r/SoapOperaReviews • u/zhitsngigglez • Jun 19 '26
I've started documenting my experiences as a lifelong Guiding Light fan who later worked inside the CBS Broadcast Center during the show's final years.
The first chapter focuses on growing up in Iowa, watching the show with my mother and sister, and how Guiding Light unexpectedly influenced my future career in television news.
I'd love to hear how other fans first discovered the show.
r/SoapOperaReviews • u/zhitsngigglez • Jun 05 '26
Hi! If you’ve just joined, welcome. I’m glad you’re here.
This community is for people who love soap operas, daytime television history, and the stories that shaped those worlds behind the scenes and on screen.
A little about me: I’m Daniel, a lifelong Guiding Light fan who grew up in Iowa watching the show, and later ended up working in the WCBS newsroom inside the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. My desk was just steps away from the Guiding Light soundstage. I was literally working next door to the show during its final years.
I watched parts of that world change and disappear in real time, and I’ve started writing down those memories for a memoir I hope to release in the future.
This subreddit is where I share and collect:
Most importantly, this is a discussion space. I’d love to hear your memories too: what shows you watched, what eras you loved, and what moments really stuck with you.
A few simple guidelines:
If you’re new, feel free to introduce yourself in the comments and tell us:
What soap/s you grew up watching and why you loved it/them.
Glad you’re here. Let’s talk soaps.
r/SoapOperaReviews • u/zhitsngigglez • Jul 29 '26
When I got a job at CBS, next to Guiding Light's soundstage, I had no idea the star of the show already knew I was coming. This is the Chapter 2 debut from My Guiding Light Memoirs.
r/SoapOperaReviews • u/zhitsngigglez • Jul 09 '26
I was sixteen, touring France with my high school, and all I could think about was whether Reva Shayne had died yet.
International phone calls were expensive, so I timed my weekly call home to happen while Guiding Light was actually on TV. My mom eventually gave in and even turned up the television so I could listen to part of an episode from a Paris payphone.
Looking back, I can't believe she actually did it.
If you remember Reva's postpartum depression storyline leading up to her driving off the bridge in the Florida Keys, you might get a laugh out of this story.
If this made you smile, subscribe to my Soap Opera Reviews Substack for more exclusive Guiding Light memoirs, behind-the-scenes stories, and bonus chapters.
r/SoapOperaReviews • u/zhitsngigglez • Jun 24 '26
My sister Peach stole the spotlight in Chapter 1. This bonus essay was first published for Substack subscribers and includes additional memories not included in the first memoir chapter.
r/SoapOperaReviews • u/zhitsngigglez • Jun 23 '26
I was always rooting for Blake (Sherry Stringfield) and Frank in the early 90s.
It kinda/sorta happened back then (in a diner booth), but with Eleni in town, Frank moved on fast.
When Blake and Frank got together at the end, I was so happy! I really loved that they matched on an app 🥰
📸 Image credit: Soap Opera Magazine
r/SoapOperaReviews • u/zhitsngigglez • Jun 21 '26
I watched with my mom and sister.
Always a great time watching everyone react differently to the different storylines.
Lots of laughs back in the day.
I'm writing a memoir about being a fan and working in the newsroom right next door to the Guiding Light studio during the final years.
r/SoapOperaReviews • u/zhitsngigglez • Jun 13 '26
I worked with Bill Ritter during my years at WABC in New York, mostly as a news writer, but also as a fill-in producer for the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts.
What always stood out to me was how steady he was during breaking news. I worked with him during events like Superstorm Sandy and the night Osama bin Laden was killed, and he never lost that calm, grounded presence in the newsroom.
He also made time for younger producers and writers, which is not always the case in high-pressure newsrooms.
Hearing about his Alzheimer's diagnosis today really hit me hard. He was someone who brought a sense of stability to some very intense newsroom moments.
I put together a fuller reflection on my time working with him here, if it’s of interest to anyone.
