CBS cancels another daytime drama

New York — Procter & Gamble, the company responsible for the phrase “soap operas,” is out of the daytime drama business after 76 years now that CBS is making “As the World Turns” stop spinning.

The network announced the cancellation on Tuesday, the day “As the World Turns” broadcast its 13,661st episode. Its last episode will air next September, CBS said.

It’s the second daytime drama CBS has canceled in a year, after “Guiding Light.” They were the last two produced by a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble, the company for which the term “soap operas” was created because it used the shows to hawk products like Ivory soap and Duz laundry detergent.

Daytime dramas have been fading as a genre for years with more women joining the work force and the increased number of channels offering alternatives like news, talk, reality and game shows. In tough economic times, paying casts, producers and writers proved prohibitive to networks when there were cheaper alternatives.

The cancellation will leave CBS with only two daytime dramas: “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and Beautiful.” ABC has three soaps left and NBC one.

Bryant Gumbel says he’s had cancer surgery

New York — Bryant Gumbel shocked a television audience with the news that he’s recovering from cancer surgery and treatment.

The former “Today” show anchor, 61, said a malignant tumor and part of his lung were removed two months ago. He revealed his condition to Kelly Ripa while subbing for Regis Philbin on Tuesday’s edition of “Live With Regis and Kelly.” (Philbin recently had hip replacement surgery.)

“It’s nothing to hide from,” Gumbel said. “They opened up my chest, they took out a malignant tumor, they took out part of my lung and they took out some other goodies.”

Even with the surgery, some aggressive cancer cells had escaped, “so I went through some treatment and it’s done now,” he said.

The tumor was not in Gumbel’s lung, but next to it, said Sean Cassidy, a friend of Gumbel’s and president of DKC, a New York public relations firm. Gumbel is not a smoker, he said.

Gumbel said he and his wife, Hilary Quinlan, had wanted to keep the news private. He said he had even kept his staff at the HBO sports newsmagazine “Real Sports” in the dark. HBO said Gumbel didn’t miss an episode, taping shows on both Sept. 15 and Oct. 27.

Elton John will support boy he can’t adopt

London — Elton John’s partner says the musician was devastated that he wasn’t allowed to adopt an HIV-positive Ukrainian toddler but plans to support the boy anyway.

The 62-year-old pop star met 14-month-old Lev at a home for HIV-positive children in September. But he was refused permission to adopt the boy because he was too old and not married.

John’s partner David Furnish said Tuesday the couple was “massively gutted” by the rejection.

Furnish told BBC radio they were working to ensure Lev and his brother “have the best health care, education and family options available to them.”

John and Furnish tied the knot in 2005 in a civil union in Britain. Ukrainian authorities do not recognize gay unions as marriage.

Furnish said the couple would campaign for a change in Ukrainian law.

Beyonce talking Vegas shows with Wynn

Las Vegas — Wynn Las Vegas officials say they’re in preliminary talks with Beyonce to bring the superstar singer back to the Las Vegas resort.

Wynn Resorts spokeswoman Jennifer Dunne says there’s no deal yet, despite published rumors of a lucrative, long-term contract.

Beyonce appeared at the resort from July 30 through Aug. 2 this year while filming a concert DVD. Her shows helped boost visitation to Wynn and its sister Encore Las Vegas resort during a typically slow tourist season in Las Vegas.

Hepburn’s dress takes nearly $100K at auction

London — The black cocktail dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in “How to Steal a Million” has sold for nearly $100,000 at auction.

Kerry Taylor Auctions says the Chantilly lace dress sold to an anonymous bidder for about $97,700.

It was one of 40 items from Hepburn’s wardrobe sold off by her friend Tanja Star-Busmann.

The auctioneer said Tuesday’s sale made a total of about $437,000. It says half of the net proceeds will go to The Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund.

FBI: Mich. pair tried to extort John Stamos

Detroit — Prosecutors have charged two people with threatening to sell photos of actor John Stamos unless he paid them $680,000. The actor’s spokesman said Tuesday that the pictures were benign.

Allison Coss and Scott Sippola were arrested Dec. 3 on an extortion charge at an airport near Marquette, 450 miles north of Detroit. An undercover FBI agent posing as a representative of Stamos had arranged to meet them there.

Stamos’ spokesman Matt Polk said there was nothing embarrassing about the images.

“At the conclusion of the investigation and hearing, the photos will be available and the public will be able to see that the photos are simply John posing with fans,” Polk said Tuesday.

Stamos, 46, is starring on Broadway in “Bye Bye Birdie.” His TV credits include “ER” and “Full House.”