SUDSIEST QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“I always watch the first 10 minutes of Ghost Whisperer because it’s the most preposterous show on TV and it’s always good for a laugh.”
—Tuc Watkins (David, OLTL) in a rare feature interview in Soap Opera Digest
Translation: Though I’ll be watching the entire episode when Lesli Kay (Felicia, B&B) guest stars.

 

AWARDS SHOW CENTRAL
Why did GLAAD snub gay-friendly Night Shift and honour “homophobic” ATWT instead?
Happy Shame!

The 20th Annual GLAAD Media nominations were recently announced: All My Children and As The World Turns are competing in the outstanding daily drama once again this year. Shocker? Not!

Predictably, the seemingly self-professed anti-discrimination organization is recognizing ATWT despite the fact that the CBS sudser ordered a highly controversial kissing ban on their lone gay couple, Luke and Noah, in the beginning of 2008. Also, ATWT banned any kind of sexual intimacy or lovemaking between Nuke since their almost two-year reign on the soap. This, on a series in which every other heterosexual couple could act as the official spokespeople for sexually transmitted diseases. This past month, Nuke finally consummated their relationship. Unless you were in Peapack, or in a coma, you know the lack of publicity regarding this historic milestone set off a firestorm of controversy over the fact that Nuke’s lovemaking was treated differently than the promotion of their straight counterparts. I know Nuke fans were happy with how it’s been dealt, but at the end of the day, it’s all about equality. And gay fans should demand no less. It’s hard living in a free and liberal country and watching this crap. Get over it, people! We’re not curing cancer here. “America is the home of the free and brave,” they say. Yeah, and I’m as hung as Colin Farrell.

Conversely, All My Lesbians allows Reese and Bianca to kiss, make love, marry, and have babies by their brother-in-laws! Knowing the increasingly conservative group, GLAAD will more than likely award the hardware to the suspected homophobic soap, ATWT, which is produced by TeleNext and Procter & Gamble Productions. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know their agenda.

The big story, however, is the oh-so-glaring omission of General Hospital: Night Shift, a critically acclaimed soap opera which featured burgeoning gay couple Eric and Kyle on their soap. The SOAPnet series even hired out gay actor Chad Allen to portray the role of Eric. When was the last time that has ever happened in this industry?

Confrontational GLAAD spokesperson Damon Romine explained that Night Shift was not eligible under the daily drama category because of mere semantics. “ABC did submit GH: Night Shift under the prime-time drama category [because that was their only option]. I do know that the TV jury considered it very seriously. The drama series category is one of the most competitive categories of all, and there were 26 shows vying for five nominee slots,” he stupidly explained. When The Suds Report asked why GLAAD couldn’t have simply renamed the daily drama category, outstanding soap opera, so Night Shift could fairly compete (seriously, do you think the prime-time wing is watching SOAPnet?), Romine blatantly ignored any further emails from TVGuide.ca. Why do I feel like Harvey Milk all of a sudden? GLAAD should be ashamed of themselves.

Night Shift head writer, Spirit Award-nominated Sri Rao, tells The Suds Report he’s disappointed a seemingly human rights organization like GLAAD didn’t recognize his serial. Rao, who is the only out head writer in soaps, sighs, “This nomination would have meant a lot to me. I mean, I know we wouldn't have won — but I was really hoping for the recognition from GLAAD, which is such an important organization to me. That’s why I feel like we should have been nominated in the traditional soap-opera category.”
He continues, “I was hoping that they would realize that we were worthy of a nomination, not just because of the quality of the storyline — but also because of the audience we were speaking to. It’s honestly no big deal for viewers of HBO to see a gay storyline, but for soap viewers, it is. This is an audience who may not know any openly gay people in their own lives; an audience who may still be struggling with gay equality. I think that speaking to those people and being welcomed into their hearts has a huge impact for our country. And isn’t that part of what GLAAD should be recognizing?”
 
Clearly, not anymore. 

COUNTDOWN TO THE DAYTIME EMMYS
Imaginary Bitches eligible for hardware consideration!
They may not have a network to air the 36h Annual Daytime Emmy Awards yet, but NATAS is getting hip to new narrative mediums.

Our BFF NATAS’ rep Brent Stanton exclusively informs The Suds Report that a new category named The New Approaches Campaign will allow web shows and any new media to participate at the Daytime Emmy Awards.
“I’m ecstatic that NATAS is considering us,” raves my Canadian mistress, Imaginary Bitches creator Andrew Miller exclusively to The Suds Report.

So, who else could rival Miller for Emmy supremacy? Stanton elaborates on the new category: “The category is called New Approaches [there is a separate one for children’s programming]. It’s a category that allows both broadcast and broadband programming, but is basically targeted at short format. I’m predicting that, just like prime-time’s short format categories, web shows will prevail. We like to stay relevant with new technological and creative advances in the industry.”
 
In other Emmy news, sources tell The Suds Report that NATAS has booked the Rose Hall in Manhattan on Sept. 10, 2009 for the ceremony. Regarding the buzz, Stanton issued a no comment. “Stay tuned,” is all he’ll say.

RECESSION/DEPRESSION
ABC to slash 400 jobs!
Disney-ABC Television Group announced it will eliminate 400 jobs, or about four per cent of the TV group’s total workforce.

Welovesoaps.com’s Roger Newcomb reports: “The cuts will reach across the board in Disney-ABC TV group divisions and go as high as the exec chain. The Mouse will cut about 200 staffers and eliminate another 200 posts that have already been frozen for months. The ABC News division has laid off about 40 staffers and will not fill any of its 60 open positions, insiders said.”

If ABC’s Wizard of Oz Anne Sweeney needs any suggestions on who to fire, The Suds Report is happy to give her a list. Here’s a hint: start at the top. But stay the hell way from One Life, bitches, or else…!

SWEEPS UPDATE
March is the month to watch!
Due to America’s digital-TV conversion, February sweeps will be moved to March 5-April 1. Someone should have informed Bob Guza-Marcil. The maligned GH head writer made a huge error by unleashing his latest sweeps attempt in January. D’oh! May sweeps will occur from April 23-May 20, so expect the next few months to, well, suck even worse. “Clink, boom, ratings slide…”

All My Children, ABC All My Children, A/ABC — Riegel out; Braun stays! Another pay cut for Duh’ Lucci?
•  Enjoy Rinks while you can, Melrose fans! The Suds Report has learned exclusively that Emmy and Spirit winner Eden Riegel (Bianca) will not renew her four-month contract when it expires next month. However, Spirit winner Tamara Braun will be staying on, “at least, for a while longer.” That sound you hear? Kendall screaming out homophobic remarks!

Meanwhile, we’re thrilled about Riegel’s decision. The funniest woman on TV needs to move back to L.A. and book a soap like Y&R, which will mine her versatile talents. And what a coincidence! The soap is recasting Mac as I write this. Hook an imaginary bitch up, Genoa City! By the way, Eden, your shoes are tragic! And so are your dildos.

• According to Digest, one of my favourite actresses, the underrated Lindsay Korman (ex-Theresa, Passions) tested for a role on the ABC sudser, along with a few other hair models from the now-defunct NBC soap. Funny, since 10 years ago I suggested she’d make the perfect Bianca recast should Eden Riegel never want to return to All My Lesbos. Doesn’t Korman look like La Lucci’s spawn? Korman auditioned for some loser named Hillary. 

• Be prepared to say adios to Cassie Callison, AMC-ers! Laura Koffman is out as Rebecca next week. Hmmm.. I wonder how she’ll leave? 

• Can Susan Lucci (Erica) afford to be rude to the press? When an editor at Hello! magazine called La Lucci’s company, SL Enterprises, to pitch a big feature story, a representative screamed, “I don’t have time for this,” and hung up! No joke. With pay cuts abound (she’s getting another one, claims a reliable ABC producer), it’s clear the Emmy winner needs to clean up her own house. I swear, this industry is its own worst enemy. Moreover, Suds learns that Lucci is not happy that Spirit Award winner Agnes Nixon blabbed to anyone who would listen that her greatest creation is now cash- poor. In defence of Nixon, what is true, is true, so back off, people! Why are people so scared of the truth? No one died, people!

“Susan is furious at Agnes,” sighs a source close to the most famous hair model in the world. “Susan’s ‘new’ contract with AMC isn’t as long-term as people have been led to believe, either. ABC wouldn’t mind if Lucci took a hike, let’s put it that way. Hopefully, if you print that, it won’t happen. Susan is normally a lovely woman, but she’s been a you-know-what lately,” they add.

• The best art director in the biz, Soaps In Depth’s Todd Slater did it again, bitches! Last week’s ABC cover was so gorgeous, I pulled a Greg Rikaart (Mark, Imaginary Bitches). Congrats.
 
As The World Turns, Global/CBS — One less hair model on soaps!
• Hair model extraordinaire Kristen Connolly will be leaving the canvas as Josie in the near future. Don’t let Grayson McCouch’s (Dusty) bush hit you on the way out!

• Memo to the best soap publicist ever, Lisa Lugassy: I love you! You make my job so much easier. Keep it up!

The Bold and the Beautiful, CTV/CBS — Martha Byrne: A future Emmy-winning soap writer?
• Emmy winner and Susan Flannery’s BFF Ian Buchanan (James) is back on the improving soap. Look for James-erella to visit L.A. when that hot mess named Taylor calls him for help. Somewhere, Finola Hughes (Anna, GH) is very jealous.

• As previously reported, B&B is welcoming back blast-from-the-past Bryan Genesse as Rocco Carner. I never liked the hair model to begin with, but maybe this time around he’ll surprise me. Genesse’s first air date is March 12.

• Clarification time: Emmy winner Lesli Kay (Felicia) will only be appearing in one episode of Ghost Whisperer. Apparently, there was some confusion when I reported she was involved in a big story arc. That didn’t imply it is more than one show, people. An arc means the circumference of a storyline, and since Whisperer is not a continuing narrative, that terminology doesn’t suggest more airdates. In the mainstream press, when an arc inhabits more than one show, we differentiate it by clarifying it’s a “multi-episode arc.” So there.

• Happy New Year, indeed! On the heels of Tom Casiello joining the Y&R writing team last week on a trial basis, The Suds Report revealed exclusively this past Wednesday that Emmy-winning superstar Martha Byrne (ex-Lily, Worst Show Ever) has signed on with B&B for a nine-week trial gig as a script writer. But we know Byrne won’t pull an Ellen Wheeler, because she learned at the foot of the master, Douglas Marland. And Byrne isn’t a Mormon with an agenda.

Speaking of Casiello, the two-time Emmy winner is thrilled for Byrne. The Brooklyn scribe tells The Suds Report, “Martha was front and centre in the first episode I ever wrote at ATWT, and she couldn’t have been more supportive. I’m happy to return that love and support now — until she gets me fired and takes my job, in which case, I’ll retaliate with a scathing blog about her! Kidding, of course!” Memo to Tom: you should be a writer!

Seriously, this soap freak caught up with one of our most treasured daytime resources and most talented stars on the planet for a preview on what to expect in Incest Land. Keep reading The Suds Report for news on when Byrne’s first script airs. Let’s make it a big event and all tune in! Party at my house. Just bring your own soap blockers.

TVG: Welcome back! We’ve missed you. You’re an out-and-proud B&B fan, so this is a perfect marriage. Brad Bell is my new hero.
Martha Byrne: B&B sent me a whole [bible], but yes, I’ve watched forever, so I know the show and characters’ voices.

TVG: Are you script- or breakdown-writing, or both?
MB: I’m writing the dialogue! I’m so excited. I sent Brad Bell a spec script focusing on Stephanie and the Forresters, along with penning a poignant scene for Brooke and Ridge. He loved it. It’s extremely important to know the history of these characters because there is a legacy here between these people. Also, I’ve been watching B&B a lot, so I know the new characters. For example, regarding Heather Tom [Katie], I know she’s a great actress and realize her capabilities as an Emmy winner, so I will write for her strengths and talents. The same goes for my former World Turns co-star, my buddy Lesli Kay [Felicia], and Jack Wagner [Nick]. I feel like I have a really good handle on the show. The tone and style of my spec script spoke to Brad, so I’m grateful for that feedback. I think I’m on the right path. I can’t wait to see my breakdown from Brad. He’s one of those great head writers who generously gives his writers a lot of information and feedback to work with.

TVG: I can’t wait to see your writing credit on B&B. In fact, thanks to Brad Bell’s brilliant decision to hire you on, I’m not talking trash about this show ever again! To Brad’s credit, B&B has improved leaps and bounds these past few weeks.
MB: I just hope Brad and the fans love what I do. You know how much I love this genre.

TVG: Oh, I do! I wish P&G did. You’ve written three pilots, so you know what you’re doing.
MB: Yeah. However, this is a different animal, especially since this is a well-oiled machine. Also, I’ve worked in daytime with the best writers, and I’ve always considered myself a student of the genre. I know what works — and what audiences want to see. Because I am a fan, too. That’s important. Like Brad, I love soaps.

TVG: Speaking of the best, you were Douglas Marland’s muse. What do you think the late, great ATWT head writer would say regarding your new writing status?
MB: [emotionally] I feel like he worked really hard to get me here to this place. Doug was a guide in my life. And, not only professionally. Doug invited me back to World Turns in 1993 just before he died; and that’s how I met my husband. I have a New York Times article, featuring Doug and all of us actors, about how much he loved daytime TV and how much he respects his audience, on my desk, at all times, for inspiration. I think of him every day. This is kismet: after Brad hired me on, my mother found the last ATWT script I acted when I left in 1989, which was signed by Doug. I felt him in that moment, in a way I haven’t in a long time. Doug wanted everyone he worked with and loved to be happy. So, I think he’s smiling from the heavens.

TVG: Did you hear from your former World Turns co-stars?
MB: Oh, yeah! Everyone from Elizabeth Hubbard [Lucinda], Colleen Zenk Pinter [Barbara], to Paolo Seganti [Damian] have called to wish me well and congratulate me. Everyone has been so supportive, as well as you guys at TVGuide.ca. The incredible outpouring of love has left me speechless.

TVG: While all your fans are happy you’re back on soaps, we all want to know if you’re open to acting ever again?
MB:Yes! I’ll accept a great role any day. This beautiful writing gig doesn’t spell the end of my acting career. Not at all! I’m an actor, and a writer. They’re one in the same... most of the time. In the beginning, Doug was an actor, too, yet he traversed into writing. By doing so, in the process, Douglas became a star, a legend, and an icon. Maybe, perhaps, I am his legacy in every sense of the word, no pun intended. However, I would kill to give birth to another great part like Doug created for me in Lily, but I also know that’s a rare gift, which comes around once in a lifetime. But, it’s possible... and I’m up for the challenge!

TVG: Talk about timing: the Bells wisely hired Casiello and you almost in the same week with the same trial deal [which is a standard offer in the biz]. Y&R and B&B know what they’re doing, huh?
MB: I’m so happy for Tom. He gets it, and when someone who loves this genre understands it, and displays a passion for it, well, it’s a good day, you know? It’s ironic that we have the same deal. I wish him well. I know he’s going to do extremely well. Fact: the Bells are the future of the genre. They are dedicated to the genre. They love it. Pure and simple.

TVG: Amen!

Byrne is gearing up for two big charity events. Click here and here for more information on her altruistic projects.

If you’re a Byrne fan, start watching B&B now, soap bitches, especially if  you don’t already watch. Let’s support the Bell-Byrne team!

Days of our Lives, Global/NBC — Thaao Penghlis fired! Plus: Ken vs. Drake vs. Dee
• Ratings stunt alert: The Suds Report has exclusively learned from high-level DAYS producers that one half of the Anna-Tony super-couple pairing will die in a  major murder mystery in March. The Suds Report can confirm that Thaao Penghlis (Tony) has been fired. So where does that leave Leann Hunley (Anna)?

• Jarlena-gate: So, why were Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn really fired as John and Marlena? “It’s no secret that Ken [Corday, DAYS’ executive producer] hates Deidre and Drake,” claims a source close to the most-hated producer in daytime. “And, he couldn’t wait to let them go. In fact, he smiled ear to ear when he learned he could get away with getting rid of his two most-hated stars! Look at the proof: he fired Drake last year, and has refused to put John and Marlena on the front burner ever since James Reilly left. DAYS’ slashed budget finally gave him the excuse to fulfill his prophecy. In essence, he knew his hands would appear to be clean, since it was so publicized that he had to find money to save DAYS. Ken could have fired four other actors instead to keep Dee and Drake and appease NBC, but he didn’t. That’s why he didn’t offer them a pay cut. I know for a fact that Dee would have worked on that show for peanuts.” The source goes on to say that Deidre and Drake can’t stand each other, either. “It’s probably best for the show’s morale that they are all gone. It was a nightmare working with the both of them. We’d fight to keep Dee and Drake, though, as long as Ken was gone first. He doesn’t care about DAYS, at all.”

Meanwhile, The Suds Report hears ABC is very interested in hiring Hall. “There’s nothing official, but we’re trying to figure out if we can afford her,” offers one network source. Good luck with that, ABC.

• Here’s an idea for the Idiots In Charge: With Alison Sweeney (Sami)and Jarlena gone, why not bring back Spirit nominee Martha Madison as Belle to help us cope? Oh, right — you have no imagination. Silly me!

• Future hair model Taylor Spreitler (Mia) has inked a three-year contract with Days of our Scabbers. Also, Alex Mendoza (The Mayor’s Killer; the poor actor didn’t even warrant a character name) is out. The former Port Charles actor will probably land the contract role of Sierra on ATWT if Barbara Bloom gets any more genius casting ideas.

• For someone who wants to run DAYS one day, Alison Sweeney has a lot to learn. The Biggest Loser host turned down a four-page feature in Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s favourite magazine, Hello! (and In Touch Weekly, we hear), which would have been picked up internationally, for People magazine. Why the outrage? People didn’t even mention DAYS in her story! WTF? Sweeney’s PR is the weakest link. Goodbye! Once a soap star, always a soap star…

• Next week, Hope shoots her sister-in-law Kayla! Well, at least that autistic kid wasn’t in the line of fire. Yet, anyway.
 
General Hospital, CTV/ABC— A seventh Emmy for Geary?
• Contract update: Emmy winner Anthony Geary (Luke, GH) has re-signed with the violent soap. “Of course, we are thrilled,” says a GH rep. But is Geary?

• Tyler Christopher (Nikolas) tells Michael Fairman’s On Air On Soaps that he submitted himself for lead-actor contention for the ’09 Daytime Emmy Awards. “In retrospect, I don’t know what I have this year as opposed to what I had last year, which did not hold up,” the former nominated supporting actor says. Question for Christopher: if you’re not sure you have the material to win or deserve to be nominated, why did you submit yourself, dumb ass? This is why the Daytime Emmys are losing credibility, folks. And by the way, good luck with that nomination, buddy! Your ex, Eva Longoria, has a better chance than you!

• Digest reports that GH is indeed interested in Emmy winner Tom Pelphrey (ex-Jonathan, Worst Soap Ever), but not necessarily as Sonny’s son, Dante. Sources tell Suds that the former Mr. Gina Tognoni is scared to move to L.A. permanently. Also, another soap wants Pelphrey bad. Hmmm… another mathematical equation for us, soap sluts!

Guiding Light, Global/CBS — Alan Locher does it again!
• Is this the last birthday for GL? On Jan. 25, the oldest show in network history celebrated its 72-year milestone. On behalf of my hero, Irna Phillips, I apologize for these hacks in charge of your show. It’s disgusting, depressing, and degrading, I know!

• Which GL actor called The Suds Report begging me to give the embattled soap a chance? “The writing in the next month is superb, honestly,” he/she claimed. “Please watch. I think even you’ll like what you see. They put a lot of money into Grant’s return. We may even get a one-year reprieve because of all of our efforts.” I’ll be the judge of that. But, I will start tuning in again. However, one must ask: why are they trying so hard now? Oh, right: because their jobs are on the line. And that’s a fact!

• Phillip Happens Here? Seriously? Is this PR wiz Alan Locher’s brilliant marketing slogan? Because Phillip also happens on DAYS and Y&R, folks. Yikes, Paris Hilton has come up with catchier phrases. If you’re thinking of watching GL again, tune into this fun, fan-inspired viral video to entice you further. Someone should hire the creator of this fan campaign as GL’s PR manager.

Though this is the lamest-produced promo from CBS/TeleNext, ever.

One Life To Live, A-/ABC — Watkins: The greatest actor that has ever lived
• Is two-time Spirit Award winner Tuc Watkins (David) the new Vanessa Marcil (ex-Brenda, GH)? Um, hell, yeah! Numerous soap fans aboard Cammie Mathison’s (Ryan, AMC) Soap Cruise told moi, “We tune into One Life anytime Tuc is back as David; other than that, we tune out.” On that note, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Watkins could be ABC’s biggest star if OLTL plays their cards right. Give him anything he wants, I say. Hell, I do! Seriously, Watkins could star in his own SOAPnet prime-time OLTL spinoff and even impress Brian Frons. In story news, Dorian proposes to David this week. “I do,” I say.

• Various sources are reporting that the heads-of-state at One Branco To Live are finally listening to us critics. Rachel Gannon is currently being recast. Last played by Ellen Bethea, Nora’s daughter will return to Flanview when Nora’s life turns upside down.

• Check out Catherine Branco’s (Lindsay) new website, catherinehickland.com. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you’re in prison for doing society a favour. Yet, rapist Todd Manning never fails to earn a get-out-of-jail card by the writers. Misogynistic much, OLTL?

• TVGuide.ca is officially naming February One Life To Live Month, much like we did in November with Y&R (and their ratings skyrocketed; and yes, we take credit — not!). Head writer Ron Carlivati has brought his beloved soap back from the brink. And it’s better than ever. It’s simply the best soap on daytime right now, so let’s all make an effort to watch. You won’t regret it. I guarantee it. Expect loads of One Life features before April Fool’s Day on this soap hub. On a side note: I want ABC Godfather Brian Frons to know that One Life really sucks; GH is the best soap, so stay away from my dear Llanview. Or, I’ll call O.J. Simpson on you. And don’t think I won’t, soap blocker.

The Young and the Restless, Global/CBS — Step away from the machine guns, Phick fans: Nick and Sharon have sex next week!
• According to Daytimeconfidential.com’s resident Genoa City sleuth and new podcast scene stealer, Jillian Bowe, Chloe’s real baby daddy will be revealed the week of Feb. 16. Poor Cane!

• Greg Rikaart (Kevin) will be attending Bob Guiney’s soap cruise, Rock The Soap, in March. The Emmy winner tells our readers to sign up immediately: “I am super-excited to set sail on this maiden voyage. My incredibly talented friend and neighbour Rebecca Budig [Greenlee 3.0, AMC] and I will be singing together. And I’m not a singer, so Bob is indebted to me.” Um, Greg: shouldn’t you be trying to entice people to buy a cabin on the cruise — not scare the hell out of them? Myself? I may not go because I’m scared Imaginary Bitches’ Andrew Miller will fall in love with me  and that bitch Eden Riegel will kill me with her tragic shoes. Help me!

• Emmy winner Beth Maitland (Traci) is back in Genoa City for Brad’s memorial on Feb. 6. Don Diamont (Brad) exits on Feb. 5. In story news, JT comforts that hair model Colleen when her dad goes missing.

• Congrats to Y&R who made Yahoo’s Top 6 TV searches the other day. Results were skewed because of me. I kept searching for dirt on Christel Khalil (Lily)  — and nude pics of Daniel Goddard (Cane); but not necessarily in that order. Oh, I kid, people.

• It’s the end of the world: Sharon and Nick have sex next week! I’ll leave it to you Phick fans to discuss this development. Don’t blame me, but I can’t wait until Phyllis finds out! Sharon’s so dead!

• Minority Report: I am one of the few people who love Vanessa Marano as Eden, so sue me. The former Gilmore Girls ingénue has joined the cast of TNT’s Trust Me [which airs on Super Channel here in Canada], starring those two crazy Canucks, Eric McCormack and Tom Cavanaugh.

• Emmy and Spirit Award winner Jeanne Cooper (Katherine) will be honoured with the AMEE Award in Entertainment during the 2009 AFTRA Media and Entertainment Excellence Awards gala on March 9 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Susan Lucci won this award earlier, so it’s not that prestigious.

 

 

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Nelson Branco is a Toronto freelance entertainment journalist, who regularly contributes to Hello! Canada, The National Post, The Los Angeles Times' theenvelope.com, TV Guide USA, tvguide.com, Inside Entertainment, OUT, and fab magazine, along with spearheading the soap coverage for TVGuide.ca's popular daytime TV hub. After graduating from Ryerson University in 1997, he moved from Toronto to New York in 1998 to take on the roles as senior news editor at Soap Opera Update. Branco first freelanced for Soap Opera Weekly as an intern in 1994, and after leaving Soap Update to help create and launch Bauer Publishing's In Touch Weekly in 2003, Branco continued to freelance occasionally for its sister publication, Soaps In Depth. Most recently, he helped create and launch Canada's first celebrity magazine, Weekly Scoop in 2005 as its news and entertainment director. Branco is also a contributor to a new TV show titled Planet Soap to air in Canada and America.