OLTL: Robin Strasser exit interview

[alexisfan07]

Uh oh, ABC and Robin are disagreeing as to what happened regarding her exit!

http://www.tvguide.c...fe-1035931.aspx

EDIT: Oops, just realized I as in the discussion section. Move it please!

[Cheap21]

OLTL wont let her come back? NOT surprised. I always knew she was let go and that her leaving for back issues was only half the story. They used this as a way to get rid of her, most likely bc of her very vocal twitter posts

[alexisfan07]

Sounds to me like they could've brought her back after her exit but decided to end her arc early with half the other cast members. I still hope they bring her back for an appearance or two.

[NorrthCafe]

Considering it's still a bit experimental to move a major soap like OLTL to an online format, you'd think that the network would want every advantage possible. The show needs Dorian, IMO. It's always more interesting when Dorian and Echo are mixing things up, than when Echo goes after Vicki.

[alexisfan07]

I'm a little dense. Wouldn't Robin have to agree to this July 1 exit date since they were negotiating? I mean, she may have disagreed with it but she agreed to it. I think she wanted out more than she's willing to let on, even if she didn't know how to let go.

[DRW50]

I'm still not that sure if this really involved ABC being angry over her Tweets. I don't know if they care at this point. I think that for budget reasons, a lot of actors were shown the door, and since Dorian has been non-essential to many at ABC/OLTL for some years now, she was on the list. That she asked to leave early just made it easier for them.

I'm sorry that the only mention of Elaine Princi ended up being used as an example of Rauch arrogance.

Her stories have been weak for years so I'm not too shocked if her exit is as well. At least it sounds like Dorian will have a happy ending.

I'm glad someone said this out loud. It has been evident for a long time.

The networks think viewers are morons.

[Soapsuds]

TV Guide Magazine: If it's any consolation, that's an across-the-boards problem at ABC. I view the Daytime Emmy reels each year and it's obvious why CBS wins so many acting awards. There is real meat to their submissions. The ABC nominees tend to have reels that are choppy and disjointed, reels that build no momentum because few scenes are allowed to run longer than a minute.

Strasser: That's the A.D.D. philosophy that rules the ABC shows. Dare I say that the people making those decisions are bored with daytime storytelling? And that they were bored back when they were given the job? [ABC Daytime chief] Brian Frons sits in meetings and says the viewers have no attention span and proceeds to structure the shows to suit that. Let me assure you, the daytime audience is diverse and discriminating and intelligent, and anybody who says different should not be working in daytime drama! But that would be my unasked-for big-ass opinion. And, by the way, many of us tried to draw ABC's attention to the CBS Emmy reels and said, "Look at how they do it!"

Any wonder these soaps are dead. They have an idiot in charge of ABC.

[RavenWhitney]

OMFG: she's batty, but what a read. She must drink the same Koolaid as Zimmer, Rowell and Chappell. Wow...certifiable but love alot of what she reveals. Ron Carlivati's writing has a distinct, juvenile style and she understands that and how it contributed to OLTL's deterioration. But her words about Frons..fierce..you go girl. The best thing about the degradation and ultimate destruction of these soaps is that the likes of Bloom, Frons, Phelps will be gone. Hopefully, we'll enter an era where new creative blood will be able to make their mark, the way Irna and Agnes and Bill did in the early days of television.

[cher1989]

It's always more interesting with Dorian. I hope that Prospect Park is smart enough to invite RS back. Don't care what the reasons are for her early departure. I would like to see Dorian return before the last televised airdate in January. I wish RS the best with her health, as well.

[Carolyn1980]

You know, I always thought of Robin Strasser as the quintessential Dorian, but I loved Elaine Princi, too, and I was sad when she got what I thought was a raw deal back in 1993 when she was ousted from the role. Reading Strasser's dismissive comments of her, and her ego-filled remarks only makes me think she must be a real handful. Not surprised she and JFP clashed at OLTL, lol. Strasser's comments then about Linda Dano, and the story of her going to Erika Slezak when Kim Zimmer was coming aboard to voice her concerns...well, she's clearly crazy.

I suspect Laura Wright's ego is also what's behind the rumors that Tamara Braun is in talks to reclaim the role of Carly.

[Soapsuds]

Her ego probably got bigger and exploded once she one that faux Emmy.

[Carolyn1980]

LOL. Yeah, I think it was already pretty big, but I'm sure the *Daytime* Emmy went right to her head....you know, the same award Natalia Livingston won.

Oy. I still remember Laura Wright when she was Laura Sisk on LOVING. God-awful then...not much better now.

[Soapsuds]

I still remember her speech after winning and her interviews afterwards...what a pompous [!@#$%^&*]!

[EastMA2]

Oh Robin, what are we going to do with you? There's no denying that she is an extremely talented actress, but she does tend to have a long history of spouting off and then changing her story. As someone pointed out above, she would have had to agree to the July 1st exit date. She tweeted about signing the papers when it happened. I've said it before, having heard first hand from someone who worked directly in that OLTL studio, they were happy to see her go back in 1987, unhappy to see her come back in '93, and probably happy to let her go early. She's a handful.

[You're Soaking in it]

I'm going to digress on the thread subject just a little on this, Carolyn, because your comments raise some things I've thought about over the years.

I love Robin, but Princi was screwed. She brought a depth, edge, and multi-facet to Dorian that was lacking in Strasser's previous run. She was certainly far less over the top, and therefor perhaps not as colorful and entertaining to some. But Princi was the actress that got me to see Dorian as a real person with a history and emotions. I came to know her as a woman who fought back, even in misplaced battles, because of a painful upbringing. It was so much more substance than I had seen prior to her assuming the role.

When Strasser came back, she adopted several of the traits that Princi brought to the character. Even back then, Strasser would make thinly veiled digs against Princi's run in the role (one of her first was "with all due respect to other actresses who played my role, Dorian is more than just Cassie's mother!" - which could have only been directed at Princi, but was nonsense considering that Princi played more story than just "being Cassie's mother.") I took these not as confidence, but insecurity - because her return was not universally well received. Many fans - and co-stars - were stunned by Princi's exit... and knew that Strasser basically used an offer to play GL's Alexandra as a bargaining chip to get a better deal at OLTL.

Strasser was initially tossed into a shallow, scenery-chewing part of a story with Viki & Sloan - that clearly was designed to showcase Strasser's trademarks of Dorian. But by now it was so jarringly different, like SHE was a bad recast of Princi. The gears shifted drastically after that, and Dorian was given a breast cancer scare that was heavily promoted but short-lived. She would eventually get to revisit a storyline defined by Princi's version when Claire Labine re-explored Dorian's upbringing. That is where I saw some of Strasser's best performances, and felt that she had finally showed the depth I knew Dorian had.

I just wish she had the confidence to give Princi credit for bringing what she did to Dorian (instead of picking at her)... because most of what Princi brought to the role and helped Dorian to evolve, was used by Strasser herself to turn out some of her own best work. Dorian became an even better character for Strasser to play because of Princi's contributions. All that said, I enjoy Robin's work and wish her well - especially with her health.