VIDEO STILLS: Gaga Presents 'Yoü and I'

...We Cannot Take the Waiting...

...IT'S COMING...

...In what is said to be some of her BEST work to date...

...Lady Gaga IN...

Yoü and I

08.18.2011 only on MTV

WEEDS: Spoiler Pictures!!!

Guess Who!!!

Season 7 looks to be getting better & better!!!

WEEDS...only on SHOWTIME

EMMY 2011 - Lady Gaga VS Oprah?!

Lady Gaga continues her campaign to dominate all media. The singer already has won five Grammys, including three this year for her album "The Fame Monster" and hit single "Bad Romance." She has also won an American Music Award, 14 Billboard Music Awards, and her videos have claimed 11 MTV Video Music Awards.

But this year she could also break into the Emmy race for the first time. Her HBO concert film "The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden" has been entered for consideration in the race for best variety special. She's not the only popular musician with a contender in this race. Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Bette Midler also have specials competing for nominations. Beyonce has never been recognized by the TV academy, but Midler is a three-time winner, including once for her classic appearance on "The Tonight Show" when she sang to Johnny Carson as he neared retirement.

The variety special category is a catch-all race that also includes comedians such as Ricky Gervais, Kathy Griffin, Colin Quinn, Cedric the Entertainer and "Daily Show" correspondent Wyatt Cenac (who won a writing Emmy in 2009 for the Jon Stewart series). "The Kennedy Center Honors" has won for the last two years, and last summer's event, which honored Paul McCartney and Oprah Winfrey, could repeat.

Musicians have also prevailed in this category, most recently in 2007 when Tony Bennett won for his special "An American Classic." If Lady Gaga wins, she will join a list of performers that includesCher (2003), Barbra Streisand (1995) and Barry Manilow (1977). 

But more importantly, if she's nominated, what on Earth will she wear to the ceremony?

EMMY PREDICTION: Supporting Actress

Requesting A 3-way Tie?!

Crowded? YES

Clear Winner? NO

Hardest Category? DEFINITELY

FRONTRUNNER: Tricia Cast, Y&R

UPSET: Julie Pinson, ATWT

DARK HORSE: Nancy Lee Ghran, GH

NO CHANCE: Bree Willamson, OLTL & Melissa Claire Egan, AMC

Now this is an exciting EMMY race! A category where all 6 nominated actresses deserve to be here and almost too close to call, as all the ladies, (not so much you, Bree Williamson), submitted strong tapes that illustrate their acting talent. While many are calling Tricia Cast and Heather Tom the front runners to win, I'm not sure I see it that way. I approached the category looking at these actress’ as supporting players! 

Julie Pinson's (ATWT) submission was not only EXCELLENT and the longest out of the 6, she shows voters that she is truly the supporting player. Exhibiting great range, impact and evokes a multi-layered performance full of emotion, Pinson plays off all of the other 4 actors in her reel (EMMY winners, Michael Park and Maura West/EMMY nominee Jon Lindstrom/Grayson McCouch) beautifully. 

Cast (Y&R) is impressive in her reel and upon having viewed the tapes, it is apparent that she has the meatiest material of the bunch. The EMMY winner submitted scenes where she discovers one of her sons killed the other.  Cast’s anger at the realization that long-time friend, Christine (Lauralee Bell) knew Ronan was her son was palpable  The scene with Philip is of a momentum change and truly a defining EMMY winning moment! The entire arc is tragic – the idea of one son killing the other; having to witness it is terribly sad and Cast portrays it beautifully from start to finish.  A powerful submission that shows great range and has incredible impact; more than the other reels combined.

2-time EMMY winner, Heather Tom’s (B&B) performance was strong, but the abrupt ending coupled with the fact that you're never quite sure what exactly her sisters have done lessen the impact of what could have been a superior performance.  All we know is that she was humiliated and it was about business, so it doesn't seem quite as serious as the episodes let you think. 

Grahn is very good in her submission, but frankly, the other ladies have stronger material to work with.  She has some great moments, especially in the scenes with Benard, but the tape didn't feel like a winner. 

Egan is very good in her reel as well, but there's little to no impact.  Again, like Tom, it's hard to take her material so seriously, as you're never quite sure exactly what's gone on with this stolen art. However, she has excellent chemistry with Jacob Young and Susan Lucci, making it smart for her to submit an episode with them with both by her side.

EMMY PREDICTION: Younger Actor

After 5 Nominations, CLIFTON will finally WIN!

Clifton is a huge talent and he is offered to display that ability in his submission. His reel starts off slow and builds. The great thing about the back-to-back tapes (B&B submits 2 episodes given their half-hour form) is that the story grows to the big reveal that the man who he hates is his long lost father. Its clichéd soap story-telling but the acting from Clifton and, surprisingly, co-star ‘porn looking star’ Don Diamont lift this tale. Clifton gets to play subtle and snarky, anger and tears, and turns in the most complete performance in this category.  
 
If you are going to submit a short reel it MUST shine and miss no beat from beginning to end.  Think Beatrice Straight from "Network". Duell (GH) goes the quiet route as his character clams up/tears up about his past in prison. The reel continues with some quiet moments with his dad but nothing adds up. This submission has a good actor but no real focus.  
 
Finishing the weakest of EMMY categories is from Days of Our Lives. Another quiet submission as Massey showcases his character's love for his mom. It's nice to see a tape with no drama or danger but a reel like this comes off as fluff if it's not peppered with charm, and fun. Standing at four minutes this reel is over before you can finish a soda and is forgotten soon after that.  

EMMY PREDICTION: Younger Actress

1st time nominee Ainsworth for the WIN!

There is no doubt about it. 2 of the 3 actress’ nominated should be here. Brittany Allen, I am sorry, but this is the academy throwing AMC a pity nomination!

BAITIEST MATERIAL: Lexi Ainsworth, GH

BEST ACTRESS: Emily O’Brien, Y&R

So why is O’Brien NOT my frontrunner? Easy! Screaming for 5 minutes, does not win you an EMMY. Offering the academy 5 minutes of screen time to represent your years work does not with you an EMMY. Trapped, kidnapped, and pleading for freedom should be the perfect recipe for a high drama submission.  It's a shame this reel is too short to sustain any definite arc or any momentum for the performer.  O'Brien works with what she has and tries to bring the material to life. There is a lot of screaming, pleading, and tears. Should this reel have been double the length, O’Brien would have been given the opportunity to deliver a more layered performance.

Brittany Allen...how I cringed watching your reel, not because you can’t act – you do have a certain level of skill, but the God awful writing speaks volumes! "I cheated. I cheated. I'm sorry, I misconstrued a situation and had sex with your worst enemy." First off, people watch soaps to escape reality, but to say a the situation was ‘misconstructed’?! Really? Who says that? Lazy writers, who recycle plots. Secondly, how many times must voters be subjected to the same boring, tired stories. In the last decade, how many actress’ have submitted the same material!  If you answered, “too many”, you got that right! As a result, Allen brings nothing to the table. She plays it all too safe and does not hit any levels of subtlety or subtext.  The tears are there, so is the pleading look in her eyes but in the end this reel starts in a tepid place and ends up in a lesser place.    

Last, but not least, our likely winner, Ainsworth! While her competition is busy ACTING, Lexi takes a step back and plays all the smaller moments to perfection. Ainsworth shines as her character tells her parents about her abusive relationship, the shame that came with it, and the inadequacies that fuelled her desire for it.  This is a reel that knocks you out with true and heart-felt emotion.

Will Michael Park Repeat as Best Actor?

The Daytime Emmy Awards are only days away, and soap fans are scratching their heads wondering who will be taking home the gold. Relative to the best actor race, pundits are torn! Half give best odds to James Scott (DAYS) while the other half put Michael Park (ATWT) out front.

Scott and Park face off against Ricky Paull Goldin (AMC), Maurice Benard (GH), and Christian LeBlanc (Y&R). In the drama categories at the Daytime Emmys, voters selected two actors from each of the seven eligible soaps to compete as “pre-nominees.” The pre-nominees were then whittled down to the final five or six nominees based on sample episodes, which are edited to include only the actor's scenes. Because nominees and winners are decided in the same round, the Emmy winners were already decided when the nominations were revealed.


LeBlanc has played devious lawyer Michael Baldwin on the CBS soap for twenty years, and this is his ninth nomination. He won Best Actor an impressive three times in the last six years (2005, 2007, 2009), but his reel, in which Michael confronts his wife Lauren to get medical help for blackouts, can be described as "completely unremarkable.”

Goldin, a four-time nominee who has yet to win, submitted a lighthearted reel in which his character, Dr. Jake Martin, proposes to his girlfriend Amanda, but judges were similarly underwhelmed, saying, “this was a cute, sweet submission ... but it didn't have much range and had little to no impact.”


Though none of our forums posters put him in the winner's circle, most agree that Benard is right in the thick of it. He has played mob boss Sonny Corinthos since 1993, but out of five previous nominations he's only won once (in 2003). In his reel, he confronts the man who he thinks attacked his daughter, which is “some of the best acting that Maurice has done in a really long time."


But it's Park and Scott whose submissions generated the most passion from our panel. If Scott prevails, it will not only be his first Emmy, but the first Best Actor win for “Days of Our Lives” since Macdonald Carey took home two in a row in 1974 and 1975. In the reel, Scott plays a drunken and desperate man who considers running away with his children, is “full of emotion and drama and range.” Scott's performance makes [his character] EJ's pain uncomfortably real.

But Park will give him a run for his money. This is his fourth nomination, and he's the defending champion in this category. He submitted an episode in which his character, police officer Jack Snyder, reconciles with his ex-wife Carly. His reel is being described as "exceptional” and "raw, humanly emotional" and moderators feel he'll “easily repeat.”

With “As the World Turns” having been cancelled last year after more than a half-century on the air, will Emmy voters give it a parting gift? Or will Scott bring “Days of Our Lives” its first victory in thirty-six years? Perhaps a mob hit is in order, leaving Benard the last man standing.


The Daytime Emmys air LIVE on 06.19.2011 on CBS.

Countdown to the Daytime EMMYs...

The Daytime Emmy's are 38 years young! These are the TOP winners (3 or 4) for the major DRAMA categories 

Outstanding Drama Series

General Hospital - 10 wins

The Young & the Restless - 7 wins

As the World Turns - 4 wins

THIS YEAR: GH & Y&R are both nominated!

Outstanding Drama Series - WRITING

Guiding Light - 6 wins

Ryan's Hope - 6 wins

All My Children - 4 wins

As the World Turns - 4 wins

THIS YEAR: ATWT is nominated for its final season.

Outstanding Drama Series - DIRECTING

The Young & the Restless - 12 wins

General Hospital - 6 wins

THIS YEAR: Both GH & Y&R are nominated this year.

Outstanding Lead Actor

General Hospital - 7 wins

The Young & the Restless - 7 wins

All My Children - 5 wins

As the World Turns - 3 wins

THIS YEAR: All 4 soaps are represented.

Outstanding Lead Actress

One Life to Live - 11 wins

Guiding Light - 5 wins

As the World Turns - 3 wins

The Bold & the Beautiful - 3 wins

THIS YEAR: ATWT & B&B are represented. 

Outstanding Supporting Actor & Actress

General Hospital and All My Children lead these categories with 7 wins a piece!

THIS YEAR: Both soaps are represented

Outstanding Younger Actress

General Hospital - 6 wins

As the World Turns - 5 wins

THIS YEAR: GH is the favorite to win in this category. 

Outstanding Younger Actor 

Guiding Light - 7 wins

THIS YEAR: B&B is the favorite to win. 

QUOTE of the WEEK

"We are not announcing the cancellation of General Hospital. It is important to look at daytime like we do at primetime — it really is about eyeballs, and we will go with the shows that have the most viewership.” —ABC President Anne Sweeney to Deadline.com on signing Katie Couric to GH’s timeslot

Translation: Our eyeballs have cataracts, which is why ABC is third in the prime-time TV lineup and why we canceled the soap with the most eyeballs: One Life.

“Sometimes they come back.” — New GH head writer Garin Wolf’s new motto, in a TV Guide interview  

Translation: Sometimes they don’t come back.

Backstage CHAOS at Y&R

DIVA Causes a Stir!

Don’t believe the desperate cries from Melody Thomas Scott on Twitter about June 3 being her last day on the No. 1 soap opera. Her Twitter account posted the following around June 7:

"Let me reiterate: I have NEVER asked for a leave of absence from the show. MTS" "Had not been told by ANYONE that that was my last scene, day, show, episode, whatever u want to call it. Time passed … I returned to work on January 7th (approx) Continued working regularly til 4/28, when I shot what turned out to be my last scene. Last Fri. [June 3] was my last air show. that was shot 5-6 weeks earlier. Of course, no one bothered to tell me that."

Fans will want to rethink their fledgling campaign to get the diva back on the show. Insiders inform Suds Report that Scott is the highest paid actor on the show — making double what Eric Braeden earns. Scott refuses to take a pay cut, which Braeden did famously last year, forcing the show not to use her for the foreseeable future and be frugal with her appearances from here on in, especially since they aired MTS heavily earlier this year in a sensational storyline that she should be thankful for.

As Suds reported a month ago, Scott has not been let go from Y&R, as she would have her fans believe, but she will be off the canvas for some time due to her high price tag.

“She’s been in negotiations with the show about this issue,” says an incensed mole.

“Mel’s been keenly aware that June 3 was her last day for a while because Y&R can no longer afford her due to her outrageous episode fee. She’s lying to her fans; it’s disgusting, really, that in these depressing economic times that she’s holding out for almost $10,000 an episode when all of us are all taking one for the team.

There’s a reason why she recently joined Twitter; it’s so obvious that she has an agenda. Her fans can barely pay their own mortgages, and she’s unashamedly enlisting them to get her own way.

"Shows are being cancelled, people on All My Children and One Life To Live are losing their jobs, and she still thinks it’s 1989. She’s going to get the show cancelled if she continues this way. Whether we like her or not, she’s important to the show, but she’s not willing to compromise. If Eric Braeden can take a pay cut, so can she. She’s making Y&R look like the villain, and that’s unfair, because she’s the one who is being selfish. Y&R wants to air her as much as possible but she’s making that impossible.”

EMMY ANNOUNCEMENT...Jane Lynch HOSTS!

Jane Lynch, whose portrayal of the acerbic cheerleader coach Sue Sylvester in Fox's "Glee" scored an Emmy award last year, will host the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards Sept. 18 on Fox.

The announcement of Lynch prompts one question: Will she be appearing as herself, or will she conduct her hosting duties as Sylvester? Lynch has appeared at several events, including the opening number at last year's Emmys and the recent Fox upfronts, as Sylvester.

One clue may have come from Lynch in her acceptance statement: "I am tickled pink to be hosting the Primetime Emmys on Fox. I'm looking forward to singing, dancing and sporting my finest tracksuit."

Mark Burnett, executive producer of the awards, said Lynch was "my first -- and only -- choice as the host for this year's Primetime Emmys, and I am glad she said yes."

Current Guilty Pleasure

Vocal Powerhouse

Watch for Adele to make a BIG Grammy Splash come February 2012

38th Annual Daytime Emmys

FULL STEAM AHEAD!!!

The 38th annual Daytime Emmy Awards are just around the corner! The kudofest airs live on June 18 from Las Vegas on CBS at 8 p.m. ET.

Presenters were revealed to tvguide.com this week: Anderson Cooper, Carol Burnett, Marlee Matlin, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Nate Berkus, Rachael Ray, Dr. Travis Stork, Vanna White, Peter Marshall, Jillian Michaels, Kelly Monaco, Kimberly McCullough, Genie Francis, Galen Gering, Nadia Bjorlin, Darnell Williams, Debbi Morgan, Heather Tom and Brandon Beemer.

Hosted by Wayne Brady, the awards will treat viewers and attendees to performances by the likes of Marie Osmond, Gladys Knight, Penn and Teller, Criss Angel and the Cirque du Soleil hit Viva Elvis.

The mighty Oprah Winfrey is set to receive the TV Academy's Crystal Pillar Award, while game show kings Pat Sajak and Alex Trebek are lined up for Lifetime Achievement trophies. Suds Report has also learned that there may be a few other big surprises in the works, so make sure you watch!

If you’re expecting the Emmys to be a wake thanks to the recent cancellations of AMC and One Life though, think again. "We'll do something very special to acknowledge what's happened — something the fans are really going to love," producer David McKenzie promises. "But these soaps are still on the air and they'll both qualify for Daytime Emmys in 2012. We are not ready to say goodbye."

ATWT Final Cast Photo, May 2010, PGP

Let's pray the soaps get the recognition they deserve, unlike the abysmal so-called video 'tribute' 54-year old axed soap, As the World Turns received. If there is any justice, CBS executives  [otherwise known as the TIIC - 'the idiots in charge'] will have strokes when the cancelled soap takes home top acting honors at the televised ceremony!

This Summer is About...SHOWTIME

Laura Linney & Mary-Louise Parker RETURN in their award winning roles...

The Big C

Weeds

It's All About SHOWTIME - Monday, June 27th - 10/9c

Beyonce...Is...BACK

RUN THE WORLD you fierce woman!

This song gets you moving – hot summer HIT

BORN THIS WAY

^{AN ALBUM REVIEW}

FAME HOOKER † PROSTITUTE WENCH † VOMITS HER MIND

RANKING THE TRACKS (best to worst):

1. Government Hooker
2. Schieβe
3. Heavy Metal Lover
4. Marry the Night
5. Judas
6. Born this Way
7. Americano
8. Bloody Mary
9. Electric Chapel
10. Bad Kids
11. The Edge of Glory
12. You & I
13. Highway Unicorn
14. Hair

Overproudced? Somewhat!

Purposely done? YES!

When GAGA said she would pull out all of the stops with this record, she wasn’t lying; and boy did she deliver! The pop icon admits, she would be incredibly aggressive with the sound, and while there are the more superior tracks on this album, they all tell a story. The little monsters that have come to be need to keep in mind that, this isn’t a singles album, nor will it do well on radio; it is a cohesive piece. A complete album that we rarely see!

Anyone who knows anything about Lady Gaga's personal life knows her boyfriend, Lüc, was a barman from Nebraska who moved to New York. Marry the Night, Heavy Metal Lover, Electric Chapel, You and I and Judas are all about him. She's been singing about him since Bad Romance; "leather studded kiss in the sand" anyone?!

While Gaga keeps her fans at the forefront in all that she does, this album delves much deeper than those monsters! It is about her! It's curious that, as many critics have noted, when she lets the little monsters in, her songwriting, particularly in the title track and Bad Kids, that's when the album falls flat.

In the end, it's so much about how SHE was born that way, wanting to explore and sing and experiment with all her influences, particularly rock n roll, which she so clearly loves and (here comes the cheese) ultimately embracing yourself and the things you really love!

Born This Way has all the electro-sleaze beats and Eurodisco chorus chants. Gaga pillages the Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar and Eddie Money records of her childhood. In the 1980s, radio was full of tormented Catholic kids, from Madonna to Springsteen. Gaga clearly grew up on that stuff. She doesn't just give her Springsteen homage "The Edge of Glory" a sax solo – she gets Clarence Clemons himself to play it. 

There isn't a subtle moment on the album, but even at its nuttiest, the music is full of wide-awake emotional details. The bottom line being: the more excessive Gaga gets, the more honest she sounds.

  

Born This Way is her best album yet! Unlike ‘The Fame’ and ‘The Fame Monster’, BTW allows this pop icon to exercise her vocal talent!

1

EMMY TAPES for DRAMA...

Here you are soap fans...the episodes selected by the 'idiots' in charge at your favorite daytime soaps...

Episode 10,505; airdate November 23, 2010

A strong hour during which Dr. David Hayward — not so dead after all — walks into the courtroom during his murder trial and shocks Pine Valley. There are no out-of-the-park performances, but the noir-ish flashbacks detailing how the dastardly doc (played by fan fave Vincent Irizarry) faked his demise and tried to frame his rival Ryan are well crafted. The stuff of grand memories? Not really. Best moment of the tape clocks in at 28 minutes when a moaning Kendall (Alicia Minshew) walks to the witness stand and rips David a new one! But this is good, solid work!

Chance of a scoring a nomination: 6.5/10

Episode 13,741; airdate April 5, 2010

Oakdale icons Bob and Kim (Don Hastings and Kathryn Hays) find out the minister who married them 25 years ago was a fraud! Re-watching this episode, I can see how the judges might fall for the hour's sad, sweet, poignant charms; all enforced by flashbacks, a solid script, and good musical score. Adding to that, it all ends with a dazzling cameo by ATWT grad Julianne Moore. This is the show's last time at the Emmys, so one wishes P&G had picked something more powerful, like one of those great, searing episodes near the finale involving the death of Dr. Reid Oliver. But mush won out.

Chance of scoring a nomination: 7.25/10

Episodes 5922 and 5923; airdates October 14—15, 2010

God bless Brad Bell for trying to move soaps forward and doing it so transcendently. These back-to-back episodes find stage 4 lung-cancer victim Stephanie Forrester (Susan Flannery) roaming L.A.'s Skid Row in search of a young woman who has possession of her heirloom scarf. The adventure proves a life-changer when rich, privileged Stephanie sees how people are living on the streets a mere 20 minutes from her mansion. She decides to devote her final days to helping them. Flannery does her best work ever here, and that's saying something given her four lead actress Emmy wins. It's all stunningly, artfully filmed on location, and sure to wrench your heart, lift your spirit and make you shed a few cathartic tears. Can the judges ask for more?

Chance of scoring a nomination: 9/10

Episode 11,492; airdate December 29, 2010

This show smartly submitted Caroline's accidental announcement (in church, no less) that Philip is Chloe's babydaddy, a fabulously sordid, classically soapy event that leaves you dying to know what happens next. This tasty trash is intercut with other enticing developments (EJ working a marriage deal with Nicole, Brady trying to outsmart villainous Viv). A solid hour of dramatic television; though nothing stands out!

Chance of a scoring a nomination: 7/10.

Episode 12,106; airdate July 23, 2010

Franco-phrenia didn't score all that well with viewers, but GH is counting on it to impress the Emmy panel. And it might just work. The episode submitted, which has James Franco's serial killer character doing an epic performance piece at L.A.'s Museum of Contemporary Art, seemed limp and cheesy and hurriedly staged when it aired last summer but, weirdly, it comes off much better when you re-watch it with lowered expectations. The judges may well be impressed by Franco's psycho-sexual hambone performance and the unique, flashy style of the hour, which also includes a shocking revenge shoot-out at the hospital. This is not the pretentious mess I thought it was.

Chance of scoring a nomination: 8/10.

Episode 10,687; airdate May 17, 2010

I will be brief and kind (given the cancellation news) and simply say that the OLTL execs made a grievous mistake by submitting that musical episode set at the Llanview High prom.

Chance of scoring a nomination: 2/10

Episode 9535; airdate November 29, 2010

What were they thinking — or smoking — over at Y&R when they decided to pick this episode as their best shot an Emmy gold? The set-up: Nutcase Sharon Newman (Sharon Case), torn between two brothers, flees to New Orleans to sort out her emotions. There's a lot of swell Big Easy scenery but next to no drama and, as a result, the performances are serviceable at best. Case is downright snoozy as her character wanders aimlessly about town. The directing is sloppy. The casting of the local day players is startlingly inept. And even scenes back home in GC with Victor (Eric Braeden) and Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) battling over her affair with Deacon have little power out of context. The best part of the episode — the cliffhanger revealing Skye Lockhart is alive — will be meaningless to anyone who doesn't follow the show. Y&R traditionally picks well and grabs a slot in the best soap race. What went haywire?

Chance of a scoring a nomination: 5/10

Should the Academy nominate 4 soaps...the nominees will be:

All My Children

As the World Turns

The Bold & the Beautiful

General Hospital

Should they go the route of last year (3 nominiees)...

The Bold & the Beautiful

General Hospital

As the World Turns & Days of Our Lives will fight for the 3rd spot!