All My Children

Tainted Dreams Creator Sonia Blangiardo: "I Was Struck By The Loss Of This Unique Art Form That Had Been Integral To NYC!" Casts RHONJ Dina Manzo in Role!

January 30, 2013

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Daytime Emmy winning director Sonia Blangiardo (GH, OLTL, AMC, ATWT) has been hard at work on her first series that takes a look at the behind-the-scenes of a soap opera, Tainted Dreams!

The director created Tainted Dreams after the last of the NYC-based soap operas, One Life to Live, shut down production in November of last year. Sonia related to Celebuzz: “I was struck by the loss of this unique art form that had been such an integral part of NYC for decades. I wanted to somehow capture my own two decades working behind the scenes of three different NYC-based soaps.” And that is exactly what Blangiardo has set out to do with her upcoming project that begins production this May!

In addition, today Tainted Dreams added reality star, Dina Manzo (pictured right) from The Real Housewives of New Jersey to the cast in the role of Allessandra DiGiacomo. Blangiardo explains the casting decision, “I created the role of Alessandra with Dina Manzo in mind, and we are thrilled to have her join our cast.” Allessandra will also have a gay brother on the series played by Anthony Wilkinson. As it turns out, Manzo is also a long time fan of One Life to Live!

Manzo joins the cast which already has included soap stars: Alicia Minshew, Walt Willey, Michael Lowry, Marnie Schulenburg, and Kelley Menighan Hensley!

So soapers what do you think about Sonia’s comments about the terrible loss for New York and the soap industry there once OLTL, AMC, GL and ATWT were all canceled within a span of three years? And what do you think about Dina Manzo being on Tainted Dreams? Let us know!

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Click to comment

Guest

Mary SF

Another World was another great soap shot in NYC. Soaps have a lot in common with theater so it made perfect sense that so many soaps were once shot in a city known for it’s theater. I am sure many actors and backstage people like living on the East Coast rather than the West and having soaps in NYC gave them a chance to do that. It was a sad day indeed when soaps left the Big Apple. But now they have AMC and OLTL being shot out East- maybe not as exciting as NYC, but the tradition is still… Read more »

Guest

Mark

Growing up in the NYC area, I was lucky to see lots of plays and musicals. Always got a kick out of seeing daytime drama stars on the stage or knowing about soap actors that were also doing Broadway or off Broadway shows at the same time as their TV shows.
I saw the original Broadway cast of “Grease” which means I saw Ilene Kristen (OLTL/RH) as Patty Simcox.

Guest

Mark

I just recalled another example. I saw the Sondeim musical “A Little Night Music” with Patricia Elliott, who we all loved as Rene on OLTL. She sang the song “Every Day A Little Death” with Victoria Mallory who played one of the Brooks daughters on Y&R.

Guest

Dave

I find it funny that just the island of Manhattan with a population of 1,601,948 could not or would not support the soap operas that were such a part of that city.
The new OLTL and AMC will not be filmed bu cast in Manhattan.

Guest

Johnny

That’s an interesting point, Dave. I am sure that some of the casting will be done in New York City and yet the show will be taped in Connecticut – I guess production costs would be a little less there somehow ~

Guest

Randy

Can’t wait to see Tainted Dreams. Big fan of Dina and I love the soap stars Tainted Dreams is assembling.

I agree with Michael, I live in NJ and it is fun to see soap stars on Broadway. Just saw Michael Park in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and last year saw Tom Pelrey in the show about Judy Garland, both Tom and Michael are great.

Guest

it’s odd and counterproductive that she’d cast someone from rhonj bec the real housewives franchises don’t do anything for primetime soaps and especially daytime soaps. the rh franchises are detrimental to daytime and even primetime soaps bec they are effectively the new daytime soaps. reality tv is a threat to the scripted primetime soap operas and especially daytime soap operas bec reality tv is much cheaper to produce. some of the women from real housewives get a lot of press and more of them are household names compared to your average daytime soap opera actors and actresses. compare b&b to… Read more »

Guest

Iakovos

I read so much about these new online soap projects but can never find them or keep up with them all. Anyone, help me?

There was nothing like a NYC-based soap for me. They seemed more real to me somehow. I miss them!

All My Children

Chrishell Stause and Her ‘Selling Sunset’ Boss Jason Oppenheim Make Relationship Instagram Official

July 29, 2021

There’s a new man in soap veteran and Selling Sunset star, Chrishell Stause’s life. And it is … none other than her boss at the Oppenheim Group, a real estate company, in Los Angeles which is at the epicenter of the Netflix reality series.

Stause who is also a real estate agent at the firm, made her relationship with Jason Oppenheim Instagram official when she posted a pic of the two of them while the cast of Selling Sunset were in Italy.

Oppenheim told PEOPLE: “Chrishell and I became close friends and it has developed into an amazing relationship. I care about her deeply and we are very happy together.”

Previously Stause was married to This is Us star, Justin Hartley and following their divorce, was briefly dating Dancing with the Stars pro dancer, Keo Motsepe.

So, what do you think of the love connection between Chrishell and Jason? Comment below.

All My Children

Kelly Ripa’s First Book On the Way in 2022

July 21, 2021

Former All My Children star, now co-host of Live with Kelly and Ryan and a successful executive producer in her own right, Kelly Ripa, will add writer to her list of credits.

New this week is that Ripa is sharing a look at her real-life in a book, that will be released next spring in April of 2022.

According to the intel, the book entitled Live Wire will feature sharp, funny, and honest collection of real-life stories from Ripa, showing the many dimensions and crackling wit of the beloved daytime talk show host.

As soap fans know, Ripa has been married to Mark Consuelos (Ex-Mateo, AMC) and the two share three children together.

The loglines for the release share: “In Live Wire, Kelly shows what really makes her tick. As a professional, as a wife, as a daughter and as a mother, she brings a hard-earned wisdom and an eye for the absurdity of life to every minute of every day. It is her relatability in all of these roles that has earned her fans worldwide and millions of followers on social media. Whether recounting how she and Mark really met, the level of chauvinism she experienced on set, how Jersey Pride follows her wherever she goes, and many, many moments of utter mortification (whence she proves that you cannot, in fact, die of embarrassment) Kelly always tells it like it is. Ms. Ripa takes no prisoners.
Surprising, at times savage, a little shameless and always with humor… Live Wire shows Kelly as she really is offscreen—a very wise woman who has something to say.”

So intrigued to read Kelly’s book when it is released next year? Comment below.

All My Children

All My Children Stars and Eileen Davidson On New Episode of Virtual Game Show “Soap Opera Know-It-All”

July 16, 2021

Imagine being in the hot seat and having some of your soap opera favorites trying to stump you with trivia, while trying to best your competition. Well, that’s what four contestants faced as they battled it out in the ultimate soap trivia game, Soap Opera Know-It-All.

The Michael Fairman Channel just released its fifth episode of its season, where in round one of the game play, stars from the beloved All My Children served up the questions including: Cady McClain (Ex-Dixie), Jill Larson (Ex-Opal), Lindsay Korman-Hartley (Ex-Cara), Vincent Irizarry (Ex-David) and Jacob Young (Ex-Y&R). In addition, the former cast members from Pine Valley also try to stump viewers at home with some additional character-related questions.

Later in the episode, there is a very special appearance by Eileen Davidson (Y&R, Ex-Days, Santa Barbara and B&B). It is Eileen who reveals and asks the final question of the game to determine the eventual winner.

For this edition, host Michael Fairman welcomed longtime soap fans: Michael Cochran, Sean McKinley, and Robert Davis along with returning champion, David Bursky for this soap deep-dive competition.

Photo: MFTV, Inc.

Trivia questions from the following daytime and primetime soaps were put to the players during the game: All My Children, As the World Turns, Dark Shadows, General Hospital, Knots Landing, Sunset Beach, Days of our Lives, Dynasty, Edge of Night, One Life to Live, Port Charles and The Young and the Restless.

As the series moves through its now back-half of the season, the winning contestant must defeat the competition for the right to move on to the next episode to face three more challengers all in pursuit of the “Know-It-All” title with special soap-related prizes along the way.

Watch the episode below and make sure to subscribe to the Michael Fairman Channel for more interviews, music and more.

Now let us know, did you get most of the answers correct? Which question stumped you all the way? Comment below.