News Brief

Judges give low scores on DANCING WITH THE STARS
ALL MY CHILDREN star Susan Lucci, dancing the Cha Cha Cha with Tony Dovolani, was given a "measly" 15 out of 30. One dancing couple will be eliminated Tuesday. Following another routine, a second team will be sent home Wednesday.

Lucci was "dreadful"
Dave Brousseau of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel opined: "Susan Lucci looked every bit like she just performed her 10,000th episode on ALL MY CHILDREN. Her cha cha was slow and dreadful to witness."

Lucci says first dance was “very frightening”
Even after decades of being on TV, soap legend Susan Lucci told OK! her first dance of the season was a “very frightening” experience.

Lucci was "tentative" and "nervous"
TV Squad reports: "The dancing just wasn't there. Susan was tentative and nervous in a lot of her moves, and it seemed that she didn't know exactly where to be on a couple of occasions. Overall, not the best debut."

Lucci "restrained but graceful"
Susan Lucci, Queen of Daytime Drama and Tony Dovolani glided through a restrained but graceful cha cha cha. Susan seemed a little nervous and hesitant. Bruno said that Susan looked like a gorgeous lady, "but the cha cha cha needs a slut."

Former child actor Bryant Jones is an emotional, high-energy leader on the football field
Thirty minutes before last Friday night's game with San Luis Obispo, Oxnard High senior linebacker Bryant Jones already had his game face on. Most of the time, Jones is a good-natured, hard-working student-athlete, but when the lights turn on each Friday night, Jones takes on a different persona.

"On the field, I don't have to be a good guy, I can be reckless," Jones said. "I let my emotions lead me when I'm on the field. ... I can get all fired up and just be crazy."

Jones learned early in his life about how fun it can be to get lost in a character.

From 1995 to 2002, the 17-year-old Jones played Nate Hastings on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, earning three daytime Emmy nominations for his work in the process.

When his character was written out of the show, Jones wanted to be a "regular kid," turning his attention back to his first love — athletics.

Cometh the web soap - "not as tacky as the TV version, but they’re working on it"
"Social website Bebo.com is cranking up the kitsch, and it seems to be working. The new project CHELSEY OMG is a cross between Facebook and THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, with profiles, etc.

Three minute episodes, too, pity TV didn’t think of that. There’s nothing wrong with the idea. The problem is that the mindset is the same, and the content is equally dismal in theory."

Soap storylines competing for award
Vera Duckworth's death and Max and Stacey Branning's affair being uncovered have gone head-to-head as this year's best storyline. The CORONATION STREET and EASTENDERS plots are vying for the accolade in this year's Inside Soap awards. Also up in the storyline category are the death of baby Daniel on EMMERDALE and Hannah Ashworth's eating disorder on HOLLYOAKS.

Meanwhile, actress Gemma Bissix is shortlisted twice for best bitch - in her roles as EASTENDERS' Clare Bates and Clare Cunningham in HOLLYOAKS. She is up against Alison King, aka CORONATION STREET's Carla Connor and Jennifer Metcalfe for her role as Mercedes McQueen in HOLLYOAKS.

Up for best bad boy as well as best actor are CORONATION STREET's Jack P Shepherd and EASTENDERS' Robert Kazinsky. Kazinsky is also shortlisted as sexiest male.

DIRECTV'S The 101 Network Rolls Out All New Commercial-Free Fall Season Line Up on October 1
DIRECTV's The 101(R) Network kicks off the new season with its biggest fall line up to date including season three of the critically acclaimed FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and its new companion show LIVE FROM DILLON, as well as brand new seasons of returning shows SUPREME COURT OF COMEDY and ROCK & A HARD PLACE and a sneak preview of the new original series from Starz Entertainment, CRASH--all commercial-free and in HD.

It all starts on Wednesday, October 1 when the highly anticipated third season of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS makes its 101 Network debut at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The series will air in HD and commercial-free for the first time ever, allowing fans to experience all the drama, suspense, action and adventure that viewers have come to love from the critically acclaimed series--with no interruptions. The new season will follow Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) as he copes with an uncertain team after the graduation of star running back Smash Williams (Gaius Charles). Fans will also watch Tami Taylor (Connie Britton) adjust to her role as the new Dillon High School principal and how her new duties affect the Taylor family, both at home and at the school. Tyra (Adrianne Palicki), Lyla (Minka Kelly) and Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) enter senior year this season and deal with the pressures of high school romance, playing for the team and life after graduation. It's the most action packed season yet and DIRECTV subscribers get to watch the episodes first before the show's NBC run in 2009.

INTERVIEW: GUIDING LIGHT's Tom Wiggin
"I was at Mohegan Sun recently and I stepped off the elevator and the first person I saw recognized me from WORLD TURNS. It has been exactly 10 years, as a matter of fact. They wanted a picture and the whole bit. I love it. I think it's fantastic and I'm very appreciative of the fact that people do remember my work and that they liked it."