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THE KELLI MCCARTY INTERVIEW – EX-PASSIONS

By Michael Fairman

Published

17 years ago

on

She was a former Miss USA hailing from Kansas, and played the whacked-out Beth Wallace on the now defunct soap “Passions” from 1999 to 2006. Now she has taken her career in a new direction, which is an adult film star. This stunning revelation has rocked the mainstream and soap press for the last few weeks, with the bombshell of the release of her first porn title, “Faithless: From Beauty Queen to Porn Queen” on February 4th. Kelli has appeared on many of the top entertainment news shows due to this unconventional choice in her career path.

“On-Air On-Soaps” however, caught up with her in a bit of a different atmosphere than a porn set. This past Saturday, Kelli was the guest host with the famed Los Angeles, ACME Comedy Theatre Sketch Comedy Troupe. She participated in their “Saturday Night Live” weekly take-off; the highly successful, ACME This Week. Kelli,
who has a background in improv and
riding the wave of PR for “Faithless”,
showed the audience that an ex-beauty
queen, soap star, and current porn star,
could also be innately. . . funny!

In this very revealing interview, Kelli chats with me about her decision to enter Porn, her parents, friends and former “Passion’s” cast mates reactions, how she cast the film, what it’s like shooting sex scenes, the code of ethics in the adult film industry, and being the former Miss USA to boot. From her humble beginnings in Middle America to a XXX adult film, I think we can safely say, “Kelli, you are not in Kansas anymore.”

kelliMain.jpgListen to the audio:

[display_podcast]

MICHAEL:

I’m with Kelli McCarty backstage after her performance at the ACME Comedy Theatre. First off, how it did feel being up there doing sketch comedy? What skits did you enjoy appearing in?

KELLI:

I loved being up on stage. It’s the first time I did sketch comedy, and it was definitely intimidating, but I was looking forward to it. They actually did not tell me there was a teleprompter. So I was overly prepared, as far as knowing my lines, which was cool. But I loved doing the spoof on pageant moms. As Miss USA while traveling, I met so many pageant moms and stage mothers, and they really are out of their minds sometimes. So, it was fun to take that over the top and put a spin on it.

MICHAEL:

Now what about all the preparation the troupe does for the show, since you did a porn movie and that would be something they would spoof. Were they asking you “Yay” or “Nay,” for approval about certain skits? How does that work?

KELLI:

They threw 20 sketches at me, some spoofing the pageant and some spoofing the porn. Then we did pick and choose what were the funniest ones of all of them.

faithless.jpgMICHAEL:

This has been a whirlwind for you, since you released your porn film, “Faithless”. There is so much publicity, and obviously, that was the plan. Now when you look at what’s happened because of it, are you uneasy about it? How do you feel at this point, honestly?

KELLI:

Honestly, when I decided to get into the adult film industry, I knew it was going to cause a bit of a stir, not only in the pageant world, but the soap world and press world in general. I’m really happy about what happened. I want to let people know you can do mainstream entertainment and then go into the adult world and then go right back. In the meantime, I am talking to a lot of different people in radio and television, and it’s cool. We are getting offers from mainstream
shows when they weren’t interested before.
The phone is ringing a lot, which I always
think is positive.

MICHAEL:

Did you do “Faithless” partly to jump-start your career post-“Passions”? Is that why you decided to get into the adult film business?

KELLI:

I did not do an adult film to jump-start my career. I just did it because I thought it would be interesting. I was sort of bored, and one day I woke up and I thought, “You know, I want to know what it would be like to be a porn star, and let me see if I could make that happen.” So I approached Vivid Entertainment, and they said they would like to work with me and it went from there.

MICHAEL:

Did you create the concept and script for your XXX film, “Faithless”?

KELLI:

I went to Vivid with the idea for a storyline and they put me in touch with the writers. So I had it in my contract that I would also cast the movie and help edit the movie, and have final approval over everything….

MICHAEL:

…With you putting people on, “The Casting Couch”?

kelliWinston.jpgKELLI:

Yes, I put them on the, “The Casting Couch”.

MICHAEL:

You obviously picked the people you wanted to have sex with, since you were involved in the casting process. How did you choose? What were your criteria?

KELLI:

If I am not attracted to someone, I am not going to want to have sex with him, and especially on camera. I wanted it to come off very real and passionate. So I waited till the right guys walked in the room and I said, “OK. Perfect! That’s who I am going to go with,” and they agreed.

MICHAEL:

There are people who like to do voyeuristic amateur porn in their homes, and like to watch themselves having sex. Were you like that? Voyeuristic sexually, as a woman? Did doing this film fulfill that in a way for you?

KELLI:

I am not a voyeuristic person in general. I really hate watching myself on-camera doing anything, whether it’s with my clothes on or off. So this was not about that at all. I did sit in the editing booth for hours. I sort of had to disconnect and try to make this the best that I can, so it was not the most fun for me to watch myself.

MICHAEL:

Ok, so now when you see the film and you watch it back, do you look at it like actors do, who are sometimes uncomfortable watching their work?

KELLI:

I am really critical and hard on myself. I could knit-pick forever, and at the end of the day I had to say, “I am really happy with this and let’s release the movie.” Otherwise, I could keep tweaking it forever and it would never get released for years.

MICHAEL:

You went from Miss USA, to a successful soap career and mainstream acting, to porn. Some people may not understand this interesting journey.

KELLI:

Well, for me, life should be interesting. My motto is, “Let’s just mix it up,” and I don’t want to feel I am being pigeonholed for the rest of my life. So, I would encourage other people to step outside whatever they are doing and say, “You know what? This is what I have always been interested in, and let me explore something else,” not necessarily adult films, but in general. Life is too short.

Galen2.jpgMICHAEL:

What are your ex-“Passions” co-stars saying?

KELLI:

I have not spoken to any of them.

MICHAEL:

None of them?

KELLI:

None of them. They have not face booked me or called me. Nothing! I guess they do not know what to say to me. That’s my guess. I expected to get a lot of calls, and I have gotten very few.

MICHAEL:

Once you got into doing the production on the film, was there one part of it that you realized was not comfortable for you and you had to overcome it, like an actress would have to overcome some obstacle playing a scene?

KELLI:

It wasn’t really uncomfortable; it was more funny to me and different, because on a regular set you are going to go grab some potato chips and a cup of coffee, and going to Kraft services. And a couple of times during the sex scenes they yelled, “Cut” and they were changing their lighting. I was going to go get a bottle of water and I look over and my co-star was “keeping himself up” sort of speak, to continue the scene. When the “five” was over, I was like, “Well, that has never happened to me on the “Passion’s set.” So it was silly and I laughed out loud. There are no “fluffers” left in the porn industry, so they have to do it themselves.

KelliApe2.jpgMICHAEL:

There was a “No Viagra” clause in the performer’s contracts, right?

KELLI:

In this day and age, a lot of porn stars do take sexual enhancers, but I wanted it to be very real. I did not want to be having sex for an hour or three or four on camera. I just did not want to go there. It was overwhelming for me to begin with. I needed it to be as tame as possible, and it still came out very sexy, but I had to taper the time limit.

MICHAEL:

There is this whole adult film industry protocol, that they test you for STD’s, correct?

KELLI:

The porn industry is completely pro ‘safe sex’. If people are not getting tested, they are not going to work. If they do not have a clean bill of health, month after month, they are not going to work.

MICHAEL:

So, does the production company check that?

KELLI:

The production company has it as a requirement overall in the sex industry, so they are not playing around. They are in the business to work. They have to do the blood and urine tests monthly, and they are not taking any chances, otherwise their livelihood is gone.

kathleen.jpgMICHAEL:

How do you look back on your time on the soap “Passions”? Were you sad when they killed you off as Beth Wallace in 2006?

KELLI:

I was disappointed that they killed me off

MICHAEL:

She was wacky!

KELLI:

Yeah, she was psycho, and that’s the next step. When your character is crazy, they blow you up on a train or something. They were talking about bringing my character back to life, but they canceled the show. So I did not have a chance to come back, but it was a great run, and I would not trade it for the world. It was a great experience.

MICHAEL:

Was it fun working with on-screen mom, soap vet Kathleen Noone (Ex-Edna)?

KELLI:

It was fun working with her. She is a pro and has been a long time. She definitely added spunk to the show.

MICHAEL:

Where do you keep your crown from your win as Miss USA 1991?

usa91b.jpgKELLI:

The crown is kept very safe at my parent’s house in Texas, and my mom keeps a very watchful eye on it.

MICHAEL:

Do you still look back on how cool it was? Or, do you now think about all the stigmas that some people attach or think about beauty pageants? Do you have a different perspective on it?

KELLI:

I don’t know specifically what other people think, but for me, it was an amazing experience. I met so many people and traveled around the world. It made my
mom really happy to see me win, and
that’s important, too.

MICHAEL:

Do your parents know about your new porn career? If so, what have they said to you?

KELLI:

My dad has not said anything, like “no comment”, and he’s fine. I don’t think most porn stars talk to their dads about their sex life or working careers. My mom is very supportive and a cool woman. That’s how she raised me, to do what I want and to make things happen, so that is what I am doing.

MICHAEL:

Will you do more adult films?

KELLI:

I do not know if I will do more. I am seeing how this movie turns out. I might end up writing some or directing some. I might want to write and direct again. We will see how this movie does and go from there.

MICHAEL:

In closing, what would you want people to take away from this interview, for those who might say, “I can’t believe she is doing this? What’s with her?”

KELLI:

I would say, what’s with me is, I do whatever I want to do as long as I am not hurting other people. I would encourage everyone to do that. This was not something I expected to do for years and years. It just came to me one day. I just made it happen. Hopefully, people will like the movie, and if they are not supportive, then they don’t have to watch it.

kelliJohnMcKee.jpgMICHAEL:

You have this rockin’ body. So are you picky about what you eat and what you look like? You know, many people obsess about their body. Do you get like that because you are nude in front of the camera and in show business?

KELLI:

I don’t obsess over anything except my dogs. I do Yoga. I have been doing it for ten years, and I take care of myself. I do allow myself to eat what I want in moderation. I am from Kansas. I was raised on fried chicken and potatoes and I still eat and cook that type of stuff.

MICHAEL:

But you are OK with seeing yourself naked in movies? (He laughs)

KELLI:

I don’t think I would have chosen to do an adult film if I had any reservations. (She laughs)

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I wonder what her kids will tell her mom when they grow up and by accident buy a porn movie called “Faithless” and see their mom f*cked with different guys.
Anyway It’s very good porn =)

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Interviews

WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus Talks Humble Beginnings, Test and Albert, WrestleMania 22 with Mickie James, Current Women’s Roster (Exclusive)

Published

1 day ago

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April 30, 2026

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WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus has had an incredible in-ring career, on and off for over 25 years. Having debuted as a heel back in 2000, she held the then WWE Women’s Championship for a record 445 days back in 2005 and into 2006, before dropping the title to her nemesis, Mickie James at WrestleMania 22, and is considered one of the best to ever to it by many in the women’s locker room, then and now. When it was her turn to be inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2013, she chose Stephanie McMahon (this year’s Hall of Fame class 2026) to do the honors at the ceremony.

Fast forward and April’s WrestleMania 42 week in Las Vegas, Michael Fairman TV had a reunion with Trish for this very special interview. For when Trish started in the WWE, Fairman was working as a writer/producer for ‘Raw’ and ‘SmackDown’ and as told in their discussion, recalled how he worked with an upstart Stratus to help her learn her lines for her promos and more. Now two and half decades later, we caught up at Trish’s WrestleMania 42 pop up at Flankers at Mandalay Bay entitled First Crush by Trish Stratus. Trish had created an immersive experience for wrestling fans, Trish fans, and offered on stage Q&A’s with special guests and much more.

Backstage, she sat down with us to take a trip down memory lane, share her picks for WrestleMania 42 in the top women’s bouts (see if she predicted, correctly!) and talked some of her greatest moments. opponents. and friendships in the ring and out, plus what keeps getting her to come back when she has already accomplished so much in her iconic career.

Photo: WWE

TO SINK OR SWIM IN THE WWE

Trish shared on being a rookie in WWE with little to no experience, explaining, “I was thrown right into it. I was a fan of wrestling, watching it, enjoying it. Started to dabble into fitness modeling. So suddenly, I was kind of a public figure all of a sudden. Modeling is very different than actually speaking. They (WWE) literally threw me into the water and it was like sink or swim. The wrestling was one thing and they threw me out there for my first couple matches. Most people come up in the independent wrestling circuits. I had done some wrestling, but it was foundational kind of stuff. It wasn’t like performance yet and they gave me my first promo and I was the green one.

In the world of pro wrestling its all about getting the moment to prove yourself and making something out of it, Trish did just that when she became the beautiful manager/wrestler of the late Test and Albert, and suddenly they were known as .. yup … you remember … ‘T and A.”

BAD GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN

Photo; WWE

Stratus recalled, “I was sitting backstage waiting for them to find the storyline. I remember just chilling actually with Lilian Garcia (then the ring announcer.) We bonded right away. She was my little bestie. I was on the road for a couple weeks in a row and, and then finally they came to me like, ‘Today’s the day. … we’re putting you out there.’ So, there I was with Test and Albert, otherwise known as T-and-A … get it! Those were the days of the double entendres. We were told we were bad guys, and we had to flesh out our characters.   had to get people to boo me right off the bat.”

“I love being a heel” Stratus said passionately. However, when she comes out of retirement or makes special appearances, or comes back for a lengthy storyline she prefaces it with, “The thing for me to come back to the business for a little while means leaving my kids. I have to make sure that it checks all the boxes, right? I want be challenged as a performer, number one. I want to make sure I’m coming back and giving back to the businesses. Not just being self-serving.  So, when I can check those boxes, it’s exciting, and makes it fun to come back.”

BECKY LYNCH AND MICKIE JAMES

Photo: WWE

Trish revealed her favorite WrestleMania moments through the years and her perfect opponents; the women she feels she created magic with in the ring. “When I returned in 2023, we had done the babyface come back. I’ve come back and they’re cheered me and they’re excited to see me. Nobody expected that, and that’s what I love doing. I love the unexpected. I was working with Becky Lynch.  I knew she was the perfect babyface to be a bitch to and to turn on; bringing in the bestie so that I could turn on her with all those years of history, that’s juicy to me. I love it.”

As to her WrestleMania match resume, it was an easy pick fo Stratus, “I’m going to do with Mickie James WrestleMania 22. We like to call us the hashtag ‘longest rivalry in history.’ Becky Lynch and I might have rivaled that rivalry just because we did have a lot. But, I’m all about the stories, and to make sure there’s a meaning behind it. I want to foreshadow a little. I want to understand what my character’s thinking when I go into this. We had the fans captivated. I think at WrestleMania 22, with the way the crowd reacted and the way they were so invested in our storyline, I feel like we got them.”

Proud of what she and Mickie accomplished, Trish added, “They were like, ‘the women can hold a crowd, like the men can.’ I think that was like the moment we kind of had arrived. I have to say the Jazz/Trish stuff, the Victoria/Trish stuff, this is all stuff that planted the seeds. Mickie James and I, right there at WrestleMania, and we’re talking about a WrestleMania moment. I’m also going to give a shout out to WrestleMania 19 with Jazz and Victoria and Steven Richards … who took the best Stratusfaction I’ve ever seen!”

THE STACKED WWE CURRENT WOMEN’S ROSTER

Photo: WWE

While WrestleMania 42 is in the record books, we asked the Hall of Famer, her picks for the key women’s championship title match-upsbetween: Stephanie Vaquer vs. Liv Morgan, AJ Lee vs. Becky Lee, and Jade Cargill vs. Rhea Ripley as you will see below in our video chat.

Trish went three for three and had nothing but high praise for all six of the women who laid it all on the line less than two weeks ago at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Now below, watch this exclusive conversation with Trish Stratus. For more WrestleMania 42 week interviews, make sure to check them out on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel.

Let us know, have you been a fan of Trish through her years in the WWE? Do you agree with her favorite WrestleMania moment with Mickie James? What has been your favorite match and story in Trish’s in-ring career? Share your thoughts via the comment section.

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Interviews

Y&R’s Christel Khalil Talks the Emotional Winters Family Turns of Events; Shemar Moore, and Lily and Cane’s Future (Exclusive)

Published

3 weeks ago

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April 9, 2026

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This week on The Young and the Restless, viewers have been served up an emotional series of scenes and episodes centering around the return of Malcolm Winters played by Shemar Moore, who returns to Genoa City to ask his daughter, Lily for her help (Christel Khalil). 

In story, Malcolm has aplastic anemia and needs a bone marrow transplant and his best option is a family member. However, things turn bleak when they both learn that she cannot be his donor because Lily previously had cancer. Enter Dr. Stephanie Johnson, the also returning Vivica A. Fox, who tells her son, Holden (Nathan Owens) and Malcolm, that Holden is his biological son! This admission gives Malcolm a chance at a donor match to save his life.

Now, Christel Khalil, who recently came back to the CBS soap opera following her maternity leave, and the birth of her third child, chatted all about the new complex family dynamics, working with Billy Flynn as her new Cane, and Lily being in cahoots with Victor Newman, and more in a new conversation on the Michael Fairman Channel. Here are some of the takeaways below!

Courtesy/CBS

Working with Shemar Moore again and their touching scenes in front of Neil Winters’ portrait

CHRISTEL: “It’s always amazing to have anyone come back that’s been away for a while, but especially, Shemar. It’s all the history with him being Lily’s dad. For me, it’s been 20 years of knowing him. Obviously, I don’t get to talk to him or hang out with him and that kind of thing. So it was just nice just to see him again and have that moment around Neil’s portrait, and to be able to share that together and even talk about that off-camera. It’s just special and feels like family, which is nice.”

The emotional scenes with Malcolm and learning Lily has a brother

CHRISTEL: “It’ a great story. I love when anything is grounded in reality where people who have maybe gone through the same thing can relate and it can help people I feel like that happened when Lily had cancer on the show. It’s nice to see something really heart-based, really family-based. I feel like we haven’t been able to see that with Lily in a long time. Then, finding out that she has a brother, I thought that was really amazing.”

Photo: CBS

Working with Nathan Owens

CHRISTEL: “I love Nathan. We have so much fun together. We’re already teasing and joking each other on set like brother and sister, so it’s really nice. I was really excited to find out that he was part of the family, which is I think more interesting.”

Shemar Moore returning to tape more episodes

CHRISTEL: “I haven’t read that far ahead, but there must be something happening because when Shemar returns, I know a lot of people are involved in something. So we’ll see!”

Photo: CBS

Lily’s involvement in faking her own abduction

CHRISTEL: “When I first read it I was like, ‘Yikes, that’s really bad. It’s very not like Lily.’ It seemed very out of character for her. But then, as I started reading more and learning more about the reasons behind doing it, I actually really liked it. I see what some of what the fans say and they’re like, ‘Lily’s always on her high horse and she’s always, little ‘Miss Goodie Two Shoes.'”

Lily with an edge

CHRISTEL:“Oh yeah, she can definitely be bitchy for sure. I think when she’s bitchy, it’s because she’s usually judging someone else. I think this was a nice thing to kind of temper the judgment that she’s always giving where it’s like, ‘Ok, you do some things wrong too, so let’s just relax.'”

Photo: JPI

Billy Flynn

CHRISTEL: “I love Billy. He’s such a sweet, amazing guy, and an amazing actor and very professional. We have a great time together.  I like how they’ve really switched up the Cain character completely. He’s not trying to be the old cane. It’s a completely new cane and you know, I think we have good chemistry together. So, t’s been really fun to play with him and there’s some exciting stuff coming up. Hopefully, everyone likes it.”

Phyllis and Lily’s history

CHRISTEL: “Lily’s always annoyed with Phyllis, right? Michelle Stafford and I always have  conversations where I’m like, ‘You killed my mom.’ She’s like, ‘No! I didn’t. She let go! ‘(in reference to Dru falling off a cliff) To know that Phyllis and Cane had a thing, is very disturbing to Lily.”

Now below, check out our full conversation with Christel on the homecomings of Shemar Moore, Vivica A. Fox and welcoming Nathan Owens to the Winters clan, plus the drama ahead for Lily.

So, have you enjoyed the Lily and Malcolm scenes thus far? What do you think will happen when Shemar returns for another set of scenes taping this month as teased by Christel? Are you down for Lily and Cane, as played by Billy Flynn? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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Interviews

‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Jacqueline MacInnes Wood Talks What’s Next for Steffy Forrester (Exclusive)

Published

4 weeks ago

on

April 6, 2026

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Three-time Daytime Emmy winner, Jacqueline MacInnes Wood is celebrating nearly two decades as Steffy Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful. Last September, she returned to the CBS daytime drama after her most recent maternity and giving birth to her 5th son.

Now back at the soap opera and a mom of five, Michael Fairman TV caught up with Jacqui at the recent launch party for the BBTV global streaming app which also served as a gathering for the series 39th anniversary.

Wood gave us the lowdown of what may lie ahead for the often in-your-face Forrester dynamo who has no problem snarking a comment or two to Hope (Annika Noelle), and who definitely wants her mother, Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig), and all her loved ones to stay away from Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown)!

Photo: JPI

‘It’s been fun what we’ve been filming, we’ve been non-stop,” shared Wood. “The other day I was doing four episodes back to back, and we were just in it. It’s fun to play Steffy right now. Love her or hate her. I have fun playing her.”

FROM LEADING ROLE TO SUPER MOM

Jacqui also weighed-in on; if throughout her run on the show, she has changed dialog or  something in a script to help out her performance. “Sometimes, but not all the time. I let Brad Bell (executive producer and head writer) write. I try to execute the best way I can,” reflected Wood. “There are times where I see it and I go, ‘Let me take the reins here. I got this.’  They’ll kind of let me go. If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I’m OK for critique. We can’t work scenes over and over again. We’re not on that kind of medium or set. You kind of have to know what you’re bringing, but I’m always open.”

Being supermom to sons: Rise Harlen, Lenix, Brando Elion, Valor James and Talon, wife to husband Elan Ruspoli, and a leading actress on The Bold and the Beautiful is a lot to juggle, but Wood has found the way to do it all. “Honestly, I just truly live intentionally, ” explained Jacqui. “I know what we have here, and it makes me truly grateful to have my kids and to be able to still be a mom. I still see myself as a full-time mom. I’ll film episodes back to back, and then I go and I be a mom. I get to bring my kids to set. So. it’s cool.”

Photo: JPI

THE YOUNG AND THE BOLD

Wood is very impressed by B&B’s “new kids on the block,” Crew Morrow (Will), Sydney Bullock (Dylan), Brayan Nicoletti  (R.J.) and Laneya Grace (Electra) and shared she likes where Steffy is at in 2026, “I like the steady right now. I don’t want to like hit my cortisol levels yet. The younger generation can do that right now. I love the younger generation. I think they’re doing such a fantastic job, I just want to lean in and let them go and let them do their thing. If Steffy needs to chime in she will do that, and if she needs to slap some people, she can do that too!”

As to what man is in Steffy’s future, if it’s remaining happily married to Finn (Tanner Novlan), rekindling a romance with her ex-Liam (Scott Clifton ) for the umpteenth time, or a new man enters Steffy’s life, Wood would not say the way things may go down the line.

Photo: JPI

When talked turned to Steffy’s former pain killer addiction, Jacqui did say that. “It’s always a possibility” for the show to bring that back when it makes sense for Steffy and to service the story.

You can check out the full conversation below, and all the BBTV launch party interview with the cast, now on the Michael Fairman Channel.

So, do you think Steffy will be giving everyone trouble at Forrester? Do you think she will stay with Finn for years to come? What story would you like to see Wood be given at this point on the daytime drama series? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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