Stephen and Mary Beth interview
The Diva finally got the magazine today. Good for them for telling it like it is. I added my two cents to their comments.
Here's some highlights:
Q: Where you surprised about being written off?
SN: "...No, because the support and story had not been there since Ed Scott was let go, which, btw, was a huge mistake. Ed's departure sent morale on the set on a downward spiral."
Diva: Scott's replacement, Gary Tomlin the architect of the vet firings.
MBE: "...they had a bottom line that they had to do, and I think that the people who are running it now have an idea of how they want it to be, so that's what they did. I don't think it mattered who was popular or who wasn't or whatever, obviously, so I wasn't surprised."
Diva: Tomlin doesn't give a shit about the fans and who they like.
SOD: no official exit scene
SN: "...that is indicative of a writer who really does not want to write anything for you and a "cut-and-run" attitude that prevails. When they decide they are done with you, they don't bother to give the characters the respect of resolving story."
Diva: Higley is a moron who is too lazy to write good endings to characters she doesn't like.
SOD: how was your return to DOOL?
SN: "...Hogan Sheffer was putting a lot of energy into us. Hogan did research and watched the early shows from our first run...The trouble was, he was the only one doing the research. Writer's assistants were frequently coming to me and Mary Beth, asking us the history of the characters. You would think the show would have those things written down somewhere. Finally, I handed everyone beautifully packaged DVDs that our fans had put together of every episode we were ever in. I must say that the first story (the Ava story) Higley was responsible for overseeing was great. After that, we were dropped like hot potatoes, and once Ed Scott was out of the picture, we were in trouble. He fought for us. I know that much."
MBE: "It's been such a spin there for a while, with just so many people getting fired, and there was just so much going on that it was pretty stressful. Everybody cares about everybody there; it's like a family and to watch all your friends get laid off, it's really hard."
Diva: Sheffer does his research. The assistant writers are lazy as hell. Sheesh, it's their job to do research. I still don't like the Ava story. It's almost impossible to get into a story when you know the actress, Tamara Braun, would only be on for 6 months. What's the point of liking Ava then? Ed Scott is vet friendly. He should have stayed. The production of the show is awful, especially the editing. Vet scenes are cut too short. Stefano's mourning over Tony's dead body would have been better if it were just cut into two scenes, instead of 5 or 6 10 second scenes. It's hard to get into a scene when they keep zipping in and out of scenes every ten seconds.
SOD: missed opportunities
SN: "...Early on, a producer told Mary Beth and me that there would be no more seconds takes for acting. One day, I stood in the booth soon after that and watched two actors in a highly emotional scene do five takes because the producer thought he saw a boom shadow, which no one could identify. 5 takes for a phantom boom shadow! If the acting had been off, they would have moved on. Another actor reported that this same producer had told him that he did not care so much about the acting and that the audience would understand enough about the story by simply hearing the words. Can you imagine? Yet the crew and any actor who cared about what they were doing felt a renewed energy and expressed that to us both. It turned out to be an uphill battle all the way."
MBE: "...I thought that Stephen and I brought value to the show, and I certainly know there was a fan base, and I thought we brought things to the canvas that other people didn't, but it just didn't seem to matter when it call came down. They had to make their bottom line."
Diva: No more second takes for acting. That explains the really really bad Nadia Bjorlin scenes. Isn't it great to have a producer not give a shit about acting? If you want someone to just recite lines, why not hire Dan Rather and a teleprompter? Thaao said similar things last year. Tomlin told him that air time depends on whether or not your pretty, not talent. Good for MBE saying that some of the actors still on the show don't have a fan base and can't act.
Both SN and MBE are busy with other projects. Good for them. There's also a section just to say thank you to their fans. Very classy.
For some of you fans who like what Tomlin is doing, go buy SOD and read what they said for yourselves. The show no longer cares about good acting or good actors or fan bases. Like the Diva has said before, the show is being turned into Passions. It's all about looking pretty and being expendable. God bless Stephen, Mary Beth, and Thaao for being honest.
Well, thanks for putting it on-line. I wonder what they said SOD did not put out. I bet there was more. I read on another site that the actors were going to have a fan event May 30th. That should be interesting, for actors are always more verbal in intimate fan settings.
ReplyDeleteI was wishing for their return for years since I wanted to seem some major Jack and Steve stories. Their relationship was finally becoming like brothers when Steve died. Then a few months later Langan came on and they tried repeatedly to get rid of Matt, ruined Jack, and then succeeded. Finally SN was back and there were those great Matt and SN scenes. But, noooo, T**IC did not further that, then fired Matt again. But I am not surprised, Jack and Steve's relationship was complex, and it was not about two hot bodies rolling around in an elevator having bad porn sex. I really wanted for Jack's rape of Kayla to come out again and how it affected Abigail, who worshiped her father. How it affected Jack, Kayla, Steve and Stephanie (and even Jennifer if she were still around). But no. That was complex story telling, that required history, characters to be true to their past, acting and writing skills. Better have Nadia stare blanking for all emotion, and recite. her. lines. with. less. emotion. than a computer talk program. She and Christian can just look like bad porn because as a producer (and I bet my DVR and my iMac, which I love that it is Tomlin) that acting not that important.
Thank you Diva for posting this. I'm not surprised that the lovers of Dena and Tomlin's version Days are ignoring this. Where are all those oh so very knowledgeable viewers who have watched the show since the 80s when they were toddlers or those who started in the 90s preaching to the rest of us how full of themselves these actors are for speaking up, for saying the extent this show has been allowed to sink. Thank you Stephen and Mary Beth!
ReplyDeleteI thought the Jack and Steve stuff was great. They have wonderful chemistry and timing.
ReplyDeleteicam When Thaao was the only one complaining about Tomlin, he got bashed, especially at a very douchebagish message board. They said he was bitter. They ignored what he said because fans like that don't care about good acting. They just want pretty people on their screens too.
I just think its awesome that SN and MBE spoke out like they did. It could have hurt them for coming back with Higley/Tomlin in charge. But they threw caution to the wind. They did it for the good of the show. I wish the soap mag writers had this much integrity and would stand up for the fans and the show like SN, MBE, and TP.
The DH's need to speak up too. They have nothing to lose. Obviously the show is not going to bring them back either.
If both Deidre and Drake gave a damn about the integrity of what they helped create, they would speak up and say something. Silence doesn't equate automatically to being classy, not when those in charge are don't give a damn any longer.
ReplyDeleteWell, I always thought John and Marlena were kept because Drake and Dee were cool with John and Marlena involved in all the stupid stories. Frankly, I do not think Drake would have made it if he had not just let anything happen. Drake, frankly for me, was no actor. Thus he fit in with the JERk type of story telling. But Drake at least was not arrogant and had a reputation of being a great guy. From all I have read and heard from people who were regular PA goers years ago, Dee had a reputation of being a real diva to cast and crew members. I remember hearing from people that she was not referred to as Queen Dee for nothing.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder the stories on DAYS are so flat and hard to watch now. It's hard to care about a show when the ones who make the show don't care about what they're doing. Hearing what SN said about the boom shadow, no second takes for acting, et. cet. just confirms that in a very depressing way. Kudos to SN and MBE for doing the interview and calling TIIC for their mediocrity!
ReplyDeleteGary Tomlin is a bigger douchebag than Nelson!!!!
ReplyDeleteGary Tomln and Dena Higley OFFIALLY KILLED DAYS.
ReplyDeleteWhat airs now is Passions Sequel and frankly Passions deserved cancellation, it was a bad joke, so is what they are now producing.
I used to love Days, now I despise everything that has been done and cannot watch the nonsense which they are currently airing.
I say No TO THE MELANIE, NICOLE, SAMI EJ HOUR.
My deepest respect and admiration remains for Stephen Nichols and his amazing character Steven Earl Johnson AKA "PATCH"
ReplyDeletePatch will long live for we love him
Days will have a very short remainder and will go out without a sob, leaving only memories of producers who failed to grasp the audience.
Anyone read Corday's comments about GL's cancelation?
ReplyDeleteIn desperate times, desperate measures are sometimes the worst things to resort to. What GUIDING LIGHT became was not a soap opera. It smacked of ESPN or the evening news and done without any homage to the creator of the show. It wasn't because of one inept person in the last year or two; the show ran its course.
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Someone needs to remind him about casting the first stone. Give me ESPN over bad porn central, and bad teen love fest central which is DULL.
The rest of his comments is over at welovesoaps.
ESPN has better production, direction, editing, writing and actors than DOOL and GL. Corday is a moron.
ReplyDeleteI adore the vets and particularly Stephen Nichols as Patch and Mary Beth Kayla.
ReplyDeleteOnce an avid Days fan. However since Gary Tomlin I find Days so insulting it is IMPOSSIBLE TO WATCH.
Mr Tomlin is the death of soaps. He wants that horrible Passions program back and he killed days.
No Mr Corday your lies will not work. You destroyed all that was once good about Days and you deserve a huge PINK SLIP.
right now the Days of Gary Tomlin, Dena Higley all Nicole Sami Daniel and Melanie simply reek. I have another word for it but will refrain.
And yet, people such as Luke Kerr and the people at DR and SON say that DAYS is one of the best soap on the air.
ReplyDeleteWTF? Are they for real?
DR is very anti vet. They love the campy, Passions shit. So I'm not surprised that they like this crap.
ReplyDelete