Stephen and Mary beth rock the casbah
Stephen and Mary Beth rock the Casbah…
Hello Diva Worshipers….As promised I am back to discuss the fabulous interview in SOD this week of Stephen Nichols and Mary Beth Evans and I must say…F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S. This is why I say Stephen and Mary Beth rock the Casbah. I know that is just such a old song and I am pretty much showing my age by even knowing the song, but I am the Diva and anyone who might have a problem with it can SUCK IT!
Anyhow…back to the interview. I had my Diva spies out bright and early today looking for copies of this SOD because for one…I am the Diva and I don’t have to buy my own and two I was just too lazy to go to the store today….so sue me! Well anyhow my spies brought me back a nice little summary of said interview and I must say….Diva likes it…she really likes it. Here are the highlights of the interview just in case my followers are just as lazy as me.
Digest: Were you surprised to hear the characters were being written off?
Nichols: Yes and no. Yes, because I was surprised that they allowed two of the most beloved characters in the history of the show to just fade into the background and then eventually away. No, because the support and story had not been there since Ed Scott [former co-executive producer] was let go which, by the way, was a huge mistake. Ed's departure sent morale on the set on a downward spiral.
How would you characterize you return in DAYS?
Nichols: We had our moments and Hogan Sheffer [former head writer] was putting a lot of energy into us. Hogan did research and watched the early shows from out first run. He told Mary Beth and me that, to his eye, it was the best stuff ever on daytime. 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 these things written down somewhere. Finally, I handed everyone beautifully packages DVDs that our fans had put together of every episode we were ever in. I must say that the first story (the Ava story) Dena Higley [head writer] 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.
Evans: I said to Ken, when it finally came down that we were going to let go. I said, "Thank you. I always wanted to come back. I always wanted to play the second chapter of these characters and I had a great time." I feel like it was a real win; I didn't leave there feeling like, "Oh God." Other times when I've left shows, I have felt so sad or anxious, but I didn't feel any of those feelings. 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.
Now followers, do you see why they rock the Casbah? They are so classy with their answers and they still tell it like it is. Now being the Diva of Days I must disagree with Stephen on one point though. The Ava storyline….was just not good and it made absolutely no sense what so ever. The only thing that was great about that storyline was the acting. Stephen, Mary Beth and even Tamara did a great job considering what they were given. It is really sad that Mary Beth really didn’t feel anything about leaving though. I guess when your character is being tossed out like garbage you can’t feel too much. I am glad they had the chance to voice their opinions in the end though, but it is sad that it took them getting shit canned for them to get a good interview and a cover.
Now I am all prepared to go reading around how they are whinny and bitter and they shouldn’t have even gotten the cover…..wait I have already read stuff like that. I have read that they should have never been given the cover. That this cover should have went to Guiding Light and how people can’t see how this couple is even beloved and so on and so forth.
Well like always I have an opinion on this issue too. I figure Guiding Light will get the next cover and probably the next after that so I don’t think they are hurting about it. Now I can understand how Steve and Kayla is not someone’s cup o’ tea so to speak, but to wonder why they are beloved….come on give me a break now. It doesn’t take a Mensa member to figure that one out. Great chemistry between two great actors, a great first run, two people who give a damn about their fans, two people who have the upmost respect for each other and a bunch of fabulous fans who call themselves Skorks are what makes them beloved. So if that doesn’t explain why they are beloved then please feel free to give some more reasons.
you are so right Diva...they do rock! and your explanation as to why they are so beloved was spot on for every reason you mentioned! thanks
ReplyDeleteLisa
They totally rock and always have. The chemistry between these two actors made these characters the greatest in all daytime in my opinion. GL will get their cover stories but this needed to come out so that we would know what SN and MB were thinking and feeling about being let go.
ReplyDeleteStephen and Mary Beth do rock and those who don't see why they are so beloved are idiots and brainless and can stick their 2 cents where the sun doesn't shine! Guiding Light will have their time on the cover but it's Stephen and Mary Beth's time shut the hell up and deal with it!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, GL on the cover would never get me to pay $5 for a crappy magazine like SOD. The whiners will always find something to whine about, good for them if it makes them feel fulfilled in life. I'm glad that it finally dawned on someone to interview Stephen & MB about their exit from the show. Thanks for sharing the highlights of the interview and I completely agree with you, Stephen & Mary Beth do ROCK!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion they shouls have gotten the cover and several more when they were there considering according to the magazine's own poll they were the the #1 couple on soaps. Guiding Light is on air until September I am sure when they go black you can expect practically a whole magazine devoted to them.
ReplyDeleteI agree once again that they are always a class act. To bad they weren't treated better and given good material to work with because they have proven in thhe past when given the oppurtunity to shine they shine the brightest.
Also I assume Stephen said that he really liked the storyline when Higley first came on and the parenthesis as to what he was talking about was added by the writer of the article. I think they might have got it wrong. could he actually have been referring to when Higley came on the storyline was the plane crash and Ava's arrival if so I agree. To me it went so wrong and out of character when it got to the point of Ava holding them captive at the. mansion.
Days really blew it by letting these two go, they talk about it being about finances but I see they've hired several since they left. I think its because they don't fir the mold of Passions 2 and for that I am glad.
Diva as always you are awesome and speak the truth. And you are dead on why Steve & Kayla are so beloved. Stephen & Mary Beth are a class act. One of a kind.
ReplyDeleteAs for the naysayers. I don't think Stephen or Mary Beth are bitter or whining. They were hurt and does anyone blame them? As Stephen said TPTB "allowed two of the most beloved characters in the history of the show to just fade into the background and then eventually away."
It's a sad, sad day when that happens.
Great comments Diva, spot on. These two are a class act and that can't be said of some of TPTB in charge of Days right now.....
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info.
The persons that don't see the chemistry should be tied up and made to watch the two "tackle scenes from their return. The scene where he left for her own good, and the scene where during the deprograming before the kidnaping they fought over the phone. I'm not going to even start on the stuff when "Days" was 1 in the rating their wedding and the deaf sl ect. Good bye SN/MB the show isn't and has never been the same without your talent.Hope they go on to better things.
ReplyDeleteIt is only not bitter and unjustified when it Drake and Dee were fired. I remember the J/M fans happy when half the cast was fired in 2003 because they thought it would give Dee a big story. Frankly they should have fired those two years ago, and saved money. The other super couple characters had really angsty stories, their actions were there own doing, but those two it was always some stupid gimmick. Give me Matt and Missy, Charles and Patsy, Stephen and Mary Beth, Thaao and Leann, and Peter and Kristian any day.
ReplyDeletei cant wait to what you are going to say about thaao's and leaan's exit.
ReplyDeleteThanks Diva. I have read the whole article. SN and MBE are classy. They were honest but remained respectful.
ReplyDeleteDiva - you and the fans get the actors and the characters. Its a real shame that TIIC at Days never did.
Nichols and Evans were superb. Days right now is sub par at best. I quit Days because it fails to respect the audience, engages in blatant age discrimination, has a new rather lame group of characters all over exposed and none at all unique nor compelling. Days failed me totally. Gary Tomlin is the type of producer that kills soaps. No wonder the soaps are dying. It is not that there is no audience, it is the fact that the producers chase the audience away by insisting upon destroying the soap, ridding it of its heart, soul, of characters you can care about and instead propping up a group of lackluster models. From a soap fan, to one who can no longer bear to look upon the garbage being tauted and regretting so much the bitter loss of the best characters. Days died. Corday, Tomlin and Higley truly killed its spirit.
ReplyDelete