ATWT : Barbara spoiler from TV Guide

[dragonflies]

Here ya go

Bad News in Oakdale

Last spring, As the World Turns star Colleen Zenk Pinter as diagnosed with oral cancer. Now her character, the conniving Barbara Ryan, is about to meet the same fate. "I set up a meeting to pitch the idea to our executive producer, Chris Goutman, even though I wasn't sure I was emotionally ready to do such a story," says Pinter, 54. "We sat down and, before I could say anything, Chris pitched the same idea to me."

The actress, who underwent three surgeries and internal radiation treatment, is now cancer-free and eager to spread the word about the increasingly common, potentially deadly disease. "Like cervical cancer, oral cancer has now been linked to the HPV virus," says Pinter, noting that the Web site oralcancerfoundation.org was her lifesaver---literally. First doctors missed her cancer, then recommended the wrong surgery, prompting her to take charge, do her own research and get herself the proper care.

The bad news will hit Barbara on January 2, the same day she's banned from the baptism of her grandchild. "She's all alone and desperate when she gets the diagnosis, " Pinter says. "She ends up at the church after the christening, praying for help. Let me tell ya, that was a tough scene to get through."

How will this story play out? "Hard to tell because of the writer's strike," she says. "But I told Chris, 'This cancer can be a real killer, so don't let Barbara ignore it too long. I need my job!'"

[stenbeck212]

Hopefully, but 2009 is so far away...

[LoyaltoAMC]

I'm glad that CZP will getting more airtime, but I highly doubt she'll be the focus of the story. She'll probably get some meaty scenes out of it and I wouldn't be shocked to see an appearance or two from Anthony Herrera (James), but it will probably just be a plot device to further the Will/Gwen story along. TPTB give the vets story only when they can somehow impact the larger stories they want to tell. Barbara will probably just wind up being a supporting player in her own storyline. Anyone remember how the Lucinda cancer story was supposed to be about Lucinda but instead turned out to be an infrequently played plot device for Holden and Lily?

[ian]

Well she'll obviously be able to play this almost effortlessly because she went through the same thing in real life, not to say that she will not be emotionally taxed going through it and everything but having already witnessed the shock of a diagnosis, etc. etc. she can play that out... so she can be her own research aide.