Friday, November 14, 2008

News Brief

Kiss gives Brian a new spin in AS THE WORLD TURNS
Lucinda marries the much-younger Brian at her hospital bedside next week on AS THE WORLD TURNS, but what he does next might kill her.

"Brian's relationship with Lucinda is genuine," says Laurence Lau, who plays Brian. "They challenge each other and make each other laugh."

They also just met, but since Lucinda has cancer, she doesn't have time to do her usual due diligence.

"Lucinda [Elizabeth Hubbard] is recovering from a mastectomy," Lau says. "She wakes up with Brian by her side and says, 'I don't want to live alone any longer. Marry me.' Brian says, 'Ask me again when the drugs wear off.'"

Lucinda insists that she means business, so Brian has her sign a prenup to prove he's not after her money and then gives her his Princeton class ring.

"She calls her friend the judge and they get married," says Lau. "It's the real deal. But while she's in recovery, Brian drives back to her house to pick up some things for her. On the way, he sees her grandson Luke staggering on the highway, drunk out of his mind. He pulls him into the car and takes him back to the house to sober up. In the process of comforting Luke, something happens."

Brian gives his new step-grandson a reassuring hug ... and then kisses him!

Everything's Coming Up Rosa (former ATWT organist)
One of the bay area's true treasures is a petite woman with an indelible sense of humor, ongoing musical prowess and almost 90 years in show business. Rosa Rio will bring new life to the restored pipe organ at St. Petersburg's Palladium Theater during a film and song fest this Saturday. The classically trained musician started playing organ for silent films before auditioning and landing a job with NBC radio where she worked for 23 years. She moved from radio to TV playing music for AS THE WORLD TURNS. But, her first love has always been the theater organ. She's scored more than 300 silent films that are now on video. Rosa Rio is 106 years old and still playing and living her theme song "Everything is Coming Up Rosa."

Last Super Soap Weekend offers bittersweet suds
"Your jaw definitely hurts after the whole event," says Kristen Alderson, who plays Starr Manning on ABC's ONE LIFE TO LIVE. "The whole weekend, your jaw muscles are so tense from smiling."

Alderson is 17 years old but has logged more than 10 years on the show. This Saturday and Sunday mark her fourth appearance at Super Soap at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

"The first time I went, I think I was around 12 years old, and it was absolutely insane to have fans screaming your name. I had never witnessed anything like that before," she says. "There was a huge, two-hour line for my autograph. . . . It was the coolest thing."

Andrea Evans walks for a cure
A never-ending stream of over 9,000 men, women and children started their 5K or 2.5K walk as the buzzer went off on Sunday morning's Walk for Hope to Cure Breast Cancer at the City of Hope campus in Duarte.

Walk of Hope celebrity ambassador and actress on the long-running TV show ONE LIFE TO LIVE, Andrea Evans, also took the microphone with her infant daughter Kylie. "I walk not just because I am the daughter of a breast cancer survivor, I walk because I don't want [my daughter] to worry about this."

Is John Stamos Broadway Bound?
John Stamos seems to be hinting rather strongly that he'll be returning to the Broadway stage in the near future. While a guest on both the TODAY and "Howard Stern" shows yesterday morning, the multi-talented Stamos (ex-Blackie, GENERAL HOSPITAL) mentioned he had a role set in "something new" that was opening on Broadway in "late May". Reports indicate it may be the rumored, but little talked about revival of "The Pirates of Penzance," which is slated to begin performances this summer.

Down economy with striking workers forces Indian soap operas to resort to re-runs
The BBC News reported Thursday that technicians and assistants on set behind the scenes working to produce immensely popular soaps in India are planning a strike because the production companies bailed out of an agreement last month to award them a 20% wage increase.

NEIGHBOURS, HOME AND AWAY accused of White Australia policy
NEIGHBOURS and HOME AND AWAY have been branded racist for consistently failing to feature families from ethnic minorities. Now academics and politicians fear that international viewers could get the "wrong impression" about Australia.

University of Queensland Aboriginal studies lecturer Sam Watson said the dramas were operating an "exclusive white family club" that didn't reflect Australia's true demographic.

"The producers and directors of these shows are very sadly harking back to the White Australia policy of the '40s and '50s," he said. "Instead of embracing the rich diversities of our country, they are shunning it."

Canadian television must increase diversity
For Annmarie Morais, the secret to Canada's future success is for the television industry to encourage diversity behind the scenes, within the management sector, and also in front of the camera.

"While in the States, I work with a lot of teenagers and pre-teens, and every one of them knows about DEGRASSI. Now, that show doesn't have an O.C formula or BEVERLY HILLS 90210 formula; it's unique and it has a Canadian voice. Shows like DEGRASSI prove that we can develop shows that have strength across the border."

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