We Love Soaps

News Round-up: Prinz, Mambo, Kennedy, Fox, Thompson

2009-11-25T08:24:00.001-05:00

Career world still turns for Rosemary Prinz
Through her long, busy career, Prinz has been fortunate enough to play women along every significant part of life’s journey, from the ingenue Penny, to middle-aged M’Lynn and now Grandma. She deadpans that the best thing about having been on a soap was “the check,” and says that although she went back to AS THE WORLD TURNS a couple of times for Very Special Episodes, returning “is not something I want to do now.”

That’s too bad, because soaps have become the province of model-pretty, mannequin-talented young’uns. Still, Prinz says, growing up on a soap opera is beneficial to inhabiting a character for a very specific reason — “You can follow the trajectory of the character because you’ve lived through it. When you reminisce about something, you’ve actually done it. When Jeff (Penny Hughes’ lover) died, I actually went through it.”

GREEK casts Cappie's parents
Lea Thompson has been cast as Cappie’s free-spirited mother, April, while Jim Abele will play his non-conformist father, Tobias.

“Meeting his parents will have a big impact on Casey,” says a GREEK insider, adding that the modern-day hippies will appear during the second half of the show’s upcoming 10-episode cycle (debuting Jan. 25).

Former GL actor Kevin Mambo starring in "Fela" on Broadway
“We looked at between 60 and 70 guys, and Kevin, like Sahr, made an impression I never forgot,” says director Bill T. Jones.

Then again, he adds, “Kevin was a big guy and I couldn’t imagine seeing him in pink spandex” — a fabric of which Fela was fond.

That was 45 pounds ago. Two gyms, two trainers, one diet — lots of raw fish, no carbs — and regular six-mile runs through Central Park slimmed Mambo down to shimmying speed.

Fox Sets Midseason Schedule; GLEE to follow IDOL
Fox has set its midseason schedule, announcing the season premiere dates for its new and returning shows. GLEE will return with new episodes starting Tuesday, April 13 at 9 p.m., giving it the post-AMERICAN IDOL slot it originally launched with.

AMC's Daniel Kennedy attends “Celebration of Life” event for cancer survivors
“It’s wonderful to be a part of this event honoring the survivors,” said Kennedy. “I also have cancer survivors in my family, so this celebration is a victory for the health care professionals and the patients as well.” Kennedy also added that the hospital was “gorgeous, warm and friendly” and that he enjoyed the celebration.

Arabs Hate American Foreign Policy, but Bring on the TV!
There may be no love lost between nations of the Middle East and Washington, but American dramas and sitcoms, like DAYS OF OUR LIVES and FRIENDS, are as beloved to the Arab world as the ‘hookah’. Shows like DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, GREY'S ANATOMY and LOST are the daily bread and butter of residents of the Middle East who often plan their schedule around their favorite shows.

Jackie Hoffman On How To Lose A Viewer After 30 Years

2009-11-25T07:30:00.004-05:00

Jackie Hoffman is known to Broadway audiences as Prudy Pingleton in Hairspray and Calliope in Xanadu. She is best known to soap viewers as the primary prickly protester of gay marriage on ONE LIFE TO LIVE's infamous gay wedding episode [the one who ended up getting a huge smackaroo from Roxie at the end]. On a fabulous interview with our friends at Feast of Fun on 11/23, she discussed her role on ONE LIFE, and how ALL MY CHILDREN lost a loyal viewer of 30 years!

"I watched ALL MY CHILDREN and I did a few spots on ONE LIFE TO LIVE. I gave up watching ALL MY CHILDREN because it became so baby-centric. Everybody became, “I have to have a baby, I want a baby, I want a baby. If I don’t have a baby, I’m not fulfilled. If I don’t have a baby, I’m not a woman.” I was like "Fuck off", and I stopped watching it after 30 years. You are too baby-centric for my ass!

Press here to listen to the entire fascinating and entertaining interview.

WE LOVE SOAPS TV: Episode #4 Nelson Aspen

2009-11-24T20:00:00.002-05:00

On Episode #4 of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, Hollywood's happiest TV personality Nelson Aspen joins Roger Newcomb and Damon L. Jacobs for dish on the latest soap hot topics, soap history and Aspen's book, "Hollywood Insider Exposed."

We cover most of the current and many of the classic soaps and if you were a fan of SEARCH FOR TOMORROW you especially don't want to miss this episode. By the end of the show we've discussed everything from Jennifer Aniston to Mary Stuart to Charles Pratt Jr.

We also hit the streets of New York city in our latest "Soaps on the Street" segment and ask fans if they will tune into GENERAL HOSPITAL to watch James Franco.

If you want to watch WE LOVE SOAPS TV on iTunes, you can. The TV show has a different link than our audio podcast. You can find it here.

If you are in the New York City area and would like to be in the audience during a taping of a future episoe of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, email us at audience@welovesoaps.net and we will keep you posted on our upcoming schedule.

Check out these links related to this episode:
- Nelson Aspen Official Website: NelsonAspen.com
- Nelson's Book: "Hollywood Insider Exposed" on Amazon

An Inside Look With GENERAL HOSPITAL's James Franco

2009-11-24T19:59:00.001-05:00

James Franco and the GENERAL HOSPITAL cast talk about the nature of his character Franco.

HOT STORIES: Janet, Schuyler, Franco, Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T19:59:00.000-05:00

Here are some of the latest soap opera videos to hit the web.

CARJACKED: Janet found Jack on Tuesday's AS THE WORLD TURNS. Unfortunately for her, he was asleep in bed with Carly.

I FEEL DIRTY ALREADY: Schuyler had a hard time coping with the news that Stacy was having "his" baby on Tuesday's ONE LIFE TO LIVE.

FRANCO BLINDFOLDED AND SPUN AROUND: After some playful banter with Franco (James Franco), Maxie ripped his shirt open and they passionately kissed on Tuesday's GENERAL HOSPITAL.

THANKSGIVING IN GENOA CITY: At the Chancellor estate, Chloe blurted out that Mac was going to carry Cane and Lily's baby. Meanwhile, at the Abbott's Ashley and Abby bolted early from dinner.

BONUS:
- The ABC soap stars sing "Jingle Bell Rock" in a new SOAPnet ad.

Kevin Spirtas Is Fully "Loaded": The WLS Interview, Part 3

2009-11-24T17:02:00.011-05:00

In Parts One and Two of my interview with Kevin Spirtas, he discussed he role in the new play, "Loaded," reflections on his past roles on DAYS OF OUR LIVES and ONE LIFE TO LIVE, as well as insights into his successful career. In this final part, he shares more about hopes for "Loaded" and his own future.

We Love Soaps: Were you ever concerned when you were on DAYS that you would be outed?
Kevin Spirtas: No. I wasn’t leading with that. I still don’t lead with that. I think there were times when I was nervous about the industry’s point of view about it. I had a lot of people on the set who knew without asking me anything, without pointing out anything. If you’re smart, you’re going to figure out who your co-workers are. I never walked on the set and said, “Boy I had a great date with my girlfriend last night!” I never did any of that stuff. There was no withholding, I just never overcompensated.

We all got along great. I loved working on that set, I really, really did. There were storylines that were outrageously over the top and crazy, but we had a great family. I can only speak for myself, but I think Patrika [Darbo] and my being there was a very important ingredient for the success of the show at that time. I know that we were breaking through to a non-conventional form of relationship being seen in that venue of soap opera. We had fun. And I knew if we were having fun, then everyone else had to be having fun.

We Love Soaps: Is Patrika going to come see “Loaded”?

Kevin Spirtas: I just talked to her on the phone. She said, “Honey, I’m Mrs. Santa Claus something!” She’s going to try to come out here.

We Love Soaps: What would you like to see happen for you after the play’s scheduled run ends?
Kevin Spirtas: Let’s move this thing to Broadway!

We Love Soaps: Would you go?
Kevin Spirtas: Absolutely! This my first Off-Broadway show. And the really great thing about this is that I have never appeared in New York in a “straight” play, pun intended. It’s a straight piece. I’ve always been recognized by someone who is an entertainer. I sing, I dance, I perform, I’m a soap actor. They throw these things into a pot and say, “That’s who Kevin Spirtas is.” But the great thing about this role and this challenge is that it’s a test for me, and for people to see me in a different light.

We Love Soaps: Straight play? You mean a one-act drama piece?
Kevin Spirtas: Yes, that there are no musical breaks, no tap dancing, no singing a ballad and showing off with my high notes. This is straight acting from the get-go. I love this. I’m very proud of this piece.

We Love Soaps: Would you go back to a soap?
Kevin Spirtas: Listen, I love to work.

We Love Soaps: Jonas was arrested right? He could always come back.
Kevin Spirtas: Wait, wait, if you recall correctly, Jonas was sent off to be...BEHEADED!

We Love Soaps: Oh, I forgot that part.
Kevin Spirtas: He was being beheaded not because he was gay, but because he was lying about being gay. And he wasn’t gay in the first place!

We Love Soaps: But we never saw him beheaded on screen?
Kevin Spirtas: No, I’m sure he got away.

We Love Soaps: There are seven soaps left on the air. But many people such as Crystal Chappell and Martha Byrne are taking this form of story telling to the internet and proactively working with that. Would you ever consider working on a continuing series on the web?
Kevin Spirtas: Well, yeah. I haven’t seen VENICE. I’m not sure what that’s about. But I enjoy having my computer and catching an episode of something I missed online. However, I still find it to be very, very new in its arrival of webisodes. To be able to be paid in a residual situation, the web is still wonky with that. Anyone can see it at anytime. I’m old fashioned. I like turning on the TV. If our monitor is becoming our screen, that’s great. But I’m not yet completely surrendered to making the web a place of viewing.

We Love Soaps: How about if you could go on the monitor and have it appear on your TV?
Kevin Spirtas: That’s all happening. I still have a cell phone where I don’t have the full keypad, I’m still doing three clicks for a “C” or two clicks for a “B.” At the same time I’m excited about the newness of it all.

We Love Soaps: We’re hoping it will open up a lot of creative freedom for the writers, without having to deal with network censorship.
Kevin Spirtas: Listen, this has been an argument since I was a kid. You can show violence on television, but you can’t show people kissing or making love or a little bit of butt. We’re all so uptight. It’s so stupid.

We Love Soaps: As I was watching “Loaded,” I was thinking this would make a really interesting webseries. A lot of readers won’t be able to come to New York to see this but it deserves to be seen.
Kevin Spirtas: I believe they want to grow this project to either film, or Broadway. I think it has a lot of life ahead of it. Hopefully it will stay “loaded.” This is a very educational piece. It has a niche audience. But people are also coming to see it to see who they are in life. At the same time, I’ve had straight people come up and tell me, “I had an education tonight.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: Press here for the WLS review of "Loaded." Then click here for to get your tickets for "Loaded"! [Please note: Kevin will NOT be appearing in the show Dec 21, 2009 – Jan 2, 2010, Jan 12, 2010, and Jan 19 – 22, 2010]

Damon L. Jacobs is a Marriage Family Therapist practicing in New York City, and the author of "Absolutely Should-less: The Secret to Living the Stress-Free Life You Deserve". He has started blogging again at www.shouldless.com..

Weigh In On Potential REALITY BYTES Theme Song

2009-11-24T16:39:00.000-05:00

REALITY BYTES, the upcoming web soap from Tristan Rogers and Kate Lang, has put a potential theme song, "Swank," online. What do you think?

RELATED:
- REALITY BYTES for Tristan Rogers & Kate Lang, Part One
- REALITY BYTES for Tristan Rogers & Kate Lang, Part Two

Helen Wagner Returns To ATWT For Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T15:23:00.002-05:00

We haven't seen the legendary Helen Wagner for months as Nancy Hughes McCloskey, and only once since September 2008, so it will be a real treat when the 91-year-old actress appears on Wednesday's episode of AS THE WORLD TURNS. The Hughes family will be celebrating Thanksgiving at Tom and Margo's house. Don't miss it!

News Round-up: Byrne, Hulu, Tivo, Web TV, Eakes

2009-11-24T14:30:00.021-05:00

Google pacts with Tivo for TV ad data
In its bid to make TV advertising more accountable -- and to sell more of it through its online auction service -- Google has teamed up with TiVo, the companies are set to announce Tuesday.

TiVo will provide Google TV Ads with second-by-second viewing patterns of time-shifted programs in order to "enhance the measurement and accountability of ad impressions," they said.

Hulu's Massive Traffic Bump? Thank ABC, New TV Season
Fueled by the fall TV season and the addition of ABC shows to its library, traffic to Hulu backed by NBC, ABC and Fox spiked nearly 47% in October from the prior month, the biggest single-month percentage gain of the past year.

INTERVIEW: GOTHAM producer/star Martha Byrne
"All parties involved in GOTHAM have decades of daytime television experience. We consider this show a give back to the dedication of the legions of fans that have made soap opera successful."

Most new Web TV shows are created by advertisers
Webisodes — part of a trend called branded entertainment — are growing because marketers feel compelled to find new methods to reach consumers in an era when the traditional media are losing eyeballs, ears, hearts, minds and perhaps other body parts to the Internet.

Daytime soap's best celebrity cameos
James Franco on GENERAL HOSPITAL is the latest in a nutty legacy that includes Elizabeth Taylor and Snoop Dogg.

Eakes and Indelicato to appear at Philadelphia Thanksgiving parade
Bobbie Eakes from ALL MY CHILDREN and Mark Indelicato from UGLY BETTY are among the celebrities who will be on hand at the 2009 Philadelphia Thanksgiving Parade.

Firms channeling apps to TV
Consumer electronics makers and software companies are hoping to take a page from Apple's App Store and turn the TV into a dynamic, evolving platform for widgets and applications.

Behind 90210's SoCal style: Costume designer Frank Helmer reveals the secrets of his trade
“Our manifesto was to make our show the representation of Southern California style,” explains Helmer.

OLTL's Scott Evans Covers Instinct Magazine

2009-11-24T14:25:00.002-05:00

ONE LIFE TO LIVE star Scott Evans (Fish) appears on the cover of the December 2009/January 2010 issue of Instinct Magazine.

The increasing visibility of Fish (as the character’s fictional friends tenderly call him) hasn’t only padded the wallet of the blond, Massachusetts-born actor but has stimulated the wider GLBT community as well. Unbeknownst to Scott at the beginning of the year, Officer Fish was to be the catalyst for an important story line in the daytime drama—a story line that would bring the show’s gay subplots to a boil. In early summer, and after some speculation, the fictional boy behind the badge came out of the closet—a Fish out of water, so to speak.

Highlighting the story’s impact, gay and straight viewers alike have responded in droves by writing to the daytime star. “I’ve gotten letters from people saying that my story line has helped them, that they are in the closet and don’t know what to do. It’s extremely sad,” he laments. “The writers have been doing such a fantastic job with making it so real that a lot of people can relate to it.”

For more with Scott Evans, be sure to pick up the December 2009/ January 2010 issue of Instinct Magazine!

PREVIEW: Today's DAYS OF OUR LIVES

2009-11-24T10:05:00.002-05:00

Victor questions Vivian about her motives for coming to Salem on today's episode of DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

Thanksgiving Holiday Soap Schedule

2009-11-24T08:44:00.001-05:00

As usual the daytime soaps will be interrupted due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Here is a rundown of the pre-emptions:

ABC
Thursday the soaps will air encore episodes (not to be confused with classics) and Friday all three shows will not air.

Thursday's encores will include ALL MY CHILDREN presenting the labor-filled episode where Amanda gives birth ... and Liza pretending to give birth. On ONE LIFE TO LIVE, you can re-live the episode where Blair came tumbling out that second-story window. And on GENERAL HOSPITAL, you get a second chance to watch James Franco's GH debut from last week.

CBS
AS THE WORLD TURNS and THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL are pre-empted Thursday and Friday. CBS will air encore episodes of THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS both days.

NBC
DAYS OF OUR LIVES is pre-empted on Thursday but will air an all new episode on Friday.

SOAPnet
"Holiday for the HOLIDATES" marathon on Thursday (no comment) and a "Chillin' with Dylan" BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 marathon on Friday.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

2009-11-24T08:35:00.006-05:00

Roscoe Born (Mitch, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Trent, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Tom, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS; ex-Jim, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Joe, RYAN'S HOPE; ex-Quinn, SANTA BARBARA; ex-Warden, PASSIONS; ex-Adamski, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 59
Wortham Krimmer (ex-Andrew, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Cal, DAYS OF OUR LIVES) - 59
Lisa Howard (ex-April, DAYS OF OUR LIVES; ex-Meg, RYAN'S HOPE) - 46
Sarah Hyland (Heather, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Rain, ANOTHER WORLD; ex-Karen, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Ali, AS THE WORLD TURNS) - 19

Kin Shriner Joining The Cast of GOTHAM

2009-11-24T08:30:00.004-05:00

In case you missed the lively chat Martha Byrne held with fans last night at GothamTheSeries.com, the actressed confirmed that soap veteran Kin Shriner (Scotty, GH; Keith, ATWT; et al.) would be joining the cast of her indie soap, GOTHAM.

The soap had a smashing debut last night and left fans guessing who the mystery voices here on the phone and wanted to see what happens after Richard saw Catherine.

In case you were wondering about the opening song, it was "Ali for Cody" by Senses Fail. Director/writer Lisa Brown's son is th lead singer of the band. You can purchase their music in the GOTHAM Shop.

We Love Soaps Fantasy Football League Standings

2009-11-24T08:24:00.002-05:00

Week 11 is in the books in the NFL and also in the We Love Soaps Fantasy Football League.

Week 11 Scores:
Twaddlini def. Jellybeans, 122-71
Genius def. Opus, 109-98
Parrots def. Warriors, 83-69
Bukes def. Kishes, 98-82
Naturals def. G-town gansters, 82-60

Here are the standings after 11 weeks.

GOTHAM: The Premiere Episode

2009-11-23T20:00:00.002-05:00

We've anticipated it for months and now it is here. You can watch the premiere of GOTHAM below. Let us know what you think? Who do you think the mystery voice overs were? Byrne previewed they are future cast members. What other teases did you notice in this first episode that intrigued you? Sound off in the comments.

Kevin Spirtas Is Fully "Loaded": The WLS Interview, Part 2

2009-11-23T13:39:00.014-05:00

In Part One of my interview with Kevin Spirtas, the actor discussed his role in the new Off-Broadway show, "Loaded," as well as his experience on DAYS OF OUR LIVES. In Part Two, he shares highs and lows of appearing ONE LIFE TO LIVE, and reflections on his successful stage and television career.

We Love Soaps: Last year you had a brief stint on ONE LIFE TO LIVE as evil Jonas.   Did you know it was going to be a brief role?
Kevin Spirtas: I was told it was going to be a recurring role and it had a little life span. I was hoping it would develop the way Craig Wesley did, where I did two episodes and later was brought on for a seven and a half year stint. I’m actually a big fan of ONE LIFE TO LIVE, I had several friends on the show. I would tune in sometimes. When I came to New York, almost two years ago, the first night I was in town I went to the ABC Salutes Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. All the ABC stars were singing. I went to the party, and ran into Frank Valentini who I met several times at different Emmy award functions. I said, “Frank, I’m in town! If you have an under five, I’ll do it! I love your show, consider me for anything.”

A role came down the pike a week and a half later. My agent said, “There’s this role you’ve been offered on ONE LIFE TO LIVE.” I’m a very big believer in focusing on something you want and doing everything you can to make it happen. I put it out there, and it happened. Like this play. I wanted to do something that would stretch my acting, stretch my spirit, and everything about my life. So they brought me on. It was the 40th anniversary year. And they started me with one thing, and moved over into another thing. It all kind of got mished-mashed together, and I ended up under the sheets with Carlo Hesser. Not Patrick. I wish they would have kept me on.

We Love Soaps: I was disappointed too. When he first started, and was hanging out with Tina [Andrea Evans], he seemed like a fun guy.   Then he became one dimensional evil.
Kevin Spirtas: I know, and I probably played him horribly.

We Love Soaps: Why do you say that?

Kevin Spirtas: Like you said, it was one dimensional. But I tried! I tried not to do too much mustache-twisting. There was a day I had to go up to David Fumero, put a gun his face and ask, “Where’s the lady? Big hat. Sunglasses. Little dog. Where is she?” And he kept cracking up. We became laugh buddies because everytime I’d do something he’d crack up. There was a day [Jonas] said to a group, “It is time to go.” The camera wasn’t on me and I... [demonstrates walking straight into a wall]. They all laughed and laughed. That’s another big difference between me and these roles. I’m a goof ball. I love being able to show this side.

We Love Soaps: You have a tendency to play these antagonist roles, these people who really like to stir things up. Why is that?
Kevin Spirtas: I guess on some level, the roles you end up playing are the roles that you’re really most fit for. Or they are tailored for you.

We Love Soaps: Are these roles tailored for you?
Kevin Spirtas: I have to say yes on some level. There’s a great line in “Loaded,” when we’re talking about knowledge. And Patrick ends up saying, “It’s like you no longer have the energy to put up with the bullshit or constantly prove yourself.” And I think at age 47, if you’re in a place of some peace, and you have some idea and sense of self, then you don’t put up with the bullshit anymore. You don’t try to constantly prove yourself. And for me that is taking on this role. I don’t have to hide anything. This is my life, this is who I am. If people want to find out anything about anyone they click a button on the internet. This is where we are now.

We Love Soaps: Do you see yourself in the role of the antagonist in your own life?
Kevin Spirtas: When I first got Craig Wesley, I remember thinking, why was this role created in the ethers for me? I thought, wow, there’s got to be a part of me that needs to work this out. There’s a part of me in Patrick who needs to work this out. Yes, it’s great to be the hero. But I draw from all that anguish and pain. You hold it in during the day, when you’re on the subway and there’s someone singing really loud next to you and you want to say, “Shut up...and you’re off key anyway. You’re not just loud, but flat.” You can let most of the small stuff go. I guess it’s in my chart somehow. Jack Nicholson plays Jack Nicholson roles. Pacino plays Pacino roles. I guess I play Kevin roles.

We Love Soaps: Have you ever wanted to play the hero?
Kevin Spirtas: I have on certain levels. In my slasher films I survived, I was the hero in them.

We Love Soaps: Tell me about your one-man show, “Night and Days.”
Kevin Spirtas: [In a fancy accent] Let me tell you about my one-man show. It’s about one man. Kevin Spirtas.   [Regular voice] I’m not too much of an antagonist in this one. I was back here about six years ago, doing The Boy From Oz as the understudy for Hugh Jackman. He never missed a performance, I never went on. It inspired me to think, if I did a show what kind of show would I put together? What would I really like to sing about? Here’s a gay man going through this life crisis change, I can take that on. I can play that, I can work that out. My journey from St. Louis to Broadway to Hollywood back to Broadway. I can tell that story, because I lived it.

It was about growing up watching movie musicals and wanting to be like Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. And then coming to Broadway, knocking on the stage door of the Schubert theater, and being cast in A Chorus Line. It shows the journey of how I became a young leading man in Broadway, and then a leading man in film and TV.   Now I go out there and do it on cruise ships and all over the country. December 21st through January 2nd I will be on the Holland America cruise line doing my show, “Night and Days.”

We Love Soaps: It’s an autobiographical piece?
Kevin Spirtas: I call it a “journey.”

We Love Soaps: Do you feel you’ve ever lost out on roles for being out?
Kevin Spirtas: Out as a gay man?

We Love Soaps: Yes.
Kevin Spirtas: I’ve never considered it. I don’t lead from being gay. I’ve never led from it. I’m Kevin. I’m someone’s son. I’m someone’s uncle. I’m someone’s partner. I’m someone’s non-partner. I’m someone’s friend. It’s a slice of who I am. I am an actor. I am a performer. I think the interesting thing now is that you no longer have the time or energy to put up with the bullshit or constantly prove yourself. But I don’t lead with that. "Loaded" just happens to be a gay role, a gay man I’m portraying. Dr. Craig Wesley happened to be a straight man.

We Love Soaps: Did you worry about that before?
Kevin Spirtas: I think I did early on. I guess I grew up under the belief that a leading man has to fit a certain image in the realm of the arts in acting and theater. People either know, or they don’t know. They can find out. I think we’re all the same when it comes down to it. We all have a heart. We all want to be loved. We all want to give love. We all want to fit in. Where you put your body doesn’t have anything to do with where you put your focus on talent or creativity.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Stay tuned for the final part of our interview where Kevin shares more about his life and hopes for the future. Click here for to get your tickets for "Loaded"! [Please note: Kevin will NOT be appearing in the show Dec 21, 2009 – Jan 2, 2010, Jan 12, 2010, and Jan 19 – 22, 2010]

Damon L. Jacobs is a Marriage Family Therapist practicing in New York City, and the author of "Absolutely Should-less: The Secret to Living the Stress-Free Life You Deserve". He has started blogging again at www.shouldless.com..

RESULTS: Daytime Soap of the Week Poll

2009-11-23T09:35:00.003-05:00

Here are the results from the We Love Soaps "Soap of the Week" poll for the week of November 16-20, 2009. DAYS OF OUR LIVES finished in first place for the seventh straight week. AS THE WORLD TURNS moved up to second place followed by ONE LIFE TO LIVE. Check back on Friday when this week's polling begins.

GOTHAM: The Indie Soap Revolution Continues Tonight

2009-11-23T08:12:00.001-05:00

The premiere episode of GOTHAM, the new indie soap from Martha Byrne, premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET at GothamTheSeries.com. Byrne, who also stars as Catherine Prescott, the "most successful sales executive for Nicole Miller in 2008," in the series will be having a live chat with fans from 7-8 p.m. ET leading up to the episode.

We Love Soaps has screened the premiere and you don't want to miss it. There are so many clues and teases packed into a few minutes that you will need to watch several times to try to pick up on them all. From mystery voices to what seems like an unexpected reunion, the frenetic first episode leaves you wanting more, exactly what I hoped it would do.

The cast includes Michael Park as Richard Manning who has been described as the "Crown Prince of Wall Street" and Anne Sayre as Tina Havens, Catherine's best friend. For AS THE WORLD TURNS fans seeing these three actors on screen in GOTHAM is a real treat. For people who have never watched WORLD TURNS you will enjoy discovering Byrne, Park and Sayre for the first time. Byrne, director/writer Lisa Brown and the entire team at GOTHAM known what they're doing, know what fans want, and will deliver. What makes this launch even more exciting is all the promise for the future.

Join in tonight as the indie soap revolution continues.

News Round-up: Ripa, Roku, Peggy, Oprah, Compton

2009-11-23T07:50:00.000-05:00

The Repercussions of Winfrey's Departure From Daytime TV Far Reaching
Oprah Winfrey's decision to discontinue her longrunning syndicated talk show in 2011 carries with it a long list of repercussions, according to The New York Times. It means the loss of its signature program and millions of dollars every year in revenue for distributor CBS, and for stations, the loss of daytime’s most popular program that generates huge audiences for their local evening news.

Roku Opens Roku Channel Store
Media technology company Roku, Inc., maker of the family of Roku players, is launching the Roku Channel Store and 10 new free channels available to customers on their TVs on Monday, Nov. 23. In addition to audio and video podcasts, Web content, photo sharing and children's entertainment, the Roku Channel Store--accessible via all of Roku's players--will offer an open platform to deliver content to user's TV sets. The additional channels being made available for customers to add include Blip.tv, Facebook Photos, Flickr, FrameChannel, Mediafly, MobileTribe, Motionbox, Pandora, Revision3 and TWiT. EDITOR'S NOTE: WE LOVE SOAPS TV is available on Roku.

At last, Kelly Ripa gets her wedding cake
Thirteen years after eloping to Las Vegas, Kelly Ripa finally got her wedding cake. The no-frills wedding package didn't include cake when she and ALL MY CHILDREN co-star Mark Consuelos got hitched at the Chapel of the Bells here on May 1, 1996. Their story goes full circle Tuesday when they revisit their runaway wedding on LIVE WITH REGIS & KELLY.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: EDGE OF NIGHT's Forrest Compton (Mike)
The first thing you notice during a conversation with actor Forrest Compton is his voice. It carries a compelling quality, both piercing and soothing at the same time. His delivery is so resounding that “when he reads Scripture during mass at the Presbyterian Church,” his wife, Jeanne, joked, “he gets a standing ovation.”

He's retired now, but still does the occasional radio commercial and participates in the Historical Society's “Voices from the Vault” presentations. They allow him to stay near his home on Little Ram Island Drive. “He doesn't want to leave Shelter Island,” said Jeanne.

He started acting in THE EDGE OF NIGHT in 1971, when the show was still broadcast live. “The excitement of it being live really made it special,” said Mr. Compton. “If something went wrong, you just kept going, kept the mouth moving.” The adrenaline involved in being someone else, he said, is part of what drew him to acting.

But perhaps the greatest draw was “to be able to create something outside of myself. The challenge of being real with, sometimes, words that aren't so real.”

Five celebs perfect for guest stints on soaps
Jack Nicholson, Lindsay Lohan (who was already on ANOTHER WORLD), Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep and Robert Pattinson made the list.

EASTENDERS' Peggy will not be killed off
EASTENDERS character Peggy Mitchell will not be killed off when Barbara Windsor leaves the show, according to reports. Windsor recently announced that she was planning to leave the show but no details of her exit storyline have yet been announced.

Gay Activist Marc Harshbarger Speaks OUT
His first novel, "Deep Dish" is a gay soap opera that turns back the clock to 1975 during the disco culture of yesteryear. It tells the swinging saga of the Davenport and Haze families, who fall in and out of love and lust in one cliffhanging chapter after another while searching for happiness in a crazy world. In the sequel, "Deeper Dish" the many colorful characters return for more sordid misadventures, nail-biting cliffhangers, passionate encounters and disco fever as the Dish becomes Deeper.

Today's Soap World Birthdays

2009-11-23T03:00:00.002-05:00

Jerry ver Dorn (Clint, ONE LIFE TO LIVE; ex-Ross, GUIDING LIGHT) - 59
Sara Jane Henriques (ex-Tina, ALL MY CHILDREN)

Kevin Spirtas Is Fully "Loaded": The WLS Interview, Part 1

2009-11-22T22:00:00.005-05:00

Kevin Spirtas is known to soap watchers as the deliciously manipulative Craig Wesley on DAYS OF OUR LIVES [1997-2003] and the evil Jonas Chamberlain on ONE LIFE TO LIVE [2008]. He is currently starring in the Off-Broadway show “Loaded” in New York City, revealing more physically and emotionally to audiences than ever before. Please read on to learn more about how Kevin approached his role in “Loaded,” as well as reflections on his career on soaps and stage.

We Love Soaps: I really enjoyed “Loaded.” What kind of response have you gotten from others so far?
Kevin Spirtas: So far I’ve gotten a very “loaded” response. I have received emails, posts on my Facebook page, and so has my co-star Scott Kerns. People also come up to us after the show. They are very moved, they feel pushed, and they are very intrigued by the content of the piece. There is a lot here. They are listening to the struggle, to the generational divide between two individuals separated in age. Because of that, it brings up a lot of stuff. It’s causing them to go away from [the show] and continue with that conversation. They ask, “Do I see myself up there? Who do I know like that?” It’s very interesting. The piece focuses on these two men who each have struggles in their own life. My character [“Patrick”] feels very comfortable in the bedroom. He’s comfortable with this younger character [“Jude”] in bed but he also wants more. I think both want more but they just don’t know how to come to a common ground as common as under the sheets.

We Love Soaps: What are you hoping will come from people seeing “Loaded”? Do you hope they will communicate more with their partners? Or think more about what they’re doing before they do it? What do you want people to take away from this?
Kevin Spirtas: All of that. I can’t go into a play or a part or a role without thinking, “What do I take away from it?” I have a lot of similarities to this characters on some level. And what I don’t have similar with him I have enough in my life to associate the disappointment, the suffering, the loss.

We Love Soaps: Are those ways you are similar to Patrick?
Kevin Spirtas: Yes. In all these ways. I’m playing a 47-year-old character, and I’m forty-seven. The AIDS epidemic was right there at the beginning of my career on Broadway. So I saw all these people die. And Patrick has lost all these people in his life. There’s all these commonalities. In any relationship, gay or straight, you have the need to communicate. And where do you take the middle ground to accommodate the other person or to understand the other person’s view point?   Every role one can take on is a way to heal something. There’s got to be a reason that we do this. I have to find some arc, some sort of way to heal myself. Maybe through that Patrick gets healed. Or maybe Patrick learns something, or takes something on.

We Love Soaps: What part of yourself gets healed by playing Patrick?
Kevin Spirtas: It changes. [Pause] You know, we’re not machines. Every day is different. It’s not like I set out to learn something each night. But I will ask myself a question in the beginning of the show, it’s there over my head like a bubble. I’ll ask, “What am I not understanding about this person? What is he saying? What am I not communicating? Where I am not giving?” I think Patrick is hurt and he’s finding a way to get through that hurt. I think I’m trying to find some understanding, some peace of heart and heal that pain of loss. That’s a struggle in everyone’s life.

And what Scott Kerns and I have discovered in this piece is that yes, there is the great play. But there is also a relationship between Kevin and Scott as Patrick and Jude. You’ve seen the show, you have to have intimacy in the show. We’re not just two people clocking in and out. There has to be intimacy created. I’m learning about Scott, I’m learning about Jude.

We Love Soaps: What ways are you different from Patrick?
Kevin Spirtas: Well, I’m a believer in marriage equality and gay marriage. It’s about civil rights. It’s not about male/male, I’m for love. And if you love someone, and you want to make that your life together, why should someone judge that? Why should I be able to judge that, why should I be judged for that? But it brings up a great thing to play against. Because Patrick is against gay marriage. That’s one major thing. Everyone is equal. Everyone puts on their pants one leg at a time...and...[laughs] you know.

We Love Soaps: Speaking of which, you are fully naked in this show. The Full Spirtas.
Kevin Spirtas: I am?

We Love Soaps: You are.
Kevin Spirtas: No one told me that!

We Love Soaps: I guess they forgot to tell you. Have you ever been...
Kevin Spirtas: Naked in public before?

We Love Soaps: Well, I meant naked in a performance piece before.
Kevin Spirtas: No, I have not.

We Love Soaps: What was it like for you then to take on a role and realize you were going to have to be fully naked?
Kevin Spirtas: At first I thought, “I’ve got to stop eating sugar,” but that didn’t help [laughs]. I took on the script because of what it had to say. And I thought what it had to say was more important than the action or activity of clothes versus no clothes. I was actually supposed to start off [at the beginning of the show] in a jock strap. Which I thought was kind of odd since the play opens and we’ve just had sex. Why would I have put a jock strap on to be lying there in bed? If we’re going to be here in a real time, in a real situation, then I would just assume or prefer to be nude to get up and get dressed like you would do naturally. As you can see in the show, we have great “sheetography." Sometimes the sheet pulls away and you see a little bit more. But I’m focused on what I’m saying to Jude. It doesn’t bother me.

I think actors are mostly exhibitionists on some levels anyway. But I’m not doing anything gratuitous. If you look back on my resume you’ll see I did a couple of “Skinomax,” I mean, Cinemax films. And that was all simulation. It’s all choreographed. She’s wearing a patch and I’m wearing a jock-sock. You’re naked but you’re not, you’re simulating sex. It’s this pseudo porn movie where there’s no penetration. It’s all very scripted. The bottom line is, it wasn’t a problem for me when they asked.

We Love Soaps: So let’s talk about Dr. Craig Wesley. We’ve missed you on DAYS. I talked to Nadia Bjorlin a couple of weeks ago. I asked her if she would like to have [Chloe’s] family back, and of course she would.
Kevin Spirtas: I was back for that minute. But of course I missed working with Patrika [Darbo].   Who knows why they brought only one person back. But I was the doctor, she was in a coma, they had to bring me back. I missed having scenes with Chloe. I talked to her, I held her hand, but it wasn’t the same as having scenes with her.

We Love Soaps: Do you see similarities between Patrick in Craig Wesley?
Kevin Spirtas: Let’s talk about what Craig is. He’s straight, he’s married to a woman, with two daughters, in a committed relationship, he’s probably really well off, he used to run a hospital, he’s very understanding, and not a classist. Patrick is not any of these things.

We Love Soaps: However, Craig is very much looking out for number one, and especially in the early years was willing to cut corners and do whatever it took to get what he wants.
Kevin Spirtas: Yeah, that was so Snidely Whiplash and Eddie Haskellish of him. Craig would do what he had to do to survive, which Patrick does too. But they changed him so drastically. They softened him up. I miss the old Craig Wesley, when he and Mike Horton were racing to become chief of staff.   I miss Nurse Ali. God, Lisa Linde, did we have fun!

We Love Soaps: You and Patrika were so funny, but so mean! We couldn’t help but be on your side.
Kevin Spirtas: Kind of like Dexter. Have you ever wanted to see a serial killer get away with people? It’s the most bizarre thing in the world.

We Love Soaps: Craig, I believe is the only soap character on DAYS (aside from Tom Horton) to only ever have sex with his own wife.
Kevin Spirtas: Isn’t that sad? I tried. They once had me do a scene with Nurse Ali where they had me show up in her apartment. She was dressed in lingerie, and I was dressed in this leather blazer and slacks and open collar shirt. She said hi, and I said [in a low sexy voice], “Hello Baby.” And the producer, Tom Langan, came up and said, “You’ve got to play against it. I know it’s written this way, but you have to play against it or you’ll lose everything we’ve worked hard to get you on the show as far fans’ interest.” He was very smart about it. I was trying to seduce Nurse Ali to get her to do something, and they had even made it where Nancy said, “Go do you what you have to do.” And even though I was being sent off to take one for the team so to speak, they said play against it. So they never had me sleep around. Patrick would sleep around. Patrick wouldn’t even wait for permission.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Please come back tomorrow for Part Two of our interview as we discuss Kevin's experience on ONE LIFE TO LIVE, and reflections on challenging career decisions. And click here for to get your tickets for "Loaded"! [Please note: Kevin will NOT be appearing in the show Dec 21, 2009 – Jan 2, 2010, Jan 12, 2010, and Jan 19 – 22, 2010]

Damon L. Jacobs is a Marriage Family Therapist practicing in New York City, and the author of "Absolutely Should-less: The Secret to Living the Stress-Free Life You Deserve". He has started blogging again at www.shouldless.com..

News Round-up: Broderick, Park, Oprah, Ripa, Palu

2009-11-22T21:54:00.002-05:00

Kelly Ripa's behind-the-scenes lust
"Mark [Consuelos] had been fairly low-key, quiet and humble as he learned the ropes and hoped he'd eventually be upgraded to full contract status," writes makeup artist Norman Bryn in his new book, "Makeup & Misery: Adventures in the Soap Factory." Bryn recalls Consuelos as "a nice, unpretentious guy."

"A number of hunky guys were brought in to read with Kelly -- a passionate scene to test the romantic potential of each . . . I applied Mark's makeup, and that of some of the other men, also . . . I didn't go out of my way to make any of the competition particularly striking . . . I wanted to give him whatever advantage I could."

It turned out Consuelos had a bigger edge than anyone knew.

"Mark's real advantage was Kelly . . . She had no trouble calling up genuine lust to steam up the screen and blow the other contestants out of the bed sheets," said Bryn. "Many of the crew marveled at how 'realistic' the scene was, unaware Kelly and Mark had rehearsed outside the studio quite a few times already!"

Lorraine Broderick in at ALL MY CHILDREN for Transition
DC's Jamey Giddens is reporting that former ALL MY CHILDREN head writer Lorraine Broderick has been tapped to head write the soap at least for the foreseeable future.

ATWT/GOTHAM star Michael Park is a product of community theater
“I am a product of community theater, and I say it proudly,” said Michael Park, who was celebrity chairman of this year’s TANYS Festival.

“Some people have used community theater to get to the next level,” he said, “but so many of the people in community theater work regular 9-to-5-jobs, rehearse two or three times a week, at least, and you do it for what, a show that runs two weekends? That shows dedication, passion.”

OPRAH ratings decline not that different than daytime soaps
In 1991-92, ratings for the show averaged 12.6 million viewers, double the 6.2 million who collectively tuned in from 2008-09.

Missed some of your soap? Palu has a musical recap
Paul Beckman, a.k.a. Palu Rainbow Song of Salt Spring Island, a ferry ride over from Vancouver and Victoria, watches soap operas daily and uses them as inspiration for songs. He then posts the videos online.

The Week in Review: Most Popular Posts

2009-11-22T07:00:00.002-05:00

In case you missed them, here are the 15 most popular topics over the past week at We Love Soaps:

- VENICE Season One Teaser, Premiere Date December 4
- Vanishing VENICE?
- Day of DAYS: Crystal Chappell
- WLS Review: "Loaded"
- INDIE SOAP BEAT: November 18, 2009
- Soap's Hope: The Claire Labine Interview, Part Six
- The Wesley Eure Interview, Part Two
- DAYS OF OUR LIVES Cast: The Dance Off
- The Adam Mayfield Interview, Part Two
- Day of DAYS: Suzanne Rogers & Molly Burnett
- Darius McCrary Cast as Malcolm on Y&R
- News Round-up: The James Franco Edition
- Dennis Cole Has Passed At Age 69
- ATWT's Michael Park Talks Jack/Carly Reunion
- The Adam Mayfield Interview, Part Three

If you missed this week's episode of WE LOVE SOAPS TV, you can watch it below. Former Soap Opera Weekly editor Tony Calega co-hosted and we dished the latest hot topics from around the soap world. We also had interviews with DAYS OF OUR LIVES star Joseph Mascolo, Lauren Koslow, Bryan Dattilo and more.

INDIE SOAP BEAT Extra: PALISADES POOL PARTY

2009-11-22T03:01:00.000-05:00

PALISADES POOL PARTY explores the world of teens living in the affluent beach community of the Pacific Palisades utilizing a unique brand of storytelling. It’s been described as THE O.C. meets 24. The drama one comes to expect over the course of multiple seasons on teen shows like ONE TREE HILL, GOSSIP GIRL and 90210 plays out in a mere twenty-four hours leading up to and during the soon-to-be legendary pool party.

“For as much as teens use the Internet as a source of entertainment, we felt there was a real lack of teen programming,” says director and co-creator, Jack Monroe. “And certainly in the serialized drama department; I can’t think of any other web series doing what we’re doing. There are user-generated teen shows, but they are mostly comedies and often lack production value.”

If you haven't watched yet, you can check out the first three episodes here.