Susan Lucci has fallen for two men — and neither one is named Helmut.
No, Lucci didn’t pull an Erica Kane and fall for another guy. In fact, when I saw her the other night at the Friars Club, where she was the guest of honor/semi-roastee, the former “All My Children” star looked as madly in love with her husband, Helmut Huber, as a woman could be.
And let’s face it, “madly in love” is tough after five years of marriage (ask Erica Kane), let alone 43!
The two new men in Lucci’s life are Marc Cherry — who cast her in ABC’s next surefire prime-time hit, “Devious Maids” — and Investigation Discovery’s Henry Schleiff who cast her as the host of the upcoming, “Deadly Affairs.”
With “Desperate Housewives” going the way of all film, Cherry, the man who created the series, began to develop “Devious Maids” with, of all people, a woman he was about to unemploy, Eva Longoria.
The show, based on a telenovela, is about four maids who work for rich, er, witches, with Lucci playing Genevieve Delacourt, one of the ladies who lunches but doesn’t eat.
Delacourt’s maid is played by Judy Reyes and the others are Anna Ortiz, Dania Ramirez and Roselyn Sanchez.
Although Cherry is the new gold in Hollywood, “We don’t know if it’s a go yet,” Lucci said. “We shot the pilot and everyone was very hands-on. Marc was on the set at all times. It’s pretty hilarious. In a few weeks, after the upfronts on May 15, we should know for sure.”
Lucci’s Genevieve is a woman who has spent her life marrying well for a living — not as many husbands as Erica Kane, but still there have been plenty.
“Genevieve’s had one powerful man after the next and now in her 50s, she’s reduced to seducing pool boys.
“Genevieve has big, big mood swings,” Lucci said laughing out loud.
“Marc Cherry is very funny and an intriguing storyteller. The characters are just delicious.”
The pilot is shot and will be previewed at ABC’s upfront presentation to potential advertisers.
Her other role as host of “Deadly Affairs” is equally delicious, albeit more ironic. It’s reenactments of the crimes of passion committed by real-life Erica Kanes.
To seduce her into taking the gig, Schleiff, she said, “showed up at our first meeting with a full-sized cardboard Erica Kane with blood all over her hands. It was love at first sight.”
Speaking of blood, what about ex-ABC daytime president Brian Frons, who killed “All My Children?”
“Yes, I blame him for ending ‘All My Children’ and the viewers do, too. But [according to Frons] the viewers simply weren’t there anymore.” Reality check: “It’s 40 percent cheaper to produce “The Chew” and “The Revolution.”
But all that bad news and bad blood thrust Lucci into new career options.
“I’ve never done a prime-time show, never danced with four sailors before,” which she did in Gloria Estefan’s music video recently. “I’ve never done any of these things before.”
And “AMC’s” replacement? Call it the revenge of the “Devious Maids.” “The Revolution” (the would-be lead-in to Katie Couric’s upcoming talk show) was canceled a few weeks ago.
Let the revolution begin— and end without Lucci.