Just watched a report on MSNBC about the Petraeus sex scandal and a talking head commented that story was soapier than anything airing in daytime now. Which got me wondering - how often has daytime done stories "ripped from the headlines," Law & Order style? I know the news coverage around bullying inspired the Shane story on OLTL, and LML's plot on Y&R about Nikki running for senate was so obviously inspired by Hillary Clinton, right down to the haircut. But can you think of others? And would you have liked to have seen daytime tackle any particular real-life scandals/stories?

I seem to recall someone (Dena Higley?) making a connection between Terri Schiavo and then-comatose Nora on ONE LIFE TO LIVE.

But can you think of others? And would you have liked to have seen daytime tackle any particular real-life scandals/stories?

AMC sent Erica Kane to jail, which was inspired by Martha Stewart's insider trading scandal conviction.

GH had Krustina be the victim of domestic abuse, a la Rihanna and Ike Brown

If you asked me the latter question 15 years ago, I'd be gung-ho about daytime tackling real-life scandals and stories. After all, that was the era when soaps truly shined when it came to depicting social issues without letting characters off the hook or demonizing them.

However, the 2000s have been rife with so much bullcaca that I don't want a single soap HW to go anywhere near a real-life story or scandal. Even the storylines with the best of intentions have eventually gone haywire in order to uphold the status quo and I'd rather than they steer clear.

OLTL also borrowed the Jim McGreevey scandal.

And Tom Cruise's sofa gymnastics on Oprah.

Given that this scandal has so far offered very bad stereotypes of women (especially with this new "Broadwell was jealous of her romantic rival" angle), this story would be right up the alley of today's soap writers.

Dolly the sheep = Dolly the clone?

Dolly the sheep = Dolly the clone?

Ha, of course. How could I forget?

Yeah, I can't imagine any writer today doing justice to a "ripped from the headlines" story. Too often these tales would simply be plot-driven messes (with characters shoehorned into stories), which is why I'm glad soaps are avoiding them to a certain extent.