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SOAP BOX with The Michaels Discuss: Victoria Rowell, Justin Hartley & Which Soap Would You Want To Be The Last One Standing?

Courtesy/TradioV

Courtesy/TradioV

If you missed Thursday’s gossip-filled, champagne clinking one-year anniversary broadcast of Soap Box with Lilly Melgar and Martha Madison with their panel of Michaels: talent manager Michael Bruno, and soap journalists Michael Maloney and On-Air On-Soaps Michael Fairman, Lilly and Martha threw at “The Michaels” some hot topics to weigh-in on!

Chief among them was their thoughts on Y&R casting Justin Hartley as the new Adam Newman, the most sought after role in the soaps.  After discussing the choice and how several former primetime actors were in the running, Lilly and Martha wanted to know, what Justin appearing on Y&R means for his burgeoning primetime career? Michael Maloney stated: “I don’t know if they (Y&R) will allow him to have time off to reprise his role on Mistresses if that’s coming back this season, or Revenge, and that’s going to another network.”  

Michael Bruno responded: “In regards to the outs for Revenge or Mistresses, they were coming down to the wire and if they really wanted this guy, they could say: ‘We need notice. Let’s try to work this out, and let’s try and do this.'” But then Martha Madison followed that up with, “Don’t you think it’s in the shows best interest to let their stars  do other things?  It’s free publicity, don’t you think?  To which Bruno replied: “That’s how they lost Billy Miller (Ex-Billy, Y&R).  Next question?”

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

Later in the show, Martha asked the panel in her “Would You Rather” segment, “Who would you rather see a return to daytime from …. Victoria Rowell or Michael Muhney?”  Michael Bruno replied: “Y&R needs a shot in the arm.  Victoria is a shot in the arm.  If someone hates her, he’s not in the scene with her, that’s how you play it.  There are very few people who you could bring back where they would get additional eyes and people would tune-in.  She is somebody that could.”

The panel of Michaels were also asked: “Of the four (daytime) soaps, which would you want to be the last one standing?  Some said General Hospital, and some (including Martha) said, The Young and the Restless!  In addition, when asking the panel of Michaels if they watch all the soaps every day, Martha asks Michael Fairman which is the hardest soap right right now to get through?   You can watch the broadcast below and hear his answers, and the storylines he says give him pause.

Now below, watch the Soap Box 1-Year Anniversary show.  Then weigh-in:  Which soap would you want to be the last one standing?  Do you think Y&R will let Justin Hartley have any outs to do primetime roles? Do you think a return by Victoria Rowell would bring in more eyeballs and be a huge ratings boost to Y&R?

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If Belle comes back to DAYS, I hope she’s not played by Martha Madison. She is a bitter, mean spirited, ungrateful has-been!

The hosts and panel acted like vultures hovering over their dying prey! Clearly, they think they’ll be eating DAYS first…I hope they’re wrong and end up eating crow!!!

Days is my favorite right now of our U.S., soaps…GH is a distant second followed by the other two which could change…however, picking one to be the last one standing is like picking a family member who you’d rather see outlive the other three…no way would i pick(i wont even pick a family member and say he or she is my favorite)…we have four to choose from with fans, myself included, liking one better than the other…nothing wrong with that…i dont want any to go…lets keep all of them!!!

can’t help but say, I was a bit nonplussed, perturbed, baffled….

Days of OUR Lives… is a complete show of the 4 remaining on the air

all the elements of Serial composite are

living in Salem each and every day… 5 days a week is surprise…. who can stand it?

———–

congrats to Lilly and Martha…. what a blowout…cause celeb to toast YOUR one year tenure…. ahem… that boner and/or emmy win stint… lived…. Rafe’alicious

————-

question posed to 3 M’s : which of the two would you like to see back

Victoria Rowell and/or Michael Muhney

Y&R has nothing to lose and everything to gain… by bringing her back… she’s been gone for so long … 7+ years … maturity does stir… I think she’d be a big boon and ADD to the show on so many levels…. YES

GH and or DAYS should with zeal gusto and looking forward to a ratings bonanza and TALENT acknowledged and just hire the guy… He’s that good

—————–

I realize that GH meld with veteran and newbies… with bait hook and switch…. has a place to be acknowledged… but for my book…. DAYS recipe for remaining true to Serial … is a comforting less acknowledged… but FEASTED ON TREAT.

be that as it may : seeing the 3 M’s…. what fun… I’d toast with… listen … and can’t thank them enough for their contribution.

Serials are such a constant delight… a wonderment…. a mix of on and off…. and forever hold a place in my heart

Yeah, Patrick. The quirkiness to your writing is a breath of fresh air…don’t change the uniqueness of your style…love it.
Now, if only the Jen and Daniel neverending, hurts -my -stomach story could just be a bad dream(nightmare, rather), and disappear.

I don’t think it will be long and they will all be gone. The networks have to cut costs and they are changing their business model, large staffed inhouse projects are out. It’s sad. Once you cut as many soaps as have been cancelled, it irreparably damages the genre so it looses overall viewers. IMHO the quality has cratered. A long time OLTL fan, I can’t stand the remaining 4. They are each increasingly mind-numbingly, horribly, awful.

If OLTL did return, which it won’t, I wouldn’t watch it because it would not be the same show. It’s sad, but it’s time to hang up the RIP sign and more on. 😉

Yeah, Mitch. You bring back sweet memories. I loved OLTL…en pareil with Y&R;…watched both since High School. I miss OLTL and Y&R is trying to swim to shore…will it make it? I am fairly new to GH and six years into DOOL. I like them both….I hope the final four last forever…soaps are as Americana as apple pie…end of an era. Sigh.

Curious, are you new here or have you posted under a different alias…just wondering!!!

Sadly, I think GH would go first and CBS would have the last TWO standing.

you speak the truth

CBS has , in this day and age, a more complete daytime package… with the two serials… has more of a lasting herald

I would hope DAYS would never forgo the audience and entreat with respect… how much DAYS … tears… holds fast to our hearts

I can see ABC w/disney letting go Port Charles

I’ll take the backlash

I sometimes wish I can delete comments such as this one about Martha Madison. I’m hoping she returns to DAYS!

I wish to god we had Victoria Rowell back. Drucilla and Neil are like Sharon and Nick and Nikki and Victor

That, that Victoria Rowell come back to Y&R????? Let me see…N-O!!!!! IMO, VR is WAY TOO MUCH OF A SPOILED D-I-V-A!!!!! I H-A-T-E D-I-V-A-S!!!!! Somewhere down the line, if Y&R wants to bring the Drucilla character back, they could re-cast the role…I-F done correctly. But the idea of VR coming back to Y&R…N-O-T A GOOD IDEA!!!!! She has burned WAY TOO MANY BRIDGES (over the years) on the Y&R set with her HIGH-MAINTENANCE AND D-I-V-A WAYS!!!!!! Again…no.

But this show needs a diva!

jonboy…yes…Y&R does need a diva. But…an onscreen character who ACTS LIKE A DIVA and N-O-T an actress (that Victoria Rowell) who behaves like a difficult/spoiled diva behind the scenes!!!!! Furthermore, I think that Y&R should re-cast the role of Drucilla…but…with an actress WITHOUT THE ARROGANT EGO!!!!!

BIG BIG BIG DIFFERENCE!!!!!!

Debbie Morgan shouldve played Drucilla when she was on the show…such a great actress!!!

definitely, they wasted talent

I’d love to see Debbie Morgan working at the Salem hospital

she needs to take over… once Daniel and Jennifer are let go

to think…. Debbie Morgan working alongside… Kayla… MBE… hold on to this ride

why couldn’t she be a love interest for Abe

I’d love to see Debbie Morgan back on our radar

Shes poison PLUS no more WINTERS Stories. They suck the life out of the show and my FF button on my DVR already is wearing out!

Timmm…Y-E-S…THANK YOU!!!!! The ENTIRE Winters family on Y&R is BEYOND UNWATCHABLE (ESPECIALLY that damn Lily!!!!!)!!!!! And, as for Neil going blind…WHAT A CROCK?!?!?!? Pathetic.

Forget the diva give us back Michael Muhney.

.
To all the powers that be;
Last soap standing–
………… GENERAL HOSPITAL … !!

long live GH !!

I hope and pray!

last soap standing GENERAL HOSPITAL, duh! as for the victoria rowell situatiion, i’m not sure why an actress is so desperate to be on a show where nobody seems to want her? not the network, or studio that owns ynr, or costars? its weird, that one i don’t get, i’m not familiar with the whole back story, still, its clear, the show isn’t intererested, or they would of re cast the character and brought the characer back.

CBS/Sony would have to be utter fools to bring Victoria Rowell back. The non-stop talking about everybody being a racist. I am bored with her antics it has been seven years since she left and she is still yammering about race. She has accused several co-stars of being racist towards her she needs to seek counseling.

If i do eventually stop watching soaps like ive done on occasion i still wouldnt want any of the four cancelled because there is still a good chance i’ll return which i’ve obviuosly had done…soap characters are like family…sometimes you love them, other times you cant stand being near them but nothing is more important than family…sometimes…lol

I don’t think any will be left standing– if any network cancelled their remaining soap or soaps in CBS case, I think all them would pull the plug in short order, so if one was left standing, it wouldn’t be there for long, but my guess that last one would be B&B, simply because it is half an hour, not because it is the best.

Right now it is a game of chicken with the networks to be the first network to completely remove the genre from their daytime schedule– but as soon as one does it, becomes the bad guy, all of them will follow. Trust me they are all chomping at the bit to get rid of daytime soaps, but right now none of them have the guts to be the network that kills it altogether. But if I were to hazard a guess, I think ABC would be the first to cave and be that network.

“… right now none of them have the guts to be the network that kills it altogether. ”

this… is what I HOLD on to

shooting themselves in the foot… and then some….

I liken it to…. a complete desecration… should any network… go this route

I really dont watch anything on any of the networks in primetime anymore except “Under the Dome” so if the soaps go away I would probably look to just online content. The big four networks are really hurting. On TV, the only thing getting any real buzz is on AMC, FX, or Netflix.

B&B will be the last soap standing. It’s the only one of the remaining soaps that does not need a network or a production company to survive, since the show is owned solely by the Bells and is also produced by them. As the only 30-min soap, it’s cheaper to produce. Also, B&B is the most watched soap in the world, making it very profitable with a huge overseas presence.

Exactly, Matthew Place! Although I would like to see GH be the ultimate survivor, I simply cannot envision that outcome in any way, shape or form as long as it continues on its current downward trajectory. Hence, B&B is the only logical choice to be the last one standing for all the reasons you enumerate.

I agree totally

Loved the show. Thanks, Michael, for bringing it to our attention.

DAYS as last soap standing for me!

When DOOL did a “reboot” several years ago, I thought it gave the show a shot in the arm. I loved the role of Madison and the Horton Town Square was revealed. After watching the interview, I agree with so many things you said that is wrong with the show now. There are too many characters on the show that are NOT working as far as clicking with the audience. Eve is a cartoon villianess. She has no redeeming qualities and comes to town and still has all of this hate for Jennifer from high school? STUPID. The show has basically handed the show over to Eve, Theresa, Jordan and Paige, thinking that this is the next generation of the show. The answer is an overwhelming “no.”

The Will recast is NOT clicking. I look at him as a jerk who threw his mother under the bus. I think DOOL is ruining this character.

The show continues to drop the ball with missed opportunities. If Kristen would have come back to town with a baby, this would have had HUGE impact. Instead, we get to see Kristen and Daniel sit in a closet for two weeks and talk about her bad deeds. If Abifgail would have been pregnant, it would have been more shocking and with long-term effects. Instead, the secret of her affair comes out and everyone still treats her like the town virgin. Jennifer should have been angry at her for sleeping with someone so much older and thinking she could have been pregnant. There was not one scene with Jennifer showing her disappointment in Abigail’s bad choices.

It is time “DOOL” stops taping so far in advance and realize that if characters are not clicking with the viewers, the writers might not set the entire show around them.

Nicole was once a GREAT vilianness/diva. Now all she does is cry and beg everyone to be her friend.

Stop bringing in so many characters and give us some legacy characters – Belle, Shawn-Douglas, Mimi, Phillip, Carrie, Mike Horton. I would love to see Nadia B and Jay Kenneth Johnson, Jason Cook or Brandon B and Farah Fath come back.

Kassie D is a great actress, but she is not a good fit for Eve. The character is despicable.

Can someone be happy on the show? I am ready for a new super couple, in the same vein as Hope/Bo, Marlena/Roman, Marlena/John, Kayla/Patch. There is not one couple on the show that has rooting value, with the closest being Sami and Kate’s friendship.

Stop pushing Jennifer and Daniel down our throat. Put him back with Nicole. Bring back Melissa Anderson. Bring back Frankie Brady for Jennifer.

Kate Mani is a star in waiting. I love her character.

I love Hope and Aidan together, but please close this crazy storyline with Bo leaving his family to work undercover. Kristian A has been left drifting for too long.

Stop making Marlena so proper. Give her an edge. Deidra Hall has turned into the biggest bore on the show. Drake returning has not provided one spark.

Here are some storyline ideas. Let’s have another Salem Stranger Part II storyline and get rid of a lot of dead weight. This could make room for a Salem Reboot, Part II. Let’s see something that takes Kate to her knees, such as breast cancer. Lauren K has been a favorite for years. Let’s see Kristian A be given a storyline with the same acting depth as what she showed during Zack’s death. Hope being raped could have long-term impact on the character.

The show needs more romance and less bitchy characters. I am so sick of every female on the show trying to out-bitch each other. No one is in that category except Kristen, Sami and Kate.

Ive mention under different threads about having Kristen return with a baby she passes as Bradys but soon learns its Erics who at first finds it extremely difficult to accept this child but a sympathetic Nicole helps him through it and re-earns his love while Marlena struggles to accept a grandchild from her no.1 enemy! I also once mentioned the return of the Salem Strangular and i want John to awaken from his coma thinking he is the real Roman Brady, that current Roman is an imposter(inside joke sort of), that he is still a cop and must protect Marlena from the Strangular…i want the show to bring on Stephan Schnetzer(ex Cass, AW) to reprise his late 70s character Steve Olsen, Julies brother, as Kates new love interest who is now a conniving businessman hell bent taking over companies owned by the Dimeras and Victors as well…i want Clyde to be Stephanos nephew…he rapes Abigail who becomes pregnant but tells Ben he is the babys father…Jen finds Abigails diary and learns the truth…Jen begins to have mental problems like her mother Laura(now played by Erika Slezak) in town for the shows 50th…Meanwhile, Clyde gets Rafe fired from the police force after Rafe strikes him during a confrontation over Clyde harrasing Jordan which Clyde deliberately set up…Clyde blackmails Kate into marrying him…Clyde is shot but survives…there is several suspects including Ben who learns Abigails baby is Clydes after he raped her…Jen has a breakdown on the witness stand and admits she shot Clyde…as Jen is taken away from the courtroom we here Eve sarcastically remark ‘The nut doesnt fall far from the family tree!’ which is overheard by Laura who slaps Eve hard…Bo is persumed drowned after his plane crashes into the ocean and his body is missing…Hope becomes addicted to pain killers and Ciara, 12 years old in 2015, is becoming ill and gaining weight…Hope takes Ciara to the doctor and is shocked to learn Ciara is pregnant by a new boy she met at her school who turns out to be Rorys troublesome younger brother!!! Just a brief recap of ideas i commented on in the past!!!

i meant strangler…lol

Forgot to add i want Steve Olsen to be Jordans biological father making her a Horton and if Clyde was a Dimera then Ben would be one too…tie these newbies in to the core families…

GH should reboot. Bring back Stuart Damon and the Qs and if all that BS with Prospect Park is cleared, bring back Todd!

OMG Ray could you make it any longer?

I kept you reading, didn’t I?

I think Ray is related to Le a Marquis de Sade….kidding, Ray…yeah, I read it all. Lol

Last soap standing?? We need more soaps not less!

Why not start a soap on the Reelz channel. I dont need the F word or nudity but it would be nice if the characters could speak more like a normal person would speak. I would love to hear Nina say to Franco, “Dont piss me off Franco or I’ll get out of this chair and kick your ass” to which Franco replies, “Your full of shit, not that I would advocate hitting a women but I was a psycho killer before my brain tumor was removed!” To which Sonny walks by both of them and tells Nina not to trust Franco because he is an asshole!

Last soap standing hopefully will be Bold and the Beautiful. Y & R use to be popular but we lost a lot of great actors/actresses Phyllis Billy, Adam and the only storyline is Nikki drinking still again and Jill with that damn music box. The only good part is Sharon & Nick getting their daughter back. You could watch it once a week and not miss anything.

I think Y&R will be the last soap standing. I think GH will be the first to go because ABC doesn’t give two shits about the loyal soap fans. I say no to MM or VR.

Which soap will be the last one standing? It is is a toss up between all of them. I am the last person to speculate since I’m wrong 90% of the time.
Presently, Y&R is the most which drives me to distraction, up the wall and all that stuff. I have never been in close contact with an alcoholic, so I can’t judge…I just don’t get the attraction to imbibing to the point of oblivion. I know, I know, as someone with a bit of a brain, I should realize the abyss of addiction into which people fall. But, c’mon,…how many times are we to revisit this affliction with Nikki? Very boring…I lose interest instantly, as I can bet other viewers do, as well.
Regardless, and on a different note, am I the only one who doesn’t give a c$&@p about Neil and his blindness, or Hilary, the interloper, or Lily and Cain, who are as stuffy as Raggedy Ann and Andy? Every single character on this soap is an irritant…exception– Michael , Kevin and Nick.

No, No, and No, on Victoria Rowell. She has burned all of her Y & R bridges by her horrible racist comments. The show may need a diva, but it need a “character” that acts like a diva not her, who unfortunately thinks she IS a dive, but is nothing more than a screaming, whining, spoiled person. She didn’t get what she wanted, so she left. Don’t let the door hit ya on the way out Victoria….See ya”

Y&R will be the first to go, that is what happens when you have someone named the soap slayer as their Executive Producer!! GH will be the last to go. It is the only soap left that is entertaining to watch and the cast unlike Y&R is not full of egos that have been their since the beginning. GH is fun, fast ,and furious. Y&R is dead. dull and dweller. The other two, never cared!!

Should have been more careful with that champagne. The last time a toast was raised, Lilly blew up in a car.

First of all to all of you so upset about Victoria Rowell’s comment concerning racism, she listed some very valid reasons for she felt that way. Yes I know, you all have good excuses why it is not and you always do. In your eyes there is no such thing as racism and maybe never was. But the fact that you can’t get beyond that right now and just understand that she would make great tv speaks volumes about yourselves as YOU pertain to racism yourselves. It reminds me of an old expression, “the lady doth protest too much, methinks”. If it weren’t true than what difference would it make if she came back? Why does it bother SOME people so much, strike such a chord? Why? Because the TRUTH hurts. I LOVE Michael Muhney as Adam and victoria rowell. But let’s be honest, one accused of groping young girls or one who stood up for what she believed was right even though the odds were against her and she would be ostracized, maybe even BLACK listed (excuse the pun, lol). Playing devil’s advocate, I’ll put differently, who should we pick one accused of groping young girls or one who gave her experienced opinion and we disagree. Honestly they are both great tv and I wish both could come back.

By the way, I stopped watching Y&R a couple years after VR left, when I realized they were not bringing her back and I will only return when she does. I started watching Y&R in 1975, I was a kid, but every chance I got, holidays snow days, sick days, whenever.

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51st Daytime Emmys: Outstanding Daytime Drama Series Nominations

On Thursday, the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards revealed nominations in several key categories via four entertainment news programs: Access Hollywood, E! News, Extra and Access Hollywood.

Three of the four announcements were major categories in the field of Daytime Dramas.

The nominees in the Outstanding Daytime Drama Series category are: The Bay, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, Neighbours and The Young and the Restless.

Photo: JPI

General Hospital won this category last year, and has the most all-time wins for a series in this category. For the first time, the beloved Australian-based soap opera, Neighbours is now eligible for competition due to its reboot which streams on Amazon Freevee.

Photo: AmazonFreevee

The 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be handed out in ceremonies in Los Angeles and broadcast live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ on Friday night, June 7th.

Previous categories announced tonight via the entertainment news outlet included: Lead Actor and Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

So, what do you think about this year’s nominee for the Outstanding Daytime Drama Series? Who do you think should win? Comment below.

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51st Daytime Emmys: Tamara Braun, Finola Hughes, Katherine Kelly Lang, Annika Noelle, Michelle Stafford, Cynthia Watros Score Lead Actress Nominations

The nominations were revealed for the 51st annual Daytime Emmys. in the prestigious Lead Actress in a Drama Series category by Entertainment Tonight.

This comes ahead of tomorrow’s full list that is set to be unveiled at 12noon/9am PST on Friday.

In the running for this year’s Outstanding Lead Actress are Tamara Braun (Ava, Days of our Lives), Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, The Bold and the Beautiful), Annika Noelle (Hope, The Bold and the Beautiful), Finola Hughes (Anna, General Hospital), Cynthia Watros (Nina, General Hospital) and Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, The Young and the Restless).

Photo: Getty

Previous winners in this category include GH’s Finola Hughes, Cynthia Watros and Y&R’s Michelle Stafford.  Days of our Lives nominee had won in the Supporting Actress category twice in her career.

Earlier, the Lead Actor nominees were revealed and you can find them here.

Make sure to be with us Friday night, April 19th for the Michael Fairman Channel’s 10th annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Special beginning at 5 pm PT where we chat live with some of this year’s nominees.

So, what do you think about this year’s Lead Actress nominees? Comment below.

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51st Daytime Emmys: Eric Braeden, Scott Clifton, Thorsten Kaye, John McCook and Eric Martsolf Score Lead Actor Nominations

Ahead of the full list of 51st annual Daytime Emmy Award Nominations to be revealed tomorrow on Friday, April 19th, Extra’s Melvin Roberts unveiled the nominations in the highly-coveted Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series: Actor.

Going for gold are Eric Braeden (Victor, The Young and the Restless), Scott Clifton (Liam, The Bold and the Beautiful), John McCook (Eric, The Bold and the Beautiful), Thorsten Kaye (Ridge, The Bold and the Beautiful) and Eric Martsolf (Brady, Days of our Lives).

All five of the nominees are previous Daytime Emmy winners, with Eric Martsolf the only won in the group to have won his previous Emmy for work in the Supporting Actor category.

Photo: JPI

B&B could make it three years in a row as the reigning champs in the actor race, having won in 2022 with John McCook and 2023 with Thorsten Kaye.

In addition, as previously announced, the Michael Fairman Channel will play host to its 10th annual Daytime Emmy Nominations special featuring several of the nominees for the 51st annual Daytime Emmys which happens live tomorrow Friday, April 19th beginning at 8 pm ET/5pm PT.

Check out Extra’s announcement of this year’s Daytime Emmy nominees for Lead Actor, then let us know in the comment section, which of the five do you hope takes home the prize?

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