GH In The News: The PC Press Club

[ulkis]

I mean, don't take it too much to heart - the tweet was just from random guy and we don't know who the "they" is in his tweet "they said he was recovering not as quickly as expected". I just tend to believe he has indeed had more trouble getting back on his feet just because of how lousy he looked and sounded in the video on the show last week.

[ulkis]

Do we know how far out GH is between taping and the airdate at the moment?

There were whispers that the whole Big Alice needs a heart/Spencer runs away subplots were covering for other scrapped material, hastily written and shot. I was curious as to how soon that could be, if possible. There's just some stuff that's popping up on the show in the last couple episodes that has me raising an eyebrow.

 

I don't think more than a month. I'd guess about three weeks, since they must have been getting close to the end of the material they had taped since before the studio went dark, and that was for three weeks.

[Chairperson Meow]

Well at least he's not getting the Micheal Zaslow treatment.

Who was the evil person who did that again?

[nextian]

So does nobody here know anything about fan club weekend? Based on Twitter it looked like there were some issues with Julie Berman not being allowed to sell her paintings, but then fans were pissed so she was allowed. Then Nancy Lee Grahan had her own event and tweeted that she doesn't participate in GHFCW for ethical and moral reasons, but most of these rest of the cast does, so that was interesting to me. She never expanded on what that meant though. I was just wondering if anyone here knew more about it.

[BestestAuntEver]

TheGourmez, has posted pictures in the media thread. There have also been some links that have been posted about a couple events. Edited August 5, 2014 by BestestAuntEver

[GHScorpiosRule]

Robin Returns Today. 

 

For the audience who hasn’t seen what we shot last month, they’ll be really excited to see this next chapter of the story. We’ve been working with Kimberly’s directing schedule so that she can do the show and still pursue her dream. I think it will be a lot of fun for the fans, and they’ll see her move the story in a really interesting direction.

of Valentini.

 

Me: In other words, wait till you (me) see how Robin will be further destroyed and annihilated so that Patdick can look more righteous and forever the victim. "Interesting" meaning, the worst wife/motha evah, and her "choosing" to remain working for Victor.

Edited August 5, 2014 by GHScorpiosRule

[ulkis]

So does nobody here know anything about fan club weekend? Based on Twitter it looked like there were some issues with Julie Berman not being allowed to sell her paintings, but then fans were pissed so she was allowed. Then Nancy Lee Grahan had her own event and tweeted that she doesn't participate in GHFCW for ethical and moral reasons, but most of these rest of the cast does, so that was interesting to me. She never expanded on what that meant though. I was just wondering if anyone here knew more about it.

 

She just doesn't like the way Debbie Morris runs things (who runs GH Fan Club Weekend), I think is all it is really. She hasn't officially been with FCW for years.

[UYI]

Well at least he's not getting the Micheal Zaslow treatment.

Who was the evil person who did that again?

 

Paul Rauch was EP at Guiding Light when that happened, but I always had the impression that P&G Executive in Charge of Production Mary-Alice Dwyer-Dobbin (aka MADD or Mickey) was the one behind it.

 

And honestly, my soft spot for Rauch is pretty strong--he was at OLTL when my Max & Gabby got there, and I started watching GL during his era.

 

JFP was the one who brought him back to OLTL before he died in 1998, in stark contrast to what happened to Anna Lee just six years later . 

Edited August 5, 2014 by UYI

[KerleyQ]

JFP was the one who brought him back to OLTL before he died in 1998, in stark contrast to what happened to Anna Lee just six years later . 

 

Would it be evil for me to say that a large part of the difference was that MZ had a penis and AL did not?  JFP has always struck me as more accommodating towards the men than the women.  

 

Also, I think a decent part of it was that she's blind to her own shit, but she wasn't going to miss an opportunity to capitalize on someone else's wrong doing.  People get pissed off at how badly GL treated Michael, and she sweeps in and gives him a job, making her look like the sweet guardian angel compared to evil Rauch/MADD.  

[KerleyQ]

I'm not getting what Frank's saying with her "doing the show" and still working in her directing program.  I get the impression that she's only back for a few episodes.  Is it a few episodes right now and then more down the line?  

 

And, by moving her story in an interesting direction, I get the impression that he means "using her to bring Jason back to the screen, and then finding an even more insulting way to write her out than last time." 

[GHScorpiosRule]

Also, isn't her directorship program over now? She left in 2012 to start it, and wasn't it a two-year program?

 

And then there's this:

 

And, by moving her story in an interesting direction, I get the impression that he means "using her to bring Jason back to the screen, and then finding an even more insulting way to write her out than last time." 

 

Exactly. And if somehow they bring back Stavros, and then Helena, why, they'll just trot Robin out to provide that "SHOCK" and New "Interesting" storyline for her. I just wish Robert would sweep in, save her, and then put her in hiding until all the FUCKING Cassadines* are DEAD!DEAD!DEAD! And I don't mean frozen.

 

*Exception: Alexis and her daughters.

Edited August 5, 2014 by GHScorpiosRule

[jsbt]

I think that was part of it. JFP did do the right thing for Michael Zaslow, but she also directly contributed to Anna Lee's death.

[UYI]

Would it be evil for me to say that a large part of the difference was that MZ had a penis and AL did not?  JFP has always struck me as more accommodating towards the men than the women.  

 

Also, I think a decent part of it was that she's blind to her own shit, but she wasn't going to miss an opportunity to capitalize on someone else's wrong doing.  People get pissed off at how badly GL treated Michael, and she sweeps in and gives him a job, making her look like the sweet guardian angel compared to evil Rauch/MADD.  

 

Not at all. I'm sure that was a large part of it. I've always been curious on how Jill decides who are her "favored" women, so to speak (Robin Christopher being a prime example).

 

And word to that second part, too, although MZ genuinely thanked and complimented JFP on her work at GL when he won his Emmy in 1994, so clearly that was a mutual admiration society for both of them, regardless of her intentions. 

Edited August 5, 2014 by UYI

[BestestAuntEver]

Also, isn't her directorship program over now? She left in 2012 to start it, and wasn't it a two-year program?

It's over. She tweeted about it being over last weekend & celebrating with classmates.

Frank's just blowing hot air.

[Chairperson Meow]

Which sucks because Dennis Clay is a very good actor.

[Ladybyrd]

Granted I'm Robin-neutral and might feel differently if she were a favorite of mine, but I don't think the destruction of Robin is on Cartini. It's relatively easy to have characters like Luke and Helena come and go, but nearly impossible to have the doctor mother of a young child pop in and out and not look like the worst parent ever.  What good excuse could there possibly be? If it's important to KMc that her character come off well, she shouldn't have agreed to come back until she was ready to come back full time.

 

Anyway. Just because her program is over doesn't mean she's interested in being on contract. She's probably trying to focus on her directing career. I'm guessing that if she were available full time, Cartini would leap at the chance. They know she brings ratings.

[UYI]

Poor Dennis Parlato. Talk about a raw deal. I've seen some of his work as Michael Grande on OLTL, where he tried to kill my Gabby! :( But he seemed like a good actor to me (I've never seem him on Loving, where he played Clay Alden).

 

Topic?

 

I'd LOVE to hear some Gloria Monty stories, either from her first or second stint on GH, especially the time period where she let Fin go early, and ABC finally had enough and fired her.

 

Hell, I'd love to discuss the 1992-1993 (post-Monty, pre-Labine) years of GH BTS altogether. That rebuilding era of the show just fascinates me. 

[Evie]

I think the destruction of Robin is totally on Cartini. Didn't Ron claim they had a big old pow wow about how to write Robin out and the Jason thing was the only thing that made sense, or some such b.s. How about not mocking fans on twitter and actually having Robin react to being held hostage and tortured for two years. I think they could have written a Scrubs break up with Robin going to NYC or somewhere to receive treatment and eventually rebuild her life. Establish that she is seeing Emma offscreen, and I think it would be easy enough to have Robin return from time to time and not look like a deadbeat mother.

I don't think KMc is interested in returning full-time, and honestly, I think that suits Cartini just fine.

[SlovakPrincess]

They seem to like the media buzz every time they bring Robin back for a short stint, but so far this story they're trying to do (with an often-absent character) isn't working. Maybe by "taking it in an interesting direction" it will start to make sense? And be less unsatisfying and dreary?

Because right now it's just Patrick acting like a jackass who has somehow forgotten that Victor basically threatened Robin's family if she didn't do what he said. Or that has been retconned out of the story and Robin has some new personality that involves wanting to blow off her life for no good reason. Or she's brainwashed or not really her (like Fluke). Or something. None of these stories make sense / work / are interesting, though, especially when the actress can't be there most of the time.

Instead of trying to create media buzz by twisting the character into knots, cut your losses and let her move away (bonus points if she takes bratty Emma with her).

[KerleyQ]

They seem to like the media buzz every time they bring Robin back for a short stint,

 

 

I think that's exactly it.  They know that every time she appears, it's getting attention, so they are happy to have her pop in when they can.  And, of course, Ron is of the "any attention is good" school of thought, so even if Robin fans are complaining and throwing garbage at their television, they're still paying attention.  That's all he cares about. 

[jsbt]

There is a lot of it on YT. They had the Jagger/Karen/Jason/Brenda/etc. stuff in full swing, as well as I think Bill Eckert and Holly torn between him and Mac, which I just find weird. My ex started watching in what I think was the summer of '92, when Felicia returned solo, with amnesia, and got involved with Ryan Chamberlain and Mac - he was hooked on the show via that story. 

[jsbt]

This shell game with airtime worked a lot better with Tuc Watkins/David Vickers on OLTL, who was a mercurial con man.

[ulkis]

:(

 

ETA:  Thanks, ulkis - not quite sure why my reaction was "OMFG!  He's dying!"  I guess it's a Monday, and I'm extra-gloomy today?  I do hope he'll be fine soon

 

It's understandable - he's looked like hell for a while now. Last year around this time he just looked really really frail.

[Tiger]

I started watching in the spring of '92 and Felicia's story that summer is what hooked me.  

 

@ulkis

 

To me, he has looked ill since Dante & Lulu rescued Luke from that Turkish Prison in early 2013.  IIRC, he took an emergency leave the previous fall and I think whatever happened then is still affecting him.

Edited August 6, 2014 by stacey
fixed formatting

[dubbel zout]

He's been having back problems for years; they finally caught up with him and he had to do something. From what I've read, things were even worse than what they expected, hence the second operation and extended recovery time.

[BestestAuntEver]

@GHScorpiosRule, this is the link to the picture with KSt & Micheal Sutton

 

http://instagram.com/p/rQJDEizJEf/

[GHScorpiosRule]

@GHScorpiosRule, this is the link to the picture with KSt & Micheal Sutton

 

http://instagram.com/p/rQJDEizJEf/

 

OHEMGEEEEE!!!!!!!!! SQUEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ADORBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

HUBBA...HUBBA, HUMINAAAAAAA....

 

Ahem.

 

{taking off my tween/teen hat now}

 

Adult me to @BestestAuntEver : Oh thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouuuuuuuuuuu.....

 

Ermm....Kristen looks cute too?

[ulkis]

Someone mentioned this tidbit from Dominic Zamprogna and Jason Thompson's fan club weekend event:

 

http://soapzone.com/boards/read.php/gh/main/12972865

So JT and Dom talked about GH wanting to attract a younger audience

 

That's why the short scenes..the fast pacing and the storylines that disappear for weeks..youngins don't have the attention span of us oldies.

 

 

I think teenagers have an attention span longer than 30 seconds, Frank. Jesus.

[LeftPhalange]

If young people have shorter attentions spans having stories and characters disappear for weeks seems like a bad idea. 

[dubbel zout]

Ron needs to write shorter stories in general. Everything goes on way too long, whether it's because of terrible pacing (just about everything) or Ron falling in love with an idea (Spencer running away).

[SlovakPrincess]

That makes no sense. Shorter scenes, fine, but every story is so fucking convoluted, I don't see how it helps people with short attention spans.

The audience is having to remember who is related to whom, when there's a zillion characters and relationships keep changing and everyone's related in some convoluted way. Every story is somehow overly complicated and stupid at the same time (Robin's story is a complete clusterfuck at this point, Nina's revenge plans are all over the place, keeping track of all the recent killings is something of a challenge, and the Fluke thing is a giant mess).

[Lillybee]

If they are trying to pull in the under 10 set, I don't think that it is working. Most under 10's think opposite sex relationships are gross and do not care that Spenser loves Emma.

[Carrie Ann]

Instead of shorter scenes, just move things along faster? Like, have storylines proceed at a reasonable pace. I actually think GH does a somewhat better job of this than other soaps (Passions being the all-time worst, with a single day lasting months), but if you were going to make changes to the format in order to get/keep younger viewers, more action and faster movement would be the way to go.

[Chairperson Meow]

At least Passions stuck to their guns and went with chemistry. You kinda almost want to respect that. Evil was evil. Crazy was crazy. Never once was Allister, the rapist redeemed. Nor was Beth, the baby stealer.

[MSquared]

If we had any other writer doing this story a), it would be immensely better, of course, but b) it would make sense, and I would love, to have Dr. Hayward in this plot.  I can so see him being hired by Victor and he's just enough of a villain to have Robin under his thumb for Victor and to throw Patrick off, if I want the prick thrown off.  And it would tie in nice to the ending of ABC AMC, where Stuart came back to life and there was the mystery person still lurking around for David to cure  But he, like all the other PP properties, can safely stay the hell away from GH. 

[Chairperson Meow]

Omg. Give me one scene with VI and FH again. Now, David Hayward was a lovely, delicious villian. Screw the cartoonish crap. David Hayward and his mother are something to worry about. I wouldn't care if he tried to force Robin to revive the original Sabrina, Babe Carey.

Poor Ron. He can't even copy AMC stuff properly.

[testardo]

He wants youngsters. I have a granddaughter Spencer's age. When they are here on Friday . I turn the show off. The language and the absolute stupidity are not for her. I try to teach them not to curse and Sonny's mouth is soo bad. I certainly don't want her spouting Sonny's lines .

[Chairperson Meow]

I wouldn't want kids quoting Spencer's lines.

[jsbt]

Oh, Ron would bring David Hayward (and the Two Todds caper of OLTL) into this storyline in a hot second if he could. I wasn't even opposed to that for a long time, nor would I be today under the right conditions. The problem is that he would string it along forever, debase all the other shows' characters in the process and probably turn David back into a two-dimensional Snidely Whiplash as well. For Ron, if a character is gray, that means a character can and will and should do anything, otherwise you're not a good writer.

 

I would be down if David consulted, then, after getting what he wants out of it, helped Robin and dimed the Cassadines out to Anna. Then they can tell us he is happy back in Pine Valley with Cara and their son Oliver. Done.

[Chairperson Meow]

I just want to know what it says in Maurice's contract because I'm positive he's the Cena of GH. Burying better talent, but for longer, way less attractive, and allowed to be a bad guy (but not really since nothing is Sonny's fault).

You guys wanna talk propped? I believe Ron and ABC have their perfect pet in Maurice. And I'm so over it. He can't even remember his lines. I hate that Roger is getting way worse than the Ted King treatment. Ted got two cool characters to play. Roger does PP OLTL and gets a recast of a character originated by an actor over 10 years younger. I'm sorry, but that's borderline age discrimination. If it happened to a female, there would be outcries and protests. Instead, Roger gets shit on.

Explain to me, how is he supposed to play this character? And with all the other characters they could have had, what does that say about Ron's skillz? Not much. I think Roger has tried, but doesn't know what the hell to do. He can't force chemistry. He's an actor, not a magician.

And do not get me started on my beloved Sean Kanan. I'll return when Jason debuts or ifI I feel like discussing Micheal Easton, the fuck up.

[KerleyQ]

I don't really see how that's age discrimination. Essentially telling someone you think they can pass for ten years younger isn't discrimination. It would be age discrimination if they went to one of the cast and said something like "we're dropping you from your contract because the only thing anyone wants to see from someone your age is a grandma baking cookies."

[Ambrosefolly]

I wonder if that is what JFP said to LC when she was put on recurring?

[Chairperson Meow]

It could be, imo, because obviously since the character was played by James Franco, created by, named after, and a vanity project for JF, yes. Obviously there would be comparisons. The first? Why is Franco no longer in his late twenties, early thirties? It is an insult to expect RH to not only have to play that, but whitewash it, charm it, etc.

[Rancide]

Is attracting a younger audience the reason this show has given up on male characters over 22 and under 40?   Am I too old to be a target demographic?  It'd be nice to have more just Patrick, Dante, and Nathan representing my age group.  And no, Levi doesn't count.

[GHScorpiosRule]

It could be, imo, because obviously since the character was played by James Franco, created by, named after, and a vanity project for JF, yes. Obviously there would be comparisons. The first? Why is Franco no longer in his late twenties, early thirties?

He was SORASED.

[Chairperson Meow]

Well, they did kinda diss James Franco by saying he was Steve Burton's twin.

[Lillybee]

If they wanted Franco so bad, they should have cast an actor with darker hair and a more slender build.

[TheGourmez]

And my photos are finally up from the Past Cast event. View them here. 

 

And yes, there is plenty more Michael Sutton. FYI, he's a super nice guy and we had a good laugh when Susan Brown mistook him for a fan rather than an actor while they were lined up to make their entrances. Very humble.

 

Others? I'll just name some characters: Olivia and Victor Jerome, Harlan and Julia Barrett, Annie Logan, Rose Kelly, Terry Brock, Kevin O'Connor, Abby, Dillon Quartermaine (made MY day in addition to Stone), Jerry Jacks #1, Michael Corinthos III #1, Hutch, Brandon Barash, Sean Donely, and a bunch of NIght Shift and Port Charles folks.

[Fylaki]

I think the bigger issue is how out of control TPTB have let FrankenRon get. Did not any one at Disney think it was a bad idea to try to re-cast A serial killer as a romantic lead, especially when Steven Lars Webber, Tom Hardy and Mike Webber (Ginnie and Rick's child, who I think was also a Barrington) all were in the age group. Heck if they wanted to let Ron have a hissy fit they could have re-cast RH as Blackie. Any of these characters would have been a viable historic character.

 

So while I blame Ron and Frank a lot for what is going on...you have got to ask the same question the cops do when they pull up at the 14year old's house party "Where are your parents? Are there any adults here?"

[Ambrosefolly]

Even if they wanted to go with something more blank slate, but someone with ties to family on screen (not to mention the current storyline) that play to RH strength of playing a anti hero, they really should have cast him as Valentin Cassadine. TPTB could still had him paired with Carly, and it would be a more plausible character that interacted with Luke, since I know that TG likes to hoard talented actors to work with.