In her new "Soap Opera Examiner" column, Mary Montanari writes: "If you are a fan of the genre of television known as the 'soap opera' then you are well aware that most of the storylines are simply bizarre, over the top and way out there. Even though you are an intelligent person grounded in reality, something about these shows just keeps drawing you back in. Quite simply, you get caught up in the drama and forget to pick up your dry cleaning, go to work or feed your children. Okay, so it’s not that bad but the genre does have this ability to distract and draw you in. Since you are totally a rational person with an irrational addiction to soap operas however, you must have noticed a few things that NEVER happen on a soap."
FLASHBACK: Elizabeth Taylor on GENERAL HOSPITAL 1981From People magazine's November 16, 1981 issue:
It seemed, at long last, that ABC's daytime phenomenon, General Hospital, had found a miracle cure for the soap opera blues—that nagging feeling, epidemic among soap stars, that they just don't get no respect from their pricey prime-time peers. GH, after all, reaps the highest daytime ratings in TV history (14 million addicts). It earns more than $50 million a year in profits (double that of nighttime's costlier-to-produce Dallas). And in next week's wedding of erstwhile rapist Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary) and smitten victim Laura Baldwin (Genie Francis), it boasts the most ballyhooed TV event since J.R. ate lead.
Yet something, that ineffable something, was missing. Like a king without a crown or a rock star without Britt Ekland, the show lacked that final fillip that signaled true arrival. That is no longer the case, for beginning this week Elizabeth Taylor, dripping with her diamonds and invaluable Hollywood glitter, stops by to appear in five episodes of her favorite soap. "People still see daytime television as the bastard of the industry, but the fact that Elizabeth Taylor chose to come here because she's a fan must mean we're doing something right," says Geary. "It validated General Hospital for me."
"I'm wild about that show," explains Taylor, who donated her $2,000 paycheck to two Virginia hospitals that once treated her. "Someone from General Hospital came to see me when I was doing The Little Foxes in New York, and I agreed to do the soap when I got to L.A."
SCRIPTS & SCRUPLES: Episode #846
Uncle Stu reacts to the revelation about Henry.
Vincent Irizarry a big gain for ALL MY CHILDREN
Lynda Hirsch writes: "YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS' decision to ax Vincent Irizarry (ex-David Chow) is a great big gain for "All My Children" and Irizarry fans. AMC's brilliant new head writer is bringing Irizarry back as the mercurial Dr. David Hayward. The not-so-good Dr. Hayward started out as Erica's love interest. When that fizzled, Hayward went after Dixie. He and Tad hated each other. For eight years, Hayward caused heartache and much mayhem."
Hirsch also mentions Hinseygate: "This week, one of the dreaded divas of daytime publishing was let go."
The Secret to NOOR’s Success
H.A.R. opines: "Turkish series have become a trend in the Arab world over the past few months, why? NOOR wasn’t that of a great success when it aired on Turkish channels back in 2005, but as we all know now, it has gained unprecedented success in the Arab World and that was to the surprise of the actors and MBC (who are running the series right now). What is the secret to Noor’s success? There are many factors and the first one is the main actor, Kivanc Tatlitug! People or more precisely females, got attached to Noor after getting a glimpse of this handsome man!
Ladies from all ages look to ‘Mohannad’ as the guy of their dreams! Even married women have the hots for him! He’s the ultimate heartthrob these days!
The second reason is the very attractive Syrian accent to which the series is dubbed. When listening to the characters talk, it’s like something out of our everyday life, not another boring soap opera conversation! I have a feeling that if the series was dubbed into standard Arabic, it wouldn’t have been as successful!"
Dear Captain Obvious (Y&R): Issue #19
Here's a sample from the latest issue:
"Dear Captain Obvious:
For the second time this year I've managed to impregnate a woman. The first, my girlfriend, suffered a miscarriage during the first trimester while the second, a stalker who somehow managed to get herself pregnant while I lay in a drunken stupor in her car, is now a couple of weeks along. The future I was planning with my girlfriend has now gone up in smoke and the house with ugly brick walls I bought for us is now a painful reminder of my stupid mistake. My girlfriend said that I should marry the stalker and give my baby the family he/she deserves. I want her to put her life on hold while I get married, establish my legal right to the child then get divorced so that we can be free to start our lives together. Am I asking too much?
- Old-fashioned."
Dear Captain Obvious (AMC): Issue #4
Here's a sample from the latest issue:
"Dear Captain Obvious:
After watching an elderly couple get married I got the urge to propose to my beleaguered boyfriend who, like a faithful dog, ignored the fact that we have zero chemistry and happily agreed. Now begins the next boring chapter in our lives where I pretend to care about him when in reality I know that my ex and I are destined to be together. I’ll be okay till then, right?
- Pining In The Valley."
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