I dashed off at the last minute to the Soap Opera Awards a little while ago. When Stephen Nichols and I hosted this televised event in 1989, we sat in the front row. This year with no escort and no ticket, they sat me so far to the rear, my TV exposure consisted of the back of my head! “That’s mommie’s French twist!” my son exclaimed. But my lonely seat near the bathrooms proved opportune — sooner or later I saw everyone.
I saw Drake Hogestyn (DOOL’s John). Drake was evacuated from his Malibu home during the firestorm, but sneaked back on a bicycle to find his deck on fire. He doused it with a garden hose and saved his home from burning! Also at the awards, I saw Wayne Northrop (DOOL’s Roman) and Lynn Herring (GH’s Lucy). They told me they watched the acres surrounding their Topanga Canyon property burn. Miraculously, their home was spared. When my neighborhood was placed on evacuation alert, I tossed all my silver in the pool –we still can’t find a salad fork!
I also met up with Scott Reeves (Y&R’s Ryan) and Melissa (DOOL’s Jennifer). Melissa and Scott and their two year old daughter, Emily, slept on their living room floor until their earthquake fears completely subsided. I lost a few piles of china during the quake. Any more natural disasters and I’ll have to refit my kitchen! The buildings at GH are all on rollers and sustained no structural damage, but the fire sprinklers went off and flooded the set. We were closed for two days.
Also at the awards, I saw Rena Sofer (GH’s Lois) and Wally Kurth (GH’s Ned). I told Wally I thought Rena was really cute. He agreed. I asked if she had a boyfriend. He said she did. His dimples got deeper and I laughed: “Is it you?” He said it was and that their relationship is perfect: “We’re like two parallel lines.”
I also saw Jack Wagner (GH’s Frisco) and Kristina Malandro (GH’s Felicia). GH was a-buzz last month when Jack proposed to Kristina. They met on the show, dated for 10 years, and had a son, Petey, now three. Jack flew Kristina to Lake Tahoe on a private jet for the ceremony then on to Las Vegas where they honeymooned. Kristina told me: “Boy, are my arms tired from reeling that guy in!”
I’ve already marked my calendar for the awards next year. That way, even if they put me in the back row, I’ll be sure to have a date!
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