Guiding Light R.I.P.
Is John Driscoll on his way out at Y&R?
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
On-Air On-Soaps can concur with today’s TV Guide Canada’s, Soapgeist column, that we also heard rumblings and speculation, and over Daytime Emmy weekend, that John Driscoll (Chance) might be on his way out, or dropped to recurring, as Phillip “Chance” Chancellor IV, and that this may happen before the start of fall. Given recent developments of rumors that Phillip Chancellor III, Thom Bierdz, may be heading back to Genoa City for a bit, and that Jeff Branson is playing a different breed of detective as Ronan Malloy, by deducing the info , could this be indeed true? So where does that leave Chloe and Heather in all this? Hmmm.
Guiding Light R.I.P.
Mark Derwin, Melissa Hayden and More to Reunite for Upcoming Guiding Light Virtual Reunion
Some beloved faces from Springfield return when they gather virtually for one of the next Guiding Light reunion chats via Alan Locher.
Look for fan favorites: Mark Derwin (Ex-A.C. Mallett), Melissa Hayden (Ex-Bridget Reardon), Morgan Englund (Dylan Lewis),, Kimberley Simms (Mindy Lewis) and Jocelyn Seagrave Fundoukos (Julie Camaletti) on Wednesday, June 10th beginning at 3PM EST/12 PM PST on The Locher Room You Tube channel.
Guiding Light fans will remember the love story of Mallet and Harley, Dylan and Julie, as well as Bridge’ts Relationship with Dylan and of course, the spoiled rich girl Mindy Lewis.
Get your questions ready and join the virtual chat. To view on June 10th click here,
So, what were some of your favorite memories from GL featuring this fab five? Comment below.
Breaking News
Justin Deas, Beth Ehlers & Company Set For Guiding Light Cooper Family Reunion
In one of the most exciting and highly-anticipated chats of the COVID-19 stay-at-home television reunions, this one will rank way up there!
Announced on Friday, by Alan Locher for his The Locher Room You Tube channel, a Guiding Light Cooper family reunion is on its way to longtime fans of the beloved CBS soap opera.
Circle Wednesday June 3rd at a special time 5 p. m. EST/2 p. m PST for “Cocktails with the Coopers”.
Joining Alan will be multi-Daytime Emmy winner, Justin Deas (Buzz), fan favorite Beth Ehlers (Harley) along with Frank Dicopoulos (Frank), John Driscoll (Coop) and Fiona Hutchison (Jenna).
To log in to the Cooper family reunion event with some of the finest actors ever to grace the town of Springfield click here.
So excited to see Justin, Beth and the Cooper clan all together again? Comment below.
All My Children
ABC and PEOPLE’s ‘The Story of Soaps’: What Was Your Review Of It?
Tuesday’s night airing of ABC and PEOPLE’s two-hour special The Story of Soaps featured many notable daytime and primetime soap stars, past and present, clips from backstage to classic memorable moments, and some participants who were providing commentary on the erosion of the daytime soaps in our culture. Still others, maintained and realized that everything today is serialized from the news we watch, to some of Netflix’s most binge-watchable series, and of course, the birth of reality-programming.
Throughout the airing of the special, The Story of Soaps was trending on Twitter and social media either at the #2, #3 or #4 spots for the entire duration of the broadcast presentation, and the cancelled and beloved All My Children was also at one point trending.
However, known soap writers, journalists, ardent fans, and actors of the genre, were all on Twitter last night live-tweeting their thoughts as the special went down, and there was definitely mixed reactions and reviews, when all was said and done.
What the special did not shy away from, but tackled, was Luke’s rape of Laura at the campus disco on General Hospital. and how that moment now, as Genie Francis (Laura), so eloquently put, would be considered as ‘date rape’ in our culture. The series even included a pivotal moment where Laura addresses Luke (Tony Geary) about the rape years later, after helping Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst) through her rape ordeal.
John Stamos (Ex-Blackie Parrish, GH) got a bevy of “Right On’s!” for his comment that the soaps do not get the credit that they deserve and clearly came through as one of the soaps greatest supporters, as did former The Doctors and Knots Landing star, Alec Baldwin.
However, throughout the two-hours, Andy Cohen’s commentary was thread throughout; mostly citing soap’s demise and the creation of reality-programming and his “Real Housewives” franchise, that the special touted as the new soap operas. It continued on the narrative that people preferred to see real-life drama then made-up drama on a fictional soap. And while, that has been a trend in American culture for decades, the commentary came off as often out of place in a celebration of the soaps; and bringing in a lot of negativity to the special that soap fans were tired of hearing.
In a lighting rod moment, Cohen stated: “I know Susan Lucci doesn’t agree with me, but I think that the Housewives have replaced soap operas because truth is stranger than fiction. Soaps became kind of unnecessary because you could do it with real people, and they’re writing the drama themselves.”
The special did also address the cancellations of All My Children and One Life to Live, (which many were not sure they were going to do – given this special was airing on ABC), where One Life’s leading lady and six-time Daytime Emmy winner, Erika Slezak (Ex-Viki) said what we all wanted to sa ywhen the ax fell on the towns of Llanview and Pine Valley, “People were horrified”.
Clearly, OJ Simpson and his murder trial and reality-programming were also given a chunk of time to show where the once mighty landscape of daytime soaps which once had 13 shows on the air, dwindled town to 4. But, it would have been nice to see more time spent on how in this day and age, the people in this current landscape of the genre work so hard to get episodes done at an unbelievable pace, and how in that climate the performers still deliver gut-wrenching performances.
Photo: ABC
Former Loving, OLTL and Breaking Bad star, Bryan Cranston, did point out how the once powerful soaps, just don’t have the dollars they used to, and need to, to help with production costs and their taping schedule.
Viewers were reminded of soaps’ socially relevant storylines including hankie-inducing moments from: Robin (Kimberly McCullough) and Stone’s (Michael Sutton) HIV/AIDS storyline on General Hospital, to Billy Douglas being a gay teen coming out on One Life to Live, played by a young Ryan Phillippe.
There also did not seem time spent on the contributions of William J. Bell; one of the most prominent writers of the soap genre of all-time.
For many commenting on social media last night, there seemed to be a feeling of some glaring omissions of participants who could speak on this genre, who have been in the trenches as soap producers, soap writers, pundits, actors, and more, who were not included in the special.
So, what was your review of The Story of Soaps? How would you grade it? Do you feel it accurately reflected the history of the genre? Were you happily surprised, or when it came to the end where you over it, or somewhere in between? Sound off in the comment section below. Below are some tweets from notables who have worked as an actor, a writer, and a journalist in the soaps.
What started as a love letter kinda dissolved into a lover kicking you out of bed.
Ummm ok well I guess I appreciate the effort. But that definitely took a turn.🤷🏻♀️😬🤪 #TheStoryofSoaps— Chrishell (@Chrishell7) May 20, 2020
OMG so I’m still watching/catching up on #TheStoryofSoaps. Why does it suddenly feel like a death knell for the genre?! Why can’t it be a celebration? We’re hanging tough with no new episodes IN THE MIDDLE OF A FREAKING PANDEMIC! Why not celebrate our resilience? I’m done!
— Michele Val Jean (@MicheleValJean) May 20, 2020
Here’s the thing: The reason we’re down to 4 soaps is because network execs messed with time slots, cut budgets and interfered with storytelling. ABC can’t admit that so they have to get @Andy to trash them. But #TheStoryofSoaps was still a fun watch. Long live #AMC, #OLTL & #GH! https://t.co/pqR0Gx3cnf
— Carolyn Hinsey (@CarolynHinsey) May 20, 2020
DAYS Susan Seaforth Hayes Talks On Her Daytime Emmy Nomination For Julie and Doug’s Emotional Storyline
Hollywood Studios, Producers & Guilds Send Plan To Gov. Newsom and Gov. Cuomo For COVID-19 Production Restart Guidelines
The Best of the GH Nurses’ Ball Continues; Which Is Your Favorite Musical Performance?
British Soap ‘Coronation Street’ Set To Resume Production Next Week Following COVID-19 Shutdown
DAYS Chandler Massey Chats On His Bittersweet Daytime Emmy Nomination
DAYS New Summer Promo Reveals The Returns of Jay Kenneth Johnson and Louise Sorel
Mark Derwin, Melissa Hayden and More to Reunite for Upcoming Guiding Light Virtual Reunion
Eva LaRue Talks On Her Daytime Emmy Nomination, And Opens Up About The Loss Of John Callahan
ATWT and ‘Vampire Diaries’ Alum, Zach Roerig Arrested For DUI
Y&R’s Tracey E. Bregman and Kimberlin Brown Pelzer Talk the Iconic Battles of Lauren & Sheila
DAYS Chandler Massey Chats On His Bittersweet Daytime Emmy Nomination
Eva LaRue Talks On Her Daytime Emmy Nomination, And Opens Up About The Loss Of John Callahan
GH’s Steve Burton and Maurice Benard Deliver “The Power Performance of the Week”
Hollywood Studios, Producers & Guilds Send Plan To Gov. Newsom and Gov. Cuomo For COVID-19 Production Restart Guidelines
B&B’s Annika Noelle Chats On Her First Daytime Emmy Nomination For Hope’s Emotional Journey Back to Beth
Former Y&R Star, Emily O’Brien Set to Debut On Days of our Lives
All My Children Weeklong Virtual Reunions Kick-Off With Ripa, Consuelos, LaRue and Penny
DAYS New Summer Promo Reveals The Returns of Jay Kenneth Johnson and Louise Sorel
All My Children Reunion with Josh Duhamel, Ricky Paull Goldin, Cameron Mathison and More; Later Debbi Morgan Live
Next Y&R and B&B Theme Weeks Announced
Y&R Alum Max Ehrich Big Smooch with Demi Lovato in Arianna Grande & Justin Bieber’s New Music Video ‘Stuck With You’
Soap Vet Debbi Morgan’s Emotional Words On How COVID-19 Has Affected the Black Community
WATCH: ‘Venice the Series’ Gregory Zarian Talk Daytime Emmy Pre-Nom, Bullying & Staying Safe During COVID-19
Tony Geary Opens Up About His Iconic Role as GH’s Luke Spencer on Nancy Lee Grahn’s ‘Soaps In Quarantine’
Soap Stars & Jake Gyllenhaal In All-New Episode of Tonight Show’s ‘The Longest Days of our Lives’
WATCH: Nancy Lee Grahn’s Birthday Celebration Replay With Her Drive-By GH Friends & Co-Stars
Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong Continues To Lobby To Be On Y&R & We’d Be All For It
Brandon Barash On His DAYS Return: “The Reveal Is Going To Be Fun!” But, Who Will He Ultimately Be ?
FRIDAY ON Y&R: Paul and Christine’s Honeymoon Circa 1996
ABC and PEOPLE Announce ‘The Story of Soaps’ Two-Hour Prime-Time Television Event
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Days Of Our LivesMay 30, 2020DAYS Chandler Massey Chats On His Bittersweet Daytime Emmy Nomination
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All My ChildrenMay 29, 2020Eva LaRue Talks On Her Daytime Emmy Nomination, And Opens Up About The Loss Of John Callahan
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General HospitalMay 24, 2020GH’s Steve Burton and Maurice Benard Deliver “The Power Performance of the Week”
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Breaking NewsJune 1, 2020Hollywood Studios, Producers & Guilds Send Plan To Gov. Newsom and Gov. Cuomo For COVID-19 Production Restart Guidelines
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InterviewsMay 26, 2020B&B’s Annika Noelle Chats On Her First Daytime Emmy Nomination For Hope’s Emotional Journey Back to Beth
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Breaking NewsMay 27, 2020Former Y&R Star, Emily O’Brien Set to Debut On Days of our Lives
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All My ChildrenMay 26, 2020All My Children Weeklong Virtual Reunions Kick-Off With Ripa, Consuelos, LaRue and Penny
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Days Of Our LivesMay 30, 2020DAYS New Summer Promo Reveals The Returns of Jay Kenneth Johnson and Louise Sorel
Leave a Reply
I hope John Driscoll’s departure is just a rumor. I loved him on Guiding Light and starting watching Young and Restless, when he joined the show.
I really do understand why nice characters on soaps are considered boring. I think it is good to have decent people with good character on soaps.
I love the Chance character portrayed so well by John Driscoll. His character is a kind, loyal gentleman. I find nothing boring about that. I also love the Chance and Chloe love story.
I suppose Jeff Branson (Ronan) will replace him as the city’s detective. Another evil character, which this show does not need in my opinion.
John Driscoll is a fabulous actor and by what I’ve read thus far, noone understands why???? If they do bring Chance back and it’s not played by John Driscoll the story isn’t going to be the same…The Y&R writers/executive, etc. need to re-thing their decision. If in fact that it was a contract negot. they should of agreed to his terms…I’ve really lost interest in watching it now and only get bits & pieces…
Angela, I read your reply to my prior post and agree with you 100%. I am also very dissapointed about John’s departure from Y&R.
I do not believe that he will be back. A very good friend of his posted this comment on line on September 27th. She said “John was terminated from Y&R in July. Chance might return but John will not be returning. He is onto other things”.
I know for a fact that this person is a very good friend of John’s. I have seen them together at soap opera events. She will never post anything about John that is not 100% accurate.
I do not think John wanted to leave Y&R for any reason. He relocated from New York to LA just to be on this show. He was so excited when he was hired for the role. He expressed how happy he was working with Elizabeth (Chloe) and loved working on Y&R. He shared this information with his fans at a soap opera event that I also attended in May of this year.
I really do not understand why the producers felt it necessary to let him go. Maria Bell, executive producer, said in an interview on line, “I love John and thought he played the Chance character so well. We will really miss him”.
I have also lost interest in the show since John (Chance’s ) departure. I loved the character and the most handsome, John.
They keep weirdo Danielle (always looks so dirty and weird) and goofy, little Greg (Kevin who looks and acts like he is 13 years old) and terminates John (Chance) who is tall, very handsome and charming.
With all of this being said, I hope John will be hired on another soap who will appreciate his good looks and talent.
Angela, I agree with you 100% and read your reply to my prior post. Unfortunately, more information was discovered since that time.
A very good friend of John’s posted this comment on line on September 22nd. She said, “Chance may return to Y&R, but John will not return. He was told of his termination in July. He is now onto other things”.
I know for a fact that this person is a good friend of John’s. I have seen them together at soap opera events. She would never post anything that was not 100% accurate.
Personally, I do not think he wanted to leave but was terminated. I think it is a real shame that the producers made this decision. He was a real asset to Y&R. He portrayed the character so well and is so handsome.
Off the air, he is such a kind, personable, friendly person with his fans,etc. Even Maria Bell, executive producer, said in soap opera digest “I love John and loved the way he portrayed Chance. We will truly miss him”.
Perhaps, he was termianted because of budget cuts. If that is the case, I could think of other characters that should have been let go: Heather, Daniel, Sofia and Maulcom should have been first on that list in my opinion.
I have also lost interest in the show since John (Chance)’s departure.