Lynda Hirsch on Soaps

Much has been made of late of Oprah's regained weight. Let me tell you that having known her for over 30 years, no matter what weight the largest parts of her are her courage and compassion. I worked with Oprah for years when she co-hosted the show "People Are Talking" in Baltimore. Some folks get a weekly tour of Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. My TV gig was Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cleveland. At any rate, when Oprah was on that show her co-host would kick her in the leg if she asked what he thought were too many questions. Oprah never reacted. I talked about soaps, of course. Oprah loves soap operas. She would always come into the green room (the room a guest sits in before going on air), say "hi" and pump for soap information. On the air, Oprah was the opposite of her co-host. If you topped her with an answer she was happy. Oprah was truly a no-diva zone. In those years her weight had always been a struggle — as it is for most folks. About four years into my run, Oprah came to me and said, "Lynda, I am not sure I will be seeing you for too much longer. I may be making the biggest mistake of my life. There is a show in Chicago that they want me to host. I will be taking over for a guy who Chicago has loved for years. Me, a black girl, taking over for a white guy who everyone loves. I just have to do it." Do it she did. I got to see Oprah many times after that local Chicago show. When it went syndicated I was often invited. When the show went serious, the soap segments were dropped. Even after that, whenever I ran across Oprah, she was friendly and caring.

I will always adore her for something she did at the Daytime Emmys. At the time interns were allowed to attend backstage ceremonies. One year I came into the room, all the front rows were taken. It was like a Boy Scout jamboree. Everyone had to sit next to everyone they knew. I took a place in the back of the room. Oprah won an Emmy that year. She spotted me in the back and said, "Lynda, what are you doing back there? Come on up and sit in the front where you belong." I of course did what she asked of me; I literally sat at her feet. And those young whippersnappers I was three years older than at the time never made me sit in the back after that.

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Kevin Bacon, who starred on "Guiding Light" as TJ in the 1980s, and his wife, Kyra Sedgwick ("The Closer"), were victims of the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. Bacon told Life & Style Magazine that the family lost a lot: "We still have a checking account and our property. Other than that we lost everything. It is obvious that I need to work. I always want to work but right now it is a must."

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With the current economic situation, magazines are struggling for readers and advertising revenue. Soap Opera Digest is down 31 percent. As of now the magazine is safe, while the Internet is king. Remember, most Internet stories come from newspapers and magazines.

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It's a girl for Alison Sweeney (Sami, "Days") and hubby Dave Sanov. Megan Hope was born at 11:48 p.m. on Jan. 12. The baby weighed in at 6 lbs 7 oz. Brother Ben, who turns 4 next month, is getting things ready for her at home.

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

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