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| Kim Zimmer |
'Wicked'
good time with former GUIDING LIGHT star Kim Zimmer
Her turn as Madame Morrible, the headmistress at Shiz University, where the “Wicked” witches study, has been a thrill for Zimmer, who hasn’t tired of the live audience experience since taking the role a year ago.
"My understudy hates me because I’m never sick," she said. "Time flies when you’re having fun."
A zealous Yankees and Jets fan (the assistant prop manager is dragging her to Fenway Park), Zimmer loves getting into Morrible’s “wonderfully threatening character” — heavy makeup and wig included.
"I do it myself and it’s a gas. Most of the stagehands and dressers don’t even know what I look like," she said. "When I walk out the stage door, unless (fans) are looking for me, I can blow by the autograph line."
End Of Daytime Drama (Not What You Think)
CBS has two: THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS and THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, while ABC and NBC each have one — GENERAL HOSPITAL on ABC and NBC's DAYS OF OUR LIVES. National ratings are showing a slight uptick versus last year — B&B showed a 7% gain in women 25-54 live-plus-same-day ratings and DAYS was up 9%.
The national rating for GH was flat, but when you look to the local markets, there are pockets of real success. Jackson, TN delivered an 8.6 rating — a 79% increase over a 4.8 from last year. Springfield, Mo., saw a 360% increase to a 2.3 rating. There were strong gains all over the map — including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Detroit, Boston, Buffalo, N.Y., and more — so it’s not just a small-market phenomenon.
Jake Tapper of CNN's THE LEAD will play TV investigative reporter Spencer Phillips on an upcoming episode of ALL MY CHILDREN.