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EX-OLTL star, Catherine Hickland's "Love in the Afternoon" blog on cancellation of ABC Soaps!

By Michael Fairman

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Courtesy/ABC

Courtesy/ABC

Who doesn’t remember one of the greatest all-time feuds on daytime, between Nora Buchanan and Lindsay Rappaport!  That feud happened on the just cancelled soap, One Life to Live! Lindsay was played brilliantly for years by none other than Catherine Hickland, who played opposite Hillary B. Smith as Nora.

Now Hickland, after the decimation of the ABC Daytime lineup by ABC Daytime President Brian Frons last Thursday, has posted her feelings and thoughts on the matter on a new blog titled: Love in the Afternoon! Remember, when ABC Daytime used to have that theme as part of their soap opera promo initiatives? Those were the days! Here are some juicy excerpts below from Cat herself:

Hickland on fans devastation since OLTL & AMC cancellation: “Last week, all of us who have been touched so monumentally by daytime, either being a disrespected fan, or a disrespected participant, are angry, sad, and in disbelief. To think that we will no longer be able to see characters that we have come to consider our own is a very odd feeling. It feels like a death in the family. It is why soaps have had the following they’ve had for nearly half a century! Your characters in your stories have made you feel the gamut of emotions from A to Z. Every day! Soap actors and audiences dance a dance. We laugh together, cry together, survive together and love together. That’s what makes a family. Whenever I would hear you-know-who make a speech and call us the “ABC family,’ it made my skin literally crawl. You don’t treat your family like they don’t matter. Someone is counting on the fact that today you are all whipped into a frenzy, and that tomorrow and next week you will have forgotten and forgiven. Say it loud. WE WILL NEVER FORGIVE OR FORGET.”

Hickland on Frons: “From the get go it was very clear to those of us who had been through many regimes that you-know-who did not like soaps. It always felt as if he was in contempt of them. We actors said it all the time, it was very hard to understand. That’s a hard pill to swallow when you love the genre. It’s hard to know what will make something work, and then watch it being absolutely decimated by someone you have not one iota of respect for. Good and important people to the shows were fired, moved to another state, and then salaries were cut. Not necessarily for the best intentions. After all, they had to find those funds to pay big money for the girl of you-know- who’s fantasies De Jour. This in turn created animosity in the casts. It starts at the top, they say. Indeed. Poison trickles down and infects companies like a cancer, damaging morale that is nearly unfixable. In my 27 years of acting, In the five regimes I worked under at that network alone, I have never seen anything like it. In 30 years as an entertainer, I can not recall a more reviled executive.”

Make sure to read the entire blog post from Catherine!

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I second what Michael said: Make sure to read the entire blog post from Catherine. The post makes Robin Strasser’s comments look meek (no offense to Robin). After reading Catherine’s comments I can’t imagine how intolerable and sickening it must be working for ABC Daytime.

I am so disgusted with Abc ! I really hope they wake up and realize what Brian Frons is doing to their network. The fact that they let him treat their employees like crap,says alot about them…..and none of it’s good! I will not be watching anything on their network once these two shows are gone.

Tell it like it is, Catherine!

Beyond the Gates

‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Marquita Goings to Chat Live on the Michael Fairman Channel

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Marquita Goings

After her star turn in recent episodes of Beyond the Gates, soap opera’s latest vixen Hayley Lawson Hamilton played by Marquita Goings has grabbed viewers attention just waiting to see what stunt she’ll pull next!

Now, Marquita Goings will visit the Michael Fairman Channel for a livestream chat on Thursday, October 22 beginning at 7pm ET/4pm PT and you can join us with your questions!

Previously in story, Hayley has racked up some pretty despicable acts and crimes thus far which have included, trying to poison and kill Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett) for his life insurance in order to cash in and hightail it out of Fairmont Crest with the moolah.

Photo: CBS

Then, let’s not forget using the recordings she obtained to blackmail everyone with the the secret that Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis) and Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) have been trying to keep under wraps about the hate crime years ago, which saw Martin kill one man, while another later died, in an effort to save his grandfather.

NEXT WEEK ON BEYOND THE GATES

Now, the week of October 19-23 previews that it appears that Hayley may be pregnant (take a look at the video preview below) with Bill’s child when she gets a little queasy, after she went to see her partner in crime, Randy (Maurice P. Kerry) to get a fresh ID to skip out of town and away from the DMV.

In fact, on the Tuesday, October 20 episode, official BTG spoilers indicate, Vernon assures Dani (Karla Mosley) that he’s got things handled, while Hayley’s ready for her next act, while on the Friday, October 23 episode, Leslie (Trisha Mann-Grant) has devastating words for Hayley and Bill’s got another thing coming.

If you have a question for Marquita but cannot join us for the live broadcast, drop it in the comment section and we just might ask it during the chat.

Now let us know, do you think Hayley will be pregnant? How will she continue to evade any prison time? What has been your favorite scene of Marquita Goings on Beyond the Gates thus far? Comment below.

 

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Talks On Where Joe Fitzpatrick is Headed and Soap Opera Shirtless Scenes

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Jonathan Bennett

It had become abundantly clear that roomies Dr. Lucas Jones (Van Hansis) and PCPD detective Joe Fitzpatrick (Jonathan Bennett) seem destined towards a romance on General Hospital.

In fact, to get Lucas all hot and bothered (although he does fully let on), during the Friday, October 16 episode, the good doctor helps Joe pick out something less stuffy to wear to a bar to meet people.

However, the moment is met with Joe taking off his shirt in front of Lucas and doing a quick change from sport coat and button down shirt to a more relaxed casual button down shirt. In fact, the ABC soap opera even called out the moment as their clip of the day (see below).

Lucas and Joe

Courtesy/ABC

MAJOR STORY TEASE FOR JOE

Bennett spoke with OUT in a new feature about what may be on the horizon for the by-the-book Joe and the moral Lucas, and how he learned that once the producers and writers on a soap script in a shirtless scene, if it goes over well, said actor, can expect many more in the months to come!

“I’m so excited for the audience to see where my character goes on General Hospital. It’s going to be monumental and I think people are going to love it,” teased Bennett. “I was shirtless in an episode and so petrified to shoot it,” he added. “I wanted to look my best and feel good. I really worked hard to get my body to a good place and I did it.”

STAYING CAMERA READY

However as Jonathan points out, now he is finding himself half-naked in upcoming scenes as officer Joe! “I think I shot myself in the foot! Now that I did it once and it turned out well, every few weeks I read a script and I’m coming out of the shower, changing my shirt, or in the bathtub,” revealed Jonathan.

So, how does he keep camera ready? “I’m in the gym more, I have a better diet,” pointed out Bennett. “You have to stay healthy if you’re going to be shirtless every few weeks! I’m gay, an only child, and an actor. Of course I love the attention!”

While Bennett’s Port Charles story is going to reveal itself in the coming months, you can also see Jonathan back as the host of The Food Network’s Halloween Wars 16th season which concludes on Sunday, October 25.

Now below. check out the scene in question from Friday’s GH entitled, “Lose the Shirt.”

Weigh-in: What do you think will be “monumental” that Jonathan has teased that viewers will find out about Joe in the coming weeks? Are you feeling the on-screen chemistry between Joe and Lucas? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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General Hospital

Wil Traval Talks His ‘General Hospital’ Debut and Being Paired with Kelly Thiebaud

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Wil Traval

The Friday, October 16 episode of General Hospital marked the on-screen debut of the mysterious Jude, played by primetime vet and Australian-born Wil Traval.

While not much has been revealed just yet, Traval spoke to TV Insider in his first conversation since joining the iconic ABC soap opera in a new interview out today.

As GH fans witnessed, Jude was introduced in scenes at a bar with Dr. Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud), and it would seem this may be her new leading man after things went south between Britt and Jason (Steve Burton). Traval said of working with the Daytime Emmy-winning Thiebaud, “I can’t speak more highly of her. I think she’s fantastic. It’s the biggest delight in my life to be working with her.”

Jude and Britt

Courtesy/ABC

FROM BROKEN BACK TO PORT CHARLES

As it turns out, Wil was supposed to be on board for a very short visit to Port Charles. However, as he revealed, things didn’t go the way he planned and his stay got extended!

“Originally, it was going to be a short guest role, I believe, and at the end of the week I got a call saying they might want to offer me a contract on the show, which was a real surprise and delight.” the actors shared.  “And the rest is history from there.”

The road to General Hospital was not an easy one in some other respects. Traval was in the middle of recovering from a car accident that broke his back when he got the call to submit a self-tape for the role of the mysterious stranger back in June. Suddenly, he found himself getting a callback which in turn led to a chemistry read with Kelly Thiebaud.

WHO IS JUDE?

In the week to come, General Hospital viewers will learn Jude’s connections to the residents of Port Charles and his true identity.

With an Australian contingent on the canvas, and its tentacles throughout GH history including: Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer); Robert Scorpio (the late Tristan Rogers); and Josslyn’s father Jax (last played by Ingo Rademacher), and Jerry Jacks (last played by Sebastian Roche), one would think Jude HAS to be tied to these characters from down under, or does he?

So, what did you think of Wil Traval’s on-screen debut as Jude? Who do you think he will be revealed to be connected to? Do you think Jude will make a solid leading man for Kelly Thiebaud’s Britt Westbourne in story? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.

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Video Du Jour

Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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