Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Jonathan Jackson insists that his latest Daytime Emmy nomination is anything but old hat, despite the fact it's his eighth, and he already has three of those statuettes for his role as Lucky Spencer on "General Hospital."

"It's very exciting and very cool. I'm really grateful. Every year feels like a new year. I was away from the show for a whole decade," reminds the 29-year-old heartthrob, who went off and accumulated such credits as starring in the big-screen "Tuck Everlasting" and portraying the father of world-saver John Connor on Fox's "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles."

However, since his return to daytime, "There's a new sense of discovery with the whole show. 'GH' is just an incredible place; I'm happy to be there. I love working with Tony (Geary) and a lot of the different people. I have a lot of friendships there."

What he doesn't have is a lot of time. Jackson admits, "There's been a couple projects that have been available, but the 'GH' schedule is pretty demanding."

That hasn't precluded his music, though. The artist, whose Enation band has put out several albums and been heard on such shows as "One Tree Hill," tells us he's just finished a new solo album, and it will be released Oct. 3.

Called "My Ancient Rebellion," it includes "some acoustic, anthemic rock songs, some soundtrack-type songs (and) music inspired in conjunction with an independent film that had themes of spiritual growth and transformation. This man goes to India and encounters the horrors of human trafficking."

His contribution to the film, which is being edited now, is strictly musical; he doesn't appear in it. It's called "Not Today."

In addition to that, Jackson says he's been writing a new book of poetry he expects to put out at the same time as "Ancient Rebellion."

THE VIDEOLAND VIEW: We talked earlier about TV aging up along with the bulk of the viewing audience. Now that the network schedules for 2011-2012 are in, it's official — there'll be even items of interest to lure the middle-aged-and-over crowd. For instance:

1) "Playboy Club" vs. "Pan Am." Which of the '60s-set dramas (that got the green light thanks to AMC's brilliant "Mad Men") will viewers prefer? The early edge goes to ABC's "Pan Am" with Christina Ricci, which is being compared to the original "Airport" movies — sexy, stylish and fun. Eddie Cibrian's NBC "Playboy" is darker but certainly has its own lure, with the network already making heavy use of those iconic bunny costumes in preview ads.

For anyone interested in visiting — or revisiting — those swingin' days, it's a win-win.

2) "Smash." The only sad thing about the new Debra Messing series that takes us behind the scenes of the mounting of a Broadway musical about Marilyn Monroe is that we have to wait for midseason to get it. From an idea by Steven Spielberg, this is the one being touted as "Glee" for grown-ups.

3) Julia Louis-Dreyfus' highly buzzed HBO satirical comedy, "Veep," is on the way for 2012 as well. In it, she plays the bespectacled vice president of the United States. Better her than ... never mind.

4) "Prime Suspect" with Maria Bello attempting to step into the pumps of the formidable Helen Mirren as detective Jane Tennison in NBC's reboot of the beloved British series of 1991-2006. How the woman-amid-boys'-club setup will work now, when the coed workforce is a fact of life, remains to be seen.

5) In the familiar faces department, there's Tim Allen's comedy, in which the once and potentially future king of prime time plays a guy in a female-centric household.

6) In "A Gifted Man," Patrick Wilson's surgeon character is able to see and talk to his dead wife. Already being met with skepticism in some quarters, the CBS drama has a noble pedigree. It's the brainchild of 67-year-old filmmaker Jonathan Demme ("Silence Of The Lambs," "Rachel Getting Married") and is being written by "Erin Brockovich" writer Susannah Grant.

GOOD SPORTS: "4th and Forever," the new Current TV docu-series chronicling the amazing success of Coach Raul Lara and the football program at Long Beach Polytechnic High School — which has sent more players to the NFL than any other high school in the country — has some of Lara's illustrious alumni misty-eyed.

"It wasn't all about football," recalls tight end Marcedes Lewis of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Pro Bowl veteran explains, "He stressed the importance of family, relationships — just being a good person overall. The impact of that program goes deeper than the game."

Lewis strives to instill such values in his own football camp for kids, which is coming up June 18 at the Long Beach Poly High Stadium in Long Beach, CA.

"We had about 500 kids the first and second years, and I don't expect this year to be any different. It's a chance to give back to the community I came from, for the kids to go out and have a good time, learn good football fundamentals. Cops come and talk to the kids. The U.S. Army comes out. It's about what it takes to become good young men. ... Me and my mom started my foundation (www.marcedeslewisfoundation.org) three years ago, and she gets a lot of credit. She put together the whole staff."

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2011 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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