The Stafford Project

The Stafford Project is a web series that stars American soap opera actress Michelle Stafford, known for her award-winning portrayal of Phyllis Summers on The Young and the Restless. It debuted on August 5, 2013 via YouTube and Stafford's website.

The Stafford Project
GenreComedy
Created by
Written by
  • Michelle Stafford
  • Paige Dorian
  • Paige Long
Directed by
  • Paige Dorian
  • Paige Long
StarringMichelle Stafford
Theme music composer
  • Roy Shakked
  • Holly Palmer
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10
Production
Executive producer(s)
  • Michelle Stafford
  • Paige Dorian
  • Paige Long
Producer(s)Sevier Crespo
Production location(s)Los Angeles, California
CinematographyFranklin Guerrero, Jr.
Editor(s)Franklin Guerrero, Jr.
Release
Original releaseAugust 5, 2013 (2013-08-05) –
present
External links
Website

Development and conception
"It's basically a comedy about a soap opera star named Michelle who got her own sperm and created her own baby, and is trying to get her groove on. Her romantic life just falls apart in her face on every episode. It's a cross between Curb Your Enthusiasm and Sex and the City."[1]

—Stafford on her character in The Stafford Project (2013)

The decision to debut a comedy web series coincided with Stafford's departure as Phyllis Summers on The Young and the Restless, a role that became "crazy-popular" over the course of her fifteen years with the soap opera, as well as earning her two Daytime Emmy Awards out of ten nominations.[2][3] Of her decision to leave the soap, she told Soap Opera Digest: "There were a lot of personal reasons that I just think are not important to share with the world. Only my good friends should know."[4] In an interview with TV Guide's Michael Logan, she said that wanting to pursue comedy was a primary reason behind her decision to exit the show.[5]

The web series' launch also coincided with the launch of Stafford's personal website, which she dubbed "Doing It as a Single Chick", a website about lifestyle topics such as fitness, parenting, style and romance. The Stafford Project sheds light on Stafford's life, as she plays herself in a tongue-in-cheek reality depiction of her own life.[3]

PRWeb's Marlan Willardson noted that it "will focus on highlighting the humor in humiliating situations. Michelle’s own life serves as inspiration – which is anything but dull – whether she’s dating, parenting or looking for her next gig as an actress in Hollywood".[3] For the web series, Stafford enlisted the help of her close friends, Paige Dorian and Paige Long.[3]

The web series pokes fun at the "degrading" events of Stafford's life: "I just lead that kind of life. Things go wrong. Things blow up in my face. But even the most difficult things in my life are riddled with comedy".[5] Despite the hard events of her life, such as her struggle with having a child, she said that "I am able to look back at everything and find the humor in it all. And I do know how to tell a good story! So I thought, why not turn all this into a web show? Self-deprecation is my friend".[5] Prior to its debut, Stafford released a promotional video teaser on July 31, 2013.[6]

Premise
Stafford in 2007.

The series focuses on topics such as reality television, Hollywood, and Stafford's unsuccessful love life.[2] Based on her own life, Stafford plays Michelle, an actress known for her role of Francis on a soap opera who is raising her three-year-old daughter and trying to "get her groove on as a single chick and mother".[7] The first episode of The Stafford Project has Michelle being persuaded by her Hollywood agents to drop her soap opera role and create a web series. She refuses, but they won't take no for an answer as the camera is already rolling.[8]

Cast
  • Michelle Stafford as herself
  • Michael Walker as Steve
  • Mike Randleman as Richard
  • Natalia Stafford as herself
  • Sevier Crespo as Marcus
  • Rob Filios as Jonathan

Episodes
Episode Title Release date Duration
01
 "Technicalities" August 5, 2013[9]
8:30
02
 "You Got Your Amp"[10] August 18, 2013
9:31
03
 "That Guy" August 31, 2013
6:43
04
 "White Secret" September 16, 2013
10:47
05
 "It's Just a Heart" September 30, 2013
12:03
06
 "The French Assassin" October 14, 2013
8:36
07
 "Reality Adjustment" October 28, 2013
13:08
08
 "The Foot Guy" November 11, 2013
9:09
09
 "Check Please" November 25, 2013
11:05
10
 "The Nut Cracker" December 21, 2013
18:19

Critical reception

Michael Logan of TV Guide appreciated the web series, calling it "terrific and audacious" and saying that "there's never a dull moment in the life of Michelle Stafford".[5] Jamey Giddens of the entertainment website Zap2it said that Stafford is "as viable and fiery as ever", calling The Stafford Project "insanely-funny".[11] Giddens also stated that he was "screaming with laughter the entire time", and "her adorable, talented, dream-drop of a daughter, Natalia Scout Lee, also appears, threatening to steal the show from her mommy".[12] Michael Fairman of On-Air On-Soaps stated that there "was a realism to the ridiculousness", and thought it was "well done".[10]

gollark: ... What? How does this work? How does any of this work?!
gollark: Of what?
gollark: <@199585701547868160> How much is "the box"?
gollark: Is there some sort of conveniently formatted database of all the pack's crafting recipes?
gollark: I was lucky enough to do my brief bit of mining when they were at 6.

References
  1. "New Stafford Series Online Now". Soap Opera Digest. American Media, Inc. August 5, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  2. "Michelle Stafford Opens Up About Leaving The Young And The Restless And Her New Web Series". The Huffington Post. August 1, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  3. Willardson, Marlan (August 5, 2013). "Michelle Stafford Launches Web Series". PRWeb. Vocus. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  4. Lewis, Errol (July 26, 2013). "Michelle Stafford Talks Real Reason For 'Y&R' Exit". Soap Opera Network. Manti Incorporated. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  5. Logan, Michael (August 1, 2013). "Exclusive: Michelle Stafford Dishes Her Exit from The Young and the Restless, New Web Series". TV Guide. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  6. "Michelle Stafford Launches New Website And She Is Doing It As A Single Chick!". Michael Fairman On-Air On-Soaps. July 31, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  7. Fairman, Michael (August 5, 2013). "Michelle Stafford's Web Series The Stafford Project Makes Its Debut – Watch It!". Michael Fairman On-Air On-Soaps. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  8. Lewis, Errol (August 5, 2013). "Michelle Stafford Launches 'The Stafford Project'". Soap Opera Network. Manti Incorporated. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  9. Young, Candace (August 5, 2013). "Y&R's Michelle Stafford Launching The Stafford Project". She Knows Soaps. Atomic Online. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  10. Fairman, Michael (August 5, 2013). "The Michelle Stafford Interview – The Young and the Restless & The Stafford Project". Michael Fairman On-Air On-Soaps. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  11. Giddens, Jamey (August 5, 2013). "Watch: The Premiere of Michelle Stafford's The Stafford Project! (Video)". Zap2it. Tribune Media Services. Archived from the original on August 7, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  12. Giddens, Jamey (August 1, 2013). "Michelle Stafford on New Web Series: "Self-Deprecation is My Friend"". Zap2it. Tribune Media Services. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
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