LYNDA HIRSCH ON SOAPS -- GOSSIP by Lynda Hirsch on Creators.com

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LYNDA HIRSCH ON SOAPS -- SUMMARY BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL: Steffy turns to Taylor for comfort when she tells her mother about Ridge trying to talk her into signing annulment papers so Hope and Liam can get married. Ridge secretly informs Brooke that he doesn't think that Hope and Liam …Read more. LYNDA HIRSCH ON SOAPS -- GOSSIP In the mid 1980s, I received a press release from "As the World Turns." The show was trumpeting that the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston and the niece of Dionne Warwick was going to appear on the show. Who was she? I thought. In …Read more. LYNDA HIRSCH ON SOAPS -- Q AND A Q: How did the fundraiser that Bradley Bell, the producer of "Bold and Beautiful," held for President Obama go? — Arleta in Mill Valley, Calif. A: The event was held on Feb. 15 at the main Spanish style house of the Holmby Hills …Read more. LYNDA HIRSCH ON SOAPS -- SUMMARY BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL: Fresh from liberating himself from Steffy, Liam and Hope promise to spend the rest of their lives together. Steffy has not lost hope of a future with Liam, thinking that he just needs time away to realize she is the one for him. …Read more.

LYNDA HIRSCH ON SOAPS -- GOSSIP

I was holding my breath to see whom "All My Children" would hire for its new head writer. The new writers have been announced and the names leave me breathless. David Kreizman and Donna Swajeski are the new co-head writers. I am breathless because this is the head writing team that was at the helm when "Guiding Light" was canceled after being on air (radio and television) for 74 years. The duo went over to "As the World Turns" and the 54-year-old soap was canceled. To be fair, the duo have not been with that show long enough to be the reason for the cancellation. My worry is that "AMC" is a character-driven show. The new head writers seem to be more events driven. Of course, to judge the team before their work airs sometime after March is unfair. It would be like doing a movie review without seeing the movie. Since I love "AMC," I want it to succeed. Here is hoping my fears are unfounded.

"David and Donna are the perfect team to bring new ideas to All My Children while remaining true to its core by telling stories with a focus on the integrity of the show's history, its characters and families on the canvas," said Brian Frons, president, of Daytime, Disney ABC-Television Group, in a statement.

Swajeski has previous experience at "All My Children." She began her career in daytime as a program executive, working closely with "AMC" creator and then-head writer Agnes Nixon. She was involved in creating some of the original stories for Jesse and Angie Hubbard.

In 1988, Swajeski left to take over head writing duties at "Another World." She remained with the show through 1992. In 1997, Swajeski joined the writing team at "Guiding Light," eventually being named co-head writer in 2004.

"Working with Agnes Nixon was a highlight of my career. My first job in soaps was as Director of Daytime at ABC. I was assigned to, among other soaps, AMC. I remember sitting next to Agnes in meetings and marveling at how she always went right to the heart of scenes. How she brilliantly crafted the dreamers, the strivers, the connivers, the heroes — so that we loved every one of them," Swajeski said in a statement. "At times, Pine Valley was more real to me than Manhattan. I was lucky to learn how to tell story at the feet of a true Master."

"General Hospital's" Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth Webber) and husband Michael Saucedo (ex-Juan Santiago) will soon be welcoming another addition to their family. The couple are expecting their third child later this year. In the TMI (too much information) department, Saucedo actually tweeted a picture of Herbst's pregnancy test.

Herbst and Saucedo were married in 2001, on "General Hospital." The couple have two children already: 8-year-old Ethan, and Ella, who is 5. One of Herbst's previous pregnancies was written into the show. In 2004, Liz became pregnant with Cameron. There is no word on whether or not "GH" will work Herbst's pregnancy into the show this time around. If they do, if it were Nikolas' then there would be another Cassadine child. If it is Lucky's, then he may have second thoughts about destroying Elizabeth.

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.