News Brief

DAYS' Deidre Hall rallies for Obama
Dozens of Obama supporters rallied late Sunday morning at the Bourbon Street Restaurant in The Villages for a Women for Obama event as part of a "Change We Need" Tour. The event featured U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-NY, and DAYS OF OUR LIVES star Deidre Hall making a stop in the retirement community to campaign for Obama and discuss his policies.

The Villages was only one of the Central Florida stops as the two women visited Silver Springs and Gainesville later that afternoon. Maloney and Hall discussed Obama's commitment to issues women care about. This includes social security, pay equity, health care and a woman's right to choose.

Hall considers Obama a best friend, hero and "knight in shining armor" when it comes to supporting them. The actress, who was raised in Florida, relates it to when she was growing up in a working family. Sometimes, they got help from friends and neighbors to make ends meet.

By supporting Obama as the next U.S. President to touch upon women and family issues, it's similar to lending out a helping hand like Hall received growing up. She told the story of her childhood in Lake Worth as one of five children.

“We got lucky,” Hall said of her father’s ability to provide for the family as a postal worker.

“I know keeping your job is tough, keeping your house is tough,” she said.

Hall said she learned those lessons early.

“Barack got lessons early on about being a single mother: integrity, empathy, loyalty,” Hall said. “I would follow him anywhere.”

Hall is no stranger to politics and said she campaigned in 2000 and 2004 for the Democratic tickets. She said Obama’s platform was strong for women’s rights and family protections.

"I really do want Obama because I have two sons and I want a better world for them and what we don’t fix they will inherit. So much is broken in our country we must start repairing it and people are not yet clear on what Obama is offering and he is on the side of families, women and children. He has impressed me with his integrity because he walks the talk and he is the man to fix what is broken. I want to encourage every DAYS OF OUR LIVES fan, and every American to not just vote, which is the least one can do, but to volunteer, talk to neighbors, friends, families about where Obama stands. It is time to stand up and be counted!"

B&B's Bell scribe takes a 'Bullet'
Transformers scribe Ehren Kruger will adapt Boston Teran's "God Is a Bullet" for the big screen and shop it around town. "Bullet" follows the journey of a California lawman forced to go undercover to rescue his daughter from the ruthless gang of criminals who've abducted her.

Kruger is hoping for the same result he achieved last year when he paired with StillKing Films to pick up Jennifer Egan's supernatural novel "The Keep." It was set up at Rogue in June for Kruger to write, direct and produce.

Kruger will co-produce "Bullet" with producing partner Daniel Bobker and Bradley Bell. Bell, exec producer and head writer of THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, purchased the film rights to the book for mid-six figures. He's the son of the creators of the sudser. "Bullet" becomes Bell's first foray into features.

HOLLYOAKS' Ricky: "Why we're always partying"
Actor Ricky Whittle has said the HOLLYOAKS cast party like no other - and he has a fair idea why...

"It's a fantastic community. I think because we're from all different places it helps," he said.

Comparing his soap to others, Ricky, who plays Calvin Valentine, said: "Everyone from CORRIE is from Manchester and so they have their friends locally, so when they leave the set they go back to their friends and it's the same in EASTENDERS, they are all from London and all go back to their friends in London. Whereas in HOLLYOAKS because we're from all over - Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, London - our friends are the people we meet on the show. I think that's made us so close as we all socialise together and it makes it a good place to be. We're always partying!"

NIKKI FINKE: Yes, Bloody Monday Will Affect Hollywood
"Don't bother trying to call anyone important in Hollywood on the phone this morning because showbiz bigwigs will be huddling with their business managers and brokers and bankers to figure out what to do with their personal portfolios during Monday's stock market bloodbath."

ATWT referenced on MAD MEN last night
On the episode Joan is "called in as a stopgap" and "immediately takes a liking to the work ('You won't believe what happens on AS THE WORLD TURNS,' she tells her fiance) -- and is good at it, too, pointing out to a client that it'd be a good idea to link up with the soap's special summer storyline."