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Judith Light Reveals She Originally Picked ABC Show About Soap Opera Writers Called ‘Staff of Life’ Before Landing ‘Who’s the Boss?’

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: KellyClarksonShow/NBCuniversal

Two-time Daytime Emmy winner, primetime Emmy winner, and two-time Tony Award winner, Judith Light was the very special guest on the Thursday, June 18 episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Light was on-hand to promote her two current projects.: The AMC+ anthology series, The Terror: Devil in Silver where she plays Dorry and Disney+ and Marvel’s The Punisher: One Last Kill where she plays Joy.

During the discussion with Clarkson, who is a huge fans of Judith’s work dating back to her leading role as Angela Bowers on Who’s the Boss, Light recalled the transition from leaving her signature soap role of Karen Wolek on One Life to Live, to her first foray into the world of TV sitcoms.

Credit: COLUMBIA PICTURES TELEVISION

STAFF OF LIFE VS. YOU’RE THE BOSS

Judith explained, how she landed her role on Who’s the Boss, when in actuality, ABC had Light in consideration for three shows all at once and the one she picked to initially appear in was about soap opera writers!

“First of all, I had been this girl who came from the soap opera,” recalled Light. “I went in and I read for the producers, and I read one scene, and then they said, ‘Could you read another scene?’ And I said, ‘Yes, and can I read another scene and another scene?’ I ended up reading the whole script for them.”

Next, Judith added, “There were three shows I was up for at ABC and it was called ‘You’re the Boss” at the time and I didn’t pick that one. I picked another one, which was called Staff of Life.I picked it because I thought it was like a sign that I was supposed to do this because it was about a bunch of soap opera writers. So I thought, ‘I’ll pick, Staff of Life.'”

However, that was not to be! “This is where the universe comes in and says, ‘no, no, no, no, no.’  I had done an audition with Tony Danza and there was a wonderful director named Bill Persky, and we did the audition together. And he said, ‘That’s the chemistry’. He said, ‘That’s it. That’s where the show lives.”

Amazingly, Light shared, “I hadn’t picked that. I hadn’t put it in first place, but all the executives at ABC had seen the audition. They said, ‘No, we’re not putting her in Staff of Life. We’re putting her on You’re the Boss!”

Courtesy/NBCUniversaal

PRIDE MONTH AND JUDITH’S CONTINUED ADVOCACY

June is Pride Month and one of the LGBTQIA+ fiercest advocates for decades has been Judith Light. Clarkson asked Judith how she became so involved in the cause for equality for the community.

“I was losing my friends,” simply explained Light. “When you’re in the theater community and you start reading about this one you’ve lost, somebody you haven’t seen for a while, and then there’s another person that you’ve lost. Also the injustice of this, of the way the people in the LGBTQIA+ community were being treated. I thought that I could say something. I had done this movie, called The Ryan White Story.”

“Ryan White was this extraordinary young man, and he died of AIDS, and he was very connected with Elton John, and they were friends,” shared the actress. Ryan was being interviewed on the Phil Donahue Show, who was extraordinary and has since passed. Phil was interviewing Ryan and he said to Ryan, ‘Your community didn’t treat you well, and if somebody else in your community had HIV and AIDS, how would you have been?’ Ryan said, “I would be scared of it, but I wouldn’t have been cruel.”

You can check out the entire conversation between Judith and Kelly Clarkson below.

Now, let us know. Would you have like to see Judith in a TV comedy about soap opera writers? Did you love her as Angela Bowers on Who’s the Boss? What do you think of her continued and tireless advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Tanisha Harper on the Future of a Jordan Ashford and Michael Corinthos Pairing

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Jordan and Michael

It’s been clear for awhile now that General Hospital has been pushing Jordan Ashford (Tanisha Harper) more into the orbit of Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson), leading to speculation that the two will become more than just business associates and friends.

Well, now, Tanisha Harper has confirmed that the long-running ABC soap opera is testing the waters for a Jordan/Michael romance in her discussion with Soap Opera Digest.

The two characters share something in common, in that, they both have suffered severe burns and disfigurement, and they share a common bond working for Aurora Media.

Photo: ABC

CHEMISTRY TEST

Harper explained, “At first, they were kind of just sprinkling it in; we were starting to do some scenes together here and there. But, I think the writers and Frank Valentini (EP, GH) liked it, and we’ve progressed with that.”

This poses a bit of dilemma for Jordan, who’s boyfriend Curtis Ashford had been sent to Pentonville for assaulting Dr. Isaiah Gannon (Sawandi Wilson), but who just wound up on the receiving end of a prison beat down and landed at the hospital.

All things being equal, Tanisha shared that Michael is fast becoming, “the one person who understands what she’s going through on a deeper level. That makes for a strong connection, and I think the fans are starting to see that connection, too.”

As to if things will escalate and get hot and steamy from herem like any great forbidden love story, Tanisha shared, “That seems to be where we’re headed. In true soap fashion!”

Harper also noted about the future of Jordan and Michael, “We’ll see what the writers have in store for us, but I do think that this could be something really interesting. It’ll make some people mad, and some people will be here for it!”

So, are you down for a Jordan and Michael romance? Let us know via the comment section below.

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Beyond the Gates

‘Beyond the Gates’ Honors HBCU Tradition with Banneker University Homecoming Episodes

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Beyond the Gates Cast

Beyond the Gates is set to air two upcoming episodes on Friday, October 2 and Monday, October 5 on CBS, which will feature the residents of Fairmont Crest gathering at the Dupree family home for a spirited tailgate ahead of Banneker’s Homecoming, decked out in the university’s signature crimson and gold.

The episodes celebrate African American heritage by showcasing the longstanding homecoming traditions of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU’s) through the show’s fictional Banneker University.

With five generations of the Dupree family having attended Banneker, Homecoming is more than a celebration – it’s a cherished family legacy. For the Duprees and the Fairmont Crest community, it offers an opportunity to honor their shared history, celebrate their HBCU pride, and come together for a special day filled with family, friendship, and tradition.

Banneker

Photo: CBS

BANNEKER U. FIGHT SONG

The excitement culminates with a spirited bus ride to the game, where the entire group proudly sings “Fight On,” Banneker University’s beloved fight song and we know the cast members of Beyond the Gates CAN SING! Ahead of the episodes, CBS released some promotional photos and more to engage viewers to tune-in to the 15-time Daytime Emmy nominated daytime drama.

The series is produced by CBS Studios, as part of the CBS Studios/NAACP Venture, in partnership with P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble. Created by head writer Michele Val Jean, executive producers include Val Jean, Sheila Ducksworth, Julie Carruthers, Tracey Thomson, Leon W. Russell, Derrick Johnson, Anna Saalfeld and Lela Coffey. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Beyond the Gates

Photo: CBS

Beyond the Gates is broadcast weekdays on CBS (2:00-3:00 PM, ET/1:00-2:00 PM, PT) and is available to stream on Paramount+**.

*(live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. *Paramount+ Premium subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on-demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the episode airs.

So, are you glad to see Beyond the Gates continuing to shed light on Black excellence through its soap opera platform? Is the Dupree family, quickly, if not already, become one of your favorites families in all of daytime drama? Let us know via the comment section below.

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Days Of Our Lives

REPORT: ‘Days of our Lives’ Puts Four Actors On Contract

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Days of our Lives cast

Four cast members are officially on contract at Days of our Lives, according to the soap opera’s closing credits on Peacock and longtime Days expert and historian Jason 47.

Lauren Koslow (Kate), Sydney Malakeh (Sydney), Sal Stowers (Lani) and Jacob Martinez (Javi) are the names that appear in the closing credits in the contracted cast members section. Days of our Lives fans also note that the series tapes ten months in advance of streaming episodes.

As Days of our Lives fans know, Lauren Koslow has played Kate Roberts since 1996, and recently filled-in for Jess Walton in the role of Jill Abbott on The Young and the Restless when Walton was unable to travel from Oregon to Los Angeles during the specific tape dates. But now, Koslow has been re-upped to contract status as of the September 8 episode.

Photo: JPI

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED

Sydney Malakeh is the newest member of the contract players when she debuted on contract status on the September 10th episode. Days fans first met Sami (Alison Sweeney) and EJ’s (Dan Feuerriegel) daughter in scenes in Monte Carlo around a gambling table.

As for Sal Stowers, the actress had been on contract from 2015-2022, then on recurring status with the soap, and would make appearances and limited runs since 2023. Soap fans first saw Sal as Cassandra Foster on Prospect Park’s revival of All My Children in 2013. Sal’s first new contracted episode was noted to be September 16.

Jacob Martinez, debuted on June 30 of this year as the successor to Al Calderon in the role of Javi Hernandez, and has now been bumped up to series regular as of the September 10 episode.

Photo: JPI

CREDITS

According to the referenced posting from Days of our Lives expert and historian Jason 47, he shared, “It took me four weeks to realize, but the same week that Sydney Malakeh (Sydney) debuted (9/7-9/11), “Days” also put Lauren Koslow (Kate), Jacob Richard Martinez (Javi) and Sal Stowers (Lani) on contract.”

Jason47 added, “This confirms the “errors” of Lani being listed in the credits the week of 9/7 but not appearing, and Kate and Javi appearing in the credits the week of 9/14 but not appearing. It also now makes sense why Javi and Sydney are being listed before Rafe and Philip in the credits.”

He also shared, “For the record, Lauren Koslow’s first date back on contract was 9/8, Jacob Richard Martinez was upped to contract on 9/10, Sydney Malakeh debuted on contract 9/10 and Sal Stowers’ first date back on contract was 9/16. The records will be fixed on the website in the coming days.”

So, glad to hear Lauren, Sydney, Sal and Jacob appear to be on contract with Days of our Lives (as of these episode airings)? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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