Soap Opera Uncensored: Issue 25

by Nelson Branco

spent so much time with [co-executive producer] Greg Meng ahead of time and I knew what his vision was. His pitch was completely in sync with what happened, what I was ready for and what I love playing, which is the old traditional values.

  I really love DAYS right now. Yes, when the show rebooted, despite its character-driven and modern stories, DAYS began with three C stories… and it took a while to get to a model of A, B and C stories that are the foundation of soaps… but it’s firing — mostly — on all cylinders now. I never thought I would see a day when DAYS would write Marlena, a hip shrink, intelligent dialogue again — but they have. I’m digging Marlena again.

  Yes, it’s good!

  I love Marlena and John together — and happy. Yes, they have challenges, but unlike Y&R’s Victor and Nikki, whom I prefer apart than together, John and Marlena work better as a unit. I also love the humour in their relationship — which I think is a nice, refreshing change from all the Sturm und Drang they’ve endured and survived over the years. Are you happy with how they are writing Jarlena?

  Darrell [Ray Thomas] and Marlene [McPherson], our writers, believe there has to be stability in town, in the family and on the show. Since Tom and Alice are gone, John and Marlena are the stable couple. [Ed. Note: DAYS fired Thomas as McPherson last week.]

  Except John and Marlena still have sex! [Joking] Though I wouldn’t be surprised if Alice was a nymphomaniac! Clearly, she had a lot of secrets!

  [Laughs] John and Marlena have naughty sex — but no one has figured that out.

  Oh, I have! Does it surprise you that John and Marlena are still as sexually charged and inspired as ever? It’s magical chemistry — you can’t create that kind of visceral, primal chemistry.

  You know, you are sweet to say that. The truth is: we love working together, we’re each other’s safety net… but I don’t see it until it airs and then I’m like, “There it is!”

  It’s there, all right! Is it surreal that DAYS is telling arguably the best coming-out storyline ever? And daytime has told award-worthy coming-out tales before.

  We’ve done a lot of that kind of stuff. And I still think about those kind of stories a lot. For example, I did the first crib death ever. There was a lot of debate over that! I remember the powers-that-be at the helm asking: How do we do this? Do we want the audience — which includes a boatload of people who have gone through this in real life — sitting in their living room enjoying the show, trying to escape their problems, and Marlena’s baby is dead? Where is the emotional responsibility in the story? We just had to go for it because if you don’t, you’ll fail.

  God, you’re lucky a writer didn’t bring back Marlena’s baby back from the dead like they did with AMC’s Erica Kane and her abortion.

  DAYS brought a lot of groundbreaking stories to the screen. People forget that.

  Do you think James Reilly would love Will’s story? I think he would, despite his own personal demons with religion and homosexuality but, I will say, I think he would have devoured the rich, Shakespearean drama that it elicited from Sami, Marlena and Will.

  I don’t know. [Pauses] Will’s story is so humanely based that I don’t know how James would feel. Daryl and Marlene have been doing such an amazing job making this story so humanely based and taking their time with it in a realistic sense. The viewers love Will so much… and they want to know what is going on with him that they support him. You care about Will — especially when you see his anguish. Because we love him, we want him to be OK.

  Marlena knew right away. I love how you conveyed that to the audience so subtly. It’s rather beautiful. Other than Marlena grappling with John’s “death,” I think you are hands down doing your best work right now.

  It’s probably the most casual, rewarding work I’ve ever been able to do. Thank you. Yes, thank you.

  You’ve always been a gay icon, much like Susan Lucci, so I think it’s perfection that you are involved in this coming-out storyline with a relative much like Erica Kane was with her lesbian daughter.

  Hmmm… I didn’t know that.

  I just realized that the two biggest female superstars and soaps’ biggest gay icons have on-screen gay offspring! Chandler Massey is stealing the show. You must remind your “grandson” that you’re the definitive DAYS superstar!

  He gets me and likes me every day. The other day, we did scenes in the driving, pouring rain where everybody was wet and we were all running to all our various destinations, but Will was so filled with angst and soaking wet; and I thought, “Wow, it’s James Dean.” He’s such a sweet-faced man… so I think of him more like my young son. It’s going to be a great scene… you see all of him.

  While it’s often torturous to watch Chandler’s scenes, because they are so real, he’s transcended the art form and created something authentic. He’s such a blessing to watch. The boy needs a vacation, though, because he has cried enough for a lifetime. Next to Katherine Kelly Lang, he’s the best soap crier in the business because it’s so real.

  [Laughs] He is the best!

  Personally, while I don’t want you to stop acting, I’d love to see you host a talk show because as your books have proven, people desire your advice and input. After all, you are the people’s goddess.

  I don’t think the talk-show medium is my format. I don’t know… while I do love talking to people and getting to know them, I’m not sure. Let me tell you, I love going back to college…. For the past three or four years, I’ve been going to college night classes. I’m in the middle of doing my first stand-up comedy class and I did my first stand-up show at the Comedy Store about three weeks ago.

  Being possessed by the devil is easy; comedy is hard! Congrats. That’s awesome!

  Thanks. It changes everything you do in your life. It teaches you to look for the joke in life. I love education. I love to have something to talk about all time. I encourage everyone to keep learning.

  Learning when you’re older is the best because you study what you really want and there isn’t a power struggle between teacher and student when you’re an adult. Is this the happiest time in your life? You’re back on DAYS, raising two great sons, writing books, you’re back in school… and you’re still as ageless as ever!

  I’ve had so many happy times. My life has been content. I’m proud of my kids. I love the work that I do. I love the people that sustain me in my life. I’m really, really lucky.

  As a soap vet, what did you think of AMC and ONE LIFE being cancelled last year?

  I think everybody is trying to get an edge on the market and I think [former ABC Daytime President] Brian Frons made a serious mistake. Those decisions left an enormous audience longing for their families. And I wouldn’t be surprised if ABC/Disney regrets their decision. I know how important daytime is to the viewers — and it’s not reality and lifestyle because you can get that information anywhere.

  In a time where people in our country have lost their jobs, homes, and their loved ones are going to war; we are their constants and families. To take that away is heartbreaking because for some it’s the only free escape they get during the day to sit down and watch the Bradys and Hortons. I think it’s a mistake to underestimate the power of daytime drama.

  Very well said. Did you ever think during the glory days that daytime would plateau. I mean, there was so much money at one point, soaps were financing the prime-time TV schedule.

  I was never that forward thinking.

  You live in the moment…

  Well, I was always just glad to be there as long as I was there. I was brought in just to play a blonde psychiatrist. That was 1976. They wanted someone to play somewhere between the two blonde shrinks we were losing…. [Laughs] And they brought me in.

  Do you believe in fate? Do you believe that you were meant to play this role?

  I think we all follow a path. I think the future interferes once in a while and we get a peek of where we’re headed but you never know. You never know.

  What’s the mood on the DAYS
set these days?

  We love doing our job every day. We’re lifers. We’re here until someone asks us not to do it anymore.

  I’m glad you guys have co-executive producer Greg Meng because I think he really cares about DAYS and is passionate about the genre.

  I can’t say enough about Greg. He’s my hero. There are not enough kind words to say about him.

  And he’s pretty sexy, too! [Laughs]

  [Laughs] My son said, “Mom, why don’t you marry Greg? We love him!”

  Are you dating at all? Or, are you over it? Open to possibilities?

  You know, my life is so full and so open. No, I’m not over romance. I would love to have a lovely man in my life to share things with.

 

  You and Molly Burnett fell in love with each other before you returned to Salem thanks to the DAYS book tours. I almost wish Melanie was related to Marlena. I think this is the first time DAYS has had such a talented younger cast.

  We have a brilliant young cast, which I think was reflected in the pre-Emmy nominations. They’re all individuals, unique and have all their own strengths. They’re all fabulous.

  What’s different on DAYS since you been back? What’s the same?

  I had heard a lot about the killer pace of the show, but I don’t find the pace to be