| "Reflections by Jill" - A Weekly Commentary on One Life to Live | |
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REFLECTIONS BY JILL….Yes, it was an interesting week…Natalie is finally out of that awful pit…Rex is a hero yet again…the new Paige has arrived in Llanview…Kevin and Kelly continue to spar…Spencer continues to make me want to slap him…but this week I’m going to put aside my critique of our beloved friends in Llanview so that I can tell you all about the One Life To Live Fan Club Luncheon, which I attended last Saturday here in New York.
SEE PHOTOS OF THE OLTL LUNCHEON HERE > >
This annual event is always a tremendous amount of fun to attend and this year was no exception. It’s a great chance to see and meet all of our favorite actors, as well as a chance to see friends from all over the country that we really only get to see once a year, while the rest of the year we are only able to communicate with our phones and fingers on line.
The luncheon was held in the Marriott Marquis Hotel this year, a nicer venue than the last couple of years when it was held at the Roosevelt Hotel, in my opinion. It was a nice, big ballroom with plenty of room to move around and see everyone. The day started with check-in at the hotel where everyone got a couple of free soap magazines (which is always nice). Then we moved on to a big hall where there was a big arrangement of items and memorabilia from the show that was up for auction. This is always fun…seeing all the props and clothes from the show and remembering when they were used. There were lots of things offered up for auction, including tons of photos of the actors (some autographed) – signed scripts – clothing including things like a shirt that was worn by Nash – one of John’s shirts (black, of course) – Tess’s tiny little black leather mini skirt which I swore was a belt that wouldn’t fit a 10 year old (This was the skirt she wore when she gave Viki the heart attack…lol) – a set of Michael’s scrubs – a gorgeous white, sequined nightgown of Dorian’s (I thought the fan who won it was excited enough to faint) – straw hats from Daniel’s short-lived gubernatorial inauguration – some of Viki’s earrings – a pair of Natalie’s jeans (which a fan told me were Juicy jeans…size 6…she snuck a peek…lol) – copies of The Sun with funny headlines – and lots more items. Of course, every year when I go to the luncheon I case the auction tables in the hope that one year they’ll put up Ben’s leather jacket (which I’d gladly fork over a couple of weeks pay for), but so far, no such luck. But I have hope…one year it will happen…they will auction it off…and then I’ll just have to figure out a way to get it with all my other crazy Ben/Viki fan friends clamoring for it…that’s something I should work on….lol…I’ll need a solid plan!
OK, so here comes the only downside of the day. We headed into the ballroom for lunch and although I never comment on the food at these events (it’s always quite good, in my opinion), the actual lunch this year was just sad. Everyone…and I mean EVERYONE…thought that what we were served was the appetizer…and surprise…it was the actual main course. The desert was quite a joke, too. Even the water was yanked off the table right after lunch. We couldn’t figure that one out. No one was really happy with the fact that we were served a small, cold assortment of appetizer-type foods for our meal when we all paid quite a pretty penny for our tickets to this event. I’m not going to dwell on this…I’m sure that the head of the Fan Club will get an earful from lots of people who attended and I hope that next year people will want to attend and will be assured that they will get what they paid for. Every year the price of a ticket goes up and it would be sad if all the people who save money all year to travel to an expensive place like New York feel it’s just not worth it any more.
OK…on to the best part of the day, of course…the stars of the show. Let me just say this…I have been to several of these luncheons and some years I was disappointed in the amount of actors that showed up. Not this year. Oh my…this year there was a bigger turnout than I’ve ever seen and everyone was ecstatic to see how many of the actors came.
Here’s who showed up…ready??? Melissa Archer (Natalie) – Eddie and Kristin Alderson (Matthew and Starr) – Tom Christopher (Carlo Hesser…a big surprise whom no one expected to see) – Kathy Brier (Marcie) – forgot his name…the actor who plays Hugh Hughes – Kassie DePaiva (Blair) – David Fumero (Cristian) – Renee Goldsberry (Evangeline) – Melissa Gallo (Adriana) – Robert S. Woods (Bo) – the actor who played Ned, Tess’s bar buddy – Paul Satterfield (Spencer) -Ilene Kristen (Roxy) – John Paul Lavoisier (Rex) – Nathaniel Marston (Michael, whom the announcer called “The home of Al’s spirit”) – Matthew Metzger (Duke) – Forbes March (Nash, even more adorable in person) – the actress who plays Ginger – Robin Strasser (Dorian) – Heather Tom (Kelly) – Tim Stickney (RJ) – the actress who plays Layla - Bree Williamson (Jess/Tess) – Tuc Watkins (David)…unbelievable, right? Sorry for the real names I couldn’t remember. Some lineup, right?
I just have to say one thing about the level of the screaming when the actors were introduced…my ears are still ringing…lol. John Paul and Nathaniel got an unbelievable response, well deserved, and I was right next to a table full of Michael McBain fans…need I say more? Their devotion is well placed. Nathaniel is a very sweet guy and he seems to appreciate his fan so much. It’s always great to see him.
Latecomers included…Catherine Hickland (Lindsay) – Patricia Mauceri (Carlotta) – Mark Dobies (who arrived shortly before the end of the event – do you think he was afraid we’d boo him out of the place?) – OH, and gee…one other guy I think is a member of the cast…hmmm…what’s his name. OH YEAH….marching in about midway through the question and answer session….to a level of screaming the likes of which I may never hear again…was MICHAEL EASTON…and do I have to tell you he is John McBain? I do have to say that although I am not a screamer, I was thrilled to see him and he certainly didn’t disappoint. Some say he has a reputation of not showing up at these events…and last year he didn’t…so it was great to see him complete the group on stage.
John Paul Lavoisier took the microphone and was this year’s Master of Ceremonies, announcing the winners of the awards the fans attending the luncheon voted on. I have to say that John Paul is a delight…he’s funny and has an incredibly endearing personality. He was perfect for the job and when he won the award for Outstanding Younger Actor he questioned the “younger” title, saying he was 25 years old….a real old man. He deserved that award and more. Llanview’s Outstanding Free Spirit award went to Tuc Watkins who makes it plain to see why David is such a riot. Tuc is a riot…totally funny guy. He accepted the award with a dead serious face as if it were an Oscar, saying, “I have no idea what this means.” The Pillar of the Community Award went to “Uncle Bo” as John Paul lovingly referred to Bob Woods. Woods said, “All I can say is I’ve been here a really long time.” The Outstanding Scene Stealer was Trevor St. John (Todd) who did not attend. The Outstanding Couple was John and Evangeline and since Easton hadn’t shown up yet, Renee accepted the award saying, “Thank you, this might be the closest I come to an Emmy and Michael Easton can make anyone look good.” Heather Tom was best supporting actress. Outstanding storyline was “The Secrets of Daniel Coulson”. Outstanding newcomer was Paul Satterfield as Spencer who said he really wasn’t a newcomer, just someone who used to be new, went away and came back. Kassie DePaiva was Outstanding Lead Actress and Dan Gauthier (Kevin, who did not attend) was Outstanding Lead Actor. When John Paul gave the award to Kassie he said how much he’d love to work with her and she said, “One day we’ll work together and we’ll rock the world.” I’d love to see that.
OH, and when Michael Easton arrived, he was presented with the three awards he was given earlier…Outstanding Heartthrob, Outstanding Couple and Outstanding Fantasy Date. He made a point of thanking everyone, especially Renee Goldsberry who he claimed deserved the credit for the Outstanding Couple award…and in response to receiving the Fantasy Date award he said, “Fantasy Date? Have you ever seen me eat?”
We moved on to the Q&A session, which is always funny. Here are some of the questions and answers.
Robert W. Woods was asked how much of the material in the scripts he ad-libs. He said not much, but he and John Paul talk about what they’re going to do before their scenes and John Paul piped up and added, “But I always ask Bob’s permission” to which Bob Woods answered, “Damn straight you do.” Honestly, Rex and “Uncle Bo” were a real highlight of the day…Lavoisier and Woods are as fun off screen as on screen.
Ilene Kristin was asked about whether or not she’s a party girl like Roxy and she said she is lately, because Roxy has rubbed off on her.
Tuc Watkins was asked what his first non-acting job was. He got up with the microphone, all serious, and said that his first job was shoveling horse manure at a stable near his home in St. Louis. Everyone laughed and he said it was true. He and his sister weren’t poor, but they loved to ride horses, which were expensive, and so they traded shoveling for free rides. They got 80 cents per stall.
A great laugh was had when Robin Strasser was asked what her most memorable traveling experience was. She said that when she was moving back east to come back to the show, she wouldn’t pack her Emmy in her suitcase so she packed it in her carry on. She said she was mortified when the security guys took it out and she felt like they probably thought she has such an ego and probably carried it when she went to the grocery store.
Kathy Brier was asked about her most unplanned moment on the show and she referred to the fact that she almost never says a word that’s in the script because she can’t remember them…so she fakes it and the guys in the crew say, “Kathy, you didn’t say one word that was on that page, did you?” And she innocently says, “I don’t think so.”
The actress who plays Layla was asked about joining the show and she said she went through three screen tests and was thrilled to be on the show.
Someone asked Kassie DePaiva about Blair being locked in the car trunk by Margaret and she made a funny comment about being stuck in a trunk all that time…and “let’s not talk about the smell.” You know how fans are always wondering what people do for bathroom facilities when they’re being held hostage…lol…so it was pretty funny that she made that comment.
One lovely thing happened during the Q&A session. A guy in the audience got up and instead of asking a question he said he planned this…he was with his girlfriend and said she might kill him because he got on the bus to come to New York and forgot the ring…but he proposed to her right there in the middle of the luncheon. It was very sweet, everyone cheered madly and of course, there were a zillion awwwwwws! What a neat moment. Oh, and she did say yes!
Next and last was the autograph and photo session. The devoted fans lined up to say hi to their favorite actors, get an autograph, take a picture with them and I have to say that the actors were more than gracious. Of course, although all the lines were long, some were longer than others. The line to meet Michael Easton was longer than the lines you wait on to check out at the Macy’s One-Day Sale…and the lines for Robin Strasser, Tuc Watkins and others were also very long. Most of the actors sat behind the tables while the fans filed through, but some like Michael Easton, Renee Goldsberry and Bob Woods came from behind the tables and stood at the front of the lines for 2 hours meeting each person face to face and posing for pictures. The actors were very generous with their time and very gracious to the fans. Most of them stayed until the very end.
At the end of the day you could see the security guards escorting some of the actors out of the building…but all of them were more than patient with the fans. I saw several of the actors in the hallway after the event walking out with security and whenever a fan called their name they stopped, turned around and gave another hug, another autograph, took another photo. Bob Woods and John Paul Lavisher were stopped numerous times as they were headed for the men’s room with the security guards….and they just kept stopping for the fans. Finally, John Paul gave one last hug, one last pose for a photo and said as he inched away, “I really have to go to the bathroom.” I died laughing. What good sports they are. You can tell that John Paul loves his new life as a resurrected Rex, from slimy snake to Llanview hero. He’s a lot of fun to be around and you can tell that he enjoys every minute of being part of these events.
One star I have to single out…and you know she’s my favorite…and that’s Ilene Kristen. While all the stars were being escorted out by security guards, I headed for the ladies room where there was a big huddle of women chatting away and in the middle of it all, right there in the ladies’ room, without any security, was Ilene. She was wonderful…chatting with all the ladies, answering questions. One woman said, “I can’t believe you’re here in the ladies’ room.” Ilene, in her own adorable way replied, “Yeah, I go to the bathroom just like all of you…I even do it the same way.” We all died laughing at that. She is so accessible and just jumps right in without any airs about her…and as she was next in line to use the facilities just when the large stall at the end opened up and she strolled down the row saying, “But see, I do get the biggest stall.” She had us all hysterical at that point and several women waited to walk out with her…as she graciously talked to everyone and had no care that she was by herself. She was enjoying the fans and they were loving her.
So, all in all it was a wonderful day. As usual, I got to see old friends, meet new ones and just enjoy being around a couple of hundred people who all share a common love for One Life to Live. I wish we could do it more than once a year.
I send out a special nod and a big hug to two of my good friends who were not able to be at the luncheon this year…you know who you are and we missed you terribly.
And a very special thanks to all of the actors who gave their time, showed up in huge numbers and made our day.
SEE PHOTOS OF THE OLTL LUNCHEON HERE > >
See ya next week...
Jill Berry
FAN
FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS
ACREEKGIRL writes: When John first looked into that pit and seen Natalie lying there why one earth did he say " Natalie is that you?" Like who else would be locked in a pit on a Mountain... and if it were someone else I could imagine them saying "no..." and him saying Ok and just walking off.... Geeeez.”
Dear ACREEKGIRL: I love it…a girl with a sense of humor just like mine. Your sarcasm hits me right in my funny bone. I thought the same thing when he asked if it was Natalie in the pit. All John needed was someone to pop him on the side of the head and say, “DUH!!!!” Thanks for the chuckle.
Sue writes: “PLEASE... I can't stand Nash. He chews his lower lip all the time and bounces side to side. I don't think he's all that cute (too much sun) and the only reason he put up with "Tess" was to bed her. Am I the only one that finds him annoying? Speaking of annoying, I too don't see any value in either Layla or Spencer. However, Spencer is now messing with Todd and if there's anyone who can bring Spencer down, it's TODD! Go Todd! Wouldn't it be interesting too to see Todd and David pair up and make Spencer leave town? I know they teamed up sort of against Kevin last year, but I don't think the writers explored their full "explosive" potential.”
Dear Sue: Ooohhhh…sorry kiddo, no way can I agree with you about Nash. I think he’s totally adorable and I’m not even partial to pretty, blond guys. He’s even more delicious in person…and I definitely don’t think his goal was to bed Tess or he would have tried a lot harder and not put up with her for so long. However, I do agree with you about Spencer and Layla…and I’d love to see Todd knock Spencer down a few hundred notches. I don’t know what to say about Layla except what I’ve already said…I’m not impressed with the character and am waiting to see why we need her around.
Carol writes: “I think Viki let a lot of Jean out when she was talking to Hayes! That's what I love about Viki since all her alters were united - you can see bits and pieces of all the personalities come out when it's appropriate. I think it was fun-loving Niki's influence that made her relationship with Ben so good. And Niki was reflected in one of my all-time favorite lines, after Viki had manipulated Dorian into taking back David, Dorian leaves the room and Viki scolds herself with "Bad Viki! That was just too easy." Even Tommy came out a little bit when Viki got so angry with Marcie for feeling sorry for herself. I've always liked Viki, but she's so much more complex and interesting now. And Erika Slezak deserves every one of her Emmys!”
Dear Carol: Yes, Viki‘s alters do come out in certain aspects of her personality to deal with different situations and I’ll never argue with the fact that Erika does deserve every one of those Emmys and more. True, Niki’s irreverent side did make her relationship with Ben wonderful, but I think with Viki and Ben it was totally a two-way street. He brought out the fun loving side of Viki that needed to come out in her everyday life and she gave him the love, support and stable family life he always yearned for. I don’t know why anyone would bother to try and say they were not a match made in heaven.
Alison writes: “Hi, in the last commentary you said you haven't received any mail from fans who said they like Layla - you must have missed mine, then!! I wrote and told you I like her and I like her and Antonio and Tess and Nash together better than I have liked Antonio and Jess, whom I never felt, had much chemistry. I felt sparks between Antonio and Layla right away (and Tess and Nash!) and really like the actress who is playing her. Since it sounds as though you didn't get my last e-mail, I had to send another to say I do like Layla.”
Dear
Alison: Thanks for writing again. I don’t remember receiving your first e-mail
but in this column, I like to give everyone a voice…so I’m glad to give you one.
You’re still the first and only person I’ve heard from who likes Layla and I’m
happy to offer up all opinions. I’m hoping she finds her place and we all find a
reason to want to keep her around…we’ll see. I don’t see the chemistry between
her and Antonio…she seems to be very interested in him and he does give that
intense stare to a lot of people…lol…but he only has eyes for Jessica…at least
for now. Yes, Tess and Nash have great chemistry…I can’t wait to see what
happens now that Nash is in Llanview.
© Copyright by Katherine
Thurston, 2005
