Monday, April 28, 2008

News Brief

TV Guide Canada's "Nelson Ratings"
Last week’s soap reviews, this week’s viewing cheat sheet, and top-rated actors!

P&G to public: You make call on vid issues
David Hinkley, who wrote a story on ATWT's Luke and Noah during the fan media blitz in late February has written a new article on P&G advertising "issues":
Procter & Gamble is asking America whether it should "change our advertising" on MTV and BET.

The household-products monolith doesn't like its ads appearing in television or radio places that could tarnish the P&G image, and there have been complaints for years that MTV and BET traffic too heavily in videos that degrade women, glorify violence and drug dealing, overemphasize sex and portray black men primarily as thugs.

So P&G has taken the unusual step of setting up a toll-free number, 1-800-331-3774, where anyone can vote "yes" or "no" on whether the company should "change our advertising" on MTV and BET. While there's no option for an explanatory message, P&G will accept faxed comments at its consumer relations department, (513) 983-2881.

Recently, P&G pulled its advertising from radio's Michael Savage show after complaints that Savage became too vitriolic in his criticism of Muslims. Last year, P&G was one of the companies whose withdrawal of advertising helped killed Don Imus' MSNBC show, and several years back, it pulled its ads from Dr. Laura Schlessinger's show after she was criticized by gay activists.

Last week, it seemed to defuse an ongoing complaint when two gay characters on the P&G-sponsored soap opera "As the World Turns" broke a 211-day drought and shared an on-screen kiss. Critics had suggested concerns about P&G's image were behind the fact Noah and Luke did not show the same affection as straight couples.

Don’t change the quirky characters we love!
Quirky characters are a huge gust of fresh air when our more traditional favorites are driving us crazy.

UGLY BETTY wins GLAAD Award
UGLY BETTY creator Silvio Horta, whose show won Outstanding Comedy Series, gave the best acceptance speech at the Saturday night ceremony in Los Angeles: "I wanted to make a show with Latino characters, African Americans and gay characters. Those pesky network execs had me add some straight white people too."

Zimmer benefit earns $125000 for Broadway Grand Rapids
Seating was limited at Broadway Grand Rapids' fourth annual fundraising gala, with about half the crowd standing at cocktail tables around the edge of the room. Many people milled around getting drinks and food during the performnce. Kim Zimmer seemed a little irritated at the chatter and cautioned the audience in the middle of "Ring Them Bells" that they had better listen if they wanted to get the punch line of the song. Following the cabaret, Scott Medema auctioned off seven items, including the pendant necklace Zimmer had been wearing. Zimmer, a big football fan, won the bid on the first item, paying $800 for four tickets to the University of Michigan vs. Michigan State Universty football game next fall.

Freeman and Gallagher talk soaps
Morgan Freeman and Peter Gallagher are starring in "The Country Girl" on Broadway. In an interview with New York Magazine, Freeman brings up soaps to his co-star: "Have you ever done a soap opera? I was on one for a year [ANOTHER WORLD], and you are that person on the screen. P.G.: I did one, for three days [GUIDING LIGHT]. I broke my wrist, so I had to be out of [a theater production] for a while, and they asked me to be in this soap—to play an Olympic pole vaulter with a broken wrist. I’d be walking down my street, and I was assaulted by old ladies: 'You have some goddamn nerve.'"

HOLLYOAKS star pays a visit to Cleethorpes' Pier
HOLLYOAKS hunk Ricky Whittle - aka Calvin Valentine - has been strutting his stuff at Cleethorpes' Pier nightclub.
The 26-year-old actor, who joined the hit teen soap in 2006, met fans on Saturday night. Ricky, on his first visit to the resort, said he had just returned from a photoshoot in Spain.

He said: "I've just been to Spain shooting next year's Hollyoaks calendar. I think the guys got the best deal - the girls did their shoot in Manchester."

Aaron Sidwell: It was time to go
Aaron Sidwell has admitted that EASTENDERS bosses made the right decision by axing his character. Aaron, who plays Steven Beale, told the Daily Star Sunday: "They really did try to keep Steven in. The problem is EastEnders is a realistic show, so with Steven being a larger-than-life character it was always going to be hard having him doing the same crazy things day in, day out."

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