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Former Y&R Star Chris McKenna Lands Role On NCIS: NEW ORLEANS!

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

While Detective Harding, who was supposed to be keeping the citizens of Genoa City safe, but was actually murdering people, it spelled the end of the line for fan favorite Chris McKenna (Harding) on Y&R!

McKenna, who in his younger acting days played Joey Buchanan on One Life to Live, tweeted that he has landed a guest star role on CBS procedural drama: NCIS: New Orleans. (Tuesdays 9:00PMET)

Chris revealed: ” Seems the New Orleans PD needed some added muscle. Copy that. Officer Tate en route.@CBS @NCISNOLA” 

This is not the first time McKenna has played a role on the NCIS franchise, having appeared in NCIS: Los Angeles back in 2010 where he played a CIA agent.

When McKenna learned that Harding would be killed off and revealed to have murdered some of the characters in the Scooby-Doo Murder story, he related to Soap Opera Digest:  “I have to mourn Harding.  I mean, I love the guy. I helped make him, so I have a lot of affection for him. So, it was sad to see what happened to him and what he had done, but I just used that to make a convincing performance.   During the time I’ve been on the show, you didn’t see different sides to him, so near the end, you got to see him actually be broken and sad and filled with regret and conflict, but still that hard-ass you got to know. It was nice to make that all work.”

So, will you be checking out Chris on NCIS: New Orleans? Do you wish Y&R had not killed-off Harding? Share your thoughts below!

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tptb were so foolish to let this talented actor go – he will do very well on ncis new orleans………

I very fond memories of Chris as Joey Buchanan on One Life to Live. He has become a fine man. He did a great job as Harding. I was sorry to see Harding go. The Genoa City PD is in desperate need of staff besides the chief, the computer guy and the barista.

Best of luck to Chris. I’d love for him to get a steady job. Days are you listening?

I really could see him helming the DiMera…. as a recast for Peter Blake

I do not know his work… I just think he’s out of this world Yum

Loved him as Joey on OLTL and as Harding on Y&R. Foolish to let this one get away. Happy for him though.

I loved him on Y& R. Loved him on State of affairs. I watch NCIS : New Orleans anyway. But I would have made a special effort to watch if I wasn’t already. Chris Mckenna is a wonderful actor. And easy on the eyes too. Hope he finds a permanent home on tv soon.

Good for Chris. Y&R has been the number one soap for 27 years and also the number one soap to fire or let go some of the best talent ever on daytime! Billy Miller, Michael Muhney, Michelle Stafford and now Chris. He wasnt in their league yet but he was climbing and it shows since a high profile prime time show snagged him!

I am so glad to see him again. He and Kevin were do good together as co-stars. I watch both NCIS shows regularly. I love New Orleans. I spent much of my College breaks there with friends. So much to see!! And, so much fun, fun, fun.

CeeCee “Gone Wild!”

Boy, it was a dumb move to make Harding turn out to be the killer because there were lots of storyline possibilities with that character but at least Chris is now moving on to prime time where he will do very well too. I guess this is what you’d call “laughing all the way to the bank”.

miss him on Y&R so I might turn in to NCIS just to see him….hope he lasts longer there than on Y&R….big mistake to let him go

He is gorgeous!!! They Def made a mistake letting him get away!! That storyline was dumb AF anyways!! YR has no depth these days. Pratt is writing like he wrote for Melrose Place.

Great for him. Hopefully it springboards into something bigger and long lasting. Y&R totally ruined his character and let him go. Horrible.

He needs to join GH. Recast of Steven Lars Webber. Liz needs her brother and he’s also Franco’s brother and Olivia’s ex.

Great idea! And the other thing is Patrick is gone so we need more medical staff on the show!

OMG ! “let’s hear it for @Bjtripp2

that is the best idea… LOL bar none

talk about sprucing up GH in a big way…. “AND”

taking away, if you will…. from the blase Sonny/Carly – Jason/Sam

GH ! “GET THIS”

I love all the posts… about how “dumb” ; said show was to let him go

Talent! is Talent ! fans know….

MF… their needs to be a thread as such

DAYS : hire this man

DAYS : Kassie DePaiva and Daniel Cosgrove… serious mishap

I’ll get over all my postings of; except maybe Kassie DePaiva’ Eve

Happy for this guy! He has such charisma. He could have been a great character on Y & R had they planned it right. Best of luck to this gentleman!

Good for him. The hack Pratt wasted him at Y&R.

I’m not one that criticizes the “powers that be” trying to run the show for them and I do love all of Y&R’s cast mates and even the behind the scenes people I’ve had access to in one form or another and may like some more than others of course. I do wish some had stronger storylines like Tristan Rogers, Jess Walton, and I could keep going on. What outstanding talent Y&R has at their fingertips and they don’t even use! Chris is just one more that did not get a great role. I personally loved State of Affairs and hoped for a second season. I wish him all the best. I watch NCISLA religiously and had started out watching NCIS NOLA especially because there’s a Bama boy from just a few minutes from where I live. Then I became juggling too many tv shows so I stopped watching that one but with him on it I’ll definitely tune back in out of respect and I want it to do well for him. Good luck to him.

Y&R was so stupid to get rid of Chris McKenna. He’s super hot and is a good actor. I’m still mad that Harding and Kevin weren’t a couple. That would have made me a faithful viewer. I rarely watch Y&R anymore.

I honestly hated to see him leave Y&R. LOVED him as Harding, but incredibly happy to see that he’s found other work.

I love NCIS New Orleans and I knew he was the killer on Y&R, I had him picked from the start!
Hope his character isn’t like his Y&R one!

News

Robin Strasser Meets Kristen Alderson’s Baby Kiera in a One Life to Live Reunion

For years, Robin Strasser (ex-Dorian) and Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) have been the best of friends and the best of co-stars. On One Life to Live, Kristen was only six-years-old when she began her journey as Todd and Blair’s daughter and met the iconic Strasser.

Now in 2024, Kristen is a new mom to her baby girl, Kiera. Strasser, who lives in New York, along with her best friend, John, traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, just a few days ago to visit the Alderson family and spend the day with Kiera.

Taking to her Instagram a very happy Kristen shared, “Look at who came to visit today! Robin & her bestie John! Robin and I got all misty eyed when she met Kiera today!”

Photo: JPI

In a very touching part of her post, Alderson expressed, “Robin is such a special person in my life, it means so much to me that we’re as close as we are. She’s just the best❤️ A great day of laughs & a great brunch spread😍”

Robin added, “I’ve been smiling since I met her. I’m a big softie for babies, but what a doll Kiera is!” The Daytime Emmy-winning star, also shared, “I’m so grateful for my ongoing friendship with Kris and Kathy. Amazing women and loyal friends!”

What do you think about Kristen and Robin’s enduring friendship and recalling their time on One Life to Live? Comment below.

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General Hospital

Nancy Lee Grahn’s Star-Studded ALS Fundraiser Reveals “I’ll Be There” Video Featuring Soap Opera Notables

Talk about your impressive line-up! It’s a soap fans dream and for a great cause. General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) is prepping her one-night only ALS fundraiser which will feature many of her friends and co-stars.

The benefit is set for May 4th in Glendale, California. Slated to participate are Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Peter Bergman, Maurice Benard, Eileen Davidson, Thorsten Kaye, Michelle Stafford, Stephen Nichols, Rena Sofer, Jason Thompson, Kelly Monaco, Melissa Claire Egan, Maura West, Kristina Wagner, Gregory Harrison, Trevor St. John, Kate Mansi, Kirsten Storms, Cynthia Watros, and many others.

On Wednesday, Grahn took to her social media and released an “I’ll be there” video shout-out featuring, Monaco, Elliot, Bergman, Bernard, West, Harrison, St. John and more. In a touching and important moment in the new video, Michelle Strogny, who is battling ALS, is featured.

Photo: ABC

Previously, in speaking with Soap Opera Digest on the impetus of the event, Grahn recalled, “I was actually doing Zoom events during Covid and I met this woman that I just fell in love with, Michelle Strojny. At the time, Michelle had been living with ALS for four years. Now, it’s five years. She is a mom of a teenage son, she has the most wonderful husband, and she has been dealing with this [disease] for quite a while. And obviously, there isn’t a cure yet. It’s not survivable yet. But as she says, it’s not incurable. Nothing is; it’s underfunded. But anyway, I just really dug this woman. She is so grounded and filled with grace, and she spends all of her time working to raise money for the cause. We did a fundraiser for her last year and then I thought, ‘You know what? The soaps don’t ever get together to do something for charity.’ Collectively, we have this amazing community and we don’t collectively use it for a good cause, and I think it’s such an easy thing for us to do and we could potentially really make a difference.”

As GH viewers know, Gregory Harrison is playing the character of Gregory Chase, who is also battling ALS in a touching storyline that is currently playing out shedding a light on this disease.

For information on Nancy’s event, including the stars who are s scheduled to participate click here. To purchase tickets to the event click here.

Check out the video featuring Nancy’s friends and co-stars below.  Now let us know, your thought son the line-up for the benefit and helping raise awareness and funds for ALS research via the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Writer Shannon Peace Let Go, and Shares on Sprina: “One of My Only Regrets is to Not Have the Opportunity to Develop That ‘Ship’ Further”

As General Hospital’s new head writing team of Elizabeth Korte and Patrick Mulcahy gets off the ground and running, there are still changes a foot on the writing team.

Now comes word via breakdown writer Shannon Peace that she is no longer on contract with the long-running ABC soap heading into its 61st season. Peace shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram, thanking the fans, and the show for the opportunity and the importance of diversity in the writers room.

Peace began, “After almost 3 years on staff and 106 episodes penned, I am no longer on contract with General Hospital. Writing for this country’s longest running television serial drama has been an education of epic proportions; I will forever be grateful that I earned my WGA card on a daytime fixture that holds memories for so many.” (Peace pictured below with GH EP Frank Valentini and script writer, Charlotte Gibson from about ten months ago).

Photo: SPeaceIG

Shannon added “Even more importantly, as the sole Black breakdown writer (and only POC in the writers room) during my tenure, I pushed for vital interactions and discussions that prioritized inclusion, visibility, and representation”

The writer pointed to the example of vital interaction when in story, “Stella and Portia’s frank July 2022 conversation about the role race played in Esme’s framing of Trina is just one example of the impact I’m gratified to have had.”

Acknowledging former GH co-head writers was also part of Peace’s farewell expressing, “Appreciation to my former bosses, Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor – not only taking a chance on me, but for valuing my opinion and championing my voice.”

Courtesy/ABC

Many GH fans know that Peace was key to the development of the love story between Trina Robinson and Spencer Cassadine as played by Tabyana Ali and Nicholas Chavez. Shannon gave a special shout-out to ‘Sprina’ fans, “I also want to thank fans who were supportive of my work, especially the recognition of my love for ‘Sprina’. One of my only regrets is not having to develop that ‘ship’ further.”

She concludes her statement with,”In the aftermath of a historic writer’s strike that shed new light on the troubling ways writers are regarded in daytime, my sincere hope is that General Hospital recommits to valuing staff writer efforts and input, with a more intentional focus on diverse viewpoints — and thrives for another 60 years.”

Accompanying her post, Shannon added, “Thank you all for the love and support these last few years. I hope GH fans get all they hope for and more!”

So, what do you think about GH not renewing Shannon’s contract? Will there be more continued changes afoot? What do you think is the future of ‘Sprina’ anyway at this point as viewers wait to see if Nicholas Chavez officially returns to the show?  Comment below.

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

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