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In My Seven Sons and How We Raised Each Other, veteran soap actor Don Diamont takes us on a journey through his daytime television career; but foremost, this is a poignant and hilarious memoir reflecting his love of family. We go along with Don, discovering just how he has managed to become father of the sons to which this book is dedicated. Also, with brutal honesty, he tells of the personal devastation he suffered after the deaths of his father, brother, and sister. Ultimately, this piece is an inspirational tale of triumph over tragedy.

Soap opera lovers will enjoy the recounting of his roles as “Carlo” on Days of our Lives, as “Brad Carlton” (the first major Jewish character in daytime drama) on The Young and the Restless and as “Bill Spencer” which he currently plays on The Bold and the Beautiful. My personal favorite tale is how after Don was let go from The Young and The Restless after working there for over 20 years, he literally walked across the hall at the CBS studios and landed a role at The Bold and the Beautiful which has led to a successful 10 year run and counting. Throughout the book, Don drops tidbits of philosophy. About this particular transition from one television show to another, he writes:

The best part about the entire experience was that my boys witnessed all of it. What an extended teaching moment. A life lesson illustrating every positivity cliche imaginable. “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” “You’ve got to pick yourself up, and dust yourself off.” And of course, “When one door closes, another one opens.” You’re goddamn right! The word “cliche” has a negative connotation, but I see all those “cliches” as truisms. I want my boys to do the same. Failure isn’t failure at all. It’s opportunity. They saw their forty-five-year-old father fired for something totally out of his control. More importantly, they were witness to my response to it. I was shaken. Knees a little wobbly. But I gathered myself, and came out swinging. Effort and attitude, boys. Effort and attitude!

Love that advice, Don!

Enjoy this shout-out that Don gave us at OutTakes Interviews for his fans at The Bold and the Beautiful!

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Available at Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Don-Diamont/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ADon%20Diamont

Available at Barnes & Noble at: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-seven-sons-and-how-we-raised-each-other-don-diamont/1124564377

— write-up by Laurie Baker

REACH FOR THE STARS FAN EVENTS — Melville NY, May 5th and 6th, 2018

You know you are in the company of two MAJOR stars of daytime at a charity event when you have such a mixed variety of fans. Diehard fans of “Justin and Adrienne” from Days of our Lives who have shirts with AJ Construction Logos (the construction company that Justin and Adrienne had in 1990). Music lovers who attend concerts of Kurth & Taylor all over the country. Classic soap lovers who remember Judi Evans from her roles on Guiding Light, Another World, As the World Turns and more. “Ned Quartermaine” fans from General Hospital applauding Wally Kurth’s Daytime Emmy nomination this year as “Outstanding Supporting Actor”. At Lisa Marie Campanelli’s latest soap opera charity event in Long Island, these two soap favorites continue to amuse and inspire.

OUTTAKES INTERVIEWS — Wally and Judi talk DAYS OF OUR LIVES, GENERAL HOSPITAL, Daytime Emmys and more…

Continue reading “WALLY KURTH and JUDI EVANS at “Reach for the Stars Fan Events”” →

JADE HARLOW (“Lianna” of THE BAY) talks with OutTakes Interviews…

HOW HAS IT BEEN FOR YOU BEING INVOLVED ON “THE BAY” SINCE THE BEGINNING?

Jade:  It has been a crazy journey.  We went from when nobody knew what a web series was to this little engine that could…that just kept growing and growing.  I’m really proud of being part of something that pioneered a new medium.

WHY IS THE CHARACTER OF “LIANNA” SUCH A TORTURED SOUL?

Jade:  When anyone feels invisible, whether it is their peers or their family that make them feel that way…when people feel isolated, they start to feel like they don’t matter.  When they start to feel like they don’t matter, they hurt themselves because they can’t see a reason not to.  Lianna could have been very different if a little more kindness and a little more inclusion had been shown to her early on.

WHAT MAKES THE COUPLE OF WILL AND LIANNA POPULAR WITH FANS?

Jade:  Will has been a staple in her life.  Everybody else has been distracted or has come and gone.  They were focused on everything else; and she was forgotten.  The one person who hasn’t forgotten about her has been Will.  The one real friend in her life; and that friendship blossomed into a romance.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE “BAY” STORYLINE?

Jade:  I love the moments where Lianna gets to be a little lighthearted and we see her awkwardly joining the group.  This romance with Will has been very tender and sweet.

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Visit THE BAY website at http://thebaytheseries.com/

Seasons 1 and 2 available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KJ0KTYC

Season 3 episodes available on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076JL4219

NICOLAS COSTER (“Mayor Jack Madison” of THE BAY) talks with OutTakes Interviews…

SO HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?

Nicolas:  I just got back from Barcelona.  I did a huge Coca-Cola commercial  there and had a wonderful time.  A few years ago, I did a Super Bowl commercial for Coca-Cola; so this was kind of a remake of that.  With that first ad, I played an old man in a restaurant; and this very beautiful woman comes up with a tray of Coca-Cola and she says “Would you like one?”  I say “I never had one.”  And then I take a drink one and ask “What else haven’t I done?”  Then cut to me going a hundred miles an hour on a motorcycle and diving off a ten meter board and all this crazy stuff! With the remake in Barcelona, I started out with riding totally nude on a bicycle through with twenty gorgeous young people.  Everyone naked!  It was crazy.  So that’s coming out in Europe in February.

SO WITH “THE BAY”, I THINK YOUR CHARACTER HAS BEEN WITH MORE WOMEN THAN ANY OF THE OTHER MEN ON THE SHOW!

Nicolas:  I love it!  There are very attractive women on that show of all ages.  With the current flavor of things around the country, well, I’ve always been proper.  I’ve made a point of being proper because it’s just professional courtesy if nothing else, you know.  Every one of my leading ladies is a friend.

HOW HAS IT BEEN FOR YOU BEING ON “THE BAY” FROM THE START, EXPERIENCING HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS SERIES HAS GROWN?

Nicolas:  It’s been very pleasing.  Gregori Martin has such a fine ethic; and he’s quietly spiritual.  Kristos Andrews is as well.  They’re just remarkable people.  I can’t think of a single person on THE BAY who is not really super.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF THE CHARACTER OF “JACK MADISON”?

Nicolas:  Probably the fact that he’s aware of his foibles and his shortcomings.  I think that you can play being responsible for your actions without indulging in self-pitying guilt.  Also, Gregori has allowed me to bring in my usual sense of humor.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE STORYLINE?

Nicolas:  I think the stuff with Terri Ivens (Orchid) was really something because it was real.  It was vulnerable.  It was a guy who falls over the edge.  Terri’s just such a remarkable actor and a terrific person.  That could have been kind of disgusting…but I don’t think it was, do you?  There was that “Fatal Attraction” thing.  And so many men and women fall prey to those temptations in middle age.  I like playing people who are real.

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Visit THE BAY website at http://thebaytheseries.com/

Seasons 1 and 2 available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KJ0KTYC

Season 3 episodes available on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076JL4219

BRANDON BEEMER (“Evan Blackwell/Young John Blackwell” of THE BAY) talks with OutTakes Interviews…

HOW DID THE BAY COME TO YOU?

Brandon:  It’s one of those things where it’s a small world.  We all like working together; and we’ve sort of everybody’s connected one way or the other.  So we’re aware of the work we all do.  When it comes to the casting, THE BAY has a good inventory of actors to pull from.  I’ve known Gregori Martin for a while.  When he asked if I’d be interested, I saw the show; and it was great.  I knew who I was going to be working with.  I thought it would be a lot of fun, so I said, let’s see what we can do.

YOUR ROLE AS EVAN BLACKWELL, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM “SHAWN BRADY” ON DAYS OF OUR LIVES

Brandon:  We had great locations to shoot at.  We had the entire building of the old Malibu Courthouse that had all of these different courtrooms.  It was fun and didn’t feel like a set.  We really got to play make-believe because there was so much history; they did such a good job of scouting that location.  And as opposed to “Shawn Brady”, as “Evan”, I got to play against my family, trying to take my Aunt Sara (who is my Aunt Kayla on DAYS) down.  She’s such a great actress and so fun to work with.

HOW WAS IT PLAYING THE DOUBLE ROLES OF BOTH EVAN AND YOUNG JOHN BLACKWELL?

Brandon:  That was one of the things Gregori told me about that I thought would be fun.  He told me that temporarily I would be playing two different roles.  I got to wear brown contacts.  Playing “John Blackwell” (Ronn Moss) when he was younger and then playing his son…

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE BAY SCENE OR STORYLINE?

Brandon:  I don’t really have a favorite.  I’ve enjoyed a lot of them.  When I had “Jo Connors” (Kira Reed) on the stand, there were some subtle yet truthful moments.

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Visit THE BAY website at http://thebaytheseries.com/

Seasons 1 and 2 available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KJ0KTYC

Season 3 episodes available on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076JL4219

TERRI IVENS (“Orchid” of THE BAY) talks prostitution, leading men and more…with OutTakes Interviews…

HOW HAS THE EXPERIENCE BEEN FOR YOU BEING ON “THE BAY”?

Terri:  I’ve been on The Bay for years now.  It doesn’t even seem like it because we have so much fun.  The Bay family is reminiscent with how I felt about All My Children.  Everyone really truly loves and supports each other.  I’m so happy and thrilled that Gregori and Wendy keep writing my salty character with more mischief.

DON’T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY, BUT YOU’RE REALLY GOOD AT PLAYING A PROSTITUTE!

Terri:  At our Bay Family Thanksgiving, I suggested to Gregori that maybe Orchid could get to be a little more reputable…a little more clean.  Maybe she’s getting too old to be a prostitute.  And Lilly [Melgar, “Janice” of The Bay] joked that, “There are a lot of old prostitutes, and you are giving them justice!” It’s the oldest profession; and I will probably wind up being the oldest prostitute in television history.

ORCHID IS FLIRTY, BUT THAT UNDERLYING CONTEMPT FOR THE MEN SHE’S WITH COMES ACROSS

Terri: I wanted Orchid to be smart; and Gregori has been so kind as to not let her be a stereotype and give her a heart.  Also, she is a problem solver for storylines.  Somebody on the internet posted, “I love the way Orchid appears in everyone’s story to wreak havoc or mend the way.”  I love that!  That’s a really cool way of looking at it.

AND THERE IS A WHOLE UNDERSTORY TO THE CHARACTER.  EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, SHE GOES BY THAT NAME “MARISA”…

Terri:  I know!  And we really haven’t gone into that.  There are times when Orchid really is Marissa — when she’s alone with Nathan (Scott Bailey) and they’re just boyfriend and girlfriend.  But when she’s with John Blackwell (Ronn Moss), she’s Orchid again.  And with Jack Madison (Nicolas Coster), that’s a whole other thing!  For me (Terri the actress), every time there’s a new guy added to our cast, I’m like “Whoa, hello, so when are we jumping in bed together?” (laughs)

IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME

Terri: It’s like we used to say about Kendall on All My Children, she’s like a doorknob; everyone gets a turn.

HOW HAS THE EXPERIENCE BEEN FOR YOU SEEING “THE BAY” BECOME SO SUCCESSFUL?

Terri:  Gregori J. Martin hasn’t just forged in this medium, but we now have our own category at the Emmys.  And he’s in it to win everything! He forged that path and was really the first one.  So kudos to him!

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE SCENE OR STORYLINE?

Terri:  I loved the car scene with me and Nicolas Coster (“Jack”)  a few seasons ago.  We put cameras that were suspended in the air so that they could get an aerial view inside the convertible.  Because of the way they shot it, I love that.  I also love every bed scene with Scott Bailey (“Nathan”) because he’s just so hot and kind and a great actor.  My favorite bed scene with him is just a funny little no-nonsense scene where I’m bringing him breakfast in bed.  But I still hope I get to jump in bed with all the new hotties that we have on our show.

AGAIN, IT’S JUST A MATTER OF TIME!

Terri:  If Orchid is that great at doing what she does, than she could continue to get around.

WHAT OTHER PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON?

Terri:  I’m on a film right now shooting in Tulsa, Oklahoma called The Last Exorcist.  I’m the lead.  I’m just a really troubled soul.  As an actor, that’s just a dream role.  Basically it’s a love story between sisters…so it’s like Frozen went to Hell.  (laughs)  But love saves the day.  I was more than happy to take the role; so I’m working on that as we speak.  That will be released  in the fourth quarter of 2018.

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Visit THE BAY website at http://thebaytheseries.com/

Seasons 1 and 2 available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KJ0KTYC

Season 3 episodes available on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076JL4219

KIRA REED LORSCH (“Jo Connors” of THE BAY) talks strong women, courtroom drama and how to SCORE with OutTakes Interviews…

WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT YOUR “BAY” CHARACTER, JO CONNORS?

Kira:  I love Jo’s balls.  I love that she is a powerful woman.  Jo just does whatever the hell she wants.  I enjoy getting to play that without having to suffer repercussions in real life.

SO WHY IS  JO SO ATTACHED TO RESIDENT “BAY” VILLAIN STEVE JENSEN?

Kira:  As usual, women sometimes have very bad taste in men if they’re good in bed!  I’m in love with him…so I’m a little bit blind to all of the nonsense that he is doing.  I got kind of coerced into lying on the stand and being Sara Garrett’s nemesis.  But when you’re blind for love, you do stuff.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE “BAY” SCENE?

Kira:  I love the courtroom scenes where I worked with Brandon Beemer and Thomas Calabro; those scenes are very powerful.  Also, the scene where is Jo is being served to testify.  That’s the moment of transition for her when she knows she has to make a decision. She has to go back on the stand and decide if she’s going to lie or tell the truth.  I don’t think she even knows what she will do, but that moment is a transitional point.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BOOK — SCORE: HOW TO WIN THE GIRL OF YOUR DREAMS.

Kira:  We see a lot of men writing books about how to get laid, how to meet a girl, how to get a phone number…but there was nothing written from a woman’s point of view on how to actually date a woman that’s out of your league.  So I wrote that for the men who want to date people like me and my friends…and actually go out with them more than once!  I will be on a book tour for that throughout 2018.  Look for more information at scorethebook.com.

WHAT OTHER PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON?

Kira:  I’m shooting for a feature in March playing the lead — a mental health patient who is suicidal.   I also have a new webseries coming out called Female Friendly; and similar to The Bay, I play the madam of that show.  When they were putting out the cast breakdown, they said they were looking for a “Kira Reed” type.  And I said, “How about Kira Reed?” (laughs)    The first two episodes and the whole season will be available in January.

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Visit THE BAY website at http://thebaytheseries.com/

Seasons 1 and 2 available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KJ0KTYC

Season 3 episodes available on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076JL4219

LILLY MELGAR (“Janice Ramos” of THE BAY) talks Daytime Emmys, her dramatic storylines, “Jeter” and more with OutTakes Interviews…

HOW HAS THE EXPERIENCE BEEN FOR YOU SEEING “THE BAY” REACH THE SUCCESS THAT IT HAS?

Lilly:  We really all got together doing something that we loved.  Passion-driven and no expectations.  The fact that we’ve grown to the degree that we have is just amazing!  That I personally can say I’ve won an award; that I was nominated for Best Lead Actress; that I have two producing Emmys.  This is crazy.  Crazy beautiful!

HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE THIS LAST DAYTIME EMMY WIN?

Lilly:  We decided to have a party after the Daytime Emmys, regardless of whether we would win or not.  It was just such a blessing that we got to celebrate together.

“JANICE RAMOS” IS SUCH A LARGER THAN LIFE CHARACTER.  HOW HAVE YOU PREPARED ON SOME OF THE MORE INTENSE STORYLINES?

Lilly:  With the rape storyline, I felt an immense responsibility to do it justice and to make it as authentic as I possibly could.  For me, that meant interviewing women who actually had gone through it, having them share their details with me…how it feels physically.  Even my walk changed.  Everything.  I learned exactly what it felt like — the thoughts they were having…the emotions they were going through.  These women were brave enough and generous enough to share their stories with me.  I gave my heart and soul into telling those stories because there are too many women who have gone through rape.  I owed it to them to give the best of me.

FROM THE START, JANICE AND PETER HAVE BEEN SUCH A KEY LOVE STORY ON “THE BAY”.  WHAT IS THEIR LONG-LASTING APPEAL?

Lilly:  They are star-crossed lovers.  I think that most people have had that experience where the passion and the heightened emotions were there in a situation which wasn’t the best for them.  It only heightens the passion when it is forbidden.  People connect to the love story on that level.  It is very human.

JANICE SEEMS TO HAVE A GOOD RAPPORT WITH JOHN BLACKWELL TOO…

Lilly:  Well, it’s a healthier route; but then again, he shot his dad…so I don’t know! (laughs)  Maybe Janice just needs somebody brand new.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE STORYLINE YOU ARE THE MOST PROUD OF?  WHICH ONE IS YOUR FAVORITE?

Lilly:  Again, the one I’m most proud of — without a shadow of a doubt — is my rape storyline.  The montage when Janice arrives into the hotel room and the shower…all of that is what I’m most proud of.  As far as a favorite storyline, after having had such intense storylines, I had so much fun with the rivalry with the character of Vivian.  It was really fun to play that…and a completely different dynamic other than the pain-oriented material.

WHAT OTHER PROJECTS HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON?

This year I just directed two videos for Ricky Martin for his “All In” Vegas Residency.  I was part of the directing team for all video content.  Simultaneously, I shot a film called “Nona” coming out in early 2018 where I played a madam; the subject matter was human trafficking.  That was very intense!  “Nona” is directed by Michael Polish and produced by Kate Bosworth (who is also in the film).  I am incredibly proud of my work in that.  There’s a lot going on.  It’s been a really good year.  I’m very grateful.

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Visit THE BAY website at http://thebaytheseries.com/

Seasons 1 and 2 available on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KJ0KTYC

Season 3 episodes available on Amazon Prime:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076JL4219

KRISTOS ANDREWS (“Peter Garrett”; and Executive Producer of THE BAY) talks Daytime Emmys, “Jeter” and more with OutTakes Interviews…

HOW HAS IT BEEN FOR YOU TO SEE “THE BAY” EVOLVE ALONG THE PATH THAT IT HAS…SUCH AS STREAMING ON AMAZON AND WINNING DAYTIME EMMYS?

Kristos:  It’s been like an inspirational movie that feels pretty solid to watch.  You do the homework and you get satisfaction watching…but you’re also super inspired as well.  You start from a certain point and  just keep going at it with faith.  That’s the key word.  Hard work actually does pay off.   I wasn’t sure if things would pan out that way.  I could only hope; and it all turned out for the best.  I’m very grateful.

HOW DID THE CAST CELEBRATE WINNING THE DAYTIME EMMY THIS YEAR?

Kristos:  The memory eludes me; and that’s probably a good thing!  We toasted and drank champagne.  The vibe was love; and that’s the best vibe in the world.  Everyone was complimenting each other and happy.

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING IN SEASON ONE, THE COUPLE OF PETER AND JANICE HAVE BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT.  WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS COUPLE?

Kristos:  The first thing that comes to mind is that they’re unique.  Peter and Janice could be described simply as a cougar storyline…but when you get involved with someone on such a deep level, it’s actually everything but what it looks like.  The whole story unravels…and as it goes, it becomes more special with every beat. To add to the conflict, there’s the taboo forbidden love vibe to it.  At first the plot was mainly about Janice being an enemy of Pete’s mom…but that got overlooked eventually with the chemistry of the characters; and we really got entrenched in it.  The relationship is unique and believable; there’s an addicting quality to the story.  It was a risk going into it.  We had mixed response in preproduction and in development.  But then when the story came out, the chemistry between us just worked.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SCENE OR STORYLINE?

Kristos:  I see the whole thing as a singular storyline as my life as the character, my story.  Speaking of that, I’m extremely grateful for my storyline.  My costars Lilly Melgar (Janice) and Karrueche Tran (Vivian) are both beautiful.  They both are great people, work very well in the scenes we have together and give me a generous amount of energy to work with through their focus and their attention and their love.  And I appreciate that so much.

WHAT OTHER PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON?

Kristos: THIS JUST IN on Pop TV.  It’s a sitcom which The Huffington Post described as a modern day version of SAVED BY THE BELL.  I have a great time with that cast and crew.  Wyntergrace Williams (Becca, THIS JUST IN) is a very talented actress to be working with as a love interest.  It’s fun to do comedy on another show as a contrast when THE BAY is so dramatic.

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Visit THE BAY website at http://thebaytheseries.com/

Seasons 1 and 2 available on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KJ0KTYC

Season 3 episodes available on Amazon Prime:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076JL4219