Soap Opera: Uncensored Issue 3

by Nelson Branco

SOAP OPERA: UNCENSORED

  Volume 1, Issue 3

  BY NELSON BRANCO

  Copyright 2011 Nelson Branco

  INSIDE: Major Exodus: Which GH Leading Ladies Will Quit — And Be Fired? E!’s newest star Nadia Bjorlin: Her DAYS Future (“It Still Stings A Bit!”), Dirty Soap (“My Mom Loves Me!”), and Venice news (“Half-hour Episodes”)! Maggie’s Secret Child on DAYS! Maria Arena Bell: Chaos Behind The Scenes! Trevor St. John’s New Role! Plus: Victor’s killer revealed! More Gay Headed DAYS’s Way! 2011 Katie Couric on her new soap-killing talk show! Avery… and Y&R’s Nick? Last week’s Soap Reviews; Next Week’s Preview Cheat Sheet! And every week: Unbelievable Blind Items!

  UNCENSORED MASTHEAD:

  FOUNDER/EDITOR: Nelson Branco

  EDITOR AT LARGE: Denette Wilford

  LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER/EDITOR:

  Uncensored, Soap-style!

   

  Follow Soap Opera Uncensored at: @nelliebranco or @SoapUncensored

  UNCENSORED QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

  “They’re trying to make the show more fun, [with an emphasis] on family. People want to see romance and love. I hope that if people tuned out, they tune back in.”

  —Returning Mary Beth Evans to Soap Opera Digest about DAYS’s successful reboot

  Translation: And to think my poor Stephen Nichols is stuck on craptastic Y&R without a patch! Come back, boo!

  “I have never heard anything more absurd in my life. Categorically no. Furthest thing from the truth. Why on earth would I want to let go one of the stars of the show? He is carrying the show and I am reading the show into the middle of February. It’s foolishness.”

  —DAYS executive producer Ken Corday on the possibility that James Scott was about to quit the soap over a contract dispute to Soap Opera Digest

  Translation: Yes, because I have never allowed a superstar to leave DAYS before. And while we’re promoting our show as an ensemble; well, some things never change. Also, can you believe I’m actually reading DAYS scripts for once?!

  “I dig him a lot. He’s innovative, and he did warn me that [I] wouldn’t be [getting a big story] right away, so I have a little too much time on my hands, and that’s a bad thing [laughs]. But I’m being hypersensitive. I’m working already 50 percent more than I was working in the past, so I’m not worried. I support him 100 percent — and I believe in him.”

  —GH’s Nancy Lee Grahn, who is celebrating 15 years in Port Chuck, in an in-depth interview with Soap Opera Digest

  Translation: He’s a show-killing head writer in wolf’s clothing!

  “Yeah, it's losing viewers. It's hemorrhaging viewers at times, and you have to wonder, how do you plug that leak?”

  —Y&R’s Michael Muhney on his soap’s dwindling numbers in an interview with Dose.ca’s Watercooler during his visit to Toronto

  Translation: And I’m an expert at plugging! Just ask Yani Gellman…

  “You can speculate all day and it makes no sense.”

  —GH’s Blake Gibbons on recasting Megan Ward as Kate with Kelly Sullivan in Soap Opera Weekly

  Translation: Unless you work on a sexist show like GH, then it’s pretty obvious what happened.

  “There’s definitely a triangle ahead.”

  —Y&R’s Scott Hamner previewing Nick, Avery and Phyllis’s new storyline

  Translation: And a lot of fast-forwarding!

  “People think they know me, and they’re seeing that they don’t know anything about me.”

  —GH’s Kelly Monaco in Soap Opera Weekly about the reaction to Dirty Soap

  Translation: Yep, I mean you, Liason fans! I’m no skank!

  “It’s a cleverly told mystery.”

  —GH’s executive producer Jill Farren Phelps to TV Guide.com regarding Lisa’s upcoming murder

  Translation: Viewers will figure out the killer within seconds.

  COVER STORY:

  Truth or Dare with Dirty Soap and Venice’s Nadia Bjorlin

  Nadia Bjorlin needs her dirty mouth washed out with soap. Again. Yep, what else is new, right?

  One of the most beautiful, talented and funniest actresses on the planet is enjoying a career reinvention thanks to being freed from the shackles of Days of our Lives last month; her breakout, mainstream popularity on reality series, Dirty Soap; and her bad-ass role on upcoming film, Divorce Invitation.

  Bjorlin is also coming off a creative high because the Goddess has recently wrapped Venice: Season Three. So I had to ask: Will the Emmy-winning web serial suffer from the third season curse, ala Six Feet Under? “I don’t think so,” assures Bjorlin to Uncensored. “This season is really ambitious! The episodes will be twice as long. Each episode is — give or take — a half-hour! There will be as much content as an hour series. There will be more character driven storyline and relationships. Season three is definitely worth tuning into. It’s been a lot of work because we’ve taken on twice as much material in the same amount of time as previous seasons.”

  As previously reported, her DAYS co-star and buddy Eric Martsolf will be joining the series as an Van recast, but Bjorlin and her hunky partner-in-crime “have no scenes together!” That sound you hear is Broe fans tweeting #OccupyVeniceBeach! “Sadly, we can’t be the lesbian Broe on Venice,” sighs Bjorlin.

  Someone needs to fire that hack Crystal Chappell. Oh, I kid.

  After Bjorlin slaps me Fary-style, she continues, “I’m not sure what we did in a past life; we’re star-crossed co-stars. It must be a universal conspiracy! But when we do get to work together — which I know we will one day — it will be amazing.”

  Cigarettes not included. But a pregnancy test will, no doubt. For the characters, that is.

  Back to reality: According to Bjorlin, Martsolf is thrilled with his Venice gig. “Eric said to me: ‘Why am I always replacing someone on a soap?’” Um, because he’s the best second choice ever! “He does it so well,” nods and chuckles La Bjorlin.

  Speaking of that sexy and talented bastard, when I mention to the dark stunner that she got the most thoughtful exit story on DAYS late this summer, she agrees: “I definitely got the best exit story out of everyone let go. I’m really grateful that Chloe got a nice send-off. And that Chloe and Brady got to reconnect one more time before she moved to Chicago to help raise her son. It was nice to finally get to establish a chemistry with Nadia and Eric —and Chloe with Brady —since they are supposed to be soul mates.”

  Has she watched DAYS since its reboot? “I haven’t watched DAYS,” she admits. “It still stings a bit [being let go]. But I’m happy the show is getting better creatively [according to you]. It was sort of fun being there for the beginning [of the reboot]. I really liked spending time with the rest of the DAYS cast. They are my friends and some of them feel like family. Those last few days felt like the good ol’ days, pun intended. You know — long hours at work and the whole cast on set. Ahhh, those were the days when we had money and time. But it was nice to have an extra long goodbye and reminisce before I left.”

  Personally, this soap pundit wouldn’t be too surprised if DAYS welcomes back Bjorlin. Our sources attest that the Swedish native was only let go because the character Chloe was so destroyed by the previous writing regime (Dena Higley should never be allowed near a pen and ink ever again) she needed a break to regroup — and had nothing to do with Bjorlin’s abilities or popularity. In fact, Bjorlin is one of the most beloved and respected actors in the company’s history. “Nothing ever surprises me when it comes to DAYS,” she says diplomatically. “They always manage to rise above the ashes. Who knows if I’ll be back? I’d consider it.”

  And her super fans have been very vocal about their displeasure over DAYS’s decision to c
ut the star. In fact, one could argue Bjorlin’s exit made fans more furious than soap superstar — and two-time Emmy