BOOK REVIEW: Alec Baldwin, Crystal Chappell, Oprah & More--Five Juicy Reasons Kim Zimmer's New Tell-all Is for Everyone

"I'm Just Sayin': Three Deaths, Seven Husbands, and a Clone! My Life as a Daytime Diva," by Kim Zimmer (with Laura Morton), goes on sale today. I was introduced to Kim long after GUIDING LIGHT, but although I had never seen Reva Shayne in all her glory, I ended up reading the whole book in one afternoon. Always witty and insightful, and frequently touching, this tell-all really tells all, and it's enjoyable even for non-soap fans. I certainly couldn't put “I'm Just Sayin'' down—here's why:

1. Lots of tasty tidbits about dozens and dozens of TV and film stars. For example, while she was pregnant, Kim writes, she always knew who she could count on: “If I craved egg-salad sandwiches with dill pickles on white Wonder bread, Alec [Baldwin] would take off for the NBC commissary and return with egg salad in hand!” When she was a guest on The Oprah Winfrey show, after a bit of an, um... misunderstanding, Oprah came around. “In that moment, I realized why Oprah is who she is. She was honest, candid, and real. She apologized, and owned her mistake.”

BOOK REVIEW: Makeup & Misery: Adventures in the Soap Factory

Love in the Afternoon? Not so much for Makeup Artist Norman Bryn, author of "MAKEUP & MISERY: Adventures in the Soap Factory. An Unauthorized Cosmetic Chronicle of the Disney-ABC Soaps"

Review by Nelson Aspen

This giant (301 large, text-crammed pages) diary of New York makeup artist Norman Bryn is only available for purchase through www.makeupandmisery.com, which may be why it has yet to incur the wrath of the ABC "Mouse House" he so brazenly bashes. For five years at ALL MY CHILDREN, with stops at ONE LIFE TO LIVE and (an admittedly happier experience at) GUIDING LIGHT along the way, Bryn worked with most of the most well known, memorable stars of daytime's dazzling days...and he's not afraid to express his feelings about them for better or worse.

WLS Book Review: DAYS OF OUR LIVES 45 Years: A Celebration In Photos

If you have been a soap fan for any length of time, then chances are you have a very beautiful but somewhat out-of-date coffee table book of your favorite show, either past or present.  During the mid-late 90s, most shows put out an elegant and historical pictorial featuring plot synopses and rare pictures.  Authors Greg Meng and Eddie Campbell have updated and upgraded this concept by offering an aesthetically gorgeous and fascinating look behind the scenes in the new book "DAYS OF OUR LIVES 45 Years: A Celebration In Photos."

Yes, there are plenty of historical pictures from 1965 onward that have never been published before. You see actors reading cue cards in the Horton living room, Suzanne Rogers (Maggie) getting her hair done in 1974, Josh Taylor (Roman) and James Reynolds (Abe) playing basketball on a lunch break, and more.  What DAYS fans have also never previously viewed are the structural compositions of the show.  From blue prints of each set, to wedding dress designs, to the wardrobe racks, to the drawers which hold each character's props, to the action in the make-up room, never before have viewers of a daytime soap given the opportunity to see so much behind-the-scenes details. 

Nelson's Aspen Exposes "Secrets"!

Nelson Aspen's divine tell-almost-all book Nelson Aspen Hollywood Insider Exposed!: Secrets, Stars, & Showbiz is a breath of fresh air compared to most of the salacious mean-spirited stories about celebrities that are published daily in books and magazines. His humble respect and fascination for entertainers shines through in his memoirs, interviews, and observations. From beloved SEARCH FOR TOMORROW matriarch Mary Stuart to paparazzi queen Angelina Jolie, Aspen dishes sweet, memorable, and fascinating anecdotes.

I for one could not dare put this book down for fear of going one more moment without learning insider secrets about Hugh Grant, ANOTHER WORLD'S Anne Heche, or the legendary Meryl Streep. But the creme de la creme comes in the chapter where Aspen shares details of his self-described "inglorious movie career" in the 1980's. What was it like playing a male prostitute opposite Judge Reinhold? You will just have to pick up this book to find out!

If you have ever found yourself guiltily peeking through a tabloid, wishing you could learn more juicy tidbits without feeling ashamed of yourself, then THIS is absolutely the book for you!

S.A.S.S. [Short Attention Soap Summary]

WHAT IS IT: Nelson Aspen Hollywood Insider Exposed!: Secrets, Stars, & Showbiz
a fun and juicy holiday read.

WHY SOAP FANS WILL LOVE IT: Aspen includes plenty of soapy tidbits for historians, especially up-close and personal insights about SEARCH FOR TOMORROW's Mary Stuart.

BOTTOM LINE: This read is a fun for anyone who enjoys learning about celebrity culture.  It makes for a very memorable gift!

VERDICT: Don't miss these Secrets! Order the book now!

Damon L. Jacobs is a Licensed Therapist now accepting new clients in New York City.  He is also the author of the popular book "Absolutely Should-less: The Secret to Living the Stress-Free Life You Deserve." For more information about scheduling an appointment, please email him at Shouldless@gmail.com.

Are Sesame Street and GENERAL HOSPITAL the same show?

I recently had the opportunity to read the fascinating book "Street Gang: The Complete History Of Sesame Street" by Michael Davis.  It traces the origins of the groundbreaking children's show, as well as the backstage politics and issues that have surrounded the show since its inception.  While enjoying this history, I couldn't help but notice some similarities between this show and the ABC soap GENERAL HOSPITAL.  It may sound strange, but let the evidence speak for itself:




GENERAL HOSPITAL                                              SESAME STREET
-Responded to ratings decline in late '90s by                -Responded to ratings decline in late '80s by
 retooling show around fan fave Sonny                         retooling show around fan fave Elmo
-Takes place in New York                                            -Takes place in New York
-Introduced first HIV+ mobster named Stone               -Introduced first HIV+ muppet named Kami
-Dealt sensitively with real-life loss of John                  -Dealt sensitively with real-life loss of Will Lee
 Beradino (Steve)                                                        (Mr. Hooper)
-Ignored tragic off-screen death of Shell                      -Ignored tragic off-screen death of Northern
  Kepler (Amy) in 2003                                                Calloway (David) in 1990

ORDER: "The Survival of Soap Opera"

The Survival of Soap Opera: Transformations for a New Media Era" is now available at Amazon.com. Edited by Sam Ford, Abigail De Kosnik and C. Lee Harrington, the academic book, from University Press of Mississippi, is officially out on December 1.

The soap opera, one of U.S. television's longest-running and most influential formats, is on the brink. Declining ratings have been attributed to an increasing number of women working outside the home and to an intensifying competition for viewers' attention from cable and the Internet. Yet, soaps' influence has expanded, with serial narratives becoming commonplace on most prime time TV programs. "The Survival of Soap Opera" investigates the causes of their dwindling popularity, describes their impact on TV and new media culture, and gleans lessons from their complex history for twenty-first-century media industries.

I contributed an essay to this book entitled "AS THE WORLD TURNS' Luke and Noah and Fan Activism."(starts on page 293) A large number of wonderful soap journalists and critics and writers also contributed to the book including Patrick Erwin, Lynn Liccardo and Tom Casiello.

WLS Book Review: "Changing Shoes"

"The only thing that remains the same in this world is change."

I had a World History teacher in high school who often spoke this quote, referring to the fact that nothing in our world would ever be permanent, and the trick to survival was learning to adjust to change.  Tina Sloan (ex-Lillian, GUIDING LIGHT) has beautifully taken the lesson behind this quote and infused it with new energy and vitality in the inspiring new book, "Changing Shoes: Getting Older - NOT OLD - with Style, Humor, and Grace." 

Soap fans are well familiar with Tina Sloan's infectious positive attitude from her work on GUIDING LIGHT, as well her featured roles on the indie web series EMPIRE and VENICE. What you don't know is how this enduring talent has faced life's challenges and overcome adversities in order to learn, grow, and evolve.  She explains how at 67 years old she has had to frequently change roles in life, ie, "shoes", and despite painful setbacks has learned to thrive (and at times even sprint!).  Detailing her roles as actress, wife, mother, caretaker, marathon runner, and even mountain climber, Sloan reveals how she has overcome depression, ageism, caretaker fatigue, and burnout. Yet never at any moment does her writing decline into a "poor me" tone.  She continues to assert resilience, grace, and determination even in spite of challenging circumstances. 

As a male approaching 40 in this society, there are many valuable life lessons that I gained from reading this book.  Aging realistically presents all of us with limits, but at no point does it have to be a barrier to embracing new challenges, trying new things, and pursuing deeper fulfillment.  The physical act of changing shoes is a metaphor for giving ourselves solid and confident foundations to pursue new goals and dreams.  One never has to be a prisoner of their past, and never has to be afraid of the future.  Sloan offers myself and all her readers concrete step-by-step suggestions of how to keep our lives vital and replenishing at any age.

REVIEW: Ken Corday's Untold History Of "Days"

It’s not easy being Ken Corday.  On one hand you have the pride and burden of carrying a family legacy for over two decades.  On the other, you are constantly living in fear of a cancellation ax being wielded upon said legacy, as well as the knowledge that you sacrificed your own artistic hopes and dreams in order to make your parents’ creation thrive. 

These are just some of the challenges shared in the new book “The Days Of Our Lives: The True Story Of One Family’s Dream And The Untold History of Days Of Our Lives”.  This is an illuminating and powerful must-read for anyone who has ever watched DAYS, or for that matter, anyone who has ever put a family business in front of their own aspirations.  Say what you will about Ken Corday (as dozens of critics have).  But after reading this book one cannot deny the integrity, determination, and strength demanded of him to keep DAYS on the air, and keep network interference to a minimum.

REVIEW: Eileen Davidson's "Dial Emmy for Murder"

Eileen Davidson is a true soap opera superstar. She has played Ashley Abbott on The Young and the Restless on and off since 1982, reprised the character on The Bold and the Beautiful for two years, was Kelly Capwell on Santa Barbara, and made daytime history when she played an unprecedented five characters on DAYS OF OUR LIVES, including a man named Thomas! If there is anyone who is prepared to write a book about the soap opera industry, it's Eileen Davidson! She does just that in the second installment of her soap opera mystery series, "Dial Emmy for Murder."

The protagonist of her book is Alexis Peterson, a popular soap opera actress who finds more murderous drama off-stage than on. In Davidson's first book, "Death In Daytime," Alexis (a.k.a. Alex) was accused of murdering her headwriter on The Yearning Tide and she had to play amateur detective to prove her innocence. In "Dial Emmy for Murder," Alex's life has seemingly settled down and she is now starring on The Bare and the Brazen as two characters -- Felicia, a psychiatrist, and Fannie, her unattractive twin sister. Alex has to wear a prosthetic nose and false teeth to play the role of Fannie which will remind Days of our Lives fans of her hilarious turn as Susan Banks.