News Brief

TV Guide Canada: "Days of our Lives" star Deidre Hall speaks: "Unfortunately, it’s (Days) always tragically overlooked on Emmy nomination day because it’s a numbers game. And I want the audience to know that we’re slighted on Emmy day because the Academy is compromised of actors on each show, and actors on each soap vote for their network — and now NBC only has one soap opera, Days, so we don’t have a chance. Networks with four soaps are going to dominate — end of story. It’s not going to happen for us. I refuse to waste my energy hoping that some kind of miracle happens. I’d rather move on with life than chasing some impossible dream."

Orlando Sentinel: Coming to ABC Super Soap Weekend: Hot Guys Calendar for $14.95. Yes, those tie-in-savvy folks at Disney and ABC have found another way to market their attractive talent. The Hot Guys Calendar will be for sale at ABC's Super Soap Weekend. The event unfolds Saturday and Sunday at Disney-MGM Studios.

SOD: Life In The Fast Lane, the special section in the 11/20 issue of Digest, features characters on all the soaps who were born on-screen — and in most cases, aged to ridiculous extents. We focused on two from AS THE WORLD TURNS — Katie (born 1989) and Luke (born 1995) — but frankly, all nine pages could have been about the children of Oakdale.

Guardian Unlimited: Apparently, EastEnders is to get a new gay character in 2008, writes Gareth McLean. He - for lesbians are boring - will be Jane Beale's brother. He will, according to a source, be "suave and a real charmer"- so nothing like Jane's husband, then - and follows in the tradition of Colin and Barry, Tony and Simon and that doctor who was in it for five minutes. Dr Funseeker, was it?

PC World: This is "Green Week" at NBC Universal, a seven-day revelry of environment-themed content spread across the company's various TV channels and other properties. The 150 hours of programming - integrated into everything from news and sports to soaps and entertainment - is certainly a first for a major media company.

AfterElton: Who are your all-time favorite gay or bisexual television characters? Soap characters who are included are ATWT's Luke Snyder, Noah Mayer and Hank Elliott, AMC's Brad Phillips, Kevin Sheffield and Michael Delaney and OLTL's Billy Douglas, Daniel Coulson, Eric Walsh and Mark Solomon.

Richmond.com: The year was 1978. "Grease" was a big movie hit. " "Little House on the Prairie" had been on for a few years and was making Michael Landon a star. Pope Paul VI died. "As the World Turns" dominated daytime television, coming in at No. 1 for the 20th straight year.