Nelson Branco's SOAP OPERA UNCENSORED: Issue 48

by Nelson Branco

SOAP OPERA UNCENSORED

  Volume 02, Issue 38 (No. 48)

  BY NELSON BRANCO

  Copyright 2012 Nelson Branco

  INSIDE — Kristoff St. John Is Ready For A Soap Opera Revolution! Exclusive Interview With The Emmy Winner on Bringing Back Victoria Rowell, “Racism” on Y&R, The Behind-The-Scenes Changes, Maria Arena Bell, If GENERATIONS Would Work Today, And Why Neil Can’t Find A Proper Love Interest! — Exclusive Chat: Sean Kanan on Joining GH! Plus: What Brad Bell Thinks Of His Soap Jump! Exclusive: Tristan Rogers — Is He Back on Y&R, Too? Find Out In His Own Words! Update: Christel Khalil Staying! Plus: Her New Prime-Time TV Role! Is Michael Muhney Leaving Y&R? Vail Bloom Returning to Y&R? RIP John Ingle! Report: Is Jerry ver Dorn Joining GH? Will Liz Tamper With JaSam’s Baby Results on GH? DAYS’s Molly Burnett Says Goodbye to Salem! Plus: She Lands Three New Gigs! Daniel Goddard Toronto-Bound Again! Unbelievable Blind Items!

  UNCENSORED MASTHEAD:

  FOUNDER/EDITOR: Nelson Branco

  EDITOR AT LARGE: Denette Wilford

  Follow Soap Opera Uncensored at: @nelliebranco or @SoapUncensored

  NOTE FROM EDITOR/FOUNDER:

  You asked — and it’s happening. For more information on subscribing to daytime’s first weekly e-zine SOAP OPERA UNCENSORED, email soapuncensored@yahoo.com

  1 Year: $24.99 (*normally $129.48)

  *Based on $2.49 issue price

  COMING SOON: VENICE — UNCENSORED

  To pre-order your upcoming book VENICE THE SERIES: UNCENSORED for a special price email: soapuncensored@yahoo.com. The Sapphic tome, which will be out this fall, chronicles the web soap’s meteoric rise, punctuates and analyzes its relevance in serial storytelling and its groundbreaking achievements in the online and soap opera medium. With every single Crystal Chappell interview I’ve ever conducted in one e-book — and those of her VENICE co-stars/directors — this is one must-buy keepsake in addition to episode synopses and reviews, top ten lists, fearless predictions, translated quotes, humour, and exclusive season four previews. Plus: Tributes to GUIDING LIGHT’s Otalia and new interviews! Order your copy now!

  Say What?

  UNCENSORED QUOTES OF THE WEEK

  “Very glad we got the negotiations successfully behind us.

  —Y&R’s Eric Braeden in a statement to EW.com

  Translation: The Bastard was right — I was in contract negotiations!

  “It was stunning that CBS would allow this to happen.”

  —Ousted Y&R showrunner Maria Arena Bell regarding her firing in SOAPS IN DEPTH

  Translation: Because they never make smart decisions.

  “None. My contract was at an end. I assumed I was going to sign another one. I’ve not been brought in on what Sony’s reason was and how this went down with CBS.”

  —Bell on whether she was given a reason for her termination

  Translation: Absentee issues, sinking ratings, missed deadlines and refusing to cooperate with Sony and CBS had nothing to do with my ouster, ovi.

  “I think [Sony and CBS] wanted to make a change in the overall composition of the show.”

  —Bell on what she thinks happened

  Translation: Yep, they wanted to the show to be better written, flow naturally, and make sense. Bastards!

  “I’ve been a big supporter of keeping what I consider the Y&R brand intact.”

  —Bell continues her delusions of grandeur

  Translation: Which, apparently, includes the cast of AMC — and hacky, plot-driven madness.

  “[The network] really wanted her on in a key role. I knew she was a bit young for [the part], but I thought she might make an interesting and dynamic Diane.”

  —Bell on what happened with Maura West

  Translation: And then, I wrote for her.

  “Though I wrote 10 episodes after [the 10, 000th show] it does bring story to a powerful resolution point for me personally.”

  —Bell in an interview with SOAP OPERA DIGEST regarding how her work will impact Josh Griffith’s new scripts

  Translation: Those were the first ten shows I’ve ever written by myself! And on my Etch a Sketch, too! MOCA, eat your heart out!

  Cover Story

  THE YOUNG AND THE REST OF US

  Kristoff St. John reflects on his topsy-turvy year, backstage changes at Y&R, and why he still has some black magic up his sleeve

  No one was more eager for a backstage shake-up over at Y&R than Kristoff St. John.

  For the past five years, the two-time Daytime Emmy and multiple NAACP Award winner has been criminally simmering on the backburner. When the 46-year-old New York City native did get some airtime, St. John was needlessly tortured by having to act opposite and manufacture chemistry with one hair model after another as Neil’s love interest (with the exception of Debbi Morgan, of course, but considering her bad wigs, she falls into this category, too — literally).

  With the firing of Y&R’s maligned, controversial and mostly absent head writer and executive producer Maria Arena Bell earlier this summer, Y&R is gearing up for a new chapter by appointing two new showrunners at the helm: Jill Farren Phelps as the soap’s chief and Josh Griffith as top scribe. And hopefully, given CBS and Sony’s renewed commitment to Y&R, St. John will return to the front burner to reclaim what is rightfully his.

  After all, St. John was born with acting in his blood. His father, Christopher, is an actor/director, while his stepmother, Marie, is an actress who graduated from London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

  At the age of 7, St. John took his first step into the family business, finding his first break on Clifton Davis's sitcom, THAT'S MY MAMA. However, it was when he played young Alex Haley in ROOTS II: THE NEXT GENERATIONS that his acting career truly took off. He landed small parts, often just guest spots, on series such as HAPPY DAYS and THE COSBY SHOW, and films like THE CHAMP. He then got a recurring role on the COSBY spin-off, A DIFFERENT WORLD, which brought him to GENERATIONS before becoming a permanent fixture on daytime’s number-one soap opera, Y&R..

  UNCENSORED caught up with the popular actor to discuss life as an African American actor in Hollywood, if it’s time for Drucillla to finally rise from the river, and if there is racism on the Y&R set.

  What’s up, my man?!

  It’s been an interesting year to say the least. It’s been a therapeutic year as well. Because I haven’t been working consistently, I have been working on myself a lot and exploring other creative possibilities. That’s always welcomed in my world. I love writing and producing. I’m working on an independent project with a friend of mine, so that’s what Y&R has allowed me to do this year.

  I can tell you’ve been reinventing yourself and undergoing a catharsis of sorts just by following you on Twitter. I think your time is coming in terms of more story on Y&R and realizing outside projects. I can’t believe I’ve never formally interviewed before. I was there when you won your two Emmys in New York City. God, I think I’ve met all your wives and girlfriends over the years! [Laughs]

  All my wives and girlfriends! [Laughs] Yes, we haven’t done an interview yet. I’d have remembered that but we have spoken throughout the years. I don’t know how much to say in terms of where we, and I say “we” meaning Y&R, because I’m not sure which creative direction the new showrunners are going in, so I’m not sure how much I can offer you at this point. I can’t give you complete, unabashed honesty about the Y&R world because I’m not aware of a lot at this point.

  Well, I’m not interviewing you for any scoopage.

  Right… You probably know more than any of us do, anyway!

  I’ve always admired your talent from the moment I saw yo
u on GENERATIONS. You had the “it” factor from the start, which is why it’s been frustrating to see you on the back burner all these years. At times, even Bill Bell couldn’t effectively utilize what you were capable of. Did you always know you wanted to be an actor?

  I was born into a show business family. My father [SHAFT’s Christopher St. John] was in the business from the mid-‘60s; my stepmother, who was from England, was also an actor. It was a natural progression for me to sink my teeth into the acting business. I wasn’t self-taught. My Dad helped me out a lot. I didn’t go to acting classes early on, but I knew at the age of 7 that I wanted to be like my Father. Because my Father was on the silver screen at that time, that’s what I wanted to do. I was fortunate to get into the business at the right time. In the 70s, there wasn’t a lot of competition as there is now. Today, the audition rooms are insane. When I was a child actor, I would go up against the same two