When ABC cancelled two of their Soaps, All My Children and One Life to Win, soap fans started campaigning to save the genre. Both show have been on the air for over 40 years. Granted when CBS cancelled Guiding Light and As the World Turns, both on air 50 plus years, the fans were visibly upset, but not to this extent. Of course, they were cancelled two years apart – not on the same day in April, 2011. Plus from all indications, it looks like General Hospital will also be cancelled. This is just conjecture, there is nothing concrete about this so please don’t say that I said it for sure. That’s how vicious rumors get started.

Soap fans everywhere have united and are demanding that the cancelled shows get a reprieve, possibly on CBS or NBC, or get thecable-television companies to support a new soap cable channel to replace the soon to depart SoapNet. In order to do this a new coupon campaign has been started. These coupons are easy to fill out. You provide your Cable Company or Sattelite’s name, fill out
your name and address, clip it and mail it to the post office box included on the coupon. Pretty easy isn’t it? Your voice WILL be heard! Fill out and send ONE coupon per household members.

Where can you obtain your coupons? This weeks Globe magazine on sale NOW. They will also be available in the next issues of CBS Soaps In Depth and ABC Soaps in Depth. Or you can go to Sudz.tv on the Internet.

Come on peeps, show your support for our Soap Opera’s and start sending in those coupons. ALL soaps are in danger!!! Thank you!

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• #soapoperas The demise of soaps? Not on my watch

For the last week, or so, I have been numb and just didn’t know what to say. So I thank you for your patience and allowing me to say all that I have to say now.

I, as others, had heard the rumors that either All My Children or One Life To Live were going to be cancelled. I sighed and prayed it was just a malicious rumor. First of all, I thought, they wouldn’t cancel AMC. ABC had recently spent an enormous amount of money relocating AMC from New to a spectacular new studio in Los Angeles. Now the rumor regarding OLTL was a little more feasible. I had noticed they had been falling in ratings, however, it didn’t make sense seeing that they  had been gaining in the ratings race.

Then on April 14th the bomb dropped. BOTH AMC and OLTL had been cancelled. I couldn’t believe it! Granted, as my readers know, I don’t currently follow those shows but I have in the past. In fact, about 25 years ago I was fortunate enough to be on the OLTL set and was honored to meet Erica Slezak, the late Asa Carey, Robert S. Woods, to name a few – in fact, Imogene Coca was playing a cleaning lady on that episode. I watched AMC at the beginning with Erica and Phil and of course there was GH with the Luke and Laura HUGE story. However, times pass and due to different circumstances I was back to watching shows from my childhood and a few new ones. Sorry, I guess I’m regressing and need to get back on the subject.

AMC, after 41 years, will be gone in September of this year and OLTL in January 2012. What are these shows being replaced with? A show focused on food called The Chew and The Revolution focused on health. Do we not have enough of those shows now? We have a full network called the FOOD Network that deals with food, plus Rachael Ray. As far as health issues we have Dr. Oz and The Doctors and I’m sure there is a health network out there with all of the cable stations.

What really ticks me off is the unemployment of not only the actors, but all of the crew and the Soap Magazines! Plus, what about all of the actors that had lived in the NYC area, probably all of their lives, uprooted and moved their families to the West Coast – that’s despicable.

In the last 2 years CBS has lost two of the longest running Soaps – Guiding Light and As The World Turns. I used to watch both of those shows with my Grandmother and watched GL till the very end. Oh yes, there were times that the story-lines were just too ridiculous for me to continue watching – but I always came back. I think we have all done that from time to time and don’t even tell me that you haven’t, LOL.

When GL and ATWT were cancelled the fans gathered around trying to save their shows. It didn’t work. The fans of AMC and OLTL are attempting the same thing, however, I don’t think it will work for them either.  So what can we do to keep our shows on the air?

Come 2012 there will only be 4 Soaps left for us. General Hospital on ABC, Days of Our Lives on NBC and Bold and Beautiful and Young and Restless on CBS. Do you care about these shows? Then stand up and make sure you watch, go to their sites and message boards and talk about the show(s) – both the good and the bad regarding story-lines, the powers that be DO listen, believe it or not. Be loyal to the sponsors that are on YOUR Soaps – purchase their products, write to them and thank them. Write to the show and let them know your loyalty. Attend Soap events – contact your favorite stars (just don’t stalk them LOL). Every little thing will help.

We need to do what we can to save our remaining shows. If we don’t we will have a daytime full of reality shows, talk shows, game shows, food shows, yada yada yada. Also support the Soaps Web Series: The Bay; Steamboat; and Venice just to name a few. And for all of you Another World lovers check out www.anotherworldtoday.com.

God Bless,
Patti

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The Soap Opera genre has certainly had its ups and downs in 2009.

Two beloved soaps on CBS were canceled. The notification of these cancellations were ironic at best. It was announced that Guiding Light was canceled on April 1st. How many of us thought that it was an April Fool’s joke? I know I did at first. After all, GL had been a mainstay, both on radio and television, for 72 years.

In November, it was announced that As The World Turns would be canceled in 2010 after 56 years. Happy holidays to the actors, staff and crew. (Bah humbug!) How many of us remember watching either or both of these shows with our mothers, and especially, our grandmothers? I know I did. Both of these shows were produced in New York City; how many production and staff people there are now without jobs?

On top of that, All My Children, decided to move from NYC to Los Angeles! Again, many people were displaced, and only One Life to Live remains in NYC. In these economic times, my heart aches for them.

On the bright side, the only NBC show, Days of Our Lives seems to be thriving. After a year of unrest with fan favorites being written off — yes I’m talking about John and Marlena and Patch and Kayla, to name a few — Days has brought back many original actors who have been away from Salem for as long as sixteen years.

Wally Kurth first came back as Justin Kiriakis, Victor’s nephew. Kurth was only slated to return for a short time; however, his return was so popular, he’s here for the long haul. (Now that Judy Evans is no longer on ATWT, will we see her reprising the role of Adrianne, Justin’s estranged wife? We can only hope.).

Next, Crystal Chappell returned as Carly, a past love interest of Bo. Then came Louise Sorrell as Vivian Alamain, the sworn enemy of Carly. Who can forget when Vivian buried Carly alive?

Plus, Days has brought in a Hispanic family — first Rafe, then his sister Arianna, and now the youngest sister Gabi. They also tapped into stars from now-defunct Passions — Galen Gering, Lindsey Hartley and Eric Martsoff.

Last year, Days was nominated for a Daytime Emmy, and if they continue to go forward with what they accomplished in the last six months of 2009, they will surely win this year.

Due to budget cutbacks, Young and Restless almost lost three of their longtime main actors. Jess Walton, Jill, and Melody Scott-Thomas, Nikki, both settled their contracts at the last hour.

However, Eric Braeden, Victor, could not reach an agreement with Sony and walked! The fans rallied for Braeden’s return and Sony brought him back for more contract negotiations. Thankfully, Braeden re-signed and Victor will again be back, with a vengeance, in a couple of weeks. This goes to show you that the fans CAN make a difference.

Hopefully, 2010 will fare better for our beloved soaps, and fans continue to let your feelings be known.

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Marcy Rylan & Don Money

Former Guiding Light star Marcy Rylan (ex-Lizzie), who recently relocated to Los Angeles, is now a proud momma. A GL rep confirms that Rylan and her fiancé, Don Money, welcomed the birth of their son, Jackson Robert Money, who weighed in at 8 pounds, 12 ounces. Congratulations!

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Krista Tesreau

Guiding Light shines on in an official continuation sanctioned by TeleNext Media. Mindy keeps GL fans abreast as to what’s happening in Springfield via Twitter!

You can follow Mindy on Twitter by going to twitter.com/MelindaSueLewis

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Ron Raines

Phillip was dying and Ed told them about an experimental procedure that could save Phillip’s life. It had never been done before and there was a 50/50 chance that it would work, with of the donor being endangered and could possibly lose his life.

Alan tested positive as a donor match and insisted on saving his son’s life. The procedure appeared to have worked on both Phillip and Alan and they were released from the hospital in time to go to the wedding. Everyone hailed Alan as a hero and it certainly looked like this had changed his outlook on life, encouraging everyone to live life to the fullest.

During the reception, Phillip found Beth on the beach and realized what his father had meant and proposed to Beth – who accepted (Yeah!). Phillip then went to find Alan to tell him the wonderful news and found him sitting on a bench overlooking the water. Phillip, talking to Alan’s back, thanked his father for everything he had done and how Alan’s new attitude had helped Phillip as well.

He then went to Alan and said “come on, it’s time for them to cut the cake”. When Alan didn’t reply, Phillip went to face Alan and realized that his father had died. It’s hard to describe, without breaking down in tears again, but it was tragic – to say the least. Tomorrow’s episode will be stunning as the word passes through town of this tragedy.

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Frank Dicopoulos

60 Minutes did a wonderful job on their tribute to Guiding Light, whose LIGHT goes out on Friday. Below are clips from the broadcast, in case you missed it, thanks to YouTube.

One thing I got a kick out of was Morley Safer calling Frank Dicopolous Fred instead of Frank. *giggles* Dicopolous graciously did not correct Safer.

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Today was the day for Billy and Vanessa to marry again. What a wonderful surprise when Buzz bent on one knee and asked Lillian to marry him! Of course, she said yes. Both Billy and Vanessa insisted that they marry today and have a double wedding. I’m sure there will be a video on YouTube and as soon as I see it I will share it with ya’ll.

Again, I had tears in my eyes as GL is wrapping up story lines. I am so going to miss this Soap Opera.

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Tom Pelphrey

Emmy-winning actor Tom Pelphrey, who will last air this week as GL’s Jonathan, will join sister soap ATWT as a new character named Mick.

GL’s head writer, David Kreizman, has moved to ATWT and will be writing the character. According to SOD, Pelphrey is very excited about going to ATWT and having Kreizman writing his character.

It’s been several years since I’ve watch ATWT, I think now is the time for me to start catching up!

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Cast members from 'Guiding Light"

After 72 years on the air, both on  radio and television, the LIGHT will go out on CBS on September 18th.

On September 13th, 60 Minutes will do a segment on Guiding Light that I am sure will be outstanding. The cast and crew of Guiding Light recently chatted with Morley Safer while taping the final Bauer barbecue. I for one will be setting my DVR so I can watch this time and time again.

The past few weeks, while watching GL, I have been driven to tears. I am so going to miss this Soap, the cast has been like a family to year the past 30 plus years.

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