Corday Likens Days Actors To "Spokes On A Wheel"
By Jamey Giddens on November 21, 2008
As if this whole situation with Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn being ousted from the soap opera they helped make iconic wasn't disgusting enough, Days of Our Lives executive producer Ken Corday basically used this week's Soap Opera Digest cover story to lay his soap's budgetary problems at the feet of his actors, as opposed to coping to his shoddy mismanagement and the show's pisspoor storytelling.
As if this whole situation with Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn being ousted from the soap opera they helped make iconic wasn't disgusting enough, Days of Our Lives executive producer Ken Corday basically used this week's Soap Opera Digest cover story to lay his soap's budgetary problems at the feet of his actors, as opposed to coping to his shoddy mismanagement and the show's pisspoor storytelling.
"It's a matter of cooperation now on the cast's part. We have to downsize economically first, then physically. If they don't cooperate econimically, then it will be a physical downsizing or a recast."
What is this the Soap Opera Mafia? Is that why Jay Kenneth Johnson's contract negotiation talks and alleged cleaning out of his dressing room was "leaked" the the soap media? Are we seeing the beginnings of a campaign to paint the actors in a negative light, so that if they decide to leave, it makes them look bad as opposed to the show?
Johnson returned from a relatively successful sojourn into primetime for this? Why aren't the soap magazines seeking out comments from the actors as opposed to simply buying the company line? That's what they taught at my J-school.
"No one is above recasting. No one is the center of the wheel. They're all spokes. If we blow a spoke, the wheel will keep turning and we replace it."
Okay...so the daytime superstars who kept this show atop the Nielsens ratings for Women 18-49 for the better part of a decade and helped Corday, Sony and NBC make obscene amounts of money—which is why they were then paid obscene amounts of money, see how that works?— are basically akin to spokes on a wheel? Wow, I wonder if he will even spring for a cake?
Since we're talking spokes on wheels, what if said spokes are friends of the producer? Does that mean they will be granted a reprieve? Or what if said spokes helped get the soap into trouble with the Writers Guild of America by allegedly re-writing scripts, will those spokes be shown the door as quickly?
I only wish Hall would have done what actresses like Kim Zimmer and Erika Slezak have done in the past and spoke out when it was clear their shows were in turmoil, for one reason and one reason only, the writing. But Hall has always been this show's biggest cheerleader and international advocate, even when Stevie Wonder could see there were enormous problems.
Corday didn't have any issue paying his A-List stars gobs of money when the show was making gobs of money because of a combination of the late James Reilly's whacktastic storylines (even the clunkers raised ratings, look it up) and the star wattage of Hall, Hogestyn, Alfonso and Reckell.
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Comments
22 August 2007
3 hours 18 min
"No one is above recasting. No one is the center of the wheel. They're all spokes. If we blow a spoke, the wheel will keep turning and we replace it."
WOW...and people still want to work for this man?
2 January 2008
1 hour 9 min
Jamey about 90210 i remember watching the 90210 e true hollywood story and aaron saying how fox didnt want luke perry so he apid his salary.With corday its all about money.
2 January 2008
1 hour 9 min
I'll take ellen wheeler any day over corday
23 July 2008
36 min 40 sec
HItchcock once referred to actors as cattle? But you sir are no Hitchcock!
18 August 2008
3 days 18 hours
I remember when Soap Opera Weekly got into a very public disagreement with Days in the 1990's. I think Ms. Torchin had criticized a storyline and Days responded by refusing access to their actors. So, SOW published Days response to the article. THAT is good soap journalism. Days came back eventually, and everything was smoothed over, but at least they took a stand and as a reader it was interesting to read.
BTW - my capitalization of the word "that" is an homage to Jamey's diatribes on the podcast.
22 January 2008
2 hours 15 min
Sodssince16 all you needed to type was two words: "Mimi Torchin". The soap press has been a joke since the day she closed her laptop.
19 December 2007
1 year 6 weeks
The recast remark is stupid though, i hate how the actors mean 'nothing' and everyone is 'recastable' how about you find writers who can actually write and actors that are not from HMU and then just create new characters and not have to keep recasting?
Also this scares me with the John black recast rumor -.- i hope they are not that stupid lol.
2 January 2008
1 hour 9 min
I guess if the big name actors dont agree to concessions their shown the door.I truly believe deidre and drake our done with this show.I remember when chloe,phillip,shawn and belle were in highschool.Corday was shopping a days spinoff around salem high.With drake and deidre gone maybe he can rename days salem high
15 May 2008
3 hours 56 min
Ken needs to take that croquet mallet out of his ass! You know I was trying to look at all aspects of this entire thing from everyone's POW but with those statements KenKen's making it really ticks me off. He needs to man up to the shoddy things going on @ DAYS instead of trying to blame everyone around him. He keeps saying he's not off golfing when the shit hits the fan. I can attest to that, Ken's NOT golfing... He's playing croquet. Seriously, where is he when mismanagement is going on? Ken needs to wake up and pay attention to his parents legacy being bitch-slapped down the toilet. Dee and Drake are so loyal to DAYS no matter what the hell's going on and this's how you repay them?! It sounds like to me they are going to NOT try and come back after KenKEn and Dena, "I need to watch Y&R to see what a real soap looks like," Higley decide to bring them back on the canvas.. Maybe the soap gods are smiling down on us and Dee and Drake have landed better gigs on a REAL soap.
21 November 2008
2 hours 22 min
So I guess the opening will be changed to say, "Like spokes on a wheel, so our the Days of Our Lives..."
I'm glad I found this website: not only do I love the breaking news and the frank discussion of the soap genre, but I never knew what an incompetent Ken Corday truly is and how disinterested he is in his family business. It is sad to see actors who have contributed so much to this show for so long being treated in this shoddy, subhuman manner.
1 July 2008
14 weeks 1 day
Great rant, Jamey. I wish somebody with power were listening. If DAYS is a wheel, Deidre Hall's not a spoke. She's the center. What a line of crap. I prefer to think of a soap as a body. Firing Hall and Hogestyn, Corday just cut off an arm and a leg. I'm afraid our dear show will soon bleed to death.
28 March 2008
26 weeks 4 days
Hear, hear, Jamey! the more Corday speaks, the bigger an ass he becomes! He'll never admit he's in the wrong for anything and that Hackley couldn't write her way out of a paper bag, but he'll attack the actors that the fans all love, in an effort make himself look good - well, he's a dumbass if he thinks Days fans are going to put up with that crap!
18 January 2008
2 days 1 hour
Hey Ken, here's a thought: Why don't you forgo some of YOUR salary to help cover the budget deficits that you only have yourself to blame? Oh, what am I saying? You probably hopped a ride with the GM execs on their private planes to DC this week!
11 September 2008
1 week 1 day
I think this is nothing more than a stunt. If this were serious and they really did need to save money wouldn't they have gotten rid of Patch, Kyla, Maggie, Roman, Kate, Abe and Lexie before getting rid of the shows two biggest stars? And if this is for real its the biggest mistake since the Packers traded Favre to the Jets.
24 January 2008
3 hours 46 min
wow, i thought this guy was supposed to well respected in the industry. after comments like this i don't know if he'll have any respect at all; not from me he won't
16 August 2008
36 weeks 6 days
Ellen Wheeler knows what it takes to produce a good product. She's been on both sides of the camera and would do a good job because she loves the genre.
In April, I started writing alternative storylines for Days and posting on the NBC boards. It was in protest to the bad writing and was only meant to be short term. However, so many people like what I wrote that the project took on life of its own My script had more favorable comments than what was being shown on the screen and many suggested I contact executive producers. I did, but wasn’t even given basic common courtesy. It seems the industry has become so inbred and arrogant that they believe no one outside their clique could possible write for soaps.
You would think with Days on life support, they would be willing to think outside the box for new answers. Dee and Drake will be fine. Wherever they end up their fans will follow.
Congratulations Higley, your career will always be credited with the death of an icon. By tanking Days, you have done the same to your career. Only a moron would hire you after Days is done. The cast and crew, especially the vets, will always be loved enough for the fans to not only look for them but to also follow them to whichever show picks them up. I'll continue what I started until after the ghost story; for those who would like to read it, the links are on my blog at http://elfmagic.blogspot.com/.
21 July 2008
1 day 1 hour
I'll be the opposition and say I completely agree with and respect what he said.
Ultimately, soaps are a business, and businesses are in it to make money.
As they say, "you're either with us or against us."
If you don't want to take one for the team, then you'll have to go.
26 August 2008
4 weeks 18 hours
I can't believe he said that? I'm shock that he had the big bags to say that.
23 July 2008
36 min 40 sec
Did Corday take one for team? Isn't it better to lead by example? How about cutting his salary and using some of that money to get Higley some writing lessons? How about getting rid up the lower level actors first and cutting costs that way? He's adding new cast members but complains about costs! Negro, please!
22 August 2007
3 hours 18 min
But, you're either for the genre or you're not and firing two of the biggest names in the industry does not strike me as someone who supports soaps. I get that this was a business decision... as a fan of soap operas, I don't see this as a good business decision.
21 November 2008
13 weeks 1 day
Wow...I see the light. Corday is no better than those greedy excutive on Wall Street. Loyalty and ethics be damned -- it's all about the money! I hope Deidre Hall sings like a canary and finally speaks out.
26 August 2008
4 weeks 18 hours
If Deidre Hall sings, I am so tuning in.
Because you know she knows all the crap that goes on backstage. The actual actress who was rewriting scripts and all that. But Hall is too much of a class act to do that.
Ken Corday doesn't know anything about loyalty. Look at all the couples his longtime fans love. They continue to get the shaft.
I love how he's demanding his actors make sacrifices but says nothing about him doing the same.
A good leader not only barks out orders. He follows them as well.
31 July 2008
13 hours 24 min
Is this man on the same crack Whitney Housten is on?
30 December 2007
5 weeks 1 day
Spokes on a wheel? Is this man serious? Does he know that sometimes spokes cannot be replaced because they are 'not the right fit' or worse, the whole wheel could just fall off....
21 November 2008
50 weeks 19 hours
WOW. This is such an insightful and well-written article. You see right through Corday's little analogies to show what a dishonest, selfish, and foolish business move this was. Love the digs at Ali and Josh Taylor, and I also particularly like the point (which I feel hasn't been made enough) about the actors' salaries. These actors brought the show where it is today. I think it's fair to even discuss whether the show may have been canceled already were it not for the acting talent of the "big four", particularly Deidre, whose stories carried the show through the 90's and the past decade. As you point out, she has always been the show's biggest cheerleader and has always been gracious in interviews even while other actors were at the same time speaking out about the show's many problems. She's supported the show through thick and thin and contributed immensely to its success, and for Corday to suggest that Deidre (and Drake) are completely equal to the rest of the cast - what the 'spokes' analogy implies, after all - is ludicrous. Congratulations Jamey on showing your readers who the real soap villains are.
30 June 2008
1 year 8 weeks
This guy is such an ass!
NO Corday, not everybody is replaceable. Head Writers are though, why don't you start there.
21 November 2008
1 year 16 weeks
Corday is a piece of shit! Deidre is too classy a lady to blast him in print like he needs to be. I could see Drake doing it, though. Not that Drake isn't classy, but he's more forthright than Deidre is sometimes. I would hate to have to stop watching Days altogether, but I really hope that neither Deidre or Drake go back to Days. I also hope that Corday comes crawling back to them and both of them tell him what he can go do with himself.
8 May 2008
17 hours 59 min
I know that it is a business, but did he consult Drake and Deidre to take a pay cut or just fired them and think that the show would survive without your two biggest stars on DAYS, with Peter and Kristian. He is going to pay for it because Days will not survive without John and Marlena and Ali, who I love, should not be the heroine. She should be a bitch. Thanks, Corday, you sux and destroy your parents legacy.
siomonstuart2003
29 April 2008
20 weeks 1 day
Wow, it's great to know people are so disposable to him.
What a d*ck
22 November 2008
1 year 16 weeks
Thank you for calling Corday out on his shameless intimidation tactics. The man has no shame. He's a liar and a coward. And he never looks in the mirror. I will be so glad to be done with this show after Deidre and Drake leave. Being hooked on a show plagued by stupidity has been harmful to my sanity.