News Brief

AD AGE: Susan Lucci Caught Up in Detroit Drama
As advertising dries up for soap operas -- particularly from the genre's traditional mainstay, local automotive dealers -- Ms. Lucci, a megastar of the daytime world who has played Erica Kane on ALL MY CHILDREN since its inception in 1970, is being handed a pay cut, Ad Age has learned. And she's not the only iconic player on the stalwart soap being forced to do with less. "All the actors on ALL MY CHILDREN have been reduced [in salary]," said creator Agnes Nixon, who also created the ABC soap ONE LIFE LIVE and is now a paid consultant to the network's daytime division. "Susan Lucci, Michael Knight and Ray McDonald have all been reduced -- substantially. And so have I, as a consultant. The ratings are not the same."

Ms. Nixon, who wrote nearly every episode of ALL MY CHILDREN from 1970 to 1992 and has remained a consultant to the show since 2000. "Two years ago, what I got was cut in half," she said. "And a year later, that was cut in half again."

"I think soaps lose viewers because the stories aren't good or because they don't have good actors," Ms. Nixon said. "I don't think anyone leaves the theater humming the sets; it's the story and the actors. "I think they are viable [businesses], but I am afraid the suits are making some big mistakes," she said of NBC's decision to kill off older characters on DAYS. "In my experience over the years, young people are interested in 'older' stories," she said. "I have always tried to keep various age groups involved instead of concentrating on just one. ... I think that to represent life, in all its varieties, one needs various age groups."

Budget Cuts at ABC Daytime
"We are carefully and responsibly managing our costs, which include some production cuts, but in ways the audience will not see on screen. Sweeps to date, all of our soaps are showing ratings growth and we are excited about upcoming storylines on all three shows," a spokesperson for ABC Daytime explained to soapoperadigest.com.

Deep Soap: Thanks for Everything
Sara A. Bibel blogs about the special Robin and Patrick centered Thanksgiving episode which aired today and publishes part of an interview with stars Kimberly McCullough and Jason Thompson.

Thompson: (unaware the episode is actually airing Thanksgiving Eve, not the actual holiday.) It’s a day nobody watches TV, so why not do an episode about Robin and Patrick?

She also names five things she's thankful for this year.

Dee-A-Palooza Day Three: Searching for the Real Deidre
Marlena De Lacroix writes: "Deidre is very, very, very [Deidre and Wayne] smart, both politically and personally. She has done all of the above to perfection, and no soap star has treated her fan club better. She has worked very hard. Like Lucci, no one has ever questioned that soap fans absolutely love and adore her."

INTERVIEW: DAYS' Eric Martsolf and Ari Zucker
Video interview from the recent "Day of DAYS" event at Universal studios.

INTERVIEW: DAYS' Jay Kenneth Johnson
Another "Day of DAYS" interview.

INTERVIEW: Colin McShane
McShane is a singer and songwriter based out of New York City. GUIDING LIGHT fans should recognize his music, because his songs have guided their beloved characters through many ups and downs throughout the past year. He spoke to Soap Opera Weekly about his musical background and how he got his tunes on TV. "When GL reformatted in the beginning of 2008, executive producer Ellen Wheeler wanted to incorporate music from up-and-coming musicians. I submitted about 10 songs, and four of them got chosen for recurring themes in the 2008 season. I have been asked to submit more music, which I am currently in the studio working on."