Recently in All My Children

They've co-hosted the Daytime Emmy Awards, the final Daytime Salutes Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS extravaganza, and now ALL MY CHILDREN alum Cameron Mathison (Ryan) and THE VIEW's Sherri Shepherd are co-hosting The Oscars Backstage Pass! The two are teaming up with Radio Disney on-air personality Jake Whetter and Shira Lazar, the host of the live weekly interactive show WHAT'S TALKING, to offer a behind-the-scenes look at the Sunday, February 26, Academy Awards show at The Kodak Theatre. Fans can log on to Oscar.com to watch the festivities, or use the official Oscars app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch to see the Backstage Pass offerings from the pre-show Red Carpet arrivals, during the live telecast, and even inside the Governor's Ball party afterwards!

She's done daytime, sitcoms, Broadway and talk shows, and now ALL MY CHILDREN's Susan Lucci (Erica) is adding yet another genre to her fast-growing resume: Music videos! The star is not only included in the lyrics to Gloria Estefan's new single, "Hotel Nacional," but the Latina pop singer asked Lucci to appear in the music video for the tune, as well! "Needless to say, I am so flattered!" Lucci exclaimed on her Facebook page, adding that E! News premiered the video on February 9. "[It's] not to be missed. It is amazing!"

Check out the video here!

There has been a lot of buzz about the demise of soap operas, but a new documentary just might bring the sad reality into the same world as Brad Pitt, Steven Spielberg and other big time Hollywood names! Called Soap Life, the docu-film is about the changes taking place in the world of daytime television, and with over 70 interviews featuring fans, stars, producers, directors, writers, bloggers and fan club leaders, it could show the world what's really happening in daytime.

"The wife of our executive producer, John Grossman, who owns the production company NYPS, is a big fan of GENERAL HOSPITAL, and her whole thing was, 'You have the ability, so let's do something to save the soaps,'" explains producer Matthew D'Amato of how it all began. "We started doing research, and we sat down with a few actors, producers and directors, and said, 'Is this is a good idea? Could this work? Should we pursue it?' And we looked it up online and didn't see anything like this, so we thought it would be important to get started."

And the main goal of the film, D'Amato explains, is to generate enough buzz about the possible end of soaps to possibly prevent it from happening. "Hopefully this will get enough attention to help the genre, because we don't want to see it fade away," he says, adding that it's tentatively scheduled for a June 2012 release date at film festivals and possibly on networks such as Showtime. "We do want to see it at festivals, and we do want to see it on networks [so] people who aren't soap fans can watch the film and kind of relate to it, hear the stories and maybe want to pick them up or maybe do something about the genre. We have contacts we can send it to in order to get it out there, so hopefully it will get bigger and bigger!"

For more information on the project, visit www.facebook.com/soaplifedoc. To see a video about the project, visit www.youtube.com/user/SoapLifeDoc.

If you loved the stylish fashions that the characters from ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE wore on television every day, now you can get them for your own closet! Starting on Friday, February 24, It's A Wrap! Production Wardrobe Sales will be hosting the sale of items from the clothing departments of the canceled ABC soaps at both their Burbank and Beverly Hills, CA, stores and on www.itsawrap.com. Fans of the daytime dramas and fashion hunters alike will be able to purchase clothing and accessories by top designers like Calvin Klein, Prada, Chloe and Georgio Armani, and the racks will feature pieces worn by the men, women and children of AMC and OLTL. There will even be some bargains for those on a budget!

Rebecca Budig (Greenlee, AMC) will be the celebrity host at the Burbank store on the opening day of the sale. It all starts at 10 a.m., so mark your calendars and get ready to be dressed like your favorite soap character!

Tune in to this Wednesday's episode of CSI and you'll see not just one ABC vet guest-starring on the CBS crime drama, but two! GENERAL HOSPITAL's Brianna Brown (ex-Lisa) and ALL MY CHILDREN's Jill Larson (Opal) both appear in the episode titled "Tressed To Kill" -- when a woman is found dead and her hair is done up '70s style complete with vintage clothes, clues lead the CSI team to a murder suspect with a hair fetish!

In a message posted on her Facebook page, Larson confesses that the episode is "scary. I got scared just from reading the script and they tell me it's based on an actual person in Europe. If you saw Shutter Island you might see a resemblance. Hope you enjoy it and let me know what ya think!"

Tune in to CSI on Wednesday, February 8, at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. And check out our interview with Brown about this guest spot and all of her other appearances here.

Do you miss ALL MY CHILDREN's Alicia Minshew (Kendall)? Wonder what she's been up to lately? Well, if you can't wait to read about her in the latest issue of Soaps In Depth, now you can keep up with the actress via her brand new official Web site, which just went live today!

You can keep up-to-date on Minshew's upcoming appearances, browse photo galleries and participate in the fan forum to interact with other AMC viewers and the actress herself! So just click this link and join in the fun!

Alright Zendall fans, we know it might be tough for you to imagine your beloved Thorsten Kaye (Zach, ALL MY CHILDREN) onscreen with anyone but Alicia Minshew (Kendall), but the time has come to sweep those good ol' days behind you: The actor is moving on with another lovely lady in NBC's new musical drama, SMASH! Beginning in the sixth episode -- which a rep says is currently slated for an unconfirmed March airdate -- Kaye plays the recurring character of Nick, who's Anjelica Huston's love interest! So while the actor may not be the other half of Zendall anymore, you've got to admit: His new gig sounds pretty dang cool!

The second season of Oxygen's hit docudrama JERSEY COUTURE premieres with two back-to-back episodes on Tuesday, February 7... and one features a client very familiar to soap fans! In the second episode airing that night, ALL MY CHILDREN's Alicia Minshew (Kendall) visits the Diane & Co. boutique in Freehold in search of some red carpet-worthy dresses, and store owner Diane Scali is thrilled to help out one of her favorite AMC actresses! And yep, that is Ricky Paull Goldin (Jake) in the photo above! Minshew brings along two friends to the shop for their opinions on the dresses, and her AMC pal is one of them!

Is Minshew ready for red carpet glam, Jersey style? Tune in and find out! The first episode of JERSEY COUTURE will air at 10 p.m. ET, with Minshew's episode following at 10:30 p.m. But you can watch a sneak peek below!

ALL MY CHILDREN grande dame Susan Lucci (Erica) makes another visit to TV Land's hit comedy HOT IN CLEVELAND tomorrow night, playing a more cartoonish version of herself and facing off once again with her daytime rival, washed-up soap star Victoria Chase (played by series regular Wendie Malick). This time around, Susan replaces Victoria in her own Lifetime movie!

Former PASSIONS hunk Ryan McPartlin (Hank) will also appear in the episode as a male escorted hired by Susan to woo Joy. HOT IN CLEVELAND airs at 10 p.m. ET on TV Land.

Check out a sneak peek below!

ALL MY CHILDREN's Julia Barr no longer gets the pleasure of jumping into Brooke's shoes and judging Erica, so she's doing the next best thing: Judging a fashion competition! Following her stint last year as part of the Born Free USA's fffashion contest, which helps up and coming designers get exposure via fur-free designs, Barr is once again jumping on board as a judge in the competition. "When I said yes, it made everyone happy, including myself!" says the Emmy-award winning actress, adding that animal welfare has always been something dear to her heart. "I've always loved everything having to do with animals. I've grown up with them and had them in my homes as companions for years. And I'm like the dog rescuer in our neighborhood -- it's so bizarre!"

And Barr isn't alone in her support of all things animal related: Joining her as judges in the competition are actress Victoria Principal (Pamela, DALLAS), red-carpet host Melissa Rivers, designer Elizabeth Emanuel and Tony Award-winning costume designer Marina Draghici. "I'm excited to be a part of this with them," the actress raves of her Born Free counterparts. "It's all about compassion and awareness in fashion more than anything, and I think people will think twice about what they wear and what they put on their face, and what happens to the animals."

For further details, rules and how you can enter the competition, visit www.bornfreeusa.org/fffashion.

They may be pint-sized, but ALL MY CHILDREN tots Tate Berney (AJ) and Danielle Parker (Emma) are tackling something big! On Sunday, March 25, the two youngsters will be participating in the Los Angeles Free To Breathe event, a fundraiser for lung cancer research and awareness. If you'd like to support Berney and Parker and their team, Kids Of AMC, you can visit their donation page here.

Nominations for the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards were announced today, with ALL MY CHILDREN and DAYS OF OUR LIVES receiving nods in the Outstanding Daily Drama category. AMC was recognized for their ongoing storyline involving Bianca, and DAYS for their more recent tale about sexually conflicted teenager Will.

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize outstanding images of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in news and entertainment. This year's ceremonies will be held in New York City on March 24, Los Angeles on April 21 and in San Francisco on June 2.

What are some of the things that you've found on Craigslist? ALL MY CHILDREN star Christina Bennett Lind (Bianca) ticks off her list in a new play titled i wonder if its possible to have a love affair that lasts forever or things i found on craigslist.

Currently playing as part of the Sons Of Semele Theater's Company Creation Festival, things i found on craigslist is the story of a group of twentysomethings still caught up in yesterday who, in the face of their 10-year high school reunion, wake up to find themselves searching for a sense of purpose. As a result, the group is forced to confront their crippling insecurities and emotional baggage, and the personal becomes public in this witty insight into making it all work in the Internet age.

craigslist runs through Friday, February 24, at the Sons Of Semele Theater, 3301 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles. For the performance schedule and tickets, visit www.sonsofsemele.org.

Susan Lucci (Erica, ALL MY CHILDREN) is taking her decades of experience in acting on daytime soap operas and applying them to some real-life dramas as the host and narrator of the new primetime series DEADLY AFFAIRS!

Airing on the cable network Investigation Discovery, the show will explore romances-gone-wrong, and the resulting crimes of passion. "They are deceptive love relationships, love triangles and betrayal that have deadly consequences," Lucci says. "And they end in tragedy. Every day you hear these stories and you think, 'Oh, my goodness!' Then they disappear. You don't know what happened next, and you don't know why they happened. I'm hoping that, in exploring them, we'll shed some light on human nature."

Production begins on the 10-episode series in March, and it is set to debut in the fall. Lucci describes the show as a "real-life soap," and says that she couldn't help but smile when she was offered the hosting role. "As Erica, I got punished for my wrong deeds," Lucci noted. "I wound up in jail several times, even in a blood-stained ball gown. But with DEADLY AFFAIRS, these are not characters on a soap opera. This is real life."

The Director's Guild Of America has named seven nominees in the category of Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Daytime Serials for the 2012 DGA Awards, to take place on Saturday, January 28.

ALL MY CHILDREN has received two nominations for their final episodes: Angela Tessinari for the September 14 show in which Jesse confesses to Angie about the baby switch, and Casey Childs for the "Who did J.R. shoot" finale. GENERAL HOSPITAL also got two nods, one for William Ludell for his direction of Luke's intervention, and the other for Scott McKinsey for Liz and Siobhan's car accident. And ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Larry Carpenter is being recognized for April 27 episode where Viki confronts her alters.

Rounding out the nominations in the Daytime Serial category are THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL's Cynthia J. Popp and THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS' Mike Denney.

The hit Broadway musical Hairspray is coming to the Palm Canyon Theatre in Palm Springs, CA -- and ALL MY CHILDREN's Bobbie Eakes (Krystal) is going to be in the middle of it all! Eakes will star as Velma, mom of Tracy Turnblad's snotty rival, Amber, in the production, which will run from Friday, January 27, through Sunday, February 12. For tickets and performance times, visit www.PalmCanyonTheatre.org.

As ALL MY CHILDREN's volatile Will Cortland, James Patrick Stuart shared anything but romance with Hayley. However, he gets another shot at Cupid's arrow in the Hallmark Channel Original, A Taste Of Romance!

In the romantic comedy, Stuart plays a retired firefighter/single dad Gill Callahan, who launches a BBQ joint, The Five Alarm Grill, with the help of his buddies. But in the process, he ruffles the feathers of uptight French chef Sara Westbrook -- played by Teri Polo (Kristin, LOVING) -- and has a new fire to put out. Will they cook something up between them?

Tune in for the film's world premiere on Saturday, January 14, at 8 p.m. EST.

Laura Allen (Laura, ALL MY CHILDREN) shares with Soaps In Depth that she and her husband, Bruce Weyman, are expecting their second child in June. The couple already has a son, Harper, 3, who is getting ready to become a big brother. "He's starting to understand it," Allen says. "He's [still)] very young."

Allen's got another big date coming up: the premiere of AWAKE, a new primetime drama on NBC. The series stars THE WEST WING's Jason Isaacs as lawman Michael Britten, whose wife (played by Allen) and son are in a car accident. Viewers then see Jason as he lives in two different worlds -- one in which his wife survives the automobile wreck and one in which his son survives. However, nobody knows for sure which scenario is real. Will Allen's pregnancy be written into the show? "We talked about doing that initially," she shares. "But there's actually another baby in the series and it won't be mine."

At press time, NBC did not have a premiere date for AWAKE.

With this being the final week of ONE LIFE TO LIVE, we're sorry that there's even more bad news to basically pour salt in the wound for soap fans. As previously reported, Disney Junior will be replacing SOAPnet on your cable network, but now we have a date. SOAPnet will be leaving the airwaves forever at midnight on Friday, March 23, when the new kiddie network takes over the channel.

ABC.com will continue to run GENERAL HOSPITAL, the last remaining daytime drama on the network, for those who are unable to watch it during its scheduled air time. And SoapClassics.com is still working on making episodes of classic soaps like AS THE WORLD TURNS, GUIDING LIGHT and ANOTHER WORLD available for streaming on-line, so you can still get your soap fix!

THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS has cast another ALL MY CHILDREN fan favorite: Darnell Williams (Jesse) -- who played opposite Debbi Morgan (Harmony) as AMC's Angie on and off for over 20 years -- will soon be headed to Genoa City to join his longtime screen partner and good friend!

Y&R will mark the fourth soap opera on which the Daytime Emmy winners have been paired together. They first won fan raves as high school sweethearts Angie and Jesse on AMC, and after Jesse was presumed dead, Darnell followed Morgan and her alter ego to LOVING and its spin-off, THE CITY, where he played lookalike Jacob Foster. Angie and Jesse were finally reunited on AMC in 2008. Williams also played the villainous Griggs on GUIDING LIGHT in 2007.

The holiday season is a special time of year to spend with family and friends, but we all know it can also be pretty hectic. With gifts to buy, parties to throw and holiday meals to prepare, we could all use some fun tips to help check the basics off our list! Here are a few pointers from a busy mom, CSI: MIAMI star Eva La Rue (Maria, ALL MY CHILDREN)!

1. Party-perfect style: I like red, green, blue and white as much as the next person, but wearing traditional holiday colors are sometimes expected. For this year's parties, why not opt for metallics with a gold and silver sheen?! Also, now is not the time to shy away from those sparkly sequins. By rocking these festive trends, you are sure to WOW at any party.

2. Mistletoe-approved puckers: My everyday look is pretty natural; that's why I prefer to pick a bold lipstick in the season's hottest shades -- like red or fuchsia -- to shine at holiday parties. I find that it is the perfect addition for creating the ultimate, festive look. With the right shade, you will have kissable lips for that special someone under the mistletoe.

3. Start with a smile: When you are a working mother, every day is hectic. Add the holidays to that mix, and there is no time to over-think everyday tasks. That's why I turn to Crest Complete Multi-Benefit Deep Clean toothpaste, it gives me the signals I need to know that I'm covered so I can go about my day -- confident that my oral care is taken care of.

4. Holiday feng shui: A great way to add some holiday cheer to your home this season is with pops of color. I figure since it is a festive season, you should have fun displaying items you wouldn't have in your house year round. It helps put everyone in a cheery mood!

5. Come together in the kitchen: The holidays are all about family time. A great way to come together is to plan a group project. I say, divide and conquer! This year, I plan to cook the holiday meal with my family. This way everyone contributes to the table and spends quality time together; making memories and meals!

2011 just keeps getting better and better for ALL MY CHILDREN alum and DANCING WITH THE STARS victor J.R. Martinez (Brot)! The actor is going to be a first-time father in a few months! Martinez shared the news with People.com that his girlfriend, Diana Gonzalez-Jones, is pregnant and they are expecting a baby girl this spring! The couple met on the set of AMC in 2008, where Gonzalez-Jones was working as an assistant to the soap's executive producer, and their friendship soon blossomed into much more. Congrats to the parents-to-be!

Need a last-minute holiday gift for the soap fan in your life? Charity Buzz, the leading charity auction site, is giving daytime fans the chance to bid on a private lunch with ALL MY CHILDREN star Melissa Claire Egan (Annie; now Chelsea, THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS). Originally from Bedford, NY, the actress is giving back to her hometown by helping to raise funds for the Bedford Schools Association! To bid on a lunch date with Egan, click here. The auction is open through Monday, December 19.

Happy Bidding!

You've spent your days with the casts of ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE for nearly half a century, and now's your chance to get up close and personal for a memorable goodbye -- at night! Celebrity Events Group has announced three more "A Tribute To Pine Valley" fan event dates: Friday, January 13 in Green Bay, WI; Saturday, January 14 in Milwaukee, WI; and Sunday, January 15 in Chicago, IL. And guess who will be joining Cameron Mathison (Ryan), Vincent Irizarry (David), Walt Willey (Jack), Darnell Williams (Jesse) and Jacob Young (JR; Rick, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL) this time around? Alicia Minshew (Kendall)! "When I was asked [to do the event], I thought, 'Well, you know, this could be one of my last chances to really do an AMC event. And when am I going to have a chance to do stuff with these fans?'" she says about joining the tour. "And then when I saw who was doing it, I thought, 'My boys! My boys are doing it, so I have to go be with my boys!'"

And guess what: Because you fans have loved and supported the AMC events so much, Celebrity Events Group has decided to bring you an OLTL event, too! The "Loving Llanview" fan gathering, featuring Melissa Archer (Natalie), Jerry verDorn (Clint), Kassie DePaiva (Blair), Trevor St. John (ex-Todd/Victor), Kim Zimmer (Echo), Michael Eason (John), Gina Tognoni (ex-Kelly), Ilene Kristen (Roxy) and Sean Ringgold (Shaun), will take place on Saturday, January 21, at the Theatre at Westbury in Westbury, NY. "It sounds like it's gonna be a pretty cool thing!" says Archer. "It's a chance to get some of the castmates back together again, to kind of see each other for one last hurrah... [and it's] a really nice way to have some closure as a fan."

For tickets and more information on the AMC events, please visit www.ATribute ToPineValley.com, and for tickets and more info on the OLTL event, visit www.LovingLlanview.com.

If you are a sucker for made-for-television Christmas movies, then you'll want to tune in to the Hallmark Channel original movie Annie Claus Is Coming To Town this Saturday night! ALL MY CHILDREN hunk Sam Page (Trey) stars as Ted, the struggling owner of Wonderland Toys. When a mysterious newcomer, Annie -- who has an enthusiasm for all things Christmas -- arrives in town, Ted gives her a job and she helps to keep his business afloat during the holiday season. As it turns out, Annie is an expert in all things Christmas because she's Santa's daughter! Will Annie's first trip away from the North Pole lead her to finding true love with Ted?

Annie Claus Is Coming To Town also stars Maria Thayer as Annie, Peter Jason as Santa, Vicki Lawrence as Mrs. Claus, and Vivica A. Fox (ex-Stephanie, THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS) as Lucy, the owner of the Candy Cane Inn. Tune in at 8 p.m. on Saturday, December 10, on the Hallmark Channel.

ALL MY CHILDREN hunk Cameron Mathison (Ryan) taped a sexy guest spot on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, and he's sharing the dirt with Soaps In Depth! Earlier this week, the actor finished taping his scenes... which have him sharing the screen with ONE LIFE TO LIVE alumna Marcia Cross (ex-Kate)! "I play one of Bree's lovers," Mathison reveals. "We have a couple of fun scenes. I really loved working with her. She is very kind and generous."

The DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES episode marks Mathison's third post-AMC role: In addition to hosting Yahoo.com's ULTIMATE PROPOSAL Web series, he also filmed an upcoming Lifetime television movie opposite fellow former Pine Valley-ian Sydney Penny (Julia). "I really enjoyed the whole experience," he says of his time on HOUSEWIVES' Wisteria Lane.

Mathison's episode will air on Sunday, January 22.

The "Tribute To Pine Valley" tour was such a success in the New York area, the gang is headed to the Midwest for another round! ALL MY CHILDREN stars Walt Willey (Jackson), Cameron Mathison (Ryan), Alicia Minshew (Kendall), Vincent Irizarry (David), Darnelll Williams (Jesse) and Jacob Young (JR) are all on board to visit Chicago, IL, Green Bay, WI, and Milwaukee, WI, next month! For schedules and to purchase tickets, visit www.ATributeToPineValley.com, or call (866) 364-0330.

The third season of TV LAND's hit comedy HOT IN CLEVELAND is underway, and ALL MY CHILDREN fans can once more expect to see Susan Lucci (Erica) return as a cartoonish version of herself and go head-to-head with daytime television rival Victoria Chase (played by Wendie Malick)! A spokesperson for TV LAND tells Soaps In Depth that Lucci's episode is tentatively to air on Wednesday, February 1.

ALL MY CHILDREN alumna Denise Vasi (Randi) has a new primetime gig! Deadline reports that the actress has been cast as a new lead on the second season of VH1's hourlong scripted comedy series SINGLE LADIES, to fill the void left by the departure of Stacey Dash. Vasi will play Raquel, a savvy businesswoman from a prominent Southern family who is a good friend of LisaRaye McCoy's Keisha. Charity Shea rounds out the group as the third lead, April. "Denise is the perfect addition to the SINGLE LADIES cast," says executive producer Queen Latifah. "She is bringing a fun, new element to the show." Season 2 will begin production in Atlanta in January, to premiere in early summer.

ALL MY CHILDREN bad boy William deVry (ex-Michael) is literally back in action this week as his storyline kicks off on the CW's NIKITA. Speaking to Soaps In Depth from the set using his best Irish accent, deVry provided the deets about his new villainous character, Patrick Miller. "I'm playing a guardian. He's the keeper of secrets and a very important pawn in the game of espionage," the actor confides.

In the recurring role -- "It looks like I'm doing six episodes and counting," he shares -- deVry will have the opportunity to strut his stuff like never before. "I was introduced in the last episode, but the story really starts this Friday with a big reveal. And a lot of action right away," he says of the mid-season finale airing this Friday, December 2, at 8 p.m. EST "I'm doing all my own stunts, running, knife fights, gun shooting, and blowing 'em up!" NIKITA will return to the CW on Friday, January 6.

In the meantime, deVry is also currently starring as the head of an inept government spy agency in the Canadian sit-com INSECURITY. The primetime series is now in its second season, but fans can catch up with the 2-DVD set. When he wraps his current projects, the actor is headed to HBO's THE TRANSPORTER where he's been tapped for yet another intriguing role. "It's a corrupt CIA agent," deVry laughs. "I've been going from playing a smart ass to a bad ass."

As 2011 draws to a close, our editors have put together a special issue highlighting the best and worst of the year! Now on sale, the new ABC Soaps In Depth features our annual Year In Review recaps for ALL MY CHILDREN, GENERAL HOSPITAL and ONE LIVE TO LIVE, as well as our Top 5 picks for each soap. Plus, when we asked the stars of ABC Daytime to reveal their favorite moments from 2011, we received so many answers that they wouldn't all fit in the magazine! Luckily for you, we're posting their responses right here!

Read more after the jump!

It seems that daytime television fans haven't been the only ones frustrated by the lack of news coming from the Prospect Park camp the past few weeks. AFTRA -- the actors union which the players from ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE belong to -- released a statement today following the media company's announcement that plans to relaunch the beloved soaps canceled by ABC have been shelved, admitting that they themselves began to grow concerned when Prospect Park began avoiding negotiations.

"AFTRA was deeply disappointed to read that the executives at Prospect Park have decided to suspend their efforts to produce the long-running and popular daytime serials OLTL and AMC via online distribution. Despite initial progress in our negotiations with Prospect Park toward resolving a fair agreement to cover the performers appearing on these programs, we were perplexed and disappointed that for the past month Prospect Park has not responded to our repeated inquiries to resume those discussions. We now conclude from the press reports that Prospect Park faced other challenges unrelated to our negotiations, which prevented continuation of those discussions.

"We remain hopeful that an opportunity to revive these two popular series will emerge in the future, and remain ready to resume discussions should that opportunity arise."

Five months after stepping in as a soap opera savior, Prospect Park has officially pulled the plug on their project to relaunch ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE with The Online Network. The company released a statement today -- three business days after OLTL taped their final episode -- from heads Rich Frank and Jeff Kwatinetz.

"After five months of negotiations with various guilds, hundreds of presentations to potential financial and technology partners, and a hope that we could pioneer a new network for the future, it is with great disappointment that we are suspending our aspirations to revive OLTL and AMC via online distribution. It is now becoming clear that mounting issues make our ability to meet our deadlines to get OLTL on the air in a reasonable time period following its January 13, 2012, ABC finale impossible.

"We believed the timing was right to launch an Online TV Network anchored by these two iconic soap operas, but we always knew it would be an uphill battle to create something historical, and unfortunately we couldn't ultimately secure the backing and clear all the hurdles in time. We believe we exhausted all reasonable options apparent to us, but despite enormous personal, as well as financial cost to ourselves, we failed to find a solution.

"While we narrowed in on a financial infrastructure, the contractual demands of the guilds, which regulate our industry, coupled with the program's inherent economic challenges ultimately led to this final decision. In the end, the constraints of the current marketplace, including the evolution and impact of new media on our industry simply proved too great a match for even our passion.

"In our opinion, new models like this can only work with the cooperation of many people striving to make them happen, and we would like to thank and praise the numerous people who tried to help and showed us incredible support. We are extremely grateful to the fans and media who showed great support to us through this process, to ABC who did everything in their control to help, and we are especially grateful for the support and encouragement from many of the soaps' cast and crew themselves.

"We hope that our efforts are not lost, and that we somehow created a dialogue and movement on the feasibility of first run, network quality content online. Of special note, we would like to thank Frank Valentini (OLTL Executive Producer), Ron Carlivati (OLTL headwriter), Agnes Nixon, many of the cast of OLTL including Michael Easton, Ted King, Kelley Missal, Melissa Archer, and of course Erika Slezak, all of whom signed on quickly and did all they could to help, as well as our own Christine Sacani. Cameron Mathison and Lindsay Hartley also get our sincerest thanks for their support. We feel terrible we couldn't come through for them and we were very much looking forward to working together."

We bet that when injured Iraq war vet J.R. Martinez signed on to play the role of Brot on ALL MY CHILDREN in 2008, he never imagined that it would lead him to taking home the mirrorball trophy on DANCING WITH THE STARS three years later! Last night, Martinez and his pro partner, Karina Smirnoff, were crowned the Season 13 victors in the ABC dancing competition. "You have to step up to the challenge and believe in yourself," Martinez told reporters last night after his big win. "Even if you fall, failure is not falling down, but it's the reason to get up."

While the soldier's inspirational story and bravery was already known to his fans from the soap world, competing on DANCING gave Martinez the opportunity to share his history with the rest of America, even landing on the cover of People magazine a few weeks ago. "I'm going to write a book and continue acting and continue motivational speaking," he shared of his future plans. "I want to write a book and tell people the story outside of what they already know. That's the biggest thing for me; I want to continue to share as much of this experience [and] every experience I have been through in my life with all the people that I can. And from time to time, call up Karina and ask her to meet me around the corner to do a little dance!"

While he was thrilled to hold the trophy in his own hands, Martinez was even happier that his partner won her first DANCING competition. "She's an amazing person and I'm so grateful for the fact that I was able to be a part of the journey and her winning her first memorable trophy," he said of Smirnoff. "She deserves it, she needs to be put in an elite category when it comes to people that have won on the show. The fact that I was able to be a part of that is an amazing honor for me."

Former daytime darling Lindsay Price (ex-An Li, ALL MY CHILDREN; ex-Michael, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL) has a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! The actress and her beau, celebrity chef Curtis Stone, are new parents! According to Us Weekly, Price gave birth to a baby boy named Hudson on November 6. "Lindsay and I are so excited to welcome our sweet little baby boy into the world," tweeted Stone. "It feels so great to be a dad!"

During tonight's DANCING WITH THE STARS two-hour finale -- which starts at 9 p.m. EST on ABC -- the coveted mirror ball trophy is going to be awarded to Rob Kardashian, Ricki Lake or ALL MY CHILDREN's J.R. Martinez (Brot). While the fan favorite got off to a slow start in last night's competition, Martinez and pro partner Karina Smirnoff rebounded brilliantly in the all-important freestyle dance, earning a perfect score of 30.

"It was a real testament to J.R.'s character when [host Brooke Burke Charvet] asked him after the first dance how he did and he said the judges were right [in their critique]," co-star Vincent Irizarry (David), who was in the audience to cheer on his buddy, told Soaps In Depth at the show. "Most people would say they did well even if they didn't. J.R.'s a warrior."

"He didn't let it get him down," concurs Michael E. Knight (Tad), who was also in the crowd rooting for Martinez, along with Cameron Mathison (Ryan), Darnell Williams (Jesse), Jacob Young (JR; now Rick, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL), Shannon Kane (Natalia) and Bobbie Eakes (Krystal). "JR nailed the freestyle," Mathison says. "I think it's a slam dunk!" Adds an enthusiastic Eakes, "I'm just his biggest fan. J.R.'s fantastic. He's going to win!"

The war vet-turned-actor was thrilled to have the support of his Pine Valley comrades last night. "It was an amazing feeling to see all the AMC-ers out there in the audience," Martinez says. "It shows that, despite the show being canceled, we all support each other."

But there's still more dancing to be done. Smirnoff explains that on tonight's finale, "each pair has one more dance. Then, the top two couples will learn an 'instant salsa.'"

The other two dance pros who are in the running -- Derek Hough and Cheryl Burke -- have each won the competition before, so Martinez is hoping that he'll win not just for himself but Smirnoff, too. "I'm so grateful for this second chance at life, to be on this show and meet an amazing friend," Martinez says of his dance partner "Whatever happens tonight this has been an amazing journey."

Turning to Martinez, Smirnoff adds with a smile, "You're my mirror ball trophy!"

Long before Soaps In Depth reported last week that Prospect Park has placed on hold their plans to relaunch ALL MY CHILDREN on The Online Network, media outlets have been speculating that Susan Lucci (Erica) and the company were having problems reaching an agreement. (As long ago as September, Deadline reported that Lucci had turned down an offer to continue on with Prospect Park.)

For the first time, the Emmy winner is speaking out about her talks with the media company, denying that her failing to reach an agreement with Prospect Park had anything to do with the plans to place AMC on hold. "I want my fans to know the truth. There has been miscommunications as a result of statements in the press that I am one of the reasons that All My Children is not moving forward," she says in an emotional statement posted on her Facebook page. "This is simply untrue and not the case. We have been in discussions since Prospect Park first expressed interest in moving the series online, and in correspondence dated September 8th, I made it clear that I would be ecstatic to be a part of All My Children in a prominent way if they committed to producing the series for another year. I have not heard back from Prospect Park since then, in fact, I learned of their decision not to proceed with All My Children at the same time you did, through the media.

"It's been a privilege and honor to be involved with the All My Children family for so many years," she continues, "from working closely with Agnes Nixon to getting to know millions of devoted and wonderful fans."

Former ALL MY CHILDREN star and current DANCING WITH THE STARS fan fave J.R. Martinez (Brot) received a special honor earlier this week with the AFTRA Diversity Award at the 9th Annual Ivy Bethune Tri-Union Diversity Awards (The Ivys). Presented as a joint ceremony by the three actor unions, The Ivys celebrate individuals and organizations in the performing arts that have made strides in helping to build a more diverse entertainment industry. Martinez -- an Iraq war vet-turned-actor -- was selected by AFTRA for his focusing attention on and dedicating himself to supporting and empowering disabled veterans and burn victims.

Following the presentation of his Diversity Award, Martinez was surprised with an additional honor from the U.S. Army. Special guest Major General Joseph Anderson -- who was the actor's commander of the 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the unit which Martinez was in when he was injured -- presented him with the first-ever "Army Star Award" for his service in and out of uniform.

This should free up Cameron Mathison (Ryan) for more correspondent gigs on GOOD MORNING AMERICA: Soaps In Depth has learned that Prospect Park has put on hold their plans to relaunch ALL MY CHILDREN on the Web!

According to our insiders, the company -- which, over the summer, acquired the licensing rights for both AMC and ONE LIFE TO LIVE from ABC -- has decided that they only need one soap opera for their new Internet channel, The Online Network. And since TOLN had gotten further along in the process with their plans for OLTL, word is that they are not moving forward with the AMC reboot. So far, Mathison and Lindsay Hartley (Cara) were the only two actors to officially sign on with Prospect Park, and we're told that while other actors were in negotiations, all discussion has been placed on hold.

Keep checking back for more updates as this story develops!

Palm Springs, CA, will kick off the holiday season with SPARKLE! An All-Star Holiday Concert on Wednesday, December 7, and ALL MY CHILDREN songbird Bobbie Eakes (Krystal) is one of the celebrities who will be performing!

A benefit for the Desert AIDS Project, Sparkle! will be held at the Annenberg Theater inside the Palm Springs Art Museum as performers from the worlds of television, Broadway and the music industry gather together to sing holiday songs at this extravaganza. Some of the celebrities scheduled to join Eakes include Tony Award nominee Bobby Steggert (ex-Sam, AMC), CSI's Ginifer King, AMERICAN IDOL's Von Smith and High School Musical: Get In The Picture's Jen Malenke.

General admission tickets are $48, and VIP tickets (which include premium reserved seats and the VIP after-party with hosted bar) are $125. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the show scheduled to begin at 7:00. For more information on the concert, visit www.sparklepalmsprings.com.