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TV Guide: Was OLTL too gay for America? New statement from ABC!

Courtesy/ABC

Courtesy/ABC

TV Guide Magazine in this week’s issue spotlights and examines the ongoing controversy of the abrupt and shocking ending and exit of  One Life to Live’s Kish storyline. As everyone knows by now actors, Brett Claywell, and Scott Evans last airdates are next week.  Key journalists who were interviewed for the feature included, AfterElton’s, Michael Jensen and Daytime Confidential’s Jamey Giddens, as well as actor, Claywell, and ABC Daytime Rep, Jori Petersen.  A main contention through the report is could the same-sex wedding-athon played into the public’s turn-off of the entire gay storyline, as just to much?   Of note are some very telling excerpts from Petersen and Claywell that you can read below.

Jori Petersen on why ABC canned canned Kish:  “The Kish story did not have the appeal we hoped it would. We are going to spend our time on stories that have a more favorable reaction from our audience. We are sunsetting the storyline but Kish will remain in Llanview. The door is open.”

Brett Claywell on if the same-sex marriage shows could have turned America on Kish: “From the beginning, Scott and I were uneasy about that big gay political wedding. We were telling a slow, subtle love story about two guys who just happened to be gay. We didn’t want to make it in-your-face, which is what the wedding was. It pulled us away from what we were trying to do. We wanted to exist separately from that. It was too much and, in a way, Scott and I became the sacrificial lambs.”

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Claywell speaks like he has a messiahnic complex. That’s annoying, and he’s not a “sacrificial lamb”. Claywell is now comparing himself to Jesus Christ? Wow, how delusional can he get? But at least this kish melodrama w/in the melodrama is finally fizzing out.

They kish fans are kishinitas? LOL! That’s pretty bad. So are the Nuke fans Nukettes? With all this publicity and his far better acting over Evans, Claywell should be able to secure a nom. They’re voting now right? Good timing is everything.

And BRAVO to tvg’s Michael Logan for actually having the balls to call out Carlivati’s bad storytelling as a major factor to the kish storyline dropping in ratings and the kish axings! If Wheeler’s regime had axed Otalia, or Goutman had extricated Nuke, many soap journalists would be carrying their pitchforks and torches demanding that Goutman or Wheeler to be sent to the guillotine. So bravo to Logan for that critique! No one has critiqued Carlivati for botching up Kish and the hate crime w/ Nick and Dorian’s race to the mayor’s office by fooling the lgbtq voters that she’s a lesbian.

And afterelton are self-satisfying hypocrites. Who the hell is Michael Jenson to speak for GAY people? Of course he makes this abt a homophobia issue.

Jensen and his partner host this 2 gay guys running commentary and of course show preference for out actors. They’ll complain abt Jodie Foster sharing her life as a mother and speaking abt her stalker to the media, so they’ll turn that around and say if Foster can speak abt that, why doesn’t she speak abt her being allegedly a lesbian? Who the hell are they to say how Jodie Foster should lead her life. Yes celebrities will be speculated on and even outed, but she does not have to come out or talk about her sexual orientation if she chooses not to.

And Jensen knows nothing abt soaps. They only follow soaps w/ gay characters, so his narrow perspective lends nothing to the article. At least Giddens knows his shit.

sorry, but if you don’t know what you’re talking about don’t talk.

I am glad to see that there is only one real and authoritative source on the OLTL Kish scenario. It has become clear that none of the rest of us knows what we are talking about.

This could have been a really good story for One Life to Live seems years ago they attempted this subject but shyed away from it. The only soap that comes to my mind that has had a gay male storyline for a long time has been As The World Turns so good for them for keeping a gay male couple pretty much a front burner story for a good while!!

ATWT had their moments w/ Nuke, GL had their moments w/ Otalia. And Claywell saved kish, but even Claywell admits in this interview that he had reservations abt the mass same sex marriages. Carlivati was making too political a statement w/ Dorian pretending to be a lesbian to win the lgbtq vote, Nick, a character no one cares abt being in a hate crime and then the mass same sex marriages. But none of these lgbtq arcs compare w/ AMC’s original coming out storyline for Bianca.

If Reigel submitted this ep instead of Bianca confronting Erica abt her planting the drugs on Frankie, then maybe reigel would have beaten Finnigan. And Lucci could have won her 2nd Emmy with this scene IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkMfrNX7q6g

I think Lucci’s fantastic in this clip. It’s so Erica Kane to make it abt her, and all of Lucci’s acting choices here are excellent like when Bianca asks when it’s going to be ok for her to have a gf, and Erica shrugs her head. Reigel’s great too, no other lgbtq char compares to Bianca.

Dialogue is full of gems. Bianca says she wants a rel like straight people and Erica says “Bianca don’t be that way.” I LOL bec it was so realistic since many parents would actually say that! The hesitation, queasiness and “I don’t wanna hear it” attitude of Erica was so on point.

Reigel’s delivery of the lines “it’s never gonna be ok for me to have a sexual rel, a sexual rel w/ a woman,” and “get over this gay thing” were really great. Erica saying “You have your whole life ahead of you…..” and Bianca countering “…….to meet a woman” was great dialogue. Lucci saying “You think every disagreement we have is bec of your sexual orientation, and it isn’t.” SO GREAT! And everytime Bianca throws it in Erica’s face that she’s a lesbian, Erica says “Will you please stop saying that.” So true of so many parents.

The writing is so organic, so character driven unlike the preachy, political kish crap. Hendrickson was so great as Frankie also, w/c shows she can act when given the rt material, since her acting as Chloe is crappy on MAB’s version of Y&R. She even looks like Frances Mcdormand in some angles.

AMC got it right. They hired a newbie w/ tremendous acting chops who could hold her own w/ La Lucci. Agnes Nixon’s writing was excellent. And it wasn’t about making a political statement. It was plain old solid soap writing at its finest. The scene I put is one of daytime’s best, if not the best.

I really really HATE ABC for dumping Kyle and Oliver and will NEVER watch OLTL again ever.

Awwwww, got his feelings hurt. keep continue condemning yourself.

I don’t think that’s what he was trying to get at.

It doesn’t matter, OLTL hit new record lows with ratings after Kish and the BGW storyline, proving that Kish wasn’t actually the cause of their slope.

I agree with you Brad, I will never watch OLTL ever again just because of their stupidity for dumping Kish! Unless they put Kish back on the show! 😉

i agree for dumping scott evans and brett claywell and a’m still watching one life to live as soon next year come april 2011 they will bring scott evans and brett claywell as acotr of kyle leiws and oliver fish their daughter seirra rose to bring them back a’m still keep on watching oltl all way to next year to put scott evans and brett claywell on-screen and to return to the show oltl

Breaking News

Kim Kardashian, Emma Roberts and Marlene King Land ‘Calabasas’, a Soap in the Vein of the ‘O.C’ and ‘Beverly Hills 90210’, at Netflix

There has been lot of soapy projects coming to life and in the works of late, and now comes word that Kim Kardashian is executive producing a new series in development for Netflix called Calabasas.

After a bidding war last week, it looks like Netflix cemented the development deal from Kim, and her producing partners American Horror Story co-star Emma Roberts (pictured below) and Pretty Little Liars creators Marlene King and Alexandra Milchan.

The concept of Calabasas is based on the book If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now by Via Bleidner.  King set to write the adaptation and will serve as the series showrunner.

Photo: JPI

According to Deadline, Calabasas is said to be in the vein of primetime young teen and young adult soaps the O.C. and Beverly Hills 90210. The story follows “Via, a 16-year-old sheltered Midwestern Catholic school girl whose world is turned upside down when her family moves and she’s forced to transfer to the fast world of Calabasas High where nothing is as it appears and where everyone is trying to be someone else. It’s a place where dreams come true … but not without complications and sometimes unforeseen consequences.”

Photo: Hulu

As fans of the Kardashians know, Kim and her family made the town of Calabasas a household and worldwide name. Kim being attached to this project helped make its sale. This marks her fourth project to sell since the writers and actors strikes concluded at the end of last summer.

So, would you be interested to see a teen soap called ‘Calabasas’ on Netflix from Kim and company? Comment below.

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General Hospital

Ellen Travolta Makes Another Return to General Hospital

If General Hospital’s Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) nuptials are on, you didn’t think Grandma Gloria Cerullo would miss out on the festivities, now did you?

Casting news from Soap Opera Digest reveals that Ellen Travolta is back taping scenes that will air the week of May 13th on the ABC daytime drama series.  When viewers learned that Carmine Cerullo, was also on his way back to Port Charles, now in the face and body of actor George Russo, it only made sense that Grandma Gloria would join Grandpa Cerullo. Look for them both mid-May.

As most people know, Ellen is the older sister to John Travolta. She first make appearances as Gloria back on GH in the mid-90s. Most recently, she returned to the Quartermaine mansion to meet up with daughter, Lois (Rena Sofer) and granddaughter Brook Lynn for Thanksgiving in Port Charles in 2023.  Michael Fairman TV interviewed Rena Sofer and Amanda Setton late last year where they shared what it had been liking working with Ellen, who remains very close to Sofer in real-life.

Photo: JPI

Amanda shared: “We fell in love immediately. What’s crazy is my maternal grandmother was Grandma Gloria. I had her till I was 30 and we were so close. She was really like a second mom to me. So, when I got this script and I’m reading “Grandma Gloria”, it was so bizarre. And then in meeting Ellen, she looks like my grandma – same haircut, same high cheekbones. It really did feel like I had a few days with my grandma. It was very, very special for me. Ellen is sweet, prepared, professional, talented and funny to boot. So, it was one of the best weeks I’ve had at work. I hope she comes back. My fingers are crossed.”

Photo: ABC

Now, we can’t imagine Brook Lynn and Chase’s wedding day to be smooth sailing, in fact, expect just the opposite, but could it be Grandma Gloria who is ultimately the hero or the calming voice of reason for any pre-wedding jitters? Stay tuned.

So, glad to know that Ellen Travolta will be back for Brook Lynn and Chase’s big day? Comment below.

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Days Of Our Lives

Kristian Alfonso Returns to Days of our Lives for Tribute to The Late Bill Hayes

After a few weeks of Days of our Lives fans being upset that Kristian Alfonso (Hope Williams) was not on the first list of initial returns for Doug Williams’ funeral and episodes honoring his portrayer, the late Bill Hayes, comes word that the popular star is back and taping scenes.

Kristian reported to work on the Peacock streaming soap opera on Monday, April 22nd. She shared how important it is for her to be back for this particular return to the show that made her a household name.

“My return is very bittersweet,” Alfonso told TV Insider,  “because it is the end of an era with Bill gone. So to return to Days is very sad. I am appreciative that they came to me to include me in their series of shows honoring Doug and I’m very happy to see everyone, but I’m entering the studio with a heavy heart.”

Photo: JPI

It was back in 1983 that Kristian first debuted as Doug’s daughter, and now 41 years later looking back at it, and her time with Bill Hayes is very emotional for her.

“I remember my first scenes with him/ He was very loving, very welcoming. That he was very talented and an incredible actor and an icon, that all goes without saying, but my personal relationship and my working relationship with Bill, it was home,” expressed Alfonso. “Doing the scenes with Bill, I felt like I was with my dad because there was so much warmth and reality.”

Photo: JPI

Alfonso did express some deep regret, in that she had wanted to work with Bill Hayes during her last appearance on the soap back in 2023, but according to the iconic actress, there was something in the works but it never materialized.  “I’m sad that I did not get the opportunity to do the storyline that Ron (Carlivati, head writer) had planned/ It was great; we returned to Salem to reunite with our families and I would have had father/daughter scenes with Billy. What Ron had written was beautiful and emotional and it was a fantastic story. I was 100 percent for it and the fans would have loved it.”

Photo: JPI

As for if Bo (Peter Reckell) and Hope will be back on-screen together anytime soon, Kristian would only say, “What I will say is don’t give up hope.” Doug’s passing and memorial episodes will stream later this year come late November into December.

So, are you happy to learn that Kristian Alfonso is back taping episodes surrounding Doug’s memorial episodes? Comment below.

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