With one day left before he films his final scenes as Adam Newman on CBS’ “The Young and the Restless,” Michael Muhney has spoken out via the Huffington Post on when and why he was fired, what’s next and whether or not the soap plans to recast his popular role.
“I was informed Monday night at work, said Muhney, who was informed of his ouster by Jill Farren Phelps, the show’s executive producer. “I was told ‘We’re going to be letting you go.’ Everyone knows I always have something to say. I’m a chatterbox, laugh all you want, but I was rendered speechless for about five minutes. I didn’t utter a word. There was truly a moment when I thought I was having a very vivid, surreal dream and I couldn’t wake up so I could tell people I was having an awful dream about ‘Y&R’ letting me go. So, unless this is a really long nap I’m taking, it’s not a dream and it’s really happening,” the actor stated. Unfortunately, the news occurred at the most personal time. “I was told at almost the exact same time my aunt found out she had officially been diagnosed with breast cancer. Almost within the same hour. So, that has helped me with perspective, in terms of what’s happening in the real world. We’re just talking about one guy who lost a job. Hey, there’s no business like show business. So I want to say, first and foremost, there are more important things people are dealing with in the world today.”
Sharing more of his chat with Phelps, Muhney says, “We had a private talk in her office. She’s always been very kind to me. We have a good rapport. It was intimate … the way it was handled. [Pauses] Part of me feels this is because I’ve always been outspoken, and sometimes I’ve been too outspoken. Sometimes I’ve walked around with a big backpack full of hubris. That is entirely on me. CBS, Sony, and Jill Phelps are not to blame for that. If I’m going to claim to be a grown man, I have to own that. But it could be financial or story. It was explained to me that CBS and Sony want to give Adam a break for 3-6 months and then they’ll bring him back with a different actor. Maybe he does need a break. Adam has been on screen a lot. He’s not being killed off.”
As previously reported, Muhney films his final scenes on Thursday, December 19. He will last air on the soap on Thursday, January 30 – the first day of the all important February sweeps ratings period.
For more from Muhney and what he has to say about disagreements he’s had with onscreen father Eric Braeden (Victor Newman), his thoughts on the fan outcry, and more, click here.
