FUNNY BUSINESS: Does Blatant Comedy Have a Place In Soaps?

Francis Specker/CBS
Howard Wise/JPI Studios
Howard Wise/JPI Studios

Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea Newman, “Y&R”): “I think having comedy in the shows is very important. It doesn’t only have to be the tears. I remember on ‘All My Children,’ I loved when [my character], Annie, was Adam Chandler’s [David Canary] Stepford wife. They wrote very funny scenes, very Eva Longoria on ‘Desperate Housewives’ kind of scenes, and I thought it was so funny. I remember hearing from fans a lot that they thought it was funny, and I loved that it was both: It was drama and humor. So I think it’s important, and I think you can do it. It doesn’t only have to be the tears. And with me and [Elizabeth Hendrickson], Chloe and Chelsea have some funny scenes, so I love when they write us lighter. They’re best friends, so they sometimes write funny, quirky scenes, and I love that. It’s so much fun, and it’s a nice challenge.”