H: I get more mail from EJ/Sami supporters (EJami) now than Lucas/Sami (Lumi). How do you feel about that?

BD: Fine. Most of my conversations are through Lumi, as you might expect, so those are positive. But I get a lot of backlash from EJami, because I’ve kidded around in online chats with Lumi fans about EJami fans and how they eat their young. But that’s just me being me. I know there are rape victims out there who frown on the connection between Sami and EJ. I think that is kind of insulting to those people and I would like to apologize to them for that. On a more positive note, I think Ali [Sweeney] and James [Scott’s] chemistry is amazing and EJami itself is a great thing for Lucas. Maybe he can play his own storyline now.

CH: You mean stop being the third leg of a love triangle?

BD: I think it’s time for Lumi to close a chapter, if not the book. Public perception is starting to be that Lucas is a punk, a doormat, a pushover, and it’s frustrating to me as an actor. You try to pick moments to be strong, but they need you to cater to Sami. I’m working on trying to stick up for Lucas a little more. Don’t get me wrong, I am totally happy. But Lucas’ arms are tired from carrying Sami. She is a full load!

CH: You’d be okay if Sami and EJ became a supercouple?

BD: Yeah. I think Sami and EJ have the ability to be a supercouple like Luke and Laura. If the audience could get past the rape thing, they could be the next Bo and Hope, or John and Marlena. They have a choice to accept it and allow the main connection between them to be Santo and Colleen, and their history.

CH: With no Lucas?

BD: I’m aware that my role might shrink in size because of that. I’ve always been a team player. I’m willing to lay down a bunt; I don’t always have to hit the home run. That’s cool with me. They have great chemistry and that should be explored.

CH: Do you think Lucas has suffered as a character because of everything Sami has done to end the Brady/DiMera vendetta?

BD: It’s been hard lately, because everywhere I go, people are like, “Why is Lucas so dumb? Do you think we are stupid? Who would put up with that?” So in that aspect. I look forward to whatever new way they try to take it.

CH: What kind of story would you like?

BD: The single-father storyline is something untouched in daytime. I’m a single father myself and that would be a great angle to show with Lucas.

CH: A story with Will? Or with the twins?

BD: Whether they are both his babies, or one is his baby – I’ve heard a lot of rumors – that is something uncharted. There are a lot of single fathers out there who step up but the Deadbeat Dad kind of reigns supreme. Having a song who’s autistic with special needs, it’s taken a lot for me to raise him. I would love to pour that same energy into this story.

CH: Is there a woman on the canvas that you think would be good for Lucas besides Sami?

BD: Off the top of my head, Chelsea. She’s trouble but she has a very good upside. But I don’t really see anybody for Lucas, because everyone is pretty well-established in their own storylines. It would be refreshing if someone from the past was brought in; someone connected to a major family who runs into Lucas, and sees qualities in him as a single father and a responsible man.

CH: And if not that?

BD: Whoever! I’ll take Hope. I’ll take Julie.

CH: How about Marlena?

BD: I’ve always had a thing for older women, so I wouldn’t close the door on that!

CH: But in the end…

BD: Lucas will fight for Sami. He will not give in to the demands of the DiMeras. Lucas will not give up on his love.

Glad to see Bryan gets Ejami is next super couple in Salem!

This is AMAZING! I am so excited. I agree - EJ & Sami could be the next Bo & Hope.

I agree - BD needs a decent storyline away from Sami. The writing for him has been bad lately. It would be nice for him to get into a storyline of his own.

Cool interview.

I'm hoping Bryan gets what he wants.

And I love the end. I know this isn't going to be over.

I had no idea that Bryan's son is autistic. I've read in other interviews that he is a single father and is clearly very involved and proud of his son. He really is a role model for single dad's in real life - I'd love to see him given that opportunity on the show.

And, of course, I am SO excited that EJami is confirmed and that BD supports that decision. Whoo hoo! That is incredible news!

Great interview. Bryan has given alot of years to Days and I hope he does get a chance to develop his character. I have stated before that I have felt sorry for all of the actors and actresses because of the poor writing, lack of direction and focus...etc. Hopefully the guidance and leadership is in place to right the ship on that. I have been a huge Ejami hopeful since I started watching Days again this past spring-it was on my "Dear Santa, if I can just have this, I will never ask for another present the rest of my life" list. However, any of us that have watched soaps for any length of time know that we do not truly want an "end game" for our favorites. There comes a time for a all great couples to break up and drama ensues. Austin and Carrie were end game and they are off the screen in Switzerland.......

Best of luck to all involved and long live Days!

so happy for bryan dattilo he is so honest!

Well I definitely have a whole new appreciation for him. My 2nd son might have Pervasive Developmental Disorder (under the Autism umbrella) and it really isn't easy at all.

I really enjoyed that interview and ITA a single dad sl would be awesome. I think he would do amazing with it.

Wonderful interview!

Losing Sami to EJ for wherever the s/l is heading will be great for this actor.
I agree with the posters who say he is always in Sami's shadow.
He's been the third wheel too many times.

The dark side of his character would get him some seriously good acting time.
This actor has puut up with crappy s/l for too long....

BD's single dad idea is phenomenal. That is an underrepresented group of people as far as soaps.
Maybe even a new group of viewers!

BD sounds like such a nice guy. I would love to meet him! Im glad he thinks of ejami as a could be supercouple!

It's about time to get Lucas out from the shadows of Sami, Kate, Carrie, and Nicole. I hope he gets a great storyline. And I'm so happy that finally we are getting an EJ and Sami pairing.

He is a keen observer and I hope he gets to have his own character in its own right. Ejami is def the future of the show...and so it's good that he can acknowledge that and grow with his own role.

WOW!!! That was a great interview BD is a good guy & I hope he gets a better storyline for Lucas. I liked how he said that EJami could be the next Luke & Laura.

Great interview from Bryan and that's twice in one week Bryan has given a shout out to EJami and EJami fans.

Unfortunately, I suspect the James interview that I'm sure will be posted here soon is going to give EJami fans a bit of whiplash. I seriously feel like I've entered the Twilight Zone or something...Bryan D. saying how much he likes EJami and EJami fans, James Scott saying the idea of EJami is stupid or something along those lines.

Is Ashton Kutcher hiding out somewhere because seriously, this is nuts and goes to show that the soap mags have absolutely no interest in helping calm the fan war.

Hmmm...that is kinda weird, why would James say Ejami is stupid??? It's like biting the hand that feeds him. I guess I'll have to read it for myself...

I completely agree with you (don't faint or anything, lol). I can't help but feel something fishy is going on behind the scenes or else some wacky game of tennis where the fans are the tennis ball. I am about to leave this whole game behind...

lol, that is a first.

It does feel like a game at our expense or a roller coaster that I'm ready to get off but I guess I have to remind myself that, good or bad, these are interviews with the actors not the writer or producer. I'm enjoying the show right now and if other people are as well, ratings will go up and that's really all that will matter to TPTB.

James didn't say EJami is stupid or actually anything alot those lines. If you read the interview (see excerpt below), he says the idea of treating serious subjects so trivially is Stupid...i.e. the idea that Sami could really be raped and then without therapy, bounce back and be just fine. I think James thinks the EJami thing is very appealing. At least that's what I get from the interview.
quote
"JS: Yes. It's hard, although it's easier for me to play the rapist. It's tougher for Alison (Sweeney, Sami). EJ sees it as an invasion. In his head, he thinks that he is the one for Sami. It's stupid, I've got to be honest. It's a bit of a quantum leap to think that this girl was raped, didn't have to have any therapy, and was able to bounce back and be completely fine, because we don't want to deal with the potential and fallout of that. That's the stuff that dilutes the show. I sincerely believe that all these things I'm ******** and moaning about are going to be tightened up considerably under the new direction of Ed Scott. Just in the short time he's been here, there's been a significant change. There has been a serious force that's come through the show since he turned up. You can see it on the monitors. You can see it in the taping. You hear it from the actors who are walking off the set. There's sense of direction that hasn't been there [before]."

I have always loved Bryan's character as Lucas. He is one of the best that Days has in my opinion. Yes, I would love to see Ejami but I also want Lucas to be explored more and taken to a deeper side whatever and however the writers take him. I seriously want them to do something in a sl that will draw us back into the character of Lucas. I love Sami also, but I can understand where some are coming from when they say that the show has become the Sami Show instead of Days of Our Lives. I think it would be great to bring on another female lead character(someone who isn't a part of the Brady/Black/Dimera group)and hook her up with Lucas. Really though, I don't want him with someone that fast. I think that they should explore him as a single person and then maybe in a half a year to a year let him find someone. Just give his character a bit of time to come into his own person, so to speak.

Thank you for posting, Chloesgramma I can understand where James is coming, the way the "rape" was handled wasn't well, all sides can agree to that...however it does give me hope that under the direction of Ed Scott this issue will be dealt with.

Hey, I'm all for putting positive spin on things and I'm sorry for being a downer earlier. Thanks for posting chloesgramma - I don't see you post serious stuff that often so you must have felt strongly about this and I'm glad. Reading your post made me feel better and I do agree it was handled badly all around but I still don't think it was written or depicted as clear cut rape and a lot of people don't and I'd like some kind of acknowledgment of that point of view I guess. Also, it is a soap and I think if Days tried to take itself too seriously and tackle issues too deeply, they might lose even more viewers because as James says later in the same interview, American viewers watch for escapism. He may not understand that from his British upbringing where soaps are more character-driven and real and that's ok but the fact is that most viewers find "fluff" more entertaining. I lived in England for over 2 years and I hated British soaps - I found them drab but the people over there just loved them. It's all about personal taste.

I guess this is one of those days where IMissAremid will accuse me of being all out of sunshine and rainbows again. LOL I guess I'm just getting tired of being up one minute and down the next.

No worries Power I agree with you about being up & down...but what doesn't kill us only makes a stronger. Yes, the writing of 12/29 was bad but I also think it wasn't a cut & dry case either, there is room for a resolution. I believe Ed Scott will give us that resolution. Do you know where the full interview of this was posted? I would like to read more of it. If you need a good "pick me up" watch Bridget's video about Ejami to the theme of "Happy Days"...you'll be dancing in your chair in no time

I hear that and couldn't agree more, Power. I had a similar reaction when I read the interview with James. My sense was that he's not all that excited about the EJami coupling as a result of how they've dealt with the aftermath of the Dec 29th s/l. However, after taking in the opinions of others (thanks Chloesgramma, et al!) I do think it probably comes down to the s/l itself and his feeling that it could have been done more responsibly. I'm with you, though - having never seen it as a rape it's difficult to hear that clearly that's how James (not EJ) saw it. But, as I said on the FL site, I give him major props for being able to play the character and scenes in such a way that he put aside his personal thoughts and continued to make EJ such a commanding and engaging character.

Great interview! Kudos to Bryan for being such a good father!

I agree, that Lucas needs to have his own storyline for awhile after his marriage breaks up. A single father storyline would be refreshing and would allow us to see Lucas in a different way. Not with any of the crazy women in this town that seem to control his life. I also think that they need to bring someone in for him because no one in town right now would work for Lucas, IMO, and that they shouldn't get him in a new relationship right away.

Does anyone have the full article? I'd be interested to read it. It sounds to me like James Scott is showing less enthusiasm for this storyline than Bryan, which is very funny. I do wonder what's going on with that.

From what that above paragraph states, I'm taking away that James Scott thinks the idea that EJ is the one for Sami is stupid as it is being played out now, but if they fixed things, it would be a better storyline.

Wow, thanks for posting the interview with BD. I really do like him a lot and Lucas is one of my favorite characters, even though I am an Ejami fan. I didn't realize his son has autism, that must be tough on a single dad, I see how tough it is on married couples as I am a teacher who has an autistic boy in my regular education class.

Here is the link for the James article...

http://z7.invisionfree.com/DaytimeRoyalty/...;st=0&#last

My impression was that James was not happy about how the "rape" storyline was handled as opposed being against Ejami. Who knows...interviews can always be taken out of context. Happy reading

thanks for posting

I think that was a great interview. I have never cared for the character of Lucas, but I am starting to like him better now that he is starting to stand up to Sammi and calling her on her feelings of EJ. As for 12/29, I still believe it was never meant to be a rape s/l. They wanted a way to do yet another whose the daddy s/l and went about it the WAY WRONG way. I do not think they were prepared for the backlash it got, and then continued to make things worse by having everyone tell EJ you raped Sammi 24/7, but not having Sammi act like a rape victim and get closer to EJ. I think they need to accept the fact that they screwed up and put it in the past. In this case there is no way they will ever make all the fans happy. As for Lucas I think he does need a new s/l that does not include Sammi or his mother. Please do not put him with Chelsea. Isnt she his blood niece?

All I can say is "Cheslea"? I really hope Bryan was kidding b/c that would be too weird, LOL.

You know what? I LOVE EJAMI!! And I want them together more than anything, but I certainly don't want them to ruin Lucas. I hope they put him with Chloe or someone really pretty and will love him unconditionally.

This is such a great story. Thanks for posting. I love Bryan. I think he's a great actor. I think Days has been using him as a prop for far too long. I love the single father idea. It's refreshing and real. Those are my favorite kinds of storylines. I didn't know his son was autistic. I'm sure he's a great father though.

What a good idea Bryan! Chels. I have a new found respect for your character. I would like to see Lucas happy for once. Sammi has never done that for you. How Sweet. Good to Hear from you.

Yeah that would be very weird considering she is Billie's daughter and Lucas' niece. I mean isn't one Uncle/Niece relationship enough for this show?

awww I love Brian! He is very underappreciated, IMO. I am a Lumi fan, but after reading that, I feel like I would be OK witht hem breaking up. But my main concern with Ejami is that once they get together, they will be on our screens more then ever, and I am very annoyed by the 2 of them right now because of that fact alone.

Chelsea is his niece, Hope is cousin right? and Julie his aunt...


good pairings for Lucas would be Nicole, Stefani, China Lee, Mimi or Jan- is Jan dead?

all of the girls listed are wild like Sami, but need a strong leading male to make it to front burner-

This interview confirms EJ and Sami will be put together...YES!!!!

However, I don't want BD to leave the show or anything. I like him, just not with Sami. But if BD can admit there's chemistry between James and Ali, everyone else should! He even thinks their chemistry should be explored. Not only that, but he says he doesn't like what his character has become, and Lumi should close the book. Not only is that what I and legions of others want, but it will really help BD as an actor!

If BD wants it, why shouldn't we all?