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No one does shockers quite like The Bold and the Beautiful. Recently, the Daytime Emmy Award winning drama series two years running aired the jaw-dropper of 2010.  At a graduation night soiree for Hope Logan (featuring the pulsating beats and performances by recording star Dandy Yankee) a case of mistaken identity has sent a ripple effect that will be felt for many months for the Forresters, Logans, and the Joneses.  In a night filled with hot dancers, sexy costumes, and white masks at a sin-filled masquerade ball, young Oliver comes to meet up with his girlfriend Hope to celebrate her big night and the chance to perhaps have a night of passionate sex with the young woman.  Then, in a series of twists, Oliver, thinking a masked Brooke is Hope, has tawdry sex with his girlfriend’s mother on the terrace of the mansion housing the masquerade ball!

On-Air On-Soaps, Michael Fairman sat down for an exclusive interview with the two participants in this case of “Whoops! Wrong man, wrong woman”, that is just the tip of the iceberg of their tangled storyline.  B&B favorite, Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke), and hot BOLD newbie, Zack Conroy (Oliver) discuss their nerves, surprise, and thrills at getting the chance to play out this unusual set of circumstances with each other that all started with, as it is lovingly now called on the internet, “The Party Boink”.  Make sure to listen to the interview in audio as well, in our player below.

*This feature will also be in print as an exclusive for an upcoming issue of TV SOAP Australia.  For more archived interviews from TV SOAP visit our
Interviews section for the magazine here.

Listen to the audio:
The Katherine Kelly Lang & Zack Conroy Interview

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MICHAEL:

Ok, “The Party Boink”…I thought this was the best cliffhanger of a Friday tag ever in the history of B&B!  When the camera slowly pans, and in slow motion to Oliver, and he sees that the woman, who takes off her mask and is in the same blue dress as Hope, is Brooke, he then realizes he had sex with Brooke by mistake!  And the show goes to black!   Zack did you see the episode back?

ZACK:

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Yeah, I saw it.  One of the producers of the show came up to me and said, “It was one of the best tags she had ever seen!”  I watched it and I really didn’t know what to think, but it was like watching a movie.  I really didn’t think so much of me in it; it was just so cool…

KATHERINE:

It was cool!  The whole party, and Daddy Yankee, and the masks, and the clothes, and everything I had said in dialog for weeks.  It was cool, and it looked different, and it looked like something other than daytime.

MICHAEL:

It looked like a huge party scene with this fantastically produced slo-mo tag.

ZACK:

It was funny.  A couple of my friends called up who had been watching, and they sent it out and around to everyone to watch, and I was getting all these calls that day.

KATHERINE:

What did they say?

MICHAEL:

What were you doing up against the wall? (Laughs) 

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ZACK:

Way to go buddy!  (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Katherine, what did people you know say?

KATHERINE:

Did he wear a condom… (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

So when you heard, Katherine, that this was going to happen, did B&B executive producer and head writer Brad Bell say, “Come up to the office.  I have something to tell you.”  Or, did you find out when you opened the script?

KATHERINE:

I think Brad did not want to tell me.  He said, “I have an interesting storyline coming up for you.” (Laughs) Usually he tells me, and this time he didn’t tell me.  I thought, what does that mean?  He is not telling me.  But Brad went on to say, “But it’s really good.” And then it wasn’t till I heard people whispering about my story that I went, “What? What?” And then I said to Zack, “You better read that script.”(Laughs)

ZACK:

She had this smirk on her face.  And, as I walked out of my dressing room people were kind of looking at me, and someone said, “Just read it!”

KATHERINE:

I was nervous for my character because I was thinking, ‘Does Brooke really need this to add to her resume?’ But, it was done differently and it was an accident! (Laughs) Really! (Laughs)

MICHAEL: 

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You did not go, “Oh, my God!  I slept with one of my daughter’s men again?”

KATHERINE:

Yes, and then honestly, part of me was excited by it, and then another part of me was concerned about what my character would look like.  I did not know what to say to Brad.  I know we leave all story up to him, and I did not want to mess his story up.  So I did not say anything to Brad till the day of shooting the scene, like five minutes before I had to go to set and do that scene with Zack.  I go into the production booth and say, “I don’t think this is going to work.  I think Brooke should be drunk.”  Brad said, “Ah, that would be two evils: one a drunken Chaperone who is messing around, instead of just messing around sober.”

MICHAEL:

But you played it a bit loosey goosey!  Sort of high on life?

KATHERINE:

She was excited and high on her hormones.

MICHAEL:

But, did you really think that Brooke could not tell that it wasn’t Ridge?  I know Oliver and Ridge were wearing the same Forrester Creations original jacket, but are they even the same height, really?

ZACK:

I think he has a couple inches on me.

KATHERINE:

It was confusing….and I am trying to justify! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Did the two of you know how you were going to go up against the wall, and choreograph having sex against the concrete?

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ZACK:

That was the part that I did not know what we were doing, because they (directors) were like, “All right, go!”   I thought this was for flashbacks.  And, I am very new to the show, and I did not want to do anything that was too uncomfortable for people.

KATHERINE:

That’s because no one really knew what to tell us to do.  So I am like, “Yeah, what do we do?  I mean we are fully clothed.  How are we going to look like we are actually doing it?”  Then, that is when I was trying to put my leg up and around, and so at least you saw some leg.  And they had to cut, because one time I got up on him and put two legs around him and CBS said. “No”.  And then I think there was also your hand pulling my dress.

MICHAEL:

Were CBS Standards and Practices there on the set?

KATHERINE:

No, but they look at everything before it goes to air, and they cut two parts of it out.

MICHAEL:

I thought the funniest thing was that Brooke wanted to do it without lifting their masks off!  How perfect a set-up!

KATHERINE:

That was in the script in bold type. (Laughs) I was nervous about it because he is so cute and young, but it was fun once we started, and it felt kind of normal.

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MICHAEL:

Was Oliver then thinking, “How cool!  I had this older woman,” or, “What did I do?”

ZACK:

We are obviously in that storyline right now.  I was actually hoping that immediately after I could have had a scene with Oliver’s sister Aggie (Sarah Brown) where I could have shown my real emotions and how I really felt.  Because look, if you are a dude…. before it all becomes a tragedy, with Steffy finding out, and her ultimatums and what not, that would have been kind of cool, because it is a fantasy for a young guy!

KATHERINE:

Well, the whole thing was mysterious and exciting, and it reminded me of that one movie…Eyes Wide Shut, kinda, sorta.

MICHAEL:

When she said the buzzwords, “I’m ready”, how did Brooke know to use those words? Where did that come from?  Because, what the viewers knew was that was the buzz word that Hope was going to use to Oliver, giving him the green light that they could have sex.  I was floored when it came out of Brooke’s mouth!

KATHERINE:

No, she did not know it was their buzzword.  It was when Ridge and Brooke had the scene before, when we were in the steam room, and getting all hot and heavy and we said, “We better not do this now.  Let’s wait, because we are late being Chaperones at Hope’s party!”  And we stopped right before doing it in the steam room, so Brooke was still horny.  So once we were at the party and started dancing, she was like, “I’m Ready.” It was just coincidence that she used those words to Ridge.

MICHAEL:

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Oliver knew that was the buzzword, but it was for Hope and him.

ZACK:

Yeah, he had a moment of like, “This isn’t right.”  And at the same time, he had been waiting and waiting and waiting to have sex with Hope, so he thought at that moment, the door was opened for him to be with Hope.

MICHAEL:

What is the conflict of emotions?  I mean, Oliver then finds out about Brooke’s past, and that she has had sex with her children’s boyfriends before!

ZACK:

Hope tells me about her mother’s history with the men in her daughter’s life, and that kind of sets off a trigger to him that Brooke had sex with him on purpose, but that is not the case.

MICHAEL:

She didn’t really want Oliver?

KATHERINE:

No, she didn’t really.  Well, Brooke wanted to do it with her husband Ridge, and she did not want to make this big problem that happened.  But she definitely wanted to do it with her husband.

MICHAEL:

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But now do you think that Oliver has an affinity for Brooke?

ZACK:

You know, I don’t know.  But it certainly opens things up in terms of story, so that would be very interesting to play.

KATHERINE:

Well, I asked Brad where it was going to go, and it was for Steffy to find out, and blackmail everyone.  But, you never know. It’s all about how the story is going and playing out as we are actually doing it.  Then Brad gets his ideas that maybe we should go this way with it, or maybe we should go that way with this.  So you never know, but it will make a lot of mess for the kids, young love, and with Brooke and Stephanie, most likely, and eventually.

ZACK:

And now these two have a bond.

KATHERINE:

This is kind of interesting.

MICHAEL:

From an accidental moment in time.

ZACK:

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You had questioned me what my intention was, but now Brooke knows that Oliver is a good guy. 

KATHERINE:

(Laughs) Yes, I really know you are a good guy.

MICHAEL:

Now the other woman in this, Brooke’s daughter, Hope.  How is acting with Kim Matula (Hope)?

KATHERINE:

She is great, and a great little actress, and focused and dedicated.

ZACK:

We were thrilled.  Kim and I were doing this lovey dovey stuff, but it needed a jolt, and because it all happens so fast there was a short build up.  But the relationship needed that spark, and long term this could be better for Oliver and Hope, because there wasn’t really anything to separate them at all.  It was all too perfect.

KATHERINE:

It’s just between Brooke and Oliver. We agreed to keep it a secret.

ZACK:

But Oliver is guilt ridden, and it was an accident. You can’t blame someone for something that was an accident.  Oliver has never been in this situation before, but Brooke has.  So he doesn’t really know that people can’t forgive.  So that will probably come up along the way.

KATHERINE:

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Actually, I saw that scene where I was going to talk to you about love.  And I was like, “Oh, I am not sure about this speech coming from of all people, Brooke!”  But then I thought, it was kind of interesting when I saw it.  It was kind of nice.

MICHAEL:

Brooke, back in the day, was very racy.  So it’s interesting to kind of tease that aspect of her character again.

KATHERINE:

It’s nice, and it’s always exciting to play that material.  Things have been going so smooth for Ridge and Brooke lately that it was kind of a little boring, and I think for viewers, too.  I think the viewers want to see that old Brooke spark, or whatever that is again.  She is always creating trouble!

ZACK:

You know what is interesting, is that as crazy as this happenstance is, I think the way it was created is like it’s not a circus or so unbelievable.

KATHERINE:

Real life to me is stranger….

MICHAEL:

…. Well, I have not been to masquerade balls like that!  Zack, what do you think of your new B&B family?

ZACK:

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It’s incredible, and it’s a great family of actors here.  I am so lucky to work with the superstars.  Working with Katherine, Susan Flannery (Stephanie), and Kim Matula and Jacqui Macinnes Woods (Steffy), I could not be in a better situation.  I was talking to a couple of my friends back in New York, and where they are at, and where I am at, and they are doing other things than soap operas.  But, I am so happy where I am at right now, I would not change a thing.

MICHAEL:

Katherine, what can you say about working with Zack?

KATHERINE:

He is fabulous and he is good and has positive energy.  It’s a good that they are bringing in the kids more to the stories, as they are developing into the next generation.  Some have come and gone and never really settled in, but with this group of people including Zack, Kim and Jackie, it’s very different, and he is adorable.

MICHAEL:

Zack has a very laid back style to the acting, which is very refreshing to see on soap operas.

KATHERINE:

He is not soapy and his approach is very laid back.  It’s good and refreshing.  Sometimes, I watch myself in a scene with him and go, “Oh, God.  I am over acting!  I’ve got to tone down a little.”  And it’s nice and refreshing to see that on daytime, because sometimes the actors feel they have to chew the scenery too much.  It’s best just to relax into it and be conversational.  But again, I was so nervous to work with Zack the first day.  You made me nervous!  Look at his eyes!

MICHAEL:

Zack, Steffy is going to get her claws into Oliver now that she knows about this mistaken identity sexcapade.  Everyone is going to have their lives turned upside down!

ZACK:

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Yes, Steffy is going to cause hell.   She puts me on the list that she wants to hold onto this information, so it’s straight up blackmail and deranged.  So I will have to leave Hope to be with Steffy.

KATHERINE:

I won’t be happy with any blackmail, let alone from Steffy, and it’s involving my family and my daughter and whatever else she is throwing in the pot!  She is going to try and make me leave Forrester Creations!

MICHAEL:

Katherine, do you think an on-air coupling, or a romantic entanglement between Brooke and Oliver long term might be something of interest to you?

KATHERINE:

I think it’s interesting and I like the idea.  How could I not like the idea?  It’s different.  I love the story with Owen and Jackie, played by Brandon Beemer and Lesley-Anne Down. They are so good and sweet together.  It is an interesting relationship.

MICHAEL:

The whole show cannot be Cougar Town L.A.! (Laughs)

KATHERINE:

Don’t call me Mrs. Forrester!  It makes me feel old. (Laughs) Stop it!

MICHAEL:

So, what has been your favorite on-screen moment thus far, Zack, since you started on B&B?  Is it the “Party Boink”, or are there some other moments?

ZACK:

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That by far was the funnest moment for sure. Things are happening so fast lately. I had 60 pages of dialog today.  I never had that on Guiding Light.  Sometimes, we had long days when we were shooting exteriors in Peapack, New Jersey, but not like this.  I was looking at myself in the mirror recently, and I said, “Zack that is unbelievable!”  I have only been doing this for a while, and the fact that I am doing all those lines in three days is crazy.

KATHERINE:

That is like one whole script or a whole play.

ZACK:

She has been doing this a long time, but for me it’s brand new.

MICHAEL:

Katherine, your young son was present one day when you and Zack were rehearsing the dialog from the sexcapade episodes!

ZACK:

Remember when we were running lines about that stuff?

KATHERINE:

Zack felt really nervous because he said, “Ah, Katherine, we are running lines about this and your son is sitting right there.”

ZACK:

I was sweating!

KATHERINE:

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And my son then goes, “Oh yeah, mom.  I know.  I have heard it all from you.”   So it was not a big deal.

MICHAEL:

What can we tell the fans to look forward to?  More scintillating story?

KATHERINE:

I hope so.  I think we shot a lot of stuff lately, and I think there is more to see. We are heavy in the story.  So keep watching.

ZACK:

It’s drama at its best!