The drama off the set of The Young and the Restless exceeds the drama on screen these days.

It started last month when fans were shocked to hear that Michael Muhney was fired from the role of Adam Newman after nearly six years on the show.

No official reason has been given, though one rumor has been that fictional father Eric Braeden pushed for his costar to get the boot, an allegation the veteran actor now vehemently denies.

“We did have our differences, but for anyone to say that I had him fired is a lie,” Braeden tells Radar, acknowledging that a “shouting match” between the two did recently take place.

"I don’t remember the specifics of who said what but what I do recall is that I was prompted to get into ‘fisticuffs’ with him because he wanted me off the show," Braeden explains. "It was a campaign to get me off the show. It was Muhney who wanted to get me off the show and he expressed that to various people.”

There has also been talk that Muhney was inappropriate on set, most notably groping the breasts of 20-year old colleague Hunter King.

Muhney, meanwhile, has remained mostly quiet since his ousting. But viewers have not.

A group pooled together a few hundred dollars yesterday and flew a banner over CBS Studios that read TEAM MUHNEY SUPPORTS MICHAEL MUHNEY.

Contentious times, indeed. Muhney's final episode airs on January 30.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.