We Love Soaps’ Damon L. Jacobs caught up with former General Hospital executive producer Wendy Riche to talk about her time at the show. In the must-read interview Riche shares how she came about casting Antonio Sabato Jr., Steve Burton and Vanessa Marcil in their popular roles.

We Love Soaps: Despite the turbulence we’ve described, you made some inspired casting choices. You chose unknown actors such as Anthony Sabato Jr, Vanessa Marcil, Steve Burton, all of whom made indelible imprints on the show. What was the key to finding and casting these young actors that would find such success on and off GENERAL HOSPITAL?

Wendy Riche: It starts with a vision of character. I would talk to the headwriter and with [Consulting Producer] Shelly Curtis. It starts with characters and archetypes of characters. Good girl / bad girl, but multi-leveled. Then there was the supposed bad guy who comes in with a good heart. We saw this when Jagger’s friends were going to steal from Kelly’s, and go after Ruby. It was designed so that we had a window into Jagger's heart because in his stopping the violence, we knew he wasn't all bad. We knew he was worth saving. From that moment on he was endearing to the audience and everyone wanted to save him, as did Karen and Brenda. So we designed the dynamic, and then I would sit down with Mark Teschner, because you need a brilliant casting director to work with to capture your vision. Casting is a very unique process. You cannot cast by committee. There has to be a clear vision, and Mark found this great talent. He knew what I was looking for and he found them. READ MORE

My Antonio and former General Hospital: Night Shift star Antonio Sabato, Jr. brought daughter Mina Sabato and friends Amanda and Kylie and  to the launch of Millions of Milkshakes, his new store in West Hollywood. See more pictures and watch video after the jump. READ MORE

Reality stars were out in force at the 2009 Fox Reality Channel Really Awards, hosted by Vivica A. Fox. The award show and red carpet coverage will air on the Fox Reality Channel on October 17. Lance Bass hosts the red carpet pre-show. See more award show red carpet photos of Aubry Fisher, Chima Simone, Roman Chavent, Daisy de la Hoya, Gretchen Bonaduce, Hugh Hefner, Judy Tenuta, Katrina Darrell, Mary Murphy, Melissa Rivers, Nicky Hilton, Paris Hilton, Lorenzo Lamas and Shayne Lamas after the jump READ MORE

Antonio Sabato Jr. is looking for love and his quest to find hat "special someone" will unfold on My Antonio, a VH1 show premiering August 16th.

The 10-episode series begins with Antonio's sexy swim ashore to meet the 13 beauties vying for his attention. Within the first few moments, Antonio makes a shocking elimination, leading the women to realize that anything can happen when Antonio is in charge.

"I've been with some of the most amazing women in the world," says Sabato, "and at the age of 36, I'm finally ready to settle down. I really hope to meet that special someone. For me this is not a game. This is real. This is my life."

Okay you knew it was coming. Now that the Idiots In Charge of The-Soap-Opera-Formerly-Known-as-Days-of-Our-Lives have let the phenomenal Blake Berris go, I decided to start out doing a Wishful Casting about where Berris should end up, but it turned into more of an analysis of which soaps are managing to set things up for their next generation the right way, and which ones are getting it wrong, dead wrong.

Much of the daytime industry is experiencing a serious drought in terms of talented, young stars who can actually, you know, act. Save for The Young and the Restless, One Life to Live and General Hospital, the under 30 set at most soaps is pretty much comprised of rejects from the Pamela Anderson School of Acting and Pantomime.  I'll start with the soaps in most need of help and work my way up. READ MORE

RELATED: Who Wants to F*#& Antonio Sabato Jr.?

Ladies who have ever gotten chapped lips from kissing the back of their hands while pretending they were Antonio Sabato Jr.'s lips are in luck. VH1 has sent out the casting call for its upcoming, untitled reality show featuring the soap god.

Sabato Jr. recently made quite the splash with his 13-week appearance on the critically-acclaimed General Hospital spinoff Night Shift, reprising his signature role as Jagger Cates. For the new reailty show, which will reportedly feature soap opera-inspired challenges, nubile, young contestants will be transplanted to exotic locales, where they can swap spit with the Italian Stallion in hopes of becoming his one true love, or at the very least, landing a gig as a special correspondent on Entertainment Tonight (just kidding). Click here for a special message from Antonio encouraging you to apply.

Check out Tristan Rogers' (Robert Scorpio, GH: Night Shift) Video Blogs! Plenty of great "vlogs" for GH and NS fans alike to check out. Tristan is joined by John Reilly, Finola Hughes, Kimberly McCullough, Anthony Geary, Antonio Sabato Jr. and plenty more of the Night Shift cast.

Antonio Sabato Jr. isn't taking up singing in a rock band but he is following Bret Michael's lead and hopping into the Reality TV dating game. According to Variety, Antonio has signed on to star in a dating show competition on VH1. “At the age of 36, I’m finally ready to settle down,” Antonio tells Variety.

Project will be shot like a soap opera -- the genre Sabato's best known for -- and feature the thesp's narration as he puts contestants through various challenges, such as re-creating a steamy love scene or skydiving in a gown.

Sabato's quest to find Ms. Right starts airing in early 2009.

Here's the Scoop! 08.12.08

The LuSam Reveal... not quite as scandalous as I make it sound but Elizabeth does show up at Sam's after Lucky and Sam have hit the sheets sofa.  During their post sex bliss, the couple discuss their relationship. Is this when Lucky drops the I Love You? Not sure but SPOILERS say Elizabeth shows up at Sam's most likely trying to once again get her one-time enemy to reunite with Lucky.  LuSam fills Liz in on the details of their fake out. 

More RUMBLINGS that Jagger will be back on General Hospital.  Antonio Sabato Jr's return to Port Chuck via Night Shift had the fans wondering if we'd see Jagger back on our daytime TV and we're hearing it COULD be happening.

Nikolas consults Alexis... will his aunt suggest mental illness as a defense?

When Jax returns he's not happy.  He'll find his wife way too deep in the mob world they fought to get the boys away from.  READ MORE