Interview: Catching Up with Virginia Williams

The USA Network's hit legal drama "Fairly Legal" is finally back tonight for its second season with 13 all-new episodes. The show centers on the law firm of Reed and Reed, which was founded by Kate Reed's (Sarah Shahi) father, and is now being run by her stepmother, Lauren Reed, after her father's death. Lauren is sharp, shrewd, hard as nails, and is pretty much the same age as Kate ... so, you can see where a lot of the conflict lies.

I spoke with Virginia Williams, who plays Lauren, and she is anxious and energized for fans to finally get to see the show's new season. With almost a full year between seasons one and two, you can bet viewers are more than ready for a new offering of "Fairly Legal," which airs Fridays on USA at 9 p.m. EST.

Celebrity Extra: With such a long hiatus between the seasons, you must be excited to finally be premiering season two!

Virginia Williams: Yeah — and it’s fun to see how excited the fans are getting. I think a lot of people forgot about the show, understandably. What’s great about this season is, as good as last season was, I think this season is going to be just exponentially better. It’s tighter, it’s funnier, it’s wittier, and it’s lighter. It’s just a better show all around.

CE: What can you tell me about season two?

VW: I’m trying to figure out how to phrase it without giving too much away. I think it’s pretty obvious for us to even have a season 2 that Kate has to come back to work at Reed and Reed. With the relationship between the girls, we get to see them come together a lot more. They don’t have such an antagonistic relationship, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily going to see eye to eye. They still are extremely different characters. They’re the odd couple. They’re always going to look at the world through really different lenses. I think one thing that was missing in season 1 that we get to see in season 2 is how much they both respect what the other one does. They both get that they are each great at their jobs, they just do their jobs completely differently.

It’s fun to watch them come together and then grow apart, and come together and then grow apart, but they’re these two women who are essentially two sides of the same coin. They both love justice and in doing the right thing, they just look at it in different ways. Lauren’s lens is always true in the eyes of the law. She truly fights for what she believes in, and she believes that the law is king. Kate believes that since humans made up the laws and humans are flawed, she works to do what she feels is the right thing despite what the law says.

CE: The character of Lauren could easily have been pretty one-dimensional, but with your portrayal of her and with the benefit of an excellent writing staff, you've really brought out her different facets and dimensions.

VW: Thank you. I’ve worked very hard as an actress to bring dimensionality to her. She absolutely could be played extremely one dimensionally, and on paper she can look like a trophy wife who’s money-grubbing and in it for the wrong reasons. I do feel that season 1 sometimes wrote to that, but a lot of the time, it was my own personal struggle when trying to bring that. The writers have written to her facets more, which is really great. We get to see Lauren at home for example. Everything still revolves around Reed and Reed — the show is about the law firm — but we do see glimpses of Lauren at home: coming back from a jog, going on a date, having a resemblance of a life outside of work. We get to see her with her hair down, literally and figuratively. Those are things I’m really excited about, and this next season we get to see some of the little colors of her.

The most fun characters to play as an actor are the ones who hold their cards really close to the vest, and we only get to see little glimmers of their fears and insecurities. That is really what I love about her. I was really drawn to this character because I thought, “How fun would it be to constantly pile on the layers?” Which is what I find I do with her. I just constantly try to pile on the layers, and if two or three of them come through and the audience sees them, great! Then you’ve done your job well. But I wanted to play someone who is very guarded, and can only show little bits and pieces. I think it’s a really fun thing to play. She’s like a volcano always ready to explode. At least through season 1 that was kind of how I played it, with all the pressure that was on her.

Through season 2, she’s still quite guarded and protective and exacting and stylish and brilliant and all these great things that I love about her, but she’s a lot more comfortable with her position. This allows me some flexibility as an actress and how I play her, which I’m really happy for. I think last season was about Lauren proving to everyone else that she was capable and that she wasn’t just a trophy wife — she could get the job done and could lead the firm. This season we see that she not only is extremely capable, but the firm ends up being better off than it was even before Teddy died. She comes into her own a bit, and the confidence that comes with that allows her to loosen up just a little bit.

CE: You shoot the series in Vancouver — how do you like it up there?

VW: I love shooting there in the summer. We shot the first season through the summer, and Vancouver became one of my top-three favorite cities in the world. Absolutely love it. But (laughs), as a Southern girl, I’m not so fond of shooting there in the winter.

CE: What else does this season have in store for Lauren?

VW: We get to see Lauren moving on from the death of her husband, which is nice. As early as episode three we see Lauren going on a date, and by the end of the season, we have a bit of a cliffhanger story line — a love story line. This season Justin and Lauren get to work together a lot, which is really fun. And there’s definitely a love-triangle story line with Kate and Justin and Ben.

CE: I read that Meatloaf is a guest star this season. How great is that?

VW: Yes! Unfortunately I didn’t have any scenes with him, so I didn’t actually get to work with him. I’ve been singing "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" for well over a month. We have some really, really great guest stars this year: Mark Margolis and Betsy Brandt, who are on "Breaking Bad," will be on the show. I get a lot of really good stuff with Mark Margolis. He’s just outstanding and mortifying and scary as hell, which is great to work with. I know all of production has been very pleased with who we’ve had and what they’ve brought to the table. It’s going to be a great season!

Interview: Catching Up with Courtney Thorne-Smith

Courtney Thorne-Smith is no stranger to comedy. While she may have had her big break starring as Allison Parker on nighttime soap “Melrose Place,” she really honed her acting chops on shows like “Ally McBeal” and “According to Jim.” For the past few years, she’s co-starred on the CBS hit comedy “Two and a Half Men,” playing Jon Cryer’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, Lyndsey Mackelroy. I spoke with Courtney recently about being on a headline-making sitcom, and how the cast and crew are leading up to the show’s ninth season finale on May 14.

Celebrity Extra: You’ve been working pretty much nonstop in Hollywood since 1986, and when “According to Jim” ended after eight seasons, I thought you would take a little breather from series television. What made you decide to jump back in with “Two and a Half Men”?

Courtney Thorne-Smith: It wasn’t really jumping back in — it was sort of like I put my little tiny toe in. The first season I was on, I did only two episodes, and then I did about 10 last year and about 10 this year, so it’s nice. When [my son] Jack complains about me working I say: “Sweetie, I work 10 weeks a year and most of those are half-days. So you really don’t get to complain.” This schedule is ideal for being a mom. I get to go to work and be this absolutely insane character and do these crazy things that I’ve never gotten the chance to do before, and then I come home and make Play-Doh and cookies.

CE: Tell me about your character, Lyndsey, and her relationship with Alan, played by Jon Cryer.

CTS: I said to somebody the other day who was asking me about Alan and Lyndsey, “I love their relationship so much because of their honesty.” They are two people who look at each other and say, “Seriously, we’re just not going to do any better.” They’re settling, and I just love the honesty. They’ve said it to each other several times: “Really? Do we have options? We’ll just stay together. Why not?” That just makes me laugh.

I also love the scene earlier in the season when Lyndsey is dating a younger man but decides she wants to be with Alan. She tells him: “I want to be with you because you’ll never leave me for a younger woman because you can’t get one.” But it was said with this joy and this love. How great is it? We don’t have any options, so let’s just be together.

CE: How did you feel about coming onto this established hit sitcom? Were you anxious, excited, scared?

CTS: Oh, terrified. When I signed on, it was only for two episodes. But I’ve known Jon for a long time, and I’ve been a fan of his too — he’s just the greatest guy. I thought, worst-case scenario, I get to watch Jon do his magic for a few weeks and then go on with my life. But I’m still on — and I’m lucky because I get to go in and work, and then I get to come home and be a mom. It’s been the most surprisingly wonderful career opportunity I’ve ever had.

CE: How was the transition from Charlie Sheen to Ashton Kutcher?

CTS: It was surprisingly smooth. Everybody wondered, “What’s going to happen?” The writers wrote a really good character for Ashton that he just stepped right into. The cast, crew and writers are all so solid that all they had to do was add another character to the mix. People miss Charlie as a person because he’s wonderful and funny and smart and sweet, but they got Ashton, so it’s a win/win. All the people here are such extraordinary pros that it was pretty seamless.

Live Chat with Roger Howarth

Fans of ABC’s hit drama “General Hospital” will be able to submit questions and receive real-time responses from Emmy winner and Fan Favorite Roger Howarth (Todd Manning), who will be up on Twitter at @generalhospital, during the East Coast broadcast of the show on WEDNESDAY, MAY 9 from 3:00-4:00 p.m., ET.  This event kicks off General Hospital live twitter chats with cast members throughout the month of May.  In the episode tomorrow, Todd returns to Port Charles to help his daughter Starr.

Interview (Y&R): Eric Braeden's John Jacob Astor Gets 3-D Treatment

By now you know that James Cameron and company have decided to rerelease their megablockbuster hit “Titanic” — it’s back on the big screen, but now it’s in 3-D. And, as many of you also know, “The Young and the Restless” star Eric Braeden portrayed American businessman John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 film. I spoke with Eric recently about the rerelease of “Titanic,” as well as a few other topics that tickled our fancy. As always, Eric was perfectly frank and candid with me in his responses.

Daytime Dial: What did you think when you first heard that “Titanic” was going to be rereleased in 3-D?

Eric Braeden: My thoughts were they’re going to make more money, as if they needed it. There’s a saying in German: “The devil always sh*ts on the same heap.” (laughs)

DD: I know it was awhile ago, but what can you tell me about filming the movie? I read that you performed your own stunts.

EB: As you know, my character drowns. That was one of the scariest moments in this business for me, because you had all the water coming from the sides and 150 tons of water coming from the top. I had never rehearsed that before — you can’t rehearse it. Once the water reaches a certain level, then everything that is not bolted down crashes through the room. All the camera people were in diving outfits with oxygen masks, etc., but, of course, the actors weren’t. I must say it was one of the scariest moments I’ve spent in this business.

DD: That would scare the crap out of me, especially since I’m claustrophobic.

EB: Oh yes. Water rising and rising and rising, and then suddenly 150 tons comes on top.

DD: In a previous conversation, we spoke about your film “The Man Who Came Back.” Any chance you’ll make another Western like that, or maybe a sequel?

EB: No, I will never do a period piece like that again. It’s too expensive, and I would do it entirely differently. I will not deal with normal distribution companies. They are crooks, and the experience has been a very bitter one. I think a lot of independent filmmakers will now turn to the Internet to sell things directly. If you go through a distribution company, you are at their mercy.

The making of the film was wonderful. I loved it. I loved every moment of it. I would have done another film already, I enjoyed it so much, but it was such a bitter experience with the distribution. That is an experience that is shared by the majority of independent producers. Once you sign that contract with the distribution company, you may as well forget about it. It’s that bad.

DD: We are knee-deep in election coverage and debates for the 2012 presidential campaign. What are your thoughts on that?

EB: I just think it’s amazing how the public is still buying some of this crap. It is so apparently dishonest. I guess it is the best system that we have, so we live with it, but the obscene amounts of money spent on listening to the same nonsense over and over again, it’s stunning. And then people win based on having unleashed more personal attacks on someone. There’s so much dishonesty in all this. When they have these debates, there’s no one to follow up and say: “Wait a minute. What did you just say? What proof do you have of this or that?” People cannot allow them to get away with making statements that are blatantly untrue. It is all so staged and so phony. It’s disappointing. There’s not a real debate in that sense, because there are very few follow-up questions by the news anchors who conduct these debates.

Interview (Days): Lucas Comes to Sami's Rescue, Again

Bryan Dattilo, who has played Lucas Roberts on “Days of Our Lives” off and on since 1993, is back again. Lucas returns to town at the request of ex-wife Sami Brady, who is undergoing personal turmoil (as usual) and needs Lucas’ support to help her through. However, when Lucas returns from Hong Kong, it appears he’s moved on from Sami and her games: He comes back to Salem with a fiancee in tow. I spoke with Bryan recently about his return, and he is excited to see what’s in store for Lucas this go-round.

Daytime Dial: What’s it like being back on “Days,” now that you are here for a longer stay?

Bryan Dattilo: It was the kind of thing where it’s so challenging, and I did the show for so long, and to be away from it this last time, I really appreciate what I have. I think I got burnt out a little the last time, but being back now is so rejuvenating — it’s new and it’s fresh, and there also are a lot of people I used to work with. Everyone has the sense of just how valuable the job and the show is. It’s high-paced because we have so much to shoot in a short time, and the work is quicker. You really have to be on your game. It’s kind of been hard getting used to the pace again, but it’s been great.

DD: How has Lucas changed and grown since he’s been off working in Hong Kong?

BD: Before I got back, I didn’t know exactly how they were going to play it, so I didn’t know if I was going to have to speak Mandarin or if I was going to have to come in bilingual or more capable in karate or something. But Lucas comes back with a fiancee, whom he met in Hong Kong, so that has a lot of weight to it, and a lot of people react to it. He comes back a lot more business smart from being over there — a little more mature and stronger, and kind of appreciates his home and his country more. Then that spilled over into appreciating people who used to be in his life, and being there for Sami and Will and Allie.

DD: Lucas has always been a good barometer for Sami when she goes through her different crises, because he does tell it like it is with her.

BD: He does tend to hold the mirror up in front of her and shows her how it is. Of course, she is going through so many things. Some of it’s her fault and some of it’s not, and Lucas is always quick to point out when it is her fault. So, it’s made for some really good scenes. Obviously he wants to be there for his son and his daughter. And Kate can always use a hand.

DD: Can you give us any teasers about upcoming episode?

BD: Lucas is definitely going to be there for Kate, and have a lot to do with the business and the things that she’s going through. She might be a little too comfortable now — she’s due for some hardship that he’s got to help her through. Will’s got a lot of things coming up that he’ll need his dad for, and then there’s always the stuff with Sami that you never know which way that’s going to go. The great thing about the character is that you can tie him into the Austin/Carrie story line because he’s got such history there, and he’s got history with the DiMeras, and he’s got history with the Hortons and the Bradys. There are lots of avenues and story lines that could guide the character. They’ve done a really good job spreading him out.

Interview (GH): Emma Samms Is Back!

She’s back! After last appearing on “General Hospital” in June 2009, Emma Samms has returned to the show for a limited engagement as Holly Sutton. There were mixed reactions about the circumstances of her character’s most recent return, but Emma is thrilled to be back as Holly, and is equally thrilled with the story line surrounding it — and she promises that fans will be too. I spoke with Emma recently about her much-anticipated return.

Daytime Dial: I was delighted when I heard you were coming back to the show, because everything’s better with Holly.

Emma Samms: Thank you. You know, it’s the most wonderful thing. How many people get to return to a job they love and that they started — goodness — over 20 years ago? It’s such a treat. It’s extraordinary, and I’ve enjoyed myself enormously. I just did my last few scenes this morning. It’s been a complete joy.

DD: What made you decide to return to the show?

ES: They got in touch with my agent, asking if I’d like to return. I asked what kind of story did they have in mind, because I know that a lot of people weren’t particularly happy with the last time Holly came back. It wasn’t the Holly that everybody knew, and that was quite disturbing for the audience, and I think in a way for me too. Generally speaking, it wasn’t the ideal return, and I certainly didn’t want it to be the last time anybody ever saw Holly. So, when they told me what they had in mind — which, of course, I can’t tell you — I said, “Yes, please.”

And what I’m delighted about is that the new regime — the new writers and the new executive producer — are very sensitive to the history of characters and the development of the character, and they wanted it to ring true, because otherwise you might as well bring in an entirely new actor. What they have done is something that I’m very much hoping the audience will not just be pleased by, but will make them want to continue watching even after I’m gone.

DD: Can you tell me anything about Holly’s return to Port Charles? Who does she interact with?

ES: Well, this morning I did a scene with both Tony (Geary) and Tristan (Rogers). The last scenes are the best ones to me personally, in terms of being the most pleasing. I urge everybody to keep watching, even if they start thinking, “Ooo, hang on a second.” Just wait until the end of my episodes. I don’t know if that’s enough of a hint, but I really enjoyed the scenes I filmed today.

DD: Each time that you do return to the set, does it feel like a family reunion of sorts?

ES: It does. It really does feel like family, and it’s so interesting, because I’ve done lots of other works since “General Hospital.” But “General Hospital” has spoiled me, and it’s very hard to come across that wonderful atmosphere full of people who work so incredibly hard. They all know what they’re doing so well that it’s just the smoothest-running machine, and it’s such a glorious atmosphere where everybody’s equal; the crew, the actors — everybody’s on a level with everybody else.

DD: I always love hearing how warm and supportive soap-opera communities are.

ES: Yes, exactly. It really, truly is. But it’s also high pressure, and there’s a lot of homework involved, because you’ve got to know your lines when you go in. In the old days when you had all morning there rehearsing, you could almost learn them as you went. And certainly if it was less than, say, 10 pages, I didn’t even look at it the night before. I read it while getting my hair done in the morning. Sometimes you had a great deal more than that. In fact, I think I had the record for a while of 86 pages in one day, which was absurd. You get very used to working with loads of dialogue, but now they’ve speeded up the process, and this is one of hopefully many ways that they’re finding that they can make it a worthwhile financial venture so the show can continue for as long as possible.

DD: What is it about Holly Sutton that keeps you coming back to “GH” and to this role that you created?

ES: I think it’s the combination that she has, which is that she’s very bright; she’s very quick-thinking; she’s very street-smart; but she’s also compassionate. And I think that’s possibly the thing that was missing last time around, but hopefully people will see that her compassion has returned. Compassion is a really important part of her, and so it’s a lovely combination that’s very interesting to play. She’s not cynical. She’s got this big heart.

DD: Whenever you return for these stints as Holly — as well as the fact that Tristan Rogers is back, and Rick Springfield — it must feel like a fun family reunion for you.

ES: Oh gosh, yes. We were all reminiscing a lot when we were working together. You can’t help but do that. We were laughing about that first location, big location, shoot where we wake up in Victoria. That was in the very early days. Also, I was remarking about how the set that was the Scorpio house had the open staircase at the back of it, and how we kind of moved into that. We kept things in the drawers. That really did feel like home. I know it was missing a fourth wall, but actually we kept stuff in there.

DD: With the demise of “One Life to Live,” the higher-ups decided to bring some “OLTL” characters over to “GH” …

ES: I think it’s genius that they’re bringing in some characters from “One Life to Live.” That makes absolutely perfect sense. It was a great show, had some great characters and, gosh, if they can combine those two audiences — it’s a bit of a no-brainer, really.

DD: How do you feel about the future of soaps, in this time of cancellations?

ES: Obviously I think it would be a terrible shame if America lost “General Hospital,” but I think if anybody can save it and keep it on and keep it vibrant and relevant, it would be (executive producer) Frank (Valentini), because I’ve been watching the difference with him at the helm, and it is quite drastic. He’s interested in all aspects of the show, so hopefully that will make it a much more cohesive product. He was there on the set when we were shooting my scenes, and he was interested in the performance and the camera shots and the wardrobe and everything. He obviously cares about it, and I admire that so much. It reminds me of the days of Gloria Monty, when I first started, because it was her vision, and it has to be a complete vision. All of the different departments and features of the show come together on the screen, and Frank wants to see everything and put it all together. I’m really impressed by that, and that therefore gives me a lot of hope for the show.

The one thing that all of us on daytime dramas know is the audience is still there. Soaps are still enormously popular, and I think it’s just a matter of finding a way to make them financially viable. But there’s got to be a way to do that, and ABC obviously wants to make “General Hospital” work, or else they wouldn’t have brought in Frank. Hopefully they do have in mind that there is an absolute goldmine there, and if they can just get it right for the current market, it could go on forever.

Days Actors' Appearance in Atlanta

“Days of our Lives” actors to appear at charity events to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association in Atlanta.

“Days of our Lives” actors James Scott (EJ, pictured), Galen Gering (Rafe), Eric Martsolf (Brady), Shawn Christian (Daniel), Wally Kurth (Justin), Matt Ashford (Jack) and Patsy Pease (ex-Kim) will be in attendance.

The Days Charity Events will take place on Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28, 2012 at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel Atlanta. The weekend will start with a “Kick Off Party” on Friday at 7 pm, where some of the actors may attend. Then on Saturday, the Questions and; Answers Session will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, the Meet and Greet will be held from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM and the Cocktail Reception will be held from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM

“I have the great privilege of being invited to many different charity events, but I’ve always considered the events coordinated by “Days Charity Events” to be the most worthwhile and the most fun.” James Scott (EJ, “Days of our Lives”)

“I love being with the fans and the best part is when it’s something you believe in and you know that the events are run by good people.” Brandon Beemer (Owen, “Bold and the Beautiful”)

Tickets prices start as low as $20 per person and the events will have novelties, raffles, and auctions available. For more information please go to www.dayscharityevents.com.

The events are coordinated and organized by Days Charity Events Inc.

All celebrity guests have agreed to and confirmed their appearance on the date listed above but if unforeseen circumstances do arise and the celebrity cancels or is replaced this is beyond our control and beyond the control of the actor. We will do everything we can so this does not happen but we thank you for your understanding if it does. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Ex-GL and AMC Star Attempts Suicide

Daniel von Bargen, perhaps best known in the soap world from Guiding Light and All My Children, was hospitalized this week after shooting himself in the head in a botched suicide attempt.

The Montgomery, Ohio, resident shot himself in the temple with a Colt 38 gun on Monday. He called Hamilton County 911 after his attempt failed.

According to the call, Von Bargen shot himself to avoid going to the hospital. After the dispatcher asked if the shooting was accidental, von Bargen responded, " No, I was supposed to go to the hospital today, didn't want to … well, I shot myself." Von Bargen is a diabetic and was supposed to have two of his toes amputated that day.

Get the full story here.

Interview (Army Wives): Brigid Brannagh: "I'm a Little Geeky"

From left: Wendy Davis, Brigid Brannagh, Kim Delaney, Sally Pressman, Catherine Bell

Lifetime Television’s record-breaking drama “Army Wives,” will be back March 4th (in a two-hour event) for its sixth (and some speculate, final) season. The years have brought the wives joy and sorrow, happiness and pain, and millions of viewers have been along for the ride. I spoke with series star Brigid Brannagh, who plays Pamela Moran, about her tenure on the show, and about special moments and lifelong friends.

Daytime Dial: I can’t believe it’s almost time for the sixth season of “Army Wives” to premiere. I can remember the day I received the press screener for pilot, and I knew right away that you had something special there.

Brigid Brannagh: I know, it’s crazy to me. Time flies! It feels like yesterday to me, and it also feels like a million years ago.

DD: Last season was especially heart wrenching, with Frank and Denise losing their son Jeremy. The scenes dealing with that — especially the funeral — must have been torture to film.

BB: Oh my God, we were all like, “Make this episode stop.” It was bad. I’ve been to enough funerals where “Taps” was played and the song is, just hearing it, it just evokes so many things. It’s impossible not to feel completely consumed with melancholy when “Taps” comes on, let alone that it’s playing over and over [for filming the scenes]. We’ve been surrounded by this world, by this military army life, for all of these years that you just think about a soldier that you love being gone, and you know he’s done his best for his country, and he’s gone, and he’s just a boy. It tore all of us up. Watching Terry Serpico (who plays Frank) walk in and trying not to cry.

It was so exhausting that I didn’t watch that episode for a few weeks, because I didn’t feel like crying again. I was like, “Enough.” And we certainly didn’t go light on it. It was kind of relentless to shoot it, but we all really appreciated what it was. It was just a long day of shooting.

DD: Tell me about working with Jeremy Davidson, who plays your husband, Chase.

BB: We work really hard on trying to get things right, working with the writers and trying to really dig into some of the things that have gone on for Pamela and Chase, and the arc of what our characters have done. We’re very much alike; we’re both a little geeky. Everybody has a different way of rehearsing. Some people think that if they work on something too much it takes away spontaneity. I disagree. For me, I think if you work on something so much, it becomes second nature. So, he and I do that together. There are so many things in our story lines that I’m proud of. Right now I’m just thinking of the divorce, which also killed me. That was heart wrenching. But when you’re working with somebody who you work well with, it’s like a dance. It just flies and it’s amazing.

DD: What’s it like on the “Army Wives” set?

BB: Everybody’s a decent person — there’s no drama about trailers or anything like that. Nobody cares about that sort of stuff, which is nice, because I hear horror stories about other shows. Everybody’s a decent person. Just starting with that is a pretty big deal. I spend a lot of time with Sally Pressman (Roxy) on screen, and she and I have a really easy working relationship. And I always feel humor working with Sally. Everything she does has a wink in it. And then Kim (Delaney, who plays Claudia) is really an emoter. Like when you’re doing an emotional scene and you’re watching Kim do her thing first, you’ll start crying just because she’s so good. She just always has that emotion right there at the ready.

Catherine (Bell, who plays Denise), we’re always cracking up, because Catherine has her phone in one hand and a sandwich in the other, and is totally doing her job. It’s very funny. I’m like, “Are you doing a love scene and you’ve got a turkey sandwich in your right hand?” It’s hilarious. And then Sterling (Brown, who plays Roland) is just standing back, kind of looking at everything. He’s such a good and decent person — although he likes to cause a little trouble. We have a good time.

Interview Outtakes

Most of the time when I am conducting an interview with a soap star, I have more interview material than space for printing the interview. Here are some blurbs from stars that did not make it to the print version of the interview, but were too good not to publish.

Dominic Zamprogna, pictured (Dante Falconeri, “General Hospital”), on working with James Franco: He’s great. He’s just a really nice guy and he’s a really passionate guy, interesting guy. He’s able to do a lot right now cause he’s been blessed with some great things happening in his career, and he’s taking advantage of it. There are a lot of people in his situation who don’t want as much as he wants or to accomplish what he wants to accomplish. He’s grabbing life and fulfilling whatever he wants to fulfill, which is amazing. There should be more people out there doing what he is doing. I think James just realized that [being on a soap opera] was something he wanted to try, and why not? He doesn’t care what people think, otherwise he wouldn’t do half the stuff he’s doing. I think that’s the problem with a lot of actors these days. They do it for the wrong reasons, and they’re losing sight of what matters. You’re not supposed to be doing this so you can get famous; you’re supposed to be doing this because it’s a fire burning inside of you and you have a passion to do this. I can say that’s why almost everybody on this show is doing it, and that’s definitely why James wanted to be a part of it.

Jennie Garth (ex-Kelly Taylor, “90210”), on husband/actor Peter Facinelli: “My husband is such a serious guy most of the time, but he's funny. Makes me laugh, I know that. I love that part of us when we're having fun together. Whenever we come to a crossroads and we are like, “Marriage sucks and it's hard,” I can always come back to, “But you make me laugh so much.” I don't want to end that.

Luke Perry (ex-Dylan McKay, “90210”), on his aversion to Twitter: “We live in a world where people are obsessed with the cult of Twitter, where they have to jump on and tweet every damn thing that happens. And they all have followers. Think about it: This is a media-generated thing where everybody can have followers. I question people who want to have a bunch of followers, and that presumes that they themselves are, what, the leader? I’m not buying into any of that. It’s so weird that everybody wants to tweet and everything, and I’m like, why don’t you just go and do it? I can’t do that – I like to do.

James Reynolds (Abe Carver, “Days of Our Lives”), on working with armed-forces veterans: “I started working with the active duty military about 12 years ago, working with the U.S.O. and with armed forces entertainment. It kind of took me back to those years ago when I was a young Marine serving overseas, and I began to recognize that in this country we ask a very, very small percentage — we don’t even draft anymore —and so we are asking a very, very small number of people to not only protect us in those places that we need protection, but to be the leading edge of whatever our foreign policy may be at the time. I got a letter a few years ago from a young woman whose husband was serving in Afghanistan at the time — this was about seven or eight years ago — she was losing their family home while he was in Afghanistan. It made me realize that we need to draw more attention to what is going on with these young men and women that we’re asking to put their lives and bodies on line for us, and we cheer them and do all of this here, but then we forget about them when they’re not there. So it seemed like a natural fit, and I wanted to make a point to them that all Americans care about them, regardless of political point of view.