News Brief

New York Daily News: SPOILER: Brad's life changes on 'As the World Turns'. Kate and Brad hit the sheets Friday on "As the World Turns," but for very different reasons - she wants a baby; he's in love with her. "She wants to try it the oldfashioned way," says Austin Peck, who plays Brad. "First, she wanted to do it artificially. He had to go to the hospital by himself and go in a room. He couldn't do it. He told them, 'Sorry!' and was disappointed in himself. Then Katie called. She's changed her mind."

Los Angeles Times: TV breeds the new male star. As the class divide between TV and film keeps shrinking, TV has been solidifying its role as a maker of leading men. Original shows, on cable as well as network TV, are shifting attention to more mature and complex characters. The small screen is now crowded with charming, smart, confident, humorous grown-up men who are riveting critics' attention. Kyle Chandler's manly, moral husband/father/coach centers NBC's "Friday Night Lights." Jon Hamm's mysterious, unfaithful husband/father/ad executive takes charge of AMC's "Mad Men," and Jeffrey Donovan, the intelligent, haunted and irreverent bachelor/ex-CIA agent adds depth to USA's "Burn Notice."

The Futon Critic: NBC rolls out a full slate or original programming for the first quarter of 2008. "Friday Night Lights" will remain on Fridays and "Lipstick Jungle" will premiere in "ER's" timeslot on February 7th.

Starpulse: Hunter Tylo has filed a wrongful death claim against the social worker who counseled her late teenage son. "The Bold And The Beautiful" actress was left devastated when Michael Tylo Jr., 19, drowned in a swimming pool accident following an apparent seizure on October 18. Hunter, 45, initially launched a malpractice lawsuit against therapist Shanna Downing, but she has now changed this to a wrongful death suit.

Ridgecrest Daily Independent,: Tidings of great joy from...Joan Collins? Peter Chianca writes: Well, in her personal message Joan writes, “Just like all my screen and stage characters, I love making a grand entrance. So I simply can’t let the launch of my new jewelry collection go by without a personal word to mark the occasion.” OK, but I find it surprising that she’d take time to write me about this, and I didn’t hear word one from her when she got that guest spot on “Guiding Light.”

Seattle Post Intelligencer: "Dancing with the Stars" update: Mark Ballas, 21, is on the mend after undergoing arthroscopic surgery Wednesday afternoon on his left shoulder. One of the unsung heroes in this story is another celebrity dancer, MBA Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. It was Cuban who rushed in to help All My Children star Cameron Mathison when Mathison strained his hip (Mathison suffered from a childhood disease that endangered the use of both hips) while performing on the show. It was about the half-way point of the competition and Mathison was afraid that for him, the show was over. "Mark was such an amazing help," says Mathison. "He doesn't tell anyone he's doing these things. He just does them. He put me on the phone with the trainer for the Dallas Mavericks and [the trainer] told me what to do to test the hip, to see what kind of injury it was. It wasn't serious. But I was really worried."

WSBtv: ABC Daytime and SOAPnet have joined forces to ensure fans enjoy their favorite ABC Daytime stars every day of the week with the first-ever 14-month “Hot Guys” 2008 calendar, featuring some of the biggest male stars from the top-rated shows “All My Children,” “One Life to Live” and “General Hospital.” If you would like a free calendar send an email to donna.lampkin@wsbtv.com

NWI: Bailey Chase's hit television series centers on a police detective (Holly Hunter) whose downwardly spiraling life is touched by a "last-chance" angel. And since "Saving Grace" premiered in July (new episodes air Mondays at 9 p.m. this month on TNT), Chase (ex-Chris, "As The World Turns") has experienced a seemingly supernatural reversal of his own.

Celebrating the Soaps: What can be said about 2007 that is actually positive? It's the year the soap opera died, some say. With the average rating hovering just above a 2.0, Passions relegated to a small cable provider, NBC all but saying they're giving up on "Days of Our Lives," and "As the World Turns" & "Guiding Light" having their budget crunched to the point that they're going to use hand-held digi-cams next year, it's been a tough ride for the devoted soap fans still out there. Still, there are some positives to celebrate, and of course some more negatives to complain about. So here is this year's Best & Worst!

Dallas Morning News: "Good Morning Texas" host Amy Vanderoef is a living soap opera. The Channel 8 personality is just back from New York after shooting an episode of "One Life to Live."

Scotsman: In her teens, Sarah Michelle Geller was in the television series "All My Children" before landing the role of Buffy a decade ago. Next up she depicts sorrow in the romantic drama The Air That I Breathe; will star in the film version of the book A Girl's Guide To Hunting And Fishing, titled Suburban Girl, and is down to lead the thriller/horror Addicted.

National Ledger: Carrie Underwood and Chace Crawford were once headed for the next "it" couple status but reports continue to emerge that Chace may have a bit of a wandering eye. He's already been linked with co-star Leighton Meester and now sources tell OK Magazine that Gossip Girl’s Chace has been stepping out with All My Children and Carrie "look-alike" Leven Rambin, 17.

AfterElton: SPOILER: Breaking ATWT News: Luke invites Noah to spend the night.