Interview With Ken Corday (Read 1,201 times)

[Deleted]

Ken Corday recently did a lengthy interview with Daytime Royalty. He speaks about the comings/goings in Salem and these are just some of the questions/answers that I found interesting:



Often there are rumors amongst fans that when something has changed onscreen, you, Ken Corday, have stepped in and demanded a change. Has that happened?


It’s really a committee decision. I never say, “I don’t want to see any more of this person.” And the writers never say, “We don’t want to see any more of this person.” It’s a committee decision when it comes to how much screen time a character gets. It’s cyclical, so a character will be on for a while, then we won’t see them for a while. No, the time has never come when I’ve said, “Absolutely not. This character has to go.” There have been discussions similar to that among myself, the network, and the writers where we’ve come to the decision that this character has to have more air time, less air time, depart the show, or we need a new character.


Is that based on fan feedback?


There’s another trap question. We are writing the show right now to air in April. If we listen to the fans, they’re responding to what’s airing now and what was filmed five months ago. We have to kind of go by our own gut and hope and pray that the fans adore what we’re doing.



What do you like about what’s airing?


There’s Chad coming back to town. Also the strange family of Clyde, Ben, and Jordan. There’s some new faces coming to town, and it’s important to bring in new faces to bring new life. I also find the dynamic of Will and Sonny very interesting. I could just go through the cast list! I love everyone on the show. To say I have a favorite? No. Obviously EJ and Sami are driving a lot of story right now because we’re coming to the end of their story in October.



I want to go back to what you said about writers being able to appeal to any age, because fans often complain of veteran actors being pushed aside because of age.


I don’t believe that viewers between 18-40 or even 18-35 only want to watch characters between the ages of 18 and 35. They’re still very enamored with characters like Stefano and Victor and John and Marlena, even though those characters are not in the younger demo anymore. They’re the powerhouses of the show. We can’t turn our back on that. You can say Hope is in the demo, but it’s kind of close. I don’t think it’s black and white. If you like the character, you’re going to watch the show. One of the most successful characters on our show is Stefano. One of the most successful characters on The Young and the Restless is Victor. Neither of those gentleman is in their...I will put it kindly, in their 50s. And they’re extremely popular and have an important place on the show.


It seems like the younger actors aren’t staying around as long.


Maybe. Maybe not. Molly Burnett left, and now she’s back. I don’t think she’s back on air yet. We do have a good, young ensemble of young players that have come onto the show in the last six months. Quite a few of them have not aired yet, and that’s important to keep the show fresh so that we’re not just looking at the same 12 to 15 characters that we’ve been looking at for 20 years.



Are there things coming up that might help to bring back in lapsed viewers?


I think that some of the characters that the viewers are very endeared to are going to have more story. We’ve seen it with Hope and Aiden. We’re perhaps going to see it with some other well known characters stepping more to the front. I don’t want to give any more away.




Is there anything else you would like to say to the fans?


The most important thing is for the viewers to trust us and stick with us. In the next few months, there will be new faces on the show. Try to invest in the new faces. Give us a break because Days of Our Lives has to change to stay fresh and alive. And if we don’t do that, then we’re not going to be on after the 50th year. I would say to the viewer, “Try to stay patient with us, and try to enjoy these stories as they come up even if they’re new and involve new characters.”



***In this interview, one of Ken Corday's answers regarding the return of certain characters included the following quote:  "We can’t let the audience dictate story. We listen to their feelings. We certainly keep our fingers on the pulse of what they’re feeling, but if the audience got everything they want, everyone would be happy today. Everyone would be back, but then there wouldn’t be a show. It would be a stagnant show. So they’re there, and then what?"

[Kpatch]

Thanks for posting this @dukeblue.

I do not understand this quote at all. What is he trying to here:

Oct 3, 2014 10:29:54 GMT -5 @dukeblue said:

***In this interview, one of Ken Corday's answers regarding the return of certain characters included the following quote:  "We can’t let the audience dictate story. We listen to their feelings. We certainly keep our fingers on the pulse of what they’re feeling, but if the audience got everything they want, everyone would be happy today. Everyone would be back, but then there wouldn’t be a show. It would be a stagnant show. So they’re there, and then what?"

[Deleted]

Kpatch, leading up to that quote, there were some questions regarding the possibility of characters being brought back from the dead(e.g. Jack) and the desire from some viewers to see that happen.

[wendylou]

I read this whole thing on DR yesterday and I didn't like a few of his answers. I thought his answer as to the benefit of shooting five months ahead made NO sense. He said himself that if something isn't working they don't see that until it's airing and can't always fix it in time.'I understand it helps budget but they shoot TOO far ahead.

I'm a little scared of who he is planning on shining the focus on in EJAMI's absence.

[fluffysmom]

Thanks for posting @dukeblue.

[stickywicket]

Interesting read thanks for posting @dukeblue!

[Deleted]

I really don't know what to make of some of Ken's answers. He describes Victor, Stefano, John and Marlena as the powerhouses of the show and still very popular, yet they've all been relegated to supporting roles.

I also found his comment about finding the dynamic between Will & Sonny interesting kind of odd.  He also seems to have a different opinion of the family from Poplar Bluff

I didn't appreciate his view about bringing back characters from the dead or from the past. His comment "So they're there and then what?" confused me. Why does Ken think that the show would become stagnant if he brought these characters back? Could they not write interesting stories for them, just as they try to do for the new characters? I guess I'm missing something.

It seems that their main priority is bringing in new faces to Salem. Ken says that he tries to keep a pulse on what viewers are feeling but I think the show's taping schedule has presented some difficulties in that area.

[jaysdelina]

I also didn't appreciate his "give us a break"comment.Sounded to me like he's reprimanding the fans for their feelings.Really when you're running a business,and this IS a business,"give us a break"isn't the thing to say to your customers.

[terry]

I wish Corday weren't in charge of the show anymore honestly, I wish that we were to get a brand-new writing team just brand new everything to be honest and with Corday gone then they can really restore DAYS to what it once was

[stickywicket]

Oct 4, 2014 12:35:43 GMT -5 jaysdelina said:

I also didn't appreciate his "give us a break"comment.Sounded to me like he's reprimanding the fans for their feelings.Really when you're running a business,and this IS a business,"give us a break"isn't the thing to say to your customers.

I agree, he sounded like it was his way or no way!

[terry]

Corday needs to be fired personally from the show if you ask me

[kathyj]

For some reason I always feel uneasy when I read interviews with Ken Corday. I see the need to introduce younger characters but can't they be gracefully intermingled with the vets? I hope he is not underestimating the importance of the vets to viewers.

[terry]

Or maybe Corday just doesn't care enough about DAYS history, either way people want him gone, I know I do because he surely doesn't respect DAYS history at all

[Deleted]

Ken's answer to this question certainly indicates that he feels he is on the right track:

What would you say to a current disgruntled viewer?

I’d ask why, and I’d say that I’m sorry to hear that because the numbers over the last few years did go up. We’ve held through a difficult summer, and the numbers have started to inch back up again. We have to do what we have to do.

[terry]

Oct 5, 2014 10:57:54 GMT -5 @dukeblue said:

Ken's answer to this question certainly indicates that he feels he is on the right track:

What would you say to a current disgruntled viewer?

I’d ask why, and I’d say that I’m sorry to hear that because the numbers over the last few years did go up. We’ve held through a difficult summer, and the numbers have started to inch back up again. We have to do what we have to do.

If that is what he has to say to himself to justify the way DOOL is right now then he can go right ahead