Gays of our Lives (May 26, 2009)

This week, we’ve plenty of The Young and The Restless news and information for you, starting with an interview with Thom Bierdz. The out actor is returning to the show after a twenty year absence for a provocative storyline already being avidly discussed all across the daytime television landscape. Plus we’ve got the news about a Y&R actor rumored to have quit over a same-sex kiss. If that weren’t enough Y&R scoop for you, there’s some summer spoilers for the show that will guarantee that things will stay hot in Genoa City.

And as always, I've got GOOL Theater visits Waterloo Road, the latest news on As The World Turns and Hollyoaks, red hot SNAPSHOTS with the boys from Forbidden Love — and a video spoiler from All That Matters that has to be seen to be believed!

TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEATURE: INTERVIEW WITH THOM BIERDZ
GOOL THEATRE
IN MY HUMBLE OPINION (IMHO)
SCOOPS & SPOILERS
GOOL NEWSBEAT
BITS & PIECES
RATINGS & RANKINGS
SNAPSHOTS
SOAP STUD OF THE WEEK
QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Thom Bierdz Brings it Full Circle

Two weeks ago, viewers of The Young and the Restless received quite the shock when Phillip Chancellor III, or someone who looked an awfully lot like him, made a surprising appearance on the show. Why is that so shocking? Because Phillip died in a car accident over twenty years ago.

So is this actually Phillip? A lookalike? Or perhaps his twin?

I had the chance to interview openly gay actor Thom Bierdz about his return to the show, as well as the past tragedies in his life, his success as an artist, what he hopes to accomplish with his return to daytime television and much more. (Thom gave us a fascinating interview and we elected to publish the entire conversation. If you're more interested in the rest of the GOOL, the interview concludes on page 6.)

AfterElton.com: Did you ever think that you’d be back on The Young and the Restless?
Thom Bierdz: Gosh, before February I wouldn't have expected this at all, but because the twenty-year mark was coming up, twenty years of me being gone, I think it's really relevant to me personally to be able to go back. To be a new person and go back to that, I think is a great opportunity.

AE: What made you decide to go back after twenty years? Why now?
TB: It's a tough thing for me to answer because I'm only allowed to say certain things. [laughs] Let's just say this is an amazing opportunity and I'm privileged to have this part at this time.

AE: How did it all come about? Did you contact them about returning or did they contact you?
TB: I'm sorry that I'm answering this way, but it's very guarded both ways. I very much wanted to come back, and because Maria Arena Bell [Y&R’s co-executive producer] is very interested in going back to a time in Genoa City, with her favorite plotlines and characters. She very much wanted me to take some time off from my writing and come back to the show.

We had wonderful discussions in a Beverly Hills restaurant back in February about where this could lead, and I'm just so excited and so honored to be me at this time.

It's been a rough road. At one point, I went back to bartending and waiting on tables, even bartending at the Soap Opera Digest Awards ten years ago. For me to make a living as an artist and make a name there, and then when I hadn't thought anything about acting, for this to happen and for me to go back, it's just like my friends from a couple years ago would never have believed that I was even capable of this. It's just a wonderful time for me.