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OLTL's Scott Evans Interviews before Kish Crushed and After!
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Kish fans will make sure to note of two interviews on the web right now with One Life to Live’s departing Scott Evans. First right here at On-Air On-Soaps, Michael Fairman talked with Scott about Fish being revealed as the biological dad of Sierra Rose, and his feelings on Fish’s entire story arc from the coming out story, to the sex-scene, to the pushback and the prejudice. This interview was taped a few days prior to Scott shockingly finding out he was released from the show.
Today, We Love Soaps posted a fascinating interview from this weekend’s Gay of our Lives event in New York. Damon L. Jacobs caught up with Scott for a few minutes to ask how he was handling things post-Kish, and his how he is dealing with the disappointment, and confirming how he found out about the end of his character via the Internet!
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Hallmark CEO Apologizes After Cable Network Pulled Zola’s Same-Sex Wedding Ad Sparking Controversy
On Sunday night, Hallmark Card president and CEO Mike Perry offered up an apology to wedding planner website Zola after the Hallmark Channel removed four commercials that featured a same-sex wedding. See previous story here, and as many soap fans several former favorites from daytime are hired as actors consistently by the network for their movies,
In a statement, Perry shared: “The Crown Media team has been agonizing over this decision as we’ve seen the hurt it has unintentionally caused. Said simply, they believe this was the wrong decision. Our mission is rooted in helping all people connect, celebrate traditions and be inspired to capture meaningful moments in their lives. Anything that detracts from this purpose is not who we are. We are truly sorry for the hurt and disappointment this has caused. … Across our brand, we will continue to look for ways to be more inclusive and celebrate our differences.”
Then, on the companies corporate website another statement was served up expressing: “That is is, and always has been, committed to diversity and inclusion — both in our workplace as well as the products and experiences we create. It is never Hallmark’s intention to be divisive or generate controversy. We are an inclusive company and have a track record to prove it.”
That post talked about how the company has LGBTQ greeting cards, and goes on to say how the company has been recognized as one of the Human Rights Campaigns Best Places to Work, and as one of Forbes America’s Best Employers for Diversity. You can read that statement in full here.
GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis said on the the reinstatement of the ads: “The Hallmark Channel’s decision to correct its mistake sends an important message to LGBTQ people and represents a major loss for fringe organizations, like One Million Moms, whose sole purpose is to hurt families like mine. LGBTQ people are, and will continue to be a part of advertisements and family programming and that will never change. GLAAD exists to hold brands like The Hallmark Channel accountable when they make discriminatory decisions and to proactively ensure families of all kinds are represented in fair and accurate ways.”
So, what do you think about Hallmark’s apology? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
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Call For Boycott and Pushback Continue For Hallmark Channel After Pulling Ad Of Lesbian Brides Kissing
We all know that many former soap stars are currently appearing, or have appeared in Hallmark Channel movies, and Christmastime is the cable outlets busiest season where they roll about several romance-themed offerings.
This weekend alone, DAYS alum, Jen Lilley (Ex-Theresa) and GH alum, Matt Cohen (Ex-Griffin) are in two of them However, on Saturday the channel became under fire for removing an ad from Zola.com which featured two brides kissing in a same-sex wedding moment.
Zola.com is a wedding planning and registry company, and in this version of their ads, it showed two women exchanging wedding vows and then sharing a kiss celebrating their union. The ad was one of six that had been running on the channel since December 2nd.
Enter conservative group One Million Moms. The group launched a petition to get the network to pull the commercial along with any other LGBTQ related-content. According to the group, they had 27,000 people sign it. On their website, the ‘Moms” group posted: “Parents need to know they could now come face-to-face with the LGBT agenda when they sit down to watch the Hallmark Channel.”
Next, Hallmark Channel caved to the conservative group and removed the ad saying it was in violation of their policy. They added to The Hollywood Reporter: “The debate surrounding these commercials on all sides was distracting from the purpose of our network, which is to provide entertainment value.” Zola countered with their own statement, pulling any and all advertising from the network: “All kisses, couples and marriages are equal celebrations of love and we will no longer be advertising on Hallmark.”
A Hallmark spokesperson added: “The decision not to air overt public displays of affection in our sponsored advertisement, regardless of the participants, is in line with our current policy, which includes not featuring political advertisements, offensive language, R-rated movie content and many other categories.”
GLAAD fired back with a statement from CEO Sarah Kate Ellis: “The Hallmark Channel’s decision to remove LGBTQ families in such a blatant way is discriminatory and especially hypocritical coming from a network that claims to present family programming and also recently stated they are ‘open’ to LGBTQ holiday movies. As so many other TV and cable networks showcase, LGBTQ families are part of family programming. Advertisers on The Hallmark Channel should see this news and question whether they want to be associated with a network that chooses to bow to fringe anti-LGBTQ activist groups, which solely exist to harm LGBTQ families.”
In some additional tweets on social media which find many calling for a complete boycott of the channel, The Ellen DeGeneres Show account tweeted: Isn’t it almost 2020? @hallmarkchannel @billabbottHC … what are you thinking? Please explain. We’re all ears.”
General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis) tweeted: “Sweet Jesus!…who ironically I hear does not get the Hallmark Channel due to its content, but instead binge watches @BritishBakeOff due to the joyful inclusivity… and of course the cake.”
Saturday Night Live took aim at the cable network with guest co-host Scarlett Johansson with the game, A Winter Boyfriend for Holiday Christmas, a Hallmark dating show – said to be created by the algorithm that makes Hallmark holiday movies. In it, Johansson was the’ bachelorette’ having to choose between three eligible bachelors which took aim at all the lack of racial diversity in Hallmark’s Christmas movies, and more.
Now below, watch the ad that is the center of the controversy below, followed by the SNL spoof of the channel.
In the comment section, let us know what your thoughts are on the decision by Hallmark to pull the wedding planning ad, and what you think of the networks movie content formula which clearly lacks diversity and inclusion.
News
Greek Soap Star Andreas Georgiou To Appear On The Bold and the Beautiful
B&B fans worldwide follow the exciting international career of legacy series star, Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke). As Lang had detailed recently on her social media posts, she was recently in Greece taping 16 episodes on the greek soap opera 8 Lexeis.
The series star of 8 Lexeis is Andreas Georgiou, and now he has come to Los Angeles to appear on Katherine’s soap, The Bold and the Beautiful.
Andreas had been documenting his trip to Los Angeles and CBS Television City (where B&B is taped) on his Instagram account. One shot is with B&B icon, John McCook (Eric), and there are others with Lang and her beau, Dom Zoida, and more.
Jennifer Gareis (Donna) also posted a group photo from the set with Andrea and actors from the cast of The Bold and the Beautiful.
No word yet on when Andreas will air on B&B, or what part he will play, but stay tuned for more intel as it becomes available.
So, what do you think of B&B continuing its international reach bringing Andreas to the series for a guest visit? Comment below.
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Hallmark CEO Apologizes After Cable Network Pulled Zola’s Same-Sex Wedding Ad Sparking Controversy
Call For Boycott and Pushback Continue For Hallmark Channel After Pulling Ad Of Lesbian Brides Kissing
Is Phick About To Reignite On The Young and the Restless?
DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Wally Kurth & Chandler Massey Deliver Poignant Scenes As Justin Tells Will ‘Don’t Give Up On Life’
Greek Soap Star Andreas Georgiou To Appear On The Bold and the Beautiful
Tamron Hall Talk Show Gets Second Season Renewal
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Max Gail Turns In Another Emmy-Worthy Performance As Mike’s Battle With Alzheimer’s Takes Its Toll
OLTL Alum Renée Elise Goldsberry Says: “I Just Think The Best Actors In The World Are On Daytime Television”
DYNASTY’s Rafael de La Fuente Reflects On Being Out and Proud After Conquering His Fears
Days of our Lives to Air in the UK Beginning In January
Stephen Nichols On His DAYS Return As Stefano: “I Knew I Didn’t Want To Be A Cheap Imitation.”
DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Wally Kurth & Chandler Massey Deliver Poignant Scenes As Justin Tells Will ‘Don’t Give Up On Life’
WATCH: Steve Burton & Bradford Anderson Take On Grammy-Nominated Hit ‘Old Town Road’ With A GH Twist
DAYS Head Writer Ron Carlivati Talks On: Ben Weston, Soap Amnesia, Doppelgängers, and the Time Jump
A Friz Holiday Miracle On GH?
Noted Soap Opera Producer Lisa de Cazotte Has Died; Daytime Community Mourns Her Passing
DYNASTY’s Rafael de La Fuente Reflects On Being Out and Proud After Conquering His Fears
Paging Dr. Griffin Munro! Matt Cohen Makes A Return Visit To GH
OLTL Alum Renée Elise Goldsberry Says: “I Just Think The Best Actors In The World Are On Daytime Television”
Alison Sweeney Reveals She Is Making A Return To DAYS In 2020
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Max Gail Turns In Another Emmy-Worthy Performance As Mike’s Battle With Alzheimer’s Takes Its Toll
A Friz Holiday Miracle On GH?
WATCH: Steve Burton & Bradford Anderson Take On Grammy-Nominated Hit ‘Old Town Road’ With A GH Twist
Rob Scott Wilson and Victoria Konefal Interview – Day of Days 2019
Freddie Smith and Chandler Massey Interview – Day of Days 2019
Camila Banus Interview – Day of Days 2019
Drake Hogestyn and Deidre Hall Interview – Day of Days 2019
Eric Martsolf and Stacy Haiduk Interview – Day of Days 2019
TONIGHT: GH Alum Ryan Paevey Stars In Hallmark’s ‘Christmas at The Plaza’
Stephen Nichols Returns To DAYS In Cliffhanger As ‘The Phoenix Always Rises From The Ashes’
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Days Of Our LivesDecember 10, 2019Stephen Nichols On His DAYS Return As Stefano: “I Knew I Didn’t Want To Be A Cheap Imitation.”
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Days Of Our LivesDecember 13, 2019DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Wally Kurth & Chandler Massey Deliver Poignant Scenes As Justin Tells Will ‘Don’t Give Up On Life’
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General HospitalDecember 6, 2019WATCH: Steve Burton & Bradford Anderson Take On Grammy-Nominated Hit ‘Old Town Road’ With A GH Twist
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Days Of Our LivesDecember 8, 2019DAYS Head Writer Ron Carlivati Talks On: Ben Weston, Soap Amnesia, Doppelgängers, and the Time Jump
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General HospitalDecember 9, 2019A Friz Holiday Miracle On GH?
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Days Of Our LivesDecember 8, 2019Noted Soap Opera Producer Lisa de Cazotte Has Died; Daytime Community Mourns Her Passing
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DynastyDecember 11, 2019DYNASTY’s Rafael de La Fuente Reflects On Being Out and Proud After Conquering His Fears
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General HospitalDecember 6, 2019Paging Dr. Griffin Munro! Matt Cohen Makes A Return Visit To GH
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OLTL doesn’t deserve such class. Although I’ve been sending in my postcards and emails. I’m sure we will be seeing Scott a lot more in the future. He’s a great actor.
Once Kish is gone it can be the Rex/Gigi hour.
Damon Jacobs is jokingly (not really IMO) offering his therapeutic services to Scott Evans for kish firings? The clear favoritism and kiddy (or kishy) gloves for Scott Evans and Brett Claywell is out of control. Some in the media are feeding into kish actors’s delusions that OLTL’s homophobic and this is a homophobia issue when it’s not. This is not the first firing on Daytime done in a brusque way and it certainly won’t be the last. Majority of actors go thru this. Heck majority of talented actors don’t even get hired! Countless actors are waiting in the wings to be on a soap or be a recast. ATWT freaking recasted Lily, so no one has job security! Every employed actor should be freaking grateful they even have jobs, especially in soaps, where it’s looks over talent. Evans should have been grateful he got hired bec IMO the reasons OLTL hired him are bec of his looks, famous last name and out status. OLTL thought he’d probably bring in the ratings since many would be curious of Evans on their soap since he’s openly gay and related to a film actor. They obviously pimped him to garner press for OLTL but kish couldn’t sustain any public curiosity or new viewership bec the writing was crappy and Evans’s acting left much to be desired. Evans blabs on again abt how he was informed and how he’s happy abt the rallysists, w/c means OLTL would be getting flak from rallyists. He thinks so highly of himself that OLTL must treat him in a special way bec he’s an openly gay “actor” portraying a gay character. And the whole “I put my heart and soul into this” crap is something all actors say. What’re they gonna say, I’m happy I look great and I just wing it during the scenes? LOL. For every unconventional casting w/ a Patrika Darbo (ex Nancy, Days) or a Paul Williams, I think that’s the name of the actor/composer of “The Rainbow Connection” who portrayed Bailey on B&B, there are a 1000 other Scott Evanses that are hired on soaps. Darbo and Williams do not fit the mold of soap actors but their talent actually landed them their parts. Nancy was Days’s first minx that was the reverse of a rail thin model. While Williams’s small stature actually brought more depth to the sinister Bailey, who had to be written out since the crystal hypnosis (yes that is not a typo, LOL) arc on B&B bombed. These actors, despite their untraditional looks for soaps, were great in their parts since they could act very well. Did Darbo and Williams freaking scream to the media that they were axed bec of lookism? Did Williams say he was made as a scapegoat for the crystal hynopsis storyline not working on B&B? Did Williams say that Paul Satterfield (ex Pierce B&B) should have been axed instead since Pierce used the crystal to make Tay think she was a teen again? Did… Read more »
And of course Jacobs holds the interview in front of the word Stonewall. That is extremely manipulative.
Evans’s axing is not in any way a parallel to events leading up to the Stonewall riots. For Jacobs to subtlely parallel the 2 is sheer lunacy!
The next interview w/ the other actor in the same clip is not in front of the word Stonewall, so that’s very telling.
“Gay people” aren’t the only ones being affected by this axing. Kish is a rather popular couple on this soap, if you haven’t realized, loved by gays and straights alike. Brett Claywell & Scott Evans are not “screaming to the media” that this was about homophobia, they are simply defending themselves after their names were erroneously dragged through the mud. Someone at OLTL/ABC put them in a position where they had to defend themselves & their professionalism (of which they did, very well actually – they dispelled the rumors against them, which no one really believed anyway, because anyone who’s actually watched their scenes as Kyle & Fish know that they’re both very professional & give 110% of themselves, their hearts & their souls, to these roles, the message of this storyline, and the show as a whole). They know the business, but the way this whole thing was so mishandled I think has to even strike them. They weren’t told of their last day shooting together, which means they, as well as the fans who have followed this storyline & these characters, have no closure & told that “focus groups” – who have WAY too much power IMO – didn’t like a story they’d put so much into for the past year. How would that make YOU feel? You even have to admit it was pretty awful of OLTL to allow Scott to find out via Twitter (TWITTER!) that he wasn’t going to be playing this role anymore. They could’ve atleast had the decency to place a 2 minute phone call to the man! OLTL/ABC has come up with so many stories/excuses over this it’s enough to make anyone’s head spin and these people in the PR department should really be ashamed of the PR disaster they’ve created here, as it really doesn’t reflect well on the show or the network. 1). Kish solely responsible for their already-poor ratings (scapegoating the gay storyline), 2). From FV, they ” we’re concluding the story we set out to tell with Kyle & Oliver” 3). they “didn’t resonate with mainstream audiences” 4). they *did*, in fact, resonate with “audiences”, and they’ll still remain in Llanview & the door will always be open to them; 5). blaming Brett & Scott themselves for possible unprofessional behavior. OLTL/ABC did, in fact, blame this storyline for their already-poor ratings, so actually it is an issue of homophobia. Why didn’t they blame Mitch’s return, in which he tried to rape/impregnate his own daughter & dig up the corpse of said daughter’s dead husband in order to torment her with? Or how about this Jessica as a teenager storyline, which is just pretty ridiculous as a whole? Or perhaps Todd/Tea/Blair’s never-ending triangle, mixed in with Matthew’s surgery/court case & the introduction of yet another of Todd’s children, Dani (the guy’s like the Sonny of Llanview at this point for goodness sakes!)? So yes, it is an issue of these “focus groups” or this “mainstream audience” they speak so… Read more »
There’s no pt in debating w/ kish fans who only blame it on these shadowy agents who weild so much power bec of their homophobia that they can axe any gay couple they like. OLTL is last in the ratings and these so called homophobes are trying to get rid of them, yet not going after the more far reaching ABC gay characters on Modern Family, excellently portrayed by Eric Stonestreet, who always steals the show from Jesse Tyler Ferguson. As for the Stonewall reference, of course a psychotherapist would choose to have the interview there for its psychological impact.
Some people closely involved with all this don’t believe the firings had anything to do with “the gayness,” although they do acknowledge that the kish s/l was dropped b/c of focus groups, and ABCD has gone on the record stating kish was “killed” as a result of failing to resonate with “mainstream” audiences, and ABCD said they don’t want to waste their time on non-mainstream viewers, or basically any open-minded people. But there are plenty of mainstream fans who did enjoy these characters and s/l. And, since Evans andClaywell were fired b/c their s/l was dropped for these reasons, it does come across as bigoted. It’s so unjust for these actors to be fired and their s/l dropped for these reasons, especially since the actors did nothing but garner praise and hype for OLTL. People shouldn’t just accept the demise of this wonderful, groundbreaking s/l. To see how you can support Kish, Evans, and Claywell, please visit: http://www.dontputkishinthecloset.blogspot.com.
Oh, and in regards to your outrage that the WLS interview took place in front of the Stonewall, you should really relax-it wasn’t some huge conspiracy. Evans, and a host of other actors were all attending a charity event that took place there. WLS covered the event, and conducted every interview in front of the venue there, as inside the tiny bar it was loud, crowded, and too poorly-lit for filming. Hope this clarification can put you at ease.