Get ready One Life to Live fans. The Cramer women are back this February and it’s going to be hot! ABC invited the soap press out to the OLTL studio in New York for a special event reintroducing the Cramers. On hand were: Robin Strasser (Dorian), Kassie DePaiva (Blair), Gina Tognoni (Kelly), Kristen Alderson (Starr), Laura Bonarrigo (Cassie), Brittany Underwood (Langston), and last, but certainly not least Melissa “Bitchy Bangs” Fumero (Adriana). Hilarity ensued when yours truly had to set everyone straight on the origins of Bitchy Bangs.

Daytime Confidential: Melissa, your character, Adriana went from a doormat to a love-to-hate bitch, coinciding with a new haircut for you. What did you make of the Bitchy Bangs phenomenon?

Laura Bonarrigo: I have to interject; I don't understand how any character in daytime can be called "Bitchy Bangs!" Can you explain this to me? Was this after me?

Melissa Fumero: It was so hilarious how everything happened at the same time. Basically, my contract was up and I had a little break before I came back as recurring to finish my storyline. I was there until June or whatever. So on the break, I got this feeling and all of a sudden, "I'm not under contract! I'm going to cut my hair. I'm going to cut bangs! I'm not going to ask permission!" So I did! [Laughs] READ MORE

Ford

Markko

I’ve been around soap fans long enough to know that whole lot of you LOVE John-Paul Lavoisier (JP to those in the know!) and his oh-so-expressive eyebrows. Last week we posted about the Likely Story: Red Carpet Riot event in New York that will be featuring One Life to Live stars Robin Strasser, Jason Tam and Brittany Underwood.

Now we can confirm that Hunky McHottie Mr. Rex Balsom himself will be joining the festivities. He’ll be joining his co-stars in reading from the teen novel series Likely Story co-authored by famed YA author David Levithan, playwright David Ozanich and Emmy-winning OLTL scribe Chris Van Etten The stars will be signing autographs and taking pictures, of course. READ MORE

Here’s some good news out of New York for a change! Next Saturday, August 15th, One Life to Live stars Robin Strasser (Dorian), Jason Tam (Markko), and Brittany Underwood (Langston) will be joining the authors of “Likely Story: Red Carpet Riot” to read from their new book and sign autographs. The “Likely Story” series follows 16 year old Mallory as she struggles to create a hit teen soap opera despite her soap diva mother, the monstrous network honchos, and her neurotic cast of talented teens.

Robin, Jason and Brittany will be appearing at 5:30 pm at the Borders in the Time Warner Center Mall at Columbus Circle (West 59th St. and Central Park West) in glamorous, glitzy New York City. The authors are Emmy-winning OLTL scribe Chris Van Etten, famed YA novelist David Levithan (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) and former SOAPnet.com blogger David Ozanich. You can listen to a podcast they did with Daytime Confidential’s Jamey and Luke here.

We’re also hearing rumors that a certain Llanview hunk whose character’s name rhymes with “Tex” will also be on hand to join in the fun. More on that story as it develops. The event is free and open to all. READ MORE

The best argument the soap opera genre can make in favor of its own survival airs at 2pm EST on ABC/ 9pm EST on  SOAPnet. Its name is One Life to Live.

OLTL's fictional town of Llanview, PA. is a town rich in history, overflowing with talent, boisterous in personality and uninhibited by an addiction to one or two characters.

Monday’s nod to Grey Gardens–acted out by the fantastic foursome of Robin Strasser, Kassie DePaiva, Trevor St. John and Florencia Lozano–and the seamlessness with which it was woven into the double wedding ceremony of Viki  to Charlie and Nora to Clint is one of many examples of why OLTL has surpassed The Young and the Restless as the genre’s most well-written soap opera.  READ MORE

My absence from Daytime Confidential lately has not been due to the usual business of family and work taking up a lot of my time, but rather a certain lack energy to post about practically any of the daytime serials that clog up my DVR from day to day. This is neither a positive nor a negative thing because there are frequent periods throughout the year when shows kind of coast along and do their their thing, usually between sweeps.

At these times, there is little for the viewer — if that viewer is me — to get all worked up about this plot twist, that character's action, some couple or another or even a whole show's direction. Normally, this state of affairs hits one or two shows at a time. Every once in a while like the last couple of weeks, the stars align and all the serials get caught in the same momentum of drift. All that is required of us is to watch and see where it all goes.

In that spirit, my brain plays a little game of soap opera hopscotch, taking in odds and ends big and small. There is no great elaboration on anything here, just a quick rundown of things I like and not like so much. Your mileage may vary... READ MORE