Evening News

Soap Opera Network: DAYS OF OUR LIVES has fired Brandon Beemer (Shawn) and Martha Madison (Belle).

Media Week: The battle between the Writers Guild of America and the broadcast networks began focusing more heavily on the daytime daypart last week. For the first time since the strike commenced in early November, the networks began airing soap opera episodes not written by WGA members. Regarding the number of remaining WGA-written soap scripts, Courtney Simon, who writes for AS THE WORLD TURNS, which is produced by P&G for CBS, said, "There is a huge variation from show to show. Some do not want to get too far ahead with their story lines." But Simon said she's heard that scripts written by her team will run out this week.

Los Angeles Times: EIGHT IS ENOUGH actor Willie Aames had it easy by contrast with hiw wife Maylo, 46, whom he met in 1985 (they later weaned Maylo off drugs and booze, through Alcoholics Anonymous, and were baptized and married during the same ceremony in 1987). Her father was a gay backup singer for Johnny Mathis who divorced Maylo's unstable mother in the 1960s. The mother dragged Maylo and her sister from one apartment to another, exposing the young girl to the sexual predations of a live-in boyfriend. Frequently raped as a teen, she left home for good at 16 and lived as a homeless itinerant, scavenging food from garbage cans and using drugs. A trained dancer, she gave acting a try and eventually landed some TV roles. For several years, she appeared on the soap opera SANTA BARBARA (Sally).

Monsters and Critics: The Oscar Makeup and hair “bakeoffs” were Saturday, January 19, as the members of the Academy’s Makeup Branch viewed 10-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films. The bakeoff determines by vote which three teams will be nominated for an 80th Academy Award. Along with many television and film artists, hairstylists Robert Wilson and Mary Kate Welsh from THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS were also in attendance.

The Soap Show: CORONATION STREET viewers vote for Vera's best moments.

The Sun: Vera's funeral unites the STREET.

Sony: On Saturday, March 15, join some of your favorite Salemites in Hartford, CT, at the Downtown Hartford Marriott. James Scott, Martha Madison, Brandon Beemer, Nadia Bjorlin, Jay Kenneth Johnson and Judi Evans will be meeting and greeting from 12PM - 4PM. Tickets are $70 per person. Mingle with the stars over some hors d' oeuvres in the evening from 7PM - 11PM. Tickets are $90 per person. This is looking more and more like a list of ex-Salemites.