I'm not sure the exact date of this article, but it is pretty interesting...

From: http://www.unitedfeatures.com/ufsapp/viewFeature.do?id=61

Tune in Tomorrow by Nancy Reichardt

For many daytime television viewers, Nancy M. Reichardt's job is a dream come true. Reichardt writes Tune In Tomorrow, the definitive guide to the who, what, when and where of daytime soap operas. To get her information, she watches the soaps and interviews the stars. Tune In Tomorrow is syndicated three times weekly to nearly 200 newspapers in the United States and Canada by United Feature Syndicate. Continuing the successful format established by Jon-Michael Reed in 1976, Reichardt writes summaries, answers readers' questions and interviews popular stars and promising newcomers. Reichardt began her work with soap operas as Reed's assistant in 1976. She has been a writer and assistant editor for various soap opera publications such as Daily TV Serials, Afternoon TV, Daily TV Serials Newsletter and Soap Opera Now. "Keeping track of all the story lines can be a monumental task but I'm glad I get to write about a subject I genuinely enjoy," says Reichardt. According to A.C. Nielsen figures, of the 40 million people who watch one or more soap operas each week, 69 percent are women over 18, and 18 percent are men over 18. "Most people assume the typical soap opera viewer is a middle-aged housewife," Reichardt says. "That's not so. Businessmen and college students, sports figures and celebrities are soap viewers, too." Reichardt's afternoons are spent in front of two televisions. On weekends she enjoys relaxing around her home, in upstate New York.

Most Recent Column

Strasser on OLTL's new direction

Over the years, I have interviewed Robin Strasser so many times that we have come to feel like friends. I have followed her career from her days as Rachel on "Another World" through her current role as Dorian on "One Life to Live." When she went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras after Hurricane Katrina, I told her I felt bad because I had never visited that grand city. She chided me for this and urged me to come down for Jazz Fest that year, promising to treat me to beignets and coffee at the Cafe du Monde. Her commitment to making moments matter has always impressed me, especially in her acting style.

"One Life to Live" has recently undergone a shake-up. Head writer Dena Higley is gone, and co-head writer Ron Carlivati has taken the helm. This is a significant move because Carlivati, a member of the writing staff for more than a decade, knows the show well. He has put tried-and-true favorites in a fun quadrangle -- Dorian, Viki, Clint and David (Strasser, Erika Slezak, Jerry ver Dorn and Tuc Watkins). Seeing them strut their stuff has been magnificent to watch, and viewing Strasser's current work has been a sheer joy. I asked Strasser about her thoughts on the new direction of the program, and we'd like to share her e-mail with you:

"After all these years of promises of dynamic stories coming up and not having them come to fruition and/or be dropped, even when they ignite the audience's interest -- I have become a hopeful pragmatist ... or even (a) cynic some might say.

"I have great confidence and huge affection for Ron Carlivati, our new head writer ... I am looking forward to reading his scripts and going on a storytelling adventure with him at the helm. And in Frank Valentini, I am lucky to be working with the best executive producer I've ever worked for in 41 years of doing daytime television."

Do I want to stick out my neck and describe the hot story line on the way for Dorian?

"No, my dear friend, we'll both see how it actually gets written and shown on the screen ... I am old-fashioned ... I've never thought previewing future stories served actor, show or audience. But then again, I've been at this a long, long time."

The best news of all: "I still love and feel passionate about the work, 'One Life to Live' and Dorian. I mean really passionate and invested ... and when I feel that gear inside me go up too high, or my frequency start making dogs in Brooklyn howl ... I start to criticize myself and then I say a prayer, 'Thank you, dear Lord, for the energy and the fervency with which I face all my challenges ... I am grateful and shall always work hard to be worthy of the honor of being on this planet and entertaining or serving people in some small way.'"

Hmm ... "a hopeful pragmatist." I like that. After 41 years, what a concept!

(Send your questions about soap operas to Nancy M. Reichardt, "Tune in Tomorrow," in care of this newspaper. Questions cannot be answered personally, but those of general interest will be answered in future columns.)

Copyright 2007, United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

United Feature Syndicate

There is a lot of praise coming out for this man, I pray he don't screw it up!!!

Erm, if I'm not mistaken, but didn't Robin also praise Dena and Malone's second stint in the beginning?

I agree Josh, I hope he doesn't screw up. Also, I don't think people should go into his stint with high expectations, because you're almost always guaranteed a let down in such situations.

Great point Alvin!

>>Erm, if I'm not mistaken, but didn't Robin also praise Dena and Malone's second stint in the beginning?

Ayup. I've followed Robin's comments for years and it's always the same ---she loves the person, be it the EP or headwriter while they are still with the show ---- but once they leave, she disses them. She has a long history of doing that.

Here's hoping Ron can live up to Robin's expectations, cuz lord knows it's gonna be hard for him to live up to ours!