The Young and the Restless Dominates the 40th Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations

Good Morning America's Sam Champion took charge announcing the 40th Annual Daytime Emmy nominations this morning around 9 am (EST).  Champion was a natural, and hilarious proving this shows dominance within the morning show realm, and helping GMA grab a bunch of Emmy nominations this morning as well.

Today's nominations were interesting all five eligible dramas received a nomination, including the returning One Life to Live.  Most of the acting categories only had four nominees, and most of the nominees in those categories came from The Young and the Restless.  An interesting twist since most prognosticators thought General Hospital would dominate. Y&R had 11 of the 25 acting nominations, almost half!

The best news on the acting front is that after 26 years on The Bold and the Beautiful Katherine Kelly Lang finally received an acting nomination for playing Brooke Logan.  Props to Robin Roberts for knowing the history of Lang being snubbed.  Another actress who is often snubbed finally received a nomination, Kristen Alderson, but for General Hospital.  Alderson has played Starr Maning for 15 years (since she was 7).

The weirdest category anomaly is the Outstanding Talk Show Categories and Outstanding Talk Show Host, only one line up Dr. Oz.  I am not sure if people did not submit themselves, but no pair, or series of hosts was nominated, and Katie Couric missed out on a nomination as well.

Below is a list of the bigger awards

Best Drama
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
One Life to Live
The Young and the Restless

Best Actor in a Drama Series
Peter Bergman-The Young and the Restless
Doug Davidson-The Young and the Restless
Michael Muhney-The Young and the Restless
Jason Thompson-General Hospital

Best Actress
Susan Flannery-The Bold and the Beautiful
Peggy McCay-Days of Our Lives
Michelle Stafford-The Young and the Restless
Heather Tom-The Bold and the Beautiful

Best Supporting Actor
Bradford Anderson-General Hospital
Jeff Branson-The Young and the Restless
Scott Clifton-The Bold and the Beautiful
Billy Miller-The Young and the Restless

Best Supporting Actress
Julie Marie Berman-General Hospital
Jessica Collins-The Young and the Restless
Melissa Claire Egan-The Young and the Restless
Katherine Kelly Lange-The Bold and the Beautiful
Arienne Zucker-Days of Our Lives

Best Younger Actor
Max Ehrich-The Young and the Restless
Bryton James-The Young and the Restless
Chandler Massey-Days of Our Lives
Freddy Smith-Days of Our Lives

Best Younger Actress
Kristin Alderson-General Hospital
Hunter King-The Young and the Restless
Jacqueline Macinnes Wood-The Bold and the Beautiful
Lindsey Morgan-General Hospital

Best Directing

The Bold and the Beautiful

Days of Our Lives

General Hospital 

The Young and the Restless

Best Writing 

The Bold and the Beautiful

General Hospital 

One Life to Live 

The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Talk Show (Entertainment)
The Ellen Show
Live with Kelly and Michael
The Talk
The View

Outstanding Talk Show (Informative)
The Doctors
Dr. Oz Show
Katie

Outstanding Talk Show host
Anderson Cooper-Anderson Live
Steve Harvey-The Steve Harvey Show
Dr. Mehmet Oz-The Dr. Oz Show
Ricki Lake-The Ricki Lake Show
Rachel Ray-Rachel Ray

Outstanding Game Show
Cash Cab
Family Feud
Jeopardy
Let's Make a Deal
The Price is Right
Who Wants to be a Millionaire

Best Game Show Host
Ben Bailey-Cash Cab
Bill Eichner-Funny or Die Ben Eicher's on the Street
Steve Harvey-Family Feud
Alex Trebek-Jeopardy

Daytime Emmy Predictions

Yep, with only four shows on traditional networks now (One Life to Live is still eligible) the Daytime Emmy nominations are happening tomorrow, here is how I think they will go:

Best Drama
The Bold and the Beautiful
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless

Tough call, B&B was snubbed last year after a series of wins.  This year they said goodbye to Stephanie, which created some good television.  General Hospital has the most wins (ever) it will score a nomination.  The third and last spot is between Y&R, OLTL, and DOOL.  I personally think DOOL gets in, they had their second nomination after many years of never being nominated.  Yet DOOL had some creative bumps in the road.  OLTL has been off the air for a while, but is back (may be off people's mind too much.  I think the safe bet is another perenial favorite over Y&R.

Best Actor in a Drama
Peter Bergman-The Young and the Restless
Maurice Bernard-General Hospital
Doug Davidson-The Young and the Restless
John McCook-The Bold and the Beautiful
Jason Thompson-General Hospital

I think four of these men are locks, Bergman's spot is the wild card, which could go to Howarth for GH, or another younger Y&R guy Michael Muhney, but I think Bergman is a safe bet.

Best Actress in a Drama
Susan Flannery-The Bold and the Beautiful
Finoula Hughes-General Hospital
Peggy McCay-Days of Our Lives
Heather Tom-The Bold and the Beautiful
Laura Wright-General Hospital

The only limb I am going out on is for McCay, her story was incredible, and she has never been nominated, and I think this is something voters go for, and I would like to see her on this list.  Jeanne Cooper being sick could help with a sentimental vote.  I think she is the spoiler

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama
Bradford Anderson-General Hospital
Scott Clifton-The Bold and the Beautiful
Billy Miller-The Young and the Restless
James Reynolds-Days of Our Lives
Greg Rikaart-The Young and the Restless

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama
Julie Marie Berman-General Hospital
Melissa Claire Egan-The Young and the Restless
Nancy Lee Grahn-General Hospital
Rebecca Herbst-General Hospital
Katherine Kelly Lange-The Bold and the Beautiful

Best Younger Actor in a Drama Series
Chad Duell-General Hospital
Max Ehrich-The Young and the Restless
Bryton James-The Young and the Restless
Chandler Massey-Days of Our Lives

Best Younger Actress in a Drama Series
Kristin Alderson-General Hospital
Kim Matula-The Bold and the Beautiful
Haley Pullos-General Hospital
Jacqueline Macinnes Wood-The Bold and the Beautiful

Best Directing
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital

Best Writing
The Bold and the Beautiful
General Hospital
One Life to Live

The Magic of Steven Spielberg

Back in June 2011 (almost two years ago now) I wrote a post entitled "Does Produced by Steven Spielberg Mean Anything Anymore?"  I stand by my thoughts within this that Spielberg is losing his producer mojo, but there is also something impressive and magical about his legacy.

Last night I finally saw Jurassic Park 3-D, and as my friends and I were walking to the theatre two of us realized we never saw Jurassic Park the first time it was released.  Getting to see this film in the theatres was one of most fun experiences, from the intensity of the T-Rex stomp, to the velociraptor cornering the two children in the kitchen.  Even though I had seen this film a couple of times the score combined with that Spielberg brilliance made reminded me that even though this man is respected his genius is often taken for granted.

Spielberg has brought so many great films (and some duds Hook, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, 1941, War Horse, War of the Worlds) but beyond these rare miss steps he has created some of the best and most memorable film experiences of the last almost 40 years.  From needing a bigger boat in Jaws (1975) to alien encounters with Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982).  Spielberg has shared numerous adventures with Indiana Jones, but nothing more magical than Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).  Spielberg has also focused on the more serious and historical like Schindler's List (1993), stormed the beach of Normandy in Saving Private Ryan (1998), and gave a glimpse into the final months of President Lincoln in well Lincoln (2012).

After listening to Sasha Stone's podcast on the 1975 Oscars and Jaws, and watching Jurassic Park last evening I have to agree with her that there is something incredible about a Spielberg film.  Spielberg makes you love the movie experience, and knows how to capture lightening in a bottle for the consumption of all movie goers.  From film snobs to average attendees who go for the escape, or the various combinations.  From the moments you hear the John Williams score, you instantly become sucked into a different world.  Spielberg has done a lot to advance film making, and if you look at his directing legacy (so far) you have to sit back and ponder just how one man created so many classic films.

Kinky Boots (13 nominations) and Matilda (12 nominations) Lead the Tony Award Nominations

In what could be described as a bit of a lackluster year, no musicals or plays making too much of a tremendous splash, there is still some which step out, and have become seen as the best of the year.  In the musical category the two stand out (new) musicals of the season were Matilda, and Kinky Boots.  Both will probably do well, considering the weaker revival line-up with Pippin and surprisingly Roger's and Hammerstein's Cinderella getting the most in the revival category.  Annie was expected to get more, but only scored one nomination.  From what I have seen, and heard of the shows I would like to see Kinky Boots, and Pippin win.

Tom Hanks is on his way to that EGOT; he has the E, and the O, and I think this is where he adds the T.  Hanks is starring in the play Lucky Guy, which received the most nominations for a new play, along with Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.  These two are the front runners for this prize.  I would love to see Lucky Guy win as a tribute to the great work of the late Nora Ephron.  Golden Boy leads the nominations in the revival category with 8, but look out for Virginia Woolf, this revival is the one to beat!

So obviously the next question is who was snubbed?  Sigourney Weaver was the biggest snub of the day in my book, I was shocked not to hear her name called.  Motown: The Musical, also missed out, and after a last minute box office surge right before the Tony Awards.  I swore it would have knocked out Bring it On or A Christmas Story, but Motown lost out to these two.  The curse of Macbeth continues, Alan Cumming was snubbed.  Annie only receiving one one nomination was also very surprising, and no Anthony Warlow too.

Best Play
The Assembled Parties
Lucky Guy
The Testament of Mary
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

Best Revival of a Play
Golden Boy
Orphans
The Trip to the Bountiful
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Best Musical 
Bring it On: The Musical
A Christmas Story
Kinky Boots
Matilda 

Best Revival of a Musical 
Annie
Pippin
The Myster of Edwin Drood
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Best Actor in a Play 
Tom Hanks, Lucky Guy
Nathan Lane, The Nance
Tracy Letts, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
David Hyde Pierce, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tom Sturridge, Orphans

Best Actress in a Play 
Laurie Metcalf, The Other Place
Amy Morton, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Kristine Nielsen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Holland Taylor, Ann
Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful

Best Featured Actor in a Play 
Danny Burstein, Golden Boy
Richard Kind, The Big Knife
Billy Magnussen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tony Shalhoub, Golden Boy
Courtney B. Vance, Lucky Guy

Best Featured Actress in a Play 
Carrie Coon, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Shalita Grant, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Judith Ivey, The Heiress
Judith Light, The Assembled Parties
Condola Rashad, The Trip to Bountiful

Best Actor in a Musical 
Bertie Carvel, Matilda The Musical
Santino Fontana, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Rob McClure, Chaplin
Billy Porter, Kinky Boots
Stark Sands, Kinky Boots

Best Actress in a Musical 
Stephanie J. Block, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Carolee Carmello, Scandalous
Valisia LeKae, Motown The Musical
Patina Miller, Pippin
Laura Osnes, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Best Featured Actor in a Musical 
Charl Brown, Motown The Musical
Keith Carradine, Hands on a Hardbody
Will Chase, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Gabriel Ebert, Matilda The Musical
Terrence Mann, Pippin

Best Featured Actress in a Musical 
Annaleigh Ashford, Kinky Boots
Victoria Clark, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Andrea Martin, Pippin
Keala Settle, Hands on a Hardbody
Lauren Ward, Matilda The Musical

Best Direction of a Play 
Pam MacKinnon, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Nicholas Martin, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Bartlett Sher, Golden Boy
George C. Wolfe, Lucky Guy

Best Direction of a Musical 
Scott Ellis, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots
Diane Paulus, Pippin
Matthew Warchus, Matilda The Musical

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for Theatre

A Christmas Story, The MusicalMusic and Lyrics: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

Hands on a HardbodyMusic: Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green
Lyrics: Amanda Green

Kinky BootsMusic & Lyrics: Cyndi Lauper

Matilda The MusicalMusic & Lyrics: Tim Minchin

Best Book of a Musical 

A Christmas Story, The MusicalJoseph Robinette

Kinky BootsHarvey Fierstein

Matilda The MusicalDennis Kelly

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CinderellaDouglas Carter Beane

Full nomination tally:
“Kinky Boots” – 13
“Matilda The Musical” – 12
“Pippin” – 10
“Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella” – 9
“Golden Boy” – 8
“Lucky Guy” – 6
“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” – 6
“The Mystery of Edwin Drood” – 5
“The Nance” – 5
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” – 5
“Motown The Musical” – 4
“The Trip to Bountiful” – 4
“The Assembled Parties” – 3
“A Christmas Story, The Musical” – 3
“Hands on a Hardbody” – 3
“The Testament of Mary”- 3
“Bring It On: The Musical” – 2
“The Heiress” – 2
“Orphans “- 2
“Ann” – 1
“Annie” – 1
“The Big Knife” – 1
“Chaplin” – 1
“Cyrano de Bergerac” – 1
“The Other Place” – 1
“Scandalous” – 1

Tony Nomination Predictions

It makes me sad that I have not seen a brand new Broadway Play or Musical in over a year (I need to change that).  With that said I always pay attention to the shows of the season.  Tomorrow the Broadway community will have Sutton Foster (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Shrek, Anything Goes), and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family) announce the nominees.  Who will make the cut?

Best Play 
"Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike"
"Lucky Guy"
"The Assembled Parties"
"The Nance"

Best Play Revival
"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf"
"The Trip to Bountiful"
"Golden Boy"
"Glengarry Glen Ross"

Best Actor in a Play 
Tom Hanks, "Lucky Guy"
David Hyde-Pierce, "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike"
Nathan Lane, "The Nance"
Alan Cumming, "Macbeth"
Tracy Letts, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf"

Best Actress in a Play 
Cicely Tyson, "A Trip to Bountiful"
Bette Midler, "I'll Eat You Last"
Laurie Metcalf, "The Other Place"
Sigourney Weaver, "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike"
Holland Taylor, "Ann"

Best Musical 
"Matilda"
"Kinky Boots"
"Motown"
"A Christmas Story"

Best Musical Revival
"Pippin"
"Annie"
"The Mystery of Edwin Drood"
"Cinderella"

Best Actor in a Muscial 
Billy Porter, "Kinky Boots"
Bertie Carvel, "Matilda"
Brandon Victor Dixon, "Motown"
Anthony Warlow, "Annie"
Rob McClure, "Chaplin"

Best Actress in a Musical
Patina Miller, "Pippin"
Lilla Crawford, "Annie"
Laura Osnes, "Cinderella"
Stephanie J. Block, "Edwin Drood"
Carolee Carmello, "Scandalous"

All My Children (AMC) and One Life to Live (OLTL) are Back!

As Petey walks into Opal's home the line "Everyone's watching TV online now" made me chuckle with glee. There is an obvious insider joke that All My Children known to fans as AMC, and One Life to Live or OLTL getting saved by Prospect Park and Hulu is the direction television is moving toward.

When we last left Pine Valley, JR was about to burst into the Chandler Mansion with a gun, and shoot folks. The opening sequence showed David (Vincent Irizarry) struggling with JR and shots ring out.  AMC reincarnation picks up five years after the sad incident.

I have missed these characters, returning to Pine Valley we have the incomparable Jesse (Darnell Williams) and Angie (Debbie Morgan) Dixie (Cady McClain), Opal (Jill Larson), Adam (David Canary) Brooke (Julia Barr), and Zach (Thorstyn Kaye), and of course a whole slew of the next Generation from Adam JR, Miranda, and a whole slew of guest stars on heading into town from Alicia Minshew's Kendall to Eden Riegel's Bianca.  The cast is smaller, there are lots new folks, and no Erica Kane or la Lucci as Regis calls her, but watching the show felt like coming home.

I fell in love with All My Children when my grandmother used to watch me, my grandpa would go in the other room (to finish the Young and the Restless) and I would watch AMC with my grandma.  I was sad when this show was cancelled, but I am excited to see who comes back, and where the new characters will take this reborn series.  David out of jail for manslaughter, watching the loving Angie and Jesse, and damn is Petey sexy!  I just hope Erica comes back to spar with Brooke, those fights have been some of my favorite over the years.

Leaving Pine Valley, and on Llanview. Returning to our computer screens there's Victoria Lord (Erika Slezak), Jerry verDorn (Clint Buchanan)Tuck Watkins (David Vickers), Dorian Lord (Robin Strasser), Natalie Buchanan (Melissa Archer) Tea Delgado (Florencia Lozano) Dannielle Manning (Kelley Misal), Bo Buchanan (Robert S. Woods) Nora Buchanan (Hillary B. Smith), Kassie DePaiva (Blair Manning), Roger Howarth (Todd Manning) and some recasts.

When OLTL left the air there were some cross over stories which brought Todd, Blair, Tea, Star, and John McBain to Port Charles. With these stars characters contractually obligated to to return to Prospect Parks version I am curious to see how all of this plays out.  At the moment the rumor is that many of the characters will return to Port Charles again,  but now as different characters. I have to say, don't do this!

More on the residents of Llanview and their own drama.  The show picks up, not far in the future with brand new club opening now known as Shelter, Dorian in a political scandal, Todd returning home, Vicki and Clint engaged, and masked men with a symbol on their arms wrestling and fighting.  Matthew and Destiny have been recast, and I have to say I am not as big of a fan of the new Destiny, I like that they had a heavier actress on the air, and this recast proves to be an interesting change of direction.

I started watching One Life to Live much later, and not as attached to this show as much as All My Children.  When I watched AMC I got chills for the return of these characters, and OLTL provided some excitement, just not the same level.  Over the last years of both shows One Life to Live was just a much better show, and more consistent.  When both were cancelled my heart sank a bit, ABC did a poor job by cancelling them both rather than investing in their long running programming.

Both AMC and OLTL come back on an equal playing field with this rebirth.  There were of course some pieces missing in both, from characters who should be there to some bad dialogue alluding too much to new technology, too much music blaring over dialogue, and some over acting but that's a Soap!  I am excited to see the direction these shows go because with the online market through Hulu they can be a huge success once again, bringing old and newer viewers back to these shows.  Watching Blair and Todd's fiery passion, or the long lasting Angie and Jesse, and seeing the new young ones is a blast.  Welcome back All My Children and One Life to Live!

A Tribute to Great Film: Carrie (1976)

I have to start by saying I am not a huge fan of the horror genre, but the original Carrie is not a horror film, but rather more of a thriller.  The film centers around Carrie White an outcast in high school, who is not only abused by her peers, but her mother is abusive as well.  Throughout the film Carrie discovers she has telekinesis, and with determination she can move things with her mind.  After a prank gone wrong Carrie's peers are punished, but they decide to get back at her, but Carrie's powers take things to a different level.

Carrie the film is a blending of two great minds, the author of the book Stephen King, and the director of the film Brian DePalma.  While versions are similar King's book deals more with the telekinesis as it relates to the horror genre, there are a few more survivors, and the aftermath is major part of the book warning against bullying.  In today's society more children should read this book, as a testament to the power of their actions.

DePalma's film version is one of those classic under rated films.  In a time and place and genre which can be sorely overlooked.  Horror/thrillers often are not taken seriously enough.  DePalma's work is a stroke of the visual manipulating the situation to be a simple story, that becomes so much more.  DePalma knows how to bring the visuals and technical aspects of his films to life, but Carrie may be his crowning achievement.  The cinematography and score always stand out.  Mario Tosi's cinematography captures color, and shading brilliantly highlighting the dark, and shadows well.  From the moment the pigs blood is dropped and the screen splits in that concluding scene the power of the cinematography takes over.  The cinematography is not the only thing, but the score from Pino Donnagio sets one of the haunting and ominous tones.  In a thriller the score is one of the most important elements, and Donnagio lets gives this film one creepy vibe.

Two of the other important pieces of this film are Carrie played superbly by Sissy Spacek and her mother Margaret White the genius Piper Laurie.  In lesser hands Carrie could have been this angst ridden teenager, but Spacek is so subtle and brilliant, while also being frightening that she nails ever level of this performance.  Laurie Margaret who was a religious zealot is scary on a different level; she terrifies you, yet makes you feel sad for her and her past.  Laurie is a talented actress, and while there are times I think the performance is a little over dramatic, but then I see people like her in the news, and realize she hit this character out of the park.  Carrie only had two Oscar nominations, for both tese ladies, but Spacek actually won the Best Actress prize at the National Society of Film Critics.

Carrie has had a lasting impact, the film was made into a Broadway musical in 1989, there was a sequel The Rage: Carrie 2 (only Amy Irving returned), and now there is a remake on its way this year with Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass) and Julianne Moore, the respective mother daughter roles.  While the film release this year has potential nothing can ever reach the quality of the original, or be as lasting of an image in the thriller genre as this film.