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Quick! Bail out the soap opera industry!

By Michelle Malkin  •  November 24, 2008 03:24 PM

The latest casualties of hard economic times? Veteran “Days of Our Lives” soap opera stars Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn:

Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn, who as Marlena and John have been one of daytime’s most durable and recognizable soap opera supercouples, have been fired from “Days of Our Lives,” according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Both of the stars have been with the show for more than two decades, and their characters’ on-and-off love story has been at the center of the show.

The firings came just days after NBC renewed “Days” through 2010. NBC made the renewal on the condition of severe budget cuts, and Hall and Hogestyn likely won’t be the last casualties, according to The Tampa Tribune.

NBC says the story will have the estranged couple reunited before their January exits.

And the bailout beat goes on: Needed: Network bailout?

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the taxpayer grabs of our lives…

Posted in: Subprime crisis

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  1. #1
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:26 pm, pgtips said:

    Please don’t give these people ideas …

  2. #2
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:31 pm, On-my-soap-box said:

    Quick! Bail out the soap opera industry!

    $150,000 will do!

  3. #3
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:33 pm, Flyoverman said:

    Still to depressed over the demise of TWC’s Cheryl Lemke to comment. :(

  4. #4
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:34 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    While Your Stomach Churns…

  5. #5
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:35 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    I understand Scrooge McDuck is petitioning Congress for a piece of the bailout pie after a failed joint venture with Flintheart Glomgold left him nearly million-less.

  6. #6
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:36 pm, love2rumba said:

    MM-don’t mock our most precious national resource …soap opera viewers!
    /sarc

  7. #7
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:38 pm, letget said:

    The only soap opera I ever watched was ‘Dark Shadow’s’ back in the 60’s. It was about vampires and fun to watch.
    L

  8. #8
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:41 pm, purplepeep said:

    AlohaGuy said:
    While Your Stomach Churns…

    Guy, to be more correct (and to cite the great Carol Burnett Show’s lampooning) the bailout situation is now such that “The Days Of Our Lives” are causing “As The Stomach Turns”.

    (Mebbe that should be “The Pays Of Our Lives”.)

  9. #9
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:41 pm, rambler said:

    Boo-hooo; sob, sob…. Aww, just replace it with a reality show.

  10. #10
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:43 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    Pay-a-ton Place?

  11. #11
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:49 pm, purplepeep said:

    Dexter Alarius said:
    Pay-a-ton Place?

    “All My Bailouts”?

  12. #12
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:58 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    “The Young and the Clueless”

  13. #13
    On November 24th, 2008 at 3:58 pm, Flyoverman said:

    “The Pays Of Our Lives”
    “Pay-a-ton Place?”
    “All My Bailouts”?

    Don’t forget “The Guiding Lie” starring Hank Paulson.

  14. #14
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:00 pm, LOBOMAN said:

    I’m waiting for Him to bail out the illegal mexicans — After all they are loosing jobs, can’t send money back to mexico, are having to return to mexico now that they can’t USE our country.

  15. #15
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:03 pm, chapoutier said:

    Like the auto industry, I think they should have to come up with a viable business plan first.

    Like bringing back Luke and Laura.

  16. #16
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:09 pm, procopy said:

    I’m going to miss Marlena and John. Are Bo and Hope still on the show?

  17. #17
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:12 pm, kwyoung said:

    their January exits.

    somebody’s about to drive off a cliff… I’m guessing they won’t find a body.

  18. #18
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:17 pm, Joshua P. Allem said:

    Thanks to my mom, I’m probably the only heterosexual man who watches Days of our Lives. I’ve been watching since 1993 and the way I feel about this bit of news is identical to the way I feel about the banks and everything else. Days of our Lives hasn’t been worth watching since 1999. Going off the air IS WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN. No more bailouts PLEASE!!!!

    P.S. They brought back Joseph Mascolo to portray the diabolical Stefano Dimera, but all he does is walk around the mansion and look sinister. Remember the good old days when he was brainwashing people into thinking they were his own art thieves? Ah…the memories.

  19. #19
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:17 pm, Paul Revere said:

    For those not familiar with daytime soaps this is major, major news. The problem with “DAYS” is the Executive Producer, Ken Corday, who is riding the dust of his dad’s coat tails all the while destroying that show. Too bad. However, Ken Corday has done this type of stunt before, so don’t be surprised if they are both back next year. It’s a soap opera afterall. ;-)

  20. #20
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:22 pm, Flyoverman said:

    Like bringing back Luke and Laura.

    Thanks Chap for providing me with two minutes of uncontrolled wretching. :)

    Where’s the medicinal brandy?

  21. #21
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:28 pm, purplepeep said:

    chapoutier said:
    Like the auto industry, I think they should have to come up with a viable business plan first.

    Like bringing back Luke and Laura.

    I think Luke’s still hanging in there, Chappy. Or at least the actor (Tony Geary?) who plays him is still on some soap, I believe.

    Now if AMC could get Cliff and Nina back, I might chip mebbe $1.27 in for the bailout.

  22. #22
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:29 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    Obviously, the OpShop must be bailed out. Recent experience shows a stupid business model is no reason to NOT bail out a company.

  23. #23
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:36 pm, purplepeep said:

    Dexter Alarius said:
    Obviously, the OpShop must be bailed out. Recent experience shows a stupid business model is no reason to NOT bail out a company.

    I think your comment here was meant to respond to a different blog entry, Dexter.

  24. #24
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:40 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    I considered it a cross-over. The main theme here, I believe, is ridiculous bailouts.

  25. #25
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:50 pm, purplepeep said:

    Dexter Alarius said:
    I considered it a cross-over.

    Ah, a crossover. Mebbe you shoulda gone for the “music” thread instead then :)

  26. #26
    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:51 pm, AuntiEm said:

    The reason is as simple as ageism, They took off the soap Another World years ago because the newer younger executives were nauseated by older couples having a sex life. I stopped watching NBC for that reason and I was only in my forties then. No Country for Old Men or Women?

  27. #27
    On November 24th, 2008 at 5:09 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

    On November 24th, 2008 at 4:50 pm, purplepeep said: Mebbe you shoulda gone for the “music” thread instead then

    “He was a one-eye one-horned flying purple-people eater…”

    We have that 45!

  28. #28
    On November 24th, 2008 at 5:41 pm, purplepeep said:

    Dexter Alarius said:
    “He was a one-eye one-horned flying purple-people eater…”
    We have that 45!

    Pretty young then, but I remember it well. The debate rages on as to whether the People Eater was purple or if the people he ate where purple, it’s a bit vague.

    I wonder if there’s anyone 30ish or under who would know what “45″ means, lol. At our house we had some great Edison 78s and even some cylindrical records.

  29. #29
    On November 24th, 2008 at 5:53 pm, DaveC said:

    pretty good finger on that pulse of the Soap Pulse, Michelle.

    :)

    more than just a passing post?

  30. #30
    On November 24th, 2008 at 6:34 pm, CleanGuy said:

    Just move the show to Public Television, right after Sesame Street…

  31. #31
    On November 24th, 2008 at 6:53 pm, MarcoPolo said:

    IIRC, Hall was at the DNC convention this year.

    Looks like she got that change she was looking for!

  32. #32
    On November 24th, 2008 at 6:57 pm, Papa Louie said:

    Haven’t they already bailed out G.E., the owner of NBC and MSNBC?
    It seems to me that they’re already bailing out networks.

  33. #33
    On November 24th, 2008 at 11:13 pm, emjem24 said:

    chapoutier said:
    Like the auto industry, I think they should have to come up with a viable business plan first.

    Like bringing back Luke and Laura.

    OMG- a fellow GH afficionado? Say it ain’t so! First the Bills (now 4-4 unfortunately) now GH.

    Anyhoo, didn’t you get the memo? Luke and Laura, I believe (it could change it is a soap opera), are divorced. Now, Luke is married to Tracy Quartermaine otherwise known as Cruella Deville. Laura has been battling some mysterious, brain-altering illness that has kept her locked away in some nursing home or mental health care facility. Perhaps, she’s in Boca now?

    GH has lost its mojo since the late 90’s when they resurrected the Spencer family. Then the whole show became all about Sonny Corinthos and his naughty mafia ways. Things went south after that.

    Unfortunately, it’s not only GH… it’s all the soap operas. And when they cut bigwigs like Deidre and Drake it just makes the shows worse.

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