All My Children News & Gossip
News for the week of 18-Jan-2010
Soap Opera Network last week broke the news of a new AMC co-head writing team, David Kreizman (GL, ATWT) and Donna Swajeski (GL, AW, B&B). They replace fired head writer Charles Pratt Jr., who left the building in November of last year. Kreizman and Swajeski had worked as writers on GL at one point and both have earned an Emmy and a WGA. Nobody else was reporting this as news at the time, so it may still be in the rumor stage.
Vincent Irizarry (David), Ricky Paull Goldin (Jake), Jacob Young (JR) and Adam Mayfield (Scott) will join Stefanie Powers and other actors in L.A. for a special performance reading of a rarely-known Agatha Christie detective-mystery for Soap Fan Mystery Theatre, February 20, 8 p.m., and February 21, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. They’ll appear in character for “The Unexpected Guest” at the Beverly Hills’ Writers Guild Theater, 135 South Doheny Drive – Wilshire Blvd. Cost is $49.50, or $150 VIP (for meet-and-greet). Free parking! Info: (800) 595-4849.
No sooner had Cady McClain ended her ATWT turn as Rosanna that ABC Daytime came calling for her brief AMC return as Dixie. It’s happening but probably not for longer than a few episodes.
Looked like McClain had a tiny crush – join the club – on Michael E. Knight (Tad) back when they first had the pleasure of co-starring in their own AMC love story, 1980s. She was so smitten, she didn’t even mind him needling her about her tendency to go contact-less. “I was about 20 years old and since I even got kissed by him every once in a while, I figured he could laugh at me as much as he wanted. It just made me blush and feel special. [Soap Opera Digest, January 12, 2010]”
The 21st annual GLAAD Media Awards handed out its nominations last week, including AMC and OLTL for the honors. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (or GLAAD) raises awareness of issues concerning its community in various ways, and also honors positive, realistic depictions in the media. AMC earned the nomination on the strength of its love story between Bianca and Reese, which resulted in a televised gay marriage. GLAAD will fete its winners in NYC March 13, L.A. April 17 and San Francisco June 5.
Julia Barr (Brooke) didn’t give much away in a January 11th Our Prattville interview by Melissa Parker. Although lord knows reporter Parker tried to get a conversation going. Barr wouldn’t discuss any details of her upcoming story, the length of it, the deal with networks’ hiring and firing decisions, or much of anything. Barr did say that she was asked to return for a short-term after she did the 40th anniversary episode (filmed in the early part of December). TPTB came up with a story that could include her, a story they gave legs to later in December.
And they said it would last… Rebecca Budig (Greenlee) returned to AMC but as a soon-to-be-formerly-married woman. She and husband Bob Guiney have parted company, according to a People report from last week. Their marriage began in July 2004.
Sofia Black-D'Elia (Bailey) pulled out of the cross-country move from NYC to L.A. and thus, out of her role on AMC.
AMC debuts its L.A.-based, February 17th show with a special guest star, L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Playing himself, Villaraigosa will catch up with Erica in a few scenes. He films those scenes on January 19. What, Obama wasn’t available?
Another real-life politician, Eric Garcetti—president of the city council in the same district in L.A. that AMC now films out of—will film his scenes on January 21, with Adam, for a February 16th show.
Gossip for the week of 18-Jan-2010
“Budig may be the biggest bitch in all of daytime, her castmates can't stand her. RT: @london_milan Rebecca/Bob!”
“Are you surprised by the news of the Guiney/Budig split? I'm not... Surprised poor Bob put up with her this long.” –The Soap Whisperer, January 13, 2010
No comment. LOL!
The Suds Report guy, Nelson Branco, however, likes both Budig and Guiney, calling them “one of the nicest couples in show business” in his January 15th update. Branco claimed to have gone straight to Guiney to address the rumor that he stepped out on Budig during their marriage. Guiney, of course, denied such a rumor ever taking place.
Former GH executive producer Wendy Riche may assume the second-in-command producer position from Lisa de Cazotte.
Shelley Curtis (ex-DOOL executive producer) may hop on board AMC as a director for a bit, repeating the favor from 2007.
You’d think with head writer Charles Pratt Jr. (Melrose Place) having left in November, he’d take his recast of Jamie Luner (ex-Lexi, MP) as a much-younger-looking Liza with him. But it seems TIIC are committed to using Luner’s Liza as a last-ditch resort with Tad.
For reasons that continue to baffle ABC Daytime fans like me, NBC’s DOOL continues to out-perform AMC, GH and OLTL in order of their ratings for the January 4-10th, 2010 period. DOOL pulled in 3.28 million, compared to AMC’s 2.98, GH’s 2.73 and OLTL’s 2.55.
We have the best followers up on Twitter. They’re intelligent, reasonable, humorous, well-read, and thoughtful. Check ‘em out. You might learn something.
All My Children News & Gossip, Copyright © 2010 Carol Banks Weber. Published by SoapZone.com / Jeff Jungblut. No part of this page may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed on this page are those of the author and may not be representative of SoapZone.com or its advertisers. Don't steal scoops.
