News Round-up

Soap star Laurence Lau treads the boards at Riverside
Lau's latest play is the erudite English professor Terence O’Keefe in Tom Dulak’s "Breaking Legs," which will open Friday at the Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach. The two-act comedy is set in an Italian restaurant, owned by a successful mobster and managed by his daughter, one of the professor’s former students. The fun begins when O’Keefe shows up in search of financial backing for the off-Broadway production of a play he’s written about a murder.

"I’m thrilled to be back in Vero Beach," said Lau, who appeared in the Riverside production of "One" in 2005. "Interacting with a live audience gets the adrenaline pumping. It’s much more fun than working within the constraints of television."

His current appearances as Brian Wheatley in AS THE WORLD TURNS were taped before Thanksgiving. "Don’t miss the Jan. 14 episode," he said. "There’ll be a big resolution on that day."

SARA A. BIBEL: New Year's Resolutions
Bibel names five New Year's resolutions she wishes TPTB would make including "Stop Underestimating Your Viewers" and "It's The Romance, Stupid."

MICHAEL FAIRMAN: The Best and Worst in Soaps 2008
In case you missed his appearance on "Stardish Radio" on Monday night, here's a run down of Fairman's best and worst from the year in soaps including ONE LIFE TO LIVE as Best Soap.

GBLT on TV in 2008
From the big screen to the small The Oregonian continues their great in '08 countdown on queer entertainment. Today's installment: the boob tube.

#5 - AS THE WORLD TURNS and ALL MY CHILDREN
"Though daytime TV has always been a bit more ready to tackle queer issues, as we're often relegated to soap opera status anyway, it's not really surprising to see some gay drama. That said, it is still fairly unusual to see hunky boys kissing so kudos to ATWT's Luke and Noah's steamy scenes (and Cyndi Lauper cameo). ALL MY CHILDREN brought back a popular lesbian character from way back in 2000 who is now all grown up with 2 kids and a female fiance."

Hallmark’s Nanny Express gives Vanessa Marcil a chance to play against type
"Because I’m this dark-haired, curvy girl, I’ve always been cast in roles where I’m the bad girl or the scandalous girl," Marcil says. "But in my real life, I’m kind of nerdy and dorky and I’m a bookworm and a homebody."

S.F. celebrity makeup artist David Clark dies
San Francisco celebrity makeup artist David Clark, who began his love affair with show business playing a terrified child in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds and ended it as an Emmy award winner who enhanced an array of luminaries - from Bette Midler and Cher to Pope John Paul II - has died.

Mr. Clark died unexpectedly of unknown causes at home in his sleep on Christmas Day, his wife of 36 years, Patricia, said this week. He was 56.

Long before Oprah wowed afternoon TV audiences with makeover magic, Mr. Clark - who did makeup for stars on popular soaps like GUIDING LIGHT and THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS - brought Hollywood glamour to millions of American women when he was hired as a spokesman for top cosmetics companies Almay and Revlon. He took his celebrity makeup show on the road to malls and morning TV shows around the country, teaching average women how to achieve his elegant makeup effects at home with products available at the drugstore.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Best Television of 2008
#2 FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: "After some dramatic missteps in season two, FNL is back in top form this year, focusing less on teenage melodrama and more on small-town politics and custodial duties of all sorts."

Honorable mention: BROTHERS & SISTERS, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, LIFE ON MARS

New Year's Resolutions
HOLLYOAKS' Chris Fountain: "Healthy eating - I'm feeling inspired by Jamie Oliver and I'm going to be cooking more for myself next year, instead of eating out. Nothing complicated - just meat and two veg."

EMMERDALE's Tony Audenshaw: "I have failed to keep up my last two years' resolutions, so 2009 is going to be the year I dance at every opportunity and help my friends grow vegetables."

CORONATION STREET's Jennie McAlpine: "I don't believe in New Year resolutions . I'll try to have more fun - although I don't know how I could possibly have more fun than I am having at the moment!"