Martha Byrne Chat

Chat with soon to be ex-AS THE WORLD TURNS star Martha Byrne on Sunday, March 16th at 7pm ET. All your questions will be answered LIVE at MarthaByrne.net.

Flashback: Gay Characters on Soaps 1983 & 1989

I thought these would be topical "Flashback" articles. Soaps have been introducing gay characters for decades. So why is it in 2008 the soap world and network television have not come farther in their portroyals of realistic gay relationships?

HER LESBIAN ROLE IS A FIRST FOR THE SOAPS
Gail Shister, Inquirer Staff Writer
November 3, 1983

When ABC's "All My Children" approached Donna Pescow about playing daytime television's first admitted lesbian, her immediate reaction was ''Bravo!"

"I thought, 'Isn't that wonderful?' " says Pescow, nervously picking at her cheese omelet at a fashionable midtown restaurant. "I was surprised that it hadn't been done before, since 'All My Children' covers so many controversial subjects. It's always fun to create a role, and it's even nicer to be a 'first.'"

Pescow, 29, a Brooklyn native, plays child psychologist Lynn Carson on the popular ABC soap (weekdays at 1 p.m. on Channel 6). In her eight-week role - her last on-air appearance is scheduled for late December - Carson will become platonic roommates with Devon McFadden (played by Tricia Pursley).

"Lynn comes to Pine Valley to start fresh after a long relationship with a woman," says Pescow of her character. "She's well-adjusted, successful, a very real person. I'm making sure she is, and so are the writers. She's just as colorful as anyone else.

"The fact that she's gay makes her more defined in her personality,
because she's content and happy with that. She doesn't hide her sexuality, nor does she broadcast it, unless necessary. We'll tackle other characters' reactions to her being gay, as well as questions of their own feelings."

Pescow, a tiny (5-foot, 1-inch) powderkeg, began her career at ABC in 1976 with a bit part in "One Life to Live." A year later, she achieved fame as John Travolta's humiliated and abused dance partner in Saturday Night Fever. She returned to ABC in 1979 to co-star in "Angie," a short-lived series about a South Philly woman with a Rittenhouse Square husband.

Originally, Pescow wanted to do a guest shot on the New York-based "All My Children" for the chance to work with her boyfriend of two years, Jason Kincaid, who plays handyman Sam Brady on the show. (Though based in Sherman Oaks, Calif., Pescow lives with Kincaid "when we're in the same state." That's usually the two months a year when she returns to New York. Otherwise, she says, "we live on American Airlines.")

In May, however, "All My Children" producer Jackie Babbin called Pescow and told her that if she was still interested in a role, it would require a lot more time. Babbin wanted a commitment of at least three months; Pescow could only promise eight weeks. By January, she hopes to begin work in one of two network sitcoms currently in development.

Has Pescow had any second thoughts about taking on such a controversial part?

"I've established who I am as an actress," she says. "I pray I would never get categorized for one role. When Billy Crystal played a sympathetic homosexual character on 'Soap,' he had to undo a stereotype of him and his work. If anything, this role may open doors for me.

"My chief concern is that my character is portrayed in a way that is real and not cartoon-like and stereotyped. I think it will educate people. The real purpose of this story line is to say that homosexuality exists. It can't be brushed under the carpet or be taboo anymore. The public is ready. They're more aware now than 10 years ago that Main Street, U.S.A., doesn't exist. Being gay is not as unhip as maybe it's been perceived to be."

Philadelphian Agnes Nixon, creator of "All My Children" and a half-dozen other soaps, decided to introduce an openly gay character because "we thought it was time. When I say time, I don't just mean 1983. It also works within the story and the characters."

Nixon's soaps, particularly "All My Children," have a reputation for tackling previously untouchable social issues such as venereal disease, interracial dating, drug abuse, teenage prostitution and child abuse. Nixon labels the introduction of Lynn Carson as "a calculated risk," denying that it's a ploy to boost the soap's already strong ratings.

"Part of a soap opera's function, besides entertainment, is as a public service to stir controversy and make people think," she says. "If you think you have to please everybody, then stay out of the kitchen. If some viewers hate us for this story, maybe they'll like us for another."

Pescow hopes they like her. Though she has recent guest appearances on ''Love Boat" and "Hotel" on her resume, she has her sights set on a steady diet of more substantive Hollywood stuff: mini-series, telemovies and theatrical films. (Her two scenes in Staying Alive, the recent sequel to Saturday Night Fever, were left on the cutting room floor.)

Not that Pescow - a singer in the lounge of Brooklyn bowling alley during her leaner days - has gone Hollywood. Living in a rented two-bedroom townhouse and driving a 1978 Honda Civic, her only concession to Southern California's life in the fast lane are her thrice-weekly house calls from Jake ("Body by Jake") Steinfeld, fitness trainer to the stars. Steinfeld's workouts help her control her chronic sweet tooth, says Pescow, who concedes that her carbohydrate fantasy is "to be locked in a bakery overnight."

"I'm not into Hollywood," she says, lighting another cigarette. (She swears she'll quit next year. Meanwhile, she refuses to be photographed with a cigarette.) "I'm into making sure I know it is a scene. Part of me doesn't quite believe I'm a star. I love the title, but I don't know what it means. It's the work I want. As long as I focus on that, I won't go crazy."

TV NOTES
Andrew L. Yarrow, New York Times
Published: August 25, 1988

Daytime soap opera has hardly been a bastion of prudery, but until last Thursday one sexual taboo remained inviolable. Although seemingly every sort of sexual and psychological exotica has made its way onto these popular serials, male homosexuality has been off-limits for leading characters, according to Douglas Marland, the head writer for the 32-year-old CBS series ''As the World Turns.'' On Thursday's show, that barrier fell, as the mysterious Hank Eliot informed his erstwhile girlfriend that he was gay.

Although lesbian relationships and women with AIDS have surfaced on soaps before, Mr. Marland said, ''there has been a strong belief that there would be resistance to male homosexuality from an audience that is primarily female.'' The show's producer, sponsor, network and audience, though, have supported the new plot twist, he added.

''I like to believe that 'As the World Turns' is representative of everything in our lives,'' Mr. Marland said. ''In the mix of 32 contract characters, I felt it was lacking that there wasn't one gay man.'' The relationship will remain off-camera, however, and -at least, for the immediate future -AIDS will not enter the story.

News Brief

People Magazine: A Las Vegas judge has dismissed a portion of a lawsuit filed by actress Hunter Tylo against a therapist who was counseling her 19-year-old son, Michael Tylo II, prior to his drowning last October. THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL star filed the suit in the form of a Jan. 24 amendment to an April 2006 malpractice lawsuit filed against Henderson, Nev., therapist Shanna Downing, who was working with several members of the Tylo family in 2004 and 2005. Downing countered the wrongful death lawsuit with a motion to exclude Michael Tylo II as a party in the legal action, and Tylo was required to respond to Downing's motion by Feb. 11, but she missed the filing deadline. "To date, no opposition has been filed," court papers state. While the judge agreed to dismiss Michael Tylo II as a party in the wrongful death action, his estate remains a party in the earlier malpractice lawsuit, set for trial in the fall. Downing's attorney, Michael Shannon, had no comment. Tylo attorney Patricia Vaccarino was unavailable for comment.

Grand Rapids Press: Shawn Christian isn't a doctor, but he does play one on TV. As Dr. Daniel Jonas, the newest hottie-with-a-scalpel on DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Christian plays "a highly skilled surgeon with a penchant for surfing," he said in a phone interview from the Burbank, California, set of the NBC daytime drama. It may be the first time the 42-year-old has played a doc and a wave shredder at the same time, but he has inhabited those roles separately quite a few times during the course of his varied, 19-year career.

Tampa Tribune: Here's something you don't expect about becoming a Hollywood star: It's hard to get chain food. "I want to go to Olive Garden so badly," said former GUIDING LIGHT actress Brittany Snow, and she's not joking. "You can't get that in Los Angeles; you have to drive far out in the suburbs to find chains. You have to go all the way to Burbank." Or Tampa. That's where the 21-year-old actress will be tonight, receiving a Rising Star award from the Gasparilla Film Festival. She said she'll be here a few days and wouldn't mind hitting, say, Outback Steakhouse or Chili's while in town.

Richmond Times Dispatch: "Life," said former THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS star Victoria Rowell, "is inconvenient. If life were easy, everyone would be successful." But discipline and determination can turn obstacles into opportunities, said the dancer/actress who recently added best-selling author to her list of accomplishments. Rowell was the keynote speaker at yesterday's Capital One Future Leaders Forum for Young Women at the firm's western Henrico County complex. About 500 high school students from across the state attended the daylong event, which included mentoring sessions and workshops on career development and financial management.

This is Money: ITV boss Michael Grade could have wished for something a little more fun to mark the week that he officially becomes a pensioner than facing the City to explain why profits have plummeted along with the share price at Britain's foremost commercial broadcaster. MOVING WALLPAPER, a behind-the-scenes comedy about the producer of a soap opera called ECHO BEACH - which is then broadcast as a genuine show immediately afterwards - was the kind of thing more likely to pop up on Channel 4. ITV1's audience share at 9pm has fallen from 20.3% to 16.9%. MOVING WALLPAPER and ECHO BEACH have proved little short of a disaster with the pair dragging down the 9pm Friday slot 51% year on year. The shows averaged 3m and 2.6m viewers respectively compared with ITV's hoary old standby MIDSOMER MURDERS, which took more than 6m.

FanBolt: UGLY BETTY actor Alan Dale has launched a vicious attack on the TV show that propelled him to stardom in his native Australia, branding its producers "greedy and nasty". Dale shot to prominence in Aussie soap opera NEIGHBOURS, but he quit in 1992 after seven years of clashing with tyrannical program-makers. And the actor fears its current cast and crew members will be suffering under the same oppressive regime. He says, "The show I loved. It was sweet and the people I worked with were sweet, most of them. But the producers were greedy and nasty. There are many examples of the things these people did and, as far as I know, are still doing. When you live in a country where there is not much else to do as an actor, there isn't much choice but to put up with it. But I used to fight them all the time, which is one of the reasons we parted company."

Terre Haute Tribune Star: EVENT: Light bulb drive, by radio station WMGI-FM 100.7, to keep Friday Night Lights on NBC programming in the fall, 5:30 a.m. throughout morning show, station parking lot, 824 S. Third St., (812) 232-4161.

San Francisco Chronicle: Former LOVING actress Teri Polo hit it big as Ben Stiller's girlfriend in the movie "Meet the Parents" (2000), and she played Stiller's fiancee in "Meet the Fockers" (2004). So it's no surprise she will be in the upcoming film "Little Fockers." Now the 38-year-old actress and mother of two has put the Manhattan Beach (Los Angeles County) home that she shares with musician Jamie Wollam on the market at just under $2.6 million.

Associated Press: Unexpected Protest at a Soap

Unexpected Protest at a Soap

By DAVID BAUDER

NEW YORK (AP) — The love affair between two young men on the venerable CBS soap opera "As the World Turns" has triggered a protest campaign by angry viewers.

It's just not the sort of protest you'd expect.

Fans of the fictional romance between Luke Snyder and Noah Mayer are baffled about why the two characters haven't kissed on-screen since September, wondering whether it's a sign of squeamishness by CBS or show sponsors Procter & Gamble Co.

The fans have started a letter-writing campaign, posted an online petition and even have a Web site that counts the days, hours, minutes and seconds since Luke and Noah last locked lips.

"We totally support this show and applaud the show for doing this story line," said Roger Newcomb, a computer worker from New York's northern suburbs and the man behind the campaign. "We just don't understand why they have to be censored or treated differently."

"As the World Turns," which premiered in 1956, had the first gay male character in daytime drama in 1988. Last August was another milestone — believed to be the first time two gay men kissed on a soap — when Luke surprised Noah with the sign of affection.

They kissed again in September, at a time Noah was still coming to grips with being gay. But since officially becoming a couple, their lips have been sealed.

Fans first sensed the new attitude around Christmas, during a tender scene where the two men proclaimed their love for one another. It was clear they were about to kiss, but the camera instead panned up and focused on some mistletoe.

"I've been watching soaps for decades," Newcomb said, "and that doesn't happen."

Valentine's Day featured fantasy sequences involving several of the show's couples. All the stories ended in a kiss, except for Luke and Noah's. They hugged.

That's when the campaign started.

"There are some people who want to see sex between Luke and Noah," said 34-year-old Theresa Webber, who lives north of Boston. "I've been watching soaps long enough to know that they're a teenage couple, so it's not going to happen anyway. But for them to not kiss at all, it's a little extreme."

The soap is owned, produced and written by Procter & Gamble Productions Inc., a subsidiary of the consumer giant that makes Bounty, Crest, Pampers, Mr. Clean and Ivory soap. CBS executives consult on the series, but the creative direction is set by P&G.

There's no kissing ban, said Jeannie Tharrington, spokeswoman for Procter & Gamble Productions, although she wouldn't say what will happen in future shows. She explained the mistletoe shot as a "creative decision."

"It's always hard to please a diverse audience," Tharrington said, "and we have a diverse audience."

Webber recalls reading a handful of letters in soap opera publications after last summer's first kiss along the lines of "I don't care if Luke is gay, but I don't want to see it."

Barbara Bloom, CBS senior vice president for daytime, said there was a "minimal" negative reaction from viewers about the story line, although she couldn't define what that meant. There was apparently no organized campaign by conservative or parent advocacy groups that monitor television content.

"It's entirely new to me," said Tim Winter, president of the Parents Television Council. "I hadn't heard anything about it."

The American Family Association Web site has a "take-action alert" against Procter & Gamble, calling the company the "top pro-homosexual sponsor on television." The group bases its determination on the number of P&G products advertised on prime-time TV shows with gay or lesbian characters.

"As the World Turns" isn't even mentioned.

Webber and Newcomb said they've been more bothered by other things they have seen on the soap, like when a 14-year-old boy shot a man who was attacking his mother. One character is so desperate for a baby that she slept with her ex-brother-in-law, and was nearly caught having sex in an elevator. Another woman led her children and ex-husband into believing she had a brain tumor, just to get him back.

All are more offensive to her than two men kissing, Webber said.

"It's 2008," she said. "It's something that's real. If they were not going to follow through with it, they shouldn't have started it."

The story's popularity complicates matters. Some 140 scenes featuring the two actors, Van Hansis and Jake Silbermann, are posted online. The message board on Vanhansis.net gets posts from around the world. While competitors "One Life to Live" and "Days of Our Lives" have seen double-digit drops in viewership over the past year, "As the World Turns" is down only 2 percent.

The soap's producers seem to want it both ways, to get credit for having a gay couple but no backlash from long-term viewers for showing intimacy, said Carolyn Hinsey, editor of Soap Opera Weekly.

CBS' Bloom said she would like to see Luke and Noah's romance continue. "If that means there is a natural progression to the physical relationship, I would be in support of it," she said.

Tharrington laughed when asked about any behind-the-scenes debates over showing intimacy between the two men. "You wouldn't even believe," she said.

Producers are committed to telling the story of the romance, she said, adding she hoped the audience would recognize what "As the World Turns" is showing, instead of just what it isn't.

"We feel like we're doing so much right here," she said. "We're telling a story that no one else is doing. We're telling a story that has really engaged our audience."
On the Net:

* http://www.cbs.com/daytime
* http://www.vanhansis.net
* http://noahandluke.com

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

Gordon Thomson (ex-Mason; SANTA BARBARA; ex-AJ, SUNSET BEACH; Aristotle, RYAN'S HOPE) - 63
Mitchell Laurance (ex-Ben, SANTA BARBARA) - 58
Matthew Laurance (ex-Ben, SANTA BARBARA) - 58

Guiding Light's New Opening Theme Song

News Brief

Boston Globe: Once upon a time, in the melodramatic environs of CBS's "As the World Turns," there was a boy named Luke and another boy named Noah, and they fell in love. They shared in self-discovery, made it through a trying time when Luke was paralyzed from the waist down, celebrated his miraculous recovery, and kissed onscreen. Twice. Then they stopped kissing. And some fans were happy. And some fans got very, very angry. "We appreciate so much that the show is doing this," said George Hinds, 29, a youth employment counselor in Cambridge who praises the show for airing daytime TV's first gay kiss. "The campaign is really here to let them know we think it's time to move forward. We think America can handle it."

Southern Voice: AS THE WORLD TURNS features a young gay couple, Luke and Noah. Apparently, the guys don't get to kiss as much the straight couples on the show. This angers a number of the devoted show’s fans, who believe all kisses were created equal. So they launched an internet campaign asking media outlets across the country to find out what's going on. Are Luke and Noah being censored? Is the soap opera worried about offending its more conservative viewers? While the fans applaud the show for incorporating gay characters, they think the couple should be given the same amount of screen time to smooch. Their letters have been polite, spell checked, intelligent, and to the point. And most importantly, they have a point. It's not like soap characters are known for their chaste lives. So why these boys?

Snark Weighs In: Latham's Y&R: What Was the Point?

Times Colonist: Regis Philbin has spent more time before TV cameras than any other person alive. His accomplishment is even recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records. He currently hosts LIVE WITH REGIS & KELLY with former ALL MY CHILDREN star Kelly Ripa. "You came to New York in 1983, and I started All My Children in 1990, and it was the biggest thrill of my career, when I really felt like I made it, when I did Live With Regis and Kathy Lee," Ripa told Philbin. "I thought I had hit superstardom. It meant something."

Soap Opera Digest: Everything old is new again for fan fave Arianne Zucker. She has reconciled with hubby Kyle Lowder (Rick, B&B; ex-Brady, DAYS) and is reprising the role of DAYS's Nicole.

Digital Spy: Former HOLLYOAKS star Darren Jeffries has revealed that he would love to star in DOCTOR WHO. The actor recently moved to London after playing OB in the Channel 4 soap for the last ten years. Talking about potential future roles, he told Nuts TV: "Doctor Who would be good. I'm not a massive Doctor Who fan, but I do love a bit of sci-fi. That would be amazing... it's totally different. You wouldn't get an alien in Hollyoaks!"

Press Association: Gemma Bissix is enjoying her return to EASTENDERS' Albert Square as gold-digger Clare Bates, but swears she's got nothing in common with the money-hungry young woman she plays. "I'm definitely not like my character at all," she said. "I've been single three years - I'm not a man-eater."

Marlena De Lacroix: With spoilers, there are no storyline surprises on soaps anymore. That’s not to say that the ways in which storylines are presented can really come as shockers — especially in the February sweeps that just wrapped up, the sweeps in which we expected little to nothing interesting because of the Writers Strike. So here are four soap stories/sweeps events which really shocked moi this month, either because they were so daring … or so cowardly!

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

Jed Allan (ex-Don, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-CC, SANTA BARBARA, ex-Edward, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Ed, PORT CHARLES) - 71
Maurice Benard (Sonny, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Nico, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 45
Jensen Ackles (ex-Eric, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 30
Alicia Leigh Willis (ex-Courtney, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Allie, ANOTHER WORLD) - 30

Evening News

TV Guide: Procter & Gamble has confirmed that two-time Emmy winner Martha Byrne will soon exit AS THE WORLD TURNS. Other websites are reporting that the fan fave — who plays Lily Snyder — nixed an insulting offer to re-sign her contract. Not so, claims the soap’s executive producer Chris Goutman. “We made Martha an incredibly generous offer in hopes that she would remain a valuable member of the ATWT cast,” Goutman says in a statement. “Unfortunately, Martha has decided to leave despite our best efforts to keep her.” Those close to the situation swear that’s no baloney. “When Goutman says ‘generous,’ he means it — the offer was generous by anyone’s standards,” insists one longtime staffer. “I don’t know what else the show could have done for Martha.” The actress, who is still taping episodes, will be off the air by April. Word is, a recast is likely.

Eurweb: TV One viewers can hear singer Aretha Franklin play host Cathy Hughes' father's favorite song, "Canadian Sunset" on the piano and enjoy her special visit with her favorite soap actor, Eric Braeden, who plays Victor Newman on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS on the show's premiere on premiering Sunday, March 2 at 10 PM ET.

Daily Advertiser: THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, the most intriguing CBS soap, includes multi-ethnic relationships as part of its existence. Mamie was infatuated with her boss, John Abbott. Miguel served the Newmans well. Neil has a new girlfriend. Daughter Lily's older boyfriend bothers Neil. Someone killed Jill's sweetheart. Jack Abbott discovered that he fathered a son in Vietnam.

National Ledger: Get out your banjos, it is time for another chorus of the "story line dictated" blues. ALL MY CHILDREN's Jonathan Lavery (Jeff Branson) will be off the show come March. An executive explains the write out is "story line dictated." It is not a surprise that the character is being axed. For months, the once focal character has had little screen time.

AfterElton: Best. Gay. Week. Ever. Michael Jensen writes: "I know it's hard to believe, but we had three whole days of Nuke on As the World Turns this week. But even with the fellows taking a higher profile this week, a lot of folks still aren't happy with the show. First things first — yes, they should just show Luke and Noah kissing and are clearly caving into to pressure to not have them kiss (at least on the lips). And, yes, the writing and the fight scenes were pretty clunky this week (hello, low-budget soap opera here!). BUT I do feel I have to speak up in defense of the show."
Bay Windows: Daytime drama AS THE WORLD TURNS earned accolades last year for introducing a gay storyline. But that was then, and now fickle fans are angry at the show - for not being gay enough! Fed up with the circumspect and slow moving romance between Luke and Noah, a contingent of fans has launched a letter-writing campaign taking the show to task for its timidity in depicting a gay relationship.

E! Online: FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS fans plan to send more than 13,000 mini-footballs to NBC.

Soap Opera Network: DAYS OF OUR LIVES Higley-Gate in Burbank.

Out on the Town - February 28, 2008

Kate Linder (Esther, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS), Jodi Lyn O'Keefe (ex-Maggie, ANOTHER WORLD), Kimberly J. Brown (ex-Marah, GUIDING LIGHT) and Natalie Zea (ex-Gwen, PASSIONS) were among the attendees at the Paige Premium Denim "Your Perfect Fit" Launch Party in West Hollywood.

The NEW Guiding Light - Live Blog

9:57 AM ET I will be liveblogging the debut of GUIDING LIGHT's new production model today.

10:00 AM ET The show opens with Jon and Lizzie in his car. This looks like the preview scene I posted the other day.

10:03 AM ET Josh is working a refrigerator and Reva is bithcing about Cassie. So far a bit of shakey cam but I'm liking it.

10:05 AM ET New opening. A song with lyrics, interesting. "Only love can save the world." I'll have to watch this a few more times to make a final call. I liked the images but the song got a bit repetitive by the end.

10:07 AM ET I haven't watched live in so long. Damn commercials.

10:10 AM ET Wait, this is the Jon/Lizzie preview scene. Nice rock through, Lizzie.

10:11 AM ET Josh is still working on the refrigerator. Call a repair man!

10:12 AM ET Earlier Cassie was talking to herself saying she needs a man who will help her without asking then Mallet walks up and asks if he can help her. Now Cassies is stacking wood. I think I would like those two together.

10:14 AM ET Oh no! Rick is in jail threatening to sing.

10:16 AM ET Lizzie is walking down a gravel road alone after Jon left her there. So far I'm liking the scenery. It's nice to see real places with a real feel to it.

10:18 AM ET Scalpacin. What every GL fan needs.

10:21 AM ET Jon is eating broccoli having a nice converation with Reva about Lizzie when she tells him Billy probably spit on it.

10:24 AM ET Reva shows up at Cassie's. Tear her hair out, Reva!!!

10:29 AM ET Reva is angry and Casie says it's not her problem.

10:30 AM ET New production model but same ugly green walls at Cedar's Hospital. Bill brought in Lizzie who damaged her $430 shoes. CALL A DOCTOR!

10:31 AM ET Ava runs into Dinah at the nail salon and is as bitchy as ever. All the indoor sets seem so small.

10:34 AM ET Major shakey cam in Jeffrey's office. Was the camera person falling down? Josh to Jeffrey: "Are we friends?"

10:35 AM ET Reva has followed Cassie deep into the wood and now they're talking next to a log. Cassie asks if Reva wants to hit her and Reva says yes but she has more important things to worry about. "Like the fact that we're lost in the wood?" Okay, I've decided the background music with vocals is a tad annoying.

10:39 AM ET Billy and Jon are talking and I'm trying to see Billy's head behind a pink balloon.

10:42 AM ET I must be having a nightmare. Rick is not dancing and singing "Yankee Doodle Dandy," right?

10:45 AM ET Cassie apparently doesn't like Reva to call Josh "Joshua". Reva and Cassie are still going at it in the woods.

10:46 AM ET Commercial break. "Only love can save the day" was playing over a Bill/Lizzie scene. That song needs some new lyrics.

10:46 AM ET Commercial break. "Only love can save the day" was playing over a Bill/Lizzie scene. That song needs some new lyrics.

10:52 AM ET The show ended with a LONG music montage. I wanted more lyrics and they played the entire song. It started kind of rough for me, dawg. Wait, this isn't American Idol. The song actually grew on me as it went along. The montage was nice although it showed people all over town doing various things that didn't necessarily have to do with what happened today.

Conclusion: It was good for a first day. There was way too much shakey cam and too many objects blocking a clear view of the actors which could have been easily avoided. But I applaud the show for making this change. The visuals looked good and there was an attempt to make the show seem more current. I'll give them a "B" mostly for effort and the concept on day one. I am quite surprised at the lack of a "big" story today to kick off this new production model. We saw a lot scenery but not very much happened.

News Brief

Entertainment Weekly: Soap Watch: Today is the big day for the folks over on GUIDING LIGHT. After more than a year of research, planning, and preparation, fans will finally get their first look at a complete episode featuring the show's new production model. From the 360-degree sets to the gritty handicam work to the abundance of outdoor shots, the perennially ratings-challenged GL is trying to shake things up and pull in new fans. But with message boards already abuzz with negative reactions to the exterior shots that have aired (''The 'natural' light is too harsh… Viewers want fantasy!'') should they be worried about how existing fans feel about the new look?

Television Week: Starting today, CBS’ GUIDING LIGHT is bucking about 56 years of tradition by switching to handheld cameras, using more exterior shots and installing four-wall sets in order to give the show a more cinematic feel.

iF Magazine: Review: GUIDING LIGHT - NEW PRODUCTION FORMAT - February 29, 2007 episode. Grade: C. While soap fans might be horrified at how radically different their show is, this new production model may be the only way for daytime television to survive.

New York Daily News: The Text Message Killer tries to kill Elizabeth and Sam today on GENERAL HOSPITAL, but Jason shoots him - and then Nikolas finishes the job. "Nikolas overpowers Diego with sheer brute strength," says Tyler Christopher (Nikolas) with a laugh. "I guess he's fueled by anger and revenge for Diego having killed Emily."

Emediawire: EVENT: Hollywood celebrities, top business leaders and Special Olympics athletes will compete Saturday, March 8 at Lake Tahoe's Heavenly Ski Resort for bragging rights while raising money for Special Olympics in a spectacular day of alpine racing. Thyme Lewis (DAYS OF OUR LIVES) and Justin Melvey (GENERAL HOSPITAL) are among the celebrities attending.

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

James Mitchell (Palmer, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Lloyd, THE EDGE OF NIGHT) - 88
Antonio Sabato Jr. (ex-Dante, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL; ex-Jagger, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 36

Evening News

Hollywood Reporter: A quick look around at the GUIDING LIGHT set -- a mall in fictional Springfield, a swanky hotel bedroom or the Spaulding family's grand study -- and you could convince yourself, if only for a moment, that you're not at CBS' West 57th Street Broadcast Center in New York. Unlike soap operas since the dawn of the TV era, the sets have four walls, a ceiling, lighting that gets shut on and off like a normal house and water that runs out of faucets. Gone are the big clunky cameras that gave daytime TV a look that has little changed since the 1950s, the live-to-tape production method and the control room that in the digital era is quickly becoming a dinosaur. In their place are hand-held video cameras, small lighting blocks that take the place of the big overhead contraptions and a portable control panel that captures the audio and video into a format that can be edited via laptop. The oldest soap opera still on the air -- it recently celebrated its 70th birthday -- "GL" on Friday takes the wraps off a makeover that moves the daytime drama into the 21st century and closes the gaps between the sometimes-anachronistic daytime drama production model and the techniques that have been used for decades on primetime TV.

ABC daytime president Brian Frons gives a lot of credit to "GL" for being willing to make changes. He thinks there might be an initial bump in the ratings, but it's not the production quality but the quality of the story that ultimately determines a daytime drama's success. "If it works beyond anybody's expectations -- and CBS' and Ellen's -- within six months to a year everybody will be doing it," Frons said of the changes. "Then it'll come back to who has the best story."

Bloom agrees that it's about the story more than anything else. "None of this works if you don't have the storytellers," she said.

CBS: VIDEO: Go on a tour with Rob Bogue (Mallet) and discover the new sets used on GUIDING LIGHT.

Radar Online: The soap opera renaissance will unfortunately be televised (on GUIDING LIGHT).

WDEF News 12: VIDEO: Preview: GUIDING LIGHT debuts big changes to long running soap.

Los Angeles Times: Starting today, NBC shows -- from SCRUBS to DAYS OF OUR LIVES -- will feature enviro-based themes. The green-tint is part of NBC Universal's "Green Is Universal" week, during which TV addicts can take in more than 150 hours of enviro-themed content.

ew York Post: Leven Rambin (ALL MY CHILDREN) guest-stars in tonight's LIPSTICK JUNGLE.

Soap Opera Network: Nielsen Ratings for the week of February 18-22, 2008. All soaps up in Total Viewers, Y&R #1 in 18-49 demos.

Minneapolis Star Tribune: Q&A with Lisa Guerrero. "It’s been a very varied career –- I’ve been a lead on a soap opera, I played George Lopez’s sister on THE GEORGE LOPEZ SHOW, been on the cover of Playboy, did MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, did BEST DAMN SPORTS SHOW. All over the map."

E! Online: In just the few days since we learned we might lose FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, campaigning fans have arranged the following:
* Some 6,250 minifootballs (below) are spiraling their way toward Ben Silverman as we speak.
* NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker will soon be receiving 7,500 minifootballs.
* The Any Soldier website will be distributing 42 Friday Night Lights DVDs to troops stationed overseas, thanks to the funding of FNL fans.
* FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS fans have also contributed to the following organizations:
o Gridiron Heroes, a charity that helps high schoolers who have suffered spinal cord injuries while playing high school football, much like Jason Street did in the pilot, $308. FNL's exec producer sits on the board of the Gridiron Heroes foundation.
o U.S. Quad Rugby Association, $200
o The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, $1,200, in conjunction with the Television Without Pity posters
o Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Taylor Kitsch's favorite charity, $308

CBS: Pre-Emption Alert: GUIDING LIGHT was preempted this morning, Thursday, February 28, for a Presidential news conference. The following stations will show GL in late night.

* WRGB Albany will air at 2:07 am
* WJZ Baltimore will air at 3:07 am
* WBBM Chicago will air at 1:37 am
* WWJ Detroit will air at 5:00 am
* ENEM-DT Flint/Saginaw will air at 1:30 am
* WANE Fort Wayne will air at 2:37 am
* WFOR Miami will air at 1:37 am
* WCBS New York will air at 2:07 am
* KYW Philadelphia will air at 2:05 am
* KDKA Pittsburgh will air at 2:07 am

B&B's Betty White on The Late, Late Show

Nelson Branco's Suds Report

This week's news is big so it can't wait until I do the usual evening news wrap up. Check out Nelson Branco's weekly "Suds Report" for TV Guide Canada. Lesli Kay jumps to ‘Y&R’! Plus: Michael Damian’s back! ‘ATWT’ top star out? ‘GH’ scandal! Ricky Paull Goldin: Adios ‘GL’!

News Brief

SunHerald: From executive producers Peter Berg (The Kingdom), Brian Grazer (American Gangster) and Jason Katims comes the much anticipated second season DVD of the critically-acclaimed series Friday Night Lights. Led by Kyle Chandler (King Kong), Connie Britton (24) and a talented ensemble cast, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS provides a heartfelt look at life in the small town of Dillon, Texas. A consistent hit with critics, Matt Roush, from TV Guide raves, "There is no finer or truer drama on network TV." The DVD will be out on April 22nd.

Buzzworthy Radio: AUDIO: Interview with Jason King of DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

Daily Record: It was once a sleepy country drama that focused on the lives of farming folk. But next week EMMERDALE will make history by becoming the first primetime soap to feature a gay wedding. The civil partnership is between Paul Lambert, played by Mathew Bose and Jonny Foster, played by Richard Grieve.

PGP Blog: Another intimate, private morning for Bill (Daniel Cosgrove) and Ava (Michelle Ray Smith) on GUIDING LIGHT. Just a man, a woman... and their camera-crew.

Boston Now: Interview with former ANOTHER WORLD star Alicia Coppola. "Daytime is tough. Daytime is hard. I still believe to this day that daytime is a brilliant training ground and I learned so much in my time there that I think every actor should be made to do it. It is a grind because it is 50 weeks out of the year, it's every day, Monday through Friday, and it's shooting an episode a day. I was learning sometimes 30 pages of dialogue a night."

Product Reviews: HOLLYOAKS’ Sarah Jayne Dunn To Star In The Dark Knight?

Press Association: Some familiar soap faces will be popping up in READY, STEACY, COOK in March. CORONATION STREET star Bradley Walsh (Danny) will attempt to prove he's as handy in the kitchen as he was behind a desk in Underworld. Fellow Weatherfield veteran Sally Lindsay (Shelley) will also attempt to keep her head while all about her are losing theirs. And Bobby Davro, these days better known as EASTENDERS' Vinnie, will also be put through his culinary paces.

Akami: VIDEO: Live webcast of the GUIDING LIGHT cast ringing the the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

Rick Lohman (ex-Joel, GENERATIONS) - 59
Lena Cardwell (ex-Simone, PASSIONS) - 26

Evening News

New York Times: Actors from the CBS soap opera GUIDING LIGHT rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday morning, capping a month of promotions ahead of the Friday introduction of a “new visual style” for the show. John Driscoll (Henry Cooper Bradshaw), Gina Tognoni (Dinah Marler), Nicole Forester (Cassie Layne Lewis) and Robert Bogue (A.C. Mallet) participated in the ringing. When the first new episode, shot with hand-held cameras, airs on CBS on Friday, the changes will be immediately obvious to fans. “The show leaves behind eight sets and expands to 40 permanent sets,” CBS said, and 20 percent of scenes will be shot on location in Peapack, New Jersey.

ESPN: Baseball player Torii Hunter is making a big career transformation, going from small-market star to big-market ballplayer which now includes activities like filming a commercial with ALL MY CHILDREN star Cameron Mathison.

The Oregonian: The rabid fans of AS THE WORLD have whipped themselves into a frenzy in the last few days. The problem? The show's pair of gay lovers, Luke and Noah, are apparently not being allowed to kiss on the air.

Shropshire Star: CORONATION STREET actor Simon Gregson today said he has learned his lesson about drinking and driving after attending a rehabilitation course run by a Shropshire organisation.The 32-year-old actor, who plays Steve McDonald in the soap, has also appealed to people never to drink and drive.

Buzzworthy Radio: AUDIO: Interview with ALL MY CHILDREN actress Melissa Claire Egan.

Ricky Paull Goldin is Leaving Guiding Light

Here is a letter from Ricky Paull Goldin who has announced his plans to leave the role of Gus Aitoro on GUIDING LIGHT. Goldin, who turned forty last month, joined the long-running soap in 2001 and quickly became a fan favorite. He previously appeared on ANOTHER WORLD as Dean Frame in the early 90s.

To my friends and extended family,

I want you to be one of the first to know that I'm planning on leaving "Guiding Light" when my contract expires in a couple of weeks. "Gus" has been a huge part of my life and I will really miss portraying him and bringing this character to life for you. My seven years on Guiding Light have been a wonderful experience. Now it's time for a new adventure, a new chapter in my life. I will especially miss working with Beth Ehlers, since it doesn't get any better than "Gus and Harley."

Thank you! It means so much to me that you have shown your continued love and support for me and the character of "Gus." I hope that you will continue to write with your thoughts and ideas. You can still email me at this email address [ATWT Fan Club], at least for the next few months.

I am sure that the powers-that-be at Guiding Light would love to hear from you as well. It is always good to let them know how you feel. That, of course, is your right.

You can write to them at:

Guiding Light
CBS-TV
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019

I will keep you up to date on my future projects on my website:
www.rickypaullgoldin.com

I also want to thank you for all the cards and emails that I have received in regards to my father's passing. It really meant the world to me.

So stay tuned and I'll be back real soon, just wait and see! It won't be long!

All my love and deep felt appreciation,
Ricky

News Brief

Detroit News: Actors from GUIDING LIGHT will ring the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange today to celebrate the launch of the show's new digital production model.

KABC: Cardiovascular disease, including stroke, is our nation's number one killer. But many people don't realize that it's also the number one killer of American women. GENERAL HOSPITAL has introduced a storyline to get the message out during American Heart Month.

Bend Weekly: Just the names alone - "Pepper Young's Family," "Ma Perkins," "Young Widder Brown," "Mary Noble, Backstage Wife," "John's Other Life," "The Romance of Helen Trent," "Bachelor's Children," "Life Can Be Beautiful" - are enough to tell you that these were relics of a long-past time - the Golden Age of radio. These were the seminal daily daytime soap operas (so called because so many of their sponsors, such as Procter & Gamble and Lever Brothers, were selling soaps and detergents), most of them lasting 15 minutes, that entertained housewives during the 1930s and 1940s as they swept and dusted and mopped and ironed.

Soap Cruise: EVENT: The second annual Soap Cruise will be held in January 2009 (Thursday, Jan. 22nd - Monday, Jan. 26th).

Guardian Unlimited: HOLLYOAKS has proved to be the most popular TV show viewed on Channel 4's 4oD broadband TV service since it launched in December 2006.

Serial Drama: For those holding out hope that last week's anti-violence public service announcement was the sign of the tides turning, of the GENERAL HOSPITAL showrunners demonstrating -- for the first time since gas was under $2 a gallon -- that they understand that violence has turned this once-great soap into a steaming pile of, well, corpses . . . Good god, what the hell were you thinking? Do you even watch this show?

CBS: VIDEO: Preview of today's Luke, Noah and Ameeera scene on AS THE WORLD TURNS.

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

Tracey Ross (Eve, PASSIONS) - 49
David Gail (ex-Joe, PORT CHARLES) - 43

Evening News

Reality TV Magazine: AMERICAN GLADIATOR, Mike O’Hearn (AKA: Titan) will be hopping over to Salem to portray the role of a helpful bartender in NBC’s popular soap, DAYS OF OUR LIVES. In the episode, O’Hearn will try to sober up Chelsea Brady (Rachel Melvin), but when Chelsea ignores his attempts and flees the bar, he will advise Shawn and Belle Brady (Brandon Beemer and Martha Madison) to contact Chelsea’s grandmother, Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow) in order to find Chelsea.

Theater Mania: AS THE WORLD TURNS legend Larry Bryggman will join the previously announced Mercedes Ruehl in Signature Theatre Company's production of Edward Albee's "Occupant," to run May 6-June 29, with an opening set for June 5. Pam MacKinnon will direct.

Houston Chronicle: Memorial native and ALL MY CHILDREN star Leven Rambin will appear in the February 28 episode of NBC's prime time series LIPSTICK JUNGLE, a comedy-drama starring Brooke Shields.

Palm Beach Post: Fomrer THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL star Lorenzo Lamas: Tanned. Toned. 50. And, yes, he still looks mahvelous!

CBS: Preemption Alert! WFOR Miami has preempted both THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL and AS THE WORLD TURNS today, Tuesday, February 27, due to news coverage of massive blackouts that extend from Daytona Beach to South Florida. Both shows will air in late night at 2:37 am and 3:37 am, respectively. (Assuming you have power of course)

Soap Opera Digest: How well do you know ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Jessica Brennan?

MyParkMag: Chris Fountain had admitted that he cheated on his ex-girlfriend. The HOLLYOAKS actor told Star magazine: "I cheated on my ex-girlfriend and it ended about a year later. I learnt my lesson."

MyDamnChannel: VIDEO: Episode #3 of HORRIBLE PEOPLE.

News Brief

CBS: GUIDING LIGHT Executive Producer Ellen Wheeler talks about the show's new digital production model. " think for anyone who has watched GL for a long time, they will notice that while things are different, things are still the same. We still have Harley's house and Company; we still have the Spaulding Study and the Bauer Kitchen. All the sets viewers have grown up with for generations or in just the past couple of years--Cassie's Farm House, they will still be here. Sets normally don't have a ceiling or walls. So if you are standing back in the studio looking at it, it looks like something that would sit up on a stage during a play. So we took all those pieces that we had and completely finished them, so now the sets have a fourth wall, a ceiling, the lights in the set are not stage lights, but real lights that turn on and off with a switch, if people have a refrigerator it's really plugged in and there is actually food in it. The floor is now a real floor, every set has its real floor, they have tile or carpeting or wood. We took each space and made it complete, somebody's home is really a home; a restaurant is really a restaurant. I think that will be the main change you see. Springfield has really become an extremely real place."

TV Guide Canada: In one of the most important soap interviews you’ll read this year, James Reynolds speaks out about why daytime TV is racist, the future of DAYS OF OUR LIVES, and why it’s hard out there for a minority actor.

Blogging With Carolyn: "Could somebody get the stereotype police on the phone? We have an emergency over on AS THE WORLD TURNS with the new character of Ameera from Iraq. She debuted complete with head scarf, measured speech pattern, and the necessity to walk 10 steps behind a man. As Weekly news editor Mala Bhattacharjee said, "What did they do, check out Writing Muslims For Dummies before they wrote this character?" If Ameera's mother was liberal enough to have an affair with a white colonel, there's no way Ameera would be this blushing violet who's afraid of everyone in Oakdale. And not for nothing, when she was sitting with Noah, Luke came up behind them with a jealous look on his face. Um, Luke? Even though you haven't kissed Noah since September, it has been pretty well established that he's gay. Your competition will never be a girl, and certainly not one whose main topic of conversation is Sadaam Hussein."

Marlena De Lacroix: Patrick Erwin blogs on "AS THE WORLD TURNS’ Men in Love: The Controversy Rages!"

Trek Today: Former soap actors Darlena Tejeiro (ALL MY CHILDREN) and Paul Townsend (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) have been cast in Star Trek XI.

Contra Costa Times: Playing cocky charmers is a breeze for former ONE LIFE TO LIVE actor Blair Underwood. But playing alpha male Alex, the ultra-aggressive patient on HBO's taut saga of psychotherapy, IN TREATMENT, is a welcome challenge for the 43-year-old actor.

New York Daily News: Tale of blogger updates young-adult soap opera in 'quarterlife' on NBC.

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

John Bolger (ex-John, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Phillip, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Gabe, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Garrett, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 54
Christopher Maleki (ex-Spike, PASSIONS) - 44
Greg Rikaart (Kevin, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS) - 31

Evening News

Entertainment Weekly: EW.com's new soap opera column debuts this week with a Q&A with ALL MY CHILDREN newbie Mario van Peebles, plus scoops on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, DAYS OF OUR LIVES, GENERAL HOSPITAL and more.

Snark Weighs In: Has AS THE WORLD TURNS' Nuke been nuked?

AfterElton: Liveblogging AS THE WORLD TURNS: Noah Mayer's Day Off.

TV Guide: Inside GUIDING LIGHT's Extreme Makeover.

PinkNews: EASTENDERS bisexual story in pictures.

Have You Read "Charm!"?

"Charm!" the new novel by Kendall Hart (the fictional daughter of legendary ALL MY CHILDREN diva Erica Kane) has hit bookstores and Kendall's portrayer Alicia Minshew appeared last week at Barnes & Noble in Clifton, New Jersey, to autograph copies. Kendall's son "Spike" (Benjamin, Caleb and Alex Eckstein) also appeared at the signing.

You can order the book at the ABC Store.

News Brief

RTE: EMMERDALE star Linda Lusardi has become the latest celebrity to be voted off DANCING ON ICE. The actress failed to secure the judges' votes after she was placed in the bottom two and forced to skate-off against former CORONATION STREET star Zaraah Abrahams.

Austin 360: EVENT: A top-tier cast — including Jesse Plemons, Brad Williams and Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, all from FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS — will read the new script by filmmaker brothers Alex and Andrew Smith at 7:30 p.m. March 2 at Cap City Comedy Club (8120 Research Blvd.).

New York Daily News: Marcie gets out of jail this week on ONE LIFE TO LIVE, but it's not the happy homecoming she's hoping for. "Marcie thinks that the reason she got out of jail was because Todd got a conscience and doesn't want her to be in any more pain," says Kathy Brier, who portrays Marcie. "But with Todd, it's probably not heartfelt."

Victorville Daily Press: Mark Thomson buys, sells and builds planes for big-budget feature films and commercials. He estimates his props have been used in over 300 movies, though he admits he doesn’t really keep track. Between shipping out planes for big-budget features, Thomson stays busy providing props for a couple of TV shows and commercials each week. He recently worked with DAYS OF OUR LIVES and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Taunton Daily Gazette: The gowns matched the carpet as red ruled the night at the 80th annual Academy Awards ceremony Sunday at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. "There was nothing really eye-opening or fashion forward in away," De Paulo said, who has dressed actresses Michelle Ray Smith of GUIDING LIGHT, and Caterina Murino of Casino Royale. A former architect, De Paulo said two of his favorite gowns were the "architecturally inspired" gowns worn by Cameron Diaz, which was a shell-pink strapless taffeta Dior, and Heidi Klum, in red Galliano.

Allentown Morning Call: Amanda Seyfried was born in Allentown and was a 2003 graduate of William Allen High School. She played the role of Lucy on AS THE WORLD TURNS and Joni on ALL MY CHILDREN before she had a breakthrough when cast as the most dimwitted of the 'Plastic,' Karen Smith, in the popular teen film Mean Girls.

Denver Post: The Denver Center Theatre Company's Colorado New Play Summit made such strides in its third year it already is being recognized as one of the most important new-play events in America. DCTC alums January LaVoy (ALL MY CHILDREN) and Gordana Rashovich returned to star in Blessing's "Perilous Night."

Starpulse: Fans Protest Gay Discrimination On AS THE WORLD TURNS.

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

Rich Benson (Blake, SCRIPTS & SCRUPLES) - 40
Jennifer Ferrin (ex-Jennifer, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 28

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

Lyle Kamenir (Rex, SCRIPTS & SCRUPLES) - 40
Jay Kenneth Johnson (Phillip, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 31

News Brief

TV Guide Canada: Nelson Branco's Suds Report: Shocking Vanessa Marcil news! Emmy pre-nom list revealed: Deidre Hall made the cut! Plus: Scott Baio on PASSIONS?

Out: DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION real-and-reel-gay heartthrob Adamo Ruggiero, 21, wants to send out a personal memo to the closeted pink boldface out in LaLa Land: Coming out has been an absolutely painless, cathartic, and positive experience. And it was all voluntary, thank you very much. “It was my decision. Simply put, it was time. I didn’t come out earlier not because it would cost me external power, but because I had to figure out it for myself. When I did, after coming out to my family first, I told the world. But hey, I’m a young actor, and I don’t consider myself a celebrity. I’m on a small series with a big cult following, so there was no rule book as to how it would be received. But I’m happy to say it worked out.”

ACD: AS THE WORLD TURNS is Turning Gay Fans Off...

Contact Music: Fans of AS THE WORLD TURNS have launched a campaign against the U.S. soap opera, claiming the producers portray a pair of gay lovers differently than heterosexual couples on the show.

Edge Boston: AS THE WORLD TURNS Away From Onscreen Gay Kissing?

Billings Gazette: EVENT: Meet Wally Kurth: Emergency & Trauma Center, Billings clinic. 11 a.m. Celebration to thank Billings native Wally Kurth for donation, efforts to enhance pediatric area. Singer, actor Kurth has been on GENERAL HOSPITAL, DAYS OF OUR LIVES and AS THE WORLD TURNS.

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

Paul Anthony Stewart (ex-Danny, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Casey, LOVING) - 38
Jaime Dudney (ex-Georgia, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 32

Guiding Light Launches Revolutionary Production Model

GUIDING LIGHT will premiere the first episode, which was produced as a result of a new production model that will revolutionize the way daytime dramas are created, on Friday, Feb. 29 on the CBS Television Network. With transformations throughout the entire show, these changes will bring a more current and realistic look to the series.

In the episode, viewers will see “Jonathan Randall” (Tom Pelphrey) hit yet another rocky point in his tormented life. A troubled young man, out seeking revenge for his unhappy childhood, he got involved with spoiled, rich “Lizzie Spaulding” (Marcy Rylan), with whom he had a baby girl, though he eventually married his true love, Tammy. A series of dangerous circumstances culminating in Tammy’s death forced this now upstanding father to fake his and his daughter’s deaths, but Jonathan has returned to Springfield to finish up where he had left off and marry Lizzie.

"Guiding Light made the leap from radio to television in 1952 and now it makes another leap," says Barbara Bloom, Senior Vice President of Daytime Programming, CBS. "By making the show’s production more relevant, and yet continuing the phenomenal storytelling that has kept it the longest-running drama in broadcast history, Guiding Light is taking down the barriers and pushing the show ahead. Executive Producer Ellen Wheeler along with GL’s cast and crew, have been fearless, and our fans are going to be able to experience their favorite characters like never before."

GUIDING LIGHT’S new production model includes permanent sets inside its New York City studio. Once having only eight sets to work with, the show now has forty, which also have four walls and a ceiling, where previously each set had two or three walls and the tops remained open exposing hundreds of lights and wires.

Direction has also been changed. Hand held cameras move around with the actors, shooting them from all angles, bringing the audience closer to each character. These changes give the sets a more realistic feeling, as well as changing the way the actors react in a situation.

Editing has changed as well. It now takes place almost simultaneously as filming – all done within the confines of a small digital booth. A production suite with monitors, directors and producers is a thing of the past.

GUIDING LIGHT has also decided to break out of the current mold of filming location shoots only once or twice a year. The show has adopted the town of Peapack, New Jersey to shoot all of its exterior scenes, some of which have already aired, thus adding to the realistic look of the show. These scenes will total approximately 20% off the production.

“These changes will allow us to tell our stories in a more intimate way, while giving our characters' struggles, relationships and issues more of a real-life feel,” said Ellen Wheeler, executive producer of GUIDING LIGHT. “The show will have a more organic feel, along with more authenticity, and we're thrilled to be able to bring this to our fans."

Sample scenes:
Scene 1 / Scene 2 / Scene 3

News Brief

New York Daily News: On the Valentine's Day episode of the CBS soap AS THE WORLD TURNS, all the couples kissed - except Luke and Noah. That did it for a group of the show's fans. They have launched a campaign protesting what they call discrimination against the gay pair, who got together last September and have not gone much beyond hugging since then. The show's producers, however, defend the pace at which the relationship has developed, and a leading gay media monitor group praises the pioneering relationship. While there remain inequities in TV's treatment of gays and straights, says entertainment media director Damon Romine of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination, he notes that "ATWT" has been nominated for a GLAAD Media Award because of "the thoughtful writing of both characters' individual journeys." Critics, who started their media blitz Wednesday through a Web site for Van Hansis - the actor who plays Luke, say the lack of physical contact between the couple reflects the broader media discomfort with gay romance.

Towleroad: A group of AS THE WORLD TURNS fans have started an online campaign aimed at the show's producers and Procter and Gamble claiming that CBS treats the love between gay characters Luke and Noah differently than it treats the heterosexual couples on the show. While the show has presented a groundbreaking storyline, fans say that while heterosexual couples are given graphic love and kissing scenes, Luke (Van Hansis) and Noah's (Jake Silbermann) affection takes place mainly off-screen, and passionate kisses are few and far between.

New York Daily News: Soap Dish: Out of the hospital, Bo recalls DAYS gone by. Also, David Rasche joins ALL MY CHILDREN as Tad's uncle Rob Gardner next Friday. ... MacKenzie Mauzy (Phoebe) is back on THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Thursday. ... Catherine Mary Stewart plays a mom on "One Life to Live" on March 11. ... Tom Pelphrey exits the role of volatile Jonathan Randall on GUIDING LIGHT next month.

Daytime Dial: Bronson Pinchot (PERFECT STRANGERS) appears as Patrick the publicist on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS on March 14, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26.

Sun Herald: Lifetime Television has ordered production on the Lifetime Original Movie, "Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal," starring Ashley Benson (DAYS OF OUR LIVES) and others, it was announced today by Tanya Lopez, Senior Vice President, Original Movies, Lifetime Networks.

Pasadena Now: The Fremont Centre Theatre will present "Ravensridge," a play by T.S. Cook, with the opening performance scheduled for 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 23. Directing is James Reynolds. Best known for his Emmy-nominated role of over 20 years as Abe Carver on DAYS OF OUR LIVES, he owns and operates the Fremont Centre Theatre with his wife Lissa. His recent credits there include directing the long-running hits "National Pastime" and "The Tangled Snarl/Murder Me Once," as well as starring in his solo play surveying Black history, "I, Too, Am America."

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

Leslie Charleson (Monica, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Iris; LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING; ex-Alice, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 63
Thorsten Kaye (Zach, ALL MY CHIILDREN, ex-Ian, PORT CHARLES; ex-Patrick, ONE LIFE OT LIVE) - 42
Liza Huber (Gwen, PASSIONS) - 33

As The World Turns Casting Tidbits

On the heels of hiring a 26-year-old actor (Jon Prescott) to play Mike Kasnoff, AS THE WORLD TURNS seems to be casting some additional roles as well.

Soap Opera Digest is reporting the show is looking to cast Camilla, a woman who is 35-40 and would start right away.

The show also has a casting notice out for Jana, who is a possible love interest for Aaron.

In previously reported news, Trent Dawson has resigned with the show, Tala Ashe debuts as Ameera tomorrow and Scott Bryce's last day was today.

Meanwhile, the original Mike Kasnoff, the hunky Shawn Christian, will be playing Dr. Daniel Jonas on DAYS OF OUR LIVES starting on March 4th.

Evening News

Los Angeles Times: Soap fans claim bias against gay characters. AS THE WORLD TURNS couple Luke and Noah are relegated to hugs and off-screen affection when hetero pairs smooch away and viewers are complaining.

CBS spokesmen said the show's ratings have increased since the pair were introduced last year. "CBS supports the producers' vision for the Luke and Noah storyline," according to a statement. "We have not censored it or asked them to hold back in any way."

Jeannie Tharrington, a spokeswoman for Procter & Gamble Productions, denied the show's writers were discriminating. "We're trying to be sensitive to all the different audiences who watch our show. We do make our decision based on what we think is best for the show's diverse audience and what's best creatively."

Soap Opera Digest: Though THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS has not confirmed Lynn Latham's exit from the show, there has been an executive shuffle: Josh Griffith has been bumped up to Head Writer/Executive Producer and Maria Arena Bell has been named Co-Head Writer of the No. 1 sudser.

Broadcast Newsroom: Ripple6 has been in a strategic partnership with Procter & Gamble since February 2007, working with P&G to enhance relationships with consumers through two-way interaction and communication. Several projects with P&G are underway including a partnership to integrate the Ripple6 platform into a new site for GUIDING LIGHT, the longest running show in broadcast history. "Our consumers are increasingly participating in online communities. These communities offer potential to activate and accelerate word-of-mouth, and to build engaging connections between brands and consumers," said Stan Joosten, Innovation Manager - Holistic Communication, P&G. "Our partnership with Ripple6 has provided us a unique opportunity for marketing innovation in social media, with a look beyond traditional online advertising and toward developing even stronger relationships between consumers and P&G brands."

ABC 7 Chicago: It was homecoming week in Crete for one of the stars of ALL MY CHILDREN. Colin Egglesfield, who has played Josh Madden for 3 years, was honored by Marian Catholic High School. A Marian Catholic alumnus, the actor attended the school's annual Hall of Fame Dinner on Thursday and received the Fine Arts Distinguished Achievement award for his work in print, film and television. Earlier in the day, he visited students in theater and mass media classes, toured the school, and visited with former teachers and coaches.

Santa Rosa Press Democrat: Not many careers range from a TV biography of Howard Hughes to the sci-fi romp "Men in Black" as Tommy Lee Jones' career has. But do you remember his initial bit-part appearance in 1970's LOVE STORY? And did you know he also appeared in the pilot episode of the hit TV series CHARLIE'S ANGELS in 1976? It was a busy decade for him. He even did soap opera, playing Mark Toland on ONE LIFE TO LIVE from 1971 to 1975.

Georgia Straight: Paul Kane was living in the Waterfall Building on West 2nd Avenue when he accidentally took his first step on the path to becoming a custom-furniture designer. The units of the brand new, mixed-use structure were then without blinds, so Kane took it upon himself to drill a couple of holes, install a supporting rod, and hang some curtains in his place. Seeing this, the owner hired him to do the same for the whole building. Kane, who was raised on the West Side, had just moved back to Vancouver after an acting stint in Los Angeles (he had a recurring role on the soap DAYS OF OUR LIVES). So he was free not only to work on the Waterfall Building but, when a friend’s company relocated to larger space, to fill an order for 50 desks.

Variety: NBC may share FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS with CW, E!, TNT or DirecTV. NBC Universal execs have decided they want to go the extra yard to ensure the drama returns for a third season. To make sure that happens, conglom is having serious conversations with several networks about a plan to carve out multiple broadcast windows for the show, which has received critical worship and has a cult-like following.

San Francisco Chronicle: New DVD Releases Include "Dark Shadows: The Beginning — Collection 3" — Creepy life among the Collins family continues with more tales from the supernatural soap opera. The four-disc package has 35 episodes of the show from its early days, before vampire Barnabas Collins joined the cast and lifted the show to devoted cult status. DVD set, $59.98. (MPI)

Borehanwood Times: BBC Elstree Studios forms a crucial part of the television heritage of the area. Its closure would come as a massive blow to Borehamwood. If shows such as EASTENDERS and HOLBY CITY were to move as far away as Belfast or Cardiff then it is unlikely they would keep many cast members, potentially spoiling viewers' enjoyment of the programmes.

Daytime Entertainment Emmy Pre-Nominations

Here are the pre-nominations for the 35th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards. The final nominations will be announced on April 30th. The awards will be held on June 20th in Los Angeles.

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Bobbie Eakes (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Susan Lucci (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Martha Byrne (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Terri Colombino (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Maura West (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Susan Flannery (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Katherine Kelly Lang (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Hunter Tylo (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Deidre Hall (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Alison Sweeney (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Nancy Lee Grahn (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Megan Ward (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Laura Wright (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Crystal Chappell (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Nicole Forester (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Kassie DePaiva (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Erika Slezak (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Robin Strasser (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Lindsay Hartley (PASSIONS * NBC)
Tracey Ross (PASSIONS * NBC)
McKenzie Westmore (PASSIONS * NBC)
Jeanne Cooper (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)
Melody Thomas Scott (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)
Michelle Stafford (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
David Canary (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Thorsten Kaye (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Michael Knight (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Scott Bryce (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Jon Hensley (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Michael Park (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
John McCook (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Ronn Moss (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Jack Wagner (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Stephen Nichols (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Thaao Penghlis (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Peter Reckell (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
James Scott (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Steve Burton (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Tyler Christopher (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Anthony Geary (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Ricky Paull Goldin (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Robert Newman (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Ron Raines (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Michael Easton (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Jerry Verdorn (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Robert S. Woods (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Peter Bergman (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)
Eric Braeden (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)
Christian LeBlanc (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Alicia Minshew (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Sabine Singh (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Kelley Menighan Hensley (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Marie Wilson (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Colleen Zenk Pinter (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Jennifer Gareis (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Lesli Kay (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Heather Tom (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Judi Evans (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Mary Beth Evans (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Martha Madison (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Carolyn Hennesy (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Rebecca Herbst (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Kimberly McCullough (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Beth Chamberlin (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Marcy Rylan (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Gina Tognoni (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Kathy Brier (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Catherine Hickland (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Bree Williamson (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Erin Cardillo (PASSIONS * NBC)
Melinda Sward (PASSIONS * NBC)
Tracey Bregman (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)
Judith Chapman (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)
Adrienne Frantz (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Jeffrey Carlson (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Billy J. Miller (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Jacob Young (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Trent Dawson (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Grayson McCouch (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Austin Peck (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
William deVry (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Patrick Duffy (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Dax Griffin (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Bryan Dattilo (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Jay Kenneth Johnson (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Joseph Mascolo (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Bradford Anderson (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Rick Hearst (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Sebastian Roche (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Murray Bartlett (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Jordan Clarke (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Daniel Cosgrove (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Brian Kerwin (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
John-Paul Lavoisier (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Tuc Watkins (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Phillip Jeanmarie (PASSIONS * NBC)
Christopher Maleki (PASSIONS * NBC)
Eric Martsolf (PASSIONS * NBC)
Greg Rikaart (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)
Ted Shackelford (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)
Kristoff St. John (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)

Outstanding Younger Actress In A Drama Series
Melissa Claire Egan (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Leven Rambin (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Chrishell Stause (ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC)
Alexandra Chando (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Jennifer Landon (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Marnie Schulenburg (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
MacKenzie Mauzy (THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS)
Shelley Hennig (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Rachel Melvin (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Kristen Renton (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Julie Marie Berman (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Kirsten Storms (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Mandy Bruno (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Bonnie Dennison (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Caitlin Van Zandt (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Kristen Alderson (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Farah Fath (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Brittany Underwood (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Hannia Guillen (PASSIONS * NBC)
Danica Stewart (PASSIONS * NBC)
Vail Bloom (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)
Christel Khalil (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)
Emily O’Brien (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)
Tammin Sursok (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)

Outstanding Younger Actor In A Drama Series
Van Hansis (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Jake Silbermann (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Jesse Lee Soffer (AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS)
Blake Berris (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Darin Brooks (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Matthew Florida (DAYS OF OUR LIVES * NBC)
Dylan Cash (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
Josh Duhon (GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC)
John Driscoll (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Tom Pelphrey (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Lawrence Saint-Victor (GUIDING LIGHT * CBS)
Edward Alderson (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Brandon Buddy (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Jason Tam (ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC)
Adrian Bellani (PASSIONS * NBC)
Blair Redford (PASSIONS * NBC)
Hunter Allan (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)
Bryton McClure (THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS)

Hollyoaks... John Paul and Kieron Get Closer

I'm really enjoying the relationship between John Paul and Kieron on HOLLYOAKS. Check out the latest scenes here.

Out on the Town - February 20, 2008

Lisa Rinna (ex-Billie, DAYS OF OUR LIVES), Lori Loughlin (ex-Jody, THE EDGE OF NIGHT) and Felicity Huffman (Lynette, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES) were among the celebrities at the Saks Fifth Avenue's Unforgettable Evening benefiting Entertainment Industry Foundation's (EIF) Women's Cancer Research Fund event held at the Beverly Wishire Hotel in Beverly Hills.

News Brief

CBS: Jon Prescott will take over the role of Mike Kasnoff on AS THE WORLD TURNS. Mark Collier previously played the part. Mike returns to Oakdale with a new business venture and the hopes of reuniting with Katie. Look for Prescott, 26, to appear in March.

PGP Blog: AS THE WORLD TURNS Luke and Noah spoiler picture preview.

Rocky Mountain News: Mark Schlereth's (Roc Hoover, GUIDING LIGHT) son armed for baseball success.

Pittsburgh Post Gazette: EVENT: DAYS OF OUR LIVES star Drake Hogestyn will appear at the 47th annual Advance Auto Parts World of Wheels Show at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh on Saturday 4-9pm..

Portsmouth Herald News: Actor David Cummins, formerly of Portsmouth, landed his first speaking lines February 18 and 19 on "All My Children," doing a major scene with Susan Lucci and Mario Van Peebles.

UCLA Daily Bruin: Marina Alburger had to leave her job as a writer on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS to go on strike. Once the strike was lifted, Alburger was asked not to come back as a member of the writing staff for the daytime soap opera. “It was a surprise,” Alburger said. “I’m still unclear to how they were allowed to have done that.”

Miami Herald: Victoria Rowell, author, actress, dancer, enthusiast of fab hats, breezed into town Wednesday to lecture on the importance of giving back to the community and to champion the foster-care system as part of Royal Caribbean Cruises' Black History Month programming.

Eurweb: "I auditioned and came back for a screen test," Christel Khalil of THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS said about the process that lead to her appearing on the legendary daytime series. "I've been there for six years…since I was 14… Kristoff St. John, who plays my father, was great to work with. I love being on the show."

Press Association: Actor Todd Carty has left hospital after a health scare which saw him collapse on stage. Carty, 44, who played Mark Fowler in EASTENDERS and PC Gabriel Kent in THE BILL, passed out in the middle of a performance at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, on Saturday.

Today's Soap Star Birthdays

Tyne Daly (ex-Caroline, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 62
Christine Ebersole (Maxie, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Lily, RYAN'S HOPE) - 55

Give That Girl an Emmy in 2009 - Debbi Morgan

Has anything been better than Jesse and Angie in 2008 on soaps? Debbi Morgan chasing after the train as Angie saw Jesse was heartbreaking. Morgan is already ahead of the game for the Lead Actress Daytime Emmy in 2009. Darnell Williams and Debbi Morgan have brought class and talent back to daytime and prove you can go home again.

Horrible People - The First Two Episodes

Evening News

Monsters and Critics: Maksim Chmerkovskiy heats up ALL MY CHILDREN.

CBS: VIDEO: On February 29, GUIDING LIGHT will set off on a new adventure when their production turns digital. Take a behind the scenes glance at the new look.

Playbill: Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole will shoot a TV sitcom pilot, LIBERTYVILLE, in the coming weeks, in the hope that it gets picked up by Lifetime. In 1984, she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award as outstanding actress in a supporting role for ONE LIFE TO LIVE (she played Maxie McDermott).

The Star-Ledger: Love literature? Enjoy romance? "Vita & Virginia" offers a classy evening with two literary ladies in love. Kathleen Chalfant and Patricia Elliott (ONE LIFE TO LIVE) co-star in "Vita & Virginia" at the Zipper Factory Theater.

Zap2it: In the reality show's fifth season premiere, Tuesday, March 11 at 8 p.m. ET, BEAUTY AND THE GEEK introduces nine gorgeous but academically impaired women and nine brilliant but socially challenged men. Both groups will make cameos on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS.

Soap Opera Digest: Want to subscribe to the digital version of Soap Opera Digest?

This is Nottingham: SPOILER: HOLLYOAKS hunk Jake Dean apparently tries to murder his own son in a shocking new storyline. Madman Jake - played by Kevin Sacre - kidnaps baby Charlie and tries to gas himself and his son to death in his car in a gripping plot twist.

TMZ: Former AS THE WORLD TURNS star Parker Posey dodged TMZ queries about a rumored fling with fellow hipster icon Moby, then used a 6th grade ploy to make us go away.

ESPN: VIDEO: Mike and Mike on their GUIDING LIGHT debut.

Out on the Town - February 19, 2008

ALL MY CHILDREN star Cameron Mathison posed with THE VIEW host Elisabeth Hasselbeck at JCPenny's American Living Launch Party at Skylight in New York City.

Meanwhile in Burbank, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES actress Andrea Bowen was one of the attendees at "Chevy Rocks The Future" at the Buena Vista Lot at The Walt Disney Studios (along with the sensational Abigail Breslin).

News Brief

New York Daily News: When it comes to pleading for the lives of their favorite TV shows, Americans combine anger, pluck, humor and snack foods. When "Jericho" was canceled last season, fans bombarded CBS with bags of peanuts, after a favored snack on the show, and the network ultimately decided to give it one more chance: a seven-episode run that began last week. Fans have saved a handful of shows like that over the years, from CAGNEY & LACEY in 1983 to the NBC daytime soap PASSIONS last year. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS required a salvation push after its first season, 2006-2007, and its ratings have not significantly improved this year. No "saved" show has yet blossomed into a broad-based hit. But that isn't stopping campaigners like www.bestweekever.tv from circulating FNL petitions - and some campaigns are designed for ancillary benefits.

Ten: VIDEO: Interview with THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL star Susan Flannery.

Buzzworthy Radio: AUDIO: Interview with Justis Bolding from ONE LIFE TO LIVE.

New York Times: It soon may be time to retire the phrase “fall television season.” NBC Universal took a big step toward undoing one of the television industry’s oldest traditions by announcing Tuesday that it would move to a year-round schedule of staggered program introductions. The move is intended to appeal to advertisers, who crave fresh content to keep viewers tuned in.

Marlena De Lacroix: Patrick Erwin writes: "GUIDING LIGHT has gotten an awful lot of ink lately — not over storylines or any actor or actress, but because of some substantial changes in the way the show is made and produced. Many mainstream press outlets have reported on these changes — giving them another opportunity to poke fun at the soap genre – or try to administer last rites. Before we all join the frenzy to pronounce this the Worst Thing Ever, I plan to actually watch and wait. At least GL is trying, and though there are times I wonder why GL hasn’t slipped away, I appreciate that P&G and CBS are still trying. I don’t think it’s too much to ask for a show many of us have loved to give them time and a little room to try."

New Canaan Advertiser: Lynne Bolton and Robert Doran (ex-Jamie, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Eddie, LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING), both members of the Board of the Town Players of New Canaan, played the lead roles in a recent reading of A.R. Gurney’s “Love Letters” to raise funds for improvements to the Powerhouse Theatre.

Belleville News Democrat: ABC Family rolls out its new lineup including the second half of the first season of GREEK.

Mid-Day Mumbai: For daytime soap addicts, she is better known as Drucilla Winters from THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, an immensely popular show in the US that is shown on Zee Café in India. To some, she is a writer and to others she is a woman of substance, dealing with her life as an actor, mother and a struggler. Victoria Rowell who has been seen opposite stars like Eddie Murphy, Bill Cosby, Jim Carrey, Will Smith and of course, the famous Dick Van Dyke has many sides to her personality.

Sun-Sentinel: The caller ID says "Lorenzo Lamas" — and for women of a certain age, it's a heart-stopping moment. Lorenzo, who turned 50 on Jan. 20, is to his generation what his dad, Fernando Lamas, was to their mothers', and what his son, model A.J. Lamas, apparently is to actresses including Lindsay Lohan: the quintessential hunk.

Islington Gazette: HE SHOT to fame as regular in CORONATION STREET - now he acts as master of ceremonies for Islington's most unusual pub quiz.

Stage (UK): The BBC’s drama output has been the most popular feature of the Corporation’s video-on-demand iPlayer service, new figures reveal. EASTENDERS has performed well, with each episode of the soap opera regularly being among the most frequently downloaded programmes on each day of transmission.

JKJ-NOW: DAYS OF OUR LIVES star Jay Kenneth Johnson posted a message on his fan website: "I do like the fact that 'Philip' is getting the opportunity to interact with many other characters. The crash was an unfortunate situation, but 'assuming' we make it back to Salem, I think that interaction will continue."