Breaking News and Headlines

Nearly three months after licensing the rights to “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” from ABC, Prospect announces the launching of a new web channel, The Online Network, which will air both soaps along with the upstart company’s other current and future programming.

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For the second time this year, comedienne Chelsea Handler singles out the recently canceled ABC soap saying that “‘One Life to Live’ is one of the soaps that is headed to an early grave and, unlike many of its characters, it won’t be able to come back as its separated at birth evil, retarded twin.” And while the joke was an obvious reference to the “Tale of Two Todd’s” storyline, it wasn’t the only current plot on the soap targeted by Handler on her E! show “Chelsea Lately.”

“All My Children’s” replacement show “The Chew” debuts today, just three days after “AMC” aired its final episode on ABC, and I can’t help myself in wishing it would just go away. No, it isn’t the show or what it is all about. In a perfect world I’d care to watch it from time to time, after all we all have to cook good and healthy meals don’t we? But it is the way the network went about handling “The Chew” which included non-stop advertising during “AMC’s” final weeks on television along with non-stop advertising on soap opera centered websites including Soap Opera Network that I find myself saying “what a way to spit on your audience.”

The 25th Annual Broadway Fleamarket sponsored by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS took place today and several of daytime’s biggest stars were on hand as celebrity guests including stars from “One Life to Live” such as Kristen Alderson (Starr Manning), Andrew Trischitta (Jack Manning), Gina Tognoni (ex-Kelly Cramer), Sean Ringgold (Shaun Evans), Ilene Kristen (Roxy Balsom) and even former cast member Judith Light (ex-Karen Wolek). Also in attendance was former “Guiding Light” actor Ron Raines (ex-Alan Spaulding), who is currently appearing in previews for the Broadway production of “Follies.” Raines’ former “Light” co-star Marj Dusay (ex-Alexandra Spaulding) was scheduled to appear but had to cancel due to illness. Also scheduled was “As The World Turns” actresses Eileen Fulton (ex-Lisa Grimaldi) and Ellen Dolan (Margo Hughes). Soap Opera Network spoke with a few of the stars and learned some interesting tidbits, one of which being that Ringgold received his offer from Prospect Park on Friday and he’s since decided to continue with the show when it moves to the web in January along with “All My Children.”