daytime tv

One of the big issues of the day, besides the two wars we're fighting, the Gulf oil spill, and health care, is the state of lesbianism in America. So who else to talk about this hot topic than the women of 'The View' (weekday mornings on ABC)?

Somehow it turns into yet another argument between Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Then the four talk about how things, um, fit together between a man and woman. Or something. Gah.

I don't know if listening to Wendy Williams talk about eating garbage is your cup of tea, but if you came here from Google searching for "Wendy Williams" and "eating garbage," welcome!

This happened on 'Good Day NY' (weekday mornings, check local listings). The talk show host explains that eating from the sidewalk is cleaner than eating from the garbage. She says "believe it or not" but I don't have a hard time believing it. (Note: no actual garbage-eating occurs in this clip.)

Amid the fun and celebrations at last week's Daytime Emmy Awards, there was the nasty rumor that cropped up about 'One Life to Live' -- that for the second time this year, ABC is considering canceling 'One Life to Live.' Could it be true that ABC would pull the plug on the 42 year old staple of the daytime lineup?

The answer, sadly, is yes. Even though the rumor has been debunked by Soap Opera Digest and SoapCentral.com, the threat of cancellation remains strong for 'One Life to Live.' And certain things that have happened in the past few months just add to the anxiety.

Sometimes I feel guilty about dropping a show that I used to watch regularly. If I stop watching a show and start watching another show in the same time slot, can that be considered cheating? And then I realized that if I use the word "cheating" when describing my relationship with a TV show, that probably means I need a girlfriend.

But there are shows that we all outgrow. Shows that we used to watch all the time and then one day we suddenly say to ourselves, "You know what? I'm not going to watch this show anymore."

After the jump are the five shows that I can't watch anymore. In a way it's like a weight being lifted off my shoulders. It's five shows I don't have to worry about anymore! Now I can concentrate on the 125 other shows I watch every week.

Who's the queen of daytime television? It's not 'All My Children's' Susan Lucci or Oprah Winfrey or any of the ladies on 'The View.' Nope, the woman who rules daytime wears a long black robe and her name is Judy. That's right, 'Judge Judy,' who has been on the air for 15 years, is now the daytime diva.

In the recent May sweeps period, 'Judge Judy,' the syndicated courtroom reality show presided over by former jurist Judith Sheindlin, was the most-watched daytime show of all with nearly 6.4 million total viewers per episode. That's an increase of over 10 percent from a year ago and good enough to topple 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' from the top slot -- even in its final go-round!

It's the summer of love on daytime TV, but not everybody on 'General Hospital' is happy-go-lucky.

Lante fans know that Lulu (Julie Berman) and Dante are the perfect couple, but will the return of Brook Lynn change their minds? Star Adrianne Leon says she's looking forward to getting into trouble in Port Charles, so I think we can count on that brewing love triangle to be very entertaining.

Johnny Zacchara is also keeping us guessing -- seems he's gone a little nuts trying to avenge his sister Claudia's death. Will he ever nail Sonny for the crime? And what's this about a love child with Olivia? Star Brandon Barash tells us what he'd like to see happen next.

It's nothing news for the soaps to have members of the same family hook up with brothers-in-law or sisters marrying the same guy ... that's just the way it works in daytime. However, every now and then you'll see something really out there that just makes you go, "Whoa!" And sometimes, "Eww!"

That's what happened last Friday on CBS's 'The Bold and the Beautiful,' when 40-something Brooke Logan had wild, up-against-the-wall sexual intercourse -- during her 17-year-old daughter Hope's high school graduation party -- thinking she was boffing her hubby Ridge. Unfortunately, things were not exactly as she thought.

Here's a look at Brooke's bizarro boffing, and some other disgusting hook-ups on the soaps of late, proving that daytime still has the ability to make waves.

Andrea Evans has grown up on daytime television, but for most of us she'll forever be the vexing, adorable Tina Lord on 'One Life to Live.' Despite the shake up at 'One Life to Live,' Andrea's not returning to daytime on that ABC show, but she is coming back to the genre. Watch for Andrea Evans on 'The Young and the Restless.' That's right, she's returning to a show in which she starred from 1983-84, marking a return after 26 years.

According to TV Guide, Evans' visit to 'The Young and the Restless' is a one-day only affair, and that date is May 12, but wouldn't it be great if it could be more than that? There is a connection there. She's going to be playing Tawny Moore, Amber's mom. It's a role that she actually played on 'The Bold and the Beautiful,' 'The Young and the Restless'' sister show. Frankly, Amber could use her mom around. Amber needs supporting characters, even an mother with whom she squabbles.

The opening credits of 'General Hospital' got a face lift on Feb. 23 in honor of the show's 12,000th episode. 'General Hospital' has joined fellow soaps 'The Young and the Restless' and 'The Bold and the Beautiful' in adding the actual names of the actors to the opening credits.

Glenn Beck and Oprah Winfrey may not seem to have much in common. One is an afternoon TV host whose own personal struggles inform shows that are laughter-and-tears-filled spectacles meant to educate and empower the average folks watching at home, and the other is Oprah.

There is, however, one thing they share: an enthusiasm for promoting novels to their audiences, who faithfully respond by sending the hosts' selections up the Amazon chart. But while Oprah's taste runs to middle- and highbrow epics and tales of personal and family drama, Beck focuses on political thrillers. Both frequently invite authors onto their shows for substantive chats, something rare in a TV universe that usually treats literacy with condescension and contempt.

Harry Smith wasn't on The CBS Early Show this morning. Well, he was, but via webcam from his house. Why? He may have H1N1! But he got to appear on the show and wear a comfy t-shirt!

By the way, H1N1 & Harry is a new show this fall on CBS.

[via TV Newser]

During my senior year of college, my friend Ken, suffering through a tough job market right after he graduated, worked as a cook in the fraternity house in which he (and I) lived his college years. As he was preparing our lunches and dinners, he'd walk into the living room, see us slumped in front of whatever crap was on daytime TV at the time, and say, "Isn't Montel on or something?"

It became a bit of an inside joke that year. But even fifteen years ago, it seemed that Montel Williams' talk show was always on. But as of the end of this season, Montel is departing the syndicated airwaves, after 17 years.

Donald Trump is apparently throwing his hat into daytime TV by starring in a television show in which he mediates disputes regarding money. The half-hour series will be co-produced by Reveille (Ugly Betty, The Office) and is looking to make a fall 2008 debut.

Despite his showmanship, Trump isn't that great a businessman. If he was, he wouldn't need a television show (or multiple ones, as it were). He has had more failures than successes and given that the market in daytime TV (stay-at-home moms) isn't exactly his demographic, I have my doubts about the ability of this show to be successful.

Every once in a while, we here at TV Squad give our opinions about what we'd like to see/not see on television. And since last week was my one-year anniversary here, I figured I'd give my current list:

1. Bring back game shows. I don't mean a syndicated game show or a game show/reality show like Survivor or American Idol, I'm talking about real, honest to goodness, daytime game shows on the networks. The Price Is Right is the only one left, and the rest of the schedule has been taken over by the likes of Maury Povich, Dr. Phil, The View, Starting Over, and a third hour of The Today Show. Wouldn't it be great to just dump all those shows and bring back a Card Sharks, a Concentration, a Blockbusters, a High Rollers, a Sale of the Century. Hell, I'd watch Match Game again over Jerry Springer.