Y&R: Such a Tease!

• Sharon and Nick prepare to go to battle over Faith’s best interests.

• Billy decides to risk everything to give Victoria (Amelia Heinle, pictured) a miracle.

• Jack is determined to learn the truth about Skye’s disappearance.

• Victor may learn the hard way that he isn’t the only one who can play dirty.

• Heather and Paul learn something suspicious.

B&B: Such a Tease!

· Hope holds her own during a confrontation with Amber and Tawny.

· Taylor flips when Ridge tells her of Brooke and Thomas’ international press junket.

· Thomas struggles with his feelings while traveling with Brooke.

· Nick (Jack Wagner, pictured) comes through for Jackie and Owen.

· Ridge, Thorne and Eric discuss the impact that Brooke has had on their lives.

Interview (Desperate Housewives): Joshua Moore Grows Up on Wisteria Drive

Joshua Moore (pictured, left; photo credit: Nathaniel Taylor) has played Parker Scavo on “Desperate Housewives” since 2008, portraying one of Felicity Huffman and Doug Savant’s children in their ever-expanding brood. While he is thrilled to be working with the high caliber of stars to come and go on Wisteria Lane, Joshua’s first major role in Hollywood had him working with the legendary Clint Eastwood when he was cast as an abducted child in 2008’s “Changeling.”

Daytime Dial: One of your first roles was in “Changeling.” What was it like to be directed by Clint Eastwood?

Joshua Moore: It really was an amazing experience, because it was one of the first big film projects that I had a role in. And working with Clint Eastwood was just amazing, because he’s so laid back. He just runs the set and knows exactly how to get people to do what he wants. He’s an amazing director -- one of the best directors I’ve ever worked with. And at the same time, you’re just in awe of him because it’s Clint Eastwood!

DD: Speaking of being in awe, there have been some huge, high-profile guest stars on “Desperate Housewives.” Has there ever been a time when you’ve been nervous to work with someone?

JM: I’m never usually nervous working with somebody, but my mom -- it’s really funny, but John Schneider just came on the show, and my mom used to watch “Dukes of Hazzard” religiously, so she freaked when he came on set. And when I heard Vanessa Williams was coming on the show, I was really excited, because I’m always impressed by her work.

DD: How is she to work with?

JM: She’s just great to work with. She’s one of the coolest people on set. I think she’s a really good actress, and she’s great in her role. She’s just a very cool person to talk to and hang out with.

DD: Of course things are never quiet on “Desperate Housewives.” What have been some of the crazier experiences for your character?

JM: Well, one of the crazier things that happened was when we were all on the street for the Christmas community street meeting, and they wrecked the plane through the street. That was probably one of the largest-scale crazy things that my character was involved in. What they actually did was they attached the plane to a rope, and they just pulled it through really fast. It was really cool to get to see them demolish the set like that.

DD: You work very closely with Felicity Huffman — she must be a wealth of information for you regarding acting and technique and such.

JM: You can learn a lot just by watching, but do I ask for help from her. She’s one of the most helpful people I’ve ever worked with, just in terms of giving advice or just helping you along to where you need to be with the scene. She’s amazing to work with.

DD: What are some of your favorite moments on the set, whether acting-wise or personal?

JM: Aside from the plane crash, I would say when we have a church scene. Whenever anybody gets married and everybody has to go down to that church, the whole cast goes. It’s always cool, because everybody is just hanging out and having fun.

DD: Do you have any hopes for the direction Parker will take? Do you have an ideal story line?

JM: I don’t have an ideal story line. Any story line is good as long as you’re a main part of the story line. That’s all that really matters, no matter what the content is. I’m just hoping that he gets some more forefront, focus parts where he’s a big part of the situation.

DD: I think in a couple of years he should start dating Susan (played by Teri Hatcher) to shake things up a bit.

JM: That’s not even that farfetched for “Desperate Housewives,” I’m sure.

Interview: Catching Up With Ben McKenzie

Prior to 2009, Ben McKenzie was best known for his four-year stint on the teen nighttime drama “The O.C.” A lot has changed in those few years, and no one could be happier about that than Ben himself. Ben currently stars in “Southland,” the highly acclaimed police drama on TNT (Tuesday nights at 10 p.m ET/PT). As you might recall, NBC aired the first season of the show but abruptly pulled the series weeks before its season two debut. Well, TNT knows a good thing when it sees it, and immediately negotiated to pick up the beleaguered drama. Proving to be a better fit with TNT than NBC, “Southland” has found a comfortable home with the cable network, as has Ben.

Daytime Dial: It must have been quite a roller coaster for you and the other stars of the show: First NBC cancels it, then TNT picks it up. What was your reaction when you heard the news that TNT was giving “Southland” new life?

Ben McKenzie: It was great! I think the fans really were an enormous part of why we exist today. It’s very unusual for a show to have a second life, especially after it’s already aired for an entire season on another network. It’s very rare, and we’re incredibly thankful to all the fans. I wouldn’t have this job if it weren’t for them. I’d be waiting tables again, which would really suck.

DD: “Southland” seems to be a better fit with TNT as well, a network known for its great, cutting-edge, lifelike dramas.

BM: It’s certainly not one of the old-fogey networks, that’s for sure. We’ve been able to make the episodes we’ve wanted to make. TNT has been very supportive and interested in what we’re doing, but they have not gotten in the way of anything, as far as I know. They really want to support the show and promote it. It just feels right.

DD: What initially attracted you to the part of Ben Sherman?

BM: I was interested in who the guy was, and I was very interested in the world that was being portrayed, because it felt like a much more realistic world. Kind of a darker take on a cop show than what we’ve seen before. This show seemed very different. Once we started shooting and I saw the footage -- it had exceeded my expectations.

DD: As Ben develops as a police officer/character, what are some new things that you’ve found that you enjoy portraying?

BM: I like seeing him understand the world a little more. I like seeing him grow up on camera and become a man. Before, he was a kid, and he’s kind of exiting that phase. There’s something fun about a character’s growth being that significant. Especially over that short amount of time -- it’s only been 13 episodes. It’s really rewarding to see it.

DD: What can fans look forward to in season three?

BM: It’ll be the same show you’ve seen before. It’s just going to be a little bit more focused on the four principal characters left: Ben, Lydia, Sammy and John. It’s pretty aggressive; it’s gonna double-down on the aggressiveness. In terms of my character, the dynamic has changed yet again between John and Ben. It’s more of a peer-to-peer relationship than it’s been in the past. Although Ben will still mess up and John will criticize him brutally for that, he’s got a little more freedom to do some of his own work. The relationship between John and Ben will deepen even farther when John sort of falls apart from his pain-pill addiction.

DD: As you look back on the past seasons, what have been some of your favorite moments?

BM: There are so many. I remember being in the jungle last season for the season opener filming a really big riot scene that had my adrenaline skyrocket. I remember being in the hospital for the end of the pilot and having a scene with a young girl, about her brother being shot and that being kind of a nice capper for the end of the pilot. And I had a good feeling that we had just finished something that I hoped ultimately was a strong pilot. And this season, the season opener, we have a bank heist in Hollywood with a huge shootout across Hollywood Boulevard. That was really thrilling.

ABC Daytime and TV Land Crossover Event

(PRESS RELEASE)

ABC Daytime and TV Land have joined forces to create an unprecedented network event where characters from “All My Children” and “Hot in Cleveland” cross over to continue a storyline established on last season’s “Hot in Cleveland.” The story revolves around Wendie Malick’s character, Victoria Chase, and her industry-nemesis, Susan Lucci. The two-part “Hot in Cleveland” episodes will air on TV Land on February 16 and 23 at 10:00 p.m., ET/PT, and the “All My Children” episode will air on ABC at 1:00 p.m., ET/12:00 p.m., PT on February 24.

“All My Children’s” Emmy Award® winners Susan Lucci, Michael E. Knight and Darnell Williams will appear as themselves on “Hot in Cleveland,” and Golden Globe® winner Wendie Malick, as her “Hot in Cleveland” character Victoria Chase, will appear on “All My Children” as Gertie, a housekeeper who ends up moonlighting as a bartender at Confusion after Erica Kane fires her.

“We are thrilled Victoria Chase will join the cast of ‘All My Children’ – there are very few actresses who could pull off a dual role performance as BOTH a maid and bartender. We hope she is up to the challenge,” teased Julie Carruthers, executive producer, “All My Children.” Brian Frons, president, Daytime, Disney/ABC Television Group, joked: “There is only room for one Erica Kane in Pine Valley, and Victoria Chase will unfortunately find that out the hard way.” Frons went on to say, “This is a unique opportunity to raise awareness of both shows with similar demos, and we expect each other’s viewers to follow from one show to the next.”

“We’re so happy that Victoria Chase will finally get to show ‘All My Children’ fans why she is a soap superstar,” responds Larry W. Jones, president, TV Land. “We’re so excited to partner with ‘All My Children’ to bring to life this classic TV form when television worlds collide.”

Y&R: Such a Tease!

• Sharon decides to go to Hawaii to search for Skye before it is too late for Adam.

• Diane considers Victor’s (Eric Braeden, pictured) offer to move to the ranch.

• Daisy and Jana’s plan is sent into overdrive when Daisy learns that she could go
into labor at any moment.

• Phyllis tries to strike a deal with Kevin.

• Daniel takes action to protect himself and his daughter.

Days: Such a Tease!

*Nicole proves her value in EJ and Stefano’s eyes.

*Victor and Maggie bond over their concern for Bo and Hope.

*Kayla realizes that Caroline didn’t reveal who Parker’s father is.

*The Hortons celebrate their first Christmas without Alice (the late Frances Reid, pictured) and Mickey.

*Brady and Kate begin their plot to kidnap Vivian.

Thursday – The truth about Parker’s paternity comes out!

Friday – EJ forces Nicole to choose between Brady and Sydney.

B&B: Such a Tease!

· Hope has a heated confrontation with Amber and Tawny.

· Taylor learns of another reason to worry about Thomas and Brooke (pictured, Katherine Kelly Lang).

· Thomas struggles with his feelings while traveling with Brooke.

· Nick has a surprise for Jackie and Owen.

· The Forrester men share their thoughts with each other about Brooke.

Interview: Catching Up With Eric Winter

When Eric Winter (left, photo by Gabriel Goldberg) decided to leave “Days of Our Lives” back in 2006 (after playing Rex DiMera since 2002), neither he nor I could have guessed where his career would take him in the four years since. Eric has been working nonstop in film and television since his daytime television experience, and when I got the chance to catch up with him recently, he filled me in on his days since “Days.”

Daytime Dial: Last we spoke, CBS had just canceled the Hugh Jackman-produced nighttime drama “Viva Laughlin,” which I absolutely loved and was so sad to see go. But after that, you got an even bigger break when you were cast on “Brothers and Sisters.” Tell me about working on that show.

Eric Winter: That show was a lot of fun to work on. They were very welcoming. It was a great atmosphere there. And with that many heavy-hitters, you never know what you’re gonna get. And it was just really pleasant.

DD: What did you like best about the show and your character, Jason McCallister?

EW: I think with my character, it was a cool thing to explore. Here’s a guy who is openly gay but he’s a minister and fights for things he believes in. It was an interesting dynamic that his brother is a very conservative Republican (Robert McCallister, played by Rob Lowe) who’s running for office. There were a lot of good social, economic and cultural differences that were expressed through there.

DD: More important, is Rob Lowe just as dreamy in person as he is on TV?

EW: (Laughter) He’s a good-looking guy. Obviously, for me, I wouldn’t say dreamy, but he’s a very handsome guy. And just really, really cool. But yes, you probably would find him dreamy.

DD: After that, you were in “Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay,” which is quite different from your role on “B and S.”

EW: I thought that this sequel — and not just because I was in it — was so damn funny, because it just pushes the envelope with so many things. It racially offended everybody. It was sexist … it was everything. They just got in everyone’s face, and it was so funny and so well written and well directed. That was just a blast. Very hard-core but funny.

DD: After that you were in “Moonlight,” which still has an incredible cult following. How was that show to work on?

EW: That was a fun show too. I would have loved to have the chance to do a lot of the vampire-type stuff and mess around with all the effects, but we never got to dive into that part of my character. That was something they were talking about doing the next season, and then the show got canceled. So, we never really know what would have happened to my character and ultimately what his motivation was. They were finding their groove. Again, another show (like “Viva Laughlin”) that was ahead of its time.

DD: Yes, it seems nowadays that networks aren’t giving shows that much of a chance to really develop, grow and build their audience …

EW: It might not have been a nice hit for the CBS audience, but the ones who loved it loved it, and I think CBS was ahead of its time on two shows in the same year — and that was “Viva Laughlin” and “Moonlight.”

DD: After “Moonlight” you scored a plum part in the feature film “The Ugly Truth.” You must have been thrilled to land that part.

EW: Absolutely. That was just a huge opportunity that (director) Robert Luketic and Lakeshore gave me. And it was really awesome, and I had such a blast working with those guys. And my relationship with Katie (Heigl) and Gerry (Butler) was a ton of fun. We just laughed a lot. It was another fun environment to be in. It was a huge opportunity. It was kind of a fun, vulgar romantic comedy — it changes up from the normal romantic-comedy pace that you’re used to.

DD: What can you tell me about your new role on CBS' "The Mentalist" of Agent Craig O’Laughlin, and what fans can expect from his appearance?

EW: Well, I’m kind of learning myself to keep a lot of stuff under wraps. But what I do feel is there has to be something else there. I don’t think I’m just an FBI guy that came on and happened to find (Grace) Van Pelt attractive. I honestly don’t know. But I know that my character is an ex-football player who is in the FBI. I go back in a couple of weeks to shoot other episodes. And I have a few more episodes lined up for next year. My goal is to keep this character all business. He’s hot stuff, but he’s not a jerk. He’s not a jerk, in my mind, with Van Pelt. And he’s not doing anything wrong. She and Rigsby were broken up, so it’s sort of fair territory. It’s just a really funny, awkward situation.

DD: Were you worried coming in, because even though Van Pelt and Rigsby were broken up, there are bound to be fans who are upset?

EW: Yeah, you’re always going to get that. But hopefully with the way I treat her and the way I portray my character, people will see he’s not a bad guy. Maybe they will like him, too, and see he’s doing some good things for her. I want it to be a true triangle. But it’s a really tricky situation to be in.

DD: As an actor, I would think it would be fun to play an FBI agent — you get to be the man in charge, you learn how to handle firearms, how to take down suspects, etc.

EW: Oh yeah, it’s the best. It’s my first time playing something like this, and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s really fricking cool to learn the ins and outs — what the FBI does and the CBI does, and how they handle situations. We have on-set experts who walk us through stuff and help us keep it real. It’s been a very fun thing for me to explore.

DD: You said that you’re working on a couple of more episodes — should we start a campaign to make you a permanent cast member?

EW: Yes! You’ve got to start campaigning. From what I understand, they plan on doing a slow burn. Whatever happens between the two of us (O’Laughlin and Van Pelt) is definitely going to play its course. But there’s a lot to do with my character aside from that relationship. I’m not in the writing room, so I don’t know. But I know they have it well worked out, and they’ve been great with me so far.

DD: What’s the thing you like best about working on a weekly episodic show?

EW: Simon (Baker) works his butt off. He’s very, very busy on that show. But I think that with me it’s a lot of fun because I get to explore the character, but I have some time off so I can be looking for some other things as well, films and so forth. It’s a very fun, comfortable environment, and I have a great character to play, which keeps me very interested and motivated with that project. It’s comfortable and exciting at the same time.

Interview: Catching Up With Nicole Sullivan

While Nicole Sullivan made her Hollywood breakthrough on nighttime soaps like “Party of Five” and “Models, Inc.,” she is best known for her comedic roles. She was a principle cast member on “MADtv” for 10 years, she starred as the titular character on Lifetime Television’s original sitcom “Rita Rocks,” and she now co-stars as Bonnie in the William Shatner-starring CBS sitcom, “$#*! My Dad Says.”

Aside from being a talented actress, comedian and voice-over artist, Nicole is first and foremost a wife and mother. She’s been married to actor Jason Packham since 2006, and together they have two sons, Dashel, 3, and Beckett, 1. When I caught up with her recently, she told me about juggling motherhood with her busy career.

Daytime Dial: I am sure you are having lots of fun with “$#*! My Dad Says,” but I was sad to see that “Rita Rocks” had been canceled. What was it you liked most about that show?

Nicole Sullivan: Well, it was a great family sitcom, and it really clicked with me at this time in my life. It’s like the minute you give birth — and I mean THE MINUTE you give birth — it’s not about you anymore. It’s about someone else. And that’s the joy of motherhood, and I don’t think any mother would have it any other way. But what happens is, over time, you start thinking: What about a little something for me? And as moms we just feel so guilty if we prioritize ourselves at all. And I think the next thing you wake up and you’re unfulfilled, and you’re not sure why. “Rita Rocks” was about a woman who woke up after 16 years and said: “You know what? I really love music; I love singing. I want to get that back.” I know she’s never going to open for U2, but she’s going to have a great time in her garage playing with her friends.

DD: Of course I knew about your extensive comedic and dramatic work, but I had no idea that you had done and continue to do so much voice work. What are some aspects of doing voice work that you really like — besides the fact that you don’t have to put on makeup to do it?

NS: Sitcom work is an 8 1/2 out of 10 as far as work goes. It’s the greatest job. The hours are great. The one downside to sitcom work is there are no sick days. You’re sick; you go to work anyway. You’ve got 150 people going, “Really, she’s not going to show up?” That’s not an option. Other than that there’s not a downside I can find with this job. It’s just a great job and I’m so blessed that I’ve gotten it. And the only thing that’s better is voice-over work. And I’ve been really lucky, because there are some really dumb cartoons out there, and I’ve been really lucky to have worked on really well-written, fun ones. “Kim Possible” went on for seven or eight years, and it was a really great show. I’m doing “Penguins of Madagascar” now, which shows on Nickelodeon, and I think is either neck and neck with “SpongeBob SquarePants” or just surpassed it for the top children’s show in the country. I’ve just been really lucky to get to work with good-good material and really nice people.

DD: I also love seeing you pop up on something I don’t expect, like the recurring role you had on “Scrubs.” That was such a departure from what I’m used to seeing from you. What was it like working on that set and doing that character?

NS: Tremendous. Bill Lawrence, the creator of the show, is a friend of mine. So it was totally nepotism. He wrote in parts for a lot of his friends, and you always get a really good view of what Bill thinks of you when you see how he writes you into shows. And when he wrote that part I thought: “He thinks I’m out of my mind! I love it!” That cast was so talented; I loved that show. I loved everyone there. It was such a top-notch experience.