Who Is Really Daytime's Biggest Cougar?

Men, don’t be jealous that a soap star gets to score with young Hollywood studs. If you watched the last two weeks of ABC’s new sitcom Cougar Town, starring Courteney Cox, you may have noticed that GH’s mob legal eagle Diane, played by the brilliant Carolyn Hennesy, is moonlighting as the ultimate man-crazed "cougar," Barb. I joined some of Carolyn’s close friends at an intimate gathering last week to watch the premiere episode. After we all ate popcorn, cupcakes, and Smarties to celebrate, Carolyn and I had a chitchat. I asked her, when she saw herself on-screen on the network debut of the series, what crossed her mind?
 
“I looked good for a woman of a certain age. I look really good. [Laughs] It's the little comedy bombs that I get to go in and drop that I love. Barb is a very conservative, straitlaced Realtor by day and queen cougar, no pride, no shame, by night.” So why does Hennesy seem so at ease playing a lady predator? She tells me when she read it on the page at the audition, she just ...  connected with it! “The writers wrote Barb and I connected with her. I don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Barb has no filter and no morals, and it’s a gift to play it and be able to say these things because you can’t say those things in real life!”
 
And what about working with star Courteney Cox? Good experience or bad? Hennesy says it’s a mixture of beauty and brains when it comes to Cox. “I did work with her briefly, and my scenes were with her. She is one of the executive producers of the show. So she is pulled in 15 directions at once. Courteney was focused and warm and a generous actress to work with. I am in five episodes mixing it up with her and her on-screen 'boy toy.' I have a scene in a waxing salon that is going to go on my reel. That is all I am going to say. Watch around the third episode.”

Something’s Fish-y in Llanview ... Again!

On today’s One Life to Live, Viki and Dorian’s mayoral battle takes on a politically gay turn. Nick (Kyle’s current beau), who’s very active in the gay rights arena, throws his support behind Viki. So in retaliation, Dorian comes up with an idea when David informs her they need to hire some gay staffers immediately. After David refuses to play gay to enhance Dorian’s liberal image in the race, Dorian’s problem seems to be solved when Amelia arrives on the scene ... and asks Dorian to meet with Llanview’s Gay and Lesbian Alliance. Meanwhile, a student has heard that Nick is gay and asks Nick about it, and then (drum roll, please) Fish warns Kyle about Nick’s agenda. Will he listen? Is Kyle being bamboozled by the bedazzling and love-struck Nick?

So what is really going on here? It seems like Llanview is going to turn into soap's gayest town ever! As had been revealed last week in a TV Guide exclusive, Dorian will pretend to turn lesbian and marry her female campaign manager. Their nuptials are set to air October 30 and November 2, and it will be part of a group wedding of 22 same-sex couples. When OLTL’s brilliant head scribe, Ron Carlivati, was asked just what he was trying to do here, he stated the following; “I’m not trying to take on the Pennsylvania legislature here! And I’m not trying to preach a certain point of view to anyone. This is a fun story based around an important issue with a couple of good old-fashioned wedding cliffhangers: Will Kyle go ahead and marry Nick even though he loves Oliver? Will Dorian carry through with her fake marriage for political gain and ruin her chances with David?”

And speaking of Dorian, the beloved Robin Strasser has a massive gay following and will be serving as honorary chairperson for the drag ball Marching for Equality ... in Heels on October 10 in Washington, D.C., an event that honors the 40th anniversary of Stonewall and benefits the Matthew Shepard Foundation. Look for my Advocate.com interview with Strasser next week as she celebrates 30 years as delicious Dorian!