So, after having to hear for the hundredth time in the show thread about how OLTL's Kassie and James DePaiva's 10 year old affair is the root of every perceived storyline evil that has befallen Blair/Max on the show, I thought it might be high time for this thread. Daytime is a small world that often generates as much drama off screen as it does off.

Crappy producer/writer eras, illicit love affairs, tragic drug problems, sudden firings, Robin Strassers awes hotline, let it fly here.

My personal favorite is Hunter Tylo that woman is a one stop factory of documented drama over the last ten or so years.

blixie, back before OLTL got good again, the supposed decade-old DePaiva Drama was my main reason for visiting the thread! Uncle--whoever (s)he may be--is on the case, and it tickles me endlessly.

Uhm, let's see. Gossip? I heard that DAYS' Kristian Alfonso and Peter Reckell weren't great friends in the early 80s--during the height of Bo and Hope mania. He called her chubby. She thought he was a jerk. These days, they're great friends, though.

That's all I got.

I think it may have had to do with the "much loved" RKK. When KA worked with him, she probably realized what a gem they had in PR. I loved how Ali Sweeney's mom wouldn't even let her work with RKK. Boy, that man sure did stir up a lot on every soap he played on.

Oooooh-wee! I love this type of thread, hopefully we will get some serious dish, and not blind item shit....I hate those.



So before they got married they were having an affair? I didn't know that.

Wasn't another big scandal the affair between Wendy Moniz when she played Dinah on GL, and the one of the actors who played Hart?

I have to admit I get most of my dish from TWoP, so I don't have much to bring to the table.

He was so hot, but apparently, a big-ass perv. Didn't he also have problems with Sandra Ferguson (Amanda to his Sam on Another World)?

Though she was of age (barely) when RKK married her, I always wondered about his relationship with Miriam Parrish. She may have been underage when they began dating, and I hate that.

Seems he's burned his daytime bridges. It's a shame because he's a great actor, IMO. Loved Sam and I loved his version of Bo Brady, too. He and Crystal Chappelle brought it!

Edited to add: May this thread live long and prosper.

I read that the guy who played Steve and some other guy beat him up cause he was such a perv.

Maybe it has something to do with what's at the bottom of RKK's Wikipedia story. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Kelker-Kelly I also recall (through TWOP posters at the Y&R forum) that Brenda Dickson (the original Jill Abbott) was not very popular with her co-stars, like Terry Lester (Jack 1.0) & Jerry Douglas (John, or should I say, Alistair these days) for her behind the camera antics. Speaking of Lester, he also was said to be none too fond of the nepotism at Y&R (Lauralee Bell being cast as Cricket).

Nope. RKK was on the show long after Stephen Nichols left.

The incident to which you are perhaps referring is an alleged confrontation between SN, Drake Hogestyn and the actor who played Jack #2 (pre-Matt Ashford) regarding some untoward conduct by Jack #2 towards a very pregnant Mary Beth Evans. Allegedly, SN and DH were not amused.

There have been stories/rumors about it for a long time although to my knowledge, it's never been officially confirmed by anybody.

I have a very clear memory of Jeanne Cooper (Kay Chancellor) saying publicly after BD was replaced in the role by Jess Walton (who still plays Jill) that BD was a bad actress who was very good at playing Jill Abbott, but that she couldn't really do anything else well, and that it was unfortunate that her personal issues made it impossible for the show to keep her in the one role she could really play.

There doesn't seem to be much current backstage dish - you'd think, with the internet, there'd be more leakage than in the past, not less.

I believe Parrish was 18 when she married RKK, which is legally an adult and above the age of consent in even the most conservative states. He was hot, and I personally don't blame her for having the hots for him. Elvis Presley, Jerry Seinfeld, Jerry Lee Lewis and others have done just as bad or far worse. Apparantly they're still married and she's now the age he was back when they wed (31). I'm not big on child brides myself, but I'm just sayin! What a waste of a great actor, though. Had a big crush on RKK since he was Sam on AW.

More soap dish - Apparently Peter Bergman couldn't stand Victoria Rowell - thought she was coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs. Thinking back, there weren't a whole lot of scenes with Jack and Dru. Maybe that was why!

ETA - I heard Bergman and Braeden on Y&R got physical one day on set a few years back. Apparently the Jack and Victor rivalry is just as strong off screen. I think Peter Bergman threw the punch.

OMG - I love this thread! Great idea.

Does anyone know what the acrimony between Levin and her former Costar (I can't remember his name, but he played Ryan's brother Jon) was about?

I don't know how scandalous it was back in the day, but Wendy Moniz and Frank Grillo (who played Hart) are now married w/ kids, and have been together for years.

I think one or both of them was married at the time, and that they had rather loud sex in the dressing rooms. Hunt Block gave an interview not too long ago in which he referenced the situation, commenting on what he had to overhear while in his own dressing room.

So, is this the place to ask - who's gay?

I have no confirmation, but anyone who ever answered "My dogs," when asked about his romantic life goes to the top of the list. (Cough, Ingo.) Or who answered, "I'm far too busy to think about dating..." (Ahem, Tuc.)

Funny this should come up. Frank Grillo was married prior to hooking up with Wendy Moniz. His first wife is a cousin of a woman I work with. I told her how I watch GL and she told me about him and the kid they had together - she was shocked I knew her cousin's kids name. I was like - I subscribe to Soap Opera Digest, what do you expect? Anyway, fast forward to last week. I was in New York City for Bravo's A List Awards and was fortunate to attend the after party. There was a guy that looked just like him. He was hitting on one of the girls I was with, somehow came up in conversation that he used to be on Guiding Light. I walked over to him to ask if he was Frank Grillo and he denied it. It was bizarre. Probably didn't think anyone at this shindig would recognize him as Hart and since I did, I obviously was aware that he and Wendy were married. So I guess once a cheater, always a cheater. I just got some of the pictures from that night. I'll have to post one here so you can confirm if it's him or not.

I've always heard Tony Geary (no secret there) and Ingo Rademacher. But there's dispute about IR.

The guy who played Duke on GH and James on B&B has been openly gay for years.

TonyG:
Well, Tuc Watkins is a no-brainer. I know guys who've slept with him.

Others: Tony Geary (Luke, GH), Dylan Fergus (Noah, Passions), Christian LeBlanc (Michael, Y&R), Greg Rikaart (Kevin, Y&R), Brandon Beemer (ex-Shawn, Days). Kyle Lowder (Rick, B&B) also pings my gaydar pretty hard.

Wrong thread, I suppose, but the one that really surprised me recently was Patrick Dempsey. He used to sleep with guys a lot pre-Grey's Anatomy. Obviously, that doesn't fit the whole McDreamy image. It also adds a curious twist to "Faggot"-Gate with IW and T.R. Knight.

Whoa I didn't know about Tony Geary or Greg Rikaart.

You know what I always found amusing, even though it's not that amusing? Tyler Christopher was engaged to Vanessa Marcil (Brenda) and then he married the woman who played the a lookalike of Brenda (Eva Longoria, right?). Wasn't he also dating Natalia? Are they still together?

I've always been a little curious about Kin Shriner. Yes, he's been seen in public with women, but he's 54 y/o, and never married. I know that means nothing, but "the never married" has always been the biggest hook on Geary being gay, I've always wondered.

No, Tyler and Natalia broke up a while ago.

I also remember the backstage drama at Y&R with Peter Bergman and Eric Braeden getting into a fist fight. Can't remember the exact details on why it happenned. All I know is I wish I could have been a fly on the wall to see that showdown.

Kin Shriner always pinged my gaydar.

How do you know this, Benjy? A bunch of blind items I've read are now starting to make more sense to me...

I love this thread. Could I suggest something, though? Since all the soaps are up for discussion, could we include which soap an actor is from (especially if just using the initials of the actor? It took me awhile to figure out who RKK was...)? Or at least on initial mention of the actor... Just so there's no confusion...

Yeah, Tony "I don't talk about my private life" Geary is no surprise. Kinda surprised about Ingo. I heard that Eric Braeden stormed off of the set of a SOD cover shoot a couple of years ago because he didn't like his placement in the photo, he wanted to be in the center (big shock there).

I'm not sure how reliable my source regarding Ingo (Jax, GH) is. I heard it from a friend, who is friends with a friend of Vanessa Marcil (Brenda, GH). She was very adamant that Ingo was gay but really loves women and is extremely comfortable with them - which I think shows, actually. Anyway, since then, on TWoP, I've heard that IR is expecting a child with his girlfriend, and also that Alicia Leigh Willis (Courtney, GH - or She Who Shall Not Be Named, as she is not so fondly referred to on the GH thread) disliked working with him because he got a little too friendly in their love scenes. So who knows.

From what I've heard over the years, Geary is fairly open, just not aggressive about it.

I'd love to hear more about backstage rivalries - I had no idea that Braeden and Bergman (Victor and Jack, Y&R) didn't get along. Though Braeden just comes off like a diva. Plus, IMO, he's terrible. That's a man who got very lucky.

Poke:
A friend of a friend of mine used to be his lover. He told me about it a couple weeks ago and I was truly shocked.

I don't really doubt Geary, but I think at one point, he played for both teams. It was widely reported that he was engaged to Roberta Leighton in 1983. He was also supposedly seriously involved to Leah Laiman in the late 80's. Maybe he finally decided which team he liked best.

Other stuff....apparently Lane Davies and Nancy Lee Grahn were not extremely fond of each other for a majority of their Santa Barbara run.

I heard recently that Tony Geary's lover in the early 80s was, um, Ron Glass from Barnery Miller?

I also heard that Michael & Kevin from Y&R have been involved with each other.

Has Duke (Ian Buchanan?) really been out all these years? I never heard that, and I follow both the soap and the gay scenes pretty closely. Not a surprise, of course...

Over on the OLTL board, everyone pretty much assumes that Rex (the actor, JPL, and the character) are gay.

I saw Dylan Fergus in a gay slasher film - not proof of anything, but I just assumed the actor was gay for some reason. I never caught him on Passions.

Benjy, I might need some details about Tuc. :)

It's funny, I often think of the soap world as a holdover from the studio days of Hollywood - here are the stars, here are the images we want you to write/print/publicize, and if you don't - or if you ask questions we don't like - we'll cut off your access to them and us. And that attitude or system can definitely be seen in the way the inductry handles gay actors. (Or doesn't.)

So, now, what about the lesbians?

I've read rumors about Bree Williamson (Jessica, OLTL) and Beth Ann Bonner (Talia, OLTL).

Now see, that whole Grey's Anatomy thing between Patrick, Isaiah, and TR never seemed quite right to me. I always felt like something wasn't being said to make the whole thing fall into place in my mind. "DicDreamy" (I cannot stand Patrick Dempsey - remember him from his dorky Can't Buy Me Love teen flick days) being gay is a revelation, but in hindsight doesn't surprise me in the least.

I have no proof, but I've always suspected Susan Flannery(Stephanie, B&B) of being a lesbian. Am I wrong?

I am a long time lurker, first time poster here but I just had to de-lurk and offer up for your delectation Jill Faren Phelps (current Executive Producer of GENERAL HOSPITAL, former Executive Producer of ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ANOTHER WORLD, and GUIDING LIGHT). She was infamous amongst soap opera fans for three things:

1. Killing off beloved core characters (GL fans who remembered how she killed off the beloved Maureen Bauer were not at all surprised that the Great Quartermaine Massacre occurred on her watch);

2. Systematically running off actors and replacing them with her loyalists (after she pulled this stunt numerous times on OLTL her minion actors acquired the moniker of "FOJs" - Friends Of Jill); and

3. Most notoriously, her penchant for insisting that her shows always build themselves completely around her Fuck-Toy-of-the-Moment (Kale Brown on OLTL being the most prominent example).

(There were also persistanet rumors that she ran actresses off her shows when they got pregnant and consistently granted priviliges to male actors that were not extended to their female counterparts. IIRC the late great Beverlee McKinsey had quite a few words to say about Ms. Phelps and her antics).

A real piece of work.

Great thread...where to start.
These are the rumors I've heard.

Don Diamont and Gloria Loring had an affair when they were both on Days. He broke up her marriage to Alan Thicke.
Elieen Davidson and Vince Van Patton (her love interest on the show). She was married to Jon Lindstrom at the time.
Melissa Reeves (DOOL) was screwing around with her co-star when her husband (Scott Reeves of Y&R) walked in on them. He made her leave the show ASAP in order to save their marriage. DOOL sued her ass.
Sharon Case (Y&R) was having an affair with some married guy (not on the show). She would go out and be photographed with other men in order to hide the fact. Seems he was a married man with kids. They just got married last year.

I've always assumed she was OUT. Am I wrong?

The old Datalounge soap threads contained pretty loud whispers around Deidre Hall (DAYS, Marlena Evans) and Jane Elliott (GH, Tracey). My brain nearly exploded in glee at the imagery.

We're getting into muddy territory here. What nube will sign in to defend their favorite soap star? Which one of us will be the first to be accused of defamation and SLANDER???!!! Heh.

I heard this as well. It was Jason Brooks, right?

As for Eric Braden, my brother PA'd on Y&R a gazillion years ago. He had to deliver something to EB's dressing room once and EB opened the door stark naked. They would send him because it used to upset to female PAs they had on the show.

See, that's why I'm treading lightly. I've never heard SF refer to herself as an out-lesbian, so I'm not assuming. You know, don't wanna make an ass outta anyone :-P

Same goes from CLB (Michael, Y&R). Everyone says it's known he is gay but I've never heard of him publicizing it.

OK, why does the idea of CLB (Michael) and GR (Kevin) from Y&R making out turn me on? I'm a straight female, but cute guys kissing just does it for me!

I remember that story with her having an affair with Jason Brooks. I can't say I blame her. He (JB)was a hottie and I could never seperate Scott Reeves with his character on Y&R who was also a bit of a dick. Recently, I saw MR & SR on the cover of some soap magazine with talking about their great marriage. Uh huh.

My favorite behind-the-scenes story was always the infamous Sarah Michelle Gellar-Susan Lucci feud on AMC. My friend's wife, who used to be in acting, claims that SL made SMG cry every day. She also claims to have seen the actors who play Robin and Patrick at a concert and that they're dating!

I've often heard Michelle Stafford's a devout Scientologist and a complete bitch.

I don't know about the bitch part, but Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, Y&R) is a Scientologist. So is Sharon Case (Sharon, Y&R)

What? OMG, no!!!! Scientologists? Jeez.

Ew. What a pig (EB, not your brother).



La Lucci was supposedly jealous of Kendall/Smidge's popularity, and made her life miserable.

As for Kimberly McCullough and Jason Thompson (Robin and Patrick), they've been together for a while. Are they still a couple?

I'm the guy who recently brought the DePavia thing up on the OLTL thread. Braeden and Bergman did have a fistfight years ago over EB's complaints over a scene, because they appeared on a talk show later and made fun of it. Eileen Davidson was accussed of being a man in drag, which is hilarious considering that I've seen photos of her in swimsuits and surfer suits. Hunter Tylo had gone from claiming she was possessed when she had an affair with a non-soap co-star during her first break from B&B to suing Aaron Spelling over losing a Melrose Place role because she was pregnant (BTW: the role went to Lisa Rinna, who, you could guess it, became pregnant soon after. Also, show star Heather Locklear became pregnant in that time frame. I was on HT's side then). Along the way, she feuded with Ron Moss and Kimberlin Brown. Then came the tragedy of her daughter's eye cancer (Matt Ashford's second daughter suffered from the same condition). Then, Michael Tylo's walking away from the marriage without notice. Then, their son's death. While some of the things which happened are her fault, no one deserves having a 19-year-old son drown or a little girl lose an eye to cancer and so I'll leave it there
I had heard than Ingo was a father-to-be and Flannery does have a grown daughter (I believe she'd be the age Mike Horton should be on DOOL), which doesn't really change matters.

I think the SMG/SL feud was all SMG because she's managed to get quite the reputation in her what, 15 years of fame? While SL has gone almost 40 years with only this one thing against her name. And all of her co-stars, past and present, go on about how warm and welcoming she is to everyone.

Le sigh. I know it's wrong to judge people, but there's just something about learning that someone is a Scientologist that just so lowers my opinion of them. I don't think I'll ever recover my Freash Prince love because of it.

Maybe SMG was the only one willing to stand up to her? Being a teen at the time probably made the situation ten times worse. Miss thing didn't want someone half her age standing up to her. Speaking of costars not getting along. James Scott got fired from AMC because Thorston Kaye didn't want a grown son(way hotter and taller son) and he was jealous of him. He also wanted his storyline with Alicia.

This is more nice happy rainbow news: Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki) has said that Sharon Case (Sharon) is her closest friend on the Y&R set. That impressed me because on camera the hatred between Nikki and Sharon Newman has seemed so real you could almost taste it. Now that's good acting. Plus neither one of them really gets her props come DTEmmy nom time recently. MTS moreso than SC and she's been on Y&R for 30 yrs.

ETA: I've also heard some gossip that some Y&R cast members didn't care for MTS being the former EP's wife. More cast to crew relationships on Y&R - the woman who played Paul's secretary Lynne (forget the actress's name) is the daughter some (maybe former) production member of Y&R. And the woman who plays Gina was (maybe still is) married to Lynne's RL father. I just remember the guys last name was Birn.

From everything I've read and heard, SMG was borderline loathed by the time Buffy came to an end. One could argue the writing for the character in that final season even suffered from SMG-fatigue.

I would be happy to give her the credit for the feud with SL, but I've also wondered if all the "SL's so generous and kind" stuff is just from people who know what side their bread is buttered on. I mean, making an enemy of one of the biggest soap stars in the country seems like career suicide.

I could be wrong, of course. Just always wondered if there was more to SL's reputation than those rosy interviews with co-stars suggested.

Jerry Birn is Patty Weaver's husband and currently writes for B&B. I never knew the actress who played Lynne was related to them. It's certainly possible though. Kay Alden's kids played teenage Heather Stevens and pre-teen Nick Newman. Of course Jack Smith's daughter played Devon and Lily's friend Sierra.

As for the Braeden/Bergman fist fight, I have a tabloid about that from around the time. Apparently, they shut down the Y&R set for a week to deal with the situation.

Although Jack and Victor hate each other onscreen, I thought PB/EB patched things up after the infamous dressing room fight....I could swear that they are friends now.

Keep up the good gossip, folks! (Runs for more popcorn)

Wait, don't they play brothers? Kinky! Not surprising, though; those two ping the old gaydar something fierce, as does that guy who plays Daniel (? I'm not really a Y&R watcher. Phyllis's older kid?).

Tuc Watkins is, like, officially out, isn't he? And Tony Geary openly lives with his lover in Amsterdam.



Yes, apparently, he's been quite open for a long time.



It's really hard not to think that. I mean, the boy's flame is so high it's a wonder they don't use him to roast marshmellows.