Opening

Since April 1, 1963, 'General Hospital' has been broadcast on ABC. If you're keeping count, and they are at the network, that means 'General Hospital' will air episode 12,000 on February 23. It's a remarkable achievement, especially when coupled with the fact that in that the past 47 years, 'GH' has won the Daytime Emmy as Outstanding Drama Series ten times. That's more than any other soap opera; and the Daytime Emmys only began being doled out in 1971!

To commemorate the 12,000th show, SoapCentral.com reports that 'General Hospital' has conjured up a new opening for the show. The current one, with music by Dave Koz, includes a collection of images of the stars. It also ends with one of the best endings ever for a credit sequence. All the men are gathered for a big group shot, sitting and posed in a variety of ways. They're all in black and white on a white set.

I'll give Craig Ferguson credit, he really is doing monologues in a different way. This clip from the opening of Tuesday night's show isn't your typical joked-filled opening, it's more of an essay. Ferguson talks about why everything sucks, and it has to do with you damn kids.

I love seeing behind the scenes footage of what goes on during the production and taping of a TV show. Aaron Bleyaert, who does the Tonight Show blog, took a camera to the control room of the show to show us what goes on in there during the opening of the show and the monologue.

Hey, someone should make a TV show about the behind the scenes goings-on at a late night variety show. Oh wait...