‘The Young and the Restless’s Michael Muhney sounds off on why Daytime Emmy Award reform is imperative for the future of the industry. Plus: Why he’s going to miss Billy Miller — and ‘One Life to Live’ and ‘All My Children’

It’s Hot Topic Day at TVGuide.ca, so move over Whoopi, Joy, Babs, Elisabeth and that annoying woman who’s about to get married!

Next week, on May 11, final nominations for the 38th annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be announced. The kudofest will hand out the trophies to the seemingly best and brightest on June 19 at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel.

But don’t expect to see one of the industry’s most talented actors, The Young and the Restless’s Michael Muhney, on the ballot because he wasn’t even pre-nominated by the industry — despite a spectacular, unrivaled acting year.

TVGuide.ca spoke with the former Veronica Mars star to discuss how the Daytime Emmy Award system is actually counterproductive to their mandate (which is to honour the most outstanding acting in a calendar year), why he’s bravely no longer submitting his name in the awards show race under this current system, his disappointment over the shocking cancellations of All My Children and One Life to Live, and why’s he’s going to miss his co-star Billy Miller when he leaves daytime’s top-rated soap opera.

( Torpedo of Truth: Soap Opera Edition )

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In your face, Emmys: ‘Y&R’s Michael Muhney steals the week with a fantastic performance!



Show him the Muhney!
Two weeks after NATAS didn’t criminally pre-nominate one of TV’s best actors, Michael Muhney, for a second year in a row, the actor delivered an intelligently complex, impressively subtle yet palpable performance that stole the show this past week.

Any actor or critic will tell you that the litmus test of an actor is how well they play drunk. But having to play drunk when your character isn’t drunk can send even the best actors to the bottle.

Despite the artistic challenge, Muhney rose to the challenge and exceeded our expectations. After Adam broke it off with Sharon, and made a deal with the devil — his father, Victor — Muhney delivered a heartbreaking performance.

Case in point: When Adam had to shake the hand of the man he despises after recanting his testimony to save Victor’s ass, Muhney’s look of disgust was very telling. “This is the man I craved respect and love from?”

Especially when Victor publicly thanked his son and stated that he was essentially proud of Adam for the first time — for "telling the truth" — even though they both knew Adam was lying! Sick and twisted? Check. Muhney played the subtext of that exchange perfectly. Even though he's always excellent, Muhney just keeps getting better and better as an actor. (As an aside, are the writers trying to ruin Victor Newman on purpose? Is Eric Braeden's contract up again?)


It’s clear Nick is far more like his father than Adam is. In this act, Adam has made amends as much as he can for stealing Faith from her loony mother.
Story-wise, a few important emotional beats were addressed: Victor obviously believes that Adam and Sharon love each other or his blackmail scheme wouldn’t have worked; and Nick proved what a huge douchebag he is by playing fast and loose with the lives of Adam and Sharon … and Faith.

One gripe, however: I don’t like the fact that Adam lied to Sharon again — even if she didn’t really believe him (and ran straight away to Nick; ugh!). I find it highly improbable that Sharon can ever trust Adam again — even if his intentions are pure. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. But this is Sharon. I’d have preferred it if Adam and Sharon were in on it together.

Silver lining: if you’re a fan of Adam, you know he’s got a plan and an agenda … and he’ll come back stronger than ever.

Game on, bitches.


The Soapgeist - March 7, 2011 | Sympatico.ca TV Guide

On your mark, get set, nominate!

A year of turmoil, betrayals, affairs, scandals and cliffhangers — and that was just the behind-the-scenes shenanigans, soapers!

Despite the hijinks we love to say we hate, but secretly enjoy (even when our sudsers piss us off with stupid decisions and creative laziness), the soap opera medium — online and onscreen — delivered some unforgettable moments and achievements.

At the end of the hour (or 10-ish minutes, as most web soaps have clocked in at, or in The Bold and the Beautiful’s case, 30 minutes), the soap world is still pretty groovy — when it wants to be.

Below, TVGuide.ca presents our fourth annual TV Guide Canada Soap Opera Spirit Awards nominations. The eligibility time period is between Jan. 1, 2010 and Dec. 31, 2010 — and, for the first time, web serials will compete with daytime dramas! So let the spirit — and games — begin!

A panel of TV Guide Canada editors chose the nominees and winners. Honourees will be announced on a special podcast edition of Michael Fairman’s On Air, On Soaps on Monday, March 7, 2011, along with being printed in our weekly Suds Bubble feature on TVGuide.ca on March 8. Check out a future edition of The Suds Report to find out which celebrity guests will help co-host the ceremony.

In total, there are 20 categories. In addition, there are three special editor awards, including the second annual Vanguard Award, along with our yearly Douglas Marland Memorial Award, and Irna Phillips Soap Opera Spirit Award.

The tallies are listed below:

ABC: 52
CBS: 40
NBC: 6
Web: 23

All My Children: 3
As The World Turns: 7
The Bay: 2
The Bold and the Beautiful: 13
The Cell: 1
Days of our Lives: 6
General Hospital: 27
One Life to Live: 22
Steamboat: 5
Venice: 15
The Young and the Restless: 20

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR
James Scott (EJ, DAYS)
Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH)
Trevor St. John (Todd, One Life)
Jerry verDorn (Clint, One Life)
Eric Braeden (Victor, Y&R)
Michael Muhney (Adam, Y&R)
2011 Soap Opera Spirit Award Nominations | Sympatico.ca TV Guide