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OLTL: Made Me Laugh; Made Me Cry
There have been so many good things happening on OLTL and so many good acting performances that I don’t even know where to begin.
Let me start with the baby switch reveal and Bree Williamson’s powerful performances.
She swept me along for the ride through all three of her personalities (Jess/TessBess) and, especially, her emotions when Jess finally faced that Bess had switched her dead baby with Starr’s live one and the impact to all involved.
Whether Williamson is feeling happy or sad as Jessica, she is always so real and she makes me feel every range of emotion along with Jessica.
And she does this time after time after time - consistent, strong performances.
I also love the Jess/Brody pairing.
Mark Lawson as Brody also has delivered time and again - particularly those scenes when he was comforting Jessica near the empty baby’s crib after Chloe - now Hope - had been given back to Starr.
Jess and Brody
Then there’s Kristen Alderson as Starr and Brandon Buddy as Cole.
Kudos to both these young actors for their performances when they discover their baby, Hope, who they believed to be dead was really alive.
They, too, took me through their range of emotions….from despair at the death of the baby, to their detective work in trying to find out the cause of death and finally to the elation that their baby was alive!
Starr and Cole reuniting with their baby was one big - awwwwww…..Followed by sadness, once again, when they gave Hope to Marcie and Michael McBain (Kathy Brier and Chris Stack) as promised.
But wait!
Marcie later overheard Langston telling Markko that it broke Starr’s heart to give up her baby and Marcie gave Hope back to Starr!
Elation once again for Starr ……
That is, until she finds out that Cole violated his probation by trying to throw away pills put in his pocket by his former drug dealer when - at that very moment - a cop came by and caught him with the drugs in his hand.
So now, they have their baby back and could be one big happy family…But, oh no, now Cole has to go to prison for two years. Grrrrrrr.
Starr and Cole
How much more of a rollercoaster of emotion can there be?
One more.
Cole proposed to Starr. She accepted. AND Todd gave his permission! Will miracles never cease?
I was sad to see Brier and Stack leave OLTL, but loved their final scene when Marcie discovers she’s pregnant.
At least that leaves the door open for their return to Llanview.
Another source of my viewing pleasure is T&B - and I don’t mean Todd and Blair.
I mean Tea and Blair…..
I love those two together.
Florencia Lozano as Tea and Kassie DePavia as Blair are so-o-o enjoyable to watch.
Talk about range of emotions.
Those two go from fighting like cats and dogs to bonding over their feelings for Todd.
Remember what happens in the boiler room stays in the boiler room?
Not!!!
Those two are really funny together!
They ratted each other out in heartbeat in court.
And just what secret has Tea never told a single person???
Hmmm.
My guess is that she has Todd’s secret love child.
But that’s just a guess.
Now, the only secret left to come out is the fact that Gigi (Farah Fath) did not cheat on Rex (Jean-Paul Lavoisier) and that her sleazy, skanky sister Stacy was not Shane’s bone marrow donor - And that Stacy was blackmailing Gigi to break up with Rex or Stacy (Crystal Hunt) would not save her own nephew.
Well, at least Gigi and Skylar (Scott Clifton) finally found out the truth….
Now they have to find the last puzzle piece - who the REAL donor is.
Let’s hope this happens before stripper Stacy seduces Rex.
I cannot WAIT until Rex finds out the truth.
And then it’s Buh-Bye Stacy and hello Gigi-Rex reunion.
We can only hope.
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Karen’s View of As The World Turns
My cousin Karen, my aunt Nancy and I all were hooked on Young & the Restless the first couple of years of it’s existence in the early 1970’s.
That’s when Jill Abbott was played by Brenda Dickson, who originated the role, and Katherine Chancellor was - and still is - amazingly portrayed by Jeanne Cooper.
We would all watch it together - mostly in the summers since Karen and I were in school and there wasn’t TIVO back then!
I remember the three of us also being hooked on the mini-series “Rich Man, Poor Man,” which was one of the first nighttime soap operas.
My grandmother was a faithful follower of “As The World Turns” and “Guiding Light.”
As you can see, we are a family of soap watchers.
About 17 years ago, Karen began watching “As The World Turns” and has been watching it ever since.
Karen has graciously provided us with her thoughts on -
The latest developments on ATWT
By Karen Bonanno
Meg, Paul, and Eliza -
Once again Paul goes off the deep end, kidnaps his daughter, and has everyone that he knows wanting to kill him. Then, as always Paul comes around and shows a very sensitive side with his touching display of remorse and compassion when he returns Eliza to Meg. Just when you think you can’t hate this character any more, he delivers his soft side.
Katie, Brad, Vienna, Henry -
Now that Katie is confined to bed rest for her pregnancy with the doctor’s orders to avoid all stress, the storyline seems predictable that Brad and Vienna’s TV partnership will drive another wedge into the friendship and send Katie into one of her emotional tantrums.
Dusty, Bonnie -
Who will start the new romance first - Dusty & Bonnie or Meg & Damian?
Chances are that it won’t be Dusty and Bonnie since Dusty seems attracted only to the women who are in crisis. Bonnie is a successful and independent woman who - I hope - has no interest in the angry, confrontational Dusty. What happened to Derek?
Carly,Parker -
This is a very realistic and relevant issue (Carly’s drinking problem) that ATWT is portraying with this family. The struggles between mother and son are intense and poignant. It’s interesting how Craig is the one trying to keep everything together.
And what are your thoughts about the latest developments on ATWT?
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It’s Brody To The Rescue on OLTL
I Cannot WAIT to watch One Life To Live today.
Because, if you remember, the very last thing we saw on Cliffhanger Friday, was Bess trying to make a run for it once again with Chloe….
And just as she opens the door to exit Nash’s parents place, Bess comes face to face with ——- Brody!!!!
I’m thinking that maybe the sight of the dashing Navy Seal will stir feelings that go deep down beyond the emotionless Bess and cause Jess to reemerge.
It happened before, when Bess was driving and Brody called on the phone.
Jess broke through, albeit shortly.
Bree Williamson, portrayer of the trio of personalities known as Jess/Tess/Bess, has been brilliant in carving out distinct voices and mannerisms for each one.
She SO deserves the Daytime Emmy and she’s up in the Supporting Actress category.
The growing romance between Jess and the handsome, charming and loyal Brody Lovett (Mark Lawson) has been so enjoyable to watch.
Lawson has really done a superb job with the growth of the character.
Brody entered the show as kind of a jerk in the very beginning….Can you say bar fights and one-night stands?
But all that changed along the way, when Brody showed his love and loyalty to Gigi and Shane and, somehow, found a second chance at love with Jessica.
Lawson does a great job of playing it real and making the viewer feel the range of emotions along with Brody.
Williamson and Lawson, together, have the makings of a Supercouple.
Check out this video of Friday’s eppy. It starts with some good Tess/Bess chatter - and ends with Bess opening the door to Brody.
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Stuart Chandler Dead? Say It Isn’t So!
Would someone please tell me why they killed Stuart Chandler on All My Children???
Sweet, kind, gentle, wonderful Stuart…..the antithesis to his power-hungry, manipulative, devious, identical twin Adam Chandler.
Both characters have been so adeptly played by veteran David Canary.
As such, Canary masterfully transformed himself into each character with distinct changes in wardrobe, gestures, expressions and appearance.
While playing the dual roles, Canary won the Daytime Emmy Award four times.
Stuart was such a breath of fresh air….so different than most soapy characters.
He was simple in his ways, yet so wise in his assessment of people and of situations.
All of this leaves me wondering…..
What are they thinking??
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She’s Baaaaaaack: Lindsay on OLTL
Guess who’s coming back to Llanview in June?
Catherine Hickland as Lindsay Rappaport returns to One Life To Live.
And her scores of fans are really looking forward to this - including me!
Catherine announced the good news last night on her Facebook and Twitter pages.
It’s been many months since we last we saw Lindsay, after being sent to prison for Spencer Truman’s murder.
If you remember, she faked insanity after it was discovered that she stabbed Spencer (who deserved it by the way) to death and got away with it……for awhile.
That is until Lindsay’s arch rival Nora Buchanan Hanan (Hillary B. Smith) discovered the truth in a letter and confronted Lindsay with the evidence when she was attempting to exchange wedding vows with Nora’s ex-hubby, Bo Buchanan.
Needless to day, the bombshell imploded the nuptials.
For the record, that was the second time that Nora has interrupted a wedding between these two.
Once the truth came out, Lindsay was carted off to Statesville, where last we saw her behind bars.
The time for Lindsay’s reappearance is long overdue.
Let the games begin.
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36th Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations
Nothing’s perfect. That’s for sure.
But, in my opinion, the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Nomination list is much more on target than last year’s picks.
There’s absolutely no question that Kristen Alderson (Starr/OLTL) deserves to be on that list in the Younger Actress category.
That omission just leaves me shaking my head. I just don’t understand how she didn’t make the final cut with such strong performances in her major front-burner pregnancy/baby death storyline. She hit home runs with those.
Alderson’s co-star, Brandon Buddy (Cole/OLTL) also should have made the list as well, but I think next year will be his year with his outstanding acting in his recent detoxing scenes.
I also think that Carolyn Hennesy (Diane/GH) should have made the list in the Supporting Actress Category. She is one of the brightest spots on that show.
But overall, I would say, it’s a much better list than last year, when they pretty much snubbed the ABC soaps.
Click here to view my nomination wish list that I wrote in March after they released the Emmy Pre-Nomination List.
I didn’t do half bad with my list,eh?
For me, the Supporting Actress and Supporting Actor categories are very strong. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top.
Supporting Actress: OLTL’s Bree Williamson as Jess/Tess/Bess should take it, unquestionably. Although I absolutely love AMC’s Melissa Claire Egan as Crazy Annie. AMC’s Alicia Minshew as Kendall has been so strong and always gives us 110 percent. So that category is going to be tough.
Supporting Actor: Vincent Irizarry is a super strong contender. He gives us so many layers of Dr. David Hayward on AMC. He has been spectacular since returning to AMC in the past year. I also love Bradford Anderson as Spinelli on GH. Who doesn’t? He also has shown a broad range of his acting talents since setting foot in Port Charles.
All three ABC Soaps (All My Children, One Life To Live and General Hospital) got nominations in the Drama Writing category and, for me, that’s a good thing.
The Daytime Emmys show will be telecast on the CW Television Network on Sunday, August 30th from the historic Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.
Check out the list below to see if your favorites made it.
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS Debbi Morgan (Angie, AMC) - ABC Maura West (Carly, ATWT) - CBS Susan Flannery (Stephanie, B&B) - CBS Susan Haskell (Marty, OLTL) - ABC Jeanne Cooper (Katherine, Y&R) - CBS
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR Thorsten Kaye (Zach, AMC) - ABC Peter Reckell (Bo, DAYS) - NBC Anthony Geary (Luke, GH) - ABC Daniel Cosgrove (Bill, GL) - CBS Christian LeBlanc (Michael, Y&R) - CBS
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS Melissa Claire Egan (Annie, AMC) - ABC Alicia Mishew (Kendall, AMC) - ABC Julie Pinson (Janet, ATWT) - CBS Tamara Braun (Ava, DAYS) - NBC Bree Williamson (Jessica, OLTL) - ABC
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR Vincent Irizarry (David, AMC) - ABC Jacob Young (JR, AMC)- ABC Van Hansis (Luke, ATWT) - CBS Bradford Anderson (Spinelli, GH) - ABC Jeff Branson (Shayne, GL) - CBS
OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTRESS Meredith Hagner (Liberty, ATWT) - CBS Rachel Melvin (Chelsea, DAYS) - NBC Kirsten Storms (Maxie, GH) - ABC Julie Berman (Lulu, GH) - ABC Emily O’Brien (Jana, Y&R) - CBS
OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTOR Cornelius Smith, Jr. (Frankie, AMC) - ABC Blake Berris (Nick, DAYS) - NBC Darin Brooks (Max, DAYS) - NBC EJ Bonilla (Rafe, GL) - CBS Bryton McClure (Devon, Y&R) - CBS
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES ALL MY CHILDREN DAYS OF OUR LIVES THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES DIRECTING TEAM ALL MY CHILDREN DAYS OF OUR LIVES ONE LIFE TO LIVE
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES WRITING TEAM ALL MY CHILDREN GENERAL HOSPITAL ONE LIFE TO LIVE THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
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Not Invested in Nu-Michael on General Hospital
I have to say, I just can’t get into Michael Corinthos III waking up on General Hospital.
It’s because Michael - the Michael who we have seen on our TV screens for years growing up before our eyes - is now magically tranformed into a bigger, much older and totally different Michael.
TPTB fired the loveable, kid that we watched for years - Dylan Cash - and hired an older version.
It’s called SORAS (Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome) and is done on a lot of soaps.
But, in some cases, it just doesn’t work.
And, in this case, I’m not feeling it.
Dylan Cash was 13 when he got the axe, not that far from the age that this Michael is supposed to be - somewhere in his teenage years.
So when I see Carly (Laura Wright) crying through a soliloquy over the comatose new Michael, I don’t feel sad like I would if it were Dylan Cash lying in that bed.
I don’t feel anything.
Dylan Cash
So WHY couldn’t they just use Cash, someone who we all watched grow up onscreen since the time he was 7 years old.
I think it makes everything so much more credible and makes the audience so much more invested in having a young actor/actress stay in the role that they originated.
Cases in point: Kristin Alderson and Eddie Alderson on OLTL and Kimberly McCullough on GH.
Nu-Michael is newcomer Drew Garrett.
Drew Garrett
I don’t have anything against this young actor, don’t get me wrong.
He probably is a very good, capable actor.
But, for me, he’s just not Michael.
He’s not the kid who I watched grow up before my eyes and became attached to over the years.
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Exclusive Interview with Tonja Walker Davidson (Alex Olanov/OLTL)
So I know that I’ve been AWOL from the blog for awhile…..Sorry!
It’s called - real life intervening…full-time job, family, friends, obligations…..
But today I have a real treat.
An interview with the mult-talented Tonja Walker Davidson, portrayer of that scheming vixen Alex Olanov on One Life To Live, a role she originated in 1990.
In addition to Alex, Tonja’s other soap roles were Lizbeth Bachman on Capitol 1982-1986, Olivia St. John Jerome on General Hospital 1988-1990, Marie Green on Guiding Light 2003-2004 and Grace Nancier on Passions 2007.
She also produced the movie “The Derby Stallion” that came out in 2007 starring none other than big-screen, teenage heartthrob, Zac Efron. That was before he catapuled to fame in High School Musical. Tonja played his mother in the film and her real-life daughters, Isabella and Abrianna, played her daughters.
Also in the movie, Crystal Hunt….you know her as Gigi’s evil sister, Stacy, on OLTL.
Tonja is, not only an incredible actress, but she’s also a singer, producer, writer, and, above all, a wife and mom.
Tonja Walker
When last we saw Alex on OLTL in January, she was on the island that she blackmailed Nigel into signing over to her after Asa’s death. But the tables were turned a bit on her when Dorian blackmailed Alex into telling her the truth about David Vickers (Tuc Watkins) being a Buchanan.
I spoke with Tonja by phone recently and here’s what she had to say about her future plans on and off OLTL.
Michele: When will we see Alex again on OLTL?
Tonja: “I have no idea. What they normally do is call me and if I’m available, they book me. I’m on recurring status, but I just never know when that’s going to happen.”
Michele: What is the One Life To Live studio like?
Tonja: “At One Life To Live, everyone is down in the basement, except the executives, who are on the second floor. So the rest of us are down there like moles without windows. That’s where the dressing rooms are and the coffee and the green room and the rehearsal hall. Everything’s down there except for the stage and there’s no windows on the stage.”
Michele: Do you enjoy playing Alex?
Tonja: “Of course, I think it’s the greatest thing ever! When Alex was nice in the very beginning, it really wasn’t that much fun.”
Tonja remembers one day, back in the early days of her character, reading in one of the tabloids that Alex was going to be involved in a fatal attraction storyline on OLTL, where she would be killed off.
Tonja: “People starting writing in. A lot of people wrote in, this was before computers, and they kept me on the show for 8 years after that and more….to this day. So the next thing you know, I go to this mental institution for this fatal attraction, I don’t die and they bring in Michael Malone (as head writer) and he wrote me with Carlo Hesser (Thom Christopher) and I think that’s the most fun I’ve had in my life as an actress. We had such an incredible chemistry. We were funny. We were sexy. We were crazy.”
Michele: What is Thom Christopher like to work with?
Tonja: “He’s the most professional, the most generous. He’s a consumate actor. He takes it real seriously. He’s always 100 percent on. He’s always trying to make it better. He’s one of my favorite people and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him.
“And then they put me with [the late] Phil Carey (as Asa Buchanan). That was fun. It wasn’t the same chemistry as I had with Thom, but it was fun and, of course, being a Buchanan is good for your bank account. Some of that stuff was pretty wacky. And, somehow, they turned Alex into a gold digger, which she never was.”
Tonja left OLTL in 1997 and went to Hollywood.
Tonja: “I was doing really well during pilot season and my sister said, ‘You have to go to the Deepak Chopra Center for Well Being.’ She said, ‘I have a strong feeling you should go.’ I met Ed (Edward Davidson, her husband) there and the rest is history. I have two beautiful children.”
In the past decade, Tonja has gotten called back to OLTL several times for short stints.
Tonja: “I really wanted to be with the kids, because I waited so long to have them. I would have never been happy if I just stayed working and not had children. And it wasn’t in the cards for me to be on TV and work and have kids at the same time.
“It was important to me to be with my kids until they really seemed like they were on their own path. Now Isabella is 10 and Abrianna is 9 and I can do more stuff and more work. But, to me, the best thing in the world you can produce is children and, for me, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done by far.”
Michele: What else are you doing careerwise?
Tonja: “Right now I’m writing a nighttime television series, a nighttime soap opera, it’s about “Mommies in Manhattan” and what it’s like to raise children in Manhattan. It’s directly from my life. I lived in New York for five years and I had my children in a private girls school in Manhattan. It was a rude awakening. I’d never been on the East Side. I was an Upper West Side actor/artist/single person and then I was on the upper East Side with all the moms. It was so weird and so funny. People who watch this are going to recognize themselves. I’ve got the first draft and we’ll see what happens.
“And I’ve written a children’s book. Right now, I’m putting the words and pictures together before sending it to a publisher. It’s called “Wear a Silly Hat.”
Tonja will be performing May 17 in the Cabaret Cares Gala at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC. There are limited tickets available. To purchase tickets call 718-672-6714 or 917-589-6658 or email Joseph Macchia at jjmac249@aol.com
I have more material from Tonja’s interview, which I will post early next week. So Stay Tuned.
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Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis/GH) Testifies About Personal Ordeal
An interesting press release arrived today that I thought I’d share with you.
When I saw Nancy Lee Grahn’s name in the headline, it immediately got my attention.
And as I read on, it became even more interesting.
As a soap fan, I have - for years - enjoyed Nancy Lee Grahn’s portrayal of the strong, smart, ever-so-efficient attorney Alexis Davis.
But I had no idea that she was involved in a court battle regarding her child.
According to this release, Grahn is testifying Tuesday at the California Assembly Judiciary Committee Hearing on behalf of Bill AB 612. If passed, the bill would outlaw the use of Parental Alienation Syndrome to gain custody of children in divorce situations.
The syndrome describes behavior where one parent turns a child against the other by convincing the child the parent has treated him or her badly, even when they have not. Many call it “junk science” and are trying to get it banned from being used to gain custody in divorce cases.
Below is the press release which describes Grahn’s participation in these hearings and her support for this bill.
T.V. Star Nancy Lee Grahn to Join Dozens of Family Court Victims to Urge Passage of Assemblyman Jim Beall’s AB 612
What: Pre-Hearing Press Conference
Who: Daytime TV Celebrity Nancy Lee Grahn & dozens of family court victims & court reform advocates
When: 8:30AM on Tuesday, April 28 - Press Conference; 9:00AM Hearing in Room 4202
Where: State Capitol- Room 444
Acclaimed television star Nancy Lee Grahn will address reporters tomorrow about her personal family court ordeal before she testifies on behalf of AB 612 at the California Assembly Judiciary Committee Hearing. Grahn will join dozens of parents and children to speak about the ravages of Parental Alienation Syndrome, or PAS, on their lives, and the desperate need for family court reform.
Like thousands of parents in California’s family courts, Grahn was falsely accused of alienating her child against her father, yet she eventually prevailed in her protecting her child. AB 612 would outlaw the use of this unscientific theory that is typically responsible for placing more than 58,000 children per year in the U.S. into dangerous homes with parents the children have identified as their molesters and abusers (Leadership Council on Child Abuse & Interpersonal Violence). Beall’s bill is just one of a handful of measures addressing the need for family court reform in California this year.
PAS is a controversial, unscientific theory that does not meet legal evidentiary standards, yet it is commonly used in family courts everywhere. PAS and related alienation theories are not accepted or endorsed by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, American Psychological Association, American Prosecutors Research Institute, National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse, and nearly all credible researchers on the subject.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: General Hospital
A Bradford Anderson sighting in Las Vegas
I had a fortuitous encounter yesterday in Las Vegas.
Okay, maybe not an encounter….
Let’s call it a fleeting glimpse….
Do I sound like I’m rambling?
Maybe that’s because I haven’t slept in 36 hours.
But at the time of the encounter, er, the glimpse, I was fully awake, cognizant and had plenty of sleep.
Let me backtrack.
I spent the past five days in Vegas, watching and covering the World Cup of Horse Show Jumping.
The show was over on Sunday, but I couldn’t get a flight back until the red eye, 11:20 p.m., Monday night.
After walking around most of that day with my hubby, we had some time to kill before going to the airport and sat down in a large food court area at The Venetian hotel.
It just so happened that our table was right near a walkway that went from the hotel elevators to the lobby.
So we’re sitting there people watching and I see Bradford Anderson (Spinelli on GH) walk by - at a very fast clip - holding hands with an attractive brunette in a blue dress ( I think she was brunette - they were walking so fast).
I had my eyes fixated on him, because I was trying to figure out if that was really him or not. He was wearing glasses, but I’ve seen him in glasses before.
I mean what are the chances out of the hundreds - or thousands - of people who go in and out of The Venetian, that I would see Bradford Anderson.
I swear the two of them passed not 10-feet from where we were sitting.
I stood up and froze in my tracks.
Apparently my eyes got really wide, because my husband asked what was wrong.
They were obviously in a hurry and I wasn’t going to run after them.
I said to my husband, “That was Bradford Anderson…..You know, Spinelli on General Hospital.”
Could it be?
Then it dawned on me.
The official opening of GH castmate Kelly Monaco’s Peep Show at Planet Hollywood was last weekend.
I looked at my watch and it was 7:10 p.m., which would make sense because the show starts at 8 p.m.
So there you have it.
Elvis wasn’t in the building.
But Bradford Anderson was.
Or was it his evil twin?
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OLTL Storylines That Need to Move On
Have soap opera storylines always dragged on for what seems to be FOR-EVER??
I know it seems like a rhetorical question - because, historically, that is sort of the nature of the beast.
However…..
It seems like these days, soap storylines r-e-a-l-l-y d-r-a-g on much l-o-n-g-e-r than I remember from, say, the 70’s or 80’s.
At least as far as I can recollect.
Case in point.
The baby swap storyline on One Life To Live, where Bess, Jess’s alter, switched Jess’s stillborn baby with Starr’s live one.
I thought (for a fleeting moment) that when Natalie and Jared discovered the truth, they would spill what they know and everything would be right with the world.
But, no-o-o-o-o.
So I ask…..How LONG will this go on?
Judging from the photo below, it looks like at least until the christening.
ABC/DONNA SVENNEVIK
If I remember correctly - going back a few years - there was that crossover baby swap storyline on OLTL and AMC when Paul Cramer stole Babe’s son on AMC and transported him to OLTL and gave the baby to his sister Kelly so that she could pass him off as her own.
And she did for about a year as I remember.
Oh how I hope this doesn’t go on that long.
And then there’s the matter of Stacy passing herself off as Shane’s bone marrow donor, blackmailing Gigi to break up with Rex and making Roxy go along with the aforementioned blackmail or she will reveal the identity of Rex’s father.
HOW long has the “Who’s Rex’s Daddy?” storyline been going on, anyway?
So long that I can’t remember when it started. When will that reveal happen? It doesn’t seem like anytime in the near future.
And if his father is Mitch Laurence then I’m really not looking forward to the havoc that revelation will wreak.
I hate to say it, but I knew that when we left Gigi (Farah Fath) on Friday - supposedly getting ready to spill her guts to Jessica about her secret with Rex secretly listening in - that something would stop her from confessing the truth.
Rex eavesdropping
But, on some level, as I was listening to her Monday getting almost to the point of no return, I was hoping that I was wrong, because I so want the secret of Stacy’s blackmail to come out.
(Me and everybody else on the planet!)
So, yeah, I was distressed to say the least when Rex burst into the kitchen before Gigi could get to the truth.
And what really ticked me off that he was defending Stacy!
Ugh! I can see where this is going!
Even though this storyline hasn’t really been on our screens very long, it seems like an ETERNITY because I so can’t stand Stacy.
Please OLTL writers…..release us from this misery and get Rex and Gigi back together ASAP and expose Stacy for who - and what she is!
Unfortunately, I have a feeling, this isn’t happening anytime soon…..
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Tour of New GH Set with Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth)
I really don’t know how I feel about General Hospital getting a makeover.
When last we saw the inside of GH, fires were raging and things were imploding thanks to a bio-toxin gone wild.
Hence, the rebuilding and remodeling of GH.
I’m kind of a creature of habit when it comes to my soaps and not a big fan of change.
But I’m keeping an open mind on this.
GH’s new look will be unveiled on the April 14th episode, which airs 3 p.m. EST on ABC.
(ABC/ADAM LARKEY)
Below is a photo of Rebecca Herbst as Elizabeth and Jason Thompson as Patrick on the new set.
(ABC/ADAM LARKEY)
Check out the video below with Rebecca Herbst touring the set. It’s interesting to go behind the scenes. Leslie Charleson (Monica) is also in the video and Jason Thompson (Patrick) is seen briefly.
What do you think?
Thumbs up or thumbs down on the new look?
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Soap Actors appearing in upstate New York
It is so great to have the opportunity to get up close and personal with your favorite soap star.
It really is just pure fun!
Most of the soap actors/actresses who I have met over the years are so gracious and friendly and so happy to meet and greet the fans.
At any rate, while perusing the internet, I found what looks to be a very interesting soap event this weekend.
If I lived nearby, I would be there in a heartbeat.
But as it is, I’m passing the info on to you, in case you live in the Hudson Valley, New York area.
The event includes two question and answer sessions with the stars and is set for Saturday and Sunday at the Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center, 356 Villa Roma Road, Callicoon, New York.
Proceeds go to Love Our Children USA, a nonprofit group fighting to protect children from violence.
The soap stars attending are Mark Lawson (Brody/OLTL), Ilene Kristen (Roxy/OLTL), Billy Magnusson (Casey/ATWT), Robert Newman (Josh/GL), Chrishell Strause (Amanda/AMC), Jacob Young (JR/All My Children), Caitlin Van Zandt Ashlee/GL), and Kim Zimmer, (Reva/GL).
Click here to find out all the details.
And get back to me if you attend.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Soap Stars Appearances
OLTL: A Love/Hate Relationship
I’ve been having this love/hate relationship with One Life To Live lately.
First of all, there’s been WAY too much sadness and doom and gloom,…i.e. Wes killed, Blair stabbed, Matthew paralyzed, Cole arrested and hooked on drugs.
Then there’s poor Shane fighting Leukemia.
It doesn’t get much sadder than that.
And let’s not forget Starr and Cole thinking that their baby is dead, when, in reality, Bess switched Jess’s dead baby with Starr’s live one. So Starr’s baby, Hope, is living under her nose as Jess’s baby Chloe….Whew!
Although….Now Jared and Natalie know the truth, so it will definitely come out. The question is - how long will it take for them to spill. I really, really like them both - separately and together.
Then, to top it all off, there’s the despicable Stacy Morasco, who would let her nephew die if she doesn’t get what she wants - namely Rex!
She is leveraging Shane’s life against Gigi’s willingness to give up Rex.
Stacy is one cold, evil bee-otch!
What I can’t figure out is how she will donate her bone marrow, when, in fact, it’s the mysterious comatose man - aka Rex’s father - who is really the match.
Another hmmm.
btw, I’m going out on a limb about Rex’s father.
l think it’s Mitch Laurence.
I mean, who else could be so evil that Roxy wouldn’t want Rex to know…..
Yeah. In my book, it has to be Mitch, who’s supposedly dead.
On the upside of things, I’m liking the Brody-Jessica pairing! Mark Lawson and Bree Williamson are great together and I would like to see more of that….
But I’m wondering - judging from the previews - if Brody will swoop in to rescue Gigi from her diabolical sister and put his relationship with Jess in jeopardy….hmm. Hope not!
Then again, Jess/Tess/Bess, has a whole set of issues to deal with…
Can you say integration?
But, for me, Friday’s ending made my whole week.
I Love the fact that Tea is switching sides against Todd. Love It!
And I particularly loved the surprise ending in court, when John McBain (Michael Easton) stood up [dramatic pause] and said he was Blair’s new husband.
Oooo La La!
This presents a whole new realm of possibilities, that I, for one, am looking forward to.
Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy ride!
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: One Life To Live
Guiding Light Stars Relaxing in Florida
Mandy Bruno and Rob Bogue, who play lovebirds Marina and Mallet on Guiding Light, are engaged in real life as well.
The soap stars, who were in Orlando last week for a fan event, spent some of their free time Friday at Discovery Cove, swimming with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and relaxing on pristine beaches.
Bogue arranged for the dolphin, Jenny, to deliver a special love note written on a buoy to his new fiancee. The two plan to wed in 2010.
Discovery Cove is an all-inclusive park where, along with swimming with dolphins, guests can snorkel with rays and hand-feeding exotic birds in a free-flight aviary.
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Interview with Vincent Irizarry (Dr. David Hayward/AMC): You Can Meet Him In Person
Vincent Irizarry plays (the sometimes evil) Dr. David Hayward on ABC’s All My Children.
He originated the role in 1997 and played Hayward for almost 10 years, before being let go by AMC. He then moved to The Young and the Restless as David Chow.
When David Chow was killed off Y&R in August, Vincent was tapped by AMC to reprise Hayward, who re-entered Pine Valley in October.
Although he plays a not-so-good doctor on TV, Vincent is doing a nice thing for a very worthy charity.
He’s doing a meet-and-greet from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 14 in Largo, FL for the benefit of the local Ronald McDonald House in St. Petersburg, FL. If you live in Florida or you can get there for the day, it’s definitely worth the trip.
“I’m very much looking forward to it because it gives me a chance to meet fans,” he said. “I work in a dark studio all day so it’s nice to see them and it gives me a chance to pick their brains about what they’re enjoying.”
Click here to read all the details of how you can meet Vincent in person.
You can see Vincent up close and personal, ask him questions, get his autograph and have your photo taken with him.
When I caught up with him by phone a few days ago, the Daytime Emmy Prenomination list had just come out and he had made the first cut toward a final-five nomination in the Supporting Actor category.
“It’s very nice considering that I just came back to the show and, certainly, it’s an honor,” he said.
Vincent explained the next step in the process: each actor chooses one episode to submit to the judges’ panel and the disc must include every scene the actor is in during that particular episode. From that, the Pre-nom list is whittled down to the top five in each category.
Vincent said he hasn’t decided which episode to submit yet, but is considering the show where Krystal walks in on David holding a gun in his hand and considering suicide.
“I have to look at it from an overall perspective of which shows really stand out,” he said.
I talked to Vincent while he was on the “All My Children” set (I could hear the intercom in the background calling actors to their scenes, which was pretty interesting in itself). He took a lot of time answering each question and even offered to call me back if I needed additional info. How nice is that?
Michele: If you go on to the final five, what would it mean to you to win the Emmy?
Vincent: “I’ve been in this business more than 25 years and I’ve been nominated before and of course it would be an honor. I’m grateful for having been able to work in this business for as long as I have. To win would be exciting. But it really comes from a contribution from everyone who I have ever worked with and I feel like I would have to share a piece of it with everybody.”
Michele: What can you tell me about yourself that maybe your fans don’t know about you?
Vincent: “The majority of my free time I like to spend with my family. My 7-year-old son is a Cub Scout and we’ve been doing a lot of wonderful trips with the Cub Scouts. I slept on the Battleship New Jersey with my son and the Cub Scouts a couple of weeks ago.”
Michele: What is the best characteristic about David Hayward?
Vincent: “He’s loyal to a fault. Everything he does is because he’s loyal to those he loves - whether it’s for Babe, Krystal or Little Adam - he does it because he’s loyal to them, devoted to them. Sometimes he’s misguided and takes it too far and hurts other people out of loyalty to those he loves.
“Even now with Krystal, he’s not fully explaining everything to her right now….The reason he’s doing it is because he truly believes that what he’s doing is in her best interest and that she wouldn’t fully understand it at this moment. And that when the smoke is cleared, she will understand it and appreciate it. So the end justifys the means.
“I would say that’s David’s best quality is his loyalty to the people who he really loves and cares about, but he takes it too far where it becomes even dangerous.”
Michele: What parts of David Chow (Y&R) did you enjoy the most?
Vincent: “I particularly enjoyed playing him in the latter months on that show, because they finally found something for that character. In the earlier part, it looked like the character had some potential. But because they brought on the character for me to play so quickly, they really didn’t flesh him out yet and who he was really going to be.
“It was really different from when I came on (AMC) as David. The character was fleshed out immediately. They knew who he was. I knew what they wanted from him. I didn’t have to worry about the choices that I was making for him.
“Once (Y&R) gave David Chow the issue of having a gambling addiction, I loved playing him because I found him one of the more truly tragic figures on daytime at the time. Every choice that he was making, every aspect of his life was governed by that addiction…His relationships, his business, his financial life….
“The choices he was forced to make where he killed someone to pay off a debt…All of these choices came down to he couldn’t get control over this addiction. It was exciting to play that, because it was tragic to watch. I think he had genuine feelings for Nikki and he did want to have a good life with her, but because of these choices it was destroying him - and ultimately did destroy him.
Vincent: On Playing David Hayward
“Where David Hayward is concerned, he’s also, in his own way, a tragic figure. He can’t let go of the past. A lot of things that happen with David come from his early years as a young boy growing up with the mother that he had, Vanessa. And watching his father commit suicide before his very eyes bleeding out. And, as an 11-year-old boy, watching his mother encourage him to do it.
“This is a man who has been greatly damaged and that’s why it’s interesting that Krystal sees him as a much more complex person than other people give him credit for or are willing to tolerate. She’s sees something special in him and I think that’s great, because if it wasn’t for her, who would there be?
Vincent laughs as he describes David’s wedding to Krystal: “He’s such a pariah that nobody’s there except the pastor and his attorney, who I’m sure he had to pay to be there to witness. That’s pretty sad. He’s a loner, but he’s obviously in great need of love. That’s something that he, at least, has the potential of with Krystal if he doesn’t shoot himself in both feet while running to the finish line.
“Even with him giving Krystal the pills, once she called him on it, he didn’t deny it at all. He said, ‘Well, yeah. You needed it. You needed some ability to sleep.’”
Vincent: On Playing a Villain “Even some of the most despicable people out there will justify what they do. Even if it’s some warped sense within them, that what they’re doing is the right thing to do for whatever reason. They don’t do it and think it’s a terrible thing. Even to the point of killing people, they do it and they feel justified while they’re doing it.
“As an actor, I have to buy into the reason that I’m doing it. I don’t do it because I think I’m being a villain. I do it because I have a purpose, something that I’m trying to accomplish. The way that I treat people in the process is not very nice at times, but it’s because of my background.
“I find them (villains) very draining. To be in that mindset on a regular basis sometimes can wear you down. I think they’re much more challenging than playing straight-laced people. On these shows, they write them pretty well. But as an actor it can wear you down on a day-to-day basis. It seems like those are the roles I get called in to play, so I guess I must be doing something right with them.”
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: All My Children
Daytime Emmys Prenom List Announced
The Daytime Emmy Prenomination list has been announced for the upcoming 36th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards.
Check out the list below and see what you think.
But remember - it’s Pre-Nom, which they will whittle down to the final list.
As far as I’m concerned Bree Williamson (Jessica/OLTL) should be a shoo-in for Outstanding Supporting Actress because of her powerful scenes re: Nash’s death and also for her incredible portrayals of her multiple personalities Jess/Tess/Bess.
But the Supporting Actress Category is very strong this year.
Others deserving of recognition in the Supporting Category: Melissa Clair Egan (Annie/AMC), Alicia Minshew (Kendall/AMC) and Carolyn Hennesy (Diane/GH).
In the Lead Actress Category, my pick would be either Laura Wright as Carly on GH or Debbi Morgan as Angie on AMC. But there is at least one glaring omission in that category - Erika Slezak (Viki/OLTL) and I’m sure there are others that I can’t think of off the top of my head.
I also think that Kristin Alderson (Starr/OLTL) is a strong contender in the Younger Actress category for the pregnancy storyline and also for the way she showed a gamut of emotions toward Todd’s transgressions.
Kirsten Storms (Maxi/GH) also deserves a shot at this because of her consistently good portrayal and the way she masterfully takes us on a ride through Maxi’s character growth. Her scenes with Bradford Anderson (Spinelli/GH) have been a joy to watch and Anderson should also be a contender in the Supporting Actor category.
Also a favorite of mine in the Supporting Actor category: Vincent Irizarry for his portrayal of Dr. David Hayward on AMC, the doctor who is not exactly “the good Dr.”
For Outstanding Lead Actor, I have to go with two of my very favorites: Robert S. Woods as Bo Buchanan on OLTL and Michael Easton as John McBain on OLTL. Both of them command my undivided attention when they are onscreen and they have been consistently good in endearing their characters to me. Woods had some great scenes upon learning of the death of Bo’s father, Asa.
Also in the Outstanding Lead Actor category, I have to give kudos to Darnell Williams (Jesse/AMC) and Thorsten Kaye (Zach/AMC). I so enjoy watching them both and they have had some really good emotional scenes this past year that merit them being in the hunt.
A clear omission for Lead Actor is Trevor St. John (Todd/OLTL). He has had some superb scenes this past year and a huge front-burner storyline.
In the Outstanding Younger Actor category, I’d pick either Brandon Buddy (Cole/OLTL) or Cornelius Smith, Jr. (Frankie, AMC).
Which of your favorites are listed and which of your favorites are missing?
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS
Debbi Morgan (Angie, AMC) - ABC
Bobbie Eakes (Kystle, AMC) - ABC
Maura West (Carly, ATWT) - CBS
Elizabeth Hubbard (Lucinda, ATWT) - CBS
Susan Flannery (Stephanie, B&B) - CBS
Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, B&B) - CBS
Renee Jones (Lexie, DOOL) - NBC
Lauren Koslow (Kate, DOOL) - NBC
Laura Wright (Carly, GH) - ABC
Sarah Brown (Claudia, GH) - ABC
Kim Zimmer (Reva, GL) - CBS
Gina Tognoni (Dinah, GL) - CBS
Kassie DePaiva (Blair, OLTL) - ABC
Susan Haskell (Marty, OLTL) - ABC
Jeanne Cooper (Katherine, Y&R) - CBS
Judith Chapman (Gloria, Y&R) - CBS>br>
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR
Darnell Williams (Jesse, AMC) - ABC
Thorsten Kaye (Zach, AMC) - ABC
Michael Park (Jack, ATWT) - CBS
Grayson McCouch (Dusty, ATWT) - CBS
John McCook (Eric, B&B) - CBS
Ronn Moss (Ridge, B&B) - CBS
Peter Reckell (Bo, DOOL) - NBC
Thaao Penghlis (Tony, DOOL) - NBC
Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH) - ABC
Anthony Geary (Luke, GH) - ABC
Robert Newman (Josh, GL) - CBS
Daniel Cosgrove (Bill, GL) - CBS
Michael Easton (John, OLTL) - ABC
Robert Woods (Bo, OLTL) - ABC
Peter Bergman (Jack, Y&R) - CBS
Christian LeBlanc (Michael, Y&R) - CBS
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Melissa Claire Egan (Annie, AMC) - ABC
Alicia Minshew (Kendall, AMC) - ABC
Kelley Menighan Hensley (Emily, ATWT) - CBS
Julie Pinson (Janet, ATWT) - CBS
Alley Mills (Pam, B&B) - CBS
Heather Tom (Katie, B&B) - CBS
Arianne Zucker (Nicole, DOOL) - NBC
Tamara Braun (Ava, DOOL) - NBC
Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth, GH) - ABC
Carolyn Hennesy (Diane, GH) - ABC
Crystal Chappell (Olivia, GL) - CBS
Marcy Rylan (Lizzie, GL) - CBS
Bree Williamson (Jessica, OLTL) - ABC
Kathy Brier (Marcie, OLTL) - ABC
Adrienne Frantz (Amber, Y&R) - CBS
Amelia Heinle (Victoria, Y&R) - CBS
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR
Vincent Irrizary (David, AMC) - ABC
Jacob Young (JR, AMC)- ABC
Van Hansis (Luke, ATWT) - CBS
Trent Dawson (Henry, ATWT) - CBS
Kyle Lowder (Rick, B&B) - CBS
William DeVry (Storm, B&B) - CBS
Jay Johnson (Philip, DOOL) - NBC
Stephen Nichols (Steve, DOOL) - NBC
Bruce Weitz (Anthony, GH) - ABC
Bradford Anderson (Spinelli, GH) - ABC
Lawrence Saint-Victor (Remy, GL) - CBS
Jeff Branson (Shayne, GL) - CBS
John-Paul Laviosier (Rex, OLTL) - ABC
Tuc Watkins (David, OLTL) - ABC
Michael Graziadei (Daniel, Y&R) - CBS
Ted Shackelford (Jeff, Y&R) - CBS
OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTRESS
Brianne Moncrief (Colby, AMC) - ABC
Shannon Kane (Natalia, AMC) - ABC
Marnie Schulenburg (Alison, ATWT) - CBS
Meredith Hagner (Liberty, ATWT) - CBS
Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy, B&B) - CBS
Molly Burnett (Melanie, DOOL) - NBC
Rachel Melvin (Chelsea, DOOL) - NBC
Kirsten Storms (Maxie, GH) - ABC
Julie Berman (Lulu, GH) - ABC
Caitlin Van Zandt (Ashlee, GL) - CBS
Bonnie Dennison (Daisy, GL) - CBS
Kristen Alderson (Starr, OLTL) - ABC
Farah Fath (Gigi, OLTL) - ABC
Christel Khalil (Lily, Y&R) - CBS
Emily O’Brien (Jana, Y&R) - CBS
OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTOR
Daniel Kennedy (Pete, AMC) - ABC
Cornelius Smith, Jr. (Frankie, AMC) - ABC
Billy Magnussen (Casey, ATWT) - CBS
Mick Hazen (Parker,ATWT) - CBS
Blake Berris (Nick, DAYS) - NBC
Darin Brooks (Max, DAYS) - NBC
EJ Bonilla (Rafe, GL) - CBS
Brandon Buddy (Cole, OLTL) - ABC
Edward Alderson (Matthew, OLTL) - ABC
Bryton McClure (Devon, Y&R) - CBS
Kevin Schmidt (Noah, Y&R) - CBS
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Daytime Emmys
Lisa Rinna Interview in Palm Beach
We have a rare treat here at “Soapbox” with a report from guest blogger Robert Janjigian, fashion editor of the Palm Beach Daily News.
He is one of the best writers I know and he’s an incredibly hard worker, always juggling multiple assignments. I may be a tad biased, but, in my opinion, he’s the best fashion writer in the country.
If you enjoy fashion (and who doesn’t) then check out his blog Styleland.
INTERVIEW WITH LISA RINNA IN PALM BEACH
By Robert Janjigian, fashion editor of the Palm Beach Daily News
People still remember Lisa Rinna as Billie Reed on Days Of Our Lives, a role she played from 1992 to 1995
Rinna was at the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach Tuesday night for the debut of L.A. skin-care specialist Kate Somerville at the hotel’s spa, whose treatments she said she swears by. Rinna took a few minutes to talk about what’s going on in the current, and real, days of her life.
Rinna, who is 45 (she will be 46 on July 11), just completed her second-annual stint hosting the award season of red carpet coverage for the TV Guide Network said she has no plans to return to daytime soaps.
“It’s way too much work, but it was a great experience, which I recommend to all young actors just starting out,” she said.
Most people nowadays recognize her as one of the most polished recent contestants on ABC’s hit series, Dancing with the Stars.
“That really changed my life,” Rinna said, adding that she remains an “ambassador” for the show and has designed a cardio-ballroom exercise routine that she herself practices to maintain the svelte figure she attained while training for the dancing competition.
Rinna has also authored a book, called Rinnavation; which will be released on May 19.
“It’s an autobiographical self-help book,” she said. “In the book I talk about everything I’ve learned, in a self-deprecating way, about diet, exercise, motherhood, spirituality.”
And, considering she stopped being Billie Reed more than 15 years ago, you can be sure there’s no soap talk included.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Days of Our Lives
Soap Opera Mania On Tour Stops in Cleveland: A Recap
Our friend and fellow soap fan, LuAnne Cobb from Ohio, attended the third stop on the Soap Opera Mania on Tour Saturday in Cleveland and was kind enough to share her recap of the event with us.
Kara and I met LuAnne in the wee hours of the morning standing in the “All My Children” FastPass At Super Soap Weekend 2007 in Disney World and we met again over dinner at SSW 2008.
LuAnne is a longtime soap fan and an expert in the ABC soaps. Read and enjoy her recap of the third Soap Opera Mania event.
BY LuAnne Cobb
My friend Sue and I attended the third stop of Soap Opera Mania on Tour, being promoted by a Michigan company as a precursor to the 3rd voyage of Soap Cruise in January 2010.
We got to the hotel where the event was being held at 6:45 am, hoping to be the first in line (we were!) and stood in line until the doors opened at 10:00. We got a glimpse of 4 stars checking into the hotel at 7 am, just arriving from the West coast.
Around 9 am, we spotted Cameron Mathison and John-Paul Lavosier just finishing breakfast, so we stopped by to say hello.
When the doors opened, Sue and I made sure to get front and center seats, which were set up in theater fashion in the shape of a horseshoe with a small stage in the middle. While waiting for the show to start we checked out the merchandise table, where there was shirts, hoodies, tote bags, photo albums and pins. We also picked up our event programs. Before the show started, Sue and I were both interviewed by Julie Clark Robinson, a local lady who reports for Soaps.com. Sue also was interviewed by a local newspaper reporter.
Shortly after 10, the event director Mike welcomed the fans and introduced Cameron Mathison (Ryan on AMC). Cameron then introduced John-Paul Lavosier (Rex on OLTL), Laura Wright (Carly on GH), Tyler Christopher (Nikolas on GH), James Scott (E.J. on DAYS & formerly Ethan on AMC) and Christian LeBlanc (Michael on Y&R). Christian then introduced Brandon Beemer (Owen on B&B), Austin Peck (Brad on ATWT), and Murray Bartlett (Cyrus on GL).
The fans were clapping and we were so excited! Getting to see nine great soap stars 10-feet away was my best experience since Super Soap Weekend in November!
The first hour was a question and answer session. Christian and Austin took turns handing the microphone to the fans. We asked both personal and storyline related questions and shared a lot of laughs.
Christian is a hoot, and also a long talker! After that, the stars split up in different parts of the room and lines formed for the fans to get autographs and pictures. During this time, Sue and I met with Cameron, Christian, JP, James and Austin.
I asked John-Paul who he hopes Rex’s father will turn out to be and he quickly said Bo. He shared his theory: Before Bo went to Viet Nam, he had his sperm frozen and somehow Roxy got it and Rex was born!
I also asked JP why his head was shaved and was told we would find out on OLTL in the next month. (Soap operas are shot four-to-six weeks in advance). All the ABC stars signed my 8x10’s that I made up from photos I took at Super Soap, along with 5x7 pictures that were in the program. I also bought a black t-shirt at the event and I had all the stars sign it with a silver Sharpie.
Austin created a very good humorous caricature on my shirt as well. After this, the stars were given an hour lunch break.
After a half hour, a director from Guiding Light, Adam Reist, spoke to the fans about scripts and sets and directing. He showed a few short videos and told us his background. I later told him that a GL alum, Melina Kanakaredes, is from my hometown and Adam shared a funny story with me from when he was in Akron for Melina’s wedding. I enjoyed meeting him.
The stars were back from lunch now, and it was time for a few lucky fans to act out a scene with their favorite stars. I was not picked, but my friend Sue got to act as an extra on stage in one scene. I laughed so hard at one point I had tears in my eyes. Cameron and JP were acting as fallen mannequins. Cameron was lying face down on the stage with JP lying on Cameron’s back half with his head between Cameron’s legs. It was hysterical! These actors can sure improvise in a heartbeat.
Once again there was a question and answer session, followed by a second meet and greet.
I met Tyler, Laura, Brandon and Murray.
Laura was gorgeous, Tyler looked tired, Brandon has the prettiest eyes, and Murray speaks with the softest Australian accent.
During the second session, the promoter gathered each star and filmed future promos with different fans. Sue sat next to her favorite, Christian, for probably 15 minutes while they filmed promos to run during future CBS soap telecasts. I jumped in at the end, along with Brandon, and Austin (who had his arm around me the whole time) and we filmed promos for the next Soap Cruise.
Hopefully I’ll get to see it on TV or on the web sometime! The program was over and we left around 5:00. The stars were also getting ready to leave and make a two hour drive south for their next stop on Sunday in Columbus.
I left with a smile on my face and wonderful memories for a lifetime.
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John McBain Takes on the “Go Red Ball”
John McBain cleans up really nicely, doesn’t he?
I’m talking about the “Go Red Ball” on One Life To Live.
When he entered the scene wearing a tux, with his hair all fixed nice….and those blue, bedroom eyes…..(swooning).
And the way he sauntered in with those beautiful flowers and convinced Blair (Kassie DePaiva) - who was really ticked off at him - to go to the ball with him……It took my breath away!
John and Blair
I just love the way Michael Easton brings all the nuances to the character….the long, smoldering look in his eyes; the sexy thing he does with the sides of his mouth before he smiles…..
But the best qualities about John McBain aren’t about his looks.
It’s his intense drive to do the right thing.
His honesty, integrity- and, of course, his chivalry.
Who can resist chivalry in this day and age when - I hate to use a cliche - but it is dead, pretty much.
And the best scene for me in Thursday’s episode was at the end of the show, when McBain and Blair showed up at the ball at the same time as Todd and Tea. And, almost immediately the elevator opens revealing Wes and Marty.
The looks on their faces were priceless.
With Tea stating the obvious, “Now THIS is awkward!”
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: One Life To Live
Phil Carey, Asa on OLTL, Dies
Sadness once again hits the One Life To Live family with the death of Phil Carey, who played the strong-willed Asa Buchanan for nearly three decades.
Carey died Friday at age 83. He had been fighting lung cancer since 2006.
Carey originated the role of the patriarch of the powerful Buchanan family in 1979 and was a regular on the show until 2007, when when failing health hastened his departure from the show, according to SOAPnet.com.
Carey most recently appeared in December in a video statement revealing David Vickers as the long lost Buchanan heir.
Phil Carey as Asa with onscreen wife
Patricia Elliott as Renee Divine
Prior to OLTL, Carey had many credits in movies and television, including a co-starring role in the 1960’s series “Laredo,”
A former studio contract player in Hollywood in the 1950s, Carey made his film debut in a supporting role in the 1951 John Wayne war drama “Operation Pacific.”
Under contract to Warner Bros. and then to Columbia Pictures over the next several years, he appeared in films such as “I was a Communist for the FBI,” “Springfield Rifle,” “Calamity Jane,” “The Long Gray Line” and “Mister Roberts.”
Read the obituary from the Los Angeles Times.
The week before, Clint Ritchie, who played Carey’s onscreen son Clint Buchanan for 20 years, died.
It’s been a sad week for OLTL fans.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: One Life To Live
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Õì… À ìíå âîò êàæåòñÿ, ìèíóñû â ýòîì ñëó÷àå íàìíîãî ïðåâîñõîäÿò ïëþñû.
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I can’t wait til Lindsay returns, altho I’d hate to see her be used to by Bo to keep Nora at bay. I’d like to see her reconnect w/RJ maybe.
... read the full comment by Kimi | Comment on She's Baaaaaaack: Lindsay on OLTL Read She's Baaaaaaack: Lindsay on OLTL
& that should’ve read above:
… for us to LOSE David Canary completely over a money dispute.
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I was actually hoping that Ryan was the one to go ….
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