Susan Lucci is a good comedic actress. She played a version of Erica in All My Luggage, but she wasn't playing the way she does on AMC. She's never played the dramatic scenes as comedy, even if it at times seems that way.

There's a good argument to be made that the public wants to see a celebrity as their character, not as themselves. I think that's one of the reasons why the film industry has gone downhill over the years, because the myth fades. I don't know how many want to hear stars go on interviews and talk about their bad sex life or the time they crapped their pants.

Edited July 31, 200916 yr by CarlD2

So now Nelson has picked up this story. And that ABC wants to push Lucci to recurring. A move to Los Angeles and Lucci to recurring. This show wouldn't survive.

http://tvguide.sympatico.msn.ca/Soaps/Suds/Articles/090731_suds_report_NB.htm

Edited July 31, 200916 yr by Jonathan

Livia's thinking, "Girl, you know these Episcopalians weren't ready for that..." As a person of African-American ancestry, let me just say that it isn't a funeral until somebody carries on and throws themself on the casket. I find nothing unusual, Emmy baity, or particularly funny about this clip. Erica, you got nothin' on my aunt Barbara, try crawling into the grave and we'll talk.

OMG! YES!!!!!! I was just about to say the same thing -- both about Livia AND about funerals among black folk. This was NOTHING compared to the things I've seen and the stories I've heard. I was in high school when this aired so I was definitely old enough to know better by then. My mom and I were watching this together and we both looked at each other like "Doesn't come close to Cousin Priscilla."

I love that clip!!! So very Erica!

Dmitri! Brooke! Livia! Tom! Young Bianca! Back when AMC had awesome characters.

OMG! YES!!!!!! I was just about to say the same thing -- both about Livia AND about funerals among black folk. This was NOTHING compared to the things I've seen and the stories I've heard. I was in high school when this aired so I was definitely old enough to know better by then. My mom and I were watching this together and we both looked at each other like "Doesn't come close to Cousin Priscilla."

LMAO! I'll co-sign on this as well. I can't even tell you half of the things I've been in the presence of, and if it's someone I'm really close to, I can get pretty bad too. All I can say is be glad there wasn't a final viewing of the departed at Mona's funeral.

Livia's thinking, "Girl, you know these Episcopalians weren't ready for that..." As a person of African-American ancestry, let me just say that it isn't a funeral until somebody carries on and throws themself on the casket. I find nothing unusual, Emmy baity, or particularly funny about this clip. Erica, you got nothin' on my aunt Barbara, try crawling into the grave and we'll talk.

Say it again! Look how long they all stood around and stared at Erica while she carried on. "What should we do? I don't know..."

I've been to black funerals where the men start doing stretches in the parking lot so they don't pull a muscle when they have to carry somebody out of there.

That clip always makes me sad though. I miss those characters and actors. Brooke, Ruth, Dimitri, Mark, Tom, *sob* Myrtle.

LMAO! I'll co-sign on this as well. I can't even tell you half of the things I've been in the presence of, and if it's someone I'm really close to, I can get pretty bad too. All I can say is be glad there wasn't a final viewing of the departed at Mona's funeral.

OMG! LMAO! And when it's open casket and they start to sloooooowly close the lid as the choir sings Sweet Hour of Prayer? I sing in my church choir which means I sing at funerals even if I don't know the person -- but when they start to slowly close that casket and everyone starts to wail, even I'm like "Noooooo! Don't do it! Noooooooo!"

Well, not exactly!

But the feeling is palpable!

This article is dead on

GH is and will always be the crown jewel of ABC and of daytime

This show saved a lot of soaps

As for AMC and OLTL, their is no contest IMO. AMC is clearly better known than OLTL. In my cicle of family and friends, everybody knows AMC and GH but they either never watched or heard of OLTL.

AMC created lots of memorable characters much more than OLTL. (Erica, Tad, Liza, Gred, Jenny, Pheobe, Myrtle, Opal, Palmer, etc)