Former AMC Actress Nominated For An Oscar

Actress Melissa Leo has received her first Oscar nomination for the film Frozen River.
Back in the 80's, Melissa played Laura Warner, sister to Cliff Warner played by Emmy winner Peter Bergman. Peter now plays Jack Abbott on The Young and The Restless.
Good luck to Melissa on Oscar night.

Frozen River" is the story of Ray Eddy, an upstate New York trailer mom who is lured into the world of illegal immigrant smuggling when she meets a Mohawk girl who lives on a reservation that straddles the US-Canadian border. Broke after her husband takes off with the down payment for their new double-wide, Ray reluctantly teams up with Lila, a smuggler, and the two begin making runs across the frozen St. Lawrence River carrying illegal Chinese and Pakistani immigrants in the trunk of Ray's Dodge Spirit.

Watch The Trailer:



photo: wire image

Bonnie Hunt Show Sponsors Rock The Soap Cruise Contest

Are you the biggest soap opera fan? Do you want to spend 4 days hanging out with all your favorite
soap opera stars? Then tell us why we should pick you to be our guest on the ‘Rock the Soap’ cruise.

Winner of this contest will receive:
* Roundtrip airfare for two (within the 48 contiguous United States) to Los Angeles
* Ground transportation to and from the chosen Los Angeles airport to the cruise ship dock
* 3 nights accommodations onboard Carnival Paradise
* All meals & snacks
* Coffee, tea, iced tea & juices
* 24-hour room service & pizzeria
* Full use of ship facilities: three pools, whirlpools, fitness center, salon, spa, casino, library, duty-free shopping & all Carnival events

Private Event Pass which will include:
* Rock The Soap Welcome Cocktail Party with open bar
* Rock The Soap Party with DJ Aiden Turner
* Rock The Soap Talk Show with celebrity interviews, clips and stories
* Rock The Soap Meet and Greet Session with all your favorites
* Rock The Soap Fantasy Camp where fans act out scenes with celebs
* Rock The Soap Trivia Contest with special prizes
* Rock The Soap Concert with your favorite soap stars & Bob Guiney Band
* Rock The Soap Karaoke Contest and Duets with your favorite stars
* Rock The Soap Farewell Cocktail Party with open bar
* All events hosted by TV Personality Bob Guiney
* Full Access to all of Carnival's activities and facilities!
* Chances to enter other onboard drawings for exclusive Rock The Soap Events!
* An appearance on The Bonnie Hunt Show, immediately following the cruise, to share the experience with Bonnie and her viewers (which includes potential additional hotel stay and ground transportation)


WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO ENTER:
1. Your entry to this contest will be judged, based on the following criteria:
* The enthusiasm with which you’re able to relay your passion for soap operas
* The creativity and originality of your entry
* Your ability to share how ‘soaps’ have touched your life, with an added comedic or heartwarming touch
* How well we feel you’ll be able to relay your experiences aboard the cruise ship with Bonnie, in-studio

2. We will begin accepting submissions on January 28th at 8:00 AM Eastern Time, and we will continue accepting submissions through and until February 25th at 9:00 PM Pacific Time.

3. You must be 21 years or older and US Citizen who resides in the 48 contiguous United States.

4. Employees and their immediate family members of Time Warner, Soap Networks and Jet Blue Airlines, and all of their affiliated companies and entities are ineligible.

To enter the contest, click here: Rock The Soap Contest

Thorsten Kaye Fans Charity Auction

Charity starts at home...

Thorsten Kaye Fans website will be auctioning off a series of items autographed by Thorsten Kaye who stars as Casino Mogul Zach Slater on All My Children. All proceeds will be donated to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
For more information, visit: Thorsten Kaye Fans Website

To bid on the auction items:Auction Items

ABC offers The View and General Hospital Online

ABC Daytime is now offering same day episodes of The View and General Hospital online. ABC.com

Former General Hospital Star on 24

Viewers may remember Annie Wersching as Amelia Joffe on General Hospital as Sam McCall's tough but vulnerable television producer. Annie is now in a more challenging visable role as FBI agent and unexpected allie of Jack Bauer on 24.

24, starring Kiefer Sutherland, airs Monday nights on FOX.


FOX.COM/24
Source: buddy tv

Casting Corner

Guiding Light

JEFF BRANSON (ex-Jonathan, AMC) cast in the role of Shayne Lewis. Read the interview all about his new role: Jeff Branson Interview


DAVID ANDREW MACDONALD will return as Edmund beginning Thursday, January 22.

GRANT ALEKSANDER is back as Phillip Spaulding. The character hasn’t been seen since 2005 though Phillip has been a common conversation topic for those all over Springfield and fans can expect to see him reappear on Friday, February 6, 2009.

JONATHAN FRIED returns as Dr. Wenkel on Monday, January 12.

DANIELLE SLAVICK plays Ms. Jennings, Emma's school teacher, on Tuesday, January 13, and Friday, January 16.

CLAYTON APGAR plays Hudson, a crooked contractor who is roughed up by Grady on Friday, January 16.

KAHAN JAMES plays Dr. Nealy, Rafe's prison doctor, on Friday, January 16.

EVAN DICKSTEIN plays Derek, a classmate of Emma's, on Tuesday, January 13 and Friday, January 16

Ann Coulter On The View

What was the true purpose of Ann Coulter's most recent appearance on The View? In addition to selling books, was it to boost ratings? She is clearly not a fan of theirs and vice versa, so wh even have her on? Both sides had an agenda and the only ones who "lost" her were the viewers who had to sit through the interview.

Susan Lucci, Kathy Brier, Jason Tam To Perform At Broadway Cares

ABC-TV's annual fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will be held in March at Town Hall.Entitled "ABC & SOAPnet Salute Broadway Cares," the star studded concert is scheduled for March 9 at 8 PM. Cameron Mathison will host.

Actors from such ABC daytime shows as "All My Children," "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital" will offer musical numbers and skits. Confirmed talent currently includes Emmy Award winner Susan Lucci; Melissa Claire Egan, Bobbie Eakes, Ricky Paull Goldin, Vincent Irizarry, Chrishell Stause, Aiden Turner, Darnell Williams, Walt Willey and Jacob Young from "All My Children"; Kristen Alderson, BethAnn Bonner, Kathy Brier, Scott Clifton, Kassie DePaiva, Mark Lawson, Hillary B. Smith, Jason Tam and Brittany Underwood from "One Life to Live"; and Bradford Anderson, Anthony Geary and Kimberly McCullough from "General Hospital."

Brian Frons, president, Daytime, Disney-ABC Television Group, said in a recent statement, "The annual ABC Daytime Salutes Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids benefit was created as a way for us to give back to the community and support a great organization. This event also provides a unique outlet to extend our brand while providing our loyal viewers the opportunity to see their favorite stars perform live on Broadway."

To date the ABC fundraisers have raised a total of one million dollars for the charitable organization.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the nation's largest industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organization. Since its founding in 1988 the organization has distributed over $150 million for services for people with AIDS, HIV or HIV-related illnesses.

Tickets, sponsorship opportunities and online contests are available by visiting www.broadwaycares.org.

Town Hall is located in Manhattan at 123 West 43rd Street.


[SOURCE]

NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMINEES

Bryton McClure
Debbie Morgan

The 40th NAACP Image Awards nominees were announced today during a press conference at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. Corbin Bleu, Audra McDonald, Keke Palmer, Nate Parker and Regina Taylor joined NAACP Image Awards Committee Chair, Clayola Brown, and Vicangelo Bulluck, Executive Producer of the telecast, to announce the categories and nominees. The 40th NAACP Image Awards will air live on Thursday, February 12 (8:00 – 10:00 PM ET/PT Tape-delayed) on FOX. [SOURCE]

Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series

Bryton McClure – "The Young And The Restless" (CBS)
Cornelius Smith, Jr. – "All My Children" (ABC)
Dan Martin – "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
Montell Williams – "The Guiding Light" (CBS)
Texas Battle – "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS)
Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series

Christel Khalil – "The Young And The Restless" (CBS)
Debbi Morgan – "All My Children" (ABC)
Eva Marcille – "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
Nia Peeples – "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)
Tonya Lee Williams – "The Young and the Restless" (CBS)

Young & The Restless Actress Engaged

Young and the Restless Star Eva Marcille Has announced her engagement to to her beau since 2007, actor Lance Gross of Tyler Perry's House of Payne. The couple were engaged at Big Bear Lake, CA over the Christmas.

Eva was also the inagural a winner of America's Next Top Model. America’s Next Top Model winner Eva Marcille (formerly Eva Pigford) said yes when Tyler Perry’s House of Payne star Lance Gross popped the question Christmas Eve.

The couple, who met at an audition two years ago, were surrounded by family and friends when Gross went down on his knee, they told Essence.

“I cried,” the bride-to-be said. “It was totally unexpected. I’m still in shock. I could not even sleep because I was afraid that I might wake up from the most beautiful dream ever.”

The handsome pair are considering a summer 2010 wedding.

General Hospital Fan Club 2009 Announced

General Hospital Fan Club Weekend July 16-July 20, 2009

The GHFCW 2009 will take place beginning July 16th, opening with the GHFC Kick Off Event from 7:00pm - 10:00pm and the Main Event on Saturday July 18th from 9:00am -4:00pm (estimated). Full details of these two events and others will be posted on the Official GH Fan Club website in the next couple of weeks. Party tickets will not be on sale for these events until after the first of the year. The weekend will begin with the Kick Off Party on Thursday night and end with Steve Burton's event on Monday evening.

There is a change in venue: The weekend's activities will take place at:

Airtel Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, 7277 Valjean Avenue Van Nuys, CA 91406 Phone: (818) 997-7676, Airtel Plaza

Rooms go on sale Wednesday December 17, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. PT

For more information visit: ghfanclub.com

Young & The Restless Celebrates 20 Years at Number 1

The cast of "The Young and the Restless" Actor Greg Rikaart, Writer and producer Maria Arena Bell, actors; Billy Miller, Vail Bloom, Eileen Davidson, Kate Linder, Peter Bergman, Jeanne Cooper, producer Paul Rauch, Michelle Stafford, Kristoff St. John, Adrienne Frantz, Tonya Lee Williams and Daniel Goddard attend the cake cutting ceremony celebrating "The Young and the Restless" staying the number one rated daytime drama series for twenty years straight at CBS Studios on December 11, 2008 in Los Angeles, California

photo credit:wire image, buckner

Michelle Stafford Brings Christmas To Hollywood

Michelle Stafford photo credit: A. Rodriguez
Young and the Restless star Michelle Stafford participated in the 76th annual Hollywood Santas Parade this past weekend. The parade featured marching bands from across the country, equestrian units, floats, and of course, Santa Claus.

Susan Lucci Charity Auction: Lunch and AMC Set Visit

Susan Lucci Photo: ABC
Description
Includes: a day on the set of All My Children in NYC and lunch with Susan Lucci. Valid for 2 people, for one year, based on availability.

Susan Lucci is certainly worthy of her well-known title as "Queen of Soap Operas". She has been nominated for countless Emmy Awards and is the recipient of an Emmy as well for her performance of Erica Kane on All My Children. Now, this famed actress is offering a once in a life time opportunity for the Rosie For All Kids Foundation Auction. Enjoy a day on the set of All My Children with this daytime Television Queen, Susan Lucci. In addition to a set visit, you will get the opportunity to have lunch with Susan Lucci as well! This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and any Soap Opera fan would kill for this experience.

Donated by: Susan Lucci

Terms: Includes: a day on the set of All My Children in NYC and lunch with Susan Lucci. Valid for 2 people, for one year, based on availability

Sales tax will apply to residents of the State of Connecticut.

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Soap Cruise With Your Favorite Daytime Stars

Celebrity Attendees From the 2007 cruise
Soap Cruise, a Caribbean cruise featuring meet and greets, autograph sessions, trivia, cocktail parties and more.

Thursday, January 22 2009 through Monday, January 26 2009.

Aboard Celebrity Cruises Century ship departing from Miami, FL, bound for Key West and Cozumel, Mexico.

For more information, visit: www.soapcruise.com or call (248) 855-7918.

Hosted by Cameron Mathison (All My Children)

Also sheduled to appear:

Austin Peck (Brad Snyder;ex-Austin Reed of Days of Our Lives) As The World Turns

Greg Vaughan )Lucky Spencer) General Hospital

Kamar de los Reyes (Antonio Vega) One Life to Live

Please note that Alicia Minshew (Kendall Slater will no longer be attending this cruise)

Don Diamont(Brad Carlton)The Young and The Restless

Winsor Harmon (Thorne Forrester) The Bold and The Beautiful

Lesli Kay (Felicia Forrester) The Bold & The Beautiful

Ricky Paull Goldin (Jake Martin; ex- Gus Aitoro, The Guiding Light) All My Children

Christian LeBlanc (Michael Baldwin) The Young and The Restless

Jacob Young (J.R. Chandler) All My Children

Bradford Anderson (Damian Spinelli) General Hosptial

Jay Johnson (Philip Kiriakis)Days of Our Lives

Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe Lane) Days of Our Lives

Murray Bartlett Cyrus Foley) Guiding Light

Brandon Beemer (Owen Knight) The Bold & The Beautiful
(ex-Shawn Brady of Days of Our Lives)

The soap stars provided on the list have all agreed to participate in the Soap Cruise.
However, a celebrity's involvement is subject to change due to professional obligations out of our control.

All My Children Gets Some Passion

Mckenzie Westmore will join the cast of All My Children in the role of Dr. Sheridan, a psychiatrist who will treat Annie Lavery when she is committed to Oak Haven.

Westmore, who lives in Los Angeles, is thrilled to be working in New York at All My Children which she calls a working vacation. "I hadn't thought out it [working on an East Coast soap], but since we were going to be back here for the holidays, I thought...why not?", Westmore tells Soap Opera Digest. Her being cast for the role was a whirlwind experience. " I found out on a Friday that I got the job, got on the plane on Sunday and was at the set on Monday."

Westmore is no stranger to daytime viewers. She played Sheridan on Passions who was one-half of the shows popular super couple, Luis and Sheridan.

Look for Dr. Sheridan to have a love life as well as the doctor is rumored to cross romantic paths with both Ryan Lavery (Cameron Mathison) and Aidan Devane (Aiden Turner). Her first appearance will be sometime in December.

All My Children airs weekdays on ABC; weeknights and in weekend marathons on SOAPNet.

Days Of Our Lives Renewal and Shake Ups

The drama at Days of Our Loves seems to be happening behind the scenes as the struggling soap gets renewed by NBC for 18 months, a length that is considerably shorter than the previous 5 year renewals that NBC has given to the soap that created super couples Bo & Hope, Doug & Julie and popular vixen, Sammi Brady.

It has been reported that a condition of the deal is that the show strip their budget considerably with almost means shake ups in the cast. The first casualties of the new budget are the soaps resident veterans and super couple paring of John and Marlena. The actors who play them, Drake Hogestrn and Deidre Hall have been let go.

In commenting on the shocking but necessary firing of Hall and Hogestryn, executive producer Ken Corday tells Soap Opera Digest magazine, "It was a very tough decision to make. They have been wonderful for a long time. It's not about their work. They're obviously brilliant and have a very large fan base. But there is never an end when a couple leaves happily ever after. They're not dead. Characters have left and come back [before]".

Except other changes to the shows canvas which will be pared down a great deal as well as the shows production staff.

Days Of Our Lives, renewed through September 2010, airs weekdays on NBC.

Super Soap Weekend 2008 Highlights: Interviews

Visit Nancy and Chris at Mix 100.07 for hightlights and interviews from some of the stars at Super Soap Weekend.

Interviews with Thorsten Kaye(Zach, AMC), Eden Reigel(Bianca, AMC), Greg Vaughn(Lucky, AMC), Erika Slezak(Vickie, OLTL), Kelly Monaco(Sam, GH) and many more.

Website:tampabaysmix.com

Super Soap Weekend Interviews

Super Soap Weekend 2008 Highlights

Super Soap Weekend: Thorsten Kaye and Alicia Minshew