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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2006 > March > 17 > Entry
A ‘Life’-time spent on venerable ABC sudser
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On Friday’s episode of “One Life to Live” on ABC at 2 p.m., actress Erika Slezak celebrates what most actors just fantasize about — her 35th anniversary at a single job.
Since March 17, 1971, Slezak has portrayed Victoria Lord Davidson, the moneyed matriarch of Llanview, the fictional Pennsylvania town where the soap is set.
“People always ask me ‘Why did you stay so long?,’ ” the actress, 59, recalled with a laugh Thursday. “It’s because they write such great stuff for me. Where else would I ever have had the opportunity to work with the material I’ve been given here?”
Where, indeed.
Over her 3 1/2 decades, Slezak has scored a record six best actress Daytime Emmy Awards (her last in 2005, was for a heart disease story line endorsed by first lady Laura Bush) while delving into some incredibly gritty, taboo-busting plot lines. A victim of childhood sexual abuse by her father, Viki was eventually diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, a psychiatric condition where alter egos are created to “protect” the victim.
Luckily for viewers, one of Viki’s alters, Niki Smith, is a boozy floozy with incredibly questionable taste in clothes.
“Whenever I pick up a script and see Niki on the page, I smile,” Slezak concedes. “She’s just terribly fun to play.”
Things are about to take a serious turn for Slezak’s characters, however. In recent months, “OLTL” has been slowly delving into a story that focuses on Viki’s daughter, Jessica (Bree Williamson), who also has recently been diagnosed with DID.
The childhood-based reasons behind it promise to take the show into some dicey, uncharted territory.
“It’s something that hasn’t yet been dealt with on daytime,” Slezak teases. “And actually, it’s a very current topic. … One of the great advantages about this job is the impact you’re able to have just by putting these characters and their lives into peoples’ homes everyday.”
Truth in advertising
Well, Prince was at the Tabernacle for Wednesday’s midnight show.
And the superstar musician and songwriter did perform.
But make no mistake, it was a Tamar concert. Just like the $60 ticket said.
Whether the 2,500 or so in the sold-out downtown venue appreciated staying up until midnight, however, only to spend another 90 minutes hearing the relative unknown do a whole lot of covers, is still up for debate. (No matter how talented that man to her right in high heels was as featured guitarist and background singer.)
To her credit, Tamar had Prince-protégé attributes going for her at the Tabernacle. In varied flattering, short dresses, the singer powered through her versions of “Love Changes,” “When a Man Loves a Woman,” “Not Gon’ Cry,” “Rock Steady,” “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” and others.
Still, the biggest responses of the night came when the nattily attired Prince simply threw out his red handkerchief, dropped to his knees during one of his many solos, and finally responded to the intermittent “We want Prince!” chants, and sang his own “Party Man” and “Anotherloverholenyohead” at the end of the set.
“It was not what I expected,” said dynamo R&B and gospel vocalist Ann Nesby — aka “American Idol” contestant Paris Bennett’s grandmother — who attended the first night of Prince’s, er, Tamar’s, two-night stand in Atlanta. “We got there about 30 minutes late so we thought we missed him singing more of his own music. … But what we heard was great. [Tamar] has the qualities of the old soul singers of the Stax era. And at the same time she kind of reminded me of a young Tina Turner, just her command of the stage.
“I’m a major Prince fan, though,” she added. “And I wanted to hear more Prince.”
Toucher skids off 99X
Whether you hate him or love him, you’ll have your chance to wish 99X’s Fred Toucher farewell this morning at Fado Irish Pub in Buckhead, with the incredibly Irish band Skid Row (sans, sadly, former lead singer Sebastian Bach,who is now a member of Hep Alien on “Gilmore Girls”) in tow. We’re figuring that U2 wasn’t available.
With 99X about to change ownership, pending newcomer Cumulus Media decided Toucher wasn’t the right fit, so he’s now shopping a show nationwide with former 99X stunt guy Rich Shertenlieb and ex-99X traffic guy Christopher “Crash” Clark. Toucher was with 99X for seven years, starting at night and moving to mornings in 2003.
“I know I’m polarizing,” said Toucher on air Thursday. “But I act the same on the air as I do off. I’ve been honest.”
(Buzz is praying that Toucher will slam us one last time for good measure on his Web site, www.fredtoucher.com).
Axel Lowe, the drivetime jock who subbed for Toucher earlier this month, is likely to take over Toucher’s slot.
Veteran 99Xer Jimmy Baron, whose contract is up April 5, is also checking the waters in other cities and did a test show last weekend on an FM talk station in San Francisco. But he’s still negotiating with 99X.
“I’d prefer to stay in Atlanta because nobody really likes moving,” Baron told Buzz. “I do feel like being on the radio for so many years, you become part of the fabric of the city. That said, I’d be remiss not to see what’s out there.”
Celebrity birthdays
Guitarist Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship is 65. Singer-songwriter John Sebastian of the Lovin’ Spoonful is 62. Actor Patrick Duffy is 57. Actor Kurt Russell is 55. Actor Gary Sinise is 51. Actor Rob Lowe is 42. Singer Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) is 39. Actor Mathew St. Patrick (“Six Feet Under”) is 38. Actor Yanic Truesdale (“Gilmore Girls”) is 37. Rapper Swifty of D12 is 29.
Contributing: Rodney Ho, Sonia Murray and news services. If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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