News Brief

'MVP' is everyone's favorite sport, plus hockey
The Mustangs are an unusual hockey team. They only seem to recruit players who look like their previous experience came in a Calvin Klein ad. They also don't seem to play any hockey - or at least we never see any hockey on opening night of SoapNet's latest steamy drama, MVP. Building a soap around a hockey team isn't necessarily a silly idea. The behind-the-scenes world of professional sports, as Dan Jenkins demonstrated years ago with the marvelous novel "Semi-Tough," can easily be infused with money, sex and drugs, not to mention hot guys and sultry gals with no discernible moral standards. In other words, turf that seems to have been plowed and prepped just for soap operas.

VIDEO: ABC vs. CBS in Charity Soap Softball Game
Soap stars from ABC and CBS gathered for the 10th Annual Tammy Rubin-Rice charity softball game in Brooklyn, N.Y., earlier this month. The event raised $8,500, with the ABC team winning 8-6. Cast members from ALL MY CHILDREN, AS THE WORLD TURNS, GUIDING LIGHT and ONE LIFE TO LIVE braved the 94-degree heat and showed their team spirit.

GL's Van Zandt guest speaker at The Walk on the Capitol
In what was the largest gathering in the history of those affected by obesity, thousands gathered on the National Mall in Washington, DC for The Walk on the Capitol, yesterday evening to raise awareness of the disease of obesity. Attendees traveled from all over the world to join in the Walk on the Capitol. Ranging from the United States to Australia, everyone in attendance represented one voice, one cause - the disease of obesity. In addition, Caitlin Van Zandt from GUIDING LIGHT was featured as the guest speaker for the event. Caitlin discussed her own battle with obesity and expressed a deep and true concern for those affected by the disease.

Daytime for Planned Parenthood cocktail party
Kimberly McCullough, Bradford Anderson and Carolyn Hennesy from GENERAL HOSPITAL were among the stars who attended the Daytime for Planned Parenthood cocktail party at Cosmos Lofts last night. In 2003, Heather created Daytime for Planned Parenthood, a committee which promotes a women's right to choose and have access to the latest in medical care. This committee chairperson position has allowed her the chance to lobby Congress on behalf of Planned Parenthood two years in a row.

Hometown paper shout out for Farah Fath
Lexington native and One Life to Live star Farah Fath will be one of the presenters at the 35th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday. Fath, 24 and a graduate of Lafayette High School, has played the good-hearted Gigi Morasco on ABC's ONE LIFE TO LIVE since last fall. Before that, she played Mimi Lockhart Brady -- described by NBC as "an insecure yet effervescent young heroine" -- for eight years on DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

Penghlis sees the light of 'Days'
"I go to countries where terrorists reside, like Jordan, and no one goes with me. When you travel alone, (security) thinks something is wrong. They always pull my bags. They always go through them. They always pull me out of line. Even when I was getting my immigration papers, there were foreigners all around. Who did they pull out of line? Me."

Greg Moberly: Who watches this stuff?
"I've infrequently watched GENERAL HOSPITAL in the past, in the present, and probably will in the future. But it doesn't seem like much changes from day to day on the linchpin soap and I'll bet it's the same for other daytime soaps. On the show, I wonder if anybody actually works. I see people who have plenty of time and money to sit and talk about their feelings and their love life. Oh please, shoot me now."

Kim Ryder signs £100k CORONATION STREET deal
CORONATION STREET star Kim Ryder has signed a six-figure contract to stay on at the ITV soap for another year. Ryder, who plays busty barmaid Michelle Connor in the long-running show, has more than doubled her £60,000 a year salary. She has also negotiated more flexible working hours to spend more time with her children, David, 12, and 10-year-old Emily.

CBS.com goofs big time
If you go to CBS.com and read the recap for Wednesday's episode of AS THE WORLD TURNS, you'll see a recap for an episode next week instead. A key episode. The outcome of the Chris Hughes vs. Alison Stewart court case is revealed in detail.