The Nelson Report

[Soapsuds]

http://tvguide.sympatico.msn.ca/Soaps/Suds...808_news_nelson

NEWSY QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"I could've quit in January and put in notice and would've been done this June, but it was to soon for me to make that decision because I was hopeful. If I had January back again, I don't know if I could be as hopeful because now I'm sweating my balls off in Peapack, [N.J.]!"

—GL's Kim Zimmer (Reva) in her most candid interview yet to Soap Opera Digest's Danielle McClure. What are you waiting for? Run out and buy this must-read issue for more GL scandal and gossip.

NEWSSTAND ALERT:

Carolyn Hinsey out as Weekly's editor

Is this why Thorsten Kaye (Zach, AMC) is stalking me all of a sudden? Insiders confirm that one of TVGuide.ca's 21 most powerful daytime players, Carolyn Hinsey, is leaving her post as editor at Soap Opera Weekly. "It's a mutual decision," confirms a staffer, who adds budget cuts were also to blame. "Carolyn's not upset. She has other irons in the fire," explains an insider at Interlink Media. At press time, a replacement wasn't announced. Also, it's unclear whether or not Hinsey will continue penning her Digest column, "It's Only My Opinion."

All My Children, A/ABC — Attention GL Fans: Gus 2.0 and Harley 2.0 begin anew

•Unhappy with GL? Ask dumb questions, much? Well, here's a reprieve from Springfield-itis: "Emmy winners" Ricky Paull Golden (ex-Gus, GL) and Beth Ehlers (ex-Harley, GL) exchange their first words as Jake and Taylor. The best part? Taylor and Jake aren't "sweating their balls off in Peapack, [N.J.], "but in Long Island, N.Y.!" "I've never felt more alive," reports Goldin to Digest this week on reuniting with his best pal Ehlers. The Suds Report was given an exclusive preview of their first exchange. Enjoy!

Jake: "You look familiar! Beth, right?"

Taylor: "No, it's Irna McBride. Methinks we hooked up [wink] in a P&G aisle in New Jersey once at a really cheap supermarket?"

Jake: "Negative. I don't buy that crap; I'm more of a Yves Rocher man myself. Oh, I know… we won faux Emmys one year, right?"

Taylor: "Lies, I say! Hey, who writes this [crap] for us? Is this the big summer storyline Fronzie promised us? Isn't this why we left GL?"

Director: "CUT!"

•Alicia Minshew (Kendall) is currently negotiating her contract with AMC. Wouldn't it be cool if GL stole Minshew as a Marah Shayne recast to get back at ABC? Minshew isn't stupid, so don't expect another ABC-CBS soap-hop to sell a few more magazines. She tells Weekly, "I'm in the process of figuring things out and trying to make things work."

As The World Turns, Global/CBS — Spoiler Alerts: Ali and Aaron are heading to the altar! Mike bangs Lily!

•Can ATWT continue its renaissance? You decide after reading this exclusive preview: After becoming engaged to Aaron, Alison and Chris flirt with hooking up before the contrived and desperate wedding approaches. Meanwhile, Luke isn't too thrilled with Lucinda's new boy toy, Brian/Greg (played by ABC-er Laurence Lau) after he utters something homophobic to Oakdale's crotch-less gay wonder.

•Looks like Rick Decker is behind the poisoned second-hand gifting in Oakdale, not James nor Dusty. Memo to Rick: couldn't you have done us all a favour and killed off Ali at least? Geez… there's only one thing worse than a successful murderer, and that's a dumb psychopath. And that means we get to say good riddance to Jeff Martin once again, but "the door is open for his return," report insiders. Hey, stop with the threats, ATWT!

•This week, Noelle Beck (nuLily) gets the ride of her life thanks to exiting Mike Kasnoff (played by the oh-so-sexy and talented Jon Prescott), who plows her with some much-needed love and attention. Oh, and that sound you hear? Martha Byrne (the real Lily) screaming, "I want some of that, 'yo! Damn you, Goutman!" I also hear Lily lights a cigarette at the end of the episode. Or so the imaginary P&G publicists fibbed to me.

•Another legacy character has been recast without any immediate family nearby so we viewers could give a damn. Oh well, she'll be fired in six months. Deirdre Skiles has been cast as Dani Andropolous, the daughter of super-couple Steve and Betsy. Dani returns to Oakdale with really bad collagen-induced lips (just like her "mom," Meg Ryan) as a forensics expert who crosses paths with Margo on Aug. 15. I hear she may be paired romantically with Chris Hughes. Let's pray to the Goddard that's true.

•Poor Holden! Promising soap newcomer Michael E. Rodgers (Neal) is back on Aug. 13 and 14 to woo that "slut" Carly again. Also, Zach Conroy joins The Liberty Ciccone Show as Leo, an intern hired by Katie and Brad to smack some sense into their incestuous ward. Incestuous first cousins can have sex, but not two adult gay men! Discuss.

The Bold and the Beautiful, CTV/CBS — Did Eileen Davidson kill off "LML?"

•Eileen Davidson (Ashley) doesn't waste any time. Since she's been off the stove on B&B, Davidson has been moonlighting as an author. Death in Daytime hits bookstores on Oct. 7, reports Soap Opera Weekly. In the whodunit, The Yearning Tide's biggest diva, Alexis Peterson is accused of killing her head writer. She tells Weekly, "it's only very loosely based on real people and events. The stuff that goes on behind the scenes at a soap… people wouldn't believe." Oh, yeah, we bloomin' would, Eileen!

The former Y&R superstar also sheds light on why she's no longer in B&B's opening credits. "I've been put on recurring basis," she informs Weekly. Did you hear that Y&R? Victor needs some comforting right about now, and Nikki's been fired from that job.

•Ronn Moss (Ridge) is engaged to former Playboy stunner Devin Devasquez. The couple plan on tying the knot sometime in 2009. Congrats! And here's some unsolicited engagement advice: Do not let Bradley Bell write your wedding vows!

•It's not a black-and-white case, yet: Dan Martin (Lt. Baker) and Mykel Shannon Jenkins (Det. Charlie Baker) return to investigate a matter on Aug. 21, 22 and 25. Hmmm… wouldn't it be cool if Charlie turned out to be Marcus' baby daddy? Also, did you hear that Jennifer Gareis (Donna) and GL's Michelle Ray Smith (ex-Ava) have formed a new club?

Days of our Lives, Global/NBC — Ken Corday versus Ed Scott! Ex-AMC hunk signs on as Salem mayor!

•The Biggest "Winner's" Alison Sweeney (Sami) will co-host Jerry Lewis' 43rd Labor Day Telethon to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. NBC Entertainment co-chairman Ben Silverman rocks, 'yo! This week, Sami kisses EJ before a purple gas almost kills them. I'm not even touching that one; it's way too easy.

•Higley-gate update: Executive producer Ken Corday is "fighting to keep Dena [Higley] as head writer" of the embattled soap, report backstage sources, "but Sony is all about Ed Scott bringing in either one of two former Y&R colleagues of his [Jack Smith or Josh Griffith, who want to get back to writing]." So in other words: it's war between Scott and Corday. Go get him, Ed! That silver spoon has had its day and needs to be retired like John McCain. Also, an industry insider reveals NBC and Sony will have to intervene soon because "Days' [sliding] ratings are scaring several higher-ups." Come on, people — why is getting this show back on track so damn hard? Regardless of Higley's new WGA case, I think the suspected scabber is due for a timeout. Bring in Smith or Griffith, and LET THEM WRITE THE SHOW! Thank Goddard these executives are not in charge of something important like curing cancer or world peace because we'd all be dead. I could fix this soap in my sleep… and I'd do it for free.

•The Olympics will not pre-empt all of Salem's action. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing, but NBC announced that various film-noir short "films" will be shown during the Olympics to keep Days fans tuned into the on-screen drama instead of the off-screen shenanigans. Expect most of the Days canvas to star in these vignettes, which were created as a counterprogramming strategy to keep viewers from jumping to other networks. The only question I have is: Who wrote these special episodes?

•Salem's rolling out the welcome Matt for Matthew Borlenghi (ex-Brian, AMC). Days PR beauty Daniela Mancinelli confirms Borlenghi debuts as the mayor of Salem on Sept. 18. Kelly Ripa's former on-screen boy toy will interact with Abe and Chris/Roman.

•This week, John finds Marlena paralyzed or something before Stefano does us all a favour by throwing away the disc containing John's memories! Hurray! FYI: I wrote that eppy. Thank me later.

•According to Michael Fairman's On Air On Soaps online website, venerable costume designer Richard Bloore has left the building after well, forever. Former Sunset Beach stylists Chic Gennarelli and Jayne Marie Kehoe replaced Bloore. But sources hint that Bloore could join the Days writing team one day.

General Hospital, CTV/ABC — Is Ingo leaving to roast his Peanut full time?

•Please let this be true: Is Ingo Rademacher (Jax) leaving GH again as its most overrated and spoiled stars? Sorry, but I never got this actor's appeal. Ingo's no Anthony Geary (Luke), you know? Meanwhile, Soap Opera Digest suggests Jax's brother, Jerry may have a son out there. And as usual, GH will kill him off in a year's time in a lame mob-related whodunit. Can't wait.

•This just in: did you know that ABC's sexiest stud Graham Shiels (Cody) is a Canuck? And he's from the T-dot to boot, eh! Now, I really want to pour maple syrup and beer all over that delicious head of his. Yum.

General Hospital: Night Shift, SOAPnet — Billy Dee Williams versus Sonya Eddy?

•So why is Billy Dee Williams (I refuse to remember his character's name until NS airs in Canada) causing havoc on the Night Shift set? Apparently, the new Private Practice addition "hates the Epiphany love story, which is why he's been walking off set a lot," offers a soap snitch. "He thinks he's too good for the soap world." Well, who isn't?

Guiding Light, Global/CBS — Guess who: "If you're honest, you're killed off!"

•In Soap Opera Weekly, Carolyn Hinsey speaks to two anonymous actors with two distinct views on the current state of GL. Only in the P&G world are actors reportedly punished for being honest and having a point of view! When I called up one of GL's actors to find out if they were one of the two people who spoke with Weekly, one of my pals would only say, "It's no secret that Ellen [Wheeler, executive producer] is a Mormon, and even though she likes to preach, 'love will save the world,' there's really no love here. Actors are talking off the record and anonymously because if you're honest, you're killed off!" Yikes.

Here's an excerpt from the fascinating interview in Carolyn's Corner:

"The people at ATWT are the only other people that understand how the people at GL feel: demoralized. You're treated with no respect. Getting changed in the backseat of a car without the windows tinted on a busy street while trying to run lines with the actor in the car with you because you don't have any other time to rehearse. Holding your own lights. And they want a good product from this? That's how they keep people in line — they instill fear."

Makes you wonder if the P&G publicity department is paid a commission each time ATWT and GL receive bad press, huh?

•Noooo! Is Tom Pelphrey making another mini-GL return? Say it ain't so, Soap Opera Digest! The magazine hints GL may be courting the Emmy winner. Me? I want him on Y&R, like yesterday. Hey, Tom: it's time to make some real cash!

Imaginary Bitches, YouTube.com — Bitchin' season finale preview!

•Look for Catherine and Heather to have a little competition for Eden's psyche on this Friday's IB! "This episode is the first of our two-part season finale," says creator Andrew Miller. "We're introducing a new imaginary bitch and she will have designs on Eden that are very different than the other girls." Hmmm, could these designs be Sapphic in nature? Miller will only tease us by reporting that the second half of the season ender, airing Aug. 15 on You Tube, will bring back several of the breakout webcom's guest stars and have more kinky twists, turns and plot twists than an executive team meeting at Corday Productions! OK, he didn't say that, but wouldn't it be hilarious if he did? Stay tuned BAM fans!

—Reporting by daytimeconfidential.com's Jamey Giddens

One Life to Live, A-/ABC — Cruz Castillo update!

•According to Soap Opera Weekly, Emmy winner A Martinez will play Ray Montez, Langston's uncle, who will be involved with Clint and Dorian in the fight for ZE/HE/NE's ownership. Marcy Walker's better half will first air on Aug. 28. With a straight face, Martinez tells Digest this week: "I have a lot of faith in OLTL's storytelling." Well, I'm glad someone does these days, because I don't. Obviously Martinez didn't catch the Menwhorra plot. The ALMA winner also said, "I've been watching Bob Woods [bo], like the rest of the country, my whole life!" The rest of the country? Martinez needs to reacquaint himself with the Nielsen Ratings — um, things have changed a lot, brother, since you left GH and SB!

•Whew! That sexy rascal David Fumero finally re-signed with OLTL as Cristian "Gladiator" Vega. So what was holding the contract negotiations up? OLTL wanted him shirtless everyday, but Fumero would only agree to expose his gorgeous chest every other day! Thankfully, Robin Strasser (Dorian) intervened just in the nick of time forcing both parties to compromise. Yep, I'm here all week, folks.

The Young and the Restless, Global/CBS — Billy Miller cast as Billy Abbott; Peeples leaving again?

•Re-inventing the Abbotts? Hmmm… that's hard to do without Eileen Davidson (Ashley, B&B) and Jerry Douglas (Alistair; ex-John), but with Billy Miller being recast as Billy Abbott, perhaps Y&R can pull it off. Wonder how Cane Ashby will deal with his bratty half-sibling? And memo to Y&R: Please recast Mac with Imaginary soap star Eden Riegel (ex-Bianca, AMC), STAT!

•This just in: I'm unapologetically falling head-over-heels in love with Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe Branco) and I don't care what that says about me!

•People who don't need peeples! Is Nia Peeples leaving Y&R again as whoever-she-is? I hope so after reading about the possibility in a gossip item in Digest Much Weekly. And speaking of the Winter brood, what in freakin' hell is taking so long to get on bended knee and plead one of daytime's biggest stars, Victoria Rowell (ex-Dru) to help out with the ratings situation? Surely, the cast would welcome her back with open arms, non? What's good for the show… and all that. It's business people, not high school! Geez… do I have to think of everything? If Y&R doesn't get their act together soon, I'm starting a Victoria Rowell MIA watch/clock.

•So what can we expect next week on the best soap on the dial? Tyra banks on a big secret to get closer to Neil. It's revealed that Yolanda is Ana's mother, which makes the aspiring ingénue Devon's half-sister.

[Ryan]

Nelson

Thanks Soapsuds!

[Cat]

Eileen Davidson on recurring? So. Much. WRONG.

*brain explodes*

[Southofnowhere]

I thought Mac was a Blonde? If not i would pay to see Eden as Mac!

Is Chole's last name really Branco or did Nelson make a funny?

[dm.]

Stupid. Just stupid. Eileen, please come home.

[a2sassy]

No Mac isn't a blonde and no Chloe's last name itsn't Branco, it's Mitchell.

[DeeeDee]

Who wastes Eileen Freaking Davidson?!

[Southofnowhere]

Thanks 4 your expert info.

[detroitpiston]

Booby's an idiot. Come home to Y&R Eileen!

[detroitpiston]

Please do not sign a new contract Alicia. Kendull sucks and needs a rest.

Someone needs a big jug of STFU.

[MarkH]

No, it is okay.

There would have been a hue and cry if she were upset.

Remember, soap contracts are restrictive. You can't talk to other shows. You can't do other shows, etc. etc. (You can, but it is a sh*tload of work).

This is OBVIOUSLY about keeping her free to go to Y&R at any moment.

It means I have to revise my estimate, though. I had said that I thought she would go to Y&R permanently 13 weeks before her 2-year anniversary on B&B. That would have put her taping on Y&R in November 2008, and airing December (in time for Christmas).

With Victor widowed, I think we'll see Eileen back soon.

The only question is how p*ssed off she is about all this....not SO much respect from the Bells these days. She didn't even make the front credits (but Patrick Duffy DID?????????????)

I am feeling vaguely relieved that DOOL doesn't have the wherewithal (I don't think) to hire her right now.

[Southofnowhere]

Shocked that Alicia dosen't want to take a crack at Primetime but if she's content with being a big fish in a small pond more power to her!

[marceline]

Wasted. Money.

[evermore]

Amen! Please let David Fumero re-signing be not true!