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OLTL's Hillary B. Smith chats on Willee-Coppee Fund and Venice!
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
Each Sunday for the next four weeks, On-Air On-Soaps will be rolling out parts of our chat with Daytime Emmy winning actress, Hillary B. Smith (Nora) of One Life to Live for the ebay auction to help raise money for Hillary, and her best friend, Lindsay Harrison’s joint endeavor The Willee-Coppee Fund! Check each weekend for a new auction item that will be up for bids that is something very special and personal to Hillary, and fans of OLTL, and especially, Nora Hannen Gannon Buchanan (fill in the rest)…love that name! Right now, you can bid on a great tape of episodes from the 93-94 soap season featuring: Todd terrorizing Nora (in the form of Roger Howarth) through Nora defending Dorian on a murder charge.
Here are this week’s excerpts from my conversation with Hillary on the background of the Willee-Coppee fund and “Dude”, Guya’s special needs dog coming in season two of Venice.
Hillary on how the Willee -Coppee fund was created: “It came about two-fold. Lindsay had her dog Willie, and I had my dog Coppee, who was 16 when she passed away. During her life there were times where Coppee had her various things like Lyme disease, and needed medication that could cost around $400.00. I had the money to do that, but it was the realization that some people don’t. Lindsay works with the Sherman Oaks Veterinary Group and they are really wonderful. The idea for the fund was that hopefully it would catch on and people would do this in their neighborhoods as well. Lindsay and I wanted to find away to honor our puppies, because Willee and Coppee died at around the same time, and we said, “You know what? We need to do a little something in their honor!” So it’s used as a discretionary fund by the Veterinarians in the clinic, and it has been used for lots of wonderful purposes. It all started around three years ago, and it took on its own little life. ”
Hillary on how a pet owner can get help from the Willie-Coppee Fund: “Usually there are people who go to the Sherman Oaks Veterinary Group and when they bring there animal there, it’s based upon the need of the pet owner and if they can’t pay for the care. It’s up to Sherman Oaks to say, ”I think this is something for the Willee-Coppee Fund to kick in on.”
Hillary on her beloved Coppee: “She had gone through so much. Coppee was allergic to everything like grass, and hay, and she had to be on steroids and prednisone. They kept saying this was going to shorten her life. I think what happened was that the dog just did not want to leave us. She always wanted to make us happy and she knew if she died, it would make us sad. So ultimately we had to carry her into the vet and put her down.”
Hillary on “Dude”- Guya’s special needs dog in Season Two of Venice: “In season two, I think you will see Guya in her store, which is interesting because shooting schedules being as they were in season one, there was no store. Instead, we were in New York in Tina Sloan’s fabulous apartment. When I entered her place, I said to myself, “Oh, I have read about places like this!” It’s spectacular. How “Dude” comes into Venice…I think is…that the dog spoke to Guya and she is desperately in need of being needed. You saw her with her babies. There is nothing she loves more than her babies, and that is Gina and Owen. You will start to understand why Gina and Owen are so important. In real life, “Dude” was a product of an owner who decided not to give the dog spinal surgery which would have saved the dogs ability to walk. You understand now? And then the dog ended up being paralyzed and then they could not take care of the dog so they gave the dog away. But Lindsay ended up with him through many twists and turns, and he is just wonderful!”
It looks like the current run of Lucas Adams (Noah) and Tamara Braun (Sienna) on The Young and the Restless is coming to an end, after the Monday, August 3 edition of the CBS daytime drama revealed that Noah and Sienna are leaving Genoa City and heading back to Los Angeles.
In the storyline, Noah informed his mother, Sharon (Sharon Case) and half-sister Mariah (Camryn Grimes) that he and Sienna made the decision to move back to the West Coast to put distance between themselves and Matt Clark (Roger Howarth). Although Noah did not say it was a permanent move, he did assure his mom that once Matt is hopefully gone from Genoa City they could return.
However, as previewed already on the video teaser for this week’s episodes of Y&R (see below), it appears Noah left Genoa City’s The Shadow Room to be run by a returning Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian). So with that, coupled with today’s episode, it would appear the move could wind up being more permanent.
Photo: JPI
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Adams made his Y&R debut on November 4, 2025 as the successor to Rory Gibson who last played Noah on-screen in April of 2023. Earlier in 2025, Gibson took over the role of Michael Corinthos on Genera Hospital replacing Chad Duell, who stepped away from the part after 15 years.
Braun who played Adam’s mother on Days of Our Lives when she was Ava Vitali and he was Tripp Dalton, first appeared on Y&R back on October 14, 2025, where we soon learned she had become Noah’s lover as the new character, Sienna Bacall. It should be noted, Adams was on contract with the number #1 soap, while Braun has been on recurring status.
With Josh Griffith now exited as head writer of The Young and the Restless, and the newly announced co-head writing team of Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor having taken his place and starting their new tenure this week, it will be interesting to see how the duo resets the show, and if a Noah and Sienna return is in the cards for the future or not.
So, what do you think about the seeming departures of Lucas Adams and Tamara Braun from The Young and the Restless? Weigh-in via the comment section. But first, check out our recent live chat with Tamara and Lucas on the Michael Fairman Channel.
Rosie O’Donnell revealed that she plans to head back to a seat at the table of ABC’s morning talk show The View.
The announcement came during Monday’s episode of The Tangle Podcast where she shared she will participate in “in whatever way they want” her or “just as a guest” for its upcoming 30th season.
The View’s season 30 will kick-off this fall in September. O’Donnell explained, “They’re bringing back all the hosts, I think. And, you know, I’m pretty proud of that show, what it’s become and how it really speaks to the people and to politics.”
Photo: ABC
ROSIE ON HER PREVIOUS GO-ROUNDS ON THE VIEW
As fans of The View know, O’Donnell famously had two different one-year stints on the talk show in 2007 and again in 2014- 2015. She often feuded with then co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck.
However, during her discussion with host, Kyle Ridley on The Tangle Podcast, O’Donnell also noted she often had tense moments with longtime moderator and anchor, Whoopi Goldberg.
O’Donnell also expressed, “Many, many people got the short end of the stick there. It was, you know, it was a factory where people were being churned in and out and their tenuous security, nobody got to be calm. It also was a show at the time that was run by a man. A show created by a woman, for women, about women, and the man was deciding what we should talk about. And that didn’t sit right with me, you know.”
Back in 2023, Brooke Shields had asked Rosie on her podcast, Now What? with Brooke Shields, about how she felt on her two stints at The View and all the controversy that surrounded it. Rosie at that time, stated, “I know this, it’s not the best use of my talent to get in a show where I have to argue and defend basic principles of humanity and kindness. It was not something I’d ever do again.”
You can check out the clip with Rosie and Kyle Ridley discussing her return to The View in some form for its upcoming 30th season below.
Then weigh-in: Would you be excited to see Rosie, even for a one-day or a week guest stint on the upcoming celebratory season of The View, or not so much? Let us know via the comment section.
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General Hospital Fan Club Weekend brought out many of your favorites to the four day event; with the main cast gathering on Saturday, August 1. Fans near and far attended the weekend held this year at the Burbank Marriott Hotel. Whether it be the main cast event or the smaller more intimate events featuring two or three cast members a great time was had by all.
Some of the cast participating in the main cast event included: Cyrus Hobbi (Yuri), Gary James Fuller (James), Bradford Anderson (Spinelli), Viron Weaver (Wiley), Paige Herschell (Jacinda), Chris McKenna (Brennan), Josh Kelly (Cody), Kayden Brenna Tokarsi (Scout), Cassandra James (Terry), Laura Wright (Carly), Dominic Zamprogna (Dante), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane), Rick Hearst (Ric), Adrian Anchondo (ex-Marco), and Chloe Lanier (ex-Nelle).
In addition to, Van Hansis (Lucas), Cameron Mathison (Drew), Ryan Paevey (ex-Cassius), Easton Rocket Sweda (Leo), Maurice Benard (Sonny), Kristen Vaganos (Molly), Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis), Kate Mansi (ex-Kristina), Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth), Cynthia Watros (Nina), Kristina Wagner (Felicia) and more.
Take a look at some of the snaps from the main event arrivals below:
Photo: HutchinsPhoroi
GH’s Rick Hearst with on-screen daughter, Kristen Vaganos, plus Nancy Lee Grahn, and Kate Mansi.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
GH’s Maurice Benard on-hand to meet the fans.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto.com
Jack Brennan in the house … Chris McKenna.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Adrian Anchondo, Van Hansis and Anchondo’s boyfriend, Days of Our Lives, Colton Little.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
GH’s Josh Kelly and his gal, the former Nelle Benson of Port Charles, Chloe Lanier.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Who is James’ father? Not Cassius or Spinelli, actually. Actors Gary James Fuller, Ryan Paevey and Bradford Anderson!
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
One of General Hospital’s newest cast members, Kayden Brenna Tokarski attends her first GHFCW event.
Check out some more arrival images featuring: Laura Wright (Carly), Cassandra James (Terry), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane) and more in the gallery below.
Michael Fairman TV will be adding more images to this post in the day ahead.
So, were you glad to see so many of your GH favorites attending this year’s General Hospital Fan Club Weekend? Let us know via the comment section.
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Aww. I just love HBS. She’s so sweet and funny. Sad to hear about Coopie, but I’m glad Hillary decided to do something positive to remember and honor her. Excited to see what’s in store for Guya in season 2 of Venice. 🙂
Such great insight into a wonderful project!! Dude is one lucky dog!! Of course, Hillary is fabulous, too!!
Michael this is a really great article bringing awareness to animals and ways to help, and Thank you Hillary for doing such a wonderful thing in honor of your beloved dog
Hillary is such a wonderful person, she is one of the most generous, loving & caring person I have grown to love. She is so loving towards her fans. She and Lindsay Harrison are doing a wonderful thing in helping pet owners pay their Veterinarian bills through The Willie-Coppee Fund.