AWARDS SHOW CENTRAL
Soap Opera Spirit Awards — Who will win? Who will lose?
On Tuesday, March 9, Michael Fairman presents the On-Air On-Soaps podcast presentation of TV Guide Canada’s Third Annual Soap Opera Spirit Awards, which will be co-hosted by DAYS/Venice stars Crystal Chappell and Galen Gering. It will air at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET.
Only 21 categories will be announced on air. All of the winners will be posted on TVGuide.ca on March 10.
For a refresher course, click here to see which shows and performers have been nominated.
Speaking of Chappell, the Emmy winner also scored a 2010 Streamy nomination for best actress in a web drama for Venice. Congrats!
All My Children, ABC, A — Dancing With Fired Stars!
• Even former AMC stars get more promotion from ABC than One Life! Recently fired Aiden Turner has joined this season’s Dancing With The Stars lineup. Wouldn’t it have made sense to promote one your actual soap stars, ABC? Especially now that AMC tapes in L.A. Oh, well. Meanwhile, GH’s Laura Wright told me recently she would kill for a chance to take home the coveted disco ball. “I would so win,” she laughed half-seriously. Wright’s former GL co-star Kim Zimmer also wanted a chance to strut her stuff in front of millions. “GL fans are looking for their actors in other projects, so this would have lured that lapsed but very loyal fan base back to TV,” points out Zimmer. |
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As The World Turns, Global/CBS — A Not-So Single Woman
• In story 411, Janet learns she’s preggers! But she’s not sure who the baby daddy is — Jack or Dusty!
• As previously reported, Oscar-nominated actress Julianne Moore will reprise her Emmy-winning role of Frannie Hughes for one episode to air in April. In the story, Frannie returns to celebrate her parents’, Kim and Bob’s, wedding anniversary.
• Soap Opera Digest is reporting that Jake Silbermann will be off the canvas for a short time, and that Agim Kaba is headed back to Oakhell for a temporary visit.
The Bold and the Beautiful, CBS/CTV — Grief-sex porn
• In story 411, Oliver unknowingly tapes Owen and Bridget’s sex romp! Guess who finds it? Steffy, of course!
Days of our Lives, NBC/Global — Tardy for the party!
• Watch out, Nicole! As Soap Opera Digest hinted a few weeks ago, John Callahan will be returning to DAYS, confirms daytimeconfidential.com.
• Jay Kenneth Johnson has re-signed with the NBC serial for four more years.
• Welcome back to the party, Shawn! Christian reminded daytime fans why he was one of the most promising younger leading men on daytime when he starred on World Turns this past week as Daniel grappled with being Melanie’s father. Christian nailed it. Good work.
• Check out Eric Marsolf’s fun new viral video:
General Hospital, CTV/A — Barb vs. Diane!
• Who else thinks Nathan Parsons is growing in the role of Luke’s bastard con-man son, Ethan?
• Carolyn Hennesy is receiving rave reviews for her coug-tastic performance on ABC’s hit comedy, Cougar Town. EW.com recently interviewed the Soap Opera Spirit Award winner here.
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One Life To Live, ABC — Is Scott Evans out … of One Life?
• See, this is what happens when you don’t sign talented newcomers, like Amanda Setton and Scott Evans, to contracts. There are worrisome rumours circulating that recurring actor Evans may be leaving his breakout role as Oliver Fish. The actor reportedly tested for a CBS pilot titled Reagan’s Law. When Suds Report investigated, we could not confirm that Evans was planning to leave One Life, despite the fact that the gay icon tweeted earlier this week that he has some big decisions to make ahead of him.
• Roscoe Born’s stint may have ended as the evil Mitch Laurence, but the sexy actor returned last week to tape additional scenes. |
• For some reason, One Life’s comment line is no longer working. When a few of our Suds readers called ABC to find out why, a few claimed, “they just hung up on us.” Maybe ABC can’t afford another phone line for One Life. Speaking of phone lines, Robin Strasser has terminated her infamous Friday night recordings.
• Better luck next year! Melissa Archer and Tika Sumpter threw their names in for outstanding supporting actress consideration, reports spies.
• Memo to supporting actors Hillary Smith and Erika Slezak — I am so buying you guys a dictionary for Christmas. Outstanding Lead Actress doesn’t mean Oldest Actress on a Soap. On what planet did the Emmy winners have a lead storyline in 2009? Will someone please explain it to me? Because maybe I have a major case of the stupids!
If Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore have no problem placing themselves in the supporting category when their roles warrant it, why do soap actors? An Emmy is an Emmy is an Emmy. Actors like Slezak, Smith and Tony Geary are Emmy Award show-killers intent on compromising the system every year because of their egos. No wonder no one watches the Daytime Emmys anymore. Fans watch awards shows to see the best honoured, and without the right nominees, the suspense and emotional appeal is lost.
The Young and the Restless, CBS/Global — BAM! Riegel joins Y&R!
• Best. News. Ever. Emmy winner Eden Riegel is taking over the role of Heather Stevens. A first airdate hasn’t been released at press time. Apparently, the vastly improved Vail Bloom was still taping Y&R when the news was leaked. It’s a shame Y&R didn’t recast Riegel as Mac, which to many would make more sense (imagine her reunion with Elizabeth Hendrickson, or the sizzling chemistry between Riegel and Billy Miller?), but regardless, I’m thrilled to have the Imaginary Bitch back on daytime! Riegel is just the latest in a long line of AMC stars Y&R has successfully absorbed. |
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• Are you a fan of Michael Muhney? Well, so is my editor, Denette Wilford, who sings his praises in her most recent Digs column.
• Bad news for Tonya Lee Williams! CBC’s international hit show, The Border, has been cancelled.
Want to dish the soaps with Nelson Branco? Join The Suds Report discussion group today on Facebook.com.
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Nelson Branco is a Toronto freelance entertainment journalist, who regularly contributes to Hello! Canada, The National Post, The Los Angeles Times' theenvelope.com, TV Guide USA, tvguide.com, Inside Entertainment, OUT, and fab magazine, along with spearheading the soap coverage for TVGuide.ca's popular daytime TV hub. After graduating from Ryerson University in 1997, he moved from Toronto to New York in 1998 to take on the roles as senior news editor at Soap Opera Update. Branco first freelanced for Soap Opera Weekly as an intern in 1994, and after leaving Soap Update to help create and launch Bauer Publishing's In Touch Weekly in 2003, Branco continued to freelance occasionally for its sister publication, Soaps In Depth. Most recently, he helped create and launch Canada's first celebrity magazine, Weekly Scoop in 2005 as its news and entertainment director. Branco is also a contributor to a new TV show titled Planet Soap to air in Canada and America. |
