AMC/OLTL: HW Rumor

[Dr. Jay S.W.]

I heard that Frons is seeking Kay Alden for AMC and Burton Armus is going to OLTL. People are saying that Frons had always invisioned her for All My Children. I also heard that he is going to let Guza remain, and wait until next summer and make a decision then.. Again, i am not insider, i just heard this from someone else. What do you guys think

[Tzelkos]

Personally I think nothing is going to happen at AMC or OLTL or especially GH.

I'm relatively sure Megan McTavish will still be AMC's headwriter at least until April of next year. And I don't think Dena will go anywhere unless she wants to leave in November.

I think the Burton Armus stuff is a load.

[dtchicago]

Who is Burton Armus and why would we want him to write for OLTL?

I think if it were between Higley and McTavish, McTavish would go first. AMC has higher expectations than OLTL and in my opinion, it has many more problems including disatorous ratings than OLTL does.

[cal3]

Hackley's contract (assuming a 2 year contract) is up in about a week. Since there is no suggestion of her departure I suspect we're stuck with the Hack.

AMC at 2.3 and OL at 2.4 isn't enough of a difference for me to argue as to which is worse. They are both disasters from the little I've seen of AMC and the lot I've seen of OLTL. OLTL also has David, Kevin, Kelly leaving in a month (Kevin on 11/16 and Kelly on 12/14 and David in Nov) and supposedly other departures as well. Given that knowledge I'd have to say OLTL is in a far worse position than AMC.

[Cheap21]

those rumors have been going around for weeks in hte MMT Email thread

[LookingGlass]

If there was any ever truth to the Burton Armus stuff, which is in serious doubt, then maybe he *is* going to OLTL. There wouldn't be any hint at it because it would have been a last minute change of plan. He seems to be a better fit for John's Life to Live anyway.

As for AMC, it's as good as dead so it doesn't really matter who writes it. Brian finally got back to his plan for AMC that he started in late 2002/early 2003 but abandoned prematurely (ie eliminating it). And this time he's going full speed ahead.

[Jess]

Yeah if anybody was going to get Burton whoever it would be John's Life to LIve. It doesn't matter who is the writer, OLTL is doomed.

[Chris B]

I would be very worried if Kay Alden came to AMC, hell anywhere, based on her work at Y&R.

[Sylph]

Why? If someone sucks at one show, that someone might be a perfect fit for the other. We'll see.

I just want these rumours to be finished with. It's just annoying.

[Chris B]

I guess that could be right Slyph, but I was already fooled when Dena Higley (the worst DAYS headwriter in history?) started off good on OLTL and now we see how the show is. I thought, "hmm...maybe this is a better fit" but I was mistake. Now OLTL fans have had to suffer through two god awful headwriters back to back.

I'd rather AMC pick someone who is more of a sure thing. I can't imagine how much it would suck if we go to Mctavish to something just as bad.

[Sylph]

Yeah, The Dena Higley Case. It's really amazing how people get a HW job sometimes.

The problem is that Kay Alden was for only maybe three–four years the only HW at Y&R, and other times when she was HW she shared duties with someone else (either Trent Jones or John F. Smith). Anyway, I think that she would never sink to certain lows, but it's difficult to know. Primetime writers are much more predictable (maybe this is the wrong word, but you'll understand).

[sheilaforever]

Let me please step in as defense for Kay Alden. She is a much better writer than most people give her credit for.

She had her faults - teen overload and often weak profiling of woman - but at least these errors where connected with overall great storylines involving many many many characters. She also focussed on the core people of the show - among those Kay/Jill - so that I look back at her headwriting days with fond memories. Back then, Y&R had very long story arcs without being boring, it was serious without lacking some of the most corny moments in Genoa City history (sperm freezers anyone?) - I loved it. Overall Kay Alden should be above the current pack of headwriters on most shows these days...

[whyamcwhy]

I think the person who originally posted this rumor also said that B&B was going to be turned into an hour long show. I really, really doubt that considering the shape soaps are in today. I am very skeptical about Alden going to AMC because of this. I find the Burton Amos rumor more believable at this point. I could be wrong though.

I wonder if Frons is the one who should be worried about his job. Alll three of the ABC soaps are hurting. GH is down over a million viewers. AMC is suffering record low ratings. Frons is in charge of the direction the soaps go and he micromanages everything. It is his direction that is destroying the ABC soaps. Shouldn't he be the one that is fired??? Isn't it his responsibility? Shouldn't he answer for the problems they are having??

I still think the HW's for AMC and OLTL should be fired too. And the fact that they haven't goes back to Frons too. He should have fired them a long time ago. When the ratings started to decline, he should have gotten off his butt and done something. I just think it is going to be so difficult for AMC and the other ABC soaps to recover from this.

[jjjg]

I don't see Frons ever removing Guza from GH.

[cal3]

Aren't all 3 of the ABC soaps at an all time low rating or creating a new one? I know 2.4 was OL's low until they went to 2.3. For them to be happy that they are now fluctuating between 2.3 and 2.4 for a sustained period is pretty much of a joke. Has GH been below a 2.5? Frons reign of disaster continues.