July 11, 2008
GUIDING LIGHT's Crystal Chappell (Olivia) and Jessica Leccia (Natalia) pose with renowned fashion photographer Nigel Barker (all pictured right), a judge on AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL, at the gallery exhibition of the "My Life in Smiles" national amateur photography competition created by Crest Whitestrips and Gen Art showcasing America's greatest smile moments, Thursday, June 12, 2008 in New York. The finalists were chosen by an expert panel including Barker.

Leccia and Chappell are only two of the numerous beautiful actors on GL. I've never met Chappell in person, but I've spoken with Leccia in person a few times. She's gorgeous (and her smile is great, too). I've been told I have a nice smile, probably because I smile a lot, and I'm a picture fanatic, so a photography competition centered around capturing America's greatest smile moments is a pretty cool idea. If you were choosing the greatest smile moments in Springfield, what moments would you pick? GL is 71-years-old, so there have been too many great smile moments to count, but If I were picking some of the best smile moments from the past year, they'd be the following:

•Lizzie's smile when she reunited with Sarah
•Natalia's smile when she tried on her wedding dress
•Olivia's smile when she found out Gus had a park named after her
•Reva's smile when Jeffrey sang the song he wrote for her

There are so many, it's hard to choose! But those jumped out at me. Which ones were your favorites?

Friday, June 27, 2008
I've been a big fan of AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL since it's premiere season in 3003, so imagine my excitement when I caught cycle three contestants Eva Pigford (now Eva Marcille) and Yaya DaCosta on soaps this week. I briefly saw Yaya on ALL MY CHILDREN as Cassandra. It was my first time seeing her on the soap, since I usually don't see AMC. She was okay, but the sad thing is, I wasn't really into her because I was not a fan of her when she was on TOP MODEL. I know that's childish, but she had such a stuck up attitude on TOP MODEL! And that wasn't acting, that was reality TV. I was a total Eva fan! Back then they called her "Eva the Diva." Some of the girls on the show, mainly Yaya, didn't care for Eva, but it was always my opinion that they didn't like her because she was the most talented contestant. She proved it by beating out the other girls, including YaYa, to win the third season. This week Eva debuted as Tyra on YOUNG AND RESTLESS. I'm not sure if I can give her my acting stamp of approval yet, but she's off to a good start. I think she has a lot of potential. She's playing the part of Devon's long lost aunt (Yolonda's sister). Neil isn't thrilled that she's in town, because he thinks she has a hidden agenda. I'm with Neil. Why is Tyra in town? I can't wait to find out, but I'm glad my girl Eva has the part. That gives me one more reason to tune in to one of my favorite soaps.

June 20, 2008
Today is the biggest day in daytime! The 25 ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS air on ABC tonight at 8 EST. I'm a "cast newbie" to Weekly (though I've almost been here a full year!) so I'm not on Emmy patrol status, Weekly will be covering the start-studded event from Los Angeles. I'm excited for the awards show, but the timing is the worst! I have to start moving out of my apartment tonight, so I'm going to have to set my VCR to record the first half since I'll be in the middle of lifting boxes. Later I'll sit down on my couch in my PJs (and hopefully a bowl of Haagen-Daaz Vanilla Swiss Almond ice cream) and watch the show, hoping my favorite shows and actor's take home the prized award. I cover GUIDING LIGHT, so of course I'm hoping the show gets lots of wins tonight. They have a good chance of doing really well since they have 13 nominations. Though I'm ot the biggest Cassie fan, I'm happy Nicole Forester (Cassie, GL) has her first nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress. She's a sweetheart, so I'm always pleased when nice people are recognized for their work. That's why I'm disappointed my pal Marcy Rylan (Lizzie, GL) wasn't nominated. She is stellar as Lizzie, and definitely deserved a nod for her work form the past year. Maybe the other half of the hot couple formerly known as "Bizzie" will score an Emmy. Christian Leblanc (Michael) for Outstanding Lead Actor as well. I've loved his work, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Be sure to tune in, have fun watching, and check out Weekly for exclusive reporting from the red carpet.

June 13, 2008
It's Friday the 13th, and since the date is supposed to represent bad luck, I think it's a great time for me to do another edition of my Freaky Friday blog. Last time I highlighted the top five things that were freaking me out on daytime (I'm happy to report that Y&R's Adam is no longer on that list). This week I'll focus on the top three freaky storyline predictions I've been tossing around in my head.

1. GL's Remy is the father of Ava's baby: I know Ava went to get artificial insemination, but she was also fooling around with Remy during that time. Weekly News Editor Mala Bhattacharjee agrees with me on this one. I wouldn't mind if Ava's son turned out to be Remy Jr. I'd prefer seeing Ava with Remy, anyway. Check out the July 1 issue of Weekly to hear what Lawrence Saint-Victor (Remy) thinks.

2. Y&R's Sabrina gives Victor daughter No. 3: Can't you see it? Victoria's best friend swoops in and traps her daddy under her love spell. Victoria is heartbroken that her ex-BFF is taking her dad's attention and affection away from her. Then to top it all off, her new step mom to be gets pregnant with Victoria's worst nightmare: another Newman daughter to share her shine with. Accepting little Abby was hard enough for Victoria, but a new little girl with Victor's money and Sabrina's killer looks would send Victoria into a jealous rage. Note: Since Sabrina's baby news just aired today, it's really too early to make a serious prediction. The whole story could fall apart by the end of next week!

3. DAYS' John and Hope hit the sheets: Okay, so I know this one is a stretch, but I'm not the only one who saw those scenes where John forced Hope into recalling their hot affair on the love boat. Hope was noticeably affected by the memories. On the surface her anxiousness seemed to be over her love for Bo, but I think there may be something else there. I have a feeling this story will continue to pop up. Maybe it's wishful thinking. Not that I want John to be with Hope, I just think there's something hot there, and I wouldn't mind seeing it explored, even if it were only to bring Bo and Hope (and John and Marlena) closer together in the end. Nothing warrants a great make up between true loves like a hot soap affair with true lust.

June 6, 2008
I'd like to take a minute to discuss my deep concern for GL's little miss Daisy. Her life has been its own mini-soap opera amid the drama that engulfs Springfield. Over a year ago she was riding around with "G" when he killed Tammy. She managed to survive and get out of trouble with Gus' help, but then her behavior went on a downward spiral. She tried to pull herself together, stop drinking and focus on school. Just as she got into her good girl groove, she fell for Rafe and hit rock bottom when she lost her virginity, got knocked up and had an abortion without the support or counsel of her family. What a year! Daisy seemed to be doing okay after the baby ordeal, but since Rafe and Harley fled the country, she's gone back into her pillow-hugging, depressed state. It took Reva to drag her out of the sheets this week, but it looks like Daisy plans to bounce back with "G." Daisy, honey, haven't you learned anything? These bad boys are bad news. "G" is a killer, and he's not exactly the type of guy you want to bring home to Mom and Dad. Not that that's an option for Daisy. Who knows where Dylan is, and Harley ran off with Rafe without saying goodbye. I hope Daisy doesn't really fall for this jerk again. She has enough issues to deal with, and she could benefit from taking some time to pull herself together. Wasn't she supposed to be working on Reva's movie to keep busy and out of trouble? Regardless of whether she reunites with "G" or decides to roll solo, the poor kid needs psychological help. Or perhaps she just needs her mother. Harley, come home and take care of your kids!

May 23, 2008
Holiday weekends are the best. I was supposed to be in Tampa, Florida, right now, but instead, I'm here in the office finishing up a few interviews with GUIDING LIGHT actors. I spoke with Bonnie Dennison, and she told me all about her adventures at Marco Island during the Southwest Florida SoapFest. I wish I could have been there! It sounds like they had so much fun. They had a party, golfing, a charity auction and a bartending event among other fun-filled activities. Bonnie roomed with fellow GL actress Caitlin Van Zandt, and she told me they got the chance to get some relaxation in during the partying chaos. "We went and got massages," she said. "It was wonderful. I’m usually very ticklish, but this woman was good. I only giggled a little bit." Dennison said she had a blast at the bartending event, then went with some other actors for a late night dip. "We took a night swim in the ocean," she adds. "I don’t know if it’s the safest thing to do, though, but the moon was so huge, and you could see all of the stars. It was beautiful." I'm sad I didn't get to go to Florida this weekend, but I'm happy I can live vicariously through the actors. Check out the June 17 issue of Weekly for pictures from SoapFest.

May 16, 2008
I know GL fans are not, so thrilled about the shows new format and location shoots, but I'm hoping the warm weather will give the Peapack scenes a boost in popularity. Sure, sunshine can't change shots that are way too close to the actors or cure other production glitches like poor sound quality. But Peapack is such a beautiful place, and I think seeing the actors outside in great scenery will help a little.

Since the weather has improved, I've been seeing a lot more scenes in Peapack, and I've actually enjoyed them. A few days ago there was an opening shot of Marina standing in the park on her cell phone. It was beautiful! The flowers, trees and grass made for great scenery. I think my mood improved just looking at it. I also noticed that there has been a little bit more background noise in some of the location scenes. Fans have mentioned they'd like more background noise (cars driving, wind blowing, etc.) because it makes the scenes seem more real. This week, Cassie, Blake and Harley had a picnic in the park, and the few, subtle, background noises I heard added a lot to the scene. It was peaceful and inviting, and the dialogue between the women was engaging. I laughed with them in a few places, and for a moment I felt like I was there.

As the summer months approach, I look forward to seeing a few new things GL could explore with their Peapack sets. The Bauer BBQ is just around the corner! Hopefully the kinks will continue to work themselves out, and fans can enjoy some great summer episodes.

May 9, 2008
Though I was against the idea of GL's Mallet and Marina getting together, after watching this week's episodes, I think they may have a little rooting power. Not that any match could compare to the supercouple that was Dinah and Mallet, but GL is so starved for love, I'm just happy to see a possible connection blooming between two actors who have good chemistry. I was all about Bill and Lizzie, but that fantastic duo got axed, so I have to set my sights elsewhere.

I love that Mallet and Marina have the best buddies angle. One minute they're playing around and challenging each other to random, silly football games, and the next minute their eyes lock and they're fighting a passionate desire to swap spit. I'd be on board to pull for their first hookup if Marina wasn't so whiny over Cyrus. Poor thing, she just can't get over how her Aunt Harley swooped down like an eagle and plucked Cyrus out of her life. Wake up, Marina. Cyrus is a cheater and a thief (one that I enjoy watching, because he oddly still comes off as an okay guy...I think it's the eyes and the accent). Marina needs to get over the sour Cyrus smoothie and move on to a sweet Mallet milkshake. Drink up!

May 1, 2008
Watching DAYS OF OUR LIVES has made me focus on one, small, silly but kinda creepy thing: Ava eyes. They totally spook me, but in a good way; in the way you feel when you go see a horror movie and want to be scared. Tamara Braun (Ava) is doing a fantastic job with her fatal attraction bit, and the eyes are setting it over the top. In fact, the character of Ava and Braun's ability to look so sinister have inspired me to do a Freaky Friday list of the top 5 freakiest things I've noticed lately on daytime.

5. Ava's eyes on DAYS. When she gets going about Patch, her eyes widen and pierce right through the screen.
4. Y&R's Adam. He may be kinda cute, but there's something not quite right about Victor Jr.'s chilly demeanor. I'd keep an eye on him (maybe one of Ava's).
3. The blossoming of Rick and Taylor's relationship on B&B. It's just wrong!
2. Olivia receiving Gus' heart on GL. It still freaks me out that the heart of the man she loved thumps on in her chest.
1. Passions' Vincent/Valerie combo. Boy meets girl. Boy becomes girl. Boy/girl gets impregnated by his/her father. Now that's as freaky as it gets.

April 18, 2008
One of my best friends is getting married next Saturday (Hi Tenielle!), and I'm a bridesmaid so marriage has been on my brain for the past few months. Apparently, marriage is also on the minds of characters on two of my favorite soaps. On today's Y&R, Cane shocked Lily with a proposal after she decided to keep the baby. Lily could barley breathe when he popped the question (I would have been speechless, too, dreamboat Daniel Goddard (Cane) proposed to me with a beautiful sapphire diamond ring...even if he was just acting), but she managed to pull herself together to say she needed time to think it over. She told Cane she didn't think he would have proposed if she weren't keeping the baby. That's a great point. Why didn't he propose to her before she made her decision? I guess he didn't want to be tied down for no reason. Though I'm not sure a legal union is the best thing for Cane and Lily, I love them as a couple, so the proposal scene was fun to watch. What was not fun for me, was stomaching that lackadaisical proposal Rick gave Taylor at the end of today's B&B. What was he thinking? I am not a fan of, "Tick" (I call them that because they annoy me) so this proposal was a joke to me. I can't wait to see how Taylor responds next week. From the look of her face before the scene faded to black, she looked pleasantly surprised. Sigh...oh well. Time will tell if either of these couples really tie the knot. Though I love Cane for Lily, I'd much rather see a wedding between Taylor and Rick. I'm always in favor of comic relief.

April 11, 2008
On Wednesday I had the pleasure of speaking with GL's Frank Dicopoulos (Frank) about his work with the Reach to Recovery cancer benefit for breast cancer survivors, research and support that took place on April 6. I remember speaking with him months ago when the event was in planning stages, and I remember being so touched by his enthusiasm for the the Young Women's Breast Cancer Foundation and his opportunity to make a difference. I was thrilled when I spoke with him on Wednesday and learned that he had helped raise three times as much money for the organization than they raised last year. What an accomplishment! Dicopoulos also produced a documentary on women who've lived with cancer that guests viewed during a special presentation at the benefit. He told me, "It's really moving to see how powerful this disease is and how many people are affected by it. It really shows the power of GL and daytime and how you can merge the two together to do good."

We chatted a little more about his loved one's who'd battled the disease (his grandmother and mother-in-law had breast cancer, and his mother died from liver/pancreatic cancer), and I got a better understanding of why he was so passionate about the cause. But what impressed me the most was his sincerity. Even if none of his family members had been affected by cancer, he would have still given his all Reach for Recovery because of his genuine desire to help others.

After the interview, I asked myself, "What acts of service have I done lately?" Sure, I've always served as a mentor for young girls, and from sometimes I make donations to causes like the American Cancer Society or Habitat for Humanity, but how awesome would it be to take up a cause and really run with it like Dicopoulos did? There are so many people in need that opportunities for service are unlimited. In fact, even though I am a Barack Obama supporter, I was impressed by a point that Sen. John McCain made on The View's April 10 show. Long story short, McCain commended American's for their spirit of service, not just in the armed forces, but everywhere. In classrooms, low income communities, etc. He basically said he'd like to tap into that service spirit, and get more American's involved in service-related programs to help enrich communities across the country. It wasn't rocket science, but it was an important point that I was glad to hear him mention. If more people got involved beyond writing checks (although donations are always great!), and worked for causes like Reach to Recovery, Oprah's Big Give, AmeriCorps, etc., we would see leaps and bounds of progress in our communities while gaining a better since of purpose for ourselves. I'm not sure what cause I'll take up, but I've been inspired by a soap actor to take my service a step further, and hopefully you will be too!