News Round-up

GLAAD salutes ALL MY CHILDREN
GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, has saluted ABC and the producers of the 39-year-old soap opera ALL MY CHILDREN for the episodes featuring the first marriage of a lesbian couple on scripted daytime television. In a statement, GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano called the episode "a milestone in daytime drama." This week, the lesbian characters, Bianca Montgomery and Reese Williams, played by Eden Riegel and Tamara Braun, traveled from the fictional town of Pine Valley, PA to the state of Connecticut, where gay and lesbian marriage is legal. "I was so honored when they called and asked me to be a part of this and do the first lesbian wedding in daytime," Braun said in an interview with ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT, scheduled to air tonight (Friday). "It means so much to me that we tell this story, and we tell an honest story with heart and integrity about two people who are in love and struggle with the same things that heterosexual couples struggle with."
Susan Lucci on the new season of DANCING WITH THE STARS
Former DANCING contestant Susan Lucci expressed her excitement for the new season at The Heart Truth's Red Dress Collection 2009 fashion show today. "Of course I'll be rooting for [my former partner] Tony Dovolani and Nancy O'Dell," said the ALL MY CHILDREN actress. "They look great together and Tony's so wonderful. He so deserves to be right up there as a winner."

In honor of Friday the 13th: Meet Jason's Father
Jon Reiner blogs: "Today is, of course, Friday the 13th, and what better way to celebrate than to honor my very good friend Victor Miller. Victor created the original Friday the 13th and also plays Polo on the Segway with that other Mac guy, but I met him when he was writing for ALL MY CHILDREN."

PEYTON PLACE coming to DVD
Shout! Factory has licensed the series, and is bringing it home to DVD at last beginning with their May 19th release of PEYTON PLACE - Part 1. This first collection running 720 minutes long will arrive on 5 discs. The show's five-year run made the transition to color beginning with the beginning of the third season, but the first two years' worth of episodes were broadcast in black-and-white. From the information available to us right now, it appears that Shout! is preserving the original on-air presentation of full screen black-and-white video, with English mono audio. There's been no word yet about bonus materials, if any, but Shout! usually tries to include some sort of extras.

Gloria Loring Launches "TV Tunez Tonight"
Loring and company have been hard at work for the past six months creating "TV Tunez Tonight," a celebration of TV's most loved theme music. The show's world premiere will be Sunday, March 22, 2009 at The Music Box @ Fonda in Hollywood. In addition to great singing and a generous sampling of nostalgia, this theatrical experience will include audience involvement, video clips from fans, surprise guests, and the requisite sing-alongs.

Black History Parade will feature DAYS' James Reynolds
Pasadena’s 27th annual Black History Parade on Saturday, February 21, will feature as its celebrity grand marshal Ken Whittingham, and local celebrities guests like James Reyonlds and Mariah Wilson.

Love match: Soap star from Clearwater, doctor from Tampa
In October 2007, ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Crystal Hunt's aunt, Diane Flanagan, was diagnosed with kidney cancer.

"We were scared to death; we didn't want her to die," Hunt said. The family looked for the best doctor they could find.

Dr. Philippe Spiess came highly recommended; he removed the cancerous tumor in December 2007, Hunt said.

The fact that he was young and handsome didn't escape the soap opera celeb. After the surgery, she visited her aunt daily, taking care of her at bedside — sure to be there when Spiess made his rounds. They chatted, bantered and connected. Oh, and one more thing.

"I made sure I always looked great," Hunt said.

It worked.

"As a doctor, I tried to keep my distance, but at the same time knew I was falling head over heels in love with her," said Spiess, 36.