The Erika Slezak Fan Club, in its 35th year, presents... March 2007 Erika’s World Phone Interview Dear Friends and Fans…Old and New, March 22, 2007 Welcome to the very first edition of “Erika’s World” online! I am thrilled that Walter has made the decision to take our club into the world of cyberspace, as our news will be more Erika Slezak current, and it will now be available to more people – and for free. As our fan club Official Fan Club members know, our format, in the past, has been for me to tell Walter about my life and the [email protected] show in the section “Dateline Erika,” and then I have answered questions in the “Ask Erika” Website section. It seems to make more sense for us to combine all of the same information into a www.erikaslezak.com Question and Answer format so that you can just follow our conversation as Walter and I catch up on everything, and then he asks the questions that all of you have submitted. Walter Miller has been my friend, and the President of the fan club, since 1972 (for those of you who are new to all of this), in other words, we go back a long way; so as time goes on, Erika’s World Staff we shall intersperse old fan club stories with the current information. Honorary President Thanks for visiting, and I certainly hope you enjoy the next generation of “Erika’s World.” Erika Slezak President & Publisher Erika Slezak Walter Miller, Jr. Editor AJ Welcome to our very first online edition of “Erika’s World” newsletter! Assistant Editor Kathryn [Kit] Williams I’ve been Erika’s fan club president for the past 35 years, and I’m proud to say that our club has the distinction of being the longest running active fan club for any actor or actress in daytime. But now, I wanted to touch a broader spectrum of fans, so what better way than to go to the universal format of…Online! So, if you are new to the world of Erika and our club…welcome! And to our long-time members…welcome to the next generation of your Founded familiar club! January 1972 I can tell you this - there is no other performer that I have such enthusiasm for, as Erika. Along with our staff, AJ and Kit, it is my goal to bring you an enjoyable and informative forum that celebrates the talents of Erika Slezak! We can all watch Erika bring life and vitality to Viki, but here, you can get a peek into Erika’s life when she is NOT in front of the camera. Unlike most of us, she has tremendous talent…but like most of us, she has a family and children, and animals, and a rich life beyond that which we see…and she is kind enough to share some of that with us. So, without further ado, we hope that you will enjoy © 2007 Erika’s World reading all about Erika, as she answers your questions. All rights reserved. No text Drop us a line and let us know how we are doing! [email protected] may be reproduced without written permission. Walter Miller, Jr. © 2007 Erika’s World 1 March 2007 ask erika How are things at work, are you working much? it. But you know what it is too, she has such a A little bit more - next week I tape 4 shows. young face. Obviously, she is maturing and all, but she still looks like a young girl – and she IS Good! On the air today are some nice scenes a young girl. Kristen is a young girl. She’s only 14 with Nora, and now Viki is at The Palace with or 15. She’s just too young. And she was very Clint and Dorian. Have I spoken to them yet? nervous about it too. No, you are just about to. Yesterday you told In the scenes she seemed very relaxed (laughs), Clint that you wanted to date him exclusively, let me tell you that. She’s a good actress. But, and today’s show picks up with that. I’ve it’s just wrong. I hate to say this but Dena will push noticed that the dialog with Nora and Viki was the envelope in any direction. She needs to realize decent and interesting. Yes it was. that she is not writing for a movie – a one time thing – Since we last talked, they announced that Ron but for a character that has to live with the actions for Carlivati was promoted to Co-Head Writer. Do a long time. you know him well, and is there I don’t see it as much now, anything you can tell us about a viki moment but a few months ago the him? Oh yes, Ron has been to remember show was very dark – baby connected with the show for many, killing and so on…. It is just many years, and I think he is going so unpleasant to watch. I to be very good for the show. He really don’t get to see the show was a breakdown writer before, he that much. is a very good writer, and he knows the show. He’s been connected Dena may be a fan of yours, here for ages. but she’s not a Viki fan. No she is not. Dena makes noises So this is a good thing then?! I of, “Oh yes you are wonderful, don’t know if you remember, but this and that” and then she years ago when Lindsay’s gallery writes nothing. She wants to first opened, they had an exhibition Finding MoJo write for her own characters of “Carlivati’s from Italy.” and she wants to write stories Yes, I remember that. That is he! They used his that she thinks are interesting but nobody else does. name. But yes, he’s been with the show for a long She doesn’t write stories, she writes events. It’s like time. one event – let’s have a bomb, let’s have a plane crash – but there is no story. I don’t know if you have seen these scenes with Starr and Cole, but as a mother, how do you feel Ok, Mark La Mura (ex Mark Dalton on AMC) – has about Starr's bedroom scenes? I think that they he joined the show? No. He was just there two went too far with that. Starr is only meant to be a days, and it hasn’t aired yet. freshman in high school, and yet they are talking So it was nothing really. It was just a cameo that’s about a prom now, in what is coming up. But she’s all – as far as I know. I don’t know if they are going a freshman in high school and that is too young. I to bring him back. know they actually didn’t do anything, (at the ski lodge) but they intended to. They were alone People were speculating that he was for Viki. together in a bedroom and it’s wrong because it Well, yes… they brought the character in as a new sends a message that it is ok to do that. Even if you board member and he asks her to dinner, but the decide not to do that in the end “it’s ok to go and do dinner was a disaster – it’s like a joke. it” – it’s wrong. I think it’s very wrong. I don’t know what Mark looks like now, as I I’m sure they are going to get some letters from haven’t seen him in years. How does he look? parents out there. I was taken aback a little by (Continued on page 3) © 2007 Erika’s World 2 March 2007 ask erika (Continued from page 2) wonderful actor, and he got the rotten end of the Mark looks great!! He’s a nice man and we had fun shaft. He was the best Kevin that we have ever had when he was here. – a mature, grown up Kevin. He just was terrific! Linda Thorson (ex Julia Medina), dear Ben (Mark There was no reason to, well…obviously Derwin), and Roy Thinnes are THREE PEOPLE because of salaries and stuff like that…but it that I really enjoyed on the show. Do you know was such a dumb move on their part. It was a what they are doing now, and are you in contact dumb move period. It had nothing to do with salary. with any of them? I do not know where Linda is – I have not been in contact with her. Linda and I It was said that focus groups thought his were in RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) character was boring and that’s why they got together but she was in a term below me. And then rid of him. Apparently, that’s what I heard. Roy - I hear from Roy periodically. We stay in touch, Give me a break!!!! Do we even know who but I haven’t seen him in awhile. I know he was very these focus groups are? No, we don’t know ill, and I think he had a kidney taken out like two exactly who these people are. They are people that years ago, but he’s fine now! I saw him a year ago they pick in cities in groups of 20, 30 or 40 people actually, and he looked well…which was great.