A recent visit to the set of B&B was literally a walk on the wild side for this editor. During an hour-long meal break — when the cavernous B&B soundstage is usually empty and quiet — I approached a lingering Drew Tyler Bell (Thomas) for quotes involving his storyline. As we conversed, the young actor looked up and noticed a catwalk high above the sound stage.

"Let's do our interview up there," Drew declared and headed over to a ladder that led heavenward.

"You can't make an old man go up there," I protested. "I could break a hip."

But I might as well have been talking to a brick wall ... or, in this case, a teenager. Drew quickly scaled the ladder, egging me on. With great hesitation — hey, I was carrying a mini-tape recorder, after all — I climbed up until, rung by rung, I reached our destination. As I gingerly moved forward on the much-narrower-than-I-thought catwalk, Drew had already positioned himself midway, with arms dramatically lifted up and out. "I'm king of the world!" he bellowed.

Yeah, and finally arriving, huffing and puffing, was his court jester. I have to admit, the view from up there lent an interesting perspective. It wasn't just about a dizzying height anymore, but looking down on the sets (the Forrester living room, Eric's office and Caitlin's bedroom) from a whole new angle. Of the almost eight years I've covered this show, I thought I had seen it all.

Drew and I continued our interview and we were just as comfy — now that my lungs had adjusted to the altitude — as if we were lounging in his dressing room. But then the tranquility was abruptly shattered.

"Hey, what are you guys doing up there?!"

No, we weren't busted by the catwalk police, but rather a very inquisitive Kayla Ewell (Caitlin), who stood below, still barefoot and dressed in her character's pajamas for that day's scenes.

"We're doing an interview," I called down but, even from where I was standing, I could see her cute nose crinkling up.

"Why?" she wanted to know.

An indignant Drew leaned over the rail. "Because I wanted to," he stated emphatically.

Kayla then excitedly skipped to the ladder. "I wanna come up there, too," she chirped. The king of the world immediately ran over to where ladder met catwalk and scowled down at her.

"You can't come up here!" he yelled. "You're a girl!"

"Oh, shut up, Drew! I'm coming up!"

Before we knew it, our boys' club was coed. When I finished with Drew, I turned to our newest member for a few questions. Our conversation was going smoothly until there came another interruption.

"What are you guys doing up there?!"

This time, it was worse than the catwalk police — it was Mommy! At least, Kayla's on-screen — and very protective, it turned out — mom, Sydney Penny (Samantha).

"We're doing an interview," I explained nervously. "Wanna come up?"

"Come up, Sydney," urged Kayla.

"No!" Drew not surprisingly complained. "There's too many girls up here already!"

"Shut up, Drew!" wailed Kayla. "Come on, Sydney!"

"I can't anyway," Sydney pointed out. "I'm in heels."

Before I could tell her how I maneuvered my way up with a mini-tape recorder, she strongly advised us to come down. Of course, Drew looked at me with a defiant smirk, but before he could respond (thank God, he didn't have water balloons), we spotted one of the directors coming back.

"I think Sydney is right," Drew suddenly agreed and we all quickly shimmied down the ladder.

"That was fun!" Kayla summed up once we had all reached terra firma. And you know, I have to agree.

This article originally ran in the January 11, 2004 issue of Soap Opera Digest.