VOTE: Indie Soap of the Week Poll

Which indie soap was your favorite this week? Vote in the weekly We Love Soaps poll and check back on Tuesday morning for the results. Only the shows that aired one or more new episodes from July 25-31, 2010 are listed. Based on release schedules, the shows in the poll will change weekly. If an indie soap aired this week and is not on the list, feel free to write it in on the "Other" line.

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

Watch this week's indie soaps below.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV 1.58 Robert Bogue & Mandy Bruno

On Episode 1.58 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, Roger Newcomb and Damon L. Jacobs caught up with former GUIDING LIGHT stars Robert Bogue and Mandy Bruno at SD26 in New York during the Bon Voyage party to celebrate the So Long Springfield Cruise. Bogue and Bruno share their thoughts on the cruise, the end of GUIDING LIGHT, and some of the other projects they've been working on.



If you are in the New York City area and would like to be in the audience during a taping of a future episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, email us at audience@welovesoaps.net and we will keep you posted on our upcoming schedule.

Check out these links related to this episode:
- ALL'S FAIRE
- So Long Springfield
- GUIDING LIGHT

Become a We Love Soaps Supporter!

WE LOVE SOAPS TV 1.57 Michael O'Leary

On Episode 1.57 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, Roger Newcomb and Damon L. Jacobs caught up with longtime GUIDING LIGHT star Michael Leary at SD26 in New York during the Bon Voyage party to celebrate the So Long Springfield Cruise. O'Leary shares his thoughts on the cruise, the end of GUIDING LIGHT, and what's in the works for STEAMBOAT.



If you are in the New York City area and would like to be in the audience during a taping of a future episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, email us at audience@welovesoaps.net and we will keep you posted on our upcoming schedule.

Check out these links related to this episode:
- STEAMBOAT
- So Long Springfield
- GUIDING LIGHT

Become a We Love Soaps Supporter!

Wendy Riche: The We Love Soaps Interview Part Five

In Parts One, Two, Three, and Four of our interview with Wendy Riche, the legendary Emmy winning former executive producer of GENERAL HOSPITAL discussed her early years on GH, her ability to cast talented unknowns (such as Antonio Sabato, Jr., Vanessa Marcil and many others), her successful collaboration with Claire Labine, her firing from GH, and the "rumors" about joining ALL MY CHILDREN. In the final part below, Riche discusses mistakes, regrets, and the future of web soaps.

Wendy Riche: I remember the first week after we announced the Robin and Stone love story, before it aired, thinking we'd made a big mistake by announcing it.  We did a big press conference/announcement, and approximately 100,000 viewers tuned out almost immediately.  I remember calling Pat telling her I thought it was a mistake and that we should have peeled the layers off the story and let the audience just discover it.  But we thought the subject matter deserved a big press conference. We thought it was a good thing to make a big announcement about such an important subject. I think we got too caught up in the good we were doing.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Susan Flannery (Stephanie, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL; ex-Leslie, DALLAS; ex-Laura, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 71
Lane Davies (THE BAY; ex-Cameron, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Mason, SANTA BARBARA; ex-Evan, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 59
Wally Kurth (Justin, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Sam, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Ned, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 52
Jay Bontatibus (ex-Rob, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Andy, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Tony, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Russell, ANOTHER WORLD) - 46
Annie Parisse (ex-Julia, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 35

VOTE: Daytime Soap of the Week Poll

Which daytime soap was your favorite the week of July 26-30, 2010? Vote in the weekly We Love Soaps poll and check back on Monday morning for the results.

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

Eric Sheffer Stevens: The We Love Soaps Interview (3 of 3)

In Part One and Part Two of our interview with Eric Sheffer Stevens, the actor discussed getting into the acting profession, landing the role of Reid Oliver on AS THE WORLD TURNS, and adjusting to the daytime production process. In Part Three below, he discusses his love for soccer, his new play, and the future.

We Love Soaps: I want to talk to you also about being an athlete. We know you're a great soccer player...
Eric Sheffer Stevens: [Smiles] I'm not a great soccer player. I don't know where you heard that. I can play. I'm a great soccer watcher, an avid watcher of European soccer.

We Love Soaps: How did you get into that?
Eric Sheffer Stevens: I don't know. It's a long story, but [I've been watching] for the last 10 years at least, or eight, since I've figured out how to use the internet. More of more European games are being shown here and especially at pubs around the city.

WLS Interview Archive: Happy Birthday Victor Alfieri!

We Love Soaps wanted to send out a special birthday wish to this multi-talented international star.  In case you missed it, here is our recent interview with Victor Alfieri.

In Part One - Alfieri discussed his new role on ALL MY CHILDREN, and how growing up without a father led him to become the "class clown" entertainer.

In Part Two  - Alfieri shared the details of a tragic incident that changed the course of his life and his career, as well as life as Franco on DAYS OF OUR LIVES. Plus what was "Franco's" name going to be on DAYS before Alfieri was hired?

In Part Three - Alfieri opened up about working on BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, the films he is producing, as well helpful hints for dealing with disappointment and betrayal.

Damon L. Jacobs is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist seeing individuals and couples in New York City at Mental Health Counseling & Marriage And Family Therapy Of New York. He is also the author of "Absolutely Should-less: The Secret to Living the Stress-Free Life You Deserve."

WE LOVE SOAPS TV 1.56 Eric Sheffer Stevens (3 of 3)

On Episode 1.56 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, Roger Newcomb welcomes AS THE WORLD TURNS star Eric Sheffer Stevens, who plays Dr. Reid Oliver. Sheffer Stevens discusses his career, his snarky soap role and the future. Read the transcript here.



If you are in the New York City area and would like to be in the audience during a taping of a future episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, email us at audience@welovesoaps.net and we will keep you posted on our upcoming schedule.

Check out these links related to this episode:
- AS THE WORLD TURNS
- Vermont Shakespeare Company

Become a We Love Soaps Supporter!

INDIE SOAP BEAT: July 30, 2010

In this week's "Indie Soap Beat" feature we reveal the latest happenings from around the world of independent soap opera and web series production. Click the show logos to visit the official websites.

Ilene Kristen appeared on the latest episode of the "Daytime Confidential Podcast" and discussed how her role on THE BAY came about: "I worked with Gregori Martin before. We did a movie, Manhattanites, and it's kind of a natural fit because we've really worked together very, very closely before. So when that was coming up, of course I would assume he would ask me and ask other people who worked on Manhattanites as well. We had a very successful working relationship. It was a very ambitious movie. It was done on a shoestring and we had a really good time doing it." Check out THE BAY website for information and tickets to Saturday's fan fundraiser event.

Boy 9 Productions has announced that its web-series, SECRETS, will debut five new episodes, bringing its total to fifteen, on Monday, August 2, 2010. A new episode will be posted each day that week, simulating the release schedule of a network soap opera. The web series follows a group of people living in Center City, some attending the ficitonal Center City University. A fallen soap writer, a mafia princess, and serial killer who preys on gay college students are just some of the characters the series follows. Taking traditional soap opera plots and giving them a gay spin has been a trademark of the show and it continues the storylines into new episodes.

THE CAVANAUGHS, from creator Adrian Morales, returned on Thursday with an all-new episode which featured not only a We Love Soaps t-shirt, but the "Absolutely Shouldless" book from Damon L. Jacobs. If you missed the recent appearance of CAVANAUGHS star Grant Landry on WE LOVE SOAPS TV, watch it here.

EVENT: The House That GENERAL HOSPITAL Fans Built 2

Habitat for Humanity and the cast of GENERAL HOSPITAL have launched the 2nd Annual "The House That General Hospital Fans Built" event. General registration starts today. The donation for registration is 100% tax deductible, with 100% of the proceeds raised going directly to help fund "The House that GH Fans Built" in LA.

The registration site, which contains all the necessary information, can be found at http://bit.ly/THTGHFB2 and confirmed actors include Brandon Barash, Bradford Anderson, Julie Berman, Jason Cook, Jane Elliot, Lisa LoCicero, Ronnie Marmo, Kimberly McCullough, Nathan Parsons, Kirsten Storms, Jason Thompson, Dominic Zamprogna, John Ingle and Lexi Ainsworth.

NEWS: 90210, Reeves, Mattson, NEIGHBOURS Celebrates 6,000

90210's gay character revealed?
In newly revealed sides, which also includes a gay character named Ian, it appears The CW tried to conceal Teddy's identity by referring to hm as Caleb, but it seems highly unlikely the show is adding two new gay characters, plus having Teddy come out so deduction says Caleb is really either Teddy, Liam or Navid. The sides have Caleb/Teddy and Ian cleaning gutters on the school roof, apparently as punishment for some altercation that took place when Caleb/Teddy punched Ian at a Bachelor Auction.

TCA: Exec Session With CW President Dawn Ostroff
“As the first network born in the digital age, tapping into all of the different media platforms isn’t just part of our strategy, it’s actually in our DNA, influencing everything that we do,” added Ostroff. “We were the first network to use Twitter and Facebook to connect with our audience and talk about our shows. And what’s interesting is that now Facebook and Google meet with their clients and ask if they could use us as an example as to how they should be using the technology.”

Ostroff, now the longest-running network entertainment president (for 9 years at CW and UPN), says overnight ratings do not matter anymore: "The days of waking up and looking at the overnight ratings are gone, especially for the younger demographic."

Soap Opera TV Ratings July 19-25, 2010

Compiled from a list of several sources, here are the Nielsen ratings for the week of July 12-18, 2010 for all the daytime and primetime television soap operas.

ROOKIE BLUE (6.54 million)
FLASHPOINT (6.06 million)
THE GOOD WIFE (5.3 million, 3.6/6) - repeat
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS (4.94 million, 3.4/11) - daytime airing only
TRUE BLOOD (4.736 million, 2.7/5)
BOSTON MED (4.5 million, 3.1/6)
GLEE (3.91 million) - repeat
THE GOOD WIFE (3.6 million, 2.4/4) - Sunday 10 p.m. repeat
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (3.58 million)
ARMY WIVES (3.31 million, 2.2/4)
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (3.25 million, 2.3/7)
SCOUNDRELS (3.1 million, 2.1/3)
THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER (3.043 million, 1.8/3)
MAD MEN (2.918 million, 1.9/3)
THE GATES (2.9 million, 2.0/3)

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Ilene Kristen (Liza, THE BAY; Roxy, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Delia, RYAN'S HOPE; ex-Norma, LOVING; ex-Madeline, ANOTHER WORLD) - 58
Richard Burgi (ex-Chad, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Karl, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES; ex-Glenn, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Randy, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) - 52
Ben Jorgensen (ex-Chris, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Kevin, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 41
Victor Alfieri (Giovanni, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL; ex-Gianni, PASSIONS; ex-Franco, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 39

THE CAVANAUGHS S1 E7: WLS T-Shirt & Shouldless Book

We are already love indie soap THE CAVANAUGHS but after a brief hiatus what a nice surprise to see Daniel Rhyder's Scott wearing a We Love Soaps t-shirt on the brand new episode.

And if that wasn't enough, Deborah Estelle Philips offers Adrian Morales' Bryan a copy of "Absolutely Should-less: The Secret to Living the Stress-Free Life You Deserve," an amazing little book written by Damon L. Jacobs. Will it help them as much as it has so many others?

Paley Center: Farewell to AS THE WORLD TURNS Aug. 18

AS THE WORLD TURNS is one of the most groundbreaking series in television’s history, the epitome of multigenerational, serial storytelling. Set in the fictional town of Oakdale, As the Worlds Turns enraptured generations of fans for more than a half century, being the top-rated soap for thirteen consecutive years. Members of the illustrious creative team will reflect on the upcoming ending of As the World Turns in September, as well as the serial’s many changes over fifty-four years. They will screen highlights and discuss how the soap has tackled many contemporary themes over the years, including AIDS, alcoholism, and Alzheimer’s, and how it made history by introducing daytime television’s first gay character in 1988.

Tickets on sale to Members now.

On sale to general public at noon on Friday, August 6.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010 6:30 pm New York

In Person
Christopher Goutman, Executive Producer
Jean Passanante, Head Writer
Terri Colombino, "Katie Snyder"
Trent Dawson, "Henry Coleman"
Kathy Hays, "Kim Hughes"
Don Hastings, "Dr. Bob Hughes"
Eileen Fulton, "Lisa Grimaldi"
Colleen Zenk, "Barbara Ryan"
Van Hansis, "Luke Snyder"
Additional panelists to be announced.

ON THE EDGE Cleared For Thanksgiving on ABC O&O's

ON THE EDGE, a 2010 Emmy winning special, has been cleared for a Thanksgiving broadcast window on ABC owned and operated stations in top markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Cleveland .

The one-hour presentation, from Associated Television International (ATI), chronicles the journey of top daytime stars including Susan Lucci, Montel Williams, Anthony Geary, and Kelly Monaco as they travel to Kenya to raise awareness of the desperate situation faced by Africa’s poor.

“We’re delighted that ABC stations have embraced this show,” commented Jim Romanovich, president Worldwide Media & Entertainment, ATI. “We believe this program is a perfect fit for the Thanksgiving season as we look at the magnitude of what some people endure and what we can do to change lives.”

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Kevin Spirtas (ex-Craig, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Jonas, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Tom, RITUALS) - 48
Lisa Peluso (Veronica, GOTHAM; ex-Wendy, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW; ex-Billie/Gina, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Ava, LOVING; ex-Lila, ANOTHER WORLD/AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Libby, SOMERSET) - 46
Bryan Dattilo (ex-Lucas, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 39
Rachel Miner (ex-Michelle, GUIDING LIGHT) - 30

ANYONE BUT ME'S Web-A-Thon Is Happening Now!

Hey ANYONE BUT ME fans!  The cast of the Indie Soap Award winning show has gotten together for three days of interviews, behind-the-scene features, and...charades, in order to entertain and inform their viewers of the need to support Season Three of this show.  If you believe in the power of the continuing story format, in telling realistic gay/lesbian stories, and being a part of web history, then press here.




RELATED ITEMS:
-WLS Interviews Rachael Hip-Flores and Nicole Pacent
-WLS TV #11
-ABM's Video Acceptance Speeches from Indie Soap Awards  
-Gays On Indie Soaps: We Have Arrived 

NEWS: Lucci Memoir, Ken Corday, FNL, TCA, Tika Sumpter

Tika Sumpter talks about her burgeoning film career
"I just did Stomp the Yard 2 and I played a girl named Nikki who is a college student who's going through the ups and downs of life, and has a boyfriend and is in a love triangle. And I just finished this other film that Fox Regency is producing. It's called What's Your Number? and Anna Faris and Chris Evans (Scott's brother) are in it. I play one of the bridesmaids." Matt Bomer is also in What's Your Number?

Susan Lucci working on memoir, to be released in 2011
It Books said Wednesday that the longtime star of ALL MY CHILDREN has a memoir coming out next year. Her book is currently untitled. It will cover her role as Erica Kane on the daytime soap and her years as a stage performer.

Ken Corday's mental health break
“My mental health break is going to the recording studio and writing whatever is in my head. We take a lot of chances with music, more so than story.”

The Name of the ATWT Talk Show Replacement: THE TALK

CBS has revealed the name of the AS THE WORLD TURNS talk show replacement, THE TALK. The network's entertainment president Nina Tassler revealed the (similar to THE VIEW) name at the Television Critics Association meeting today.

According to Deadline.com, Tassler said it was the the series' creator/executive producer Sara Gilbert who suggested casting Julie Chen. As for the pickup to series, "I made the decision," Tassler said. "I don’t think Les [Moonves] is unhappy with it,... but show screened great and tested the best of all the pilots. The elephant in the room is that Julie is on the show, but she happens to be terrific on the show. She shouldn't be penalized for being married to the CEO."

PREVIEW: ABC.com's WHAT IF... Dante Meets Tess

In the sixth installment of ABC Daytime's new series, WHAT IF, ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Tess Buchanan (Bree Williamson) and GENERAL HOSPITAL's Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) run into each other on a plane. When Dante and Tess realize they've met before, she tries to seduce him for old time's sake. The new episode airs the week of August 2nd on ABC Daytime, with cut-down-versions on ABC.com, with Soapnet.com.

Wendy Riche: The We Love Soaps Interview Part Four

In Parts One, Two, and Three of our exclusive interview with Wendy Riche, the Emmy winning former executive producer of GENERAL HOSPITAL discussed starting on the show, collaborating with Claire Labine, casting fan favorites such as Maurice Benard and Sarah Brown, and the rise and fall of PORT CHARLES.  In the next revealing part below, Riche discusses what led to her leaving GH, and directly addresses the rumors about ALL MY CHILDREN.

We Love Soaps: What led to your leaving GENERAL HOSPITAL?
Wendy Riche: I was fired.  But it was time for me to leave.  I knew it, and ABC knew it.  I knew personally it was time to move on.  But I would have stayed there forever, I loved it so much. I guess I needed a push in another direction. 

We Love Soaps: Do you think things changed once Disney bought ABC in 1995?
Wendy Riche: No, I don’t think so.  Maybe there were more budgetary issues that we would deal with.  But the team at GENERAL HOSPITAL could address anything.  If I said we had to cut the budget, then everyone would roll up their sleeves, and you wouldn’t know it by watching the show.  They had to cut some costs but they did not interfere in any creative way.  We had Pat Fili Krushel and Angela Shapiro and they were very supportive creatively. 

Good News, And Fascinating Data, For Daytime Soaps

TVNewsCheck posted an article today with lots of interesting data on the current state of daytime television.

The soaps generate more ad revenue than network game shows and talk shows. The average soap pulled in $130 million between January 2009 and May 2010, compared to $100 million for the average talk show and $96 million for the average game show, according to ad-tracking firm Kantar Media.

Advertisers like the shows for their ability to zero in on female consumers, who account for 76% of soap viewers, according to Nielsen.

"Advertisers also prefer to be in quality scripted series," says media industry analyst Shari Anne Brill. "Another talk show or another game show isn't a suitable replacement for advertisers who want to have their products showcased in a program with a story."

Online viewership numbers are encouraging.

Eric Sheffer Stevens: The We Love Soaps Interview (2 of 3)

In Part One of our interview with Eric Sheffer Stevens, the actor discussed getting into the acting profession and landing the role of Reid Oliver on AS THE WORLD TURNS. In Part Two below, the actor talks about the rehearsal process on a soap and shares his feelings about working with daytime legends like Don Hastings and Larry Bryggman.

We Love Soaps: You've done a lot of theater, but have you done a role this long before?
Eric Sheffer Stevens: No. The longest I did was [the Broadway show] "Coast of Utopia" which was a three-part massive trilogy at Lincoln Center that Thomas Stoppard wrote. That was three years ago. It was nine months once we extended it, but that was multiple characters in all three shows, so I wasn't attached to any of them. It didn't feel like I was living in one person's skin for that long like this is.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV 1.55 Eric Sheffer Stevens (2 of 3)

On Episode 1.55 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, Roger Newcomb welcomes AS THE WORLD TURNS star Eric Sheffer Stevens, who plays Dr. Reid Oliver. Sheffer Stevens discusses his career, his snarky soap role and the future. Read the transcript here.



If you are in the New York City area and would like to be in the audience during a taping of a future episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, email us at audience@welovesoaps.net and we will keep you posted on our upcoming schedule.

Check out these links related to this episode:
- AS THE WORLD TURNS
- Vermont Shakespeare Company

Become a We Love Soaps Supporter!

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Sally Struthers (ex-Jennifer, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Babette, GILMORE GIRLS) - 62
Lori Loughlin (Debbie, 90210; ex-Jody, THE EDGE OF NIGHT) - 46
Elizabeth Berkley (ex-Kelly, THE L WORD) - 38
Billy Aaron Brown (ex-Billy, UNDRESSED) - 29
Tom Pelphrey (ex-Mick, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Jonathan, GUIDING LIGHT) - 28
Dustin Milligan (ex-Ethan, 90210) - 28
Alexandra Chando (ex-Maddie, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 24

HOT STORIES: Scrubs, Will, Téa, Greenlee, B&B

Tuesday was another ho-hum day of daytime soaps, but there were some good moments sprinkled in with the mundane. Check out those hot moments and stories below.

LOOK OUT, SCRUBS!: Lisa is starting to get scary on GENERAL HOSPITAL. Poor Robin.

FROM INTERN TO PART-TIME JOB: Will impressed Stefano on DAYS OF OUR LIVES so much that the Phoenix wanted to give him a part-time job once his internship was over. Of course, there's no reason for Sami to know about this.

In L.A. on Saturday? Go To THE BAY's Fan Fundraising Event

A great new indie soap is coming to the web in mid-September called THE BAY. I am an associate producer on the series and, as you've seen from the many casting announcements, it features an all-star cast of current and former daytime favorites. The show is holding a fan fundraiser event on Saturday, July 31, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Henry's Hat in Los Angeles and it's your chance to mingle with the entire cast (Mary Beth Evans, Matt Ashford, Marie Wilson, Tristan Rogers, Martha Madison, Lilly Melgar, Nicolas Coster and many, many more) as well as other daytime stars like Lesli Kay, Kate Linder and Carmen Duncan.

The festivities will include a complimentary buffet of heavy hors d'oeuvres, served from 7-10, and an open bar serving complimentary beer and wine from 7-8:30. You'll also see the first look at a one-minute trailer of the series as well as an interactive Hyperspots media presentation by Charles Shaughnessy. There will also be a number of raffles and auctions of some very cool items.

So not only is this a chance to support the Indie Soap Revolution, you will have a fabulous time. There are a limited number of tickets available (for $50) so go to thebaytheseries.com to order yours today.

NEWS: Cherry, Overstreet, Helgenberger, Cheyenne, Hoff

Marc Cherry mulls exiting DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
The show's creator is considering handing the show over to somebody else after next season, though he is under contract through 2012. If he leaves, Cherry says he'll still be a consultant for the show. "It's my baby," he says. "I can't let go. I have control issues. They can't totally get rid of me."

The new 90210 season opens with a major event
An earthquake rocks Beverly Hills in the CW drama's Sept. 13 premiere. "We wanted to open the season with an event that has both physical and emotional ramifications for several people," teases co-executive producer Jennie Snyder Urman, who adds that the tremors will prove particularly life-altering for one teen. "One of them has a very serious injury that takes time to resolve and sort of changes the direction of his or her life."

Jason Priestley & Luke Perry team for Hallmark movie
The former 90210 stars will reunite for Goodnight For Justice, a Western.

Port Chuck Tour: New General Admin Seats Just Released

Port Chuck - the band made up of GENERAL HOSPITAL stars Steve Burton, Scott Reeves, Bradford Anderson and Brandon Barash - is going on tour. New general admission seats have just been released. Check the band's website or with the club in your city for more information.

RESULTS: Indie Soap of the Week Poll

Here are the results from the We Love Soaps "Indie Soap of the Week" poll for the week of July 18-24, 2010. MISS BEHAVE remained in the top spot for the fourth week in a row. Indie soaps that aired one or more episodes last week were eligible. Check back on Saturday when this week's polling begins.



Watch last week's indie soaps below.

ALL MY CHILDREN Heads to ICU with Hummingbird Synergy

InnerSpace Inc. demonstrated its signature product Hummingbird Synergy on ALL MY CHILDREN this week when Ryan Lavery (Cameron Mathison) suffered a brain aneurysm after a fall. Ryan was treated with the Hummingbird Synergy multimodal catheter which helps to monitor and relieve brain swelling as he recovered in intensive care. Cameron Mathison quipped, “Hummingbird saved Ryan's life."

"Having millions of viewers see the Hummingbird Synergy in action on this timeless soap opera offered an incredible opportunity to raise awareness of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and provide the viewing public a unique glimpse into the world of brain trauma management,” said Ben Bobo, vice president, InnerSpace, Inc. He added that the catheter was featured over two days of filming.

Former ATWT Star Yvonne Perry Joins The Cast of EMPIRE

Former AS THE WORLD TURNS star Yvonne Perry (the original Rosanna) is joining the cast of indie soap EMPIRE for the third season. Joining the cast along with Perry will be Mary Leggio, recently featured in Andy Samuburg's digital shorts series on SATURDAY NIGHT LIGHT, as well as Lyric Stage Company veteran Ariel Heller. Perry, Leggio, and Heller join a cast that includes GUIDING LIGHT veterans Tina Sloan and Orlagh Cassidy, as well as EMPIRE break out stars Ryan Clardy and Kathryn Neville Brown. The expanding cast is slated to film their third season in August 2010.

"Yvonne Perry's experience brings not only an established reputation to our young show, but has helped us combine her familiar soap opera milleu with a new age online channel" said co-creator Greg Turner. "Her expertise, added to our talented GUIDING LIGHT alumni and combined with the excitement and energy of our up-and-coming stars has created an unmatched chemistry." The web sudser’s third outing will also feature an appearance by DAYS OF OUR LIVES fan favorites and real life couple Molly Burnett and Casey Deidrick.

AMERICAN IDOL's Jason Castro Comes To B&B, Part Two

In Part One of our interview with Jason Castro, the AMERICAN IDOL finalist discussed overcoming fear, and giving back to others.  In Part Two below, he discusses his appearance on BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL, life lessons learned, and directly addresses those rumors about a fondness for a certain herb. 

We Love Soaps: Do the themes in your album, "Jason Castro," follow your charity work?
Jason Castro: This album is mostly about relationships, and love in many different aspects.  That’s where I’ve been at in life, I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by so much love.  I was married six months ago, and there are songs about that.  But my current single, “That’s What I’m Here For,” is really about friendship and just being there for somebody. 

We Love Soaps: How did BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL come about for you?
Jason Castro: It came through my label.  They said, “Do you want to go meet with the producers?” I said, “Yeah!” So they invited me to play a couple of songs.  They liked it, and asked me if I wanted to be a part of it.  It’s that simple.  But I asked, “What kind of acting do I have to do?” I’m definitely not cut out to be an actor.  I had considered it before and realized it's not to be.  I don’t think I can be someone else, that just doesn’t sit right with me.  So, it worked out, I got to star as myself.  I always said that was the only way I could act, if I got to be a character just like me.  I have such a respect for actors, and that art.  But I am not that sort of artist.

Eric Sheffer Stevens: The We Love Soaps Interview (1 of 3)

Eric Sheffer Stevens burst onto the soap scene in January 2010 as the snarky but lovable Dr. Reid Oliver on AS THE WORLD TURNS. His portrayal of the character won the actors fans far and wide. But who is Sheffer Stevens and how did he get into the acting game? Find out in this exclusive three-part interview with We Love Soaps. (Watch the corresponding video here.)

BACKGROUND

We Love Soaps: You were born in northern California, moved around and ended up in Connecticut.
Eric Sheffer Stevens: I went to high school in Danbury.

We Love Soaps: Then you've pretty much been in New York ever since college?
Eric Sheffer Stevens: Yes. Except for a stint in grad school in Alabama for two years from '98 to 2000. I was at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, which is affiliated with the University of Alabama, which is why I'm a huge University of Alabama football fan as well, the Crimson Tide.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV 1.54 Eric Sheffer Stevens (1 of 3)

On Episode 1.54 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, Roger Newcomb welcomes AS THE WORLD TURNS star Eric Sheffer Stevens, who plays Dr. Reid Oliver. Sheffer Stevens discusses his career, his snarky soap role and the future. Read the transcript here.



If you are in the New York City area and would like to be in the audience during a taping of a future episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, email us at audience@welovesoaps.net and we will keep you posted on our upcoming schedule.

Check out these links related to this episode:
- AS THE WORLD TURNS
- Vermont Shakespeare Company

Become a We Love Soaps Supporter!

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Norman Lear (Executive producer of MARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN) - 88
John Pleshette (ex-Richard, KNOTS LANDING) - 68
Rebecca Staab (ex-April, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Elizabeth, PORT CHARLES; ex-Jessie, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Cecilia, LOVING) - 49
Sasha Mitchell (ex-James, DALLAS) - 43
Julian McMahon (ex-Christian, NIP/TUCK; ex-Ian, ANOTHER WORLD) - 42
Eric Martsolf (Brady, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Ethan, PASSIONS) - 39
Martha Madison (Marly, THE BAY; ex-Belle, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 33
Wolé Parks (ex-Dallas, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 28

TRIVIA: Former soap star Val Dufour (John, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW; Walter, ANOTHER WORLD; Andre, THE EDGE OF NIGHT) died on this day ten years ago at age 73. He won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series in 1977.

HOT STORIES: Chloe, Hope, CarJack, Maxie, Damon, Layla

Monday was definitely not the most exciting day in daytime soap history but there were a few good moments that stood out.

BAM: Chloe (Elizabeth Hendrickson) went off on Heather on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS after Chance confessed their one-time sexual encounter.
Chloe: "I see a reoccuring theme here, Heather. No one wants you, and only you. So whatever you have to offer, I guess just isn't really all that appealing, now is it?"
Heather: You know, I didn't sneak up on Chance in the middle of the night. He knew what he was doing.
Chloe: Oh yeah. He was doing a nasty, pathetic little slut.

MAXIE VS. LISA: Monday's GENERAL HOSPITAL was a bit of a letdown after an exciting week last week but the best part was Maxie and Robin, especially Maxie telling Lisa exactly what she thinks about her.
Maxie: "Don't you dare go anywhere near that operating room. And you keep your manipulative, home-wrecking self away from my family."

Catching Up With Carmen Thomas, Part 1 of 2

Carmen Thomas was just a teenager when she was hired by ALL MY CHILDREN in the 1980s to play Hillary Wilson, Langley's daughter. She made a big splash on the show in romances with Tad, and later Mitch. Her character has been revisited in scripts this year as Damon was revealed to be Hillary's son with Tad. How does Thomas feel about her soap days? And what has she been up to ever since? Find out in this exclusive two-part interview with WE LOVE SOAPS TV. In Part One below, Thomas shares stories of landing her soap role and moving to New York City at age 15.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: How did your role on ALL MY CHILDREN as Hillary come about?
Carmen Thomas: It was a special time of my life when I was on the show. I was in high school in Georgia and they were looking for an innocent ingénue for ALL MY CHILDREN. Kim Delaney (Jenny) was leaving and they wanted to have someone in that position when she left as the sweet ingénue or sweetheart. [Joking] I guess they couldn't find anyone innocent in New York City so I was put on videotape in Georgia and they saw it. They flew my mother and I up to New York for a screen test. [Academy Award nominee] Melissa Leo was reading at the same time a me, not for Hillary, but the part of Cliff's sister. I was only 15 but I got the part. I had a week to move from Georgia to New York City. It was quite a whirlwind and was like my high school and college. I finished high school with the equivalency while I was in New York and did the show during the college years.

PHOTOS: Colleen Zenk & Summer Stock NYC

Colleen Zenk just completed a successful two weeks in Summer Stock NYC at both The Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts as well as The Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse. The show featured Karen Mason, Pearl Sun and a number of other talented performers including Zenk's daughter, Kelsey Crouch Pinter. Here are some photos from the show attended by We Love Soaps' Roger Newcomb and Damon L. Jacobs.

AMERICAN IDOL's Jason Castro Comes To B&B, Part One

Atlantic recording artist Jason Castro guest stars on THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, Thursday, July 29 and Friday, July 30, on the CBS Television Network.  Castro, third runner-up on the seventh season of "American Idol," will perform "Love Uncompromised" off his recently released self-titled debut album.  This busy and rising artist took some time to speak with We Love Soaps about his appearance on B&B, overcoming fear, and giving back to humanity.  Please enjoy!

We Love Soaps: Tell me about your background.
Jason Castro: I was born in Dallas, Texas.  I grew up in a musical family. My dad and grandfather all played guitar and sang.  But I grew up playing drums.  I was kind of shy and I didn’t want to do what everyone else was doing because they already did it real good.  The drums were nice because I could just sit back.  I started playing guitar and singing when I got to college.  I was obsessed with music so I decided I wanted to learn how to sing a song, just for myself.  It started as nothing more than a hobby.  But then I developed a love for song writing.  And that led to what I’m doing now.  I love to get up and tell a story. 

ABC.com WHAT IF Web Series: Angie & Jesse Meet Starr

The ABC.com WHAT IF web series has launched. In the episode below, ALL MY CHILDREN's supercouple Angie and Jesse Hubbard (Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams) and ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Starr Manning (Kristen Alderson) meet. When Angie and Jesse argue about a dry spell in the romance department, Starr reminds them what matters most in life ("Why Did I Get Married?").

Watch it below.

RESULTS: Daytime Soap of the Week Poll

Here are the results from the We Love Soaps "Daytime Soap of the Week" poll for the week of July 19-23, 2010. ALL MY CHILDREN returned to the top spot this week. Check back on Friday when this week's polling begins.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Kathryn Hays (Kim, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Leslie, GUIDING LIGHT) - 77
Francia Raisa (Adrian, THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER) - 22
Taylor Momsen (Jenny, GOSSIP GIRL) - 17

NEWS: Sharon Case, SAG-AFTRA, JR Martinez, Diane Parish

Sharon Case loving Y&R right now and excited to debut new jewelry line on QVC
On Tuesday, August 10, at 2 p.m. ET/PT, Case makes her debut on the QVC Network unveiling her new jewelry line called POMP. Watching QVC is somewhat a family affair for the actress. “My mom is a huge fan of QVC. She has been watching for years, so when this opportunity became available, I was excited to debut my line nationally on QVC.”

Case also has nothing but praise for show runner Maria Bell: "Right now the show is great. I love Maria Bell. She’s such a talented and great writer. One thing you can always count on is exciting storylines from her. I love everything she’s written for my character and all the great storylines going on right now. What she does is amazing, her twists and turns are always shocking and she even adds a comedic beat in many of the dramatic scenes, that delight the viewers and us actors on the show. She’s very supportive of all of our endeavors, both on and off the set."

SAG, AFTRA presidents form merger forum
The much-debated merger of SAG and AFTRA just got another nudge toward the front burner. SAG said Saturday it has agreed to an AFTRA proposal to form a small working group headed by their respective presidents to discuss the possibility of a merger of the actors unions. A larger joint committee already has been batting around a possible SAG-AFTRA combo.

Wendy Riche: The We Love Soaps Interview, Part Three

In Parts One and Two of our interview with Wendy Riche, the multi-talented and Emmy winning producer discussed her beginnings on GENERAL HOSPITAL, as well as the ingredients that led to the successful collaboration with Claire Labine.  In Part Three below, Riche shares insights into casting choices and storyline decisions during her successful tenure.  Plus, find out her thoughts on the rise and fall of spin-off series PORT CHARLES.

We Love Soaps: What led to the decision to bring Luke and Laura back?
Wendy Riche: I think it was just time.  We did that with Claire.  Claire was such a joy to work with and she never stopped thinking about the characters.  She was working from Brooklyn and I was in L.A. and we would speak every morning around 5:30 a.m. PT, and talk about the show, the episodes, the characters, everything.  Claire is a brilliant writer, a great storyteller, always pursuing the characters authentic truth.  Claire and I would sit and discuss character.  Where is this character at, what would they do? Not, what would we do with them, but what would they do?  And we talked about Luke a lot.  Claire respected Tony [Geary] so much and this story was a natural.  We wanted to see how they grew as parents and get to know their child.  That could only have been done with great writing and with Claire at the helm, we knew it would be beautifully written and powerful.  And it gave the actors so much to work with.

When Bob Guza was head writer,  Michele Val Jean suggested the Elizabeth rape story as a natural outgrowth of Luke and Laura's story; to explore how they would deal with the truth being revealed and how Lucky would deal with the reality of his parents history and what would evolve from that with Luke and Laura.  That was a very great idea that Bob and his team handled brilliantly. It could only have been done with very great writing.

HOT STORIES: Franco, Cricket, Angie, Steffy, GTST, FNL

From Angie to Cricket, from Steffy to Francophrenia, there are a number of hot stories on the soaps right now. Here's a sample of some of the hottest below.

MAD WORLD: Jason, Dante and Lulu were all in Los Angeles this week chasing Franco on GENERAL HOSPITAL. The first clip features the dramatic climax of their story at the MoCA. But there was plenty of drama back in Port Charles as well, and a brilliantly sad moment as Shirley (Michael Learned) passed away in the middle of multiple hospital dramas.

The Week in Review: Most Popular Posts

In case you missed them, here are the 15 most popular topics over the past week at We Love Soaps:

1.   ABC.com WHAT IF Web Series: Erica Meets Sonny
2.   ABC.com WHAT IF Web Series: Carly Meets Ryan
3.   ABC.com WHAT IF Web Series: Greenlee Meets Jason
4.   ABC.com WHAT IF Web Series: Todd Meets Spinelli
5.   Wendy Riche: The We Love Soaps Interview, Part One
6.   DAYS Casting News: Lindsay Hartley Out, Ty Treadway In
7.   Wendy Riche: The We Love Soaps Interview, Part Two
8.   ABC Daytime "What If" Episodes Launch July 12
9.   Larry Keith Has Passed Away at Age 79
10. PREVIEW: What If - Greenlee Meets Jason
11. ALL MY CHILDREN: The Kids Are Alright
12. Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo Sighting: Back on the GH Set
13. NEWS: Roache, Roerig, Franco, GL, DARK SHADOWS
14. NEWS: Billy Warlock to OLTL, Trent Dawson, Duplaix
15. NEWS: Fichtner, Marcil Giovinazzo, iPad, MAD MEN, DAMAGES

If you missed any of the latest episodes of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, which include a visit to Colleen Zenk's Summer Stock NYC rehearsal, a trip to Harlem with the men of LENOX AVENUE, dozens of Daytime Emmy red carpet interviews, and an exclusive sit down with Elizabeth Hubbard, you can watch them below.

Todays' Soap World Birthdays

Bobbie Eakes (Krystal, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Daniella, SORIDD LIVES; ex-Macy, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) - 49
Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL) - 49
Jillian Clare (Tori, MISS BEHAVE; ex-Abby, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 18

eating alone's 'the long haul' listening party

The listening party for eating alone's new album, 'the long haul,' was held on Thursday night at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. You can watch some highlights below.


alwayseatingalone.com

Nelson Aspen and Christopher Durham Are Going "Wild!"

Our We Love Soaps friends Nelson Aspen (ex-SEARCH FOR TOMORROW) and Christopher Durham (ex-RYAN'S HOPE; ex-CAPITOL) are taking their "Wild Life" to the web! The fabulous twosome are developing a new "How To" television show based on their mutual love of all creatures, great and small, titled THE WILD LIFE WITH CHRIS & NELSON. Watch this space for future updates and details.  Also on board is former AS THE WORLD TURNS music supervisor, Paul Antonelli.  Check out their "sizzle reel" below.

VOTE: Indie Soap of the Week Poll

Which indie soap was your favorite this week? Vote in the weekly We Love Soaps poll and check back on Tuesday morning for the results. Only the shows that aired one or more new episodes from July 18-24, 2010 are listed. Based on release schedules, the shows in the poll will change weekly. If an indie soap aired this week and is not on the list, feel free to write it in on the "Other" line.

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you are an indie soap producer, please help us develop a complete guide. Here's a draft. Send your details to editor@welovesoaps.net.

Watch this week's indie soaps below.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Jacqueline Brookes (ex-Beatrice, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Flora, A FLAME IN THE WIND; ex-Miss Thompson, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Sister Mary Joel, RYAN'S HOPE; ex-Ursula, THE SECRET STORM) - 80
John Aniston (Victor, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Martin, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW; ex-Eddie, LOVE OF LIFE) - 77
Chris Sarandon (ex-Tom, GUIDING LIGHT) - 68
Sam Behrens (ex-Maxwell, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Gregory, SUNSET BEACH; ex-Jake, GENERAL HOSPITAL; ex-Adam, RYAN'S HOPE) - 60
James Goodwin (ex-Kevin, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Johnny, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Jerry, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 49
Kristin Chenoweth (April, GLEE) - 42
Elisabeth Moss (Peggy, MAD MEN) - 28
Anna Paquin (Sookie, TRUE BLOOD) - 28
Mara Wilson (ex-Nikki, MELROSE PLACE) - 23

TRIVIA: Born on this day in 1914, the original Mac Cory on ANOTHER WORLD, Robert Emhardt. He died on December 26, 1994.

Soap Opera TV Ratings July 12-18, 2010

Compiled from a list of several sources, here are the Nielsen ratings for the week of July 12-18, 2010 for all the daytime and primetime television soap operas.

ROOKIE BLUE (6.4 million, 4.0/7)
FLASHPOINT (5.76 million)
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS (4.96 million, 3.4/11) - daytime airing only
THE GOOD WIFE (4.9 million, 3.5/6) - repeat
TRUE BLOOD (4.86 million)
BOSTON MED (4.7 million, 3.1/6)
GLEE (3.6 million, 2.4/5) - repeat
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (3.195 million, 2.2.7)
SCOUNDRELS (3.1 million, 2.1/4)
MEMPHIS BEAT (3.0 million)
THE GATES (2.9 million, 2.0/4)

Matthew Ashford Joins Cast of THE BAY

Straight off of his National Tour of the hit musical "Mamma Mia!," Matthew Ashford, best known to daytime for his roles as Jack Deveraux on DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Cagney McCleary on SEARCH FOR TOMORROW, and Tom Hardy on GENERAL HOSPITAL, joins the cast of THE BAY in Chapter 6 of the series. The five-time Soap Opera Digest Award winning actor will be playing Sara Garrett's (Mary Beth Evans) prisoned rapist, Steve Jensen, who also happens to be the father of her oldest child Brian Nelson.

NEWS: Susan Olsen to Y&R, Evan Ross, Emma Caufield, FIVE-0

Susan Olsen to guest on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
Olsen (aka Cindy Brady) will make her first scripted TV appearance in more than 10 years by playing Mrs. Liza Morton, a pre-school owner. Her episode, which will be shot on July 30, will air Sept. 1. In the scene, Reed – the son of JT and Victoria – is returning to preschool while Delia – the daughter of Chloe and Billy – is starting her first day of pre-school.

Hope in the soap that has Haitians glued to the TV
UNDER THE SKY, Haiti's newest comedy soap opera, focuses on the daily lives of a family of ordinary, middle-class folk who, like 1.5 million of their countrymen, have lived in tents since January's earthquake, which killed 300,000 people and turned much of their capital to rubble.

Wendy Riche: The We Love Soaps Interview, Part Two

In Part One of our interview with Wendy Riche, the Emmy winning producer of GENERAL HOSPITAL (1992-2001) discussed how her move to soaps came about, how she managed off-screen turbulence her first year on GH, and how she was able to successfully cast unknowns such as Antonio Sabato Jr., Vanessa Marcil, and Steve Burton.  In Part Two below, Riche discusses her successful collaboration with Claire Labine, and revisits many of the stories and moments that are beloved by viewers today.

We Love Soaps: How did the collaboration with Claire Labine come about?
Wendy Riche: ABC knew Claire well of her work from RYAN’S HOPE.  I didn’t have enough time to study all the writing on all the soaps over the past 20 years.  They knew we needed a writer that would fit with me, and whom I would fit.  Because it is a fit, it is like a marriage, you work with a writer and you have to have a similar vision, concern, care, ideology.  Not that we were exactly alike, we had great debates and we both loved that part of the relationship.  We knew how to challenge each other in a healthy way.

We Love Soaps: Can you recall any debates?
Wendy Riche: I remember one debate we had ongoing.  Claire would ask if I believed that everyone is capable of killing another person, whether murder or otherwise  Something like that.  We had many debates about this, about the nature of man/womankind.  I loved it and I loved Claire asking such challenging questions.  It was a very open relationship.  Claire was very open.  She was very clear about what she wanted, but she was open to listen and to hear a good suggestion.  She was open to elements of story and she would run with them.  BJ’s heart transplant was a combination of elements.  It was Claire’s inspriation and story and it included a combination of elements coming out of meetings between Claire, Shelley, and me.  It’s Claire’s story, she wrote it beautifully.  But she was very open to suggestions, turning points or scenes, that sort of thing.  She wasn't afraid to use something from another person if it worked.  Her ego always sat in the right place.  It was all about the characters and the storytelling. She is a great writer and a great collaborator. 

VOTE: Daytime Soap of the Week Poll

Which daytime soap was your favorite the week of July 19-23, 2010? Vote in the weekly We Love Soaps poll and check back on Monday morning for the results.

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

ANACOSTIA: Season Two Preview is Here!

Good news! ANACOSTIA, the series which won Best Ensemble in the 1st Annual Indie Soap Awards, is roaring back for their second season in August.  The show's creator/director/writer/star Anthony Anderson is sharing a preview of what's to come in our favorite new suburban town, "It starts off with a bang and ends with a bang."  Catch the exciting clip below:



Then meet the cast as Damon gets to know the talented performers on this indie sudser during WE LOVE SOAPS TV #23.

GLAAD Releases Network Responsibility Index 2009 - 2010

The fourth annual GLAAD Network Responsibility Index is an evaluation of the quantity, quality and diversity of images of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people on television. It is intended to serve as a road map toward increasing fair, accurate and inclusive LGBT media representations.

Primetime programming on the five broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox and NBC) was evaluated as well as 10 highly-rated cable networks (A&E, ABC Family, FX, HBO, Lifetime, MTV, Showtime, TBS, TNT and USA). Based on the analysis, a grade was assigned to each network: Excellent, Good, Adequate, or Failing.

Key findings include:

* This year, MTV becomes the first network, cable or broadcast, to receive an “Excellent” rating in this report due to the quality and diversity of its many LGBT impressions. Of the 10 cable networks evaluated, MTV posted the largest increase and ranked highest for LGBT-inclusive original content. Out of 207.5 total hours of original primetime programming, 87 (42%) hours included LGBT impressions. In addition to the racial and ethnic diversity of its characters, MTV also represented a broad cross-section of the LGBT community in its programming.

NEWS: ATWT Honors Helen Wagner, Scorsone, Bergl, Bowen

AS THE WORLD TURNS will honor Helen Wagner
"Helen's death was a great loss, made even greater by the fact that she didn't make it to the end," says executive producer Chris Goutman, who will have Nancy quietly pass away August 30. The soap will then pay tribute to both actress and character with a full farewell episode August 31.

Don't expect the usual church memorial. "We decided not to go the traditional route in paying tribute to Nancy because she made it clear she didn't want anything fancy done," Goutman notes. "Instead, we pick up right after the ceremony with all the characters feeling like they need to do more for her. Casey takes the lead and challenges everyone to come up with a special way to honor Nancy, and that becomes our farewell episode."

Publicist Howard Bragman Developing 'Coming Out' Show
Bragman, who many celebrities have hired to assist them in coming out of the closet, is developing a show with A&E based on just that premise, Nikke Finke reports. "Casting is still in process. Bragman has been working with celebrities coming out of the closet for two decades and recently orchestrated exposure for Meredith Baxter and country singer Chely Wright. Bragman and Baxter were part of a 'Coming Out in Hollywood' panel at Outfest, the gay and lesbian film festival, this past weekend, and Bragman mentioned that if anyone knows a high-profile celebrity coming out of the closet he has a great TV opportunity."

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Terry Davis (ex-Stacey, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Hillary, SUNSET BEACH; ex-April, THE EDGE OF NIGHT) - 59
Beth Ehlers (ex-Taylor, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Harley, GUIDING LIGHT) - 42
Stephen Martines (ex-Tony, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Nikolas, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 35
Kalup Linzy (Kalup, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 33
Paul (Wasilewski) Wesley (Stefan, VAMPIRE DIARIES; ex-Logan, ARMY WIVES; ex-Max, GUIDING LIGHT; ex-Sean, ANOTHER WORLD) - 27

ALL MY CHILDREN: The Kids Are Alright

ALL MY CHILDREN fans deserve some chicken soup.  Over the last few years they have been subject to watching a series of new hirings, dropped stories, inconsistent film quality, and to put it diplomatically, shaky storytelling.  For that alone AMC viewers deserve some sort of reward. 

Fortunately, it seems that reward is coming, albeit slowly.  In recent months, there has been a refreshing change in spirit in this venerable soap.  Those who tuned out during the era of silly stalkers, terrible tornadoes, poisoned pancakes, stripper poles, and nonsensical shootings will want to revisit Pine Valley.  Here are the top five reasons to give ALL MY CHILDREN another chance:

5. The dialogue is sharp again.  Every episode is now packed with humor, wit, and even life-affirming messages.  When Annie says to J.R., “The sooner I am not your drug of choice the better,” I know this has been written by someone who has done their homework around complicated addiction issues.  When I watch Erica question her life choices following the plane crash, or Angie defiantly defending her faith to David as she quietly ponders why God has abandoned her, then I know the show is on the right track.  When the characters sound smart, the story is more compelling.

Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo Sighting: Back on the GH Set

Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo is back on the set of GENERAL HOSPITAL this week. She'll be around for at least a year. Tune in to see how her character, "Brenda Barrett," will shake up Port Charles, starting on Wednesday, August 11, 2010.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Jennifer Bassey (ex-Marian, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Abby, THE EDGE OF NIGHT; ex-Dorothy, SOMERSET; ex-Jennifer, LOVE OF LIFE) - 68
Danny Glover (ex-Isaac, BROTHERS & SISTERS) - 64
Joanna Going (ex-Lisa, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Evie, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW; ex-Victoria, DARK SHADOWS) - 47
Terrell Tilford (Greg, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Bob, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-David, GUIDING LIGHT) - 41
Christopher Tavani (ex-Luke, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 17

RESULTS: Indie Soap of the Week Poll

Here are the results from the We Love Soaps "Indie Soap of the Week" poll for the week of July 11-17, 2010. MISS BEHAVE remained in the top spot for the third week in a row. Indie soaps that aired one or more episodes last week were eligible. Check back on Saturday when this week's polling begins.



Watch last week's indie soaps below.

The Next WHAT IF - Angie/Jesse Meet Starr

In the fifth installment of ABC Daytime's new series, WHAT IF, ALL MY CHILDREN's supercouple Angie and Jesse Hubbard (Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams) and ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Starr Manning (Kristen Alderson) meet. When Angie and Jesse argue about a dry spell in the romance department, Starr reminds them what matters most in life. The new episode airs the week of July 26th on ABC.com, with cut-down-versions on ABC Daytime and SOAPnet.

WATCH: Beth Chamberlin Debuts on CELL: The Series

CELL: The Series continues a run of mind-blowing episodes with the first season final which introduces the character of Brenda, played by former GUIDING LIGHT Emmy nominee Beth Chamberlin. Watch it below.

NEWS: Brad Rowe, Scott Porter, Keith, Robinson, White

Funeral Services For Larry Keith To Be Held on July 22 at 10 a.m.
The services will be held at Riverside Memorial Chapel, 180 West 76th Street (between Amsterdam and Columbus Ave).

Betty White Mania Continues With New Line Of Pop Culture Hoodies
HoodieBuddie is now featuring a section on their website exclusively dedicated to Betty White-themed hooded zip-up sweatshirts priced at $48.00 a pop with the promise of “more rad stuff” to come.

Brad Rowe joins the cast of GENERAL HOSPITAL
Rowe will play the role of Murphy Sinclair, an internationally famous movie star who is involved with supermodel Brenda (Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo) and children's charity causes in Italy. He first airs on August 13.

Robin Christopher checks out of GENERAL HOSPITAL again
July 29 will mark Christopher's last airdate as GENERAL HOSPITAL's Skye.

PREVIEW: Emmy Award Winning ON THE EDGE

ATI's Jim Romanovich has released an excerpt from the Emmy Award winning special ON THE EDGE: THE POVERTY CRISIS IN AFRICA, which features Kelly Monaco, Anthony Geary, Susan Lucci and more.

As a treat for soap fans, I am releasing a small excerpt of ON THE EDGE which will be making its broadcast debut sometime around Thanksgiving. I mentioned that the initial reason these stars went to Kenya was to help these poor kids and families. But they didn’t expect how much they actually received in return. It’s amazing, emotional experience as you see their transformations happen in this excerpt. I couldn’t think of a better visual to get that point across than this. I can’t say enough how special it was to have these daytime stars contribute their time and compassion as they did. And I think they would agree that their lives are now better now for doing so.

WINNER: SOAP at MoCA Magazine Contest

Congratulations to the winner of our SOAP at MoCA contest winner, Suzanne Grosso. We had several correct entries submitted so we literally put all the names in a hat and drew one out. Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry in the contest.

DAYS Casting News: Lindsay Hartley Out, Ty Treadway In

Soap Opera Digest is reporting that Lindsay Hartley has been let go as DAYS OF OUR LIVES' Arianna Hernandez. The actress, who took over the role in August 2009, will continue to air for several months since the show is so far ahead in taping.

Meanwhile, former SOAP TALK co-host and ONE LIFE TO LIVE star (ex-Colin/Troy) Ty Treadway has been cast in the role of Dr. Jason Walters. He will begin taping in August and will appear for several episodes in the fall.

RELATED:
- WE LOVE SOAPS TV #38 DAYS at the Daytime Emmys, Part 1
- On the Set of DAYS with Lindsay Hartley
- Day of DAYS: Eric Martsolf & Lindsay Hartley

CBS Picks Julie Chen Talk Show to Replace ATWT

CBS has ordered a new daytime talk show for fall 2010 featuring a panel of well-known news and entertainment personalities who will examine topical events and contemporary issues through the eyes of mothers. The daily, one-hour series will be co-hosted by Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Holly Robinson Peete, Leah Remini and Marissa Jaret Winokur.

The co-hosts-moms with children ranging in age from infant to adult-will swap stories, challenge each other on issues and engage the studio audience and viewers at home about events in the headlines and their own homes through the lens of motherhood. Show segments will include guest interviews with entertainers and newsmakers, live remotes from the field and personal home footage shot by the co-hosts themselves.

Catch Up on THE BAY Promos

Gregori J. Martin's THE BAY is coming to the web this fall. The show is a releasing a weekly promo to preview what fans will be seeing on the soap. Watch the latest promos below.

On Sale Now: eating alone's 'the long haul'

Before we launched our WE LOVE SOAPS TV web series, you may recall our "We Love Soaps Radio" weekly podcast. The theme song was composed by a fabulous Brooklyn-based band, eating alone. The band has a new album out today full of wonderful introspective and thought-provoking music. Check out the lyrics below and listen to the first single, 'and tonight, in this hotel room.' You can buy the album and major online retailers. Click here to find the links.

the long haul

1. the long haul (instrumental)
2. when i was a kid (lyrics)
3. you were never around (lyrics)
4. i thought if i had been better (lyrics)
5. you wouldn't have given me up (lyrics)
6. and i wouldn't have to pretend to forget about you (lyrics)
7. whoever you are (lyrics)
8. over the years, i've wondered where you've been (lyrics)
9. and tonight, in this hotel room (lyrics / mp3)
10. i wonder if i'll ever see you again (lyrics)
11. i sent this in a letter once (lyrics)
12. but it got to you too late (lyrics)
13. and came back crumpled, saying (lyrics)
14. person unknown, return to sender (lyrics)

Today's Soap World Birthdays

Patricia Elliott (Renee, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) - 68
Jordan Clarke (Colonel, VENICE; ex-Billy/Tim, GUIDING LIGHT) - 60
John Martin (Bill, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Hank, SUNSET BEACH; ex-Frederick, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Jon, GENERAL HOSPITAL) - 59
Chrishell Stause (Amanda, ALL MY CHILDREN) - 29

TRIVIA: Also born on this day, in 1922, was the late Mollie Sugden, who passed away on July 1, 2009. Three years later, in 1925, Anne Meacham was born. She played Louise Goddard on ANOTHER WORLD for several years. Meacham died on January 12, 2006.

Wendy Riche: The We Love Soaps Interview, Part One

The tenure of Wendy Riche as executive producer at GENERAL HOSPITAL (1992-2001) is well-respected and regarded by We Love Soaps readers and historians as one of the best eras in daytime history.  Her unique ability to cast new talent, combined with producing relatable and compelling human drama, reached the hearts and souls of millions of viewers.  But who is this talented force, and how does she perceive her Emmy winning run on GH? Please enjoy this rare and revealing multi-part interview to learn more about the brilliant mind of Wendy Riche.

We Love Soaps: Wendy it is so wonderful to talk with you.  I have mentioned to you that I love soaps personally and professionally because of how they can tell stories that enhance mental wellness and ascend the human spirit in ways that no art form can accomplish.  Your tenure on GENERAL HOSPITAL succeeded in these areas from my perspective.  I would like to start by asking you how you became an Executive Producer of a daytime soap in the first place?
Wendy Riche: I was the head of movies for television at the Fox Broadcast Company, which was an innovative area of programming that had never been done before on Fox.  We did thirteen original films in one year for an average cost of about $2.2 million.  It was phenomenal.  We developed 80 original teleplays.  When I left I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted a big task.  I asked for a big task to come to me, and it did.

I got a phone call from Linda Gottlieb who was producing ONE LIFE TO LIVE at the time.  She suggested this to me.  I had worked my whole life so I didn’t know soaps.  I watched GENERAL HOSPITAL for two weeks and was just so taken in by the characters and their stories and their story possibilities.  So I met with Mickey Dwyer-Dobbin.  She was so passionate about the work she was doing, and that was inspiring.  From there I decided this would be wonderful.  We could tell fabulous stories every day with characters that are clearly beloved in a world that was like the audience’s own town, and their own families.  I said, “I would love to do this.”  But I jumped without really having any experience in soaps.  I met with every actor and talked about their character and their stories so I got from them more than what I was given to read.  I read up a lot on each character, but it was far more important for me to sit and talk to the actors to hear their interpretation of the character, who they were, and why they thought they were the way they were.