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DAYS’s Marlena

Characters See Who’s #1 Inside!

GH Finn And Liz Confess! AUGUST 2, 2021

DAYS’s Arianne Zucker and Shawn Christian

Engagement Story

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SOAP OPERA DIGEST

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ws 4 Late-Breaking Ne 11 Early Editions! ings 12 Comings And Go w 14 Hot Plots Previe s 16 1st Look Photo 20 Extra! Extra! 22 Record This 58 Synopses

features 18

Behind The Scenes Stars’ snaps of life on set.

This Week In Soap History Memorable moments from daytime’s past.

Best Of The Best You Voted! The most iconic soap characters of all time.

Highly Recommended Six stars share their top picks for podcasts, sitcoms, memoirs and more.

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reader favorites Digest’s Hottest Shots 24 Editors’ Choice/ Performer Of The Week 28 It’s Only My Opinion 36 Roundup 17

What was your last impulse buy? 40

Scene & Heard

interview 30

back in history to when I was a child and doing a favor for the kid in me.” 30

GH’s Valentin James Patrick Stuart gives the inside scoop on his new album, Clean Slate.

columns 26 Editor’s Note 38 Crossword 39 47 56 57 66 68 72

Puzzle Sudoku Star Sight Calendar Scorecard Ask Us Sound Off Take Five

COVER CREDITS: Finola Hughes, Michael Easton, Rebecca Herbst and Steve Burton (Anna, Finn, Liz and Jason, GH). Photos: Craig Sjodin/ABC. Shawn Christian and Arianne Zucker (exDaniel and Nicole, DAYS). Photo: XJ Johnson/JPI. Michael Mealor (Kyle, Y&R). Photo: Johnny Vy/CBS. Susan Lucci (ex-Erica, ALL MY CHILDREN). Photo: ABC. Deidre Hall (Marlena). Photo: XJ Johnson/JPI.

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late- breaking news MEET GH’S NEW SPENCER 8 GH: Finn And Liz Confess! 10 Real-Life DAYS Duo’s Engagement Story 12 B&B’s Eric Crosses Over To Y&R Again

HOWARD WISE/JPI

12 Michael Mealor Confirms Y&R Exit

LAUREN ALLEN

6 Y&R: Phyllis Sets A Trap For Sally

icholas Chavez made his Port Charles debut as Spencer Cassadine on July 1, but the Denver native’s journey to GH actually began back in April, when he sent in a self-tape audition. Shortly thereafter, “My manager reached out and said, ‘Hey, they’d like you to screen-test out in Los Angeles,’ which was amazing news and is kind of unusual in the industry, because it’s usually a self-tape, then an audition and then a callback and then you go screentest. To jump right from A to Z was a pretty daunting experience, and it all happened maybe within the span of a week.” Chavez had previously lived in L.A. in pursuit of his acting career, but when the pandemic hit, “That sent me packing and I came back to Florida,” where his family resides. “I took a few jobs just to save up some capital so I could make another run at Los Angeles as soon as the world reopened. I was auditioning, doing everything I could get my hands on, from independent films to features to TV to commercials and voiceovers.” The role of Spencer was the first time a soap had crossed his radar, and “the second that this opportunity presented itself, I was completely and totally ecstatic,” he reports. At his screen test, Chavez recalls, “There were a ton of guys

there. I mean, usually when you go to screen-test, it’s like four or five people. There were 12 to 15 guys there and they were all gorgeous. They were all just stunning! And so I’m looking around and I’m like, ‘Jeez, this is some stiff competition!’ I kept telling myself that all I can do is be who I am, ‘They’ll pick who they pick but I am who I am and that’s what I’m going to give them.’ I screen-tested with the tour de force that is Maura West [Ava] and that was just absolutely incredible. It was just such a welcoming environment and everyone was really supportive and Maura was so fantastic to work with. She’s a really generous actor and scene partner so she gives you a ton to go off of and it really helps make the scenes feel alive.” He felt good about his efforts, “and once it was done, I called

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

TROY HARVEY/ABC

my manager and was like, ‘Hey, I think that went really well ... and if at all possible, can you let me know if they pick me before I have to get on a plane back to Florida, which is on Saturday?’ Shining Star: “Sydney [Mikayla, Because I had booked Trina] is such a bright light,” Chavez says of his new love a round-trip ticket. And interest. “I’m so happy to be within the next 24 hours, working with her.” she called me and told me that I was going to be on He also had gobs of diathe show.” Getting the good news “was logue to memorize and years completely surreal,” Chavez of Spencer history to wrap beams. “It was one of the hap- his mind around. “I had a call piest moments of my entire with Elizabeth Korte, one of life. I think I screamed! I com- the [writers], and she basically pletely freaked out. I had no summarized 50 years [of GH cool about myself; there was storyline] into an hour-long no composure anywhere in conversation, which comthis! I called my family and pletely blew my mind! There my dad kept smacking himself was a lot to process, but I had on the forehead. He couldn’t been set up with a really great believe it. He was like, ‘Am I support team. [Executive dreaming? When am I going to Producer] Frank Valentini recommended an acting wake up?’ It was really cute.” Landing the job also meant coach, who I started working a fast move back to California. with immediately, who has “It was so nuts. Like I said, been absolutely phenomenal; I had that return trip booked we still review every single thinking I might not get this episode together.” As part of his prep work, job and I ended up not taking that flight and having to figure Chavez also familiarized out where I was going to stay.” himself with the performancHe crashed temporarily on a es of his predecessor, Nicolas futon in the dining room of his Bechtel. “Nicolas is capitvatmanager’s bookkeeper. “She ing, no doubt about it,” he gave me a place to lay my head declares. “I’ve seen commenand some food to eat and she tary online to the [effect] of, I made sure I was showering have big shoes to fill — and every day before I went on to I 100 percent agree. I think set [laughs]. She did a great that during Spencer’s time in job ‘momming’ me for those Europe, he really came into two weeks while I was going himself and became a man through what was a huge life and has new opinions about the world and the way that change.”

in Port Charles.” before he was cast, “My grandparents were big fans of the show, so when I told them, they of course freaked out. And they had a big reaction when they found out that Laura was my grandmother! They were very happy when they found out that I was going to be working so closely with Genie Francis [Laura]. And she, by the way, is the nicest human being on the face of the planet — just so lovely to be around, so encouraging.” Now that he’s airing, other relatives have became devotees, as well. “It’s really brought a lot of joy to my family,” he beams. “That’s been a lot of fun. I’m in Florida now visiting them while we’re on [a production hiatus], and we sit down every night and watch the latest episode of GENERAL HOSPITAL.” It delights the actor to know that’s a scene being repeated across the country. “For many people, sitting back and watching their favorite show is one of their favorite parts of their day, and so the fact that I get to be a small piece in that equation is an absolute dream come true for me,” he smiles. “Truth be told, it’s all I’ve ever wanted.” 5

■ Convinced that Sally and Tara conspired to make Summer leave Genoa City, Phyllis resolves to expose them. “Phyllis already doesn’t trust Sally at all,” notes Michelle Stafford (Phyllis). “Phyllis is like, ‘I know what you’re all about.’ And Phyllis thinks Tara is a lunatic, so to Phyllis, those two are a couple of mean girls. They took down Summer and now Phyllis wants blood.” To get Sally’s attention, Phyllis creates phony charges on Ms. Spectra’s hotel bill, which brings a furious Sally down to the lobby to contest the fees. Phyllis acts like a concerned proprietor and asks Sally to go over the bill carefully to point out which items are in error. “Phyllis is coming out with some awesome stuff,” Stafford chuckles. “As far as she’s concerned, Sally’s an easy mark. Phyllis is pretty arrogant about her own intelligence and she really believes that Sally isn’t a match for her, which makes her easy to trip up.” While Sally scrutinizes the bill, Phyllis surreptitiously snags Sally’s cell phone and 6

Big Bang Theory: Phyllis (Stafford, l.) puts the screws to Sally (Courtney Hope).

walks over to the front desk, where she types out a text to Tara that reads, “We have a problem. Phyllis has figured things out.” After hitting send, Phyllis deletes the text from the phone’s log and returns it to where

“They took down Summer and now Phyllis wants blood.” Sally set it down. “Although it’s odd that Sally doesn’t miss her phone for those few minutes, Phyllis is very stealth,” Stafford explains. “It’s a plan that is beautifully executed. She’s really on it, that Phyllis.” It doesn’t take long

for Tara to arrive at the Grand Phoenix and confront Sally, who’s baffled by the encounter. The women board the elevator to talk in Sally’s suite, so Phyllis uses her tablet to access the security camera in the elevator. “Phyllis can see that they’re having a heated interaction but there’s no audio, which is a big bummer,” says Stafford. “Still, Phyllis thinks it looks incriminating on its own. She thinks it’s enough to get people to think that there’s something not really cool going on between Sally and Tara. Phyllis sends the video to both Jack and Kyle, and waits for the fireworks she hopes will explode.”

CBS • CBS • CBS

Y&R: PHYLLIS SETS A TRAP FOR SALLY AND TARA

HOWARD WISE/JPI

late- breaking news

CBS • CBS • CBS

late- breaking news ■ Though they’re supposed to be keeping their distance, Carter and Quinn can’t keep their hands off each other, and the guilt is getting the best of Carter. “They just feel safe with each other,” explains Lawrence SaintVictor (Carter). “No matter how much they try to deny each other — and they do try — they just can’t stop. Whatever this is, it is not going to just disappear, and they don’t know how to shake it. It’s impacting their personal lives, and their relationships with their family and friends. They just can’t put a stop to these feelings.” Carter also gets word that Zoe will not be returning to L.A. “Carter does still care about Zoe; he was willing to try and make a life for them together but by then, things with Quinn had taken hold,” Saint-Victor points out. “Carter does still care about her, and he hates that he put her in a position to hurt her, so Zoe staying in Paris hurts Carter — but it’s a strange dynamic. Carter knows he did wrong, and it’s almost like he wants to be punished. He’s tak-

HOWARD WISE/JPI

B&B: CARTER CAN’T QUIT QUINN

The Beat Goes On: Carter (Saint-Victor) is willing to risk everything for Quinn (Rena Sofer).

ing so much heat from everyone over what has transpired, and he is truly disappointed in himself. But whatever this is with Quinn, he just can’t shake it.” Which leads to other issues. “Just by coming clean, he admitted he

“They just can’t put a stop to these feelings.” was willing to be fired,” reminds the actor. “On the one hand, it seems out of character because Carter is such a stand-up guy. He’s an intellectual but there are moments where he’s all heart, and this is one of those moments. It just goes to show you that when he saved Quinn’s

jewelry line, he didn’t have to lie or fudge the truth. He pointed out its profitability so he was helping out Quinn without them even knowing it. Carter can be very clever when he needs to be.” Now that he’s walking a tightrope between his boss and his lover, Carter has to consider his next move. “He does not want to throw away his friendships with Ridge and Eric but at the same time, he has something intangible with Quinn, something he has never experienced before,” sums up SaintVictor. “Carter is a grown man. He was successful before he got to Forrester and he’s not about to have his life dictated to him, so we’ll see how it all plays out.” 7

GH PREVIEW: LIZ AND FINN CONFESS!

say another word.’ She tells him what she thinks happened, and she tells him not to incriminate himself.” The actress adds, “I Mr. Fix-It: Liz (Rebecca really enjoyed doing Herbst) unburdens herself to Jason (Burton). it. It was very cool, and of course, I was the body off of hospital working with my Michael grounds. Reasons Burton, [Easton, Finn], who I love.” Even though Anna once “They have a kid. There’s always going to be a bond loved Peter like a son, there, and Jason’s a loyal Hughes says, “She’s not mad. She actually takes a guy.” Meanwhile, Anna has lot of responsibility for it had a light-bulb moment, happening, in a weird way,” and goes to Finn’s office shouldering the blame for to test her hypothesis that Finn being pushed to his he was on the roof with breaking point by Peter in Peter — and responsible the first place. “She wishes for his disappearance. Sums that she hadn’t put him in up Finola Hughes (Anna), the position he was in.” And, like Jason with Liz, “She knows. She just puts it together and so she goes Anna’s focus is on helping to him because she knows Finn. Hughes nods, “She that she can help him if she wants to troubleshoot it and can get out ahead of it.” The get out ahead of it, as only conversation that ensues she can — even though “is really well-written,” she it’s going to compromise praises. “It reminded me of her, because it puts her in something that I did with a really bad position.” But Duke one time, where I’m when Anna and Jason each meaning something differ- make their way to the subent from what I’m saying. basement, the story takes a It’s brilliantly done. She tells major turn.... TROY HARVEY/ABC

■ Liz and Finn have been bound together by their shared secret — Finn pushed Peter down the G.H. rooftop stairs to his death, and they stashed his body in a freezer in the sub-basement — but this week, they each spill the beans to a former lover. After observing a fraught conversation between Finn and Liz in the park, Jason corners his ex and induces her to reveal what she’s hiding. “Jason pushes Elizabeth to tell him what happened,” previews Steve Burton (Jason). “He says, ‘You’re in the middle of the park, during work, talking about something that was very heated. Come on. What’s going on? I can protect you. Let me help you. Whatever you need, I’m going to take care of it. You’re going to tell me what’s going on.’ And she does.” Jason is far from scandalized by her unvarnished account — nor is he shedding any tears for the deceased (“For Peter?! He barely sheds tears for anybody!”). Instead, he seeks to make good on his promise to help her by moving

ABC • ABC • ABC

late- breaking news

ABC • ABC • ABC

late- breaking news You’ve also been working Stuart (Valentin). How has that been? “JP Stuart has become one of my favorite people. He’s a rock. He’s a really solid dude and I really

with Roger Howarth (Austin, GH) Austin is related to the Quartermaines! Are you pleased about this? “Oh, 100 percent. He’s looking for a place in the world and acceptance from a family. That’s something that I think everyone can relate to. He wants to know where he fits in. He has always felt marginalized and the dialogue was, ‘I always wanted to know what it was like to grow up in a home like this.’ I don’t know how they’re going to edit it, but I will say that when we shot it, it was one of my favorite moments as an actor, ever.” Can you articulate why? “Because it’s incredibly human for a person to still be searching for meaning in their life; even if they are of a certain age or have accomplished certain things in their lives, they can still be looking for meaningful connection in their life.” You just had your first Austin scenes opposite Steve Burton (Steve). What does Austin make of him? “I think Austin is motivated to have a relationship with him and is trying to figure out whether or not that’s possible. But just by virtue of birthright, it’s already charged.” That seems pretty consistent across the board — he’s sizing up the Quartermaines, and they’re sizing up him. Is that fair to say? “100 percent. I think Leslie [Charleson, Monica] is trying to figure out what Monica’s take on this guy is and I think it’s interesting because it seems to shift from show to show and from scene to scene, which is good. The show is smart.” I wish Jane Elliot (ex-Tracy) was here to be part of this! “Well, maybe she will be!”

■ Now it can be told: C RA

D JO

what they come up with.” Speaking of new dynamics, you’re finally playing someone on GENERAL HOSPITAL that Kelly Monaco doesn’t have to hate as Sam. Congratulations! “[Laughs] Yeah, I’ve arrived!” On the other hand, there have been some familiar “Franco and ‘Denise DeMuccio’ ” vibes in your recent scenes with Maura West (Ava). “Yeah, I think it can be argued that they are parallel stories.” What does Austin make of Ava flirting with him? “Austin is clever enough to realize that he’s in the middle of two people toying with one another and gaming one another and he is amused by it and is really just kind of trying to keep up. I think when Austin said the line, ‘Stuff like this doesn’t happen to me in a small town,’ he really meant it. And I think on some level he’s amused at how human beings behave. One of the things that I like about Austin is that both Franco and [ONE LIFE TO LIVE’s] Todd were both intensely worried about what other people thought about them. Austin seems to be above that level of insecurity.” On another note, Robert Hogan, who played Briggs, Todd’s editor at The Sun, recently passed away. What was he like as a co-star? “Robert Hogan was one of the loveliest people I ever met in my life. He was just a light. The guy was so open and vulnerable and solid at the same time and he was accessible as an actor and as a human being. He was generous, he was friendly and funny. Just a really supportive, beautiful man. He was great.” 9

‘No, just pick it up!’ And I still had no idea. Shawn said I was in the car and was clever enough to ask my dad about a plumbing problem [to throw me off].” Once on the boat, Christian got down on one knee and asked Zucker to marry him. “It was so sweet,” she smiles. She then shared the news with daughter Isabella. “She wasn’t with us that weekend; she was with Kyle [Lowder, ex-Rex/Brady, DAYS/Isabella’s father]. So the next day, I said, ‘Mommy’s going to send you a video’ — because Taylor recorded the whole thing — ‘and I want you to call me back.’ So I sent it and she called and said, ‘What?! When’s the wedding?’ She was super-excited and so was Kyle.” As for their plans, Zucker shares, “We’re definitely thinking we’ll do it sometime next year, but we’re just going to enjoy this. For a week after, we were passing ships in the night. He was shooting a Lifetime movie and I was working and I said, ‘Have we enjoyed our engagement yet?’ We got coffee and took a walk together and talked about the enjoyment of being engaged. It was awesome.” PHOTOS: ZUCKER/INSTAGRAM

■ Arianne Zucker (Nicole) says she was “pleasantly surprised” when longtime beau Shawn Christian (exDaniel, DAYS) popped the question on Father’s Day. “Of course we’ve had conversations about a ring and things like that, but I didn’t really expect him to do the whole thing,” she begins. “I thought, ‘Oh, maybe he’ll just give me a promise ring over dinner someday.’ I literally didn’t think he was going to say what he said or do what he did. It was sort of like, ‘We’re not broke, don’t fix it. We have a great thing going.’ ” Christian’s stepdaughter, actress Taylor Cole, helped with the planning. “She was orchestrating this Father’s Day thing in Lake Tahoe,” Zucker explains. “She said, ‘Can you guys make it up here?’ I said, ‘We will be up there. I don’t know if I have to work Monday, but we will be there.’ And she said, ‘Do you want to keep it a surprise?’ And I said, ‘Yes, let’s keep it a surprise.’ Meanwhile, cut to, she’s in on the surprise for me. Little stinkers! It was so funny. And at the last minute, I said, ‘Honey, I have to tell you what the trip is because we have to literally leave from Tahoe back to L.A. at 8 o’clock at night and drive all

night because I have to be at work at 6:30 in the morning.’ And Shawn said, ‘It’s okay, honey. We can do it. We’ll make it happen.’ And I tell him that we’re having lunch and a boat ride and he said, ‘Oh, my gosh, wonderful.’ And he knew what we were doing! He was really good. He was stealth.” Christian called Zucker’s family for their blessing. “He called my brother and he called my parents,” she recounts. “And my dad called as we were in the car that day going to lunch. The number comes up and Shawn said, ‘I don’t know who that is.’ And I said, ‘That’s my dad!’ And so he’s like, ‘Okay, I’ll call him back,’ and I said,

NBC • NBC • NBC

late- breaking news REAL-LIFE DAYS DUO’S ENGAGEMENT STORY

of next EARLY A preview week’s EDITIONS! stories. BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

late- breaking news

B&B’s Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) and Finn (Tanner Novlan) PHOTOS: HOWARD WISE/JPI

■ Steffy learns a secret about Finn’s past. ■ A mystery woman arrives at the Forrester mansion. ■ The wedding of Steffy Forrester and John “Finn” Finnegan commences.

DAYS OF OUR LIVES

4 Programming note: The show will not air next week for coverage of the Summer Olympic Games.

RATINGS RACE: WEEK OF JUNE 28

YOUNG AND RESTLESS

Y&R’s Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan)

■ Victoria shares surprising news. ■ Lauren makes a power move. ■ Victor is suspicious of Chelsea. ■ Phyllis uncovers the truth!

NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH

Y&R’s Victoria (Amelia Heinle)

The numbers listed after each show are ratings points. Each ratings point represents 1,210,000 homes. These numbers now reflect DVR playback within the same day.

•YOUNG AND RESTLESS 2.32 •BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL 2.04 •GENERAL HOSPITAL 1.42 •DAYS OF OUR LIVES 1.06

the latest cast changes

who’s coming BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL Jaida King (Carmen): The real-life model makes another Forrester Creations appearance on July 30. Ted King (Jack Finnegan): King (ex-Alcazar, GH et al) makes his B&B debut as Finn’s (Tanner Novlan) father on July 30.

YOUNG AND RESTLESS John McCook (Eric Forrester): The B&B patriarch makes another crossover appearance on August 3. Cristina Serafini (Angelina Marchetti): Summer’s (Hunter King) boss shows up in the States on August 3.

who’s going GENERAL HOSPITAL Kirsten Storms (Maxie Jones): Maxie will be out of town for an undisclosed length of time while Storms 12

Kirsten takes a break from GH.

recovers from the brain surgery she underwent in June.

YOUNG AND RESTLESS Michael Mealor (Kyle Abbott): The actor confirms that he is leaving the show. See sidebar for more.

XJ JOHNSON/JPI

PHOTOS: HOWARD WISE/JPI

B&B’s John crosses over to Y&R.

who’s staying YOUNG AND RESTLESS Sean Carrigan (Dr. Ben “Stitch” Rayburn): With his character accepting a new job in Genoa City and searching for new digs, looks like his portrayer will be sticking around beyond his original limited run.

DESIGNING WOMAN YEAGGY CONTRIBUTES TO B&B Q On July 30 on B&B, Ridge, Eric, Thomas and Brooke put the finishing touches on a model wearing a Forrester Original gown — whose real-life designer is actually Alexandra Yeaggy. The synergy is a natural fit, since she’s the daughter of Y&R’s Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki) and the late Emmy-winning makeup artist Carlos Yeaggy. While Yeaggy calls her mom her greatest cheerleader, her other dad, B&B Supervising Producer Edward J. Scott, offered his

Q Engaging News: Lucas Adams (Tripp, DAYS) proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Shelby Wulfert. The actor posted the news on Instagram, noting, “Well… I asked my best friend a question the other day.” On her Instagram page, Wulfert shared, “I said, ‘of course I will baby!’ y’all I’m gonna marry my best friend!!!” Q Just Married: Nicholas Pelzer, son of Kimberlin Brown (ex-Sheila, B&B/Y&R) and her husband of 30 years, Gary Pelzer, wed Kaila Sherwood on June 26 in Julian, CA. “My son @nick_pelzer with his new bride @kailapelzer,” Brown posted. “I’m so happy for you two. I love you, Mom.”

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

Y&R s Hunter King (Summer) and Michael Mealor (Kyle) had reached the end of their contract negotiations without a new deal, and Jason Thompson (Billy) tweeted, “@Michael_ Mealor is a gem. We will miss him,” Mealor took to Instagram to confirm his exit from the No. 1 soap. “In true Chanccomm fashion, Uncle Billy broke the news first…..my time as we know it on The Young and the Restless is coming to a close, he posted. “The last three and a half years has been a truly humbling and life changing experience. I wouldn’t have been here this long without the love and support y’all have shown me throughout every inch of this ride! From appearing on national TV in my ‘birthday suit’ to digging up graves for DNA fragments, every engagement and every heart break, whether you were #KOLA or #SKYLE, y’all were along for the rollercoaster. Thank you @young andrestlesscbs, @cbstv and @sony for trusting me with this incredible character. Thank you for allowing me to be your Kyle Abbott. So much love to each and every one of you!”

REAL-LIFE STATUS

INSTAGRAM/ADAMS; PHOTOS COURTESY OF KIMBERLIN BROWN

CONFIRMED! MICHAEL MEALOR LEAVING Y&R

support, as well. “He really liked the dress,” Yeaggy enthuses. “He was genuinely passionate about it, which was great, and I know that of course, being his daughter, he wanted to show it in its best light. I think the dress really speaks for itself. It’s very modern-day flapper girl. I was going for a ’20s theme with the collection, but with a modern take. It’s got all of this beautiful hand-beading, with fringe all over. It’s just gorgeous.” For more on the designer’s bridal line, check out yeaggybridal.com. 13

Plots Pr With Zoe out of the picture, Zende and Paris try to define the nature of their relationship. “The news that Zoe is not coming back to L.A. is a bit of a surprise,” relays Delon de Metz (Zende). “Only because there really wasn’t a formal conclusion to whatever was going on between them. There was a shutting-down period. Then, he and Paris got closer, but then so much drama erupted between Carter and Quinn, there was never really a follow-up between [Zende and Zoe]. It just burned out.” Nevertheless, the situation with Zoe hasn’t affected Zende’s blossoming feelings toward Paris. “I think Zende had proven that he is committed to Paris,” notes the actor. “However, Zende’s biggest concern, as he is learning more and more, is that there are so many relationships that happen within the company and on company premises — and they all seem to blow up and go wrong. Zende makes the suggestion, ‘Let’s keep it

GENERAL HOSPITAL Nikolas Turns A Blind Eye Fully convinced that it’s Ryan who is behind the stalking incidents that prompted Ava to file for divorce, Nikolas is unaware that the real culprit is hiding in plain sight: It’s his son, Spencer. “Nikolas is just so happy that his son is back in town,” begins his portrayer, Marcus Coloma. “Rebuilding their relationship is so important to Nikolas; it’s just so important to him to have his son 14

On the Move: Paris (Diamond White) and Zende (de Metz) try to move forward.

professional in the office and outside of that, let’s see what happens.’ ” Zende then learns Paris has moved in with Steffy and Finn. “He’s glad she’s doing her own thing, but after he suggests keeping business and pleasure separate, she announces, ‘Oh, by the way, I’m living with your cousin,’ ” muses de Metz. “But, Zende’s living with his grandfather, so who is he to throw stones at a glass house? Zende is cool with it, but a little distance between work and family might bode well for their budding relationship.” back in his life.” But with his suspicions as to the stalker’s identity falling elsewhere, and his focus split by his marital problems, “Nikolas is in a state of confusion and shock right now, just because of the stalker and losing Ava. There’s relief with having Spencer home, because he was very alone, but his attention isn’t fully there because of everything else going on.” Which makes him less apt to pick up on Spencer’s slips of the tongue regarding the stalker’s activities, and to

PHOTOS: HOWARD WISE/JPI

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL Zende To Paris: “What’s Up With Us?”

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

eview! In Italy, Victor and Nikki stop over in Milan to visit Summer. The trio goes out for lunch, where Summer seems enthusiastic about her exciting new life. Nikki and Victor, however, think Summer is laying it on a little too thick. Finally, Victor asks if she has any regrets about moving so far from home. “While Summer’s new position in Milan is a great opportunity for her, Summer’s decision to move to Milan happened so quickly, which isn’t lost on Victor and Nikki,” points out Co-Executive Producer/Head Writer Josh Griffith. “Their trip to Italy has given them the perfect opportunity to spend time with Summer and question if she made the right decision for the right reason.” Summer admits that she misses her family, but assures her grandparents that she’s right where she wants to be. When Victor takes a business call, Nikki urges her granddaughter to be completely honest with her. put two and two together. “I think if Ava was with him, and everything was fine, he would be 100 percent on it,” the actor says. “If he gave it a second thought, he would probably [figure it out]. And maybe there’s a part of him that doesn’t want to know! He just doesn’t have the bandwidth right now, and ultimately, he just doesn’t want to know. He wants to believe that things are fine.” But the jig may be up for Spencer soon, as someone close to Nikolas offers their services to unmask Ryan....

What’s The Story? Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott, r.) is determined to get the truth from Summer (Hunter King).

“Nikki is well aware of how fragile relationships can be, so she relates to Summer’s issues with Kyle,” Griffith notes. “Nikki provides Summer with a chance to open up with the hope that she will be honest in a way she maybe can’t do with her parents.” Summer insists that she is happy about her current life situation, but Nikki still isn’t convinced. Griffith teases, “If anyone can uncover the real reason behind Summer’s decision, it may very well be Nikki.”

VALERIE DURANT/ABC

YOUNG AND RESTLESS Victor And Nikki Visit Summer

Careful What You Wish For: Nikolas (Coloma) is given the chance to get the goods on Ryan.

A glimpse of up in the week ahead!

Y&R EDITION!

CBS • CBS • CBS

PHOTOS: HOWARD WISE/JPI

sneak

Lauren (Tracey E. Bregman) hits Society with Jack (Peter Bergman)

THE EYES HAVE IT Lamon Archey (Eli, DAYS) attended a private screening of the film Through Her Eyes, the directorial debut of Vivica A. Fox (ex-Stephanie, Y&R et al). “Thanks for having me as a guest & the Q&A moderator,” he posted on Instagram.

Chrishell Stause (exrmance by et al, l.) enjoyed a perfo ub in Las Miley Cyrus at Ayu Daycl NSET SU Vegas, NV, with SELLING co-star Mary Fitzgerald.

CHRIS PIZZELLO/SHUTTERSTOCK

SHUTTERSTOCK

.S.A. PARTY IN THJoErdU an, DAYS

WHITE HOT

Murray Bartlett (ex-Cyrus, GUIDING LIGHT) attended the premiere for his HBO show, THE WHITE LOTUS, in Los Angeles, CA.

SISTER ACT Dame Joan Collins (ex-Alexis, DYNASTY) attended the premiere of LADY BOSS: THE JACKIE COLLINS STORY, a documentary about her late sister, in London.

KCR/SHUTTERSTOCK

JAMES VEYSEY/SHUTTERSTOCK

I LIKE THE NIGHT LIFE

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

Hottest

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s ’ t s e g i D

BEHIND the SCENES

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“Playing Sami is so much fun,” mused DAYS’s Alison Sweeney (Sami), with (from l.) Galen Gering (Rafe), Dan Feuerriegel (EJ) and Bryan R. Dattilo (Lucas).

“p.s: fake blood is sticky!” shared GH’s Sydney Mikayla (Trina).

Steve Burton (Jason, GH) snapped a shirtless shot in his dressing room.

INSTAGRAM/WESTMORE

INSTAGRAM/SWEENEY

Social snaps of stars on set.

McKenzie Westmore (ex-Sheridan, PASSIONS) posed in front of signage for her eponymous makeup line.

B&B’s Scott Clifton (Liam, l.) had fun with PRICE IS RIGHT model Devin Goda when the latter appeared as a security guard.

SOAP OPERA DIGEST INSTAGRAM/MATHISON

B&B’s (from l.) Matthew Atkinson (Thomas), Annika Noelle (Hope) and Dan Martin (Baker) enjoyed filming outdoors.

DAYS’s Jackée Harry (Paulina, l.) planted a kiss on Salem daughter Raven Bowens (Chanel).

XJ JOHNSON/JPI

HOWARD WISE/JPI

“Here we goooooooo!!! See you soon Port Charles,” teased Cameron Mathison, who began filming at GH.

! A R T EX Stay Awhile: Most Y&R fans hope to see more of Sean Carrigan’s alter ego.

HOWARD WISE/JPI

No 40%

Yes

nap sPOLL Readers of soapoperadigest.com weigh in.

Should Y&R’s Stitch stick around Genoa City?

trend temperature Busted Cheater (DAYS)

HOT WARM COLD

Recast Cassadine (GH)

GH Diagnosis

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STAR SHOTS OF THE WEEK spent time with two of her on-screen children, Ashley Jones (Bridget) and Jacob Young (ex-Rick). “I see Ashley all the time but such a treat to finally spend time with

TWITTER/SHRINER

INSTAGRAM/LANG

INSTAGRAM/DIAMONT

Don Diamont (Bill, B&B) showed off the new addition to his family, Èzey. “She’s a killing machine! A highly trained attack dog! A canine Green Beret! Men and beasts alike will cross to the other side of the street when they see her coming!!! Not buying it? Fine! Whatever! She’s pretty freaking cute though….” he teased.

Kin Shriner (Scott, GH, l.) reunited with pal John Stamos (ex-Blackie, GH) for a Beach Boys concert.

“My buddy @parryshen [Brad, GH, far l.] made it to the mountain! Good seeing you my friend!” enthused Marc Anthony Samuel (Felix, GH).

guide to must-see episodes

Bold And Beautiful PHOTOS: HOWARD WISE/JPI

All About Them On Tuesday, July 27, Steffy (l.) garners a new perspective on Finn.... Finn is ecstatic when Steffy gives him fantastic news on Wednesday, July 28.... On Friday, July 30, Finn’s dad, Jack, surprises him and Steffy with a prewedding visit.

Days Of Our Lives

General Hospital Visitation Rites Nikolas visits Alexis at the correctional facility; Shawn questions Jax; and Monica (r.) delivers news on Monday, July 26.... On Tuesday, July 27, Liz confides in Scott; Shawn and Curtis reconnect; and Trina wants to be happy for her mother.... Liz is 22

XJ JOHNSON/JPI

The show will not air this week due to coverage of the Summer Olympic Games.

troubled by a shocking turn of events on Wednesday, July 28, while Carly expresses her grief about Sonny to Laura, and Brando tells Sasha what he wants for his future.... Dante confronts Anna; Olivia gives Brook Lynn some motherly advice; and Nikolas is wary when Sam informs him she’s trying to find Hayden’s shooter on Thursday, July 29.

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

Young And Restless Thick And Thin On Monday, July 26, Victoria challenges Ashland, and Adam gives Chelsea an ultimatum.... Kyle defends Tara on Tuesday, July 27, and Jack surprises Sally.... On Wednesday, July 28, Devon and Abby worry about Mariah, and Nate keeps Elena in suspense.... Amanda and Devon (both r.) solidify their relationship on Thursday, July 29, and Jack is forced to make a tough decision....

TIME

On Monday, July 26, Nathan Parsons (ex-Ethan, GH, r.), Tyler Blackburn (ex-Ian, DAYS) and Tanner

for the third season premiere of ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO.... On Tuesday, July 27, it’s a special one-hour presentation of the OWN sudser THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS.... On Thursday, July 29, Charles Melton (Reggie, RIVERDALE) gueststars on AMERICAN HORROR STORIES: THE NAUGHTY LIST .... On Friday, July 30, on DYNASTY, Dominique plans to launch her new fashion line as she and Alexis once again vie for the same prize, with nothing going as planned for either of them; Sam and Culhane hit an unusual roadblock in their business partnership; Liam’s research turns up some interesting facts and he and Fallon devise a plan to learn more, but someone is one step ahead of them so they once again turn to Jeff for help; and Blake (above, l.) embarks on a new adventure.... On Saturday, July 31, Corbin Bleu (ex-Jeffrey, ONE LIVE TO LIVE, r.) stars in the Hallmark rom-com LOVE, FOR REAL.... On Sunday, August 1, Kristoffer Polaha (ex-Jason, NORTH SHORE) is back on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ latest installment of MYSTERY 101: DEADLY HISTORY. Please Note: These are the scheduled air dates, released to us by the networks and TV production companies at press time. Due to last-minute pre-emptions, actual air dates may vary.

JOHN GOLDEN BRITT/THE CW; THE CW; ZACK DOUGAN/CROWN MEDIA UNITED STATES LLV

On Friday, July 30, Sharon welcomes Rey home; Chelsea and Chloe strategize about Adam; and Phyllis chases a lead.

editors’ Digest Salutes The Best In Soaps There Goes The Bride,

hen Quinn insisted on renewing her marriage vows to Eric, it was much more than a sentimental gesture: For her, it was a way to clear her conscience after cheating on her husband in a moment (er, make that several moments) of weakness. Of course, it didn’t help matters that the man she’d slept with was their officiant, Carter (how’s that for good soap?) — but Quinn was determined to have her special day and get her marriage back on track. Sadly for Quinn, that was not her destiny. Prior to the day of the vow renewal, only Paris knew that Quinn’s bestie, Shauna, had cast herself in the role of The Woman In Carter’s Bed in order to protect Quinn and her marriage. Paris was somewhat reluctantly keeping mum, but Brooke — Quinn’s biggest rival — caught on to Paris knowing something that was 24

HOWARD WISE/JPI

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

Pardon The Interruption: Thanks to Brooke, Eric (John McCook, r.) discovered Quinn (Rena Sofer) and Carter’s (Lawrence Saint-Victor) dirty little secret.

potentially explosive and, citing Eric’s right and need to know the truth about his wife, refused to let up until Paris spilled. When Quinn descended the staircase to begin the ceremony, Brooke got enough information out of Paris (that Carter had not, in fact, slept with Shauna) to put the rest of the sordid puzzle together herself and realize who had. Outraged, she gasped excitedly, “Oh, my God. Quinn? Quinn who’s downstairs right now ready to profess her love and commitment to Eric?” Brooke was simultaneously shocked by the revelation and torn about what to do about it. She finally had the ammo to win the war long raging between herself and Quinn

— but at what cost? After all, the collateral damage (Eric’s heart) could be devastating. Brooke’s inner debate didn’t last long, and she decided that Eric simply had to know. In an electric moment, Brooke descended the stairs, loaded for bear, and stopped the in-progress ceremony. (Literally: She bellowed, “Stop!”) Brooke and Quinn shot daggers at one another as the ex-Mrs. Forrester proclaimed that Eric would regret renewing his vows with the current one. Multiple attempts were made to silence her, but Brooke was on a mission, and when Paris entered, the tense stares between her, Carter, Quinn, Shauna and Brooke brought the suspense

Kelly Thiebaud (BRITT, GH) Q

turned out to be the abrupt end of their nascent romance. All dolled up, Britt eagerly welcomed Jason into her hotel room, but her thousand-watt smile and flirty vibe faded as she picked up on his fraught body language and even-more-serious-than-usual expression. Growing visibly alarmed, she urged, “Just spit it out.” Jason (in an also stellar turn by Steve Burton) broke the bad news — he’s marrying Carly — and Thiebaud’s face registered a cascade of emotions as Britt scoffed at what she assumed was a joke — then remembered that Jason Morgan doesn’t do comedy. As flabbergasted as she was stung, Britt stiffened, subconsciously reconstructing the emotional walls only newly torn down between them. At first, her voice was thick with hurt as she interrogated him, but her anger took over, clipped and icy as she showed him the door. Refusing to leave, he pledged to continue to be there for her. Her face, hidden from him, showed the audience how she was feeling: devastated, confused and growing more so with every word he spoke. Britt collected herself and read him the riot act, by turns blazing and vulnerable, swiping away the tears that gave him more information about his effect on her than she wanted him to have before going in for the kill, hissing, “You will not show up for me. You will not lend me a hand. Anything. Because you are otherwise engaged. Pun intended.” There were no false notes as Thiebaud steered Britt on this breakneck journey from giddy to gutted. She managed to communicate something at once universal (the pain of being let down by someone you trusted) and specifically, unmistakably Britt: her refusal to be pitied, or to settle for crumbs.

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

to a boiling point. Brooke challenged Quinn to “have respect for Eric. Come clean, tell him the truth.” Quinn dug in, insisting she didn’t know what Brooke might be referring to, so Brooke turned her focus to Carter. He folded almost instantly, offering a detailed recap of how he originally stumbled into bed with a woman other than Zoe, finally spelling it out point-blank to a stupefied Eric: “It was Quinn. I had an affair with Quinn.” Out of options, Quinn confirmed it, ashamed and brokenhearted, her pained reaction to the hurt in Eric’s eyes leaving no question as to the sincerity of her regret. Her desperate pleas for forgiveness fell on deaf ears as Eric meted out her punishment swiftly. “I loved you, I trusted you,” he ranted. “I’m not going to make that mistake again.” With that, he evicted her — from his company, his family and his house. As she slunk off in defeat, Eric sank down onto the coffee table, shell-shocked over the sudden implosion of life as he knew it. It is fitting that these explosive developments unfolded around the 4th of July, because B&B most certainly brought the fireworks. Soapy in the best way — but grounded by the heartfelt angst of the key players — the show hit a dramatic high as it brought the Quinn/Eric 앮 marriage to its knees.

soap digest

editor’s

OPERA

Dear Readers,

We put up a poll on soapopera

VP, Editorial Director STEPHANIE SLOANE

ever. The results are on page 42. For me, it’s GH’s Luke and Laura. Besides the obvious, based on conversations I have had over the past few decades, anyone who knows anything about soaps has heard of them. Here, the editors share their picks: Bryan Beckley: “Y&R’s Katherine Chancellor. She was one of a kind and played to perfection by Jeanne Cooper.” and Stella Bednarz: “It’s a tie between GH’s Luke ALL MY CHILDREN’s Erica because each blazed a unique, outrageous trail.” ci Michael Karol: “Erica Kane, AMC. Susan Luc . jelled with the character from day one. Even when Ms Kane was behaving badly — especially when she was behaving badly — you couldn’t take your eyes off her.” ca Mara Levinsky: “C’mon — it’s gotta be Eri Kane (Martin Brent Cudahy Chandler Montgomery Montgomery Marick Marick Montgomery). Introduced as a teen, she did everything from face down a bear to conquer addiction in her decades on air.” got Devin Owens: “Y&R’s Victor Newman. ‘You that?’ ” Tom Stacy: “Much like Valentino or Cher, when you can go by one name, you are iconic: Luke, Laura and Erica.” Stephanie Sloane, Editorial Director a360 Media, 4 New York Plaza, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10004 President CHRIS SCARDINO Executive Vice President, Digital Media Operations DAVID S. THOMPSON Senior Vice President, Production ROBERT O’NEILL Vice President/Consumer Marketing EPHRAIM R. BRENNAN

Deputy Editor STELLA BEDNARZ Senior Editor MARA LEVINSKY Senior Copy Editor MICHAEL KAROL Senior Writers DEVIN OWENS TOM STACY Photo Editor BRYAN BECKLEY Contributing Editors CAROLYN HINSEY DONNA HOKE Art Director GEORGIA BENARDOS Associate Art Directors STEPHANIE ABRECHT GARY WALSH Production Manager MARKO BARLOVIC FOR SUBSCRIPTION CUSTOMER SERVICE CALL 1-800-829-9095 Any submissions or contributions from readers shall be subject to and governed by Soap Opera Digest’s Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use, which are posted at https://www. americanmediainc.com/terms-and-conditions and https://www.americanmediainc.com/ privacy-policy, respectively.

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Daytime’s most outspoken columnist!

My Opinion

It’s Only By Carolyn Hinsey

Follow Carolyn on Twitter @carolynhinsey

■ Let’s hear it for putting all the wrong people under the same roof! It sparks new storylines and saves money on sets. ■ DAYS’s DiMera mansion wins because in addition to the requisite bedrooms for Kristen, Tony, Chad, EJ and Jake (and their paramours du jour) it has all the secret hallways needed for eavesdropping. EJ: “I have no problem with Lucas living here with us. The more the merrier.” Sami: Gulp. Gabi owns the house, and her attitude really is the more the merrier. Abigail’s return will up the ante, and you never know who’s going to come strolling out of the armoire. Harder to swallow was Xander and Gwen moving in with Jack, which made them roommates with Doug and Julie (!). The Horton living room was the setting for Xander and Jack’s British-forno-reason daughter Gwen to kill the bloody doctor who fell on the bloody couch so they had to lie that Snyder was a bloody drunk. 28

Julie (to Eli): “I hope you’ll

let us know if a murderer is living in our house.” Not bloody likely. The problem with DAYS is that too many characters live in hotel rooms. I get that it’s easier and cheaper to have one hotel set and move a vase or a lamp to make it look like a different room, but it cuts down on the multilevel drama.

Place, which went horribly wrong when Paulina’s demolition order for Horton Square became public knowledge. Julie: “I knew she couldn’t be trusted!” Look on the bright side, Julie — at least Paulina doesn’t live with you. ■ There was no bright side for B&B’s Quinn when her affair with Carter was outed during her vow renewal with

The problem with DAYS is that too many characters live in hotel rooms. Ben (finding Ciara on his bed): “Tell me my dream is

coming true!” Ciara: “Theo and I are engaged.” That conversation would have packed a bigger punch at, say, Julie’s Place, where Doug and Julie would have reacted badly (poor Ben) but Abe would have been thrilled. Restaurants and bars are a close second to mixing it up in ancestral homes, as evidenced by Eli and Lani’s anniversary party at Julie’s

Eric in — where else? — the Forrester living room. The only surprise there was that Quinn wasn’t busted sooner since she discussed the affair every chance she got in a loud voice in her home and office with every door open. Quinn: “If Eric ever finds out my marriage will be over.” Shauna: “As long as Paris keeps her mouth shut.” Brooke (entering): “What about Paris?” Brooke used to live in that house so it wasn’t farfetched

for her to go snooping. Naturally, she stopped the ceremony with her newly acquired news. Brooke (to Eric): “I’m not going to let you waste one more day on this horrible person!” Quinn: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Carter (officiating): “I had an affair with Quinn.” That was easy. Forrester Creations is another cauldron of eavesdropping, Spencer Publications comes equipped with a fully operational cage in the basement and who needs a hospital when Steffy can give birth in a child’s wading pool in her living room? Finn: “Push!” Here’s hoping they shampoo the rug before the next party. ■ Y&R’s Abbott mansion was a lot of fun when Ashley and Traci lived there, but lately it’s all about Kyle and Tara’s fake memories re: kissing “under the stars” in the Hamptons. Tara: “I second-guess myself all the time.” Why, because you’re the

least logical new character since Kerry Johnson? Y&R has become a show about off-screen things that happened in the past. Amanda’s grandfather and that convoluted mess, Adam killing a ranch hand in Kansas 30 years ago, and now Kyle and Tara’s “affair”, which reads more like him sleeping with the babysitter when he was a teen than an actual love story. Even the gorgeous Abbott living room can’t save that flip-floppy tale. They’re trying harder with the Chancellor mansion, now a hostel for Genoa City strays. If I was Tessa I’d be like, “We are not moving in with the woman whose baby you’re carrying and her mother-in-law,” but as Mariah pointed out, there’s a full staff — and plenty of time for riveting conversations like this: Mariah: “I am realizing that pregnancy is incredible.” Abby: “That’s awesome.” Do not play the drinking game every time one of them calls this pregnancy a “journey.” Give me the Newman

run-ins with Sharon and Rey, Faith is a loose cannon, and it won’t be long until Victoria’s affair results in Johnny and Katie being parked there with Grandma Nikki. Victoria (to Ashland): “I’d love to spend the night with you but I have to get home to my kids.” Not for long.... ■ GH’s Quartermaine mansion is a similar hotbed now that Valentin’s living with the dysfunctional Qs. Maxie pops by every day to call Bailey “my daughter” while Chase thinks he’s married to Willow, who’s making googly eyes at Michael. The Corinthos house has similar action with Carly, Joss, Avery (whose mom Ava visits), Diane and Spinelli rotating in and out. And now... Carly: “Jason and I are getting married.” Bobbie: “Jason who?” Most fitting is that the hospital has been restored to the center of the action, vying with the Metro Court and the pier for most kidnappings, shootings and stabbings — and don’t forget Peter’s dead body in the basement. Finn (to Liz): “Should we just leave him in the freezer like a rack of lamb?” Yes. I wonder which new set will get more action this summer, the Metro Court pool or G.H.’s secret morgue? Either way, it’s win/win. ■ Hey. It’s only my opinion. 앮 29

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

All In The Family: GH’s Quartermaine mansion is the backdrop for plenty of drama between Ned (Wally Kurth) and Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton).

HOWARD WISE/JPI

Ranch any day. Adam mov-

called ‘Look Out Below’ and it’s about coming a little close to the darkness in life. But the song also has a great beat to it — really bouncy, extremely hummable, great background vocals — and so that’s the first track on the [new] record. That’s actually what started this: That song needed a home and the rest of the songs just sort of started to grow around that.” The actor, who had “a collection of songs I was working on over Covid,” originally intended to release Clean Slate last Christmas, “but my father’s failing health put the brakes on things.” He passed away on December 20, and left behind “a song unfinished on his piano, a gift to his wife” that ended up changing the course of the record. Stuart’s stepmother “sent me the sheet music and said, 30

‘Will you consider recording this?’ I said, ‘Of course!’ My father’s love affair with his wife continues from beyond through that song. It’s called ‘Another Time’ and it’s about as amazing as you think it would be, about a guy who’s facing the fact that he’s going to have to leave, but he definitely sees them together another time, whatever that would be.” Getting that song just right further pushed back Stuart’s timeline. “My father’s from Northumbria, from the Lake District in the north of England, and there’s a pipe that’s almost like a bagpipe, but is much smaller than a bagpipe, that is indigenous to that part of the world.You hear it a lot in soundtracks, [including] Titanic. It’s a very specific instrument and I knew I needed to have it on that song. It took me awhile to find the right guy [to play it], so it took about three or four months for that song to jell. It’s done with Northumbrian pipes and a guitar and a fiddle and it’s just perfect for him. It was all meant to be.” Stuart feels that Clean Slate reflects his growth as an artist. “I’m definitely more evolved as a producer and a performer at this point,” he offers. And when it came to song selection, “The songs found me — but at the same time, I’m not a kid, and I had songs that through my life I’ve just been thinking about, songs that really meant something to me.” While The Apple Tree was an homage to his father’s music, “I knew I wasn’t going to have a bunch of my dad’s tracks on this. I thought about doing a really cool, jazz combo version of ‘Will I Weep For Me?’ And who knows, that might be the third record, to do an interpretation of a couple of Chad & Jeremy songs. But that’s not what this is. This record is very personal, except for the fact that it’s got my father’s last song on it.”

JIM WARREN

n 2019, James Patrick Stuart — whose father, the late Chad Stuart, was a renowned musician best known as half of the British pop folk duo Chad & Jeremy — released his first album, The Apple Tree. “That one was a gift for my father, who we all knew was nearing the end of his life,” the actor says. “He raised me as a musician. I was a drummer by the time I was 3 or 4 years old. He had been saying to me my whole life, ‘Where’s my album? Where’s my album?’ And I was able to make an album with 12 songs materialize for him! He was very proud.” But Stuart didn’t feel like his work was done — and the result of that unfinished business is his follow-up album, Clean Slate, which was released on

ABC • ABC • ABC

Previews His Clean Slate. By Mara Levinsky 31

Everlasting Love: Stuart recorded his late father, Chad’s, final song — a love letter to his wife called “Another Time” — for Clean Slate.

PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/STUART

The Music Man: Stuart at work in his home studio.

Expect the sound to be a departure from the first album, as well. “Sax appears in, I think, four tracks on this record,” Stuart reports. “I just needed some brass! I was very cello-heavy and very string-heavy on The Apple Tree, and now I’m very brass-heavy on Clean Slate. Clean Slate has great sax, trumpet and trombone on it. There’s actually a song on there that I covered called ‘Always Love You’, a song from a father to a daughter, which I dedicated to my brother and his daughter — but any GENERAL HOSPITAL fan is going to realize that I put it there because of young Scarlett [Fernandez, Charlotte] and because of our connection on that show and because she’s as important as any co-star I’ve ever had. That actually has an oboe on it, and my friend Christine Wu [who has accompanied Stuart during his Nurses’ Ball performances on GH] not only plays two cellos but a violin on it. It sounds like George Martin, the producer of The Beatles, having a field day at the end of that song! But I’ve always believed that an oboe is one of the most melancholy instruments and so I had to have an oboe. Everyone I know was like, ‘What the hell are you doing putting an oboe on a pop record?!’ But it works! And I do a lot more drums.” But he’s not the only featured percussionist. Enthuses Stuart, “As a drummer, my inspiration was a man named Omar Hakim. Omar was in Weather Report and played on the Let’s Dance album with David Bowie, and when 32

Sting decided to leave The Police, he hired him to be his new drummer for The Dream of the Blue Turtles record. I sent a message through my agent to Omar Hakim, along with a song called ‘World of Good’, and he sent back a message saying, ‘This is a great song, I’d love to play on it.’ That was one of the blessings for me of the lockdown, having access to Omar Hakim. I produced the song with him over Zoom and got a chance to watch him drum, and he got a chance to comment on my drumming and my production. It was just a blessing. On ‘World of Good’, it’s just basically him and me; he plays the drums and I play everything else. That ended up being a real joy. It was just a real pleasure to be able to hold my own with him. That was probably the coolest part of it, aside from meeting him and talking to him. There was a bit in the bridge where I said, ‘I need you to do that left hand bounce, man, I live for that bounce!’ And when he sent me the take, and you heard that left hand bouncing on that snare drum, it was just insane, because I used to practice that move when I was a teenager to his records! To be able to ask him to do it and have him send me a take with it on there was pretty damn cool.” He got to collaborate with another artist he admires on Track 6, “I Burn For You”, a song close to Stuart’s heart. He shares, “When I was a kid, I followed The Police, and then a friend of mine ended up working for Sting, which was

American Idol: Stuart was thrilled to collaborate with his percussionist hero, Omar Hakim, on the album. “My experience of meeting my heroes is that they become human — so you’ve got to be careful with that! But Omar lifted me up and became a friend very quickly.”

that people are looking to do stuff!

JILL JOHNSON/JPI

eating pretzels and watching OZARK for the third time and I’m thinking, ‘Maybe they are, too!’ ” Stuart is satisfied with the finished product of Clean Slate. “When I was a young man, all kind of unbelievable. So early in I could think about was my life, I got a chance to go stay other people’s opinions at Sting’s house in Malibu and of me,” he admits. “But Sting’s house in New York, and now, I’m not in a posiI got a chance to watch him put tion where the music is together songs like Nothing Like my livelihood. If people The Sun. I just always loved the hate it, fine — the truth of way he put songs together and the matter is that I like it, I wanted to try my hand at an and I’m proud to put my obscure Sting B-side, a track from name on it and I have had [1982’s] Brimstone & Treacle sincere joy connecting soundtrack, which has always with brilliant musicians, a been a favorite of mine. I’m just brilliant mixer, and we’re sort of reaching back in history all happy with what the to when I was a child and doing Girl Powered: The actor had result is. If people don’t a favor for the kid in me, covering Valentin’s bond with daughter Charlotte — and his own respond to that, it’s not that song.” with her portrayer, Scarlett Stuart continues, “Matt Fernandez — on the brain when going to make me question my judgment. I’m Politano, who is a brilliant jazz he included the track “Always pianist, it’s just the two of us [on Love You” on the record. “She’s not going to look at important as any co-star I’ve it and go, ‘Oh, in that that track], me on double bass and as ever had,” he says. case, maybe I’m wrong, Matt on piano. That’s another one of those gets where I could never have gotten maybe this sucks.’ It’s like saying Chinese him if he was busy touring. I reached out to him food is bad or pizza is bad. It’s like, ‘Well, and said, ‘I’m a massive fan, I’ve seen you play maybe you don’t like this, but I really like live all over the place, would you be willing this!’ ” 앮 to play on a track?’ And Matt said absolutely, he’d be happy to. When you listen to ‘I Burn Clean Slate is available digitally on For You’, he puts the hair on your arms up! You iTunes, Amazon Music and other platforms. just can’t believe anyone can play like that. And CDs, including a limited number of autoit’s all spontaneous! Something is channeling graphed CDs, can also be purchased at through him and I don’t know how he does it jamespatrickstuart.com. 33

ABC • ABC • ABC

but I’m glad he does.”

COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION

THIS WEEK

IN SOAP OPERA

HISTORY Digest looks back on standout moments from the past.

SANTA BARBARA premiered on NBC on July 30, 1984. Pictured: original cast members Dame Judith Anderson as Minx and Marcy Walker as Eden.

JOHN PASCHAL/JPI

Jensen Ackles made his DAYS debut as Eric on July 28, 1997.

n Raines as Laura Wright (r,. pictured with Ro ) first appeared Alan and Cynthia Watros as Annie August 1, 1997. on GUIDING LIGHT as Cassie on

SOAP OPERA DIGEST JEFF NEIRA/ABC

Mary J. Blige guest-starred on ONE LIFE TO LIVE on July 28, 2006.

B&B’s Taylor (Hunter Tylo) and Ridge (then-Ronn Moss) were stunned when Brooke crashed their wedding on horseback on July 31, 2009.

t s la r u o y s a w t Wha

EUGENE POWERS/SHUTTERSTOCK

Dan Feuerriegel (EJ, DAYS) “I just recently bought a lot of stuff for my bathroom. I typed in ‘bathroom decor’ and bought little succulent plants and a nice candle and this and that.” 36

SPECKER

PHOTOS: HOWARD WISE/JPI

Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe, Y&R) “All I do is impulse buy [laughs]! My last purchase was a new bike!”

Finola Hughes (Anna, GH) “A jade roller for the face and some not-particularly-cheap yarn to knit an as-yet-unspecified garment. I blame Kirsten [Storms, Maxie] and Emme [Rylan, ex-Lulu] for the latter, and Instagram influencers for the former!”

Annika Noelle (Hope, B&B)

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

impulse buy? XJ JOHNSON/JPI

Christel Khalil (Lily, Y&R) “A Zara dress! It was when I was supposed to be shopping for [son] Caden’s graduation outfit.”

AFF/TA/STEVEN BERGMAN

STEVEN BERGMAN

Brandon Barash (Jake, DAYS) “Sports cards, basketball cards. I’m really into basketball cards.”

Tajh Bellow (TJ, GH) “A crystal.”

Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe, DAYS) “This thing called the Lettuce Grow. I decided I was going to grow my own vegetables. Kate Mansi [ex-Abigail] posted about it on Instagram and I was like, ‘Wow, this is really cool.’ You can put it inside or outside and grow your own vegetables and fruit. I’m going to try to get my kids more interested in fruits and vegetables! I literally just bought it a few days ago and I’m still waiting for it to arrive.”

BY DONNA HOKE

OTHERWORLDLY ACROSS

1. “I ___ at the office” 5. Navigator’s need 8. Y&R role for B&B’s Don Diamont 12. “Beauty __ __ the eye...” (two words) 13. JOHN’S LATE WIFE (DAYS) 14. She first appeared on GH as a librarian 15. _ __ for Killer (1994 Sue Grafton novel, two words) 16. 2009 Russian film about Ivan the Terrible 17. B&B’s Thorsten (Ridge) 19. Bay Area airport letters 21. Poison ___ 22. DORIAN’S LATE HUSBAND (ONE LIFE TO LIVE) 23. ___ Long (ex-Kat, GUIDING LIGHT) 25. WHO SOME OF THE THEMED FOLKS CAME TO VISIT (two words) 27. Y&R role for Sean Dominic 30. Newman son (Y&R) 32. ERIC’S LATE WIFE (B&B) 36. Produce eggs 37. DAYS’s Weston 38. GH area; abbr. 39. Code-cracking organization; abbr. 40. 3 DOWN’S LATE LOVE (ANOTHER WORLD) 42. Y&R’s Sharon (Sharon) 45. “Flying Down to ___” 47. DAYS’s Chloe

49. HOW THE THEMED FOLKS COULD APPEAR (two words) 50. Beat it 51. Acronym of a scientific project seeking contact with alien life 52. ___ Bo (exercise system) 53. MONICA’S LATE HUSBAND (GH)

DOWN 1. RYAN’S LATE WIFE (ALL MY CHILDREN) 2. Sun Devils’ school, for short 3. JAKE’S LATE WIFE (AW) 4. “A Day Without Rain” artist 5. SONNY’S LATE DAD (GH)

6. “__ __ Lay Me Down” (1995 hit, two words) 7. WHAT ALL OF THE THEMED FOLKS HAVE DONE 8. Politician O’Rourke from Texas 9. Kidnapped author’s initials 10. Two words before carte or mode 11. THORNE’S LATE WIFE (B&B) 18. “___-hoo!” 20. B&B role for Katrina Bowden 22. JAKE’S LATE WIFE (OLTL) 23. GH role for Wally Kurth 24. “A Dream __ _ Wish Your Heart Makes” (two

Answers can be found in the next issue.

5 Q Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. You can’t change the digits already provided in the grid; you have to work around them.

8 8 1 7 6 5 4 9

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

4 2 8 3 7 6

4 9 8 3 2 7 6 6 8 1 5 3 2 1 7 3

words) 25. SCOTT’S LATE DAD (GH) 26. Scottish denial 28. Buchanan patriarch (OLTL) 29. Obsolete communication for the deaf; abbr. 31. ED’S LATE WIFE (GL) 33. AMERICAN MASTERS channel 34. Soap vet Rick (ex-Ric, GH et al) 35. Aloof 36. Allie’s dad (DAYS) 38. As a whole (two words) 39. M*A*S*H beverage brand 40. Former Kelly’s owner (GH) 41. “A” in radio lingo 43. Peer Gynt character 44. Abbr. before Pepper or York or Friday 46. “Give __ _ rest!” (two words) 48. “Read Across America” coordinators; abbr.

ANSWERS FROM LAST ISSUE 0 2 6 ( 6

( / < $ 1 6 & + + / $ $ 5 6 1 $ : ' 6 , 7 5 $ + 2 7 % (

5 2 6 ( 2 5 . ' 5 $ 6 7 6 & + / $ 1 ( 2 1 6 3 ( * % ( $ / ( ( . , / 6 ( / 9 ( 5 /

3 / $ 6 8 2 5 : $ ( / 7 $ & + & 2 $ 6 < +

$ & ( 1 ' < 6 1 6 ( 7 , 5 $ ' 2 $ / < 1 / , 1 * 6 $ % 6 $ ( $ 7 6 / % < 6 + ( ( , / / 6 39

BEHIND the

Scene Heard

DAYS’s Raven (r.) is a fan of Simone’s.

FLYING HIGH PETR TOMAN/SHUTTERSTOCK

in 2018’s THE SIMONE BILES STORY: COURAGE TO SOAR, which is why she’s especially thrilled to watch the superstar gymnast compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games. “First of all, Simone is my hero,” declares Bowens. “She is phenomenal. I was able to meet her when we did the movie in Canada. She came out there with her family. They were just really wonderful people, so I feel extra-excited about the Olympics because I feel like, ‘That’s my girl!’ We did that movie a few years ago and she has just done more

extraordinary things since then. So, yeah, that was really amazing to be a part of, being a part of history, in a way. The people I worked with on that were really great and we’re all still pretty close today. The girl who played Simone, Jeanté Godlock, became like my sister in real life and it was a really great experience. When we were doing the movie, the Olympics were supposed to be in 2020 in Tokyo, we were all saying we were going to go, so we had our little plan to go, but you know ... Covid.”

HOWARD WISE/JPI

ROCK THAT FROCK

According to Y&R’s Ptosha, clothes make the woman.

No one was more surprised than Ptosha Storey (Naya, Y&R) when she took a gander at the colorful leopard-print dress she would wear for her character’s debut. “I thought, ‘Wow,’ ” chuckles the actress. “Naya is supposed to be this conservative, dignified woman, so I was surprised that I would wear something that would make her stand out. Then I thought, ‘Maybe she does like to be noticed.’ ” The eye-catching wardrobe choice helped Storey get better acquainted with Naya. “There are so many components to playing the character, and what you wear gives you insight into who this woman is,” she explains. “That dress gave another layer that showed me there’s another part of her that we haven’t tapped into. She’s a standout, so your wardrobe and your hair and makeup help inform you who this character is. I really appreciated that dress, because it made me, and hopefully the audience, curious as to who is this woman? I really love Naya’s wardrobe and as far as I’m concerned, they can throw in as many colors as they want!”

suddenly wondered: Who am I? I was in shock for three ALL MY CHILDREN days. The only way I could alum Greta Lind (ex-Katie make sense of what hapKennicott) is celebrating the pened was to write it down. release of her debut novel, And I kept writing. Split Open Split Open, which will be opens with that same scene released in paperback on — then the story took on a Amazon on July 22 (and life of its own. Never would is already available as an I have imagined my experie-book). Lind describes the AMC alum Greta is now a published ence that day would bring book as “a surreal journey author. me to this present moment. that takes a woman down an And here we are! As I raised unexpected path, bringing my children, this book kept coming her fully back to herself” and worked on through me. It would knock on my door, it “on and off for 20 years.” Its plot was speak up if necessary and even seep into inspired by a memorable event in Lind’s my dreams. I’d write when that happened own life. She explains, “Twenty years ago, and then quickly put it back on the shelf. I stopped an out-of-control school bus as Yet it kept coming back to me. During the it rolled downhill toward a crowded interpandemic, this work of women’s fiction section. I had been feeling disempowered screamed louder than it ever had — to in my everyday life as a stay-at-home be born! So, at a time of great fear and wife and mother. I didn’t know who that uncertainty, I took a huge leap.” For more woman was! She climbed on a runaway information, visit Lind’s website at www. bus and without fear or thought grabbed gretalind.com. the steering wheel and hit the brakes. I

GOOD AS GOLD Sean Kanan (ex-Deacon, B&B; exA.J., GH et al) was very happy to take home a Daytime Emmy

served as executive producer. “What’s really nice is winning this with my wife, which is an amazing feeling,” he smiles. “It’s something very beautiful we can share as a couple. I don’t know where we’re going to keep them, but I suggested we display them

that! But all joking aside,

to share it with his wife, Michele Kanan, who

Soap vet Sean was thrilled to snag Emmy gold. FRANCIS SPECKER/CBS

and that made it so incredibly special. It really has been a family celebration.” 41

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

NOVEL CONCEPT

S U T A T S ICON 19% DAYS

t s o m e h t e r a o h W s r e t c a r a h c p a o s ic n o ic t a d te o v u o Y ? e im t of all d n a m o c t. s e ig d a r e p o p soa here are the results.

Played By:

Years On Show:

/J P

19%

Awards Season:

Erica, ALL MY CHILDREN

Fun Facts! * *

Played By: Susan Lucci Years On Show: 1970-2011 Awards Season: Lucci won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1999; received the Editors’ Award at the Digest Awards in 1988; and was named Outstanding Lead Actress at the Digest Awards in 1993.

Fun Facts!

* Erica made her debut on *

AMC’s 10th episode. * In 1973, Erica became the first character on television to undergo a legal abortion. * In 2013, Lucci donated the outfit she wore on the cover of People magazine — when winning her Emmy after 19 nominations — to the Smithsonian Institute.

Played By

10%

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

Victor, Y&R Years On Show: Awards Season:

Luke, GH

10%

Played By: Anthony Geary Years On Show: 197883, 1984, 1993-2015, 2017 Awards Season: Geary won the Daytime Emmy for Lead Actor in 1982, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012 and 2015 (a record number of wins by an actor); he won the Soapy for Outstanding Actor in 1980, 1981 and 1983; and the Digest Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in 1999 and 2000.

Fun Facts!

* Geary’s original con-

tract was for 13 weeks, with Luke slated to be a short-term character. * In the heyday of Luke’s romance with Laura, Princess Diana was such a fan that she was sent bootleg copies of GH, as the show didn’t air in the UK. * Geary, known to be protective of Luke’s voice, was the only actor working in daytime whose contract dictated that he could change his dialogue.

Fun Facts! * *

Katherine, Y&R Played By:

Years On Show: Awards Season:

Fun Facts! * * * 43

Laura, GH

2006, 2008, 2013, 2015-18, 2018-present Awards Season: Francis won the Supporting Actress Daytime Emmy in 2007 and has been nominated as Lead Actress in 1997 and 2021; she received the 1981

8% Sonny, GH Played By:

Years On Show: Awards Season:

Played By: Genie Francis Years On Show: 1977-82, 1983,

and the 1997 Digest Award for Lead Actress.

Fun Facts!

* Francis was actually the second actress to play Laura; the

first, Stacey Baldwin, was a cast member from 1974-76. * Laura’s return to Port Charles in 1993 almost didn’t happen; Francis admitted to Digest in 1993 that she felt “pushed into it” by the network after being axed as AMC’s Ceara. * Francis had the original idea for one of Laura’s juiciest stories (the 1996 reveal that she had given birth to a secret son, Nikolas, on Cassadine Island).

Fun Facts! *

Reva, GUIDING LIGHT Played By:

Years On Show: Awards Season:

Fun Facts! *

* *

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

Viki, ONE LIFE TO LIVE

Played By: Years On Show: Awards Season:

Fun Facts! * * *

Steve, DAYS

Played By: Stephen Nichols Years On Show: 1985-1990, 2006-09, 2015-18, 2019-present Awards Season: Nichols was nominated for Lead Actor at the Daytime Emmys in 1988; he won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Supporting Actor in 1986, Outstanding Hero in 1989 and Favorite Supercouple with Mary Beth Evans’s Kayla that same year.

Fun Facts!

* Steve was originally slated to die after

his initial, three-month arc. * When the show scrapped plans to kill Steve and signed Nichols to a long-term contract, the actor noted in 2020 as a guest on Digest’s podcast, Dishing With Digest, “There was no projected story for the character. It was a unique situation where we [he and the writers] collaborated.” * Initially, adjusting to the character’s signature patch was a struggle for Nichols, who admitted to Digest in 2015, “I tripped a lot at first, misjudging steps.” 45

Felicia, ANOTHER WORLD Played By: Years On Show: Awards Season:

Fun Facts! * * * Lisa, AS THE WORLD TURNS

Played By: Eileen Fulton Years On Show: 1960-65, 1966-2010 Awards Season: She received the Editor’s Award at the Soap Opera Digest Awards in 1991 and the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmys in 2004.

* In the 1970s, Fulton had a clause written into her contract that pre-

vented her alter ego from becoming a grandmother. * Two years after her character was introduced in 1960, the name Lisa became the most popular baby name in the United States, and ATWT’s Lisa was credited with the resurgence of the name. * In 1965, Fulton briefly left ATWT to cross over into her own prime-time spinoff series, OUR PRIVATE WORLD, which saw Lisa move to Chicago.

Brooke, B&B Played By: Years On Show: Awards Season:

Fun Facts! * * * 46

t h g i s Happy Birthday, Leo! (July 23-August 23)

John Aniston (Victor, DAYS) 7/24 Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, B&B) 7/25 Martha Madison (Belle, DAYS) 7/27 Eric Martsolf (Brady, DAYS) 7/27 Henry Joseph Samiri (Douglas, B&B) 7/27 Bryan R. Dattilo (Lucas, DAYS) 7/29 Cait Fairbanks (Tessa, Y&R) 7/29

Wally Kurth (Justin, DAYS; Ned, GH) 7/31 Jennifer Gareis (Donna, B&B) 8/1 Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe, DAYS) 8/2 Marci Miller (Abigail, DAYS) 8/2 Scarlett Fernandez (Charlotte, GH) 8/3 Sasha Calle (Lola, Y&R) 8/7 James Reynolds (Abe, DAYS) 8/10

In this column, renowned astrologer and best-selling author Maria Shaw Lawson, who has offered advice on MR. PERSONALITY, BLIND DATE and SOAP TALK, tells those of you born under this month’s sign what to expect for the next year.

XJ JOHNSON/JP I

✸ Your year ahead looks enchanting in many ways but also a little karmic, too. First of all, the spotlight for a majority of the period shines on your most important relationships. With the Hand of Fate welcoming soulful connections and waving away some tedious unions, Lions simplify their circle of friends and lovers. Jupiter will help clinch long-term commitments, both personally and professionally. Later this year, the beneficial planet changes its focus and creates new avenues for income. 2022 will be a great year to pay off debt as well as draw money from new sources. Travel is favored this October, especially short trips to familiar locales. Home is where your heart is in November, as you welcome in the holiday season. Luck rides high in December, especially during the eclipse, mid-month. January is a good time to structure a healthy regimen for the new year and dig deeper into projects you’ve put off. After May 11, you gain much-deserved recognition on the career front. People in positions of power will help push you up the ladder and closer to a successful peak, which can be realized after the spring of 2023.

Reynolds and Harry

Kathleen Gati (Liesl, GH), 8/13 Jackée Harry (Paulina, DAYS) 8/14 Courtney Hope (Sally, Y&R) 8/15 Bryton James (Devon, Y&R) 8/17 Sean Dominic (Nate, Y&R) 8/18

Maria Shaw Lawson is a celebrity astrologer who regularly appears in the media. Visit mariashaw.com for her tour schedule and book your own consultation.

HIGHLY RECO Six stars share their top picks for pod BOLD & BEAUTIFUL •

• Fitness Guru:

“The book next to my bed is Finding My Voice by Mike Reilly. He’s the voice for the Iron Man [triathlon]. It’s about all of his work through the years with Ironman. It’s fantastic. Anybody who loves Ironman should read this book.”

“Brooke Burke Body; she does good Pilates.”

Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke)

• Music:

ferent gaits of the horse, and then it will track the full mileages. Almost like [the app] Strava, it tracks your path, and shows you exactly where you went on a map. It’s really fun.”

“Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty.”

• Podcast: “The

• Book: “I like going back to books, like The

“The Princess Bride. I love the ’80s, because that’s when those kinds of movies were so big and so powerful. They were just so perfect, the romcoms of the 1980s. I also recommend Julia Roberts’s

TOCK TOUCHSTONE/KOBAL/SHUTTERS

Four Agreements and The Secret. I like reading self-help books.”

• Date Night Movie:

“I’ve tried a few and I really like Sakara Life. It’s mostly plant-based, and it’s really good when you’re in a hurry and you want to grab something, but instead of grabbing something unhealthy, which is usually what happens, it’s superhealthy. It’s good for the waistline and it’s good just for all the health benefits, and I love that.”

Gabby Reece Show has interesting things because she’s all about health and nutrition and fitness.”

• Sitcom:

INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK

new app for anyone who rides horses called Equilab. If anybody wants to track their mileage on a horse, it will measure how far you walked, how far you trotted and how far you cantered, and the time

PHOTOS: JILL JOHNSON/JPI

• App: “I have found this

• Meal Service:

“SCHITT’S CREEK. I’m watching it now and I love that show. It’s so funny and it’s such a great cast.”

• TV Drama: “I love the one that’s shot in Montana, if you want to binge it: YELLOWSTONE. Loved it.”

• Streaming Series: “I just finished THE HANDMAID’S TALE. It’s it’s a hard watch. HACKS is great. TED LASSO is great. RATCHED was interesting; stylistically, it’s gorgeous. And I just binged THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT. I liked it a lot.”

• Competition

Heather Tom

Shows: “My son is obsessed with AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR so we watch that every week. He’s also obsessed with LEGO MASTERS and honestly, I like watching those shows, too. I also love TOP CHEF.”

• Cookbooks: “Plenty and

• Kitchen Essential: “The most important thing you can do for yourself, if you want to cook, is buy yourself some really good knives. I travel with my knives. I take them with me when we go on vacation. If

UNITED ARTISTS/KO BAL/SHUTTERSTOCK

Plenty More [by London chef Yotam Ottolenghi]. They’re all vegetarian dishes and are really tasty and easy. I just got Bottom Of The Pot, which is filled with really good Persian recipes. Padma Lakshmi has a new cookbook out that’s really good, too [Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet].”

(Katie)

you don’t have good knives, your cooking experience is going to be a disaster. If you’re going to get a starter set that isn’t totally going to break the bank, because they can be very expensive, Shun has beautiful knives, and so does Global [Cutlery USA]. They will both maintain their blades, and that is the most important thing you can buy yourself if you want to cook — that and “I loved Becoming, Michelle Obama’s book. That was fantastic; Elton John’s [Me] is really great.”

• Music: “In our house, we run the gamut, but I would say the theme songs to our quarantine, that I would listen to every night when I’d clean up from dinner, are Billy Joel, Prince, Elton John, Patsy Cline and The Beatles. That’s my after-dinner

CBS • CBS • CBS

OMMENDED casts, sitcoms, memoirs and more.

DAYS OF OUR LIVES you’ve got a little luck, and then it [incorporates] the idea of strategy and tactics. It’s a very fun game.”

• Charitable Organization:

James Re y n o l d s JILL JOHNSON/JPI

(Abe)

• “We play lots of board games in our family. My son could play a winning game of Monopoly before he was 6! My son and his best friend, who we call our second son, were here on Mother’s Day and we played Scrabble. I love the old, classic board games like those, but there are some great new ones, too, like Settlers of Catan. 50

“There are so many worthy organizations out there, but the first one that comes to mind is the United Negro College Fund [uncf.org]. Historically, Black colleges and universities are always in need of funding; they don’t have the endowments that schools like Harvard do, but it’s so important that they are able to flourish and grow in order to educate young Black men and women and for them to get the kind of world-class education they are deserving of. The United Negro College Fund helps with that, and helps students pay for that education, as well. More than a worthy cause.”

• Documentary: “Tokyo Trial, a little-known documentary that I saw the other day when I was on the treadmill. It’s on Netflix. I’m a big history buff, and we all know about the Nuremberg trials in Germany at the end of World War II. This is the Tokyo trials; the same war crime trials that were held in Germany were held in Japan. This particular documentary in that trial, which were from, I believe, 11 allied nations plus the Philippines, who had just become a nation, and India,

shakes, smoothies, protein drinks, you can slice and dice, you can make meals; with the right attachment, it can become a food processor. We have a Ninja that we love.”

• Netflix Series: “Of course, everybody got stuck on the English drama BRIDGERTON. That would be at the top of my list!”

• Fiction Books: “I constantly read and I just finished two pretty interesting ones. The first is The Paris Library [by Janet Skeslien Charles], which is set in modern-day Montana, but also World War II in Paris at the American Library, surrounding a young woman who has been affected by the war that she didn’t think she would be as a librarian, and people that are totally dedicated to books. It’s really wonderful. I also just finished Stacey Abrams’s book, While Justice Sleeps, which is pretty much a techno-thriller. She is a romance novelist, as well, and it’s really well-done, well-crafted and put together. I enjoyed it a lot. And I’ll give you one more: Sooley, John Grisham’s latest book, which is also really fascinating. It’s unlike anything I’ve read of John Grisham’s before. It follows a budding NBA superstar who came from the Sudan, from that war-torn country, to the U.S. through basketball and it follows this boy as he develops as a basketball player and a person. I loved this book.”

• Kitchen Gadget: “I think a blender might be the most important thing you can have in the kitchen. Well, that and a microwave, of course! But you can do all sorts of things with your blender —

Nonfiction Book: “I read an interesting book not too long ago about the history of a building. It’s called The Library Book, by Susan Orlean, and it’s about the downtown L.A. library, which suffered a terrific fire a few years ago and it looked like it was dead, but instead it’s come back fast. Strangely enough, this became a best-seller. Who would have thought a book about a library would be a best-seller?”

• Podcasts: “I am a podcast fan. I listen to [NPR’s] Wait Wait... Don’t Don’t Want You To Know. I’m listening to a very interesting L.A. Times [true crime] podcast right now about a lawyer who appears to me to have been falsely accused of murder [called The Trials of Frank Carson].” 51

NBC • NBC • NBC

which had yet to become a nation. It’s just one of those things you don’t hear about, and the judges in Japan really examined the nature of, what is a war crime, and if it’s justifiable to target anybody with a war crime because war, by definition, is pretty horrific. It was a fascinating documentary.”

GENERAL HOSPITAL when you read this book because he’s so detailed that you are drawn in. He’s unbelievable. It’s not for everybody, and I’ve had my ups and downs with it, but I’m going to be really proud of myself when I get through it! I mean, it’s not beach reading [laughs]! There’s no plot. The plot is a man’s life laid bare with all of his insecurities and struggles and confusion and he’s really honest about some crazy stuff. Anyone with a father should read the book. Or anybody with children or who’s in a relationship.”

Ro g e r H owa r t h STEVEN BERGMAN

(Austin)

• Rummikub is an important part of any family night. It’s basically dominos; it’s the right level of strategy and fun.”

• Book: “I’m halfway through the last volume of Karl Ove Knausgård’s My Struggle and it’s amazing. If you have the time or the inclination to read, you know, 3,600 pages about some deeply personal, weird stuff, then he’s your guy! He can make really banal and seemingly simple things like pushing a kid to a park in the stroller or ordering something at a deli counter 52

• Charitable Organization: “FeedingAmerica.org. What I really like about them is that it works really practically. On a practical level, they can feed a lot of people with not a lot of money and so smaller contributions can actually make a difference. They can feed people with even just a lar, which is incredible, and the way they do that is to take food that other people don’t need and get it to people who do. And that seems like a really practical pipeline. On a brass tacks level, they seem somebody.”

• Kitchen Gadget: “I’m at a point in my life where I actually use a salad spinner. I think mine is OXO. It’s not fancy.”

• Online Store: “To satisfy a

tip, I love Insight Timer. It’s a free online platform for different kinds of meditative tools and everybody is represented on there. You can take a sound bath with didgeridoos or you can hear Gisele [Bündchen] talk you through a 12-minute meditation. It covers the gamut for anyone looking for a little peace and quiet. It’s one of those things where I think that if meditation is important to you to be aware that you’re doing it for other people, so that you can chill out so that you’re more present with other people, and one of the things it does is allows you, when you’re done, to see other people in your community that were sitting at the same time, which is really cool.”

late-night online shopping crave, I’ve been known to go on The RealReal [TheRealReal.com]. You get to consume things and there’s no cost to the environment because they’ve already been made, bought and now they are being sold again. So, it’s resale, and you can feel good about that; and there’s some really cool, fun clothes for sale there at a significant discount.”

with Taylor Swift [the song ‘Exile’] and then I had to rethink what I think of Taylor Swift — and she’s amazing!”

• Netflix Series To Stream: “I’m watching STARTUP on Netflix. It’s supersmart, it’s glossy and it’s a fun ride. In the pilot, you see this card with a Bob Dylan quote that says, ‘To live outside the law, you must be honest.’ Every character on the show is both in and outside of their own honesty and their own law and I think that kind of shiftable morality is kind of fun to see [as] people struggle with power and family and murder. It’s a smart show. There’s one actor in particular [Martin Freeman] that you just can’t take your eyes off of. I’d watch that guy read the phone book.

• Podcast: “The Slate podcast Decoder Ring. Willa [Paskin, the host, who interviewed him for a recent episode titled The Soap Opera Machine] is super-smart, she’s got a great sense of humor and a point of view and a curiosity and she seems to find a deeper, human level to every [topic]. I think that’s really compelling.”

• Trader Joe’s Products: “The frozen gyoza dumplings. They are a staple in my freezer. And the peanut butter-filled pretzels are a must-have. Toby [his dog] really appreciates them, also.”

• Yoga App: “Glo is an online platform that’s subscription-based. For $18 a month, it unlocks tens of thousands of yoga classes. I’m incredibly grateful to Jason Crandell, who’s my go-to instructor. He will teach a yoga class that has a practical value. He’s amazing.” COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION

• Music: “So, Bon Iver did something

ABC • ABC • ABC

• Meditation App: “On the self-care

YOUNG & RESTLESS years. They’re great.”

• Grocery Store Product: “Good & Gather Dark Chocolate Almond Butter. It tastes like Nutella. It’s delightful.”

• Hulu Series: “I’ve been obsessed with THE BOLD TYPE from day one. I think it’s so well-written.”

JILL JOHNSON/JPI

• Kitchen Gadget: “My soon-to-be

Co u r t n e y Hope (Sally)

• Board Game: “[Chad Duell, Michael, GH, her fiancé, and I] got a board game called Pandemic where you have to strategize to save the world from an outbreak and we love it. We’ve played it close to 50 times already.”

• Memoirs: “Bryan Cranston’s [exDouglas, LOVING] A Life in Parts, which I really enjoyed. It’s informative and funny. I also enjoyed reading Life’s Operating Manual by [director] Tom Shadyac. He had everything and then lost it all in a biking accident but it’s also hysterical.”

• Netflix Series: “I love YOU with Penn Badgley [ex-Chance, Y&R].”

• Online Stores: “I love Carbon38 for workout clothes, Good American for fashions and Emerson Ecologics — Wellevate is their vitamin and supplement section.”

NETFLIX

• Cookbook: “It’s not a cookbook, per se, but I really rely on the Medical Medium Life-Changing Foods book. I love learning about different foods, what’s healthy for you, eating by color and also intuitive eat-

father-in-law gave us this little ladybug that you scoot along the counter and it sucks up crumbs. It’s something I use every single day.”

• Sitcom: “It oscillates between THE OFFICE, SEINFELD and shows are hilarious.”

• Documentary: “I love any crime documentary, but I just watched My Octopus Teacher and that was fantastic!”

• Fitness App: “I have two. One is Glo, which has Pilates, barre and yoga. I also love the Sweat app, which is more high intensity. 54

• YouTube Channels: “I listen to Abraham Hicks. [Esther Hicks] is this spiritual girl and I follow her a lot. I majored in psychology, and there’s a You Tube channel that I find fascinating called MedCircle, which is about psychology.”

and a fun period show.”

• Autobiography: because it was my first introduction to the Holocaust when I was a child and it should be

• Grocery Store Product: “Bumble Bee tuna packed in water. It’s the staple in my life and always has been.”

• Hulu Series:

Kate Linder (Esther)

“THE HANDMAID’S TALE is riveting and the twists and turns are constantly surprising.”

• Meal Delivery Service: “Freshly. com has a great variety that is always fresh and

entrees.”

• Board Game: kid and still want to own Boardwalk and Park Place.”

• Rom-Com: “Mamma Mia because

• Netflix Series: “THE KOMINSKY METHOD because of the incredible cast, the Hollywood realities it portrays and it’s just funny.”

TON BATZFORFF/NBC

• Novel: “The Power of Letting Go I’ve always loved ABBA and also Garry Marshall’s Mother’s Day because I’m in it!” by John Purkiss taught me to enjoy each moment and to let go of the thoughts that • Competition Show: “DANCING keep you stuck.” WITH THE STARS, I’ve always wanted • Podcast: “A tie between Dishing with to be on it. I love everything about it.” Digest, for obvious reasons, and Off the Red • Documentary: “Won’t You Be My Carpet with George Pennacchio because he’s such a great interviewer.” Neighbor? is a beautiful examination of the life and legacy of Fred Rogers.” • Reality Show: “SHARK TANK because I enjoy watching the negotiations, • Drama Series: “I started watchand it cements my belief ing THIS IS US that you should never give to keep tabs on up.” my former Y&R castmate, Justin • Self-Help Book: “The Road Less Traveled by M. and I never miss it Scott Peck. It’s been around now because the a long time but I get more out show is beautifully of it each time I read it.”

CBS • CBS • CBS

Series: “THE MARVELOUS MRS.

EUGENE POWERS/SHUTTERS TOCK

• Amazon Prime

calendar and Steve Burton (Jason) What: The Stone Cold And Jackal Tour When: Sat., Aug. 21 Where: West Nyack Levity Live, 4210 Palisades Center Drive, A-401, West Nyack, NY How: Join the guys for a 90-minute show full of music and comedy followed by a limited VIP photo meet and greet. For pricing and more info, go to coastalentertainment. com/events. Who: DAYS’s Brandon Beemer (Shawn),

Bryan R. Dattilo (Lucas), Billy Flynn (Chad), Gilles Marini (ex-Ted), Eric Martsolf (Brady) and Robert Scott Wilson (Ben) What: 50th Birthday Bash For Eric & Bryan When: Sat., Sep. 11 Where: Sheraton Montreal Airport Hotel, 555 Boulevard McMillan, Dorval, Quebec, Canada How: Visit eventbrite.ca/e/eric-martsolfbryan-dattilos-50th-birthday-bash-inmontreal-sept-11-tickets-131664003579 for tickets, which range from $182.72-$441.47.

All I Want For Christmas: Meet DAYS’s Billy Flynn (Chad, r.) an d Robert Scott Wilson (Ben) in FL this December.

Coloma (Nikolas), Kim Delaney (Jackie), Josh Swickard (Chase), Donnell Turner (Curtis), Johnny Wactor (Brando) and Maura West (Ava), plus one more to be announced. What: GH Fantasy When: Sun., Sept. 19 Where: Hilton Hasbrouck Heights, 650 Terrace Avenue, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ How: Visit coastalentertainment.com/events for tickets, which range from $99-$300. Who: DAYS’s Brandon Barash (Jake),

Flynn, Stacy Haiduk (Susan/Kristen), Victoria Konefal (Ciara), Martsolf and Wilson What: Winter Wonderland Event When: Sat.-Sun., Dec. 4-5 Where: Shephard’s Beach Resort, 619 South Gulfview Boulevard, Clearwater, FL How: Visit starstruckfanevents.com/ clearwater-beach for the various events, prices and packages.

XJ JOHNSON/JPI

Who: DAYS’s Matthew Ashford (Jack),

Father/Daughter Fun: Hang with DAYS’s Deveraux family, Marci Miller (Abigail, r.), Matthew Ashford (Jack) and Emily O’Brien (Gwen) in GA.

Dan Feuerriegel (EJ), Haiduk, Martsolf, Marci Miller (Abigail) and Emily O’Brien (Gwen) What: “YesterDAYS Songs” When: Sat.-Sun., Jan. 15-16, 2022 Where: Jekyll Island Club Hotel, 371 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island, GA How: Visit starstruckfanevents.com for prices and package information.

JILL JOHNSON/JPI

Who: GH’s Bradford Anderson (Spinelli)

ARREST WARRANT ISSUED YOUNG AND RESTLESS Sutton Ames

BAILED OUT Xander Cook

ABC

DAYS OF OUR LIVES

Maternity Leave: In light of her pull to her daughter, GH’s Maxie (Kirsten Storms) decided to take a break from Port Charles.

BROKE UP DAYS OF OUR LIVES Eric Brady and Nicole Walker

FILED FOR SOLE CUSTODY YOUNG AND RESTLESS

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

SCORECARD

Digest Keeps You Up-To-Date MADE LOVE Quinn Forrester and Carter Walton

MARRIAGE ANNULLED DAYS OF OUR LIVES Ciara Brady and Ben Weston

MOVED BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

COHABITING

Tara Locke

Paris Buckingham

YOUNG AND RESTLESS

FILED LAWSUIT

OFFERED JOB

Ashland Locke and Victoria Newman

DIAGNOSED WITH PANCREATIC CANCER

GENERAL HOSPITAL Austin Gatlin-Holt

KIDNAPPED DAYS OF OUR LIVES Ciara Brady

GENERAL HOSPITAL Lenny Caulfield

LEFT TOWN DAYS OF OUR LIVES

YOUNG AND RESTLESS Ben “Stitch” Rayburn

OUT OF TOWN GENERAL HOSPITAL Valentin Cassadine and Anna Devane

Eric Brady

RELEASED FROM PRISON

Damian Spinelli and Ellie Trout

GENERAL HOSPITAL

Maxie Jones

Shawn Butler

EXPOSED AS CHEATER

FLASHBACK TRIVIA

ESTRANGED GENERAL HOSPITAL

DAYS OF OUR LIVES Sami Brady Nicole Walker

Why did Y&R’s Stitch falsely confess to his father’s murder in 2014? Turn to page 64 to find out. 57

bold

beautiful PARIS IN THE SUMMER

OH, SHOOT World-renowned photographer Ellen von Unwerth takes photos of Brooke in the Forrester CEO office while Ridge looks on with pride. Ridge joins Brooke for some snaps. Later, Ridge and Brooke read through Ellen’s article and see that she refers to Brooke and Ridge as co-CEOs of Forrester Creations.

Paris informs Zende that in the wake of Carter and Quinn’s affair, Zoe has decided not to return to L.A. They discuss the domino effect of Carter and Quinn’s affair, and wonder if Carter will actually stay away from Quinn.... Paris visits Steffy and Finn, brings food for the new parents and a Foundation paper for Steffy to review. Steffy is impressed by Paris’s work ethic. When baby Hayes gets fussy, Paris sings him a lullaby and calms him down. Paris mentions that she misses her sister, and now needs a new place to live. Steffy suggests that Paris stay with them. Paris happily accepts, and later, Finn helps Paris move in. Paris is grateful and offers to help them out in any way she can.

PASSION FLOWERS Carter and Quinn can’t keep their distance and make love. In their afterglow, they agree that they can’t keep acting upon their urges. Eric arrives at the office, asking Ridge and Brooke if they’ve seen

a new woman. Eric summons Carter to the office to start his divorce proceedings; Quinn listens in while hiding. When the call is over, Quinn points out their lust could cost Carter his job, but he replies that she’s worth it. They have sex again, then agree their connection is deep and profound, but risky. Carter assures Quinn that he’s willing to take any risk to be with her, but Quinn worries about Carter’s future.

Carter. Ridge suggests they teleconference him. When Carter answers, Eric asks why he is shirtless. Carter covers, saying he just worked out, but Ridge spies a dress draped over the couch and queries if Carter has

flashback to 2016

Secret Lovers: When Eric (John McCook) and Quinn (Rena Sofer) first got together, they kept their relationship under wraps.

XJ JOHNSON/JPI

CO-OP Ridge tells Brooke that he plans to clarify the part of the article that named them “co-CEOs”. Brooke asks if it would be so terrible if they worked together again. She adds that there might

“Right now, things are great between them, which is a little worrisome because whenever they’re this happy, something always seems to come between them, you know?”

be an opportunity now that Eric has stepped back a bit and Steffy is on maternity leave. Ridge agrees that Brooke has accomplished great things at the company but worries how Steffy would receive the suggestion.

for their meeting. When Quinn arrives, they express their concern about her recent odd behavior. Wyatt demands answers as to why she ruined her marriage to Eric, and wants to know if she’s staying away from Carter.

LATE IN THE DAY

QUICK THINKERS

Brooke asks Eric for a divorce update; he assures her that he’s not willing to put up with Quinn’s machinations anymore. He then wonders what’s taking Carter so long to get to the office. Brooke discusses her conversation with Ridge; Eric is happy that Brooke wants to be more involved in the company. Wyatt and Flo wait for Quinn, who is late

Carter arrives at Forrester and tries to establish boundaries about his personal life with Eric, Ridge and Brooke. Eric reminds Carter that he’s forbidden to see Quinn, and instructs Carter to get Forrester out of their contract with Quinn’s jewelry line. Carter realizes this will devastate Quinn and comes up with a plan to save the line yet keep their fling a secret.

HOWARD WISE/JPI

How would Ridge describe his marriage to Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) at this moment in time? Thorsten Kaye says:

• Steffy and Finn joyously plan their wedding. • Katie and Brooke spend muchneeded sister time together. • Quinn and Eric have a no-holdsbarred conversation about their status.

Quinn ducks out of her meeting with Wyatt and Flo after receiving a text from Carter asking to meet. At Forrester, Ridge and Brooke run into Carter as he sneaks away to see Quinn. Ridge confirms to Brooke that Carter managed to save Quinn’s jewelry line. Brooke disapproves, believing that Eric needs to cut ties with Quinn completely. Carter breaks the news to Quinn that Eric wanted to end her jewelry line. While upset, she’s not surprised. However, Quinn is touched when Carter reveals that he convinced Eric to keep it. 59

CBS • CBS • CBS

WHAT WI HAPPE

days IT TAKES TWO Sami’s thrown that Xander’s been arrested and arranges bail. Xander demands full payment for spilling the beans about Nicole up front; Sami hands over the cash. Lucas and Philip strategize over who’s the best person to deliver Kristen’s letter to EJ to blow up Sami’s marriage without connecting Lucas to it. Brady invites Chloe to Eric and Nicole’s anniversary party as friends. Belle tells EJ about the party. EJ calls Sami, and they agree to meet there.

TO TELL THE TRUTH At the pub, Eric reconnects with his family and they celebrate his and

lives AROUND TOWN Paulina reveals she’s calling off the demolition of the town square, hoping it will help make amends. Lani asks her to leave. Later, Lani’s surprised when it seems like Abe is willing to forgive Paulina.... Paulina visits Julie to apologize to her in person.... Chanel thanks Lani and Eli for allowing her to crash on their couch once again. She later confides in Eli that Allie rejected her for Tripp. Eli comforts her.... Chanel runs into Allie, who still wants to be friends. Paulina arrives and gives them the news about the square: Chanel can open her bakery, after all. Paulina goes, and Allie hopes she can still be a part of Chanel’s business. Chanel agrees.

Nicole if there is any truth to Xander’s claims. She can no longer lie and apologizes. Devastated, Eric flees. Nicole rips into Sami, warning Sami only she without sin should cast the first stone. EJ asks what that was about, but Sami covers. After observing the exchange, Belle tells John she suspects Sami was behind exposing that Nicole cheated.

Nicole’s anniversary. During the festivities, Xander interrupts and reveals Nicole cheated on Eric with him. No one believes him. Xander adds that Sami saw them going into the Salem Inn. Eric punches Xander and John throws Xander out. A troubled Eric asks

flashback to 1984

CASH AND CARRY

Come And Go With Me: Howie (Stanley Brock, l.), disguised as the bride, walked down the aisle to Larry (Andrew Masset) while Bo made off with Hope (Kristian Alfonso).

NBC

Brady goes after Xander for answers. Brady discovers the briefcase filled with cash, but Xander refuses to tell Brady who he got it from. Brady tells Chloe he thinks someone paid Xander off to wreck Nicole’s marriage. Chloe reveals it may have been Sami.

IT’S OVER At home, Nicole and

NBC • NBC • NBC

What went wrong between Eric (Greg Vaughan) and Nicole? Arianne Zucker says:

Eric agree that while they love each other, his heart is with the people in Africa, and their marriage is over. Eric heads back to Africa; Nicole crumbles to the floor in tears.

DELIVER THE LETTER Philip tells Lucas that Nicole and Eric’s anniversary party ended early. Philip suggests that Lucas use Nicole as the means to deliver the damning letter from Kristen to EJ. Lucas says no, but after Lucas leaves, Philip retrieves the missive. Lucas reveals to Sami that he was very tempted to reveal their two trysts to EJ but didn’t. Sami is relieved. Meanwhile, Philip brings Nicole the incriminating letter that Kristen wrote, and suggests she show it to EJ. Nicole thinks it over, then presents the letter to EJ, who is devastated by

Sami’s betrayal.

NOT SO FAST Ciara asks Allie to be her maid of honor and reveals that her marriage to Ben has been annulled. Theo asks Chad to stand up for him. Everyone is surprised to learn that Ciara will marry Theo on the one-year anniversary of her and Ben’s nuptials. Claire finds Ciara getting ready for her wedding. They argue about Ben and get into a physical fight; Shawn pulls them apart. He tells Ciara that Hope can’t make it. Later, Julie drops by and reveals Doug had a minor fall, so they won’t be able to attend the ceremony, either. Ben reveals to Claire that he plans to kidnap Ciara from her wedding and take her up to the cabin where they first fell in love, hoping it will trigger her memory. Abe urges Theo to

XJ JOHNSON/JPI

“Even though they were first loves, it doesn’t feel like they’re right for each other or meant for each other because he has this mission and he’s not taking Nicole with him.”

postpone the wedding, fearing Ciara may someday get her memories of Ben back. Theo insists he’s willing to take the risk. Belle and Chad both get pulled into a DiMera emergency, and the best man ends up unable to attend Theo and Ciara’s wedding. While Lani steps in to stand up for her little brother, Shawn muses to Ciara that the universe may be conspiring to delay her marriage to Theo. As Ciara dismisses all doubts, Ben plots with Claire to steal the bride before she reaches the altar, and they enlist Allie as an accomplice. Later, Theo watches as his bride walks down the aisle ... but is stunned to see that it’s Claire, who is acting as a decoy! Meanwhile, Ciara discovers that Ben is her limo driver — and has no intention of delivering her to the church. 앮 61

general hospital THE MORE YOU KNOW Nina is floored when Maxie details how and why she and Brook Lynn pulled off their baby-switch scheme. She has misgivings, but agrees to keep mum, and supports Maxie’s decision to take a leave of absence from Deception and get out of town. Nina lets Brook Lynn know that she’s in on the secret.

SICK LEAVE “Mike” and Phyllis take Lenny to a specialist in New York City. Opposite this, Finn squirms over Anna’s investigation into Peter’s disappearance, and she and Valentin head to a Manhattan hospital in search of the

AUSTIN POWERS The Quartermaines reel as Austin introduces himself as Austin Gatlin-Holt, Jimmy Lee’s son and Edward’s grandson. Brook Lynn is particularly shaken, given that Austin delivered Louise. Valentin is pleased that he’ll remain at the helm of the company while the matter of Austin’s claim to ELQ shares gets sorted out. Later, at G.H., Monica chats up Austin, trying to determine if he’s on the up-and-up. Jason tells Monica that he’ll do some digging around about Austin, and warns Austin that he’ll do whatever it takes to protect his family. Meanwhile, Ned, Brook Lynn and Michael strategize about how to handle Austin and his ELQ lawsuit. Ned picks up on Brook Lynn’s wariness about welcoming Austin into the fold.

breaks the news to Phyllis and “Mike” that he has pancreatic cancer and refuses to begin chemo, citing the cost. “Mike” calls Nina, who wants to foot the bill for Lenny’s treatment and says she’ll meet him in Nixon Falls. Phyllis and Sonny persuade Lenny to accept Nina’s offer.

helicopter pilot that Peter hired. Anna and Sonny almost have a run-in, and Valentin does encounter Phyllis. He identifies himself as Nina’s ex and is intrigued when she mentions “Mike”. Lenny

flashback to 1984 The Simple Life: Jimmy Lee (Steve Bond) revealed that he was Edward’s (David Lewis) illegitimate son via his relationship with Beatrice. Two years later, he married Charity and moved to Pautuck. ABC

CAREER MOVE Brando steps in to help Carly handle Joey Novak; she notes to Jason that Brando could be an asset to the organization. Sasha admits to Brando that she’s keeping him at arm’s length because of his ties to the mob. Sam surprises Jason and Carly with her understanding reaction to their engagement.

How does Nina feel about agreeing to keep Maxie and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton, r.) secret? Cynthia Watros says: “She understands why Maxie needs to protect her daughter, but she is struggling with Valentin’s heart in all of this. She thinks that if Maxie and Brook Lynn told Valentin the truth, his heart would be broken, yes, but he would still protect this little girl.”

SINGLE FILE Curtis works up the nerve to tell Portia that he wants to see where their relationship could lead.... Spinelli informs Jason, then Maxie, that Ellie moved out. After pressing Sam about her possible new suitor, Maxie asks her to look after Spinelli while she’s gone.... Chase tries to get Dante to spill about the woman he kissed.

WHAT’S IN A NAME? Spencer hides his disdain when Ava arrives at Wyndemere. Laura voices her faith that the stalker will be exposed. Later, Ava goes to the Metro Court while Nikolas and Spencer are lunching. She apologizes to Austin for her previous behavior, and Spencer says too much to Nik about the stalker and has to cover. At the pool, Trina is happy to learn that Cam and Joss are now an item. Cam and

Joss are stunned when Spencer arrives. Joss shoves Spencer into the pool when he makes a dig about her playing volleyball. Trina is thrown to learn “Victor’s” true identity. She doesn’t expose his duplicity to her friends, but is clearly uncomfortable about it.

PILOT PLIGHT In New York, Anna and Valentin corner Hopkins, the pilot, who is mourning the death of his sister (Fake Chloe). They force him to admit that he was paid to pick Peter up from the G.H. roof, but he never showed. In light of this, Anna and Valentin wonder how Peter escaped. The mystery deepens when Hopkins reveals that someone else was on the roof with Peter. Hopkins is hauled off by the cops as an accessory to murder. Back in Port Charles, Finn and Liz fret over the G.H. security cameras operating

ABC • ABC • ABC

WHAT WI HAPPE • Trina conspires to get Ava and Nikolas back together. • Sam pays Alexis a visit. • Nina returns to Nixon Falls.

moving Peter’s body.

GONE GIRL Brook Lynn arranges for Maxie to see Louise at G.H. They are both on edge when Austin appears. Maxie is shocked to learn that Austin is Brook Lynn’s cousin, but relieved that he’s focused on ELQ and not Louise’s whereabouts. Maxie says a tearful good-bye to Louise.

FREE PASS Judge Carson’s biased sentencing inequities make headlines. As a result, Shawn is freed, while Alexis will be transferred to a minimum security prison, not back to Pentonville. Jordan and Shawn go to dinner to celebrate. When TJ and Molly excitedly inform Nikolas about these developments, he fears that Shawn will uncover the truth about Hayden’s shooting. 앮 63

young EXPIRATION DATE Victoria tells Billy that Ashland is moving in with her and she slips that her new boyfriend only has a few months to live. Later, Victoria receives congratulatory flowers from Victor about the merger.

TEAM WORK At Crimson Lights, Phyllis and Billy discuss their determination to uncover what Sally and Tara have done. Meanwhile, Sally warns Tara that Phyllis and Billy may be investigating her. Later, Jack finds an upset Tara, who explains that Phyllis blames her for Summer’s departure.

KICKING ASH Lily urges Billy to accept Victoria’s choice to be with Ashland....

restless TO CATCH A KILLER Amanda asks Victor for help trapping Sutton.... Imani tells Amanda and Devon that Naya is missing.... Amanda confronts Sutton about Naya’s disappearance and vows to find her.... At the Newman ranch, Victor informs Sutton that he has a letter written by Richard that states he spoke to Ames. Victor offers Sutton the letter in exchange for a future favor. After Sutton admits he can live with what he did to Richard, Amanda and Imani emerge and reveal that they recorded their grandfather’s words.... After hearing Amanda’s recording of Sutton, Michael affirms that a warrant for his arrest will be issued.... Amanda suggests to Imani that they be partners in a new law firm.... When Naya calls, Amanda tells her mom to return immediately.

explains that he’ll be staying with them.... Billy asks Ashland why he would subject Victoria to the pain of losing him, but Locke refuses to admit that he’s dying.... Ashland learns that Tara has filed for sole custody of Harrison.

Tara shares with Kyle that Harrison had another nightmare about the incident in the park involving Ashland’s breathing problems. Tara wonders if she should keep Harrison away from Ashland.... Victoria introduces Johnny and Katie to Ashland and

MAMA BEARS At the Grand Phoenix, Tara points out to Phyllis that they’re both protective moms. Still, Phyllis surmises to Amanda that Tara and Sally conspired to force Summer out of town.

Fall Guy: Stitch (Sean Carrigan) revealed that he had confessed to his dad’s murder to cover for the real killer, his mother, Maureen (Meredith Baxter).

flashback to 2014 64

SEAN SMITH/JPI

IT’S ALL GOOD Stitch tells Abby and Tessa that he’s been offered a job in Genoa City. Later, Sharon, Tessa and Abby are relieved when Mariah texts that she’ll

Why does Adam still feel a pull to Sharon (Sharon Case)? Mark Grossman answers: “Adam and Sharon have always been close and she’s been the one who Adam can always turn to and be completely honest with.”

be home for her next doctor’s appointment. Abby and Tessa apologize for blaming each other for Mariah leaving. Abby thanks Devon for calming her down.

FUTURE ENDEAVORS Nikki commends Adam for the effort he’s making to be a better person.... At the coffeehouse, Adam and Sharon discuss the circumstances surrounding Chelsea’s breakdown. Sharon and Adam separately have flashbacks of their time together and contemplate how to move on.

ALL TOGETHER NOW Phyllis calls Summer and reports that Tara’s true colors will soon be exposed. Phyllis then advises Tara to be wary of Sally. Sally warns Tara that if one of them goes down, the other will follow. Later, Kyle asks Sally why she recently

visited the Forresters in L.A. Sally warns Kyle not to blame her for Summer leaving town.

A LONG WAY

HOWARD WISE/JPI

TEEN CHALLENGE Lily coaches Moses about how to show Faith he’s interested in her while still respecting her boundaries. Moses then calls Devon and asks for his help.

CBS • CBS • CBS

and Kyle reminisce about their time together in New York and imagine what life would be like if they had run away to Paris with their son.

OFF KILTER Abby questions whether a text Mariah sent sounds like it came from her. Stitch offers to look into tracing Mariah’s phone, but Nina convinces everyone to wait until the next time they hear from Mariah. Later, Abby and Stitch go apartment hunting for him and she thanks him for making her feel normal. Meanwhile, Tessa texts Mariah to send a clue if she’s in trouble. 앮

As Victor and Nikki prepare to leave for Italy, she suggests they trust Victoria’s judgment about Ashland. Billy cares for an ailing Johnny and wonders if all of the changes happening in his son’s life are making him sick. SUDOKU ANSWERS Billy later tells 3 7 6 4 2 5 1 9 Victoria that he’s happy for her and 9 5 4 1 8 3 7 6 Ashland, and the exes both admire 1 2 8 6 7 9 3 4 how their relation8 1 7 3 6 2 4 5 ship has matured. Ashland con2 6 5 7 9 4 8 3 fronts Tara about filing for sole cus4 3 9 8 5 1 2 7 tody of Harrison. 5 9 3 2 4 8 6 1 He suddenly has trouble breathing, 7 8 1 5 3 6 9 2 so Victoria and Tara calm him 6 4 2 9 1 7 5 8 down. Later, Tara

8 2 5 9 1 6 7 4 3

k s as u

I know Y&R’s Victor has been married many times, but are any of his ex-spouses dead? J.M., via email A Of the nine women Victor has ex-

changed vows with, three of the former Mrs. Newmans are no longer among the living. Hope Adams died of pancreatic cancer in February 2008; Sabrina Costelana succumbed to injuries sustained in a car crash in August 2008; and Diane Jenkins was bludgeoned to death by a drunken Nikki in August 2011.

I know that for a while on GH, Jason and Liz let Lucky believe that he was Jake’s father. How did Lucky find out? K.R., via email A In November 2007, at the Black and

White Ball Nikolas hosted at Wyndemere,

Earlier this year, I submitted a “Twin Peek” for GH’s Dominic Zamprogna [Dante] and the singer Brent Smith from Shinedown. I don’t know if you printed my request or not so I am sending again. I adore your magazine, and I thank you for your time! Pita Kathy, via email

Wife Strife:

AARON MONTGOMERY/JPI

Sam was about to tell Lucky the truth when Jason intervened and confessed, “You’re not Jake’s father, Lucky. I am.” Lucky didn’t want to believe it, but Elizabeth confirmed Jason’s statement moments later.

I have been a fan of Ted King’s for a long time, and I am so excited about him joining B&B as Finn’s dad. Is this the first time he’s ever done a soap that wasn’t on ABC? Mary Jane F., via email A This is King’s first CBS soap. He has

appeared as GH’s Lorenzo (2003-07) and Luis (2002) Alcazar; ONE LIFE TO LIVE’s Tomas Delgado (2011-12); and LOVING’s Danny Roberts (1994-95), who moved to THE CITY (1995-96). The actor’s first soap gig was playing Ron Nettles on ANOTHER WORLD in 1993.

Smith

Zamprogna

peared on DAYS twice, as Stuart in 1996 and as Governor Edward Thorne in 1999. Prime-time soap fans may also recognize Perry from his runs on FALCON CREST (Sheriff Floyd Gilmore, 1985-86) and PAPER DOLLS (Michael, 1984).

I watched the Daytime Emmy telecast and I’m confused: Can you tell me how Kelly Thiebaud’s (Britt, GH) last name is properly pronounced? A.C., via email A It is pronounced “Tee-bod.”

I have a question about Eva Tamargo: Was she ever on NCIS? I just recently saw her on ABC’s REBEL, that’s what made me think of her. Pilar was my all-time favorite character on PASSIONS. Thank you for your time. Channa, via email A In 2009, Tamargo appeared as Adrianna

Lopez in the NCIS episode titled “Love & War”.

Got a question or “Twin Peeks” suggestion for the staff of Soap Opera Digest? Please send all Ask Us requests to SODask@soapoperadigest.com. Or if you prefer snail mail, send correspon dence to: Soap Opera Digest 4 New York Plaza, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10004 Due to the volume of mail received, we that we cannot answer your letters per regret All correspondence is the sole property sonally. Opera Digest. The letters have been of Soap where appropriate, for purposes of claedited, rity or space.

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SOAP OPERA DIGEST

As a FRIENDS fan, everyone knows that Jennifer Aniston’s father, John Aniston, has been playing DAYS’s Victor forever, but isn’t Matthew Perry’s father an actor, too? Did he ever do a soap? Claudia L., via email A John Bennett Perry, Matthew’s dad, ap-

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It saddens me to know there is a real possibility of losing Michael Mealor [Kyle] and Hunter King [Summer] from Y&R. These talented actors have a huge fan base, who love them and the way they bring Kyle and Summer to life. They are a young, energetic,

good-looking pair, and the only ones left in their age group. These actors are able to hold their own against legendary actors, such as Eric Braeden [Victor] and Peter Bergman [Jack]. They tie together two legendary families, the Abbotts and Newmans. Without them, it will leave a void and viewership will dwindle and that No. 1 spot will be in jeopardy. I truly hope negotiations can resume and common ground can be found to keep these fine actors with Y&R. Lisa B., Ontario, Canada

UNDENIABLE CHEMISTRY

“It saddens me to know there is a real possibility of losing Michael Mealor [Kyle] and Hunter King [Summer] from Y&R.”

I hope Y&R is able to resolve things with Hunter King and Michael Melaor, as they are one of my favorite couples. After taking a break from the show for a couple years, I tuned in one day in 2018 and the banter between Summer and Kyle instantly caught my attention. Summer had just come back from being away and she and Kyle were bicker-

ing back and forth but you could definitely tell there was an underlying attraction there and they still had a connection, even after being separated for two years. Michael fit into the role of Kyle perfectly and Hunter was back like she never left. They have also brought so much to the characters of Summer and Kyle individually and they have shown so much depth and growth over the years. They are imperfect but still easy to root for. I really hope the network and show realize what they have in the popular couple of “Skyle” and their portrayers, and are able to resolve the contract issues that are occurring. This show desperately needs young talent like Hunter and Michael. Dee in CA

ESSENTIAL WORKERS After reading about the contract negotiations reaching a stalemate in the last issue of SOD, I am really hoping that Sony realizes that Hunter King and Michael Mealor are essential to the show’s future. They are the young power couple

I am already missing “Skyle” so much. The angst in their breakup and their last kiss.... I would feel the pain that they were both feeling. I hope Kyle finds out soon what Tara and Sally did because Tara doesn’t deserve to be living the life she is living now at the Abbott house. She needs the karma coming for her. Please give us “Skyle” back soon! Jess in NJ

Caitlin L., Weslaco, TX

Ash in CA

MISSING IN ACTION

SEE THE LIGHT Hunter King and Michael Mealor are truly loved on Y&R. They have built a huge following by their portrayals of Summer and Kyle. You just can’t get any better than their chemistry. Please find a way to renegotiate and bring this talented couple back. Their fans want more of “Skyle” — they truly light up the show. Bring them back and let them continue their journey. They have so much more story to be told. Ann, via email

NETWORK ADDRESSES ■ BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL/ YOUNG AND RESTLESS c/o CBS-TV 7800 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036 ■ DAYS OF OUR LIVES c/o NBC-TV 3000 West Alameda Ave., Burbank, CA 91505 ■ GENERAL HOSPITAL c/o ABC-TV 4151 Prospect Ave. Hollywood, CA 90027

SOAP OPERA DIGEST

STAY PUT Michael Mealor and Hunter King deserve to stay on the show because no other actors will ever have the same chemistry that the two of them have, or even draw in the viewers like them. Kyle and Summer’s love story is the main reason why all of us who love “Skyle” watch Y&R, which is why they need to do everything in their power to keep them. Their characters are not only a legacy couple but also the future of the Abbott and Newman families, just like their children will be. They are the reason why I even watch the show in the first place, and I will quit watching the show if they leave, as I am only devoted to their beautiful, amazing and wonderful love story.

“I hope Kyle finds out soon what Tara [Elizabeth Leiner] and Sally did because Tara doesn’t deserve to be living the life she is living now at the Abbott house.” that would produce the next generation of Abbotts and Newmans. There is so much history and story to be told there. I mean, imagine Victor and Jack sharing a grandchild? That would definitely create some great drama for both families and maybe even reignite the Jack and Victor rivalry which has fizzled out but brought so much drama and entertainment to the show over the years. Hunter and Michael bring so much to Summer and Kyle as a couple, but also as individuals, and it has been amazing to see the couple and characters grow and mature. As a young person, it can be difficult to find younger soap couples who have the kind of chemistry and history that Summer and Kyle have, but Y&R lucked out. I hope they realize that Hunter and Michael have a large, passionate fan base and we want them on the show. This show needs younger actors who can lead stories and that is Hunter and Michael. I hope everything

is resolved eventually so Hunter and Michael can continue the story of Summer and Kyle.

Cynthia H. in Brawley, CA, writes, “I am a longtime reader of Soap Opera Digest and I agree with a Kansas viewer in the issue dated June 21, 2021. DAYS really missed a golden opportunity for a big story between Xander and Sarah. It would have been much better if Xander had faith in their love and realized something was wrong. Where was Sarah? Where are Kayla and Marlena to ask about Sarah? Please bring her back and finish Xander and Sarah’s love story. They were good together.” ... A concerned fan of GH’s Sam writes, “Jason should be telling Sam first of all people about this marriage of convenience because they broke up over the safety of their kids, not that they didn’t love each other! How does a one-night stand matter over 15 years of history?! Make it make sense! Jason is acting like Sam doesn’t even matter and so

Sam is very important on GH and to all her fans, so why isn’t she made important on GH?!” ... David K. in Tulsa, OK, shares, “Perpetually behind, I’m just now seeing the tribute to Y&R’s Neil Winters, played by Kristoff St. John. It’s really quite extraordinary in so many ways, from the acting to the editing and the music chosen. It starts with the inspiration and the page, and the writing was top-notch. The inspiration

speaks for itself. Cheers to the cast and whole ensemble behind the scenes that made the episode what it was. I’m thinking that this is an Emmy-winning achievement all the way around.”

YOU SAID IT! “GH’s writing has been superb all year, but Josslyn and Cameron spent most of the 7/7/21 show talking about how great that kiss was. I think a more realistic approach for two teenagers who have the hots for each other would involve being alone somewhere.” — Marcia H., Clarksville, AR

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SOAP OPERA DIGEST (ISSN 0164-3584) August 2, 2021, Vol. 46, No. 31, is published weekly in the United States by a360 Media, LLC, 4 New York Plaza, 2nd Fl, New York, NY 10004. Copyright @ a360 Media, LLC 2021. All Rights Reserved. Periodical Postage Paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Canada Post International Publications Mail Sale Agreement No. 40940528. Canadian B.N. 821377918RT0001. Reproductions without permission is strictly prohibited. Soap Opera Digest ®, incorporating Soap Opera News and Soap Opera Magazine, is a registered trademark owned by a360 Media, LLC. U. S. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL and MILITARY FACILITIES Send address changes to SOAP OPERA DIGEST, P.O. Box 37207, Boone, IA 50037-0207. CANADA POSTMASTER: Send address changes to a360 Media, LLC, PO Box 907 STN Main, Markham, ON L3P 0A7, Canada. Subscription rates in U.S. and Possessions: 1 year (52 issues) $120.00. In Canada $153.80 per year. All other foreign orders $187.60 per year (surface mail, payment in advance), U.S. funds only. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery of first issue. Mail subscription orders and correspondences to: Soap Opera Digest, P.O. Box 37207, Boone, IA 50037-0207 or call toll-free (800) 829-9095. Enclose your latest address label with all correspondence. SUBSCRIBERS: If the postal service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. From time to time we make our subscriber list available to companies who sell goods and services by mail that we believe would interest our readers. If you would rather not receive such mailings, please send your current mailing label to the address above. Printed in the U.S.A.

W O N E L A S N O

D N A T S S W E N AT YOUR

(Quinn, B&B)

■ What is your most useless talent? “Fire walking. I used to work with Tony Robbins back in the ’80s and so after the seminar, we would all walk the fires as a group. So, I put it on my resumé, which has never come up. No one has ever said to me, ‘Fire walking. Oh, Rena Sofer. She’d be perfect [laughs].’ ”

CBS • CBS • CBS

TAKE FIVE

Rena Sofer

■ What was your most emotional storyline on B&B? “Hope losing her baby [in 2014]. Quinn felt so much guilt about that.”

■ What subject do you have the most photos of on your phone? “I have more pictures of my ceramics and my dogs than I do my children, but only because I don’t get to see my children all the time.” ■ What trend makes you feel old? “I hate it when people like a message on social media and their way of telling you is ‘Like’. Instead of texting back ‘Great’ or ‘Okay’, they ‘like’ your message. Can we shorthand communication with each other even more than we already have? Yes, I am 500 years old.” 72

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■ Which co-star do you think would make a great acting teacher? “Thorsten [Kaye, Ridge]. That’s because he doesn’t have a problem jumping in and going, ‘No, that doesn’t work. Let’s figure this out,’ and appreciatively so.”

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