Welcome to the premier episode of The Daily Drama Podcast, with hosts Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson. The That’s Awesome Podcast has a new home and new name and gets started with special guest Laura Wright, the Emmy award-winning actress who has been bringing Carly Spencer to life on General Hospital for nearly two decades. Before that, she played Ally Rescott on Loving and The City and Cassie Layne on Guiding Light.
Sonny Or Carly? The Winner Is Carly
Steve and Bradford kick things off by introducing Laura and her fabulous hair to the podcast. When Laura asks if the hosts had asked longtime co-star Maurice Benard to be their first guest instead of her, Steve admits that he did not because he is still “dodging State of Mind”– the mental health podcast Benard hosts each week.
Steve and Laura reminisce about the last time they saw one another in the fall of 2021, which was when Steve left GH and poor Jason was buried under a pile of rubble on Cassadine Island. They also remembered the ‘Jarly’ wedding that occurred in September of that year, which didn’t last long because Benard’s Sonny walked in just as Jason and Carly’s wedding night was about to get started.
Laura Wright’s Life With Her Kids And Wes Ramsey
Laura talks about being an empty-nester now that her kids are grown and how much she gets to travel thanks to GH’s production schedule. She also offers an update on them and where they are now living. Some of her travel even includes visiting her kids. They then start chatting about Laura’s boyfriend Wes Ramsey (ex-Peter, GH), and how he reminds Bradford of Taylor Swift’s ex, Joe Alwyn. Laura doesn’t even know who that is but she is sure Wes would.
GH Talk: Carly, Drew, And Jason Too
The subject turns to GH and Steve wonders if Jason is still “in the cave” — meaning the rubble Jason was buried under when he and Britt tried to rescue Liesl (Kathleen Gati) and Drew (Cameron Mathison) from Victor Cassadine’s (Charles Shaughnessy) clutches. Steve points out that nobody looked for him so Laura confesses she is still getting flack from Maurice Benard for not looking hard enough for Sonny when he fell off a bridge and washed up in Nixon Falls.
Laura explains that they didn’t have time to make Jason and Carly’s newfound romance work because Sonny returned right after their wedding. They both admitted the scenes in Sonny and Carly’s bedroom were “weird” and “awkward.” They also believe the Nixon Falls story went on way too long.
When Laura starts talking about Carly’s relationship with Drew, she theorizes she is only with him because he has Jason’s memories. She also has to remind Steve about the memory-mapping story that placed all of Jason and Drew’s separate memories on flash drives.
Steve, Bradford, and Laura all move on to Sonny’s recent marriage to Nina (Cynthia Watros) where Laura gives her odds on how long the union will last, pointing out that this is the much-married Sonny after all. They also predict what Sonny will do when he learns that Nina turned in Carly and Drew for insider trading.
Bradford then talks about how he recently worked with Laura’s on-screen daughter Eden McCoy who plays, Josslyn, as well as “Baby Jason,” aka Dex played by Evan Hofer. Bradford was excited to get to work in Spinelli’s lair until he realized it was a closet on the studio’s fifth floor filled with computers.
Prizes From Daily Drama
They take a short break to tell fans all about Daily Drama giveaways, including a virtual meeting with the hosts, as well as t-shirts, coffee mugs, and other soap swag. You can learn more at dailydrama.com/giveaways.
How Soaps Have Changed Through The Years
Steve’s job as Harris Michaels on Days of Our Lives is the next topic of conversations, as well as DAYS’ long lead time for taping, which Steve quips is about “17 years.” Currently, they are filming episodes that will air in May of 2024. They are able to get so far ahead by filming about 10 shows a week. They work fast-paced and run lines a lot due to only getting about one take before moving on.
The three talk about how different soaps are in 2023 as opposed to many years ago. They have shorter scenes and everything moves at a quick clip. Gone are the days of 12-page scenes and tons of blocking. Now, they do 1-2 page scenes and rarely get a chance to talk about the scenes before filming.
Steve noticed that the writer’s strike scenes he filmed on DAYS were longer than with the regular writers. They all admit that when they see scripts, they sometimes think their characters wouldn’t do what’s on the page but they make it work. Steve loves the moments in a scene where the characters connect on a real human level.
Showing Gratitude For Life’s Gifts
Laura also spoke about her positive life attitude, with her calling it a choice. In fact, she is going to start monthly Zoom workshops called Sacred Space With Laura Wright. Before her official launch, she will be doing a Zoom on how to navigate the holidays. A schedule of her events can be found at coastalentertainment.com.
Laura also speaks of when her life transformed and how she wants to help people live to their fullest even when life throws curveballs. She is a fan of Deepak Chopra’s and Tony Robbins’ teachings. They taught her how to take her power back in life.
Both Steve and Laura say they come from a place of gratitude no matter what going on in life. Steve explains that he doesn’t always wake up happy but he makes sure he gets there. Laura admits that she now wakes up feeling grateful for what she has each day.
Show Notes:
00:15 That’s Awesome Podcast has a new home – The Daily Drama Podcast
01:12 Sonny Or Carly? The Winner Is Carly
02:50 Laura Wright’s Life With Her Kids And Wes Ramsey
06:26 GH Talk: Carly, Drew, And Jason Too
18:15 Daily Drama Giveaway
18:51 How Soaps Have Changed Through The Years
33:40 Showing Gratitude For Life’s Gifts