fine balance, because as we’ve seen in socialist countries, too much regulation stagnates a country, but too little regulation essentially does the same thing. That’s why I love and respect Canada so much because you are not governed by greed.
Would you like to see corporate maverick Victor Newman tackle this timely storyline? Your show is famous for its business stories.
[Laughs] Well, right now he’s very involved in another storyline but, yeah, it would be interesting.
Looking back, are you proud how you stood up to “the machine” during your pay-cut battle with Sony and CBS?
Of course. First of all, we have to raise the retirement age in order to save Social Security and other programs. Why would companies want to get rid of the people with the most experience? It’s insane. Don’t tell me with all the brains in any country we can’t figure out a way to make a profit and derive a profit from our most experienced workers. Germans have done a very good job at working with unions to keep manufacturing in their country. I think America can do the same thing. Without concern for a society as a whole the scams between rich and poor will become wider and wider spread. That, in the end, will backfire.
Four soap operas have been canceled in the past three years because Madison Avenue doesn’t consider anyone over 49 to be relevant. Thoughts?
[Sighs] It’s ridiculous. This notion that people under 49 only buy things or that their buying habits will not change is bullshit! It’s nonsense. You cannot cut out what will become or is already the majority of the population. But it’s all about the bottom line. They can produce more talk shows now — like we needed more of those. Everyone’s talking but no one is communicating. I hope the trend returns to storytelling. There’s a certain comfort in seeing billionaires like Victor Newman not happy despite his wealth. People need to feel like they are a part of a larger universe. They need to feel like they are not alone.
What advice would you give older people trying to stay relevant in today’s business world?
I, Eric Braeden, work out every day. Twice a day sometimes. I feel strong and young. And I’m not kidding you. I’m full of piss and vinegar. I really believe in working out. Even when I’ve filmed all day and I get home late, I force myself to workout at night. I’m deeply grateful for having learned this kind of discipline early on in my sports career when I played soccer, tennis and boxing professionally.
Do you ever think of retiring?
No! What the hell would I do if I retired? [Laughs] Are you kidding? I’d go nuts. I need things to do. I need to be engaged in life. I’m young and restless, my man!
Your current rays of light are your two young granddaughters…
Oh, they warm my heart like nothing else. I adore them like crazy. Surrounding yourself with younger people is always a good idea.
Do you have regrets?
Listen, we all reflect on one’s life. You’d be an idiot not to ask, “What If…?” but I don’t linger on what could have been for too long. I move on after reflecting. I’m basically very optimistic. But, once again, that mantra comes from sports. I grew up in track and field. From the age 10, I was imbued with the idea of improving myself. That’s stayed with me all my life. You can’t deal in the hypothetical or what might have been but what is to come. For anyone who wants to know… that’s the secret to how I tick.
SOAPILEAKS:
This Week’s Hottest News, Gossip, and Reviews!
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, CBS/CSV — My Two Moms!
• Best casting news ever: Bradley Bell has cast superstar and gay icon Crystal Chappell to play the show’s first major lesbian, Danielle. In story, Danielle is Karen’s partner. My lesbian senses always tingled when Joanna Johnson appeared on B&B as Karen. Soon, Caroline 2.0 will reveal to Thomas that she has two moms. Look for La Chappell-erella to debut in May. So far, there is no word on how long Chappell will be on B&B but if ratings spike, expect her character to be on long term. Let’s hope Danielle develops a crush on Brooke! In your face, DAYS!
• What’s the latest update on the B&B 25th anniversary book? International publicist for the most watched daily serial in the world, David Gregg, will pen the tribute. He tells me, “The book has been turned into the publisher and Brad [Bell]. It will come out in the fall. Everyone is happy with it.” Of course, they are. Congrats on completing this Herculean task, David. UNCENSORED readers will remember that the book is mostly photo-driven.
• How excited is one of Twitter wives, Katherine Kelly Lang, about travelling to Italy once again for a lavish remote? Very. “I’m so excited, I can’t stand it,” she tells me. “I used to visit Italy once a month for personal, promotional appearances and when I was launching my Kelly Spa. It took two years to get the spa going. So I missed it so much. It’s been like a couple of years since I’ve been back. I think we’re going to fly into Rome to spend a few days there and just relax and roam around.”
Showrunner Brad Bell is being secretive regarding the show’s Italian visit. Can Lang spill any of the beans? “We’re shooting eight to 10 episodes in four or five days so we’ll be working a lot while we’re there.”
Who else is joining Lang on the shoot? “Brad hasn’t told me a lot. I know Ronn Moss is coming and that’s all I can say.”
As for her popular leading man, Jack Wagner, being voted off B&B and DANCING WITH THE STARS says, “I was rooting for Jack on DANCING and B&B. I miss Brooke and Nick — and seeing Jack on set every day.”
For more, tune in to UNCENSORED next week for an in-depth interview on daytime’s sexiest, most beautiful and underrated actress!
DAYS OF OUR LIVES, NBC/GLOBAL — Did DAYS ask Chappell to come back? EJ and Sami related?
• Did DAYS call Crystal Chappell and ask her to return to the embattled sudser before she signed with B&B as Danielle? “No,” answers her publicist Lesli Penny. Just like UNCENSORED reported last week, ‘yo.
• As UNCENSORED predicted a few months ago, it turns out EJ is not Stefano’s son! This week, Stefano — whose world came crashing down when he threw out his cheating wife, Kate — sadly also learns his beloved son, Elvis, is not his biological offspring.
So who is EJ’s daddy? Bet on John! Quibble alert: Why dilute the DiMera family by making EJ a Black? Regardless, mark this paternity retcon as the second time Joe Mascolo has been involved in a shocking bombshell. B&B fans will remember that Mascolo’s character Massimo turned out to be Ridge’s father in one of the soaps’ best storylines. So, yep, that makes EJ and Sami step-siblings! Ewww….
• With firings, come hirings! DAYS is casting two roles: Rodney, a 20-ish African-American or Hispanic gorgeous leading male. Could this be Rafe’s brother, whatever his name is? Here’s the description: Rodney is an edgy charismatic bad boy with a heart of gold and a mysterious past. He could be called a bit of a chameleon as he can acclimate to any of situation and blend in with any social circles. Rodney's confidence makes him intoxicating to the ladies and intimating to men. The role is recurring.
Is this a recast? Drew is being described as a 30-ish leading Caucasian male. Here’s the lowdown: Drew is the ideal man in every way. From his incredible good looks, to his sincerity, integrity and strength, Drew is the total package. He is smart and caring and has a way about him that puts anyone at ease. But behind his perfect facade is a deep seeded pain that drives him to do anything to forget his past. Drew is a contract role. Hello, Josh Kelly. (Yes, I won’t rest until I see my hubby back on the small screen. We have bills to pay!)
• DAYS déjà vu: When will the new material begin airing? Didn’t we just ask that last summer? Greg Meng says, “Probably mid-August. We're that far ahead. But we have some really big stuff coming up in the next few months, especially prior to the Olympics. We're off the air two weeks during the Games but the week leading up to that is huge and it ends in a great cliffhanger. Then there are a lot of surprises the Monday we come back. You won't want to miss those episodes.” Um, where have we heard this before? With DAYS taping so far in
advance, switching writing teams isn’t the most effective solution as it used to be for the show in the past.
DEVANITY — The Tilton Hotel!
• According to SOAP OPERA DIGEST: Charlene Tilton, best known as DALLAS's Lucy, has joined the cast of DEVANITY as Francesca DeVanity, the bitter sister of the late Richard DeVanity. Francesca returns to Los Angeles after being exiled in Paris. "Francesca DeVanity is going to be quite the departure from Lucy Ewing," said series creator Michael Caruso. "She's powerful, vengeful, and has a sordid appetite for everything that will put her at odds with Jason DeVanity. She will definitely rock the boat in a way that only Charlene Tilton is capable of. Everyone is incredibly excited to work with her; I think that she is going to really surprise fans with a very different character, and a look that Charlene herself is planning to create. Charlene is the perfect addition to the DEVANITY family!" Kyle Lowder and Gordon Thomson also star in the guilty pleasure.
GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABC/CITY — Is James Franco returning?
• This just in: GH has decided not to bring back Emmy-nominated actress and fan fave Lexi Ainsworth back as Kristina. Instead, the show has cast