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TV Guide
Soap Power
Crystal Chappell Tops the List of Most Powerful People on Daytime
By: Nelson Branco
September, 2009
Who controls and influences this disastrous and dying industry? While some may argue “soap power” is an oxymoron, we beg to differ. In soaps, it’s not the size of your power, but how you use it that matters.
Or that’s what Barbara Bloom keeps telling herself! [Insert laugh track here] Our criteria? Power sources include, influence, autonomy, buzz, publicity, ratings impact, talent, vision, and groundbreaking achievements.
Falling off the charts in 2009 are: The Nielsen Ratings Sony/Bell Productions, writing agent James Sarnoff, P&G fans (hello, GL); B&B’s Heather Tom/Jack Wagner, former DAYS producer Ed Scott; and ex-blogger, Y&R writer Tom Casiello.
With the industry in flux and bleeding out, and narratives traversing from networks to online faster than anyone imagined, it’s no surprise how different the 2009 list is from last year’s. At press time, the soap community is now down to an anemic seven daytime TV serials. Read on to find out who lit up the past year and who suffered a power malfunction.
Crystal Chappell, Actress-Producer-Gay Icon-Entrepreneur
The Emmy winner tells TVGuide, “Thank you so much for this honour! I’m really enjoying this time right now. My work as an actor on DAYS and as an actor/ producer/storyteller on Venice is very rewarding on various levels. Next season on Venice, I also hope to direct parts of the series. I owe all my success to the amazing fans I have.”
Power Plays: Embracing her GL Otalia fan base. Creating a new lesbian-centric web series Venice to appease her cult-like Otalia following. Without even trying, Chappell attracted major mainstream coverage in The New York Times, CNN, and other respectable outlets, platforms every soap publicist would kill for. Reprising her breakout role as Carly Manning on DAYS.
Liabilities : At this point, zero — unless, of course, DAYS typically screws up another superstar comeback, as many pundits are fearing. However, Chappell says she’s happy with her return storyline…so far. And she’s never lied to us before.
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