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This week on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, chemist Damon Porter is introduced as a sought-after commodity in the cosmetics war between Newman and Jabot. “Damon creates a furor when he comes to town,” previews Executive Producer David Shaughnessy: Portrayer Keith Hamilton Cobb “has tremendous charm, a tremendous screen presence and a tremendous following in daytime. This is a wonderful coup.” Here, the outspoken - yet press-shy -Cobb reflects on his new Y&R persona and his popular role as ALL MY CHILDREN’s Noah (which he played from 1994-96). He also responds to noteworthy comments from past Digest interviews.
DIGEST: On your official Web site, www. keithhamiltoncobb.com, you said, “The road changes our physicality.” It’s been seven years since you left daytime. How has the road changed you?
COBB: It has started to make the hair on my face gray. Where I used to be angry at so much, the worst I can muster is a bemused sadness at the worst that the world has to throw at me these days. I’m still here. I’m still acting. There’s been no great epiphany to alter that or make me believe I should be doing something else. I’m hugely blessed, and I don’t know that you would have heard me say that seven years ago. What we perceive as slights and obstacles and insults are all blessings, put there to change us and challenge us. I am happy when I’m creating characters that no one can take away from me. No one can take Noah Keefer away. That was one huge thing on the face of daytime that people remember. Damon Porter, we don’t know enough about right now, but my wheels are turning. I’m on it.
DIGEST: In your AMC exit interview in 1996, you stated, “They’re not going to find another me.” How do you feel about that comment now?
COBB: I think it’s great. I did get flak for it. I’ve gotten flak for so much in my evolution because of the type of actor that I am and the type of person that I am. There is no another any of us. There are daytime characters that are interchangeable. We’ve seen them, because they have nothing or do nothing beyond the daytime status quo. There are many actors who live that life willingly because they want a job. They want to collect their money and go home, and you can’t blame them. The potential is here to create another indelible character. If the producers and the writers are as excited a year from now as they are today, then he’ll be wonderful. Characters need love.
DIGEST: During that exit interview in the 9/24/96 issue, you said, “If I don’t go now, I’ll never know what else is out there.” Are you happy with what you found?
COBB: Yes. I wanted to be a stage actor. We created [Noah] and it was done. The creation had gone as far as management wanted it to go. I could not grow it, so that move made sense. I’m grateful for all the ups and downs. I’m not done seeing what’s out there. I’m not done growing. Along with wanting to create indelible roles, I want to be wanted, and [Y &R] wanted me… These are tough questions because my tendency is to get philosophical and I don’t think it makes good copy [laughs].
DIGEST: You also remarked, “There’s always a soap stigma to live down. That’s one of the reasons I’m going now.” Is that still true?
COBB: Yup. I still find it. The difference is, now I don’t give a s---. Back then, I cared. Now, I don’t. If you don’t like it, then take it up with somebody else. I have no time for that.
DIGEST: That interview closed with your comment, “Hopefully, they will continue to embrace me at AMC, and welcome my return if that happens.” It never happened. Why?
COBB: [Pause] The simple answer is that roles ~ have a beginning, middle and end. You start them. You build them, and whenever it’s done, for whatever reason, it’s done. I didn’t feel like I wanted to reprise it. It’s like a painting. You don’t go, “Let me add something to this a couple years later.” It’s done.
DIGEST: You also stated then that “[Noah] has been groundbreaking.” Is Damon?
COBB: [His being a] chemist is a metaphor for something bigger. That chemistry extends into every aspect of his life. He sees how people interact and can watch it and be part of it or be outside of it and affect it. Whereas Noah, when I came to that role, they had an image of the young urban black male that they wanted, and I played against all of it. Damon is not heavy. Damon is magic because he’s happy being and watching people’s reaction to his being. He’s a catalyst.
DIGEST: In your profile in the 11/22/94 issue you noted, “I don’t think I’m good yet, but I am very conscientious and very committed.” Thoughts now?
COBB: I still don’t think I’m good, but I’m a damn sight better than I was [laughs]. There’s always room for improvement.
DIGEST: In that piece, you also reflected on how acting leaves little time for personal relationships, saying, “I’m extremely selfish, self-indulgent and self-involved; which has served me well professionally, but has also kept [having a] serious relationship on the back-burner.” Still true?
COBB: I was Just straight-up honest with you all, wasn’t I? I gave it all away. I don’t give interviews like that anymore [laughs] No, it still sucks [laughs]. I’m a gypsy by trade. I go where the work is. Being back here [in L.A. ] and trying to create some kind of a base in taking this job is a step toward maybe achieving some level of normalcy, but [acting] is not a normal life. It’s not a life where you always know where the money is coming from, and thinking that you can achieve security is an illusion. That doesn’t change. When it’s supposed to, it will. Obviously, I need to trust that it’s right and it will be, all in due time.
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