Soap Opera News
Christian LeBlanc (Michael Baldwin) and Tracey Bregman are this week’s guests on Soapy. The two talk strong soap bonds, and history.
Soapy hosts, Rebecca Budig and Greg Rikaart, welcomed Rikaart’s long-time fellow The Young and the Restless castmates Christian LeBlanc (Michael Baldwin) and Tracey Bregman (Lauren Fenmore) to the show. Kudos to Budig and Rikaart for another lively, entertaining, and informative podcast.
The first thing we realized, which was also pointed out, is that all four actors have portrayed antagonists in daytime.
Budig’s alter ego, Greenlee on All My Children, was a few handfuls; pushed people overboard, held people at gunpoint, had more than her fair share of catfights, and caused all kinds of trouble in Pine Valley.
Rikaart came to Genoa City (Y&R) as an internet stalker and teenage predator. We can’t forget LeBlanc as Michael camping out for weeks digging a hole in his apartment’s shared wall with Christine (Lauralee Bell). And attacking her after Christine brought charges against him (rightfully so) for sexual harassment.
And of course, Bregman’s Lauren didn’t start out as the loving Lauren we all know and love today. Back in the day, she was a “mean girl.”
“Having to be mean to Beth Maitland (Traci Abbott) that was very difficult because Beth is one of my best friends for over 42 years. And because we were so close, I knew how she was feeling about a lot of things…And I had to say the worst things to her. Beth will tell you I cried more than she did over it.”
Bergman opened up about how she received death threats and how people would try and run her off the freeway because people were “upset” over Lauren’s treatment of Traci.
Rikaart, LeBlanc, and Bregman gave a fantastic history lesson as they delved into how the audience learned Michael and Kevin were brothers, how Michael and Lauren fell in love, and Michael and Kevin’s childhood backstories.
Going a bit further, LeBlanc gave his perspective on how and why daytime, like no other genre, has such a unique and rich history attached to it.
“This is the most amazing performance art that you will ever see. If you are lucky enough to be on the shows as long as we have, you go through marriages, deaths, tragedy, live and in real time with your audience…There is this amazing history that comes in with you, and the story just shoots out…If I walk into the Newmans’ house or the Abbott mansion, I can remember Jeanne Cooper. I can remember Mrs. Chancellor standing there. The memories are there, and they enrich every scene. So, when I say ‘Katherine,’ there are years and years of me knowing her.”
Bergman talked about her new cookbook coming out with chef Christine Avanti-Fischer titled “The Lazy Cook and the Healthy Chef.” She and Avanti-Fischer are also co-hosts along with Dyan Cannon and Kym Douglas-Robertson on the weekly podcast, God’s Table Hollywood, where the hosts talk about “life, purpose, and the power of God’s grace.”
Speaking of purpose, LeBlanc dropped this gem during the podcast as well.
“I believe if you are paying attention, your job chooses you to become the person you’re supposed to be.” Love that!
Bregman also dropped some amazing family news on the podcast. “I became a grandma for the fifth time two weeks ago. So I got four from my two stepdaughters, and this is the first baby from one of my sons. Incredible. Who you’ve all watched grow up.“
Congrats!
You can watch the entire episode below! (Photo: CBS Screenshot.)
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