Eric Braeden, star of “The Young and the Restless” and member of daytime royalty, gave readers a tantalizing taste of what’s to come in his memoir, “I’ll Be Damned.” The book comes out February 7th, and when you hear some of what’s to come, you’ll be rushing to get a copy!
Life Imitates Soap
Sometimes, in the world of soaps, things get just as dramatic off-screen as they are on-screen, as Braeden recounted to tvline.com’s Michael Logan.
Braeden said he and Peter Bergman (Jack Abbott) did get into a tussle many fans have heard rumors of, but the two have long since buried the hatchet. Braeden did say, though, that he didn’t instigate their fight.
“I respect him enormously, and he and I are good for the show—good together,” Braeden said of his eternal Genoa City rival.
A Fellow Genoa City Icon
When Braeden join Y&R in 1980 and met the late Jeanne Cooper for the first, the two had a, shall we say, interesting encounter. Cooper grabbed him by his privates.
“Let’s see what you’ve got, macho man,” Cooper said.
Braeden laughed as he recalled jokingly asking Y&R creator Bill Bell not to give him any romantic scenes with Cooper.
The Muhney Mess
The Genoa City patriarch considered not including Michael Muhney (ex-Adam Newman) in his memoir. But, he said, his former costar behaved so badly, he had to mention him, though not by name.
“He was a very good actor, but he’s lucky he’s walking in one piece,” Braeden said of Muhney.
Braeden told radaronline in 2014 that the two almost got into a physical conflict because Muhney wanted Braeden fired from the show.
“The notion that Hunter King came to me and was coaxed by me to go to the top [and get Muhney fired]is utter nonsense,” he said to radaronline.
Braeden also spoke of respecting Muhney, despite the bad blood between the two. He commended Muhney for his acting ability and for his insight into his own flaws. Braeden said Muhney, after he was fired from the show, apologized to many costars for the overabundant ambition that played a role in his ouster.
Meanwhile, Muhney, in a 2013 interview with The Huffington Post, offered insight into his firing and expressed contrition for the behavior that led to his departure from the show.
He spoke of the dignity and grace with which his friend and ex-costar Maura West (ex-Diane Jenkins) faced being let go from Y&R.
“I’m going to take Maura’s lead. If there were disagreements in the past with Eric, for me, it has to be history,” Muhney said.
The Universal Appeal of Soaps, His Feisty Approach to Life, and More
Other topics soap fans will want to read about include Braeden’s insight into how soap operas are beloved around the world (some of his examples might surprise even fans well aware of this). He also spoke of how he came to terms with the history of his native Germany, and his deep love and respect for his father.
“The reach of Y&R is extraordinary. People care deeply about the show and our characters, and have done so for decades. In many cases, we are their surrogate family,” Braeden said.
The soap icon also told Logan of his early struggles in life leading to a refusal to take guff from anyone. Sound like a certain Y&R character you know?
If this book is as good as this interview, readers are in for a real treat!
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