Breaking News
Judith Chapman Dishes On Diana On All-New Episode Of “Inside Salem: Days of our Lives Podcast”
Oh, the mother from hell has certainly come to NBC’s Days of our Lives ,now that it has been revealed that Diana Cooper is in actuality none other than Diana Colville, who shared a romantic past with John Black (Drake Hogestyn), and is Leo aka Matthew’s (Greg Rikaart) worst nightmare!
Daytime fan favorite, Judith Chapman is back on Days of our Lives in this delicious new take on Diana, and on the latest installment of Inside Salem: Days of our Lives Podcast.
During her interview with host Michael Fairman, Judith talks about how she was asked to take on the role, and found herself reunited with her former on-screen son from Y&R, Greg Rikaart. She also teases what is to come in this twisted mother and son relationship, reveals what it has been like working with Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn, and talks about her former soap opera roles that included: Natalie Bannon on As the World Turns, Ginny Blake, General Hospital, Charlotte Greer on Ryan’s Hope, Angelica Deveraux on Days and Gloria Fisher Bardwell on Y&R- quite the resume. When not on TV, Judith can be found in the theatre, where she is currently starring as Tallulah Bankhead in the show, Looped now through February 10th in Palm Springs, California.
Later in the podcast, John Aniston (Victor) stops by Suzanne Rogers (Maggie) dressing room, where the duo talk about how they work together running scenes, and going through a tape day, and some fun historical anecdotes from Salem, and more.
To get the extended version of this interview with Judith, make sure to download it via iTunes and all major pod platforms. To listen to the NBC.com version make sure to click here and enjoy.
Let us know what was your favorite part of our chat with Judith and if you are loving her thus far as Diana on DAYS via the comment section below.
OH My God… with respect to the higher up
crème de la crème ALIVE ! this is maddening how MUSTER FEAST!
Judith Chapman : for the ages
^^^ “what a resume ” you want to partay .. wine bubbly splash something ON
can’t wait for this weekend ( to listen )
one of – OUR – Grand Dame un momento
OH, yeah, Patrick—a gem has walked onto Salem’s soil….Miss Judith is the femme fatale, shrew, calamity personified–can’t tear myself away….
I didn’t know you spoke Italian, Patrick?!?!?!LOL…. un momento…..
Aside: Why can’t Abbi put two and two together and figure out Jordan took the baby? Ben will find Charlotte and Ciera–
But, will Ciera be lucid enough to defend Ben, once he is accused of the crime?
Furthermore, Patrick….What in Hades are the PTB doing? Why make Jordan nuts? Is it to prove a family trait? Jordan was always the good guy, who cared for her little brother.
Everything was going so well with Days…..I beg ‘ye gods’ not to turn it into mush. ❤️
Celia…youre breakin’ my heart…You obviously know very little of Ron C’s writing. And if I am wrong there, I apologize. He will ruin ANY character….overlook any detail…rewrite anything from the past…as long as it helps him in his ultimate goal of pushing and pimping his “redeemed” bad guys, psychos, and murderers. Any day now, I expect Xander to have blinding headaches and a brain tumour, have it redeemed, and he will be all sunshine and rainbows, rather than the sleazy rapist and murderer he is.
Lets get one thing straight! I love Judith Chapman! Having said that, I now feel compelled to talk about how Ron Carlivati is now pulling the same crap he pulled at GH that led to that show having ALL TIME RECORD LOW RATINGS!! I will start with this Diana debacle and hopefully touch on other areas.
If you never watched Days circa 1987- 1989, you wouldnt know the character of Diana. She was a spunky spitfire 25 year old journalist with a loving heart and a passion for the truth. She was a college friend of Mike Horton’s, and became love interest to John Black, who thought he was Roman at the time.
Fast forward to today…and the character is harsh, bitter, vindictive, and cruel. She is psychotically obsessed with “getting” John. The problem is in the writing, the rewriting of history, and the acting.
Chapman is a fantastic actress, but I always KNOW she is acting. She is a very campy and theatrical actress from the old school of stage and screen. Genie, on the other hand, is a very low key, heartfelt performer who brings a natural and realistic element to her role even if it something outlandish like freezing the world. As a recast, this fails on every level. Chapman is also 11 years older than Francis, and in this particular instance, the age gap is very gaping and apparent. There is absolutely no similarity whatsoever between the two actresses, which makes for a very jarring recast.
Next is the writing, or rather rewriting. This absolutely reeks of a last minute decision!!! I can actually almost hear Ron C. flustered, wondering to himself “How can I weave my sleazy new gay creation Leo more into the canvas and fabric of the show?? I have to look back into history and find a character who could be his parent! It would be great if Judith Chapman could play the part, because they played mother and son on Y and R!” So, he settled on Diana, and has gone about completely trashing and destroying the memory of what was a very enjoyable and pleasant love story. Diana was a character viewers cared about. She was not a one-note, cartoonish, plot twist villainess as she is being rewritten by Ron.
I have ALWAYS hated when soaps bring back a formerly good character as a bad or evil one. It rarely makes sense in the narrative, there is never a good enough reason to justify the drastic change, and it completely ruins the enjoyment and any memories of a good character.
You read it here….this casting decision and future storyline has ALEX NORTH written ALL over it!! Nuff said there!
Much has been said about Greg Rikaart’s character, and how funny and entertaining he is. I find him to be neither! He is a disgusting sexual predator and rapist! He is an annoying little gnat that Victor Kiriakis would have squashed like a bug about 5 seconds after he pranced into the mansion!! He is able to bring mafia don Victor and family to knees because he has pictures of Will and Sonny carrying a rug???? Please!!Greg is playing it WAY over the top. There is nothing funny about a man blackmailing straight men into unwanted sexual relations, and there is nothing funny about grabbing people and pulling them into unwanted kisses. If this was a male character doing this to a female, there would be outrage and outcry. But because its a male doing it to another male and played as comedy, it seems to be all right. Its disgusting and disturbing on many levels!!
I have a feeling they are going to make Leo into John’s son. If so…all I can ask is…is Ron THAT bereft and devoid of creativity??? John JUST found a long lost gay son 5 years ago!! Recycling plots from that recently is not a good sign!! On the other hand, I suspect they might make him Mike Horton’s son…which would unfortunately forever link this completely unnecessary character to the core family and fabric of the show!
This entire story, from creation to casting to concept has seriously ruined my ability to enjoy Days, a show I normally love. At GH, Ron completely gutted the heart and soul out of the show and replaced it with newbies and villains, leaving the show with no one to root for. He is slowly doing the same thing at Days! He brought back serial killer Ben tryong to redeem him as a leading man. Let me ask…would there be any chance of redemption if Ben didnt look like Robert Scott Wilson??
Same thing with Xander. This is a murderer and woman abuser! He takes glee in torturing, tormenting, and abusing women! (Serena, Theresa, Nicole, Sara etc). Just because he looks like Paul Telfer and is good at quippy, witty one liners, doesnt mean he should be more imbedded into the show. Ron LOVES to write for evil characters at the expense of beloved ones we know and root for and care about.
Ted and Hope? For real???? Kristian Alfonso deserves SO much better. For starters, a screen partner who can act!
And what is up with this Sheila character??? She wore out her welcome after about 2 minutes!!! Someone trying to turn her life around and get another chance would NOT have that much attitude and only spew trash talk out of her filthy mouth!! Get a haircut, get an attitude adjustment, and get a muzzle! Then we will talk!!
I was guardedly optimistic when Ron took over writing at Days. I LOATHED his work at GH beyond belief!! His rk is often eerily and disturbingly similar to James Reilly’s, which is a BIG no-no in my books!! Since he took over…there have been moments of brilliance (Theo’s shooting, Marlena’s living will story). But there have also been dreadful, awful, embarrassing stories that just give soaps a bad name (Bonnie and Hattie)!!
It is sad that Ron writes many of his women characters as obsessive, psychotic lunatics who have no other purpose than “getting” a man. Most women are self aware enough to know when a guy just isnt that into them. It does not make for good story when a woman psychotically chases a man who is CLEARLY not interested! It is the most old fashioned, lazy, uninspired, sexist type of writing imaginable! And it is a Ron C staple!!
Theres my rant. Given the completely wrong casting choice, the drastic rewriting of history, the last minute nature of the plot twist, and virtually NO redeemable qualities, this story has already qualified for Worst Recast of 2019, Worst Story, Worst Use of History and several other Worsts!!!
Judith Chapman is doing a WONDERFUL job as Diana on Days. Her Diana and son Leo/Matthew give me life, classic soap acting/delivery!
I am LIVING for Judith Chapman’s appearances on DOOL. I am so glad she has a role she can run with. She is soap opera royalty and we are lucky to watch her brilliance.
I like Chapman very much and appreciate the interview. However, the article employs a HORRIBLE photo of the actress. I’ve always thought Chapman looked good and “holds” her years well until I saw this picture. That photo does her no favors.
I have to listen to this.
Diana is certainly no Gloria. Wow! I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side. Something must have happened to her after she left Salem because I don’t remember her being this bitchy. I guess having a sociopath for a son can change you!
Judith is analogous to the giving tree—–better and better with each scene!! She superseded my expectations….donna magnifica!!
Breaking News
Rosie O’Donnell Says She Will Return to ‘The View’ During its Season 30

Rosie O’Donnell revealed that she plans to head back to a seat at the table of ABC’s morning talk show The View.
The announcement came during Monday’s episode of The Tangle Podcast where she shared she will participate in “in whatever way they want” her or “just as a guest” for its upcoming 30th season.
The View’s season 30 will kick-off this fall in September. O’Donnell explained, “They’re bringing back all the hosts, I think. And, you know, I’m pretty proud of that show, what it’s become and how it really speaks to the people and to politics.”

Photo: ABC
ROSIE ON HER PREVIOUS GO-ROUNDS ON THE VIEW
As fans of The View know, O’Donnell famously had two different one-year stints on the talk show in 2007 and again in 2014- 2015. She often feuded with then co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck.
However, during her discussion with host, Kyle Ridley on The Tangle Podcast, O’Donnell also noted she often had tense moments with longtime moderator and anchor, Whoopi Goldberg.
O’Donnell also expressed, “Many, many people got the short end of the stick there. It was, you know, it was a factory where people were being churned in and out and their tenuous security, nobody got to be calm. It also was a show at the time that was run by a man. A show created by a woman, for women, about women, and the man was deciding what we should talk about. And that didn’t sit right with me, you know.”
Back in 2023, Brooke Shields had asked Rosie on her podcast, Now What? with Brooke Shields, about how she felt on her two stints at The View and all the controversy that surrounded it. Rosie at that time, stated, “I know this, it’s not the best use of my talent to get in a show where I have to argue and defend basic principles of humanity and kindness. It was not something I’d ever do again.”
You can check out the clip with Rosie and Kyle Ridley discussing her return to The View in some form for its upcoming 30th season below.
Then weigh-in: Would you be excited to see Rosie, even for a one-day or a week guest stint on the upcoming celebratory season of The View, or not so much? Let us know via the comment section.
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Breaking News
Television Academy and NATAS Open Reunification Talks After Split Almost 50 Years Ago

In what could prove to be a massive shake-up ahead, both the TV Academy (ATAS), who presides over the Primetime Emmys, and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), who preside over the Daytime Emmys, are in exploratory reunification discussions to merge the two organizations into one.
Both sides received an overwhelming vote and support from their boards to evaluate what a unified Academy could look like. However there is no formal calendar at this juncture for the discussions. In addition, because of the ongoing unification talks that should occur, the TV Academy board has voted to extend all current sitting Governors’ terms by one year so they can see the process through.
Boards at both organizations voted overwhelmingly to evaluate what a unified Academy could make possible: a strong vision for the Academy’s future, more effective thought leadership for the industry, broader service and support for members coast-to-coast, and new momentum and opportunities across the full complement of national Emmy competitions.

Photos: ATAS/NATAS
AFTER NEARLY 50 YEARS, CAN THE EMMYS BE UNDER ONE BANNER?
In a joint statement, ATAS and NATAS shared, “Television remains the most powerful medium we have to shape culture and prompt conversations that define us—no matter the size of the screen, With the business of television undergoing such a monumental transformation, this is the right moment to explore a reunification of our Academies, providing our members and our industry with a bolder voice advocating for them and a stronger partner to navigate the future with them.”
If the reunification talks continue, this would be the first time since the two Emmy organizations split back on June 30, 1977 that they have tried to come together, all of this after almost three decades of often uneasy and strained tension between the two.
The most recent joint change came in 2022 when a move of the game show categories went from NATAS to ATAS’ and now are in the Primetime Emmys.
Deadline notes that a unification of the two television academies who overall preside over nighttime and daytime programming would be similar how SAG and AFTRA used to represent performers from completely different dayparts of work.
Could the Daytime Emmys finally see some love in primetime and have their major categories televised as part of the annual kudofest every September? Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony will take place live on Monday, September 14th starting at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT and air on NBC and stream on Peacock emanating from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. While, the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards will take place on Friday, October 30, time to be announced, live from the Hollywood Palladium and will be streamed on watchtheemmys.tv
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) is a service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry. It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy Awards for News & Documentary, Sports, Daytime and Children’s & Family programming, as well as achievements in television Technology & Engineering.
The Television Academy (ATAS) strives to shape and advance the dynamic television landscape; cultivate a diverse, inclusive and accessible professional community; and advocate for the television industry while capturing the spirit of a new generation of content creators and industry professionals. Through innovative programs, publications and events, the Academy and its Foundation foster and empower storytellers. The Academy also celebrates those who excel in the industry recognizing their achievements through awards and accolades, including the renowned Emmy Award. Membership in the Academy is open to working professionals in the television industry.
So, would you like to see the Primetime Emmy and the Daytime Emmys fold into one show if the two unions reached a unification arrangement? Do you hope that after almost 50 years, the two organizations can finally make some serious headway? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
Beyond the Gates
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 15

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) today announced the full list of nominees for the upcoming 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, and it was CBS daytime’s The Young and the Restless and broadcast television newest soap opera, Beyond the Gates that racked up the most nominations with 18 and 15, respectively.
General Hospital was next with 13 overall nominations, followed by Days of our Lives with 8 and The Bold and the Beautiful with 7 nods. The full reveal on Tuesday, follows the announcement of several major categories including Lead Actor and Actress on Monday via Extra and Entertainment Tonight and The View today revealing Daytime Drama Series and more.
The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmys ceremony are set to take place on Friday, October 30 at the historic Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California. The ceremony is currently planned to stream via watch.theemmys.tv and its associated apps. For the second year in a row, both the main Emmys and the Creative Arts will be presented together in one night.

Photo: CBS
In a statement, Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS expressed, “We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television, As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”
“Each year, the Daytime Emmy Awards celebrate the creativity, passion, and dedication that drive this vibrant community of storytellers,” said Rachel Schwartz, Head of the Daytime Emmy Awards. “Congratulations to this year’s nominees, whose work continues to entertain, inspire and connect with audiences every day. We look forward to celebrating their remarkable achievements in Hollywood this October.”
The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of genres, including daytime dramas, talk series, entertainment news, culinary, adventure, instructional and legal/courtroom programming. This year’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Gold & Silver Circle Inductees, and ceremony host will be announced at a later date.
Now below, check out the nominees in the daytime drama, talk show, entertainment news series and creative arts categories. Congratulations to all!

Photo: JPI
Outstanding Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Stacy Haiduk (as Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives
Karla Mosley (as Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Michelle Stafford (as Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless
Heather Tom (as Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful
Tamara Tunie (as Anita Williams Dupree), Beyond the Gates

Photo: ABC
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Eric Braeden (as Victor Newman), The Young and the Restless
Steve Burton (as Jason Morgan), General Hospital
Scott Clifton (as Liam Spencer), The Bold and the Beautiful
Thorsten Kaye (as Ridge Forrester), The Bold and the Beautiful
Christian Jules Le Blanc (as Michael Baldwin), The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Linsey Godfrey (as Sarah Horton), Days of Our Lives
Camryn Grimes (as Mariah Copeland), The Young and the Restless
Beth Maitland (as Traci Abbott), The Young and the Restless
Trisha Mann-Grant (as Leslie Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Amanda Setton (as Brook Lynn Quartermaine), General Hospital
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Sean Dominic (as Nate Hastings), The Young and the Restless
Timon Kyle Durrett (as Bill Hamilton), Beyond the Gates
Michael Graziadei (as Daniel Romalotti), The Young and the Restless
Roger Howarth (as Matt Clark), The Young and the Restless
Mike Manning (as Bradley “Smitty” Smith), Beyond the Gates
Lawrence Saint-Victor (as Carter Walton), The Bold and the Beautiful

Photo: ABC
Outstanding Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series
Braedyn Bruner (as Emma Scorpio-Drake), General Hospital
Al Calderon (as Javier Hernandez), Days of Our Lives
Alice Halsey (as Rachel Black), Days of Our Lives
Giovanni Mazza (as Gio Palmieri), General Hospital
Ambyr Michelle (as Eva Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Arielle Prepetit (as Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne), Beyond the Gates
Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series
Jasmine Burke (as June Hughes), Beyond the Gates
Jeff Kober (as Cyrus Renault), General Hospital
Eva LaRue (as Natalia Rogers-Ramirez), General Hospital
Christopher Sean (as Paul Narita), Days of Our Lives
Ray Wise (as Ian Ward), The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Writing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital

Photo: CBS
Outstanding Directing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Casting for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Daytime Talk Series
3rd Hour of TODAY
The Drew Barrymore Show
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Live With Kelly and Mark
TODAY With Jenna & Friends
The View

Photo: ABC
Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host
Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin & Ana Navarro, The View
Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show
Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall
Jennifer Hudson, The Jennifer Hudson Show
Sherri Shepherd, Sherri
Outstanding Entertainment News Series
Access Hollywood
Entertainment Tonight
Extra
Outstanding Daytime Personality (Daily)
Mona Kosar Abdi, Derek Hough & Terri Seymour, Extra
Cassie DiLaura, Denny Directo, Kevin Frazier, Rachel Smith & Nischelle Turner, Entertainment Tonight
Scott Evans, Zuri Hall, Kit Hoover & Mario Lopez, Access Hollywood
Star Jones & Corey Jovan, Divorce Court

Photo: WBTV
Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program
Beyond the Gates: Welcome to the Neighborhood — An Entertainment Tonight Special
Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter
Variety & CNN Actors on Actors
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Working In the Theatre
Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Daytime
Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
Have Guitar Will Travel World
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5033
Let Frankie Cook,” Getting the Band Back Together
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Outstanding Technical Direction and Video for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, Episode 104
The Bold and the Beautiful,” Episode 9511
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade”
The Jennifer Hudson Show, ” Episode 4041
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”

Photo: CBS
Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
General Hospital, Episode 15719
The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Episode 5033
The Young and the Restless,” Episode 13273
Outstanding Costume Design / Styling for a Daytime Program
The Jennifer Hudson Show, Episode 4140
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Young and the Restless Episode 13149
The Young and the Restless Episode 13273
Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for a Live Daytime Program
The Bold and the Beautiful, Episode 9658
The Jennifer Hudson Show Episode 4039
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5007
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Young and the Restless,” Episode 13260
Outstanding Lighting Direction for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates Episode 104
General Hospital Episode 15624
The Jennifer Hudson Show Episode 4010
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 6169
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”
Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design for a Daytime Program
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5033
Live with Kelly and Mark Episode 250414
The View Episode 6280
The Young and the Restless Episode 13145
The Young and the Restless Episode 13244
So, what do you think of the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations? Who are you happy to see receive a nomination and who do you think was snubbed? Weigh-in via the comment section.
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