Silbermann Talks WORLD TURNS and Boundary Busting

OUT.com writer Christine Champagne talked to the newest star of AS THE WORLD TURNS, actor Jake Silbermann ("Noah Mayer") about the historical import (and potential) of his gay teen character's upcoming summer romance and his "natural" chemistry with on-screen love interest Van Hansis ("Luke Snyder").

Which isn't to say that the road to gay iconography has run smoothly. Silbermann tells Champagne of his first ATWT public appearance, a trip to the GLAAD Media Awards before he had even aired as Army brat-turned-news intern (turned-supercouple's son-scoping charmer) Noah. His first mistake? Not knowing to be fashionably late...

Read Champagne's story here.

RELATED - "GENERAL HOSPITAL's New Gay Hottie," the Out.com interview with Ben Hogestyn

ATWT Does Branson, MO!

Two stories chronicle the adventures of AS THE WORLD TURNS on location in Branson, MO:

Branson Drenched in Drama with As The World Turns Taping
Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance Tue, 05 Jun 2007 5:43 PM PDT

Where is the "Live Music Capital of the World"? (ed. note - Uhm, it's Austin, Texas) What is its latest claim to fame? It's Branson in southwest Missouri, and the longest-running daytime drama on CBS, As The World Turns, is heading there for on-location shooting June 6 - 8, with the shows plot deeply imbedded throughout the city's theater's and attractions.

'As the World Turns' filming in Branson
The Springfield News-Leader Tue, 05 Jun 2007 1:06 AM PDT

Ask Paula Graves of Morrisville if she's a fan of "As the World Turns" and she'll respond: "Does milk come from a cow? Heck, yes, I am a fan," the 49-year-old said. The CBS soap opera "As the World Turns" is filming in Branson this week and has soap opera buffs buzzing. Some are planing vacations around the show; others are driving to Branson in search of cast and crew members.

ABC Nighttime Soaps Win GLAAD Media Awards

GREY'S ANATOMY the hit soap whose actor, Isaiah Washington, was criticized for calling a then-closeted co-star T.R. Knight a "faggot," (leading to Knight's coming out and creating a pre-Imus teaching moment for the nation and a Hollywood that prides itself on being tolerant.) was awarded outstanding individual episode Saturday, by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (for the episode "Where the Boys Are").

ABC continued their sweep--begun when ALL MY CHILDREN beat AS THE WORLD TURNS, among others, for outstanding daytime drama last month in New York--when freshman serials UGLY BETTY won for outstanding television comedy series and BROTHERS & SISTERS took home the outstanding drama series award.

The 18th annual GLAAD Media Awards -- consisting of 42 categories -- are split into four ceremonies, held in Los Angeles, New York, Miami and San Francisco in March, April and May. The awards recognize and honor mainstream media for "fair, accurate and inclusive representations" of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

'EASTENDERS'-inspired 'BORN IN THE USA' revving up for FOX

More details are emerging about the new FOX soap BORN IN THE USA, set to be a loose adaptation of the wildly popular British working-class soap EASTENDERS.

The pilot focuses on the residents of a blue-collar soap opera. Tembi Locke (Windfall) will play the mother to the teenage girl played by American Idol veteran Lisa Tucker. Jon Rowland (AS THE WORLD TURNS) will play a young Catholic priest, while Rod Rowland (VERONICA MARS) will appear as a divorced couple. Scarlett Chorvat ("The District") and Diego Serrano (ANOTHER WORLD, TIME OF YOUR LIFE) will play an engaged couple in the pilot, which comes from American Idol producers 19 Entertainment. (From Zap2It.com)

Daytime's Gay Landscape to Shift With Key Comings and Goings

Daytime has come a long way from legendary scribe Douglas Marland's having to nix his original intent to make ANOTHER WORLD core character (and one of the eventual anchors of spin-off TEXAS) "Dennis Wheeler" a homosexual (the storyline was to have him discover his sexuality while in college). The past couple years have seen a daytime landscape with an unprecedented 11 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender major characters (in key storylines) across the three networks. Though the number has dwindled somewhat (mostly due to legitimate plot requirements or an actor's departure), gay characters appear to be widely accepted in the daytime community.

The networks confirm that daytime's gay landscape is set to shift yet again with the exit of the genre's most beloved gay character and the introduction of a love interest for the character most likely to assume that title following that departure (all while soap's most avant-garde offering continues to be just that):

- Soappipe viewers will remember from Brian Frons's earlier quotes that ALL
MY CHILDREN's groundbreaking (and controversial) storyline transgender rock star "Zarf/Zoe" (Jeffrey Carlson) and his budding realtionship with "Erica Kane" (Susan Lucci)'s lesbian daughter "Bianca (Montgomery," Eden Riegel, possibly the most beloved fictional gay character in all of network TV) will wrap up this month when both characters exit Pine Valley, and the canvas.

- "Luke Snyder" (Van Hansis), the son of teen supercouple "Holden and Lily Snyder" (John Hensley and Martha Byrne), who was the center of a year-long, gutwrenchingly realistic "coming out" storyline before fading to the backburner recently will make his way up front this Summer when Luke gets a boyfriend, a major step for daytime, which has featured its few gay characters as largely asexual to date. With the casting of soap newbie Jake Silbermann complete, expect Luke to first encounter his eventual beau at the soap's fictional TV station, WOAK.

-All this occurs as NBC's PASSIONS moves full-steam ahead with not one, but two, gay-themed storylines featuring African-American members of two of the show's core families: As lesbian teen (who's coming out to her traditionally religious family and conservative father made for a great story as well) "Simone Russell" (portrayed by Cathy Janeen Doe), mourns the loss of her first lover, brother-in-law "Chad Harris Crane" (Charles Divins, pictured) is currently stepping-out on his wife (Simone's sister) to conduct a secret homosexual affair on the "down low," and suffering the emotional consequences of having to keep such an explosive secret (not to mention being blackmailed by both his lover and good friend--it is a soap after all.)

Also - GENERAL HOSPITAL scribe Bob Guza recently previewed the welcome return of "Lucas Jones" (namesake of the character's uncle, the legendary "Luke Spencer"), a character who's storyline was abruptly cut short by the departure of his portrayer, Ben Hogestyn, when Hogestyn was offered a leading role on THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL. (There's no word on whether the popular Hogestyn, who's B&B stint has since wrapped up, will return to the role.)

'InTurn' World to Turn Again

From Reuters and the Hollywood Reporter:

CBS has ordered a second season of the original Web series INTURN in which nine young acting hopefuls compete to land a recurring role on CBS' AS THE WORLD TURNS. Slated for launch in the summer, INTURN 2 will again document the challenges of participants as they undergo screen tests, cold readings and other acting challenges while residing under the same roof. A new episode will debut on CBS.com twice a week for eight weeks.

After six of the contestants are voted off by the judges -- with actors from the on-air daytime drama serving as judges -- viewers will determine the winner through an online vote. The first season of the Web-based reality show, which debuted in the summer, wound up becoming the most-streamed program of those specifically created for CBS' broadband channel Innertube.

Happy 51st Birthday to AS THE WORLD TURNS!

On April 2, 1956, AS THE WORLD TURNS premiered on CBS. The Proctor & Gamble show, serves (or served) as sister show to CBS's GUIDING LIGHT, NBC's SOMERSET, TEXAS, and ANOTHER WORLD and, at various times, became home to six AW characters after that show's cancellation. ATWT is up for 16 Emmys this year, including nominations for Best Directing Team, and every acting category but one. Congratulations on 51 years!

(April 2 was also the date of the premiere of the much beloved law and order soap THE EDGE OF NIGHT.)

AMC Takes Home GLAAD Media Honors

ABC's ALL MY CHILDREN was honored at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Media Awards in New York last night, for "their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives."

AMC, which faced competition from AS THE WORLD TURNS, GENERAL HOSPITAL, and PASSIONS, likely edged out the competition with its groundbreaking story of a transgender rock star, portrayed by Jeffrey Carlson. (Could this bode well for PASSIONS, and its similarly groundbreaking "down low" storyline next year?)

GLAAD describes itself as "dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate, and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation." Last night's ceremony in NYC saw the presentation 26 of this year's 42 media categories. Additional awards will be presented in Los Angeles on April 14, in San Francisco on April 28, and in South Florida on May 10.

More information on the GLAAD Media Awards, including a full list of nominees, categories, and information on upcoming ceremonies, can be found here.

How Branson, Mo. Courted ATWT

More on the AS THE WORLD TURNS remote shoot in Branson, MO. Read it here.

Soaps' New Media Ventures: Coming of Age?

Business Week asks, "Can producing soap operas for online viewers breathe new life into daytime programming?" in Tom Lowry's piece 'As The World Wide Web Turns':

In late February, CBS launched a Web-only soap opera called L.A. DIARIES it hopes will attract young women. The nine episodes are
streamed for about six minutes a pop on the network's innertube.com site.

The action centers on "Amber [Moore Forrester," portrayed by Adrienne Frantz], an existing character on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, and on "Alison [Stewart," portrayed by Marnie Schulenburg], a new character who emerged from the cyberspace soap on Mar. 21 to play an actual role on TV in AS THE WORLD TURNS [Soappipe editor's note: "Alison" is actually a long-running character on ATWT, recently recast and reintroduced via Diaries].

It's a fresh approach to creating buzz for a TV staple, and other network executives will be watching closely. Rival networks are trying to get kids to watch old daytime melodramas such as GENERAL HOSPITAL and DAYS OF OUR LIVES, shows their mothers or grandmothers might have watched.

Few genres have demonstrated more staying power than the soap opera. More than half a century after first airing alongside the detergent commercials that gave them their name, soaps still captivate millions of mostly women fans. No matter how preposterous the dialogue or cheesy the plot lines, soaps have, in modern parlance, a "stickiness" that many prime-time dramas can only hope to achieve.

Characters like newspaper publisher "Victoria Lord Davidson" [portrayed by Erika Slezak] of ONE LIFE TO LIVE (who made her debut on the show in 1968) have been on the tube for so long that they can seem like old friends. "I feel I really know them," says Antonella Cahill, a 40-year-old Philadelphia secretary and soap fan who named one daughter after the scheming "Nikki Newman" [portrayed by Melanie Thomas Scott] of Y&R and the other after GH's "Tiffany Hill" (who married and left beloved Port Charles years ago).

Even better, as far as soap fans are concerned, the networks don't stint on new episodes; last year, ABC rolled out 251 new GH episodes vs. 23 new DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES shows.

But even as the shows' stars age gracefully (cue makeup, soft focus, and cosmetic surgery), there is no hiding the graying of their fans.
There are new plot devices and characters--a teen girl's right to choose, for one--calculated to appeal to young women. Even so, most soap devotees are well over 50. Meanwhile, over the past decade, viewership has fallen 35%, to 30 million viewers a day. Hence the networks' eagerness to reimagine the soaps for a new generation.

It goes without saying that the Web is where the action is, but so far the networks haven't been able to win the digital rights to put them on their own sites. Until ABC, NBC, and CBS hammer out a deal with the production companies that make the soaps, few will be available to download or stream. [Soappipe editor's Note: NBC streams PASSIONS daily on NBC.com.]

There's plenty of upside in getting the deals done. Media consultant Tom Wolzien figures there are more than 20 million women in the workplace with broadband access. So streaming shows live to computers could double the potential audience for soaps. If you got just 5% of those working women to watch, Wolzien calculates, the networks could reap an extra $230 million a year in advertising.

In the meantime, the networks are taking baby steps online. SoapNet, the Walt Disney Co.-owned channel that shows soaps at night for working women, sponsors online soap fantasy leagues. Participants rack up points when characters they have picked for their team take off their shirts, say, or switch the paternity-test results. Still,
the players number less than 30,000. The channel is also asking college kids to create their own soaps and put them to the vote at soapnet.com. Even CBS's GUIDING LIGHT is getting in on the act, podcasting the show, which began life on radio in 1937. [Soappipe editor's note: ATWT also is available as a streaming podcast each day.]

If the soap opera is to be around for another half-century, the networks will have to make converts of a generation with a thousand more entertainment choices than their grandmothers.

"The constant," says Barbara Bloom, senior vice-president for daytime programming at CBS, "is making viewers always feel emotionally involved in the story."

• Read the Business Week story in its original form here.
• See L.A. DIARIES, featuring Y&R's Amber and ATWT's Alison here.
• View full-episodes of PASSIONS (and check out a variety of interactive web content related to the supernatural soap) on-line here.
• Interactive content for DAYS is here.
• Download GL and ATWT podcasts here. Additional web content for CBS Daytime is here.

ATWT's Hansis Scores Emmy Nod, Sparks Discussion on 'State of Gays' in Daytime

Van Hansis, new Emmy nominee for playing gay teen/supercouple spawn "Luke Snyder" on AS THE WORLD TURNS will find himself with one heck of a cheering section come awards night.

Popular gay men's site Towleroad (a pun on creator Andy Towle's last name) heralds the news of Hansis's nom, and links to a compilation of some of the key points in the WGI award-winning "Luke comes out" storyline (unfortunately, the clip focuses solely on the teen slant to the story and the effort by Luke's biological father to "cure" him, and misses the most powerful--and best acted--scenes in the storyline: when Luke comes out to his family, when his best friend calls him a "faggot" to his face, or the any number of moving discussions between adopted father and son, featuring Hansis and Jon Hensley, that have followed).

At the time of this post, over 25 comments had been posted in response, many expressing concern over ATWT's long-term commitment to the character--as everything from Luke's post-coming out lack of screen time, to the chances Luke will ever have an on-screen boyfriend/relationship of any significance. ALL MY CHILDREN's Bianca (played by Eden Reigel) is also cited.

Though fears that daytime is too conservative to show same-sex affection have been allayed in recent years by on-screen developments on AMC and PASSIONS, it is clear from the postings on Towleroad that the subject continues to be a sensitive one for gay viewers, who appear both agitated and resigned to the "fact" that gay characters are ultimately destined for marginalization, a concern it appears the not historically gay-friendly industry may have taken heed of: daytime now features multiple lesbians and gay men (many in core families, nearly all contract roles for the actors who play them) across all three networks, and one pre-operative transgender character (who we recently saw visit a transgender peer group). In addition to chronicling the ongoing travails of lesbian teen heroine Simon Russell (Cathy Janeen Doe), PASSIONS recently kicked of a groundbreaking "down low" storyline for core-family member Chad Harris-Crane (Charles Divins), and GENERAL HOSPITAL has announced plans to reinvigorate the character of "Lucas Jones" (last played by Ben Hogestyn), Luke and Laura's gay nephew, last seen chaperoning the local prom with a same-sex date.

Bringing it all full circle, Soap Opera Digest recently noted the casting of Luke's first love interest is complete, and promised Hansis's screen-time fortunes are about to reverse, so much of Luke's story (and Hansis's acting) may be yet to come.

(Read the post, see the video, or read the comments here.)

Daytime Emmy Nominations Sure to Spark Controversy: Does CBS continue to be recognized disproportionately at the expense of NBC?

Nominees for the 34th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy® Awards were announced today by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences live on CBS's The Early Show at the stages of GUIDING LIGHT, television’s longest running daytime drama.

Peter Price, President of the National Television Academy, was joined by Barbara Bloom, Sr. VP, CBS Daytime Programs, Early Show anchor Julie Chen, and actors Mandy Bruno and Bradley Cole ("Marina Cooper" and "Jeffrey O'Neill") of GL; Terri Colombino and Austin Peck ("Katie Peretti Kasnoff" and "Brad Snyder") of AS THE WORLD TURNS; Brandon Beemer ("Shawn Brady") of DAYS OF OUR LIVES, Cathy Jeneen Doe, ("Simone Russell"), PASSIONS, Bree Williamson ("Jessica and 'Tess' Buchanan") of ONE LIFE TO LIVE and Jacob Young of ALL MY CHILDREN.

Outstanding Drama Series

• THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, CBS
• GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ABC
• THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

• Maura West, as "Carly Snyder," AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• Crystal Chappell, as "Olivia Spencer," GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• Kim Zimmer, as "Reva Shayne Lewis," GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• Jeanne Cooper, as "Katherine Chancellor," THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS
• Michelle Stafford, as "Phyllis Summers Newman," THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

• Michael Park, as "Jack Snyder," AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• Anthony Geary, as "Luke Spencer," GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABC
• Ricky Paull Goldin, as "Gus Aitoro," GUIDING LIGHT, CBS"
• Peter Bergman, as "Jack Abbott," THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS
• Christian LeBlanc, as "Michael Baldwin," THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

• Lesli Kay, as "Felicia Forrester," THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, CBS
• Genie Francis, as "Laura Spencer," GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABC
• Rebecca Herbst, as "Elizabeth Spencer," GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABC
• Gina Tognoni, as "Dinah Marler," GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• Renee Elise Goldsberry, as "Evangeline Williamson," ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ABC
• Heather Tom, as "Kelly Kramer," ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ABC

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

• Trent Dawson, as "Henry Coleman," AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• Rick Hearst, as "Ric Lansing," GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABC
• Dan Gauthier, as "Kevin Buchanan," ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ABC
• Greg Rikaart, as "Kevin Fisher," THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS
• Kristoff St. John, as "Neil Winters," THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS

Outstanding Younger Actress In A Drama Series

• Leven Ramblin as "Lily Montgomery," ALL MY CHILDREN, ABC
• Jennifer Landon, as "Gwen Munson," AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• Alexandra Chando, as "Maddie Coleman," AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• Julie Berman, as "Lulu Spencer," GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABC
• Stephanie Gaschet, as "Tammy Winslow," GUIDING LIGHT, CBS

Outstanding Younger Actor In A Drama Series

• Van Hansis, as "Luke Snyder," AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• Jesse Soffer, as "Will Munson," AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• Tom Pelphrey, as "Jonathan Randall," GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• James Stevenson,as "Jared Casey," PASSIONS, NBC
• Bryton McClure, as "Devon Hamilton," THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS

Outstanding Achievement in Live & Direct To Tape Sound Mixing For A Drama Series

• AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• DAYS OF OUR LIVES, NBC
• GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABC
• THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS

Outstanding Achievement in Technical Direction/Electronic Camera/Video Control For A Drama Series

• ALL MY CHILDREN, ABC
• AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ABC

Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team

• THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, CBS
• GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABC
• GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design for a Drama Series

• ALL MY CHILDREN, ABC
• AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, CBS
• ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ABC

Outstanding Achievement for a Casting Director For A Drama Series

• Mary Clay Boland, Casting Director, AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• Christy Dooley, Casting Driector, THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, CBS
• Mark Teschner, Casting Director, GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABC
• Rob Decina, Casting Director, GUIDING LIGHT, CBS

Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design For A Drama Series

• AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• PASSIONS, NBC

Outstanding Drama Series Directing Team

• AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABC
• GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ABC

Outstanding Achievement in Multiple Camera Editing For A Drama Series

• THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, CBS
• DAYS OF OUR LIVES, NBC
• GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ABC

Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling For A Drama Series

• ALL MY CHILDREN, ABC
• AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• DAYS OF OUR LIVES, NBC
• PASSIONS, NBC

Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction For A Drama Series

• AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• DAYS OF OUR LIVES, NBC
• GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ABC

Outstanding Achievement in Makeup For A Drama Series

• AS THE WORLD TURNS, CBS
• THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, CBS
• GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABC
• PASSIONS, NBC

Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction And Composition For A Drama Series

• DAYS OF OUR LIVES, NBC
• GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ABC
• THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS

Outstanding Original Song

• "Can You Love Me (With The Lights On)," GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• "In A Moment," GUIDING LIGHT, CBS
• "Love is Ecstasy," PASSIONS, NBC
• "It's A New Day, Today," Today Show, NBC
• "Carry On," THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, CBS

Two now-defunct soap-related programs were recognized as well. SoapNet's talker, SOAP TALK, earned Emmy nods in two categories, for Outstanding Talk Show Host(s), Lisa Rinna and Ty Treadway, and for Outstanding Achievement in Makeup. NBC "reality soap" STARTING OVER, garnered two noms.

Nomination counts broke out as follows:

Networks -

1. CBS, 57
2. ABC, 36
3. NBC, 15

Shows -

1. GL, 17
2. ATWT, 16
3. Y&R, 12
4. GH, 10; OLTL, 10
5. B&B, 7
6. AMC, 5; DAYS, 5; PASSIONS, 5

The 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live on Friday, June 15, 2007 (9:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET/PT), on CBS.

Television pioneer Lee Phillip Bell, co-creator, along with her late husband, William J. Bell, of Y&R and B&B, was previously announced as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

A complete list of nominees can be found here.

Soaps Recognized For Tackling ‘Elephant In The Room’ of Substance Abuse and Mental Health

On March 13, nominees for the 11th Annual PRISM Awards were announced in Burbank, CA. The PRISM Awards, presented by the Entertainment Industries Council (in partnership with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/SAMHSA), recognize productions and performances that feature accurate depictions of drug, alcohol and tobacco use and addiction. In two new awards this year, recognition will also be given to accurate depictions of struggles related to mental health and bi-polar disorder.

In addition to the five competitors in the Daytime Drama-specific category, GENERAL HOSPITAL received a nod alongside primetime specials and episodic television in the new category honoring portrayals of bi-polar disorder.

The nominees announced today include:

TV Daytime Drama Series Multi-Episode Storyline

• "JR's Alcoholism," ALL MY CHILDREN (protagonist "JR Chandler" is portrayed by Jacob Young)
• "Luke's Alcohol Abuse," AS THE WORLD TURNS (protagonist "Luke Snyder" is portrayed by Van Hansis)
• "Hunters (sic) Battle with Alcoholism," BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (protagonist "Taylor Hayes Forrester" is portrayed by Hunter Tylo, pictured)
• "Lucky's Drug Addiction," GENERAL HOSPITAL (protagonist "Lucas 'Lucky' Spencer" is portrayed by Greg Vaughan)
• "Gus's Addiction," GUIDING LIGHT (protagonist "Gus Aituro" is portrayed by Ricky Paull Goldin)

Bipolar Disorder Award

• Crazy for Life
• GENERAL HOSPITAL - Sonny's Bipolar Disorder (protagonist "Sonny Corinthos" is portrayed by Maurice Benard)
• Jelly Smoke
• Law and Order - "Heart of Darkness"
• Law and Order: Special Victims Unit - "Influence"

Recipients will be announced at a ceremony to be held at the Beverly Hills Hotel on April 24th and which will air in November on the FX Network. (The network will also air the previous year’s awards show April 22nd as part of the promotion of the PRISM awards ceremony on the 24th.)

(Read more here.)

BROADCASTING & CABLE: 'Writer's Guild Reaches Agreement with CBS Over Soap Opera Webisodes'

Jim Benson at Broadcasting & Cable has this:

"The East and West Coast branches of the Writers Guild of America have reached an agreement with CBS covering the writing of 'webisode' online content for the daytime serials AS THE WORLD TURNS and THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS.

The WGA says the deal provides 'a flexible framework for future online, mobile-content and other new technology deals within the entertainment industry' referring to upcoming contract negotiations with Hollywood that could start as early as this summer. But industry executives say they see the pact as being specifically related to the two soaps, which have an upcoming joint storyline that will play out online, rather than as a template for a new overall deal.

'We are pleased to have worked with CBS to develop a fair compensation model for this new media platform,' WGA West Executive Director David Young said in a statement. 'By coming together to reach this forward-looking agreement, we've helped insure that the stories created by writers for this new medium will continue to maintain the creative integrity of original network programming.'

The WGA-CBS agreement relates to the guild's efforts to cover writing services for new media. In addition to initial compensation, the WGA says the new deal provides benefits and protections that include minimums, residuals in all markets (including reuse for new media, television, cable and DVD) , pension and health coverage, and writing credit provisions."

(Read the original article here)

Hey, Nice Shout-Out! (and we don't believe for a moment that he's dead either...)

In a recent blog post, "The Captain America Death Scam," comic book fan Mikey Mason, delivers this GREAT retort to NPR (and other media) coverage of the "death" of Marvel Comic mainstay Captain America:

"Sure he's dead. And Roman Brady from DAYS OF OUR LIVES was
dead, too. But then he came back after amazing reconstructive surgery, and reestablished his life with his widow, only that wasn't really him, it was a brainwashed John Black, who worked for Stefano Dimera, only to find out that he wasn't the real Roman Brady when the real Roman Brady returned, so he joined forces with the real Roman Brady to try and take down Stefano Dimera, even though they were still wooing the same woman, Marlena (Roman's wife, who thought that John Black was Roman, too.)"

ALSO: Check out an old blog post on CBS.com by AS THE WORLD TURNS's Van Hansis ("Luke Snyder"), in which he draws upon his passionate comic book-fandom to draw parallels between ATWT and the popular Marvel Comic's "X-Men" series. (you'll need to scroll down to the entry marked 'Blog 11.0: June 19, 2006')

Soap Star #4 Updates: DAYS Scribe Judges, This Time YOU Decide

More on SoapNet's 4th season of it's popular reality show I WANNA BE A SOAP STAR: The show will continue in it's successful format, and with popular host Cameron Mathison, but will feature a new judge at the table with consummate soap insider Michael Bruno, and veteran actress Debi Morgan ("Dr. Angie Hubbard," ALL MY CHILDREN, "Dr. Ellen Burgess," PORT CHARLES, GENERATIONS, BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL, etc.), new DAYS OF OUR LIVES (and AS THE WORLD TURNS turn-around magician) Hogan Sheffer.

Sheffer (seen right), a large personality with a colorful vocabulary to boot, should make for some interesting TV, without a doubt, and the way he'll gel personally with equally large personalities Bruno and Morgan is an uncertain prospect at best. However, Sheffer's inclusion as a judge, a first for any soap head writer as well, will be particularly interesting this season as the winner and audience knows that the prize of a 13-week contract with DAYS, and where that small stint has the potential to go long-term, will ultimately fall into the hands of Sheffer himself.

What will not fall into Sheffer (or any of the judge's) hands is the selection of this season's winner. Following significant fan outcry from last year's selection of Mikey Jerome as show winner, fans will, for the first time in the show's history, now be the ones who select the winner from the show's two finalists.

Martha Said Knock You Out? ATWT's Byrne as You've Never Thought of Her Before

CBS's AS THE WORLD TURNS star Martha Byrne ("Lily Walsh Snyder) is known for the many hats she wears, but those who know her as a power-mother, St. Jude's Children's Hospital fund-raiser, or even remember her short stint as a women's ciggarette pitchwoman (and lead songstres), may have raised an eyebrow at this press release published online at the Boxing Insider.

An innovative and ambitious way to help mothers and young people? Perhaps it's not at all far off from the always gloves-off (when it comes to helping others) Martha Byrne we're used to. (Read all about Martha's latest project here.)

Less Bleeding, More Singing! ATWT Teen Remote to Branson, MO in 2007

It's pretty much a sure thing that this year's teen remote will not involve day players in bikinis getting sliced and diced by a random madwoman on AS THE WORLD TURNS (as did last year's ratings-boosting "Raven Lake" remote...right). The Branson Daily News covers this week's announcement by CBS Daytime that AS THE WORLD TURNS will go on location to the "Live Show Music Capital of the World" to film key scenes for a summer storyline featuring show stars Jennifer Landon, Jesse Soffer, Alexandra Chando, and Elena Goode.

According to CBS, "several locations throughout Branson will be chosen as sites for the show, which is scheduled to be filmed on June 6-8 and will air in July."

Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce President Ross Summers remarks on welcome marketing synergies in the Daily News article, with the article noting that "having a daytime drama filmed on location in Branson will be very beneficial from a marketing standpoint. Typical fans of show are a demographic the chamber wants to direct advertising toward."

(read the full article here)

Nielsen's Change, Soaps Benefit (too little, too late?) /and/ GUIDING LIGHT's Internet Innovation Honors Irna Phillips Legacy

Two stories appearing in Variety (all published recently, but before the Soappipe.com launch this weekend) are definitely worth a read...

1 - In "College Campuses Boost Ratings," Rick Kissell reports on a key Nielsen methodology change that is poised to make a seismic shift in the soap ratings game:

"Nielsen has taken its ratings game to college campuses for the first time, and the early results are good news for young-skewing programs....[and] a few daytime soap operas have been big beneficiaries." Looking at the first week that Nielsen included viewing estimates of students living away from home:

DAYS OF OUR LIVES and PASSIONS shot up by more than 30% week to week among adults 18-24.

PASSIONS was the biggest gainer, with gains among women 18-24 of 39% (to 223,000 from 160,000). This translated into a 16% change in the program's core sales demo of adults 18-34.

DAYS shot up 33% in women 18-24 (231,000 from 174,000) and grew by 20% -- the most of any show -- in the broader 18-34 category (582,000 from 490,000).

GENERAL HOSPITAL and GUIDING LIGHT each climbed more than 20%

GL sister show AS THE WORLD TURNS also benefited from methodology change.

Notably, overall ratings leader, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS was not among the demo gainers.

Kissell: "A boost in Nielsen ratings -- especially among young adults -- means increased advertising revenue [and] could make the difference between cancellation or survival. It looks to be too late for PASSIONS, as the 8-year-old show announced last month that it will
shut down later this year. But if DAYS continues to rise, it may be able to quell talk that it will end its lengthy run in 2009 when its contract with NBC is up."

2 - In "''Light' Shines in New Media: Soap's move to podcasts, Internet reflects growing trends," Michael Maloney explores GUIDING LIGHT's use of new media and GL's long history as an embracer of new platforms.

Some highlights:

"Today, fans can go to CBS.com to access the show as a daily podcast and listen to 'Guiding Light Lite,' which features commentary from show personnel. Also, key episodes that are preempted due to breaking news can find a new home on the Eye's Innertube site.

Barbara Bloom, CBS Daytime SVP: "Ellen( Wheeler, [GL's] executive producer) is extraordinary about being proactive and aggressive about getting her stories out on as many platforms as possible at a time when CBS is looking to extend the reach of its shows. It's been a terrific convergence of the right people and the right places."

"[GL] has a track record of transitioning to new platforms. Back in the early 1950s, the soap moved from radio to television....historian Christopher Schemering wrote in a 1986 book that "Television had everyone worried, except (show creator) Irna Phillips. She was determined to make serials work in the new medium."

Wheeler: "With Irna as such a good example as someone who was willing to take her show
from radio to television, why wouldn't I (embrace new media)? I think Irna expects us to do this because she saw that 'Guiding Light' was about showing struggles and how people overcame them. "

Brian Cahill, a vice president at Procter & Gamble Productions: "As we saw the media landscape changing, it was second nature for us to think: How do we reach our audience now? Soon after we made the podcast available, we got an email from a woman in her 60s who's watched 'Guiding Light' all of her life. One day, her DVR failed and she was so happy she could get the podcast and listen to it on her iPod. I was happy that we'd made our content available, and that email shattered so many stereotypes about who's using this
technology. We love how limitless it is."

AMC's Havins and TVGuide.com's Coleridge tackle uncomfortable soap paradox

A new soap star Q&A with TVGuide.com's Daniel Coleridge features an interesting touch on the industry's mixed messages regarding the treatment of women. ALL MY CHILDREN star Alexa Havins ("Babe Carey Chandler") is currently in a popular pairing with Jacob Young ("J.R. Chandler"), despite the fact that the alcoholic J.R. frequenly subjects Havin's character to verbal abuse, and has plotted to kill her.

Coleridge, also author of The Q Guide to Soap Operas, points out that in a separate, more issue-oriented story, AMC clearly condemned domestic violence, but wonders why the show appears so supportive of the similary abusive J.R./Babe coupling. Havins notes that despite the presence of a white-knight alternate suitor for Babe (and an equally chivalrous ex), the fan base remains solid for J.R./Babe.

ABC in particular, has seen the unpredictable rise of "anti-leading" men, including two wildly popular characters with rapist pasts: Anthony Geary's "Luke Spencer" on GENERAL HOSPITAL and Roger Howarth (later Trevor St. John)'s "Todd Manning" on ONE LIFE TO LIVE. Is it the appeal (or at least promise) of "redemption via a good woman's love" or the age-old affinity for the "bad boy," that draws the primarily female core audience to these characters so strongly, despite their prior violation of women? Even with the standard suspension of disbelief required for soap viewing, it's a difficult paradox. (Uncomfortability with the paradox is rumored to be one of the reasons Howarth jumped ship from OLTL to AS THE WORLD TURNS earlier in the decade.)

Havins mentions that she checked into the possibility of accompanying the story with a PSA message on domestic violence, an idea ultimately rejected by the show's brass.