Patrika Darbo Hopeful Soaps And Daytime Emmys Reach Agreement

Soap Hub sat down with soap vet Patrika Darbo and got an update about the Daytime Emmy Awards controversy… and what that means for the 2019 ceremony.

Darbo is on the board of governors for the Television Academy, which handles the primetime awards.

At the most recent Daytime Emmys, which are handled by NATAS, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, officials said her submission violated category rules and Darbo was asked to return her [second] Emmy.

The four remaining soaps were upset and angered about how the entire situation was handled, as well as other issues they had, and sent a letter to the academy, looking for changes in the nominating and voting process or else they would boycott.

Soap Hub checked in with Darbo to find out if any headway has been made.

“NATAS has got some problems right now. Hopefully that will be straightened out, otherwise, the four shows will not be participating [in the 2019 Daytime Emmy Awards], which I feel bad about, as the performance governor, because there has been some great work out there.”

That is a big deal because if the soaps don’t cooperate with the Academy and pull out of participating, actors won’t get the chance to have this year’s work judged… and that would be a true shame because we’ve seen some stellar performances this year across the board.

“It’s a sad situation. And again, the actors, the producers, the writers… all these people who have done their job,” she said, letting the thought hang there… “NATAS did not do their job right.

“If they had vetted it, none of this [having the Emmys taken away] would have happened. So they need to answer those questions — answer how they are vetting submissions and also how they vet who is getting to vote. At the Television Academy in Los Angeles, you must be a member to vote.” 

Answers are what the shows are looking for… and so far they haven’t been given. Darbo brought home that point.

“Answer all these questions so we can get these actors, writers, producers, costumes, makeup, hair… everybody can be in the Emmys next year for Daytime.

“Right now it’s up in the air. It’s in NATAS’s court. This is what the four soaps have asked for, that is what the television academy out here [Los Angeles] asked for, and a couple of the digital soap producers who said we want to know what the hell is going on. So we’ll see.”

As of right now, the Academy is planning on a ceremony May 5, 2019 ceremony. But it may be a quick one if they don’t give the soaps the answers they seek.