Event Summary: CBS SOAP STARS
Appearance: Seneca Allegany Casino
Saturday June 12th

MICHELLE STAFFORD (Phyllis Newman – The Young & Restless)
CHRISTIAN LeBLANC   (Michael Baldwin – The Young & Restless)
DON DIAMONT (Bill Spencer – Bold & Beautiful)
DOUG DAVIDSON (Paul Williams – The Young & Restless)

     GUILTY PLEASURES…..This Past weekend Soap Opera fanatics hit the Jackpot on their visit to Salamanca.  The Roll of the Dice & the Spin of the Slots weren’t the only things Heating up the House at the Seneca Allegany Casino as they welcomed Daytime televisions most recognizable Vixen Phyllis Newman & Villain Bill Spencer, along with Genoa City’s Premier Legal Dream Team of Attorney Michael Baldwin & Soap Sleuth Paul Williams.
     Like a great story line the suspense heightened as close to a thousand fans lined the lobby of the Seneca Allegany Events Center hours before the Scheduled Free Meet & Greet with the celebrated Soap Stars.
     Actors representing The #1 CBS drama The Young & Restless and the # 2 rated Bold & Beautiful were in the Full House to spend an afternoon sharing Stories, Signatures & Photographs with the droves of adoring fans.
     The Rock Rapport was fortunate enough to witness this unique Event and share in a Question & Answer session with the Legendary Soap Stars prior to their release to the hands of their frenzied fans.

***********************************************************

     Ross CAT - The Landscape of Daytime television has changed dramatically over the past decade with the advent of the Soap Opera Network, the Internet & DVR allowing working fans to stay tuned in along with creating a brand new fan base.
     Has the Network ever discussed utilizing the late Night Talk Show circuit using guest spots on Letterman & Ferguson to help promote and personalize your characters?

     DON DIAMONT (Bill) - I really don’t know the exact answer to that beyond the fact that despite the ratings our shows draw there is still the stigma associated with Daytime Actors aside from a handful of Stars who’ve transcended Daytime television like SUSAN LUCCI or KELLY RIPA.
     I’ve often said this, as Daytime Actors we have the best situation, we enjoy many of the positives that come with celebrity and very few of the negatives including the Media scrutiny & Paparazzi. 

     Ross CAT - Based on the line outside the press room waiting to meet all of you its obvious most fans would enjoy seeing their favorite actors in a more personalized setting.
     I can see why these types of Promotional Tours along with the Soap Star Cruises work so well for the Daytime industry.

     CHRISTIAN LeBLANC (Michael) - Absolutely this is great for us, we don’t perform in front of a live audience like in a theater setting so you don’t really have that form of instant gratification.  As an actor you kind of know when you’re doing your best work but to hear the appreciation like we did coming through the lobby is really thrilling.  Events like this give us the rare opportunity to interact with a large number of fans at one time.
     Its one thing to be told that your on the #1 show in the world as far as viewer ship, but what is really overwhelming is to meet all the dedicated people who have spent decades growing up with the characters on The Young & Restless.

     Ross CAT - Congratulations MICHELLE on your Daughter Natalia Scout Lee Stafford.  Talk about the decision on bringing your beautiful daughter in to the world through surrogacy.

     MICHELLE (Phyllis) - In all honesty I started out working with an adoption agency and had every intention of following through and going that route.  After about a year it was apparent that this was going to be a difficult journey, as a screening process should be, but I had reached a certain point were I started to become disenchanted with the process.
     I never completely closed the door on adoption and I still haven’t but after some rough going I decided to explore my surrogate options.
    Obviously I’m very Happy with how things ultimately turned out with my beautiful daughter.

     Ross CAT - Your one of Daytime televisions most provocative characters of all time, which by the way has garnered you a Daytime Emmy nomination this year, congratulations once again!
     Has Motherhood softened that necessary edge needed when straddling the fine line between Love & Hate that your character Phyllis shares with viewers so very well?

     MICHELLE (Phyllis) - No not at all, as an Actor your personal & professional life have to be two completely separate things.  When I play my character it’s me doing my job the best I can and it has to be approached as such.
     If anything the journey of becoming a Mother & being a Mother has made me appreciate the job that I get to do with these amazing Actors and Wonderful people even more. 

     Ross CAT - The Young & Restless has done an exceptional job in carrying on generational storylines adding characters like BILLY MILLER (Billy Abbott), who incidentally could pass as PETER BERGMANN’S (Jack Abbott) real life sibling.
     Do you attribute that success to the Loyalty & Longevity of veteran Actor’s like, JEANNE COOPER (Kathryn Chancellor) & ERIC BRADEN (Victor Newman), in keeping Genoa City authentic.

     CHRISTIAN (Michael) - The gentleman whose canvas we’ve all sprung from is WILLIAM J. BELL and these shows that are represented here today are his legacy.  His initial concept was that the human condition & human relationships are the most important thing that you can read, write and talk endlessly about and you can never cover all the attainable ground.
     Through thick & thin he stuck with that theme, in particular the intergenerational relationships you alluded to.  That’s why we are probably the only show that has an Eighty something year old women like JEANNE (Kathryn) pushing a major storyline.

     Ross CAT - CHRISTIAN, A belated Congratulations to you on all your well deserved individual accolades in recent years taking home the “Outstanding Lead Actor” Emmy on three separate occasions, most recently last year.
     I believe in one of your past acceptance speeches you Thanked Charles Nelson Reilly could you elaborate on his influence on your career.

     CHRISTIAN (Michael) - I most certainly did Thank him; early on the evil character of  Michael Baldwin was written out of the story after my first year and a half; BILL BELL laid it right out to me and said “You have to go to jail and pay for your crimes for your character to have any credibility”.
     So in that time off in which there was no guaranteeing my return my goal was to get better as an Actor.
     Believe it or not the teacher that I was fortunate enough to find was Charles Nelson Reilly of Lidsville & Match Game Fame.
     He is truly the funniest person that I’ve ever met and really was an amazing mentor to me as I had very little acting background beyond some modeling. Timing is everything in this business and I was so blessed to find the right person for me at the right time in my career.
     We produced plays together and through him I not only met the incredible JULIE HARRIS I was able to co-star in a play with her.
     So to say that Charles had a major influence & impact on my career would be an understatement.

     Ross CAT - DON while the Y&R has successfully crossed over storylines with the Bold & Beautiful with characters like Ashley & Lauren to name a few you’ve taken on the daunting task of crossing over into a brand new role.
     Talk about how difficult its been establishing the new persona of BILL SPENCER after playing BRAD CARLTON for nearly twenty-five years, especially considering the number of viewers who watch both soaps?

     DON (Bill) - MICHELLE and I were just discussing that when we arrived last night; I was absolutely thrilled that Brad Bell created the character for me. That being said it didn’t  necessarily mean that it was going to work; I definitely felt the challenge, but as an Actor you thrive on those types of opportunities.
     I new I  needed to find a way to distance myself from the character of BRAD, that became even more difficult in the sense that there was no downtime in between roles.  I was still being discussed and shown in flashbacks on the Y & R while I was debuting the new character of BILL SPENCER on the B & B.
     As Brad Bell and I started to develop this new character we knew that physical changes would be essential, we decided to go with the facial hair and growing out my hair longer, we even went as far as making distinctive changes in the way BILL dressed as opposed to BRAD.
     Most importantly Brad Bell allowed me to bring quite a bit of my own personality to the character; while he created the framework for BILL SPENCER he’s allowed me the collaborative freedom to do my job and flush the new character out.

     Ross CAT - Congratulations DOUG on your Emmy Nomination this year for “Outstanding Lead Actor”; quite an accomplishment considering your character Detective Paul Williams has been a staple on the Young & Restless since 1978, which by the way is the longest running male character on the show.
     Talk about what this means to you?

     DOUG (Paul) - Thank You so much, it really is a honor to be recognized but the credit has to go to the Writers & the incredibly talented Actors that I’ve been so fortunate to work with over the years.
     I know it’s kind of a cliché’ but working on The Young & Restless truly feels like being surrounded by family on a daily basis.

     Ross CAT - Soap fans can cheer on MICHELLE STAFFORD & DOUG DAVIDSON as the 37^th Annual Daytime Emmy Award’s will air this Sunday June 27^th on CBS.

     The Rock Rapport would also like to Thank Seneca Publicity Manager Tony Astran for inviting us to this unique event.
     Be sure to visit www.senecaalleganycasino.com  for Upcoming Concerts & Events at both the Seneca Niagara & Allegany Casinos.
     We would also like to Thank Michael Gold of the Celebrity Events Group.  Fans that missed out on this Event can Roll out on the high seas January 27^th through the 31^st 2011 on the 4^th Voyage of the SOAP CRUISE.
     Visit http://www.celebrityeventsgroup.com or call 1-866-364-0330 for more information and to register to spend four days with Sixteen of today’s Hottest Soap Stars including CHRISTIAN LeBLANC, MICHELLE STAFFORD & DANIEL GODDARD(Cane Ashby) of The Young & Restless & DON DIAMONT of the Bold & Beautiful.

*****************PEACE & Harmonies**********************