Evening News

WGA Presidents Ignite Fracas Over Fi-core "Fi-core was set up to let people have freedom of choice," said manager Brad Kramer, who represents two of the writers listed in the WGA letter: former DAYS OF OUR LIVES head writer Hogan Sheffer and former co-head writer Meg Kelly. Kramer was outraged that WGA West president Patric Verrone and WGA East president Michael Winship revealed the names of 28 writers who opted for financial-core status during the 100-day strike (which included his two clients) without considering the financial difficulties daytime writers face. The WGA presidents addressed this in their letter, stating, "Even in cases of deep financial distress, there were other options, including generous no-interest loans from our strike funds, which would have sustained them until the end of the strike and beyond. That's what unions are for." But Kramer said his clients were not made aware of such loans, and he questioned how writers such as Kelly, the head of a one-income family, could have paid back a loan after she lost her job due to the strike. "Meg would have lost her house had she not gone fi-core, and [she] couldn't take care of her kids," said Kramer. "Period. It's very easy for [Verrone and Winship] to say she could have sacrificed.... If she takes a loan, how does she pay it back without a job?" Kramer said Sheffer, who also faced financial difficulty, continued writing for Days during the strike in hopes of saving the other staff writers' jobs. "The show's ratings were in trouble, and he was told there were no writers to write," said Kramer. "So he went back to try to save the writers on the team and help the show. That's half the reason the other writers went back too." Unfortunately, five of Kramer's seven clients who write for Days, including Sheffer and Kelly, lost their jobs due to the strike, though Kramer declined to specify the reasons. The manager pointed out that daytime writers are in a more tenuous position than other WGA members: Their jobs are usually temporary, and the daytime genre is slowly dying out, due to low ratings and the growing popularity of reality shows. "They're the people who are in the worst position of any of the writers, because daytime is going away," he said. "I would hope that the leader of the pack would understand that these people are trying to pay their bills and make the money to survive for the rest of their lives." Kramer said it's too early to tell whether the WGA's letter will adversely affect Sheffer's or Kelly's careers. "When people talk badly about others, unfortunately, sometimes other people listen," he said. Emmy Reaction: Thaao Penghlis Emmy nominated actor Thaao Penghlis from DAYS OF OUR LIVES on his official website: "Thank you to everyone for your kind thought and wishes for the Emmy nomination. I am truely grateful for all your support and letters over the past year. The people I'm up against for the Emmy are all dedicated and talented actors and the competition is strong but I feel I have a great chance as well. Let's hope the 20th of June comes around quickly! We've organised our next chat for Saturday, the 18th of May at 4pm so until then all take care. Love, Thaao" Daytime Emmy Noms 2008: The More Things Change, the More They Remain the Same Marlena De Lacroix reviews this year's nominations. "We can go on arguing the Emmy nominations endlessly and I’m sure we will, right up to the Emmys ceremony in June. Until then, always remember Marlena’s yearly stance: the Daytime Emmys are unfair and inequitable — unless some one or some show you really love wins, of course!" More Emmy Noms 2008: How ‘bout a Little Self-Respect? Patrick Erwin blogs about the good and back from the nominations. "Basketball may have its March Madness, but the soap world has its own spring madness ritual — the Daytime Emmy nominations." ATWT fans fight back against AFA’s ‘action alert’ Vicky Mora, another fan of the soap, isn’t taking any of this lying down. The Florida resident says she never watched a soap opera until Luke and Noah became part of AS THE WORLD TURN. Now an activist within the show's fan community, she emphasizes the groundbreaking importance of the storyline. "We have a diverse mix of people at our message boards," Mora said. "We have people who are openly gay, lesbians, straight people and grandmothers. People's minds are being changed by this story." Mora says that the fan base doesn’t want gratuitous sex scenes. "e want a good story, with good writing,” she said. “We want scenes that make sense. That's why this last kissing scene worked. It showed that they love each other." DePaiva: "appreciate the everyday sounds of life" Kassie DePaiva of ONE LIFE TO LIVE has a son, J.Q. DePaiva, who was born deaf but can now hear with the help of a cochlear implant. "We have come to appreciate the everyday sounds of life and are grateful for every word and sound that J.Q. can hear," DePaiva said. "I encourage those suffering from hearing loss to get their hearing tested or to help loved ones -- a mother, grandfather, child, uncle or friend -- do the same so they too can appreciate all that sound can do to build a relationship." B&B's Ashley Jones wants to expand her range Continuing her regular role on daytime's THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL while making the Lifetime movie A Teacher's Crime, which airs Saturday (5/3) -- as well as the cable network's forthcoming Dead at 17 telepic -- was "a little tough," admits gorgeous blond rising actress Ashley Jones. "I was taking redeyes back and forth to Canada and doing a few shows at a time in between." Jones has been looking to expand her range professionally, not only as an actress, but also behind the scenes, with an eye toward producing. She plays a teacher and mother who is being blackmailed via threats of a sexual impropriety accusation in A Teacher's Crime and in Dead at 17, she's an "adult" dancer.