This is difficult and embarrassing for me to admit, but I watch a soap opera. That�s right; I have been watching "As the World Turns" literally my whole life. My mom started listening to it when it was first a radio show and then watched just about every episode since it first aired on TV in 1956 (50 years ago). As she took care of me while I was growing up, I watched it with her and the people of Oakdale were forever a part of my day. I tried to break free of it when I was older and more aware of the stigma of watching a daytime soap, but I was hooked like a coke whore and could not help but set my VCR timer to record it daily.

For the most part, the series was pretty conservative; a mostly white cast with what seemed to be Christian values. But in 1988, "As the World Turns" made daytime television history by introducing daytime television's first gay male character. I don�t think we ever saw his lover and the character did not last very long, but just last month, the character of Luke Snyder (the main couple of the show, Lily and Holden's son) came out of the closet. The actors that play Luke and Lily appeared in a PSA urging the soap's audience to stand up against homophobia and discrimination for a public service campaign from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

In a recent scene in the show, Doctor Bob and his wife, Kim made a random statement free of any story lines and subplots, about the horrors of the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

Most recently, a story line tackled the ever-controversial subject of Stem Cell research and an actual experimental surgery involving stem cells was performed on the show.

That kicks ass.

So, for the above reasons, it is a little less embarrassing that I watch this show, but I will forever have a good excuse for continuing to get involved in these fictional lives: It is something I always did with my Mom while growing up and whenever I would come home for visits. Now that she is gone it is my little way each day of remembering her.

Here is a list of more famous actors & musicians who have acted on the show:

Courteney Cox Arquette (Bunny; 1984)
Jason Biggs (Pete Wendall; 1994-1995)
Brian Bloom (Dustin "Dusty" Donovan; 1983-1988)
Jordana Brewster (Nikki Munson; 1995-1998)
Margaret Colin (Margo Montgomery Dixon Hughes; 1980-1983)
Dana Delany (Hayley Wilson Hollister; 1981)
William Fichtner (Josh Stricklyn; 1987-1989)
Thomas Gibson (Derek Mason; 1988-1989)
James Earl Jones (Dr. Jerry Turner; 1966)
Lauryn Hill � Fugees! (Kira Johnson; 1991)
Kristanna (BloodRayne) Loken (Danielle Andropoulos; 1994)
Mary McDonnell (Claudia Colfax; 1980)
Julianne Moore (Frannie Hughes/Sabrina Fullerton Hughes; 1985-1988) Ming-Na (Lien Hughes; 1988-1991)
Danny (who�s the boss) Pintauro (Paul Stenbeck; 1983-1984)
Parker Posey (Tess Shelby; 1991-1992)
Meg Ryan (Betsy Stewart Montgomery Andropoulos; 1982-1984)
Mark Rydell (Jeff Baker; 1956-1962)
Roselyn Sanchez (Pilar Domingo; 1996-1997)
Martin Sheen (Jack Davis; 1965-1970)
Kerr Smith (Ryder Hughes AKA Teddy Ellison; 1996-1997)
Richard (JOHN BOY!) Thomas (Tommy Hughes; 1966-1967)
Marisa Tomei (Marcy Thompson Cushing; 1983-1985)
James Van Der Beek (Stephen Anderson; 1995)
Steven Weber (Kevin Gibson; 1985-1986)

Here are some life lessons I have learned from watching the show:

1. Always tell the truth, because if you lie about something bad you have done, they always find out anyway and then hate you more for lying.

2. Always have 3 types of birth control at the ready, because when you accidentally sleep with your Mother�s new husband, you will always get pregnant!

3. Crying and driving will always end in a horrible car accident and you will die, but don�t worry, because you might come back to life a few years later to spice up a lagging story line.

Space Holder. - February 12, 2012

BEAUTIFUL BOY - August 26, 2011

COUNTDOWN - July 13, 2011

SEXAY - June 16, 2011

BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS - May 30, 2011