DaytimeFan

Yes, it was a very gracious, thoughtful, kind thing of Aaron Spelling to do. From what I understand, that's just who he was. Now, that isn't to say he was some pushover (he was a nightmare if you crossed him)...but if you were there for Aaron, Aaron was there for you. I think 'Dynasty' was the pinnacle of Aaron's career and I think his long standing friendship with Joan (they'd known each other since the 50s) was kismet. They did not sign away their royalties for the reunion mini-series (they all took paycuts instead, Joan only made $200,000 for the thing!) or CBS reunion (which paid so bad Diahann Carroll refused to do it, Joan was paid the best at $55,000, her buddy Henry Winkler was the producer, surprise surprise). I feel the same way you do about Joan. I'd hate to see her lowered, financially or otherwise, simply because she survived the business so long and only tasted real success in her late 40s. She hung in there, she deserved it. That said, Joan Collins is expensive to run. Four homes, three children, three grandchildren, constant travelling, trainers, clothes, costume jewels...the lifestyle is expensive, hence she works. She's not doing 5 weeks of pantomime for nothing!

No, I have it on very good authority that the clause is in effect for perpetuity. The Shapiro's have worked out a deal with Joan that financially compensates her. This puts Joan in a good mood, she takes to her Twitter to boost the movie a little. Very Hollywood .

LOL. In all fairness, Aaron hired Joan for 'Pacific Palisades' because of her battle with Random House that drained her cash flow, no other reason, he simply wanted to help out a friend. He paid her $75,000 an episode. She did seven, those couple of months grossed a tidy $525,000 for Joan, right when she needed it most. Joan has always struck me as the type who lives high, regardless of whether the money is there or not. I am aware, however, that post Random House, Joan smartened up, paid off her mortgages and has since managed her money herself in an ultra conservative manner designed by her pal Jimmy Goldsmith. And yes, nobody from the Aaron Spelling universe makes residuals, aside from a handful who got producer credits on his shows (Heather Locklear was a co-producer for the last few seasons of 'Melrose Place' for instance). Otherwise, nobody has residuals from the Spelling shows. Joan has said that they were all convinced that 'Dynasty' would not sell well in syndication because it was a serial and therefore couldn't be stripped as easily. Domestically, this proved totally true. However, the foreign residuals have been massive money makers. The DVD sales couldn't hurt either. As well, the deals the majority got were substantial. $1.5 million was nearly a year's salary for Joan and it was CASH, it's what she used to buy her villa in the south of France (a place that now would be worth $30 million, if not more, for the land alone). Nolan had the gall to use fake chinchilla for Linda Evans in the reunion on CBS because the outfit he did for Linda was specifically for that show. Everyone else, Joan included, wore their own clothes. Nolan has been dealing with lung cancer since 2006. He looked terribly ill in 2007 and 2008, but he was photographed with Ann-Margret at an event in Beverly Hills last May and he looked great, his hair is white now and his tan has faded, but he looked like himself and was no longer gaunt, he looked good. I hope he is in full remission. He never smoked and he's always seemed like a really affable straight shooter. You can watch recent videos of him on QVC's website, he has a jewellery line there. I found it interesting that in the HELLO! layout of Joan's London home, one of the only non-family members who is in photographs with Joan (in silver picture frames, naturally) is Nolan. She and Nolan are BFF. Regardless of what's going on with him, I am confident that Joan has a watchful eye on him.

Joan's contracts were negotiated with Aaron Spelling directly, Esther Shapiro never had any say in regards to contracts...perhaps it was Spelling's way of protecting Joan, Aaron had a funny way of looking out for some of his stars: he bought out Farrah Fawcett and Kate Jackson's share of 'Charlie's Angels' residuals and signed them over to Jaclyn Smith as he felt she'd earned them since she stayed with the series from beginning to end. Interestingly, he did the exact opposite to the 'Dynasty' cast, he bought each and every one of them out of their residuals, which royally screwed all of them. Joan's residual deal was worth $1.5 million back in 1988...a lot of money at the time...but had she retained her residuals, she likely would have made $25 million at this point, considering how well the show has continued to sell.

RHoBH: WHOA. Camille and Kelsey. Freaky. Deaky. Those two deserve each other. Jackie Collins is right, if she wrote what actually goes down, she'd be laughed off the page! I just adore Lisa. What she said to Kyle about Taylor ("I'm very straightforward I don't have time for bullsh*t") and then how she called Taylor out on her 'put on a happy face' routine was gold. I loved Farrah's university graduation, Kyle and the whole family was just...wonderful. Have to wonder what was up with Rick and Kathy and their children...kind of seemed like a slap in the face for them to head to the south of France the day before Farrah graduated. And those flowers were horrendous. I cannot wait till next week. Kim made a fatal error with pulling Lisa into the mix. She is NOT going to back down. And how everything is going to implode in the limo home between Kyle and Kim...about damn time! Loving Adrienne and Paul. RHoATL: I loved the episode. I knew Phaedra and Kim would get along once the cards were on the table. That sip and see was hilarious. I love how Sheree is, all of a sudden, the sane one! Nene continues to be fabulous. Her tags for 11 ALIVE were terrific! I HATED that jerk Kandi had on tour, what a diva. Kim's no angel, but geeeeez he was too much. Next week is going to be off the hook with Nene v Kim. Cannot. Wait. Peter and Cynthia should just call it off now. Those two won't make it to their 3rd anniversary. He is an angry prick.

They're going to hit a bit of a hiccup courtesy of Joan Collins... In Joan's renegotiated contract of 1985 she had it artfully written into her deal that no actress could ever assume the role of Alexis, regardless of the medium or time frame in the storyline in perpetuity. Joan established ownership over the character. Why she did this remains a bit of a mystery to me, nobody watched for 'Alexis'...they watched for Joan Collins AS Alexis. Now, either the Shapiros have negotiated a financial deal with Joan or they are about to get a really nasty surprise from her lawyers. There is no movie if there isn't Alexis.

Bitch is evil. That's a great magazine cover. Totally accurate.

My heart be still. There's no way Jackie Collins would be on BH (no husband and she's kept her children and grandchildren totally out of the spotlight)...but Joan...for the right price...she would be sensational. I can only imagine her at the Dinner Party From Hell. She would have literally slapped Camille and DD and Alison. I think she'd get along best with the 3 Winners (Kyle, Lisa and Adrienne), she'd eat Kim for breakfast, dismiss Taylor as the loser she is and loathe Camille with strategic withering put downs. That said, I just don't see it happening. Joan is 77 going on 78...she has resisted all forms of reality television (and she's been offered big bucks to do a ton of shows) and from what I can gather she's actually busy with work this year (2 movies plus a book).

I've been watching all day! Happy New Year everyone! Like Andy Cohen would say, Mazel!

Yeah, Faye is kind of trashy, without question, but I find that fun and refreshing and bullshit free. She just is who she is and honey, she'll just click/clack in her high heels away from whoever has a problem with her and snap a bejewelled finger at anyone who gets in her way. Television Without Pity is hilarious.

I don't think Lisa was amused, right at the end of the party we saw, for the first time, Lisa crack a little under pressure and lose her cool, just a tiny bit. I know beneath the champagne kisses and caviar dreams, Lisa has fire in her. I didn't think Adrienne was petrified, I think she was disgusted, she's above it all and she knows it. Camille is evil. I really mean that. From my first impression of her, I like Faye Resnick. She tells it like it is. She isn't necessarily the epitome of class, but she seems like a fun broad. Why not pleasantly surprised regarding her friendship with Kyle? Why does Camille hate her? Why does Camille hate everyone? She's a narcissistic pig.

Wow, that Allison Dubois chick was white trash and just a gutter snipe. What's that phrase Melissa Rivers coined? Whore Pit Viper, that's it. That's Allison Dubois. Camille is so disgusting, ditto her lap dog DD. Lisa seemed mortified. Adrienne looked more like a mafia wife who was *not* amused.

Aren't they amazing? I love Lisa. Cedric is the ideal partner in crime.

Just wait till you're done. Kelly cracks. In a big, messy, crazy, way.

Oh no, by the end of Season 3, Ramona is the Mother Teresa of the Real Housewives. She comes off VERY well in comparison to all the rest.

I LOVE Wendy Williams. Lisa's skincare line, Epione, is surprisingly well formulated. The cream for hyperpigmentation is the gold standard formula wise. The sunscreen is excellent, all mineral protection and slightly tinted. The only problem is that some of the products are packaged in jars! Ugh, I hate how so many great formulas are packaged in jars! This latest week of ATL: is it just me or is Kandi an annoying bitch?

David Cameron killed him. Ed Miliband is a joke.

BH: *High Five Cedric*...oh my God that made me laugh, he's the bomb. Lisa continues her streak of fabulosity: "Under all that dynamite was a two inch fuse". I love Adrienne and Paul's relationship. Kim was far more tolerable this episode. Kyle is gorgeous. Taylor is an evil attention seeking golddigger. Not much of that bitch Camille in this episode, choosing a dress is SO much work.

Was anyone else exclaiming "You GO Nene!" when she ripped into Greg? That fake doctor Sheree was dealing with was SUCH a scumbag. I only wish she'd "Who Gonna Check Me Boo?"'d his ass. I have to say, I find Kim hilarious. Her parents are adorable.

Am I the only one who doesn't understand why the WikiLeaks thing is such a big deal? So the USA is spying on everyone? Umm is that a surprise? So Hillary Clinton ordered DNA collection and phone numbers and contact info for dignitaries on US soil...again, is that a surprise to anyone? Bitchy retorts about Putin, the Koreans, Iran and the Afghan leader? Again, shocking? Not so far as I'm concerned. The only issue I see with WikiLeaks is how did they get their hands on the information, THAT is the problem as far as I'm concerned.

Oh I'm under the assumption that those two have been copulating like bunny rabbits for quite some time now.

Have Joe Biden or Barack Obama confused North and South Korea in regards to which side is an ally of the United States? I didn't think so. That Palin screws up an issue that is so current, so crucial, as the conflict between North and South Korea, is just shocking to me. I absolutely feel better knowing that she's tucked away in Alaska, as Barbara Bush said, I think she should stay there too. Hilary would have been the better choice. I think she has proved that in her role as Secretary of State, a role she has excelled in.

Interesting that you didn't address my point regarding Sarah Palin. But of course you couldn't, there's no justification for her idiocy. And Obama isn't my president. I didn't vote for him. I was behind Hilary Clinton.

Yes, I brought her up. You compare her to Palin and the difference is staggering. Thatcher may have her detractors in the millions, but the woman had a vision and she could construct a simple declarative statement. Palin can't claim either.

Are you serious? Equating gaffes like the special olympics, 57 states and middle east for centuries with confusing NORTH v SOUTH KOREA?! One set of comments hurt feelings or sound stupid, the other set of comments start wars and are unforgivably uninformed and internationally embarrassing. Sarah Palin is a laughingstock. Obama's not perfect, but compared to Palin, he's Mother Teresa.