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...soaps in the key of life by Trish Fodor He’s a Magic Man, Mama…I’ve been digging up some old Heart tunes recently and have Ann Wilson’s powerful voice bellowing in my brain. I used to want to be the other sister, Nancy. After all, I was blond, knew how to maximize Vavoom hair spray and (back then) played a little guitar. I even went through the “musician phase” and dated a guitarist who had eyes not only for me but also for any other big haired chick in the room. Ah, the glory days! Thank God I grew up and out of it. My former six-string love has since married, divorced, remarried and is now the poster boy for AA (Alcoholics Anonymous). At least he’s on a better path now. Still, women, including me, can’t ignore the power bad boys have over us and there is no greater selection of them to lust after than on daytime. (And let’s face it, from the safe distance of TV Land, we’re less apt to get our hearts broken as we admire them from afar!) I suppose the first daytime “bad boy” I fell for was GH’s Luke Spencer. Tony Geary honestly didn’t have the chiseled daytime good looks that we’re used to seeing but there was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes that dared you to follow him on his latest adventure. And follow him I did; on the run in full disguise with a (usually) lousy accent, to the jungle with dashing Robert Scorpio, to Puerto Rico or even to the strobe lit haven called The Campus Disco. That’s where he became a controversial soap opera legend, literally taking the virtuous Laura Weber as his own on the dance floor. Was it rape or seduction? The history books are a bit cloudy on that. At the time, to call their consummation rape was controversial but most recent accounts definitely refer to it as just that. What a difference 25 years of desensitizing television makes on what we, as viewers, accept. My first All My Children “bad boy” had to be Tad Martin. “Tad the Cad” as he was called back then was usually up to no good but he was the kind of player who could take your money, stuff the ballot box for prom king and sleep with your mother, all with a bone melting smile on his face. You wanted to be mad at him or disgusted but Michael E. Knight brought such boyish charm to the character that you’d prefer just to spank him. (Take that where you may. “The Cad” would probably enjoy it!) My more mature tastes have me very attracted to Dr. David Hayward. Dark and dastardly, I have to give him credit. Who else would subject an entire boatload of Pine Valley’s most influential citizens to a drug that kills their inhibitions unleashing waves of carnivorous desire? Part of the allure of Dr. David is his overabundance of self-confidence. Borderlining on arrogance, he knows just how good a cardiologist he is (almost to the point of a God complex) and makes no apologies for it. Vincent Irizzary plays him with such narcissism and style that each time he sneers at Tad or seductively taunts Julia I want to scream, “Me next, doctor! Take me next! ” *** Sadly, All My Children recently released Vincent Irizzary from his contract. Another OUTSTANDING character sacrificed at the altar of…? *** Calling GH! Wouldn’t it be sooo cool to bring Vincent to Port Charles as a love interest for Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis)? Ric could use some competition. (A Nick/Alan-Michael (GL) reunion, if you will!) Just a thought … The most maniacal man in Llanview has to be Todd Manning. He first hit the scene as a morally challenged frat boy and soon became one of the most calculating and cunning men in town. Early on I was rather indifferent to the character but as Roger Howarth matured in the role, Todd grew on me. Tried and jailed tried for his part in the brutal gang rape of his tutor, Marty Saybrook, I saw him evolve from defensive and accusatory (the whole “she asked for it” excuse) to a wounded soul. The moment I saw him take ownership of what he did, finally flooding with real remorse over what happened to Marty, Todd became less barbaric and more human. Introducing family into Todd’s life through the discovery that he was really Victor Lord’s son and by marrying Blair Cramer and having children of his own, Todd grew even more multidimensional. I saw him experience real love for the first time in his life and it suited him. But, at the root of it all, Todd is a scarred soul still capable of exacting revenge when he feels betrayed. The old defenses kick in and we’re not sure what he’ll do next. Trevor St. John assumed the role in 2003 and he has done a brilliant job with it keeping my Todd Manning love alive and me happily on the edge of my seat. I realize that the bad boys of Port Charles are supposed to be Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan. (If you don’t know that by now, what rock have you been hiding under?) However, in “Guzavision” that portrays them as heroes as the mob is a righteous entity in town. Therefore, my vote decidedly goes to the “other guys”, namely Lorenzo Alcazar and Ric Lansing. I was initially intrigued by Luis Alcazar and rather disappointed when he was sent diving to his death from a balcony of the Port Charles Hotel. (Ouch!) Little did we know there was “another one like him back at home,” (How delightful! That old line really applied here!) There’s something incredibly sexy about the dark-haired, blue eyed drug lord. The way he ever so smoothly let’s his nemesis Sonny Corrrrinthos’ name roll off the tongue with that Latin “r” makes me weak in the knees. Impeccably dressed and more suave than the average mobster, Lorenzo shows us that crime can be classy as he pulls strings in Port Charles yet never seems to end up with blood on his hands. It’s a shame that we see so little of this character and, when we do, we only get a small sample of what he’s capable of. I want more and, moreover, I want him to win against the Corinthos organization. How refreshing it would be to have Lorenzo Alcazar rule Port Charles for a while! (And he can have his hot son, Diego, by his side.) A bad boy in training, Diego sees woefully too little screen time as well. I have to say the same for Ric Lansing. Ever drowning in his brother’s shadow, Ric seems to always be fighting an uphill battle, especially against the less sophisticated thug, Jason Morgan. The talented Rick Hearst brings a variety of subtle facets to Ric’s character including, on rare occasion, playing him as a quite the romantic. But Ric is at his most irresistible when he’s up to something. Well educated and engagingly confident, “slick” Ric can pour on the charm or raw sex appeal in order to manipulate the best of them – especially the ladies. Unfortunately, Ric’s methods often turn self destructive leaving me shaking my head and muttering, “Dude, you could use a break!” As with Lorenzo, I want that break for Ric to be a victory for a change. However, given the pecking order in Port Charles, I guess we’ll have to settle for a watching him hatch his sinister plans only for them to backfire, i.e. Having Jason Morgan killed as a “gift” for his cancer ridden wife, who just happens to be the DA? The outlook there isn’t too bright, Lansing! However, each and every one of these delicious but dastardly guys has one thing in common; they are all capable of showing a vulnerability, which contrasts their nefarious ways. They’ve suffered in some way either from an unhappy childhood or as a result of a painful loss. Their anger and determination is fueled by a lack of acceptance, vengeance or sadly, lost love or abandonment. Perhaps that’s why I am so attracted to them. Maybe, as a viewer, I imagine that I can save them or lead them down the path to redemption. After all, that vulnerability, especially personified in a villain, is extremely sexy. So, go on boys! Scheme away! Plot, manipulate, twist and philander all you want. We can take it. In fact, I love it!
Cold late night so long ago - Ann and Nancy Wilson
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