Interview (Y&R): Eric Braeden's John Jacob Astor Gets 3-D Treatment

By now you know that James Cameron and company have decided to rerelease their megablockbuster hit “Titanic” — it’s back on the big screen, but now it’s in 3-D. And, as many of you also know, “The Young and the Restless” star Eric Braeden portrayed American businessman John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 film. I spoke with Eric recently about the rerelease of “Titanic,” as well as a few other topics that tickled our fancy. As always, Eric was perfectly frank and candid with me in his responses.

Daytime Dial: What did you think when you first heard that “Titanic” was going to be rereleased in 3-D?

Eric Braeden: My thoughts were they’re going to make more money, as if they needed it. There’s a saying in German: “The devil always sh*ts on the same heap.” (laughs)

DD: I know it was awhile ago, but what can you tell me about filming the movie? I read that you performed your own stunts.

EB: As you know, my character drowns. That was one of the scariest moments in this business for me, because you had all the water coming from the sides and 150 tons of water coming from the top. I had never rehearsed that before — you can’t rehearse it. Once the water reaches a certain level, then everything that is not bolted down crashes through the room. All the camera people were in diving outfits with oxygen masks, etc., but, of course, the actors weren’t. I must say it was one of the scariest moments I’ve spent in this business.

DD: That would scare the crap out of me, especially since I’m claustrophobic.

EB: Oh yes. Water rising and rising and rising, and then suddenly 150 tons comes on top.

DD: In a previous conversation, we spoke about your film “The Man Who Came Back.” Any chance you’ll make another Western like that, or maybe a sequel?

EB: No, I will never do a period piece like that again. It’s too expensive, and I would do it entirely differently. I will not deal with normal distribution companies. They are crooks, and the experience has been a very bitter one. I think a lot of independent filmmakers will now turn to the Internet to sell things directly. If you go through a distribution company, you are at their mercy.

The making of the film was wonderful. I loved it. I loved every moment of it. I would have done another film already, I enjoyed it so much, but it was such a bitter experience with the distribution. That is an experience that is shared by the majority of independent producers. Once you sign that contract with the distribution company, you may as well forget about it. It’s that bad.

DD: We are knee-deep in election coverage and debates for the 2012 presidential campaign. What are your thoughts on that?

EB: I just think it’s amazing how the public is still buying some of this crap. It is so apparently dishonest. I guess it is the best system that we have, so we live with it, but the obscene amounts of money spent on listening to the same nonsense over and over again, it’s stunning. And then people win based on having unleashed more personal attacks on someone. There’s so much dishonesty in all this. When they have these debates, there’s no one to follow up and say: “Wait a minute. What did you just say? What proof do you have of this or that?” People cannot allow them to get away with making statements that are blatantly untrue. It is all so staged and so phony. It’s disappointing. There’s not a real debate in that sense, because there are very few follow-up questions by the news anchors who conduct these debates.

Interview (YR): Eileen Davidson's Alexis Peterson Is on the Case

Most of daytime fans know Eileen Davidson as Ashley Abbott, whom she’s portrayed on “The Young and the Restless” off and on since 1982. But many might not know that she is also an accomplished author. Along with co-writer Robert Randisi, she has penned four “Soap Opera Mystery” novels, the latest installment being “Swingin’ in the Rain.” In “Swingin’,” Eileen explores the world of swingers’ clubs as a backdrop to murder.

Daytime Dial: Here’s a question I am sure is on everyone’s minds: What made you decide to set your new book in the world of swingers?

Eileen Davidson: I had heard about different people living in Malibu who were into it. And I was like, “You’re kidding!” It was just really shocking, and it seemed like a great backdrop for a murder mystery. After I did some research, I discovered how prevalent it is in society. I’m fascinated that so many people are into it, that it’s kind of a very well-kept secret. And I’m wondering if they ever run into each other at the dry cleaners or in the carpool line.

DD: How did you research it?

ED: This is a true story. I was at Scott Baio’s birthday party, and a woman came up to me and said she was a big fan of my books and asked when I was going to write the next one. And I said, “Well, I’m kind of in the middle of writing it now.” And she asked, “What’s the premise?” And I told her, and she goes, “You’re not going to believe this, but one of my good friends was the manager for one of the top swingers clubs in L.A. for 10 years.” So I gave her friend a call, and we spoke for an hour, and she gave me so much information. She told me everything, and everything she told me I put in the book: game rooms and the dark room, where everybody denies going into, but it’s always full.

The club she managed is closed now, but she said: “I know of someone who is running another one. And if you want to go, I can get you in there.” And I was thinking I should go there for research, but then I thought, Do I really want to do that? So I told her that maybe someday I’ll check it out. But I don’t know.

DD: In theory, it seems like a good idea, but then when it gets down to it ...

ED: Exactly! Exactly! I guess my Catholic upbringing is alive and well.

DD: I like that you incorporated Alex’s fears now that we’re down to four network soaps. What are some other bits of soap business that you bring to your books?

ED: The opening scene of the book actually happened to me in the ’80s while I was filming a scene for “YR.” We were filming the scene at a park in the pouring rain, and I had a crewmember underneath me trying to push me up this steep, muddy hill that I needed to get up, and I kept sliding down. So, I have some guy under me, not in the shot, trying to get me up there, and I keep falling down. We laughed so hard, because I could not get up that friggin’ hill.

DD: I am really enjoying the slow development of Alex and Jakes’ relationship. It’s realistic, and it’s getting better and stronger. Do you purposely keep her relationship with Jakes grounded so that Alex herself does not go crazy?

ED: That’s a good way of putting it, actually, because there is so much crazy stuff going on around her that there has to be something that is a grounding force besides her daughter. So, it’s just kind of the way the relationship evolves. When he was first introduced it was not supposed to be like a love interest, but it evolved that way in the first book. It was just sort of this natural evolution.

If you want to get in on the mystery, buy Eileen’s book “Swingin’ in the Rain” on amazon.com, or wherever books are sold. And check out her first three books while you’re at it!

Interview: Keeping Up With Thad Luckinbill

Fans of “The Young and the Restless” know Thad Luckinbill from the 11 years he portrayed J.T. Hellstrom. It was there that he met his wife, Amelia Heinle, who plays J.T.’s now ex-wife, Victoria Newman. But Thad has been keeping busy with other projects before, during and after his tenure on “YR”; his most recent being the Hallmark Channel original movie “Keeping Up With the Randalls,” which premieres July 16 at 9/8c. I spoke with Thad recently about the movie, as well as some other projects.

Daytime Dial: One of the things I liked about “Keeping Up With the Randalls” is that although it’s a family film, it also has some sassiness to it. What were some things for you that initially drew you to the movie and to the character of Will?

Thad Luckinbill: First off, I’ve known Kayla (Ewell, who plays Alicia) for a while, and I’ve always wanted to work with her, so that was a draw for me. Also, I like a lot of who Will is — in a big stretch of imagination it is kind of how I grew up and a little bit of my background in a way. I grew up in a small town with a lot of the focus on family, and playing sports was something I grew up with. I’m an outdoorsy guy, so all of that was just really fun, to be honest with you. When we were doing that stuff, I didn’t feel like we were working at all. There was a big, fun element to doing that, and also getting to work with Roma Downey and Marion Ross and everyone else was just a treat.

DD: Were the rest of the actors excited to play all those sports and get to mess around outside a lot, or were some a little hesitant, like Kayla’s character, Alicia?

TL: Everybody had a good time with the sports and the games. I had a blast the day we got to kayak on the lake. That kind of stuff is fun. Everybody just seemed like they were having a lot of fun doing it. It was a great cast. That whole cast got along so well. Hallmark does such a great job of getting people together and making it easy. It was just an easy shoot, and everybody got along really well and had a lot of fun together.

DD: What are some qualities that Will possesses that you both have in common?

TL: Obviously, the physical aspect. I grew up in a really loving family; my parents are still together. It’s kind of a small-knit community, so I brought a lot of that personal experience into that role because it just matched up so well. Will’s determination was something I decided to try to bring out, because I really do think he loves Alicia, and he really wants to make it work. That determination is definitely something that he and I share.

DD: I was thrilled to see you featured last season on “Nikita” on the CW. Will we see your character, Nathan, next season? It was left kind of open for his return.

TL: I think that’s yet to be determined. They were honest about it and told me that they weren’t sure exactly what to do with it, so that is why they left it open. It’s like anything, I think if the story’s right and it matches up to bring him back, then that would be great. I would love it. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I think it would be a good twist if they decided to bring him back. It was really a fun group to work with and a really cool show. I love how stylized that show is. I think that was what I was most impressed with. Not just the way they shoot, but the way it looks. It’s just a really pretty show.

DD: I remember you had a pretty long run on the sitcom “8 Simple Rules.” What was it like working with a comic genius like the late John Ritter?

TL: I know you shouldn’t say this, but that was my favorite job I ever had. Just because of John. I love sitcom work anyway, but to be able to work with that guy was pretty magical. He just had a way about him of making everybody feel good. He would come in the morning and just make everybody laugh. We’d be sitting down at the table waiting to read or start rehearsing, but he’d be talking to all the crew guys and the camera guys and the craft service guys, and making them laugh. He used his gift to make people feel good about themselves, and he was such a likable guy and so good at what he did. I’m sure when I look back at my career as I get toward the end of it, I’ll still have that at the top, because it was such a neat experience to work with him.

Interview (YR): Sharon Case, Full-Fledged Leading Lady

In the almost 17 years that Sharon Case has portrayed Sharon Newman on “The Young and the Restless,” her character has seen it all. From numerous romances, catfights, a death (and another supposed death) of a child, almost plummeting to her death from a cliff, and her attempt to save Skye, who eventually fell into a volcano, Sharon Case has finally made the ultimate “leading lady rite of passage”: On the run and falsely accused of murder, Sharon Newman is now presumed dead.

Daytime Dial: As you know, Sharon has been through the wringer, but now you have withstood the test of the true measure of soap-opera leading-lady standing: You are truly a leading lady when you’ve been wrongly presumed dead at least once!

Sharon Case: You’re right! You know you have to come back from the dead at least once. I think there is something to that. Most of the leading ladies have done that. I’m a full-fledged leading lady — now I’ve done it all!

DD: In true soap-opera fashion, it seems that every time we talk, many monumental events have happened to Sharon in the meantime. You must have the most fun job in the world.

SC: I shoot so many fun scenes, but what I’m shooting now is really different and fun. The volcano was different and fun. I’ve always got some really different, cool, fun story line. And we have these great sets: The hurricane set was amazing. And New Orleans was amazing and a great story line. I’ve had so many fun ones that it’s hard to pick which was my favorite. I think that all the story lines are terrific. They just seem to get better and better all the time. I used to say my favorite scene was with Nikki when we were in the sewer with the rats. I loved working with Melody (Thomas Scott), and it still is one of my favorite scenes, but I shot that scene not too long ago last year with Michelle Stafford where Sharon and Phyllis get in a chocolate fountain fight, and that is just like my favorite scene of all time now. It’s not every day you get to do something like that. I always have something exciting to do.

DD: Now that Sharon is presumed dead, she has time to prove her innocence, but what is she going through emotionally?

SC: She’s had to change her whole life. She abandoned her family, but she’s really in a place where she feels she also has no choice. Going back to Genoa City means being in prison for the rest of her life, and she’s not going to be with her children if she’s in prison the rest of her life. She felt that this is what’s best. Being out of prison, she can do a lot of things: find evidence, and at least she’s not locked behind bars. I can’t say what she’s going to do because you have to wait and see, but she has a lot of options now and decisions to make now that she has this new freedom.

DD: Veteran feature-film actor Sean Patrick Flanery has joined the cast as Sam Gibson, a veterinarian in New Mexico who takes Sharon in, not knowing who she really is. What can you tell me about Sam and about working with Sean Patrick?

SC: Sean is an amazing professional. He just jumped right into this role. Most people who haven’t worked on a soap can be a little bit disoriented their first day or their first week, because there’s a lot to learn. He did about 40 pages his first day, something like 17 scenes, and he did it perfectly. He did a great job. He’s amazing. His character, Sam, is somebody who Sharon meets along the way since her escape. But I really can’t tell you anything else other than he’s here and he’s doing a fantastic job.

DD: What was your response, and that of your fellow actors, when you heard the news of the cancellation of “AMC” and “OLTL”?

SC: I got a lot of emails from my friends and co-stars, and even actors from other daytime shows. Everybody was just reeling from the news. I guess when the Proctor & Gamble shows (“Guiding Light” and “As the World Turns”) went off the air, it kind of just looked like, well, P&G just doesn’t want to have a production company anymore and own a soap opera, which makes sense. But these shows, these were really a shock. It just seems like it is something that should not happen. “All My Children” should not be off the air. And that is my opinion. That’s a lot of people’s opinion. I was watching “The View” the other day — they had Mrs. Michelle Obama on — and they were saying the same thing, that this was just wrong. I hope it doesn’t continue. It hurts all of the other remaining shows, because it makes the genre smaller.

DD: It’s also scary because the shows they are replacing them with aren’t other dramas, but talk shows and reality shows.

SC: Right. It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago that networks were creating more soaps and putting them on the air. I remember they created “Port Charles” and then “Passions,” and the genre was growing. A lot of people have been saying this for a long time, that networks are putting on a little bit too much reality TV, talk-show TV, cooking shows, dance shows — it just becomes all that, all the time.


There is not a single person who I’ve ever met who is happy with that, as far as the audience goes. So, it’s bizarre to me that you could ask literally anyone you walk by on the street if they are happy with the programming of all those shows, and they will tell you: “God, no. I hate the talk shows,” or something like that. You like to have one talk show, but you don’t want them to all be talk shows. And you might want to watch one reality show, but most people have been saying for the past five or six years that they are tired of reality shows. They want TV to go back to their dramas and sitcoms. What happened to the days of real dramas and real sitcoms?

DD: On to a happier topic: Your line of jewelry, Pomp, has been kicking butt and taking names over at QVC.com. Any plans for a new line?

SC: Yeah, it’s so exciting. We are pretty much sold out. We got all five stars on pretty much everything. Those are kind of unheard of statistics. We did really well. Now we have to decide what we’re going to do and what the future line will look like, but we haven’t actually made a decision exactly where we are going to sell the line. We’re putting our heads together on that. It was really a fun experience to do the show on QVC, and they were wonderful to work with. Doing live television was exhilarating. We are definitely going to keep it going, but we haven’t decided on the details yet. There have been a lot of retailers interested in our line, and our line sold out. Suddenly we’ve been presented with a lot of options. It’s a really good problem to have.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

• Kay (Jeanne Cooper, pictured) attempts to disrupt Jill's marriage by playing matchmaker.

• Nikki and Deacon take an important step in their relationship, but will Meggie expose Deacon's secret?

• Jana is threatened by someone from her past.

• Adam's shocking testimony may change the outcome of the Newman lawsuit, but will he stay loyal to Victor?

• Kevin's involvement with Angelo turns more dangerous, causing him to worry about Chloe's safety.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

• Sharon is arrested for murder. Will she lose custody of Faith?

• Daniel is blindsided by the realization that he could be holding his daughter in his arms.

• Will Jill accept Colin’s offer to elope with him?

• Will Nick (Josh Morrow, pictured) go forward or put on the brakes with Diane?

• Nikki finds comfort in Deacon’s arms.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

• Sharon and Nick prepare to go to battle over Faith’s best interests.

• Billy decides to risk everything to give Victoria (Amelia Heinle, pictured) a miracle.

• Jack is determined to learn the truth about Skye’s disappearance.

• Victor may learn the hard way that he isn’t the only one who can play dirty.

• Heather and Paul learn something suspicious.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

• Sharon decides to go to Hawaii to search for Skye before it is too late for Adam.

• Diane considers Victor’s (Eric Braeden, pictured) offer to move to the ranch.

• Daisy and Jana’s plan is sent into overdrive when Daisy learns that she could go
into labor at any moment.

• Phyllis tries to strike a deal with Kevin.

• Daniel takes action to protect himself and his daughter.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

* Will Sharon (Sharon Case, pictured) commit to Nick forever?

* As Victoria fights to repair Abby’s relationship with Victor, he loses another battle that could ruin everything.

* Devastating news forces Adam back to a past better left behind.

* Heather confronts Ronan about the secrets he is keeping.

* Kevin makes a shocking decision that could change the lives of everyone he loves.

Interview YR: Eileen Davidson Shows Off Her Inner Diva

If you are a true “Young and the Restless” fan, then you know that Eileen Davidson (aka Ashley Abbott) has written a series of bestselling crime novels centered on the soap-opera world. If you didn’t know that, then you need to go out right now and buy yourself the books, because you are in for a treat. Eileen’s third book in the series, “Diva Las Vegas,” came out earlier this year, and it’s even better than its predecessors.

Daytime Dial: Your books are always so much fun to read. Are they as much fun for you to write as they are for me to read?

Eileen Davidson: Thank you! Yeah, they really are. I really have a good time. I started the fourth book just last week, and it’s just so much fun getting reacquainted with the characters. I crack myself up with these silly things I write.

DD: How do you find time to fit it all in – being a mother, a wife, an actress, an author, a spokesperson?

ED: It sounds overwhelming, but really it just isn’t. It all kind of works out. I go through phases where everything is really kind of crazy and then, like right now, I’m working only one day a week for like the past three weeks, so I have lots of time. When I am home, I write when my child is at school. When I’m working a lot, I bring my computer in with me and work between scenes.

It takes a village sometimes, but it’s not constantly crazy busy. My husband’s schedule is erratic as well. But we just go with the flow and make it work. But very rarely is everything happening at the same time.DD: I love the protagonist in your book series, Alex. She is so down-to-earth and personable. Do Alex and Eileen share some personality qualities?

ED: Oh sure, we do share some qualities. And also, beginning with the very first book, I established the voice of the character. I wrote the first couple of chapters, and I established the voice of who Alex is. I’ve written every first and second chapter for all four books, and then we (Eileen and Bob Randisi, her coauthor) go from there. Like right now, I’ve sent the first two chapters to Bob, he sent me two back, I reworked them yesterday, and then I wrote an additional two and will send that back to him. But I have to rework it because it’s my voice, so I have to make sure she sounds the same throughout the book.

DD: Do you base some of the books’ circumstances on things you’ve done or experienced?

ED: Yes, I do. I have gone to the Playboy Mansion a couple of times for the Halloween party and it was such a scene that I thought, “Oh my god, this would make a great way to open a book.” When I was at the Emmys about three years ago, I was like, “This would be a fantastic way to open a book.” Getting out of the limousine with everybody screaming at you and then suddenly a bigger star comes along, and the photographers leave you and run over there. Only in Hollywood would you go through these kinds of things, and yet it’s my life. But I’m also a mother and wife, and my life is fairly boring. I pick up dog poop and I make cupcakes, and yet I have that other side of my life that’s kind of out there. It’s fun for me to share it with people and to give them a little peek behind the curtain.

DD: Do you ever get worried that your co-workers at “The Young and the Restless” will read your books and wonder if one of the characters is based on them?

ED: Not really, because I’m not mean-spirited at all. But I might base a character on someone I know. For instance, in the fourth book, I decided to base a director character on somebody I work with at “YR.” But I talked to my husband about it, and it was much more interesting to go over the top with the director. So, it kind of starts as a real person, but then it goes off on a whole different tangent. Some of my characters are inspired by real people, but they’re not based on anybody per se.

DD: I love the relationship between Alex and her boyfriend, Jakes. How did you create that relationship and get it to translate so well to their characters?

ED: Gosh, that’s a really good question. They’re still new, as a couple, since she just ended the relationship with the other guy. I guess I don’t want them to be like crazy possessive of each other, but still possessive enough that they keep each other on their toes. Do you know what I mean?

Like, my husband and I have been married almost eight years and we trust each other and are not super-paranoid, because he travels a lot. But I still want him to be jealous to a certain degree. I don’t want him to pull a shotgun out or anything but I still want him to care if somebody else is looking at me or paying attention to me or where am I. You still want your significant other to be interested but just so it doesn’t go over the top. That’s what I want for Alex and Jakes. I want there to be a playfulness and yet a kind of push-pull between them.

DD: Who are some writers you admire and who influence your own writing?

ED: A while back, I was really into all the spirituality and stuff. I was reading tons of really heavy self-help books and spirituality books, and things like “The Power of Now” and all these really intense books, even Kabbalah. I was doing all sorts of research on different spiritualities for years. And then I was at this retreat and I had forgotten to bring a book, and I happened to pick up a Sue Grafton book. It was like, this is so much fun. I guess I needed a break from all of that heavy reading, and I went into the Sue Grafton world. I read all of her books, and for this genre, that would definitely be who inspired me.

DD: Can you give me any details about the fourth book you are working on?

ED: It’s called “Swinging in the Rain” and it’s going to involve the whole subculture of swinging couples. Strangely enough, I’ve heard so much about it in the past couple of years. It just fascinates me that people are so good at sharing, because I’m not. A lot of people are apparently good at it, because it’s very popular. The more I found out about it, the more fascinated I became. I realized this could be very interesting to use as a backdrop for my book.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

• After Phyllis’ (Michelle Stafford, pictured) article on Diane hits the stands, no one is safe from Diane’ s wrath.

• When Victoria ups the ante in the lawsuit against Victor, will Victor settle or decide to fight dirty?

• Meggie starts on the final phase of her plan to become the next Mrs. Victor Newman.

• Sharon has a surprising offer for Nick and Noah.

• Chloe jumps to the wrong conclusion when she sees Kevin in an intimate situation with an unlikely companion.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

* A natural disaster hits Genoa City.

* When Abby (Marcy Rylan, pictured) catches Tucker with Diane, will he be able to explain his way out it?

* Will Meggie and Deacon’s plan get in the way of Nikki walking down the aisle?

* Nina has a passionate plea for Ronan.

* Phyllis sets out to destroy Diane.

Interview (YR): Eric Braeden on Immigration, Alternate Energy Sources and Campaign Reform

It is always a pleasure to interview Eric Braeden, who for the past 30 years has played the villain we love to hate, Victor Newman, on “The Young and the Restless.” This time around, Eric has a lot on his mind, and really, who can blame him? In the following series of interviews, Eric and I discuss the Gulf oil spill, alternative energy sources, immigration, campaign finance reform and much more.

Daytime Dial: When you first heard about the Gulf oil spill, what initially went through your mind?

Eric Braeden: What went through my mind most of all was we, obviously, have to become independent as far as energy is concerned and not rely on oil as much as we do. We need to put a lot of money into the development of alternative sources of energy, period. The second thing that came to my mind was, obviously, everyone knows that BP, apparently more than any other of the oil companies, has been warned many times because their safety measures were not upheld. That apparently applies to the huge pipeline in Alaska as well. So, hold their feet to the fire and make them pay for it. That’s all. The most obscene thing is when you see the millions of dollars they have now put into commercials. They look like Santa Claus, know what I’m saying? It’s a joke.

DD: That’s exactly what I think when I see those commercials. I think about how the money they spent “campaigning” for themselves could have really helped out the people who need it on the Gulf Coast.

EB: Absolutely, absolutely. No question about it. And my heart goes out to those who are affected by it, but when will we finally learn to devote a lot of attention and development money to alternative sources of energy? How long does it take? Our involvement in the Middle East really hinges on oil. It really does. Think about it: Do you think otherwise we would have given a damn about Saddam Hussein or about any of those people? We couldn’t have cared less. We are there because of oil.

DD: Do you think we’ll ever lessen our dependence on this form of fuel and head toward alternative energy sources?

EB: Even if we use natural gas — which we apparently have plenty in North America — according to T. Boone Pickens, we have plenty of natural gas in America, which burns 30 percent more cleanly than gasoline. He said we could almost be independent from the rest of the world. It is not that difficult, apparently, to change engines over to the use of natural gas. Already that would be one source of improvement, because I still think we have to improve our air quality whenever we can. Now imagine the developing countries like China and India, where we are going to sell hundreds of millions more cars, imagine them now contributing to the CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. How disastrous will that be? We need to really be a leading example of how to fix that problem.

DD: And also, think of all the jobs it could create to develop this hydrogen technology!

EB: Definitely! And of course, the technology with hydrogen is one that has been developed, but to what degree it has prospered, I don’t know yet. I do know that there are a number of car companies that are playing with it. But we need to really be serious about it.

DD: Tell me what you would do if you could be in charge, if for only one day.

EB: First of all, I would create a public-works program. I would employ a lot of the unemployed people right now by rebuilding America’s infrastructure. The roads are in terrible disrepair; America’s bridges are in disrepair. Anyone who knows anything about that will tell you that. We could employ a lot of people in building America’s infrastructure — sort of a works program like FDR had it. That is the first thing I would do to get people their jobs back.

Then I would encourage, in the terms of tax benefits or direct support, those companies that are already on the front line of developing alternative sources of energy. But the most important thing is to get people into jobs and to fix America’s infrastructure. It would employ a lot of people … a lot of people. It would employ a lot of people who are not necessarily technically qualified to do the kind of white-collar jobs that are now more and more in demand because a lot of the blue-collar jobs have gone away. But you would employ a lot of blue-collar labor in the rebuilding of America’s infrastructure. For example, with roads, all you have to do is drive through L.A. on Sunset Boulevard or Wilshire Boulevard, and you’d be lucky if you don’t blow out your tire in potholes. It’s an outrage. And that, I assure you, happens everywhere in America. So, there would be plenty to do in the rebuilding in America’s infrastructure.

DD: What else would you do?

EB: I also think that campaign laws should be changed. I think it is absolutely outrageous how candidates are allowed to so skew the messages of other candidates. It’s just obnoxious. Isn’t it obnoxious to watch? I don’t watch it for five seconds. I just can’t. It’s bull from the onset. And people buy it. The cynicism in the business is just extraordinary. How can you believe anything in those ads? Nothing. It’s paid for by behind-the-scenes interest groups.

DD: I know — I turn the channel the moment I see a political ad starting up.

EB: Let me tell you, I think what should happen is there should be no ads — they should not be allowed. A certain amount of money should be allocated to all the candidates. They should have a series of debates without a moderator, who interrupts rudely, and let them go at each other. Just let them go at each other. I would want to see that. People are smart enough to know what they are talking about. The way the system is, we have a moderator and everyone gives his spiel, and it is all canned. I want to hear real debates. It’s not happening, and we keep on buying that stuff. So, yes, I think that every candidate running should only get so much money. Period. That’s it. And then you have a series of debates. No ads. No negative ads. I want to see what you stand for, not what you think about your opponent. That’s all.

DD: I know you have some strong views on immigration reform. Tell me your thoughts on that and how our current government is handling it.

EB: As you know, I am an immigrant to this country. I love this country, and I came in here legally. And it is extremely difficult for Europeans to get into this country now. Let me tell you about the hypocrisy in regard to immigration. As far as I’m concerned, it’s either legal or illegal. Many of them cross the border illegally, to the tune of 12 million people now. Let me tell you why we allowed that to go on. It is the most hypocritical issue, one of the most hypocritical issues in American politics on both sides, Republican and Democratic. Since the ’50s, we have been absolutely petrified of another socialist or communist revolution in Mexico, one like Cuba had. We are afraid of another Cuba south of our border. Conditions in those countries are so dismal that if you did not have that safety valve of the poor, the destitute coming to America and making a living here, they would have shouted “revolution” in Mexico. You know that. The conditions in those countries are so horrendous, and the chasm between rich and poor is so enormous, there is an obvious potential for revolution. We didn’t want that, so we just sort of, you know, winked with one eye and said: “Well, there’s the border. Let him sort of come in.”

DD: And think of all the cheap labor!

EB: Exactly! A lot of the big industries in California, Texas, etc., are profiting enormously from that cheap labor. The agricultural business in California, by the way, California produces more agricultural products than any other state in the union, which is unbeknownst to a lot of people. This is an enormously productive state. But where does agriculture profit from? From the cheap labor that comes across the border.


One should really take a very close look at when our immigration laws changed or were amended, and who was responsible. Get back to the source. Why is it so difficult for Europeans, who built this country? Immigrants from Germany, the largest ethnic group in America, from England, from Ireland, from Poland, from everywhere in Europe, they were usually trained professionals who came here. If you are an immigrant from Europe, it’s very difficult to immigrate. That we open the border, allow this cheap labor to come in, it is so hypocritical I could scream. Although I’m a liberal, in that case I’m very conservative. I say, either you’re backed by the law or you get the hell out. That’s all. Simple as it is.

DD: We could, literally, close the border, but like you said, imagine the uproar from the businesses that need the cheap labor!

EB: Of course we can close the border, but we don’t really want to. The Latin American people who come here, the ones I have known, are very hardworking people. There is nothing lazy about them. I respect them enormously. But, either there is a law or there is not a law. So, what do we do with the ones who are here? We cannot send them back. So, the 12 million illegals here, I think we need to obviously come to some accommodation and find a way for them to become citizens, because they are hardworking people. I’m not blaming them — not at all. Our government and the governments of California, Arizona and Texas have allowed them to come in. It’s nonsense that they haven’t closed the borders.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

* While Kevin battles his growing feelings for Chloe and his lingering love for Jana, Jana uses Noah to get Kevin’s attention.

* As couples fall back into old habits, Adam plots to intervene at the Harvest Festival.

* Cane (Daniel Goddard, pictured) starts keeping secrets from Lily again in order to protect her and the twins but does Lily know more than he realizes?

* Things start to fall apart for Meggie when someone from her past recognizes her.

* Friends and family remember Colleen on the anniversary of her death.

CASTING NEWS:
Emmy winner Michael Badalucco (“The Practice”) will be playing the role of Hogan, a charismatic tough guy bookie, who will be involved with Jeff and Kevin in finding new avenues of revenue for Jeff and Gloria's nightclub/restaurant, Gloworm. He starts airing on October 13.

Paul Leyden (“As the World Turns”) arrives in Genoa City as Blake, a police officer. His first airdate is October 6.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

· As Adam’s trial approaches, will Sharon (Sharon Case, pictured) be able to take the stand against Adam?

· Unaware of the danger he is in, Chance sets out to expose who is behind the drug
ring in prison, which could end up getting him killed.

· Neil and Malcolm face-off when Neil goes out of his way to create tension with
Sofia.

· Meggie finds herself a new ally when she is attacked unexpectedly.

· When Victoria learns the truth from Jill about her deal with Tucker, will
Victoria be able to forgive and forget with Billy or is it already too late?

Tune in to QVC on Tuesday, August 10 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time for the debut of Sharon
Case’s new fashion jewelry line, Pomp.


CASTING NEWS:

Signy Coleman appears as “Hope Wilson” on August 13.

Eric Roberts appears as “Vance Abrams” on August 9, 10 and 13.

Lauralee Bell appears as “Christine Blair” on August 12.

Sean Young appears as “Meggie McClaine” on August 10 and 12.

Don Swayze appears as “Shaw Roberts” on August 10.

Interview Y&R: Sharon Case Is a Designing Woman

Sharon Newman definitely does not have time to spare in her emotionally busy life in Genoa City to even think about creating a jewelry line. However, her alter ego, Sharon Case, has managed to squeeze the title of “businesswoman” into her already busy schedule by deciding to create her own line of jewelry, called Pomp. Sharon will be debuting her line of jewelry on QVC Aug. 10 at 2 p.m. ET, and I caught up with her recently so she could tell me all about it.

Daytime Dial: Most women, like me and you, love jewelry and probably have thought about creating our own jewelry at one time or another. What gave you that final push to say, “Hey, I am going to produce my own line of jewelry and sell it on QVC”?

Sharon Case: Yeah, I think that we women all think about having our own line of something. Whether we are into clothes or skin care. I’ve always loved costume jewelry, but for years and years it just wasn’t in style the way it is now. When I was a little girl, my grandmother gave me all of her costume jewelry. It was really in style then and I just loved it. And I wore it all the time playing dress-up as a little girl, but for years and years it really hasn’t quite been in style. We had sort of a costume-jewelry style that was popular in the ’80s, but then that left and we sort of went into a more delicate, fine-jewelry style for years. Now we are really into these chunky necklaces and bracelets.

There was a manufacturer who worked at QVC and approached me about it, so it just worked out that way. Nowadays, everything that we wear and anything that you see in the stores, the whole outfit is made on the jewelry. It’s really the jewelry that pulls every outfit together.

DD: What inspires your jewelry creations?

SC: It just kind of comes together somehow. It’s not one particular thing that inspires me — like with anything, you are inspired by everything you see. A lot of my inspirations come from the jewelry that my grandmother gave me when I was 10. I love chunky rhinestone necklaces. I love beads and pearls — layers and layers and layers of beads, and I just love them.

DD: What is Elif Inanc’s role in Pomp; is she your co-designer?

SC: Elif is really the designer. She is a stylist; that’s what she does by trade. She is the stylist of “The Young and the Restless.” She is a great designer — clothes, jewelry and handbags, everything. She has done a lot of the work, and I had a few things that I had always loved and wanted to make for years, so I put in a few of my things. Then we put them all together and decided what would go in the line.

DD: What kind of consumer are you hoping to attract with your QVC program?

SC: QVC has a wide variety of people who watch it. That is partly why we made such a wide variety of jewelry, so there would be something for everyone. We have mostly sort of chunky, funky fashion jewelry, but we made one or two very dainty more-minimalistic pieces that look a little bit more like fine jewelry. We speak to the whole audience.

DD: That’s a good choice, because some people wear more dainty, muted items at work, then at night they bring out the funky stuff.

SC: That was what we hoped to do. Some people will wear different day jewelry than night, and I will too, but others, they have their one thing they like to stick to. We had to make sure that we made something for everyone. We wanted to show the appeal to as many people as possible. We love so many different kinds of jewelry, Elif and I both. We are fond of all of it. I wear all of it.

DD: How do you juggle having a demanding daytime job with starting up your own jewelry line?

SC: Having a partner is key. I couldn’t have done it just by myself. If it weren’t for Elif, I wouldn’t have found the time. It really takes two or more people to put this together when the people involved already otherwise have full-time jobs. That was why it worked out.

DD: Is there a website where fans can purchase your jewelry?

SC: Yes, QVC does sell all of its pieces at qvc.com. After our show airs on Aug. 10, they will be available on qvc.com for purchase.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

* An attraction sparks between Abby and Daniel but Abby’s intention may not be entirely pure.

* Tucker entices Ashley to take a business trip with him that could send them on a head-on collision with Billy and Victoria.

* When Snapper (see clip above) brings an ill Liz to town, she ends up revealing a secret to him about Jill.

* Michael realizes Phyllis could be the key to Nick’s case but she could also be his undoing.

* Jack and Victor team up to settle an old score.

Y&R: Such a Tease!

* Will Abby (Hayley Erin, pictured) push Ashley and Victor over the edge with the antics from her new reality show?

* As Jana and Kevin grow further apart, Jana turns to someone else for comfort.

* Cane takes drastic measures to save Lily’s life knowing that it could cost him everything he loves, including his family.

* Even as she struggles to get her life back from Patty, Emily has no idea that the battle has just begun.

* Victoria fears that J.T. may learn the secret that she is desperate to keep.

Miscellaneous Casting News

On The Young and the Restless, Don Swayze (the late Patrick Swayze's brother) appears as Charlie Shaw on June 9, 11 and 12. Also, Sean Young appears as “Meggie” on June 9, 10, 11 and 12.

Melissa Reeves (pictured, with Matthew Ashford) reprises her role of Jennifer on Days of Our Lives on June 9.

Reggaeton Rapper Daddy Yankee guest-stars as himself on The Bold and the Beautiful on June 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7.

Sean Young to Appear on Y&R

Actress Sean Young (Blade Runner, Dune) will be appearing The Young and the Restless in a brief story arc that will tape in May to air in mid-June.

Sean will be playing Meggie, a sexy, tough-as-nails barmaid who is involved in a mystery with business tycoon Victor Newman (Eric Braeden). In 2007, Sean co-starred with Eric in the film, The Man Who Came Back.

This role will mark her first foray on a daytime drama.