Interview: Eric Braeden on why he was forced off 'Y&R'

On Nov. 2, the unthinkable will happen.

For the first time in 30 years, daytime TV’s most famous superstar, Eric Braeden, will last air in his iconic role as the almighty powerful Victor Newman.

Poor Jack Abbott won’t know where he begins or ends without the object of his love and hate, The Mustache, in his orbit.

And neither will The Young and the Restless fans.

This past year, TVGuide.ca broke some of Y&R’s biggest news stories due to Sony’s contract shenanigans (Jess Walton, Melody Thomas Scott, and even Chris Engen bolting mid-contract), however, it was our shocking news story two weeks ago which revealed that the reigning king of soaps had officially left the building that took the soap world by storm.

Today, the industry is still reeling from the news that Victor Newman was written out of daytime’s No. 1 show. As previously reported, Sony demanded the fan favourite renegotiate his salary mid-contract due to a sneaky out clause. Braeden told Sony to shove it, and bolted.

Now, the million-dollar question — literally — is: will Y&R’s ratings plummet when its biggest draw leaves the airwaves?

While the Emmy winner delivered a variety of explosive interviews to TV Guide Magazine, Soap Opera Digest and The New York Post, Braeden called TV Guide Canada last Friday to explain to his loyal Canadian viewers why he has opted to leave Genoa City for the time being.

This was one exit interview I never thought I would conduct.

TVGuide.ca: How are you feeling?
Eric Braeden: That’s a good question. To be frank with you, I don’t know. I’m resigned in my own mind to move on from soaps. After all these years, to be treated in such an unprofessional manner, well, it doesn’t sit well with me. Considering I have always been willing to make financial concessions, this sledgehammer approach is simply unacceptable. Your news story breaking my departure was 100 per cent true. I’ve always admired and trusted your work, so I was thankful that you were the one to break it. As you reported, this 13-26 week contract clause is not worth the paper it’s written on. There is something grossly wrong with that. I am stunned that our union allows this unfair [double standard]. And yes, it’s my fault that I didn’t read the fine print, but where I come from, a contract is a contract, a handshake is a handshake. To me, even a handshake is binding.

TVG: I thought of you when I recently watched Michael Moore’s film, Capitalism: A Love Story. There are many parallels between the daytime industry and American politics. Last year, we spoke about the economy just before it collapsed in a feature called Dirty Sexy Money. And so, here we are today.
EB: It’s interesting. You’re quite right. This situation is quite endemic with what is happening with the rest of the country. It is essentially Darwinian. In other words, capitalism only works with a certain amount of regulation. If not, you will see the excesses and disparities we have seen. Of course, a free market can’t regulate itself as Ronald Reagan claimed it could. That was one of the biggest delusions ever created. I wonder if some of the knuckleheads on the right will ever realize that. Greed knows no limit. But, I think it will all settle out. Until then, we all have to pay the price …

TVG: Even though I knew this in the recesses of my mind, I was still surprised when you reminded TV Guide Magazine’s Michael Logan that you had never left Y&R in 30 years. I can’t recall another daytime superstar who hasn’t left his or her series at one time or another. You never have, which is astonishing. EB: I am an extremely loyal man — as long as it is reciprocated. And that hasn’t been the case in this instance. Where am I now? I am drifting more and more as time goes on. TVG: I personally think you should hold out. Take a few months off. See how the ratings are affected by your historic departure. I have a feeling that you will be back one day, but I don’t think you should undercut your value. Once you do that, well, it’s a slippery slope because where do you draw the line? EB: I don’t know if my exit will affect the ratings. It’s nice to hear, but I don’t know.

TVG: Who is going to sell soap opera magazines now? [Joking] You know Lynn Leahey and Stephanie Sloane are trying to figure out a way to make up the difference in your salary …
EB: [Laughs] I don’t want to answer those questions. I have always been reluctant to buy into my own press and publicity. I’ve seen how that kind of foolishness can destroy careers.

TVG: If Y&R comes to their senses, would you re-join the show? Or are you still hurt?
EB: It’s not a question of being hurt. It’s the manner in which this whole thing was handled. The amount of publicity I’ve generated for this show and my loyalty should have at least warranted a face-to-face discussion. I’m very proud of this character and have travelled the world to promote Y&R. To be treated in this perfunctory manner, which was basically an “up-yours” reaction, well, it simply angered me. But I have reached a point where I am beyond the anger. I’ve always said, “never say never,” but I also can’t answer that question because I have no idea what will happen.

TVG: What are you doing with all your free time now? You must be hitting the gym harder …
EB: I’ve always gone to the gym but, yes, I am working out more. Right now, I am thinking of implementing some serious changes in my life. I am weighing several options.

TVG: Your movie, The Man Who Came Back, was recently re-released on DVD and you taped a hilarious cameo on How I Met Your Mother last season. Prime time and film should be your focus and the next logical step. If you jumped to another soap, you’ll still have to deal with this kind of drama, so I wouldn’t advise that. EB: Yeah, I agree. I have to think about my next career move more carefully before I make a definitive decision.

TVG: What happened next? How did you finally tell Maria that you were quitting? That couldn’t have gone over well.
EB: There was no contact with the higher-ups. It was all through email.

TVG: I can believe this contract re-negotiation didn’t happen in person.
EB: What’s the point? Since they weren’t willing to negotiate, there is nothing to say. It’s important to note that I did make a counter offer — and a very generous one, as far as I am concerned. Their response was a categorical “no.”

TVG: What did your family think?
EB: Well, this is a tough business. They understand how this business works. We have seen people come and go. I’ve been acting since 1962, so we’ve seen a lot of things. It’s a rough business. They were trying to intimidate me — and no one scares me. Sorry, but you don’t do that to me. They tried to intimidate me with the storyline. They tried to intimidate me by leaking and implying that they wanted to recast my part or create a Victor clone with this super-millionaire Tucker role. Talk about blatant! Let me clarify that most of this “news” was leaked long before I even knew that Sony was planning to renegotiate my contract. As far as I was concerned, my contract wasn’t even up for another year. So when news of a potential recast came out, well, it’s clear that this leak could have only come from the inside.

TVG: You don’t mess with Victor Newman — or Eric Braeden. From the get-go it appears Sony had no intention of playing fair.
EB: I hate intimidation tactics, but when it happens, I come back twice as hard. You’re right — essentially you’re banging your head against a wall if you choose to engage in a one-sided conversation. I’m very reasonable. I understand there is a crisis in our country. I know ads have been reduced. We all know that, but please, after 30 years of loyal service you don’t communicate with me in a cowardly way like I am a cog in the wheel.

TVG: If he was alive, what would Bill Bell think of this situation? EB: If he was here, this would not be happening … nor would it have been dealt with in this unprofessional manner. Never. TVG: I think he’s rolling over in his grave just over the fact that this little girl, Colleen, gave her heart to this titan. It’s ridiculous. EB: Let me tell you something — this was all meant to have the audience turn against Victor. It was all by design. Period. TVG: I know your co-stars are still reeling with the news of your departure. EB: I don’t know what they are feeling. We, as actors, make it a rule not to talk about contract negotiations. It’s not good form. It would open a can of worms, and no one can do that. I assume they assume that Sony and I are still negotiating, and at the end of the day, they’re right —  this is not a fait acccompli. Anything can still happen.

TVG: I’m surprised at how quickly Y&R wrote you out after your decision to not accept Sony’s offer. Clearly, the writing team had already planned an exit storyline for Victor far in advance. I don’t think I have fully absorbed the news of your exodus because you’re still airing. Do you have any suggestions as to how Sony could manage their business better?
EB: None! None whatsoever. People who enrol in business management school should know how to deal with people. This group does not. Having said that, I know my experience applies to a lot of workers across America because people are being let go with a stroke of a pen. Our business is a little different because individual [talent and star power] are involved, but these big corporate entities don’t want to see it that way.

TVG: The rest of the industry doesn’t work that way.
EB: Of course they don’t.

TVG: This story isn’t over yet, my friend. Finally, did you ever think that you’d find yourself in this position?
EB: That’s a good question. Hmmm … I have never taken anything in this business for granted. Never. I have never decorated my dressing room because I know how fleeting this business is and how you can be out of a job tomorrow. But I have to say, I never thought that I would have been dealt with in this manner.

TVG: I worried this may happen to you when Sony ousted Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn from DAYS, but I chose to be in denial. I have articulated to several industry friends of mine, that while I do not believe in lying, in your singular case, I would’ve bypassed your pay cut but demanded that you not tell anyone, including your family members, so we could ensure the future of the show. I assume Sony’s “thinking” and “rationale” is that if one actor is exempt from a pay cut then everyone else will demand the same treatment, but not all stars are created equally. EB: Thank you. And you’ll be the first to know if anything changes. Please give my regards to the fans in Canada. TVG: I will, but this isn’t goodbye.

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Nelson Branco is a Toronto freelance entertainment journalist, who regularly contributes to Hello! Canada, The National Post, The Los Angeles Times' theenvelope.com, TV Guide USA, tvguide.com, Inside Entertainment, OUT, and fab magazine, along with spearheading the soap coverage for TVGuide.ca's popular daytime TV hub. After graduating from Ryerson University in 1997, he moved from Toronto to New York in 1998 to take on the roles as senior news editor at Soap Opera Update. Branco first freelanced for Soap Opera Weekly as an intern in 1994, and after leaving Soap Update to help create and launch Bauer Publishing's In Touch Weekly in 2003, Branco continued to freelance occasionally for its sister publication, Soaps In Depth. Most recently, he helped create and launch Canada's first celebrity magazine, Weekly Scoop in 2005 as its news and entertainment director. Branco is also a contributor to a new TV show titled Planet Soap to air in Canada and America.