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Showbiz Tonight
Showbiz Tonight at the Daytime Emmys
Aired June 22, 2012 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
AJ HAMMER, HOST, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: Tonight, it`s a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ at the Daytime Emmys. The Emmy`s excitement is building for tomorrow`s live show right here on HLN.
Talk show showdowns, soap stars getting down and dirty, cooking show chefs turning up the heat, let the battles begin, starting right now on SHOWBIZ at the Daytime Emmys.
HAMMER: Hello, I`m A. J. Hammer in Hollywood.
Where all the Emmys excitement is building as we get ready for Daytime TV`s biggest night. The hottest stars of Daytime TV are putting on their red carpet best to celebrate the 39th annual Daytime Emmy Awards tomorrow night and we are bringing you a front row seat to all of the action right here on HLN.
We are going one-on-one with the legends of Daytime TV, the incomparable Eric Braeden, who played the iconic Victor Newman on "The Young and the Restless", which is nominated for outstanding daytime drama.
Also with the legendary Deidre Hall, we all know as doctor Marlena Evans on "Days of our Lives", which is also nominated for outstanding daytime drama.
The battles are set, the stars are out in full force and we are counting down to the dramatic results.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): The Daytime Emmys, Hollywood`s most diverse collection of stars, where else can you see TV judges, talk show hosts and soap stars all partying together in one place?
SHERYL UNDERWOOD, COMEDIENNE : I love you on "General Hospital" --
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was at the Daytime Emmy nominees luncheon where Sheryl Underwood, of best talk show nominee "The Talk" got a little overexcited, meeting Haley Pullos, who stars in one of Sheryl`s favorite Soaps, "General Hospital".
UNDERWOOD: You`re just really -- just a beautiful person, I hope you stay on the show. So whoever is casting "General Hospital", don`t do nothing to her.
HAMMER: You can`t blame Sheryl for getting a little star struck. The Daytime Emmys are on HLN, where all the stars and all the Emmy races will make for a big night for fans and nominees.
SEAN BLAKEMORE, ACTOR: It`s Daytime TV, it`s Oscars, and so it`s exciting.
HAMMER: "General Hospital" is the soap to beat this year, it has the most nominations, 23, including outstanding drama series.
ANTHONY GEARY, ACTOR: And I`ll act as a child, I can never be forgiven.
HAMMER: Its long-time star Anthony Geary is widely expected to win his seventh best actor Emmy for playing Luke. That would make him the most honored actor in the history of the Daytime Emmys.
ERIKA SLEZAK, ACTRESS: You have to let me out, now!
HAMMER: And Erika Slezak of the canceled "Abc" Soap, "One Life to Live", has the chance to become the most honored actress in Daytime Emmy`s history.
Like Anthony Geary, she too could win her seventh Emmy at this year`s ceremony.
"Judge Judy" is the top syndicated show in all of Daytime TV. But would you believe it`s never won an Emmy for outstanding legal courtroom program?
JUDITH SHEINDLIN, JUDGE & TELEVISION PERSONALITY: What?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What?
SHEINDLIN: What?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What`s he saying?
HAMMER: "Judge Judy" is nominated again this year, but she`s got stiff competition from a whole bench full of TV judges who tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, they`re excited about the race.
GLORIA ALLRED, LAWYER: I was really shocked and very pleasantly surprised when we were nominated for an Emmy.
KEVIN ROSS, FORMER JUDGE, SUPERIOR COURT, CALIFORNIA: I think each of us bring our own sensibility and folks seem to be responding to that.
JOE BROWN, JUDGE & TELEVISION PERSONALITY: It`s all about the people that help me out. I`m just me, they make it a show.
HAMMER: This year`s Daytime Emmy Awards will also be a good-bye for some old favorites.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`ll never get it back, just watch me.
HAMMER: Canceled "Abc" soap, "All My Children" is up for 11 Emmys, including outstanding drama series.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You guys need a "Cash Cab"?
HAMMER: In the game show category, three-time winner "Cash Cab", which was recently canceled by "Discovery", hopes to ride away with another Emmy.
But it has to drive past the juggernauts, "Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune", which tied for the Emmy last year.
REGIS PHILBIN, TELEVISION PERSONALITY: Twenty and half years and we`ve had a wonderful show and a great time.
HAMMER: And another good-bye, Regis Philbin`s final year on "Live! with Regis and Kelly" is nominated for outstanding talk show, a category the show has never won.
MAGGIE FURLONG, HUFFINGTON POST: If anyone deserves one last win for his daytime efforts, it`s Regis.
HAMMER: But the main goal of the Daytime Emmys is to party.
HEATHER TOM, ACTRESS: Let loose and let your hair down and have a good time. Daytime people know how to party, so, that`s all I will say.
ELIZABETH HENDRICKSON, ACTRESS: It`s just like a great night that we all get to come together and support each other.
UNDERWOOD: Daytime, we`re little bit more crunk than the Golden Globes so we`re going to toss it back. Except her, she`s not old enough, but we`re going to kill it.
HAMMER: So between the hard partying, the dramatic face-offs and the biggest stars in all of Daytime TV, the Daytime Emmys, promises to be an unforgettable night.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: It`s going to be such a good time and now it is time to meet Victor Newman, Emmy-award-winning actor Eric Braeden is a giant in the world of soaps.
Playing Victor Newman on the "Young and the Restless" for more than 30 years, and once again, as in years past. The show is up for more than a dozen Daytime Emmys tomorrow.
I caught up with the legendary actor who shared some great stories about one of the most recognizable TV characters of all time. In fact, there`re so many great stories that he`s even forgotten some.
I had to remind him that Victor Newman has been married 13 times.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC BRAEDEN, ACTOR: Married 13 times?
HAMMER: That`s pretty extraordinary.
BRAEDEN: I`ll be done.
HAMMER: Yes, did you even realize that?
BRAEDEN: No, I didn`t.
HAMMER: So how does a character like Victor Newman keep track of all those ladies?
BRAEDEN: You don`t.
HAMMER: You don`t?
BRAEDEN: Yes, just keep on moving forward.
HAMMER: Right.
BRAEDEN: You`re young and restless, you keep on moving forward.
HAMMER: And I imagine --
BRAEDEN: You don`t think about the past.
HAMMER: In three decades of playing, it is not possible to remember everything that has happened to you in that time. I mean, it`s just remarkable. No character actors go through the amount of storylines --
BRAEDEN: No --
HAMMER: That soap opera actors do.
BRAEDEN: No certainly not. I mean, from feeding rats to lovers of my wives and -- you know, goes on and on and it has been an extraordinary ride for the last 33 years. I loved it.
HAMMER: Is there a storyline that has happened, that has played out that stays with you as the most memorable or that you really enjoyed?
BRAEDEN: For those who are fans of the show, I think the most memorable to me at least, was the fact when I discovered that I had -- my mother had left me at an orphanage when I was seven years old.
And the father have abandoned me as well, and that touch the enormous nerve, and that I think -- the storyline involving that, of the scenes involving those story line were the most memorable for me, yes.
HAMMER: And certainly something that touched a lot of fans and I have to say, I have gotten to know over my years of doing this, soap opera fans are about as passionate as they come.
BRAEDEN: You bet.
HAMMER: But they come in all shapes, sizes and forms, including the great Alec Baldwin, who happens to be an enormous fan of yours. He of course got his start on a soap --
BRAEDEN: Yes, he did.
HAMMER: Can we show you what he told us about you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I`m a soap opera fan --
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: Eric Braeden, Eric Braeden, look at him, the guy is like the mountain rushmore -- he still looks great, he`s like, let me tell you something, Jill, I want you to know something and I`m like, look at this guy, he`s like the Clark Gable of soap.
Good looking and tough.
HAMMER: I mean, come on, right there.
BRAEDEN: That is Alec Baldwin, thank you very much, man. That`s cool, that`s really nice.
HAMMER: Did you see yourself that way, as the Clark Gable of soaps, because I`ve heard that said before?
BRAEDEN: No, you just, you just, what you learn to do in soaps obviously after a while is you draw as much from your own life`s experience as possible, from your own emotional experience as possible.
So I`ve never thought of myself in that regard, no. My mother watched "Gone with the Wind" 13 times, by the way.
HAMMER: Wow.
BRAEDEN: That`s in Germany and many years ago.
HAMMER: Great meeting you and having you here, I appreciate it --
BRAEDEN: I appreciate it and I appreciate the remarks by Alec Baldwin --
HAMMER: Yes.
BRAEDEN: I respect him, he is a bright man and obviously, enormously successful. Maybe he should go into politics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, we move now from an iconic villain to a soap legend who warms our hearts. "Days of our Lives" star Deidre Hall has brought us love and drama and everything in between for more than 30 years.
The lives of our mothers and grandmothers certainly would not have been the same without "Days" so, what`s Deidre`s secret to soap success?
Delightful Deidre Hall tells me all in an incredibly personal SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ at the Daytime Emmys. Outstanding lead actress nominee Heather Tom tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, why the Daytime Emmys are so special for her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM: It`s a fun night for everyone to get together. It`s always been one of those times where the people you don`t see during the year, you get to see and just kind of let loose and let your hair down and then have a good time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Joan`s joy, after hosting a late night talk show, Joan Rivers found success on Daytime TV. In 1990, Joan won the Daytime Emmy for outstanding talk show host, "The Joan Rivers Show".
And 22 years later, Joan tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that victory is one of the most important things from her entire career.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOAN RIVERS, COMEDIAN & TELEVISION PERSONALITY: The people in the business who voted for you, so you really are getting recognition from your peers and they know the work that goes into it.
I was -- I`m still am -- the one award that I keep out is my Emmy in my office, the only award I keep out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIEDRE HALL, ACTRESS: Strawberry whipped cream, how many times have we actually done it? I don`t know but I find it, it still feels like the first time. John, do you remember the first time?
DRAKE HOGESTYN, ACTOR: Of course.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Love in the afternoon, that was Deidre Hall and the "Days of our Lives" co-star doing what they do best. And you know, those afternoon romps are why "Days" still gets soap fans in a lather and why it`s nominated for a whopping 15 Emmy awards.
You`re watching a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s coverage of the 39th annual Daytime Emmys. And right now, "Paging Dr. Evans!"
Daytime TV icon Deidre Hall has been entertaining soap fans as the beloved irwin(ph), doctor Marlena Evans on "Days of our Lives" since 1976.
Well tomorrow, "Days" is nominated for a whopping 15 Emmys. Deidre has been nominated for three Emmys over her incredible career and really it`s being an amazing ride along the way.
I mean, think about it. Her character has been possessed by the devil, she`s fallen from a 30-story window and was diagnosed with hysterical amnesia.
And I can`t even count how many times she`s been kidnapped. Deidre is also an author and her brand new fantastic book called "How Does She Do It"? So how does she do it? Well I asked her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s great to have you here.
HALL: Good gosh, you want me to follow that?
HAMMER: I do.
HALL: Oh my I could just --
HAMMER: Here`s what I want to understand --
HALL: (INAUDIBLE), I will be right there. He said it all.
HAMMER: Here`s what I want to know though, I didn`t mention how many times you`ve been kidnapped. Do you know how many times your character was kidnapped on the show?
HALL: I can`t tell you how many times I`ve been married on the show --
HAMMER: Right --
HALL: Forget kidnapping that`s a weekly event --
HAMMER: It`s unbelievable. I`m also trying to do the math in my head that you have been at this for so long and you`re clearly 35 years old.
HALL: Clearly.
HAMMER: And I`m just looking at you and I can`t believe it.
HALL: Read the book, read the book --
HAMMER: Yes, you know that --
HALL: It`s been a long time, I`ve been on about 35 years, I think.
HAMMER: And I have to imagine, particularly having been with the show so long, it is particularly gratifying that it is so heavily nominated this year for the Daytime Emmy Awards.
HALL: This is such an important year for us, it`s enormous, you have no idea. Unless you`ve been following this for years and years and years, how difficult it is to get nominations.
And to get the boat load we got is, it`s just thrilling.
HAMMER: Well -- and I think it`s important also for a show to be validated in Daytime, particularly given the state of Daytime and how things have really shifted and changed over the years.
It`s nice to know that there is so much support out there I`m sure.
HALL: You like me, you really like me, that`s how it feels.
HAMMER: Good. Well, it`s so great to see you in person, one half of the world famous Jarlena, as you are known. You`re a super couple on the soap --
HALL: I love those --
HAMMER: It`s known to your fans. Back in 2009, your character was dropped because of some budget cuts but they brought you back and they brought back your long-time love interest John Black.
HALL: Drake Hogestyn.
HAMMER: Shall we watch you two in action a little bit?
HALL: Strawberry whipped cream. Wow, how many times have we actually done this?
HAMMER: I just feel the love --
HALL: You can`t go wrong, you can`t go wrong.
HAMMER: How do you guys keep that love or that action between the two of you so fresh after so many years, because the fans just love you guys?
HALL: It`s the heat, it really -- thank you for saying that and we do get a nice response to those scenes. He`s my safety net, anything I want to try, he`s there to catch me, same with him. So it`s spontaneous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Unless we move on, it`s the biggest mystery in Daytime, who will join Kelly Ripa as her permanent co-host on "Live"?
Kelly is certainly doing gang busters all on her own but what`s it really like behind the scenes in the post Regis era? Well I went to the "Live`s" studios for a little visit and I`m going to tell you what I found out.
This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ at the Daytime Emmys. Best supporting actor nominee, Sean Blakemore, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, about the excitement at his house on the morning that he found out he was nominated for his role on "General Hospital".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLAKEMORE: Got the phone call and my wife overheard the phone conversation, she started jumping on the bed and excited. She was more excited than me.
For me, it was kind of a surreal moment and it is all settling in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELLY RIPA, TALKSHOW HOST: How many steps does it take to change the course of a person`s day? I happen to know that it is 43 exactly.
I`ve had the privilege of walking 43 steps with you from my dressing room to the studio floor, five days a week for the past 11 years. I look forward to the next 43 steps and may they fill you with the joy that you filled all of us with for all of these years.
PHILBIN: Oh, my gosh, listen to this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Kelly Ripa saying farewell to Regis Philbin last November as "Live! with Regis and Kelly" came to an end. And then, of course, came "Live! with Kelly".
Now more than six months later, Kelly has become an even bigger force on Daytime TV. We`re back with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s special coverage of the 39th annual Daytime Emmys "Live! with Kelly".
It`s a ratings winner but the man behind Kelly is Michael Gelman, the executive producer of the show, he`s been known to fans for years of course as the butt of a lot of Regis` jokes.
But what`s no joke is the fact he has run a fun-to-watch, well-oiled machine for decades and he makes it look so easy.
Well I spoke with Gelman on the set of "Live" and he reveals secrets about the search for a new co-host and he tells me why tomorrow, he wants to end his Daytime Emmy streak of losses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I love the fact that you have to do the show for how many years now?
MICHEAL GELMAN, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, LIVE! WITH KELLY: Almost 30.
HAMMER: Almost 30 years?
GELMAN: Every time -- you know I start to get bored, something reignites my -- you know my energy and there`s a new challenge. I mean, going national, you know, becoming a national syndicated hit.
You know, finding someone to replace Kathie Lee, you know now, it`s you know, finding the new iteration of the show with Kelly and someone else.
RIPA: Neil Patrick Harris.
GELMAN: If we`re doing our jobs right, it looks totally unrehearsed, like two people got together for coffee and, you know, talked about what was in the papers and their lives and your celebrity friends came over --
RIPA: And jumped over fire?
GELMAN: I don`t think the show really gets the respect that it deserves because we make it look so easy.
HAMMER: So when we watch these cooking segments --
GELMAN: Yes --
HAMMER: They seem to go off so seamlessly and flawlessly and you have finite amount of time. But you have to walk through whole thing --
GELMAN: Yes, so we got through it and the director goes through it too. We know what`s going to happen or supposed to happen.
HAMMER: We have a little experience --
GELMAN: Yes, we`ve done 87 or eight or ten thousand hours of "Live" TV.
HAMMER: It looks natural.
GELMAN: You know --
HAMMER: How many of those have you been part?
GELMAN: All of them, yes --
HAMMER: Every single one --
GELMAN: No, I think I`m talking to Guinness, but I think I may have a world record, just like Regis, you know, we pointed out that he had the most hours on TV.
HAMMER: Right.
GELMAN: I believe that I have the most hours producing "Live" TV, yes.
RIPA: This one is for Gelman.
HAMMER: These people have waited a long time to be in here, they`re big fans of the show, they finally get their chance and warming them up is a big part of your day, isn`t it?
GELMAN: Sure. In the old days, we went local, it was because we didn`t have the money to pay anyone. After a while, I became a character, people expected me to be out there.
And, you know, they come, they`ve been waiting a year, and when I come out, it`s like I`m the appetizer. Like, oh, my goodness, it`s Gelman.
Tonight is going to be good, what are you going to do?
HAMMER: This show certainly has gotten respect from the Emmys over the years and once again, you guys are nominated.
GELMAN: Nominated again.
HAMMER: And you have a rich history of nominations, don`t you?
GELMAN: Yes, I should do, I`m way past the Susan Lucci mark. I`ve gotten way less publicity, I think Susan had 17 and I`m over 20 nominations without a win.
So, I`m hoping this year, you know, I thought the show that we entered was our Regis -- big Regis good-bye shot.
HAMMER: Was there a master plan after Regis announced that he was leaving?
GELMAN: The master plan was to let it unfold organically. So, it`s going spectacularly, the ratings are good, we`re loving the different hosts with Kelly.
I would say, you know, we`d like to get it done this year. How`s that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: We`ll see. But here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, it`s a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ at the Daytime Emmys.
Marrying your sister`s husband`s twin for revenge, game show contestants gone wild. Daytime, a fertile ground for the most outrageous, most outlandish and most memorable moments in all of TV.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was shot on my wedding day by the mother I didn`t know I had, right before I found out my husband cheated on me with my father`s wife and had his baby and then I found out I was pregnant with my husband.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: From the bizarre of storylines to courtroom drama, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, getting the inside scoop of the wackiest moments ever from Daytime`s biggest stars.
This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ at the Daytime Emmys. Best supporting actress nominee Melissa Claire Egan tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, why HLN is making this year`s Emmys so special.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELISSA CLAIRE EGAN, ACTRESS: It`s a good treat, everyone is together, you`re seeing -- you know people even -- you know -- family with.
My new line, our family, some people from "All My Children" family and then -- you know, HLN airing -- I mean it`s so important to the fans , like I bump into people at the mall.
And I`m like thank God, we get to see them you know -- and it`s so important to all of us, so it`s special.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, on a special Daytime Emmys edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. "General Hospital" madness, 49 years on TV, 23 Daytime Emmy nominations, so what`s the inside secret to this Daytime phenomenon?
Outstanding lead actor nominee, Maurice Bernard, who plays Sonny Corinthos Junior, spills all the dirt on "General Hospital", in a must see Daytime Emmys newsmaker interview.
And as the tables turn: Barbara Walters and "The View" versus TV newcomer "The Talk," hot topics versus the talk of the town. So which chat fest will reign supreme? The daytime Emmy`s chat wars.
A special edition of "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" continues right now.
A.J. HAMMER, ANCHOR: Welcome to a special edition of "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," showbiz the Daytime Emmys. I`m A.J. Hammer. I`m so proud that HLN is bringing are you the Daytime Emmys tomorrow night, honoring the very best on daytime TV.
And one of the classic daytime dramas, "General Hospital," is getting a brand-new heartbeat, at a time when daytime drama fans saw some of their favorite shows come to an end, this classic soap, "General Hospital," still going strong now after nearly 50 years amazing.
This year, "GH" is nominated for a staggering 23 Daytime Emmy Awards so why are fans still gripped by the fantasy trip to port Charles every weekday afternoon?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner takes us behind the scenes of "General Hospital" to learn the new secrets of the show`s success.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just pretend we are not here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get out.
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A little comedy, a little romance.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You took them both away from me.
TURNER: And a whole lot of drama. It is the classic recipe that`s been cooking for nearly 50 years, Monday through friday afternoons on TV`s "General Hospital."
FINOLA HUGHES, ACTRESS, "GENERAL HOSPITAL": The longevity of the show has been because of the characters written and the fact that people really feel like they know us and they want to spend their afternoon with us.
TURNER: Finola Hughes is a familiar face to long-time fans of "General Hospital." She first showed up to the fictional town of port Charles back in 1985. She left the soap scene for many years but was lured back five months ago by the show`s new executive producer, Frank Valentini.
HUGHES: He is on the side of the actors. He stays out here with us, to make sure that everything is real and entertaining and truthful.
TURNER: Valentini himself moved over from "One life to Live" when that show came to an end in January. He has brought allowing some crossover characters, brought back some favorites and added some fresh faces. It`s all part of Valentini`s strategy to keep "General Hospital" thriving with fans and appealing to a new audience.
FRANK VALENTINI, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "GENERAL HOSPITAL": Not only does it need to be entertaining, but it also needs to be relevant. It needs to be part of everyone`s life in 2012.
So keeping the show contemporary in terms of music and the way it sounds, the way it feels, the way it looks is something that is very important to me and I think we have been able to do that.
TURNER: The "General Hospital" production schedule is demanding. In today`s budget-conscious climate, the cast and crew of 300 shoot about 80- pages of dialogue a day. Compare that to some primetime dramas that shoot about 10. There is little time for retakes so the cast shows up ready to roll.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There`s no room for someone that cannot take the pace, the speed. You have to be on your game.
TURNER: "General Hospital" vet, Nancy Lee Grahn has been on the show for 16 seasons, one new aspect of her role, audience outreach on Twitter.
NANCY LEE GRAHN, "GENERAL HOSPITAL" VETERAN: These are the most loyal fans on television ever and they have been watching it generationally.
TURNER: The "General Hospital" team attributes much of its success the past five decades to its loyal fan base. As for the future of this classic soap, one of the show`s youngest stars sums up the continued appeal of "General Hospital" this way.
KRISTEN ALDERSON, ACTRESS, "GENERAL HOSPITAL": I think that soaps deal with every day issues. Sometimes they are a little built up, you know, under extreme circumstances, but at the same time, if you talk to anyone, everyone has a soap opera story in their life and they can relate to it in some way.
TURNER: And don`t we all love a little drama in our lives?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Yes, we do and "General Hospital`s" Sonny Corinthos is Daytime TV`s bad boy, the mob boss with a heart. We love watching the Sonny romances his women, protects his children and, of course, takes down his enemies. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s funny. OK. So are you the type of guy who always pushes just a little too much, right? One day you are going to push a little too far, like right now and you`re going to wind up on the floor in pieces. You understand what I`m saying?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And the man who has played him so perfectly for two decades is Maurice Benard, nominated for a Daytime Emmy this year for outstanding lead actor. I spoke with Maurice and he spilled all the dirt on "General Hospital."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Great to meet you.
MAURICE BENARD, PLAYS SONNY CORINTHOS IN "GENERAL HOSPITAL": Great to meet you.
HAMMER: Good having you here. An icon from the world of daytime television.
BENARD: Well, you know what, it`s been a great -- it will be 20 years April or --
HAMMER: Yes.
BENARD: I don`t know when. Who knows?
HAMMER: But it`s pretty incredible. And the truth is, and you well know this from all of your very passionate fans and really probably people just walking by you on the street, they see you -- they see Sonny.
It is just a matter, of course, for somebody who has played character for so long. And I actually often wonder about somebody like yourself who has been in this character`s head or this character`s been in your head for so long, do you ever dream as Sonny?
BENARD: Wow. I have never been asked that question.
HAMMER: Do you wake up out of a dream with who was that? Was that me? Was that Sonny?
BENARD: No, no, I did a break down story and it lasted too long and I was having quite a bit of nightmares by the end of it. So, I was having some pretty scary dreams at that point. But that`s it. I don`t really dream as Sonny, I just kind of dream as me, obviously.
HAMMER: And do you connect with him? A lot of people say, well, are you anything like your character and it is a character you play on television, but do you identify with parts of Sonny?
BENARD: Yes, Sonny is like me when I`m in my dark moods, when my -- when the motor`s running way too much and I`m in my thoughts way too much, that`s who Sonny is because he`s got a lot more -- a lot more rage than I have. I like to fool around a little bit, be funny.
HAMMER: Yes, he is an angrier guy? I`m glad hear that I got to tell you, I don`t have to back up a little bit because I have seen some of what Sonny has done.
And really more than most character that we see on television in any sense, you have really put yourself into him in a much different way.
You have been very candid about the fact you have bipolar disorder, you have been a spokesperson for mental illness. And Sonny has bipolar disorder on the show. Is that something you asked the writers to work into the character?
BENARD: It kind of just developed as they went along and when they found out that I was bipolar, it was very interesting to them so they infused it into the character.
And it`s been wonderful that he has this mental illness, because we can educate people and, like I said, they did a story, it lasted for about three months. My wife had to call and say, enough.
HAMMER: She couldn`t take it anymore. But look, you have been nominated before. You have won a Daytime Emmy back in 2003 was the last time you won. You`re nominated this year. It`s really a big deal, isn`t it?
BENARD: Well, yes. I mean, you know -- any time you -- that your peers recognize your work it is always going to be a big deal and you got to appreciate that and you got to respect that.
And I surely do and you just -- to be invited to the party is always nice and you go and you have the best time you can have you know?
HAMMER: I`m looking forward to seeing you at the party. Best of luck. Thanks, Maurice. Great to have you here. Maurice Benard. Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And we move now to a daytime talk show showdown. In this corner, daytime veteran, "The View." In the other corner, TV newbees, "The Talk."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have never won a thing in my life and now literally I get it when people say it is just an honor to be nominated, I`m just so happy to be invited to the dance.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So proud of all of us for our little daytime talk show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Will Barbara Walters long time chat fest take home the gold or will the talk emerge victorious? We are breaking down that showdown next. This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," showbiz at the Daytime Emmys.
Big stars are soap fans, too. Sheryl Underwood is nominated for "The Talk," shares a soap fan`s star moment with Haley Pullus from "General Hospital." We`ll talk in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP0
SHERYL UNDERWOOD, NOMINATED FOR "THE TALK": This is the best job in the world. First, getting a job on "The Talk" is fantastic, but I love you on "General Hospital." I love you.
I think you`re fantastic. Because I think you are a young person with an adult inside of you. But I love the way you talk to your parents, and I love the way you talk like normal kids talk and you`re so cute and you wear cute little outfits.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: You are watching SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s special coverage of the 39th Annual Daytime Emmys. Right now, a battle of the network talk stars. "The View" is squaring off for the first time tomorrow against "The Talk" at the Daytime Emmys.
"The View" is kind of like the Susan Lucci of talk shows, with only one win in 14 nominations. "The Talk" has really hit its stride and finally getting big buzz since its 2010 debut.
So will it be the veteran or the upstart or will there be a dramatic twist, just like on a daytime soap opera? One show features a represented network journalist leading a panel of celebrity women to talk about news of the day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello and welcome to "The View."
HAMMER (voice-over): And the other show features a respected network journalist leading a panel of celebrity women to talk about news of the day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello and welcome to "The Talk."
HAMMER: If you can`t tell the difference between ABC`s "The View" and CBS` "The Talk," there may be one big difference come Emmy time. One of these shows might have a Daytime Emmy Award and one may not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "The View" versus "The Talk" is a battle of the women.
HAMMER: ABC`s "The View" and CBS` "The Talk" are each nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards in the outstanding entertainment talk show category.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They are squaring off for the first time ever.
HAMMER: It`s the talk`s first outstanding talk show nomination since its debut in 2010.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I must congratulate you on your three Daytime Emmy nominations.
HAMMER: And when I visited the hosts of "The Talk," they couldn`t contain their excitement over their nomination.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have never won a thing in my life and now literally I get it when people stay is just an honor being nominated, I`m just so happy to be invited to dance that`s all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I`m like so surprised and thrilled that we are just considered good enough to be in that group.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Give me a break.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So proud of all of us for our little daytime talk show.
HAMMER: As for "The View" it is definitely used to Emmy attention, but its Emmy history is spotted.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "The View" won the Emmy for best talk show in 2003, but it`s lost 12 times.
HAMMER: Goldderby.com`s Tom O`Neil tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, both "The View" and "The Talk" might have something else in common when the Daytime Emmy`s are handed out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Neither of these is going to win because this is Regis` farewell.
HAMMER: "Live With Regis and Kelly" is also nominated for in the entertainment talk show category, Regis` farewell episode. Maggie Furlong tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Regis may make things hard for "The View" and "The Talk" come Emmy time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I really do think if anyone deserves one last win for his daytime effort it is Regis.
HAMMER: Plus, the "Ellen Degeneres" show, the reigning outstanding entertainment talk show winner has dominated this category since its debut. It is nominated again this year, but Regis, Ellen and "The View," be warned. Sheryl Underwood tells me if someone else wins the Emmy, they may find themselves Taylor Swifted.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Whatever happens, we going to do a Kanye.
HAMMER: So the big questions is, will "The View" --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Take time a little time to enjoy "The View."
HAMMER: Be enjoying "The View" from the Emmy stage or will "The Talk" --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Always a right time to have --
HAMMER: Talk its way into the winner`s circle? You can bet that will be a big hot topic at the Daytime Emmys.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Another hot topic, the crazy world of Daytime TV. I`m talking long-lost twins, reincarnation, a torrid affair with your mother`s boyfriend. You know, we can`t give without those out of this world daytime storylines.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was shot on my wedding day by the mother I doesn`t know I had right before I found out my husband cheated on me with my father`s wife and had his baby and then I found out I was pregnant with my husband.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Daytime`s biggest stars share their craziest and whackiest moments with "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
AJ HAMMER, HLN HOST: You`re watching SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S special coverage of the 39th annual daytime Emmys.
Right now daytime star Heather Tom has been acting on soaps since she was 15 years old. That was really the start of an amazing career in daytime, bringing her three Emmy awards and of course millions of adoring fans. Check out Heather in action as Kate Logan on "The Bold and the Beautiful."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
"KATE LOGAN": How long have you been kissing her with the same mouth that you kiss me? How long have you been touching her with the same hands that you touch me, oh, my God. I`m going to be sick.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. And it`s scenes like that which earned Heather another daytime Emmy nomination tomorrow. She`s up for outstanding lead actress. I spoke with Heather about her amazing career in daytime and her long history with the Emmys.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Can I run down your impressive list of Emmy credentials?
HEATHER TOM: Please do.
HAMMER: Nominated for 15, you`ve won three. That is a huge accomplishment. There are not a lot of --
TOM: But my batting average is not so great.
HAMMER: But still, three awards. If you win the Emmy this year you`ll become the first performer ever to win Emmys in three different acting categories, because you won for young actress and supporting and this would be lead.
When you first walked onto a soap set and you were 15 years old, is any of this what you imagined that all these years later you`d be doing this and have so many accolades?
TOM: Yes, no. I had no idea. At 15, I signed a three-year deal. And that just seemed like an eternity. And I remember there was that -- Laura Lee Belle was on the show at that time. She had just signed a 12 -- you know, she had signed up for a 12th year. And I was like, 12 years? That`s so long.
And now here I am 22 years later. And the young ones come on. And I`m like, you just wait. You`re going to be here forever.
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: (Inaudible).
TOM: I know.
HAMMER: But it`s a great life. And it really has given you a great life.
TOM: I am so grateful for it.
HAMMER: And you`re glowing. And we`ve been joking about the fact that we met some dozen years ago. And you had a big smile on your face then. It`s nice to see you still have that smile. I want to bring up some footage if we can, Charles, roll this in from Y&R, "The Young and the Restless," Victor Newman`s daughter, Victoria.
And, you know, we`re looking at how young you are here. We often hear and talk about how difficult the transition is for child stars into adult roles. In the soap world, it seems to be different and so many soap stars handle it more gracefully. What was it like for you making the transition?
TOM: Well, it`s interesting, because I did start so young. And the show was very cognizant of that. They really treated me with kid gloves, even though we were attacking a lot of very adult issues. You know, Victoria, my character, she lost her virginity before I did. You know, ,basically Scott Reeves, who --
HAMMER: You had to research in a different way, I guess.
TOM: I know. And, you know, I mean, if Scott Reeves, who I was playing with -- opposite in those scenes, I mean, that was pretty much my first kiss. So it was very --
HAMMER: Whoa.
TOM: Yeah, I guess I was a late bloomer, I suppose.
HAMMER: Did it confuse you?
TOM: It didn`t confuse me. But I felt like we did have a lot of -- and I was a very mature kid. But I feel like I grew up very quickly. But they were very, very conscientious about keeping the set comfortable for me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, good luck to Heather tomorrow. And it`s the one thing I think we all love about soap operas, those absolutely mind-blowing story lines.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOLLY BURNETT, ACTRESS: I was shot on my wedding day by the mother I didn`t know I had right before I found out my husband cheated on me with my father`s wife and had his baby and then I found out I was pregnant with my husband.
HAMMER (voice-over): From the bizarre cliffhangers to the courtroom dramas, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT gets the inside scoop on the wackiest moments ever from daytime`s biggest stars. This is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ at the Daytime Emmys."
Outstanding supporting actress nominee, Elizabeth Hendrickson tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT how she found out that she was up for her role on "The Young and the Restless."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELIZABETH HENDRICKSON, ACTRESS: They did a beautiful announcement on TV. So I had to look at it online. And I did it while I was facetiming my mother. So I had my mom there looking at me. And then I like scrolled down. I was like, OK, I see it. I covered my hand. And my name`s very long so I looked down. And it was the first name I saw. Then the two of us were just jumping on facetime.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Daytime soaps have really set the standard for craziest moments. Babies switched at birth. Evil twins. I could obviously go on and on, but SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you that the drama doesn`t stop there. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S Michelle Turner goes inside daytime`s craziest moments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s time for "Let`s Make a Deal."
MICHELLE TURNER, HLN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Colorful costumes.
"JUDGE JUDY": And you`re going to tell me how nail polish can turn your son gay.
TURNER (voice-over): Courtroom controversies.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You killed my baby?
TURNER (voice-over): And big-time baby drama. Who said daytime was dull? Some of the most outrageous television airs from 9:00 to 5:00. And this year`s daytime Emmy nominees are revealing their craziest TV moments.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He did polish his nails but it was his choice.
TURNER (voice-over): Whether it`s happening in the courtroom --
GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY: I`m hoping that every day we have crazy and wild cases.
KEVIN ROSS, DAYTIME PERFORMER: In the county of Las Vegas, prostitution is illegal. And he called the police and says, "She didn`t give me my full 30 minutes," and then sues her for the difference. And we had that case in court. It was very entertaining to say the least.
TURNER: Or on a game show.
JONATHAN MANGUM, GAME SHOW HOST: The one thing you can`t tell when you`re watching at home, is it gets so loud in there that Wayne can`t even hear his voice. I can`t hear my voice when we`re talking but we know what it feels like to make noise into the microphones so we`re -- we can`t hear ourselves.
We`re just going, yes, you could win the money. It`s -- oh, my gosh, it`s the loudest place ever.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What`s in the box, Mr. Mangum?
MANGUM: Okay.
TURNER (voice-over): Afternoon TV can get a little wild. But for the most over-the-top daytime entertainment, just head over to the soap set.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You shot me.
BURNETT: I was shot on my wedding day by the mother I didn`t know I had, right before I found out my husband cheated on me with my father`s wife and had his baby and then I found out I was pregnant with my husband. That`s going to go down in history as one of the most interesting story lines.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know who`s been siphoning off my money.
TURNER (voice-over): Genie Francis plays up the drama these days on "The Young and the Restless." But her most outlandish moment of all time came back in 1991 when she was playing Laura on "General Hospital."
GENIE FRANCIS, ACTRESS: Craziest story line has to be Niko Cassadine (ph) freezing the world and Laura and Luke save the world. Crazy, right? OK, I thought we`d gone too far but the people loved it.
TURNER (voice-over): We still do. And leave it to daytime television to keep providing us those crazy afternoon escapes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A whole lot of crazy. Thanks for watching this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "SHOWBIZ at the Daytime Emmys." And don`t forget to join me tomorrow live in Hollywood for the all-star red carpet event. It`s "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at the Daytime Emmys," that`s at 7:00 pm Eastern. HLN continues right now.
END
