Y&R: Maria Arena Bell interview

[Cat]

http://tvguide.sympatico.msn.ca/Soaps/Feat...a_arena_bell_NB

[Cat]

Sigh. This interview. I don't want to debate all over again for 60 billion pages whether MAB is the worst kind of hack or Daytime's soap saviour reincarnated. She ain't either.

But honestly (and I stress, this is my own personal opinion), if MAB were a hot guy? And whispering these sweet nothings to me like she did to Branco? I would already be stripped down to my La Perlas and leading He-MAB to the bedroom.

[dm.]

I'm glad she is very passionate about her job and it doesn't seem from her words that she is only doing this out of obligation without actually caring for the show.

The only thing that I hated is how happy she was with Cane and Lily. That's a downer.

[Darn]

Great interview, I like her. And what she had to say about gay characters and gay storylines was fantastic: they're just a part of life. That makes me hopeful for the upcoming stories with Rafe and whoever else is gay on the canvas.

I'm loving Y&R these days (for the most part), it's nice to have an HW that isn't angry or making excuses.

[Sylph]

All I'm going to say: Nelson could learn a lot from FrenchFan and Toups.

[dm.]

Well, we all know NB's interviewing skills...

...but what about MAB's comments?

[classicmoment]

**Gets ready for the 50 pages of debate***

I think MAB, as is her approach to the show, handled the interview intelligently

NB is annoying Good God. I was trying to overlook the crap/brownosing fest to get to the actual questions

[SteveFrame]

Oh geez what - wait a minute - Nelson Branco is not a great journalist. And I thought he was

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

Loved what she had to say. I am still not sure where I stand on MAB. I love some things she has done, and up until a few weeks ago I was square 100% in her corner. As well as Paul Rauch's this go around.

But a lot of recent moves both in front of the camera with story and recent backstage happenings with Scott and Walton and other things have made me doubt my initial love for both.

I will just be glad when MAB gets over rewriting stuff and moves forward with story. I love when the past is used to move story forward, but I don't enjoy having to keep going back over the same things we have already been over before. And that is not just at Y&R but on so many shows these days.

[Sylph]

No one ever said he was...

[baller]

I'm glad we can all agree Nelson is not a good interviewer. Seriously, it's a freaking 4 year old on ADD...

Her pity party over the nomination process and the stunt thing is a little junior high, especially since B&B's stuff (which she sings the praises of) is TOTALLY stunt. Sorry hon, you picked and it was the wrong choice. It happens.

I do give her props for this. Why, because it's not a EP actually able to call a story what it is and actually use the word "gay" and have it be ok, but be what it should be about--relationships, with people who just happen to be ok. But I do applaud her for being able to use the word and label it.

[Aaron]

I often wonder if Nelson forgets what a total and complete snooze Y&R was for the first several months of MAB's reign. It was All-Sabrina, All The Time. It wasn't until Hogan Sheffer came on board that things really came alive, and then when Paul Rauch showed up, the show really started to shine.

So it always amuses me the way he rewrites history and makes it seem like MAB was a genius from jump street. I think Hogan deserves far, FAR more credit than he gets.

[Ann_SS]

ITA!!! I give Sheffer credit for just about everything good on Y&R. I hated the show under MAB solo reign. It was a bore with Sabrina and Victor wandering around an art museum. Nothing interesting happened on the show for months. Sheffer turned this show around and he deserves all the kudos.

[FrenchFan]

Thanks Sylph You know how to enlight my day

[Sylph]

:lol: True!

But make no mistake: Maria Arena & Hogan Sheffer are a disastrous duo! She manages to somehow suffocate his ideas or to modify them into something appalling, grotesque. Hogan does not do well with a weak co-writer (he himself not being strong) - he needs someone to direct his energies. But at the same time, those tales about Carolyn Culliton have been exaggerated.

[MTSRocks]

If you don't like Nelson's blog don't read them. Simple. His praise is a little over the top, but his passion is admirable.