to, then good luck with numbers in the future…because no one will be watching.
Mo
June 21, 2011 at 1:31 pm
I agree. They were really bad. The PSAs DURING the telecast were never-ending. We didn’t even get clips from the best drama nominees. Could have been so much better. Very disappointing. At least those in attendance got to go to a party afterwards, which hopefully was better than the show.
Janice
June 21, 2011 at 1:36 pm
I was very disappointed and have been for several years! The Daytime Emmys should’ve never left NYC. This year was especially bad because of all the gimmicks, saluting Oprah for what seemed like an eternity, and the charity segment. But the clincher for me this year was having Wayne Brady host the show. He took Guiding Light’s place almost 2 years ago. What an insult to longtime fans!
MEG
June 21, 2011 at 1:48 pm
LAST YEAR WAS BAD ,BUT WE AT LEAST GOT TO SEE TREVOR /REAL TODD AND MICHAEL /JOHN THIS YEARS I’VE NEVER SEEN IT SO BAD.HATED IT!
Joanne Cecere
June 21, 2011 at 1:58 pm
This was the worst Daytime Emmy show ever…..and I’ve been watching since they actually aired it in the daytime! The ABC actors should have walked out……….and Susan Lucci’s tribute……….what can I say…embarrassing comes to mind among other expletives. Shameful!
OLTL got snubbed, and Erika Slezak…not even a mention…..and by the way Noprah hasn’t been on TV nearly as long as the soaps , why the 15 minute worship?
What’s the saying ? What happens in Vegas….stays in Vegas……..well all that glitz needs to stay there, and OUT of the land of soaps!
Derrick
June 21, 2011 at 4:12 pm
Emmys were a lot better when they were in NY!!!!!!!!!!!! Take it back to NYC!!!!!!!! The only reason the Emmy’s don’t get a F was because of the winners!!!!! C-
Judy
June 21, 2011 at 5:06 pm
This was no surprise. I noticed the drastic change with last year’s Emmy show. A huge segment of last years’ show was dedicated to a tribute to Dick Clark along with the Vegas “plugs”. The quality of the production has decreased with each passing year. I agree. It was a giant plug for Vegas and although worthy, Marie Osmonds’ charity. I too missed the clips of the nominated actors and shows. Instead of a tribute to two game show hosts, how about a tribute to Agnes Nixon. What about a “farewell” segment to OLTL and AMC? It would have been a nice nod to the fans as well as the talented, dedicated people working on these productions. Gone are the days of the “pre-Emmy” show featuring our beloved daytime stars on the red carpet. Once daytime drama is gone, what will be left to salute? There will be no need for a daytime Emmy show.
Donna Baker
June 21, 2011 at 5:37 pm
Was at the Emmy’s on the red carpet and was so disapointed. Last year and this year was awful and yes it was a giant ad for Vegas and vacation resorts. It was ABC’s year to host it but that ball-less Brian Frons was too afraid after letting two ABC shows get the ax because he was afraid the fans my ax him. I hope next year whoever host the Emmy’s do it right. It could be the last one.
Jack
June 21, 2011 at 8:40 pm
I understand that they probably do most of the painful advertisements and Vegas infomercial for budgetary reasons. I honestly wouldn’t mind if the actual purpose and intent of the show wasn’t lost and thrown to the wayside in the process. Can we please find a balance? It’s a travesty and an insult to daytime soap operas, the actors, and their fans. I find it hard pressed to believe the core audience of the telecast sat through that painful train wreck to see who won best talk show or best game show.
Not to mention the lengthy tribute to Oprah who couldn’t even be bothered to be there? Argh, I am beyond frustrated with the lack of respect shown to such an enormous and long standing part of television history. I’m glad to see that notable publications like the L.A. Times are recognizing and speaking out against this horrible representation of what the daytime emmy’s should entail.
I realize that everything boils down to money, and they are only attempting to find a means to keep the telecast on the air, but if you can’t provide what people actually tune in for as well your audience is already lost.
I also agree with many others who’ve mentioned that they missed the ‘in memorium’ montages and clips of the nominees. They used to know how to do this show. I used to look forward to the show, sadly I still do because I enjoy knowing who wins. Maybe you could at least bring back the red carpet so we can see everyone and then you can have your infomercial. I would be just fine with that!
In addition, I have no problem with Susan Lucci, but why is she the only soap opera actor that anyone seems to pay homage to? Even non-soap opera fans, know far more than they’re given credit for. Susan Lucci is definitely not the face of daytime to me. None of my friends are soap opera fans, they don’t like them at all, but even they know who Erika Slezak is. Not to mention Jeanie Cooper, Michelle Stafford, Eric Braeden, Kim ZImmer, Susan Flannery, Crystal Chappell. The list goes on and on. And we’re all in our twenties. How’s that for demographics daytime? Even if they don’t watch soaps people aren’t as ignorant to daytime as everyone seems to think and it irritates me to no end. Maybe if the networks would all care a little bit more so would everyone else, but that’s just me. This telecast was a pretty accurate portrayal of exactly how the networks feel about soap operas and it sickens me.
Even non-daytime fans who watched the telecast of the emmy’s with me are insulted and I think that should tell you something. I invited them over to watch because last year was so bad it was funny, and needless to say nobody was disappointed this year. Please stop making a joke of daytime and find a balance between paying tribute and your infomercial. Sorry about my lengthy rant.
marknsprmo
June 22, 2011 at 6:30 am
I will keep it short.
What an awards cerimony is is to celebrate those being awarded.
Why it is televised is to celebrate the fans.
Neither of those things happened on the daytime emmy program.
Instead we got an infomercial/psa with a hunk of Oprah praise thrown in (why did we need commercial breaks for? one doesn’t usually have commercial breaks in an infomercial)
The part that was about daytime, could have been handled on the Today show or Good Morning America. Take out everything that wasn’t about daytime and it would have been about one segment of either program.
dad.1213
June 22, 2011 at 7:09 am
The show was horrible..The absence of ABC daytime president Brian Frons just goes to show what a guilty conscience he has..OLTL gets passed up for acting every year. Where was the nomination for Trevor St John and Kristen Alderson? OLTL is # 3 in the ratings, how ironic is that?
Kate
June 22, 2011 at 7:28 am
Yes… why DID the Daytime Emmys move out of New York / Radio City Music Hall?? Is it strictly due to budgetary reasons? When the show was at Radio City Music Hall in NYC it was truly a celebration of the Daytime Community of ACTORS.
Diane
June 22, 2011 at 8:35 am
Given what a piece of crap this year’s award program was, we can only hope the producers see the light and make sure next year’s is an all out, no holds barred love letter to the soap genre. It will be the last year for many of the soaps, and it would be nice to make the award show a tribute to all the pleasure they have given the fans over the years.
The shows, actors, directors and crews are supposed to be the stars of this show. If the producers are concerned about running over time, then either buy more time or eliminate all the extraneous garbage they filled the show with. And why on earth were primetime stars presenting awards?
kay killgore
June 22, 2011 at 9:43 am
Ok, is it just mean or does Susan Lucci really come off in sincere. I quit watching the show in the 80’s and I think she is an awful actress.
brooke
June 22, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Its just you.
Paula
June 22, 2011 at 3:25 pm
I was very disappointed too. Too many commmericals and very little of the Emmy. It was really a waste of time watching it and it wasn’t worth it especially when Crystal Chappell and Kimmy Turrisi didn’t get accept their award. The awards was more for the actors/actress and it should have been more for them.
Doe
June 22, 2011 at 8:58 pm
I have already stated my views a couple of days ago. But, I agree with everyone who witnessed all the poor judgment of the producers , directors, etc. They don’t really care.because they don’t know how to produce an award telecast. So out of their element! This show was a travesty to all soaps and soap stars. There were so many categories not represented. I didn’t know that the Today show, which is daytime, won an Emmy. Only because I turn the program on for news in the morning. I only state this to prove that obviously a lot of shows no matter what category they were , were given an Emmy we don’t about. What the hay! Personally, if I have to see Susan Lucci one more time with her fake surprise, and her untalented daughter and husband, I will gag! There was so much wrong and offensive, and probably, there will not be an Emmy show next year.. Right now, I don’t care……
Tad
June 24, 2011 at 12:56 pm
The Emmy’s were a nightmare. Flat, off the mark, hardly relevant. I appreciate we can expect tributes to AMC and OLTL next year but the Emmy’s were so disrespectful to Susan Lucci especially bu the entire genre. Some people wondered if Shemar was drunk or on something. Instead of highlighting and paynig homage to daytime tv they insulted and mocked the daytime genre – especially soaps.
Yes, sadly Susan Lucci is the face of daytime television. Though there are many more stars she really does shine out and sadly she was the reason to watch the Emmy’s in the past. She is one of the few daytime stars who is known whether she was a star in the daytime or night time. That can’t be said by most.
Mallory
June 24, 2011 at 1:23 pm
It was a slap in the face to all soap fans inculding myself. I’m a huge fan of all actors. It focused too much on the game shows and the other daytime talk shows but when it came to showing clips for General Hospital, Ally My Children, One Life to Live, Young and the Restless, Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our lives it was like what the heck, this isn’t the show that I used to watch.. I really did hate this years Emmys. But the one thing that I did enjoy was Jason Thompson and Kimberly McCullough presenting an award together. They have such a great stage presence with each other.
Karen
June 25, 2011 at 10:16 am
I agree with everyone – that was the WORST show ever! Notice I didn’t call it the Day Time Emmy’s because the awards were just incidental and rushed through. It was like ‘oh we have to interrupt our current program because we have to present an award now’. It was so frustrating. No mention of what soap the actors were from and no clips from the shows. What happened to a tribute to As The World Turns? This is why interest in soaps is waning. It could be reversed with better producers and much better writing but no one seems interested in saving the soaps. My two soaps are already gone – ATWT and GL. Case in point – the writers for ATWT were begged to give Reid Oliver and Luke Snyder a happy ending. But they chose to ignore the voice of the people and what we wanted to see and instead gave us the ending from hell while everybody else on the show got their happy ending. So what if they had Luke and Reid sleep together – what was going to happen – was the show going to be cancelled? Too late – it already was!
They should go back and watch earlier Day Time Emmy shows to get ideas on what makes a good show because the producers today don’t have a clue!
Regina
June 28, 2011 at 6:25 am
I truly believe that I have just watched the last Daytime Emmy Award show, which was supposed feature our beloved soaps and the people who create them.
A very sad ending to what should have been a tribute to those who have passed on and shows such as AMC and OLTL who will be ending shortly.
It does prove to me that the Talk Shows, Game Shows and Reality Shows are the new TV.
The funny thnig about this is that they are supposed to be geared to a “younger audience”.
I can not imagine a 19 year old staying home to catch what was said on the “Talk”, or who won on “Let’s Make a Deal”.
The irony is that the soap opera covers all ages and gender, from the college student, the 9-5 worker.
Welcome to the dumbing down of television.
Ann Curry
July 3, 2011 at 10:17 pm
It was terrible; I was floored on just how bad it was…so ironic that Wayne Brady was the host…his stupid game show is in the old GL slot. Homage was paid to “The Talk”, which replaced ATWT. The show . was unprofessional and tacky.
It would have been nice if they mentioned that Michael Park was appearing (has a major role) in the Broadway hit “How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying” as the reason for his non appearance to accept his Emmy for best actor. That says it all…the lack of preparation.
Just a fluff piece for Las Vegas…and total contempt for soap viewers.