LYNDA HIRSCH ON SOAPS -- Q&A by Lynda Hirsch on Creators.com

Recently

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 -- Q&A

Q: I love John O'Hurley on "Family Feud." Thought he was great on "Dancing With the Stars." I swear he was on a soap. Am I right? — Rhonda, Boca Raton, Fla.

A: You are three times right. O'Hurley has starred on three soap operas. His first was a short-term role on "General Hospital." On "Loving," he played two characters — yes, the old good twin/bad twin cliche. When his character of John was good, he was very, very good. When he was bad, well, he was the devil. O'Hurley also starred as Dr. Granger on "Young and the Restless." The character came to town when his son Scott became engaged to Chris. Chris realized that he was her biological father. Scott and Chris had not been intimate so the yuck factor was avoided. Chris was delighted to be reunited with her father but sad that the love of her young life was her half-brother. After his work on "Y&R," O'Hurley began a decade-long gig on "Seinfeld" as J. Peterman, Elaine's adventurous, egotistical and at times bizarre boss at the high-priced catalog company she wrote copy for. Before landing the "Family Feud" gig, O'Hurley was the front-runner to replace Bob Barker on "The Price Is Right." That job went to Drew Carey.

While hosting the "Feud," O'Hurley also starred in the Las Vegas production of "Spamalot."

Q: Is it true that Morgan Fairchild appeared on a soap opera? — Ginger, Racine, Wis.

A: Fairchild actually appeared on two soap operas. Her first major acting role was on "Search for Tomorrow." Fairchild literally dressed down for the role and played a wallflower turned maniac. After her "SFT" exit, she went to Hollywood and had a highly visible primetime career where she often played the man-eating vamp. Her "The City" character was teamed with Roscoe Born (now Mitch, "One Life to Live"). Fairchild left the show after a year. "The City," which was a redo of "Loving," was canceled soon after she left.

Q: Is it true that Julia Roberts worked on a soap? — Randi, Little Rock, Ark.

A: Actually, the Oscar winner auditioned for several soaps but never won a role. Her real-life brother, Eric Roberts, starred on "Another World" for several years. Shortly after leaving, he was involved in a car crash that required extensive plastic surgery.

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.