It's called "The Perfect Art of Imperfection: My Life So Far."

So far Michael Fairman has a review on it, and, It's a bit shocking what she says about what went down on DAYS during her last stint and how it affected her.

Click here to read

I was never a personal fan of Crystal Chappell, but I don't doubt a lot of what she says. We all know these soap sets are full of divas and people you think are super sweet rarely are. It's usually good people who get a bad rap while the real devils get to run around behind the scenes. Kristen Alfonso always seemed like a diva to me, so I would be inclined to believe it. I will say, she's an idiot because Hope hasn't had a good story in years. She should've welcomed Carly/Bo and the chance to hook up with Justin. At least the writers were trying to give her character SOMETHING. Now they have her in such a useless supporting role, is that what she wants?

JP, you've gone to a lot of Days fan events and been on-set to interview the cast a couple of times. Not saying you know everything about what goes on behind the scenes but from your experience, what do you think is going on there? Do you think CC's claims are valid?

I know Chappell admitted after her first stint on Days in the early 90s that she was difficult on set because her first marriage was breaking up. KA said much of the same during her first stint in the 80s, indicating that she and Peter Reckell hated each other (they have since patched things up).

I also am surprised to hear PR being called out, too, as I assumed her was pretty well liked by the Days cast as a whole.

Personally, I think a lot of expectations were put on CC when she came back a few years ago -- myself included because I loved Carly and Lawrence back in the day. The writers effed up her return royally: in her first episode, she killed Lawrence and when she showed up in Salem, she was completely islanded as the Bope interloper. No Nicholas Alamein, they even kept Vivian away from her. Her first love scene with Bo was a disaster -- it looked like two men wrestling. Then they stuck her with Dr. "Vortex of Suck" McHairychest. Hope meanwhile was hopped up on pills and being Nighttime Hope. Not stellar writing by any means.

I believe hse is 100% correct on Alfonso getting Corday to take on Tomlin and herself, yes. Without a doubt. Hope suddenly gets this lead story after Carly returns for the first time, solo, perhaps ever. She suddenly has a new man (justin) and shes made out to be the innocent victim and Bo as this evil cold hearted cheater for their marriage falling apart when that was so not the case, at all. Plus its no secret Alfonso & Corday are BFF's.

And yes, the cast took sides and it isnt hard to figure out who sided with who if your aware of who hangs out with who, goes to the same events, etc... The only question mark I have is Peter. Im curious if her issues with him were during the first run or the second, and id wager the first or maybe early on in the 2nd? Im not sure. I do know they get along well and are friends outside of the show, with Peter appearing in her web series (two of them, tho he dropped out of one awhile ago).

Her return was a disaster and it was all in the writing. She did her best, as did LS, SC, MB, PR & others she shared story with.

I'm sorry, but this happens in every workplace. You have the bad people and the bad people. And a few good guys squeezed in.

I liked her on GL, especially during early Phillip/Olivia or Bill/Olivia. She was a great actress and she seemed like a team player to me. But then something began to feel way off about her.

I hate her constant lesbian pimping.

I'm sad that Beverlee McKinsey and Paul Rauch never wrote theirs.

Wasn't Rauch working on his at one time with Thom Racina? Did they cancel the project?

Frankly, I think it's unfair and inaccurate to say CC was responsible for the downturn in DAYS' ratings. For one, I'm pretty sure she wasn't the only one causing viewers to tune out. For another, it's not as if the writing on the show has done anyone any favors for awhile.

Thanks for the info. I'm pretty sure I know where Nadia Bjorlin and Galen Gering stand.

I don't find it strange she found it difficult to work with Zimmer and Newman - it not like Michelle Forbes and Cynthia Watros didn't feel the same way....

I don't find it strange she found it difficult to work with Zimmer and Newman - it not like Michelle Forbes and Cynthia Watros didn't feel the same way....

I don't find it strange about Zimmer but the description I read sounds sort of like another version of what went on at DAYS, where the leading man was supposed to be scared or two-faced or whatever. I'd never really heard that mentioned before about Robert Newman.

I don't find it strange she found it difficult to work with Zimmer and Newman - it not like Michelle Forbes and Cynthia Watros didn't feel the same way....

Pretty much the entire female cast of GL had huge egos. When some of the GL actresses ended up on other shows, they had major attitude problems on set.

And yes, the cast took sides and it isnt hard to figure out who sided with who if your aware of who hangs out with who, goes to the same events, etc...

And the side issue is something that probably happened long before. Every soap has its cliques among the actors.

It seemed Crystal Chappell and Kim Zimmer were actually very friendly with one another.

Whatever. I'm sure she'd say Meryl Streep was a c-nt if it meant selling a book or two.

Years ago, Kurt McKinney (Matt on GL) said about working on that program that he was told when he first started that he needed to check his balls at the door as a male cast member -- take that as you will.

Edited January 4, 201312 yr by ~bl~

Whatever. I'm sure she'd say Meryl Streep was a c-nt if it meant selling a book or two.

+1

Pretty much the entire female cast of GL had huge egos. When some of the GL actresses ended up on other shows, they had major attitude problems on set.

Not my Maeve Kinkead, Ellen Parker, or Maureen Garrett!! Please don't tell me they were divas too?!!

And yes, the cast took sides and it isnt hard to figure out who sided with who if your aware of who hangs out with who, goes to the same events, etc...

Someone on another board said Kristian has given Bill and Susan Hayes the cold shoulder ever since she saw them engaging in a conversation with Crystal. It's hard for me to believe anyone could be that petty, but one should never underestimate the neurosis and insecurity of actors.

I wouldn't be surprised if a bitter stan of CC's said something like that. Maybe KA is a diva, maybe not, but from how CC acted on twitter I have no sympathy for her at all. If I remember right PR basically told her to STOP about the twitter stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if she bad mouth's him cause of that.