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OLTL's Robin Strasser speaks out on Frons decision & praises Valentini!

By Michael Fairman

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Courtesy/ABC

Courtesy/ABC

One Life to Live’s fabulous Robin Strasser (Dorian) has taken to twitter, and letting it rip when it comes to her thoughts, disappointment, and outrage at the decision made by ABC and Daytime President, Brian Frons of cancelling both One Life and All My Children.

This time Strasser spoke out to Soap Opera Digest and said, “When Brian Frons makes this size decision, he shoots down thousands of New York City jobs…. If I were thanking anyone, I’d be sure to put Frank Valentini (Executive Producer) up there because he saved money, brought us in under budget and raised the standards of our production. If you’re gonna thank anyone, I would be thanking Frank Valentini. That is who deserves the credit. [Brian Frons] is bullying hundreds of employees and he’s destroying the lives and livelihood of families. Additionally, by dissing and disrespecting the audiences that love us, he puts himself in peril. I know the people who care about the audience. I know about people whose integrity is unquestioned — Erika Slezak (Viki) is chief among them and Frank Valentini…. You cannot proudly present a new endeavor when you have spit on the audience. You cannot. They will bite you back, and don’t you love it about them?”

You tell em Robin!

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I love Robin Strasser’s frankness! She is so right this is going to affect the livelihood of so many people. It’s not just about the cast, crews and fans and to make light of the cancellations by saying “they are just soaps” is ridiculous. If this were a major company closing it’s doors or laying off this many people the News Media and American people would be all over it, especially when people are making jokes! Job loss in any form is no joke!

When will ABC release that they will make more money by saving One Life To Live and getting rid of Brian Frons? Hasn”t ABC tracked all the out cry of the cancelatlon of these two soaps? Bravo To Robin Strasser and Ericka Slezak, and all other OLTL staff and production team.

I have been a huge fan of hers since she played Rachel Davis on Another World. I was only a pup when she created that role and she will always be Rachel to me when I think of that character. Her performance today with Mr. Verdorn is why I have watched daytime for forty plus years. Many good actresses have tried to fill her shoes while she was on a sabat from OLTL but there will also always be only ONE Dorian.

all i can say is the decision to cancel the soaps are a BIG, BIG, mistake and channel 7 is going down, down down! we don’t want to see other shows in place of our soaps whom we’ve grown to love. we need to PROTEST in front of the studio!

Those of us who live in NW Illinois love Miss Robin & OLTL!

All the OLTL fans……let’s do something that we should have done a long time ago. Tune in to OLTL like never before…tell a friend or a family member to watch every week. Even if they aren’t a fan of the show, just turn the tv on and walk out of the room, if they must…..but let’s do everything we can to put OLTL in the #1 soap spot. Y&R has held onto that glory for far too long. Let’s show ABC just how much we care for our show!!

I love you all.. but i will not stop fighting and hoping for a last minute save.. and you know what.. who the hell is OPRAH. she is not God and she is no one who signs my pay check. She is part of the ABC Machine.. big wigs and money.. Bull shit walking and money talking.. Frons has his to lazy to check on him peers thinking he is telling the truth. Well he is in a way… The fans saw how he was messing with the shows. AMC and GH. those were the two big money winners… So he moves AMC to california-knowing he was going to cancel. Close enough for him to mess it up the way he did GH with the writing. Their ratings drop.. Poor little OLTL ( LEFT FOR DEAD) suddenly takes off gaining viewers because it didnt fall apart when he left it alone. it blossomed…. Hell people… fire the man… and dont pay attention to oprah or barbra walters. they are part of the abc machine. If nbc cbs picks up one life and puts it on after young and restless or bold and beautiful its going to take off…. it is going to sore…. its already out doing DOOL.
Keep hope alive make those calls.. if we can get hersey to pull out we may have a win.. please call people .. we need ten thousand calls before hersey will agree to pull out… For the love of God… dont cry about a death that does not have to be… fight for life.. get off your knees and dont go down with out a fight. NOW CALL FLIPPIN HERSEY .. dont leave it to the next guy. he may be leaving it for you… just do it.

I agree I will miss All My Children and One Life to Live. They are iconic shows with iconic characters and some very fan pleasing actors. All the screaming, yelling, ranting and raving cannot hide some of the realities.

1. The soaps for whatever reason are in decline in respect to ratings. And ratings are important for sponsors. A change in the workforce population with less people at home, the internet and cable opening up more competition has cut into the soap market. Not to mention poor storylines and writing.

2. Hoping for Oprah to save the day or even sponsors backing out is a last desperate grab to try to save sinking ships. But it is not Oprah or the sponsors that can save the show. In part, the public needed to show the support by watching; watching now to try to save OLTL since AMC is almost a forgone conclusion as it only has 4 months to live, really is a temporary solution unless the fans watch religiously.

3. This is not world peace; these are entertainment shows. Iconic yes, Moving to many perhaps but life will go on. It will just be a little sadder and some of our favourite stars may never be seen.

It appears though AMC had slighlty lower ratings it was really the stronger show. It went up against two other top soaps. It does make sense a non soap has a better chance for ratings. That is a problem when you have three networks fighting for the soap audience in the same time slot. And ratings do not explain everything. The brand of AMC was always stronger = much of that lies whether we like it or not that they have the iconic Susan Lucci.

I am resigned sadly that they are cancelled. I do believe Mr. Frons should be fired but not simply because he cancelled these shows. He is like the coach. He had the goods and he could not produce two winning teams.

Now all we can do is hope to see some of these amazing performers and writers in the future.

Loser! We will NOT give up without a fight!

Everyday for the past 2 years I have been struggling to survive. My appraisal business has gone down at least 90% leaving me without money at times and my story (which is common around our country) goes on and on. Besides my granddaughters and daughter the only thing that I look forward to at night is watching All My Children and One Life to Live, and it has depressed me and so many others I know that ABC thinks by cutting out these two iconic shows they’ll save money. Whose money? They’re tearing apart not only lives of the fans (college age to seniors) but the lives of all the employees from maintenance to cast. We will all stop watching ABC. Who cares about yet another boring talk or food show. If things aren’t bad enough in the world, let us have our escape to the Soaps. SHAME ON YOU MR. FRONS!!

As a postscript I watch the Soaps at night thanks to Soapnet. Why can’t Soapnet buy-out our Soaps?

Robin

I agree with you and will miss you on the show. It has been so depressing watching
one character after another leave the show. I am done watching daytime television.
It will not be the same . I hate reality tv. I have watched OLTL for many years
and will be very sorry to see it go.

I just watched my “taped” show of Robin’s farewell and I’m crying/sobbing knowing this is the end–I miss her so much, I’m depressed over the decision to cancel the show, and disgusted with ABC and the lame new shows they have produced (their shameless promotion during the SOAPS has been especially insulting, I’m listing the sponsors and will no longer buy their products). All My Children and One Life To Live have been a staple and will not be replaced by some insipid show called the chew, dr oz, or even when katie couric graces us with her presence. The Soaps have been a refuge and the actors extended friends and family. ROBIN STRASSER is one of the Best. This cancellation makes me wonder if it’s financially driven to pay for princess katie’s over priced salary–dr oz has his daughter on the other lame show so maybe ABC thinks they’re worth more than the SOAP STARS who actually work and are the true PROFESSIONALS.

General Hospital

Paige Herschell Exits ‘General Hospital’ as Jacinda Bracken

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As suspected, Jacinda Bracken got a one way ticket out of Port Charles, thus ending the run of Paige Herschell as the escort-turned-girlfriend of Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson). The story turn took place on the Tuesday, August 11 episode of General Hospital.

After Jacinda drugged Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) by spiking her iced coffee, and Michael finding Willow drugged out in front of their kids, Amelia and Wiley, he knew he had to break things off with her.

Michael gave Jacinda enough money to get out of town and start a new life for herself, because given these recent developments, Willow will use this against him to gain full custody of his children. In their final scenes, Michael and Jacinda said a heartfelt goodbye to one another.

Michael and Jacinda

Courtesy/ABC

THE HISTORY OF JACINDA BRACKEN

According to Soap Opera Digest, a GH rep confirmed that today marked Paige Herschell’s final appearance in the role and that her exit was indeed, storyline-dictated. Herschell had originally auditioned for the role of Blaze a few years back. That part went to Jacqueline Grace Lopez.

Later, Herschell was brought in for a short stint beginning in April 2025, as the escort hired by Nina (Cynthia Watros) and Portia (Brook Kerr) to paint Drew (Cameron Mathison) in a bad light. So with Nina and Portia supplying her with ketamine, she drugged Drew. Next, Jacinda was able to get the then congressman to do liquor shots off her body in front of everyone at the Savoy Nightclub. After Drew made a public spectacle of himself, Nina paid Jacinda to leave town and she wound up in Australia.

However, by September of 2025, Jacinda was back in town, where she agreed to pretend to be Michael’s girlfriend for appearances sake and to give him an alibi on the night Drew Cain was shot. The arrangement eventually turned into genuine feelings for one another.

Back in April of 2026, Paige celebrated her one-year anniversary with GH as Jacinda and posted on Instagram,”Holy smokes! It’s been one year since Jacinda was introduced on Genera Hospital. I’m so grateful to this show for the work! Thank you to the amazing fans and the awesome cast and crew! One year! Holy moly! Jacinda- you continue to surprise me.”  Fast-forward and now by August, Herschell has wrapped her run.

So, with the news of Jacinda’s departure on GH, are you glad Michael sent her packing. or were you hoping that Michael and Jacinda would wind up a bonafide couple that would go on for quite some time? Let us know via the comment section below.

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Days Of Our Lives

‘Days of Our Lives’ Exec Explains How They Fit John Oliver’s Guest Stint into Production When They Tape Almost a Year in Advance

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If you caught today’s Tuesday, August 11 episode of Days of Our Lives streaming on Peacock, you caught the debut of John Oliver in his Salem role as the chief water inspector in town named Devlin St. John.

The ‘Last Week Tonight’ host has been on a jaunt through the soaps over the past few months, first on General Hospital, where he played the WSB head named Z, to now the man who has got the goods on EJ DiMera.

In his first of three appearances (the remaining two stream August 12 and 14), Devlin meets up with Paulina Price (Jackée Harry), Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes), Rita Lesley (who takes a liking to Mr. St. Jonn), played by Maggie Carney, and EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel). When Oliver arrives on the scene there is the wig, the quipping dialog, and a few soap stares and such along the way.

Courtesy/Peacock

Days of Our Lives is the only American soap opera in production to tape so far advance, often 10 to 11 months, that it makes it difficult to get out of any storyline that is not clicking with the fans, or if the writers want to change course.

In addition, casting announcement of exciting returns or new characters while initially exciting, finds the viewers having to wait a very long time to see them on their screens. On the flip side, without this production model the soap opera, which will turn 61 in November, wouldn’t remain and that would be a serious blow to the fans, to the soap genre and all that it employs.

DAYS OF OUR LIVES EP KEN CORDAY ON THE PROCESS OF ADDING JOHN OLIVER INTO PREVIOUSLY TAPED EPISODES

When John Oliver made his pronouncement on his late night talk show back in March that he desired to be on a soap opera. DAYS executive producer, Ken Corday was going to make it happen. He explained to Vulture, how they were able weave in Oliver’s request and take him up on it, while making it look seamless into episodes taped so long ago.

Both Corday and co-executive producer and showrunner, Noel Maxam, intially went back and looked at previously taped episodes and story outlines to search for a potential story thread where they could place the character to be played by Oliver.

Corday shared, “We didn’t want to wait until next year for these shows to air, so we lifted (already produced) show and put him in. We basically had to shoehorn him into our schedule because we were so far ahead.” The longtime EP also expressed its challenges stating it, “was somewhat complex. It was basically, ‘We have to do this; let’s get it done.’ And we did. He was too good to pass up.”

THE CREATION OF DEVLIN ST. JOHN

In terms of the scripting and creation of Oliver’s character of Devlin St. John, it was a two-team effort. Corday explained that Oliver’s overall storyline was scripted by DAYS writers, but John Oliver’s team punched up some of the dialog.

“John and his producer had a lot of input in making the words fit the way he talks,” the EP recalled. “He’s (Oliver) very machine-gun in how he speaks, so that took a little work. But in the end, we both got what we wanted.”

In terms of the look of his DAYS character of the Salem chief water inspector, Oliver brought the wig he wears in his scenes to the set, and the DAYS hair and make-up team refined it for the cameras.

You can check out more behind the scenes moments of Oliver’s appearance on Days of Our Lives in the newly released video package from Access Hollywood that dropped last night below.

So, what did you think of John Oliver’s debut as Devlin St. John on today’s Days of Our Lives? Ken Corday sharing how the soap opera was able to shoehorn in Oliver’s scenes in previous shot episodes from months ago? Weigh-in via the comment section below. 

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Days Of Our Lives

‘Last Week Tonight’ Host John Oliver’s Role on ‘Days of Our Lives’ Revealed

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After a few months of speculation, it has finally been revealed who John Oliver will be playing when he kicks-off his three episode guest stint on Tuesday, August 11 on Peacock’s Days of Our Lives.

According to a rep for the soap opera, Oliver will be taking on the role of Salem’s Chief Water Inspector who opens an investigation into the local water supply.  As previously reported, Oliver will share scenes with EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) and Rita (Maggie Carney), and Mayor Paulina Price (Jackée Harry).

In addition, Soaps.com spoke with Dan Feuerriegel who shared that Oliver’s character name is none other than “Devlin St. John.” Feuerriegel also explained what the late night talk show wanted out of his Days of Our Lives experience noting, “He wanted the whole thing. From my recollection, he wanted a wig. He wanted a ridiculous name, and he wanted to slap or be slapped.” Feuerriegel then coyly admitted, “We did all the things. Everything you would think cliché in a soap, we did. I got slapped. I slapped.”

Jackée Harry previewed her scenes with Oliver to TV Insider, noting, “He is the water commissioner and coming to her with some scheme. He is trying to get one over on the city of Salem and she is not having it. And then he’s onto the next victim.”

Photo: Peacock

JOHN OLIVER’S TOUR OF SOAP DUTY CONCLUDES IN SALEM

After his initial entrance on Tuesday, look for Oliver on  the Wednesday, August 12 and Friday, August 14 of the soap streamer. Last month, John Oliver appeared on General Hospital in the role of the head of the WSB named Z for three episodes, as well which was more of a dramatic turn for the late night talk show host.

DAYS and GH both came calling after Oliver put the word out an episode of his HBO series back in March, that he is aiming to be on a soap! John shared, “To all the soap operas out there, let me say this: I’m officially offering myself to you. Write me a role, and I will be on your set so fast, it will make your head spin!”

Days of Our Lives executive producer, Ken Corday previously said in a statement, “When John Oliver said, ‘Call me, soaps, I’m available and willing to travel. I want to be a part of that world,’ our world, we had to heed the call!”

So, looking forward to tuning-in to see John Oliver as Salem’s Chief Water Inspector, Devlin St. John on this week on Days of Our Lives? Let us know via the comment section. But first, in case you missed it, check out this week’s Days of Our Lives promo below with Oliver as Devlin St. John  asking to see Mayor Paulina Price in its final moments.

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