Eric Stuart:
Hi

NBCHost:
When did you both realize that you wanted to be actors? Amy K. - West Milford

Tom Eplin:
The profession just picked me.

Eric Stuart:
I decided in high school after I chose acting as a blow off class, and than I realized I actually liked it.

NBCHost:
Reivel Lake Charles, Louisiana I want to know if Tom and Eric get along as well as Jake and Chris and will we see either of them in a new relationship soon?

Tom Eplin:
I have been on the show for 11 years and I have never got along with someone immediately as I have with Eric. I appreciate his talent and look forward to them exploring the friendship as much as possible.

Eric Stuart:
I think that Tom has been a tremendous help as far as understanding this business for someone who is relatively new for soap operas.

Eric Stuart:
I think that our relationship in real life compliments what we do as Jake and Chris. We feel if we are having a good time then the audience will have a good time watching us.

NBCHost:
Do you enjoy playing your role?Is it hard to remember your lines knowing so many people will be watching? steve1p@aol.com for kelli p.s she thinks your so cute.

Eric Stuart:
Yes I do enjoy playing the role. I don’t think about how many people are watching when I am trying to memorize the lines, or I'd go insane...

Tom Eplin:
I can't imagine playing another role other than Jake, and when we tape the show there are not millions of people watching…so we are allowed to make mistakes which allows us to be less nervous.

NBCHost:
This question is for Tom Eplin. I think you are the hottest male on AW. Do you think you and Paulina will get back together? I hope so I loved you too as a couple. I know she's married but it's a soap anything can happen right? from: April Queens, New York

Tom Eplin:
Thanks April! Soooooooooooooooooooooo, you live in New York :-) What is your sign??? I enjoy working with Judy a great deal. I don’t think they have immediate plans as a couple and thank you for the comment but lets keep our fingers crossed!

NBCHost:
Eric - Did you ever want to be a reporter... you seem to really know how to get the story? Joe - Manalapan

Eric Stuart:
No, I never wanted to be a reporter but I did want to be either a newscaster or a disc jockey.…and I went to school originally for communications.

NBCHost:
Tom - Did you have trouble with the story line with Ryan? How did you handle having to pretend that he was not there? Dana - Bloomington, IN

Tom Eplin:
Actually, Ryan was the one dying, not me and I wouldn't say trouble but Paul Michael Valley has a tendency to try to make castmates laugh....

NBCHost:
Hello Tom and Eric! I enjoy both of your character's. Tom I'm interested in knowing if you have license to expand on the dialouge that is written for you. Jake has some of the greatest line's in the show and I wonder if you have any input in those line's. Eric can you tell us in what direction they will be taking your character. Would you like Chris to have a love interest and if so with whom. (Carol, Michigan)

Tom Eplin:
I speak for both of us when I say that we are actors first, not writers and we like to stick to the script as much as possible. Occasionally, we will try to interject some of our brand of humor and that allows our writers to get to know us better.

Eric Stuart:
I would like to see Chris involved with more conflict of any kind. Something that entails him having to fight between his job and possibly his relationship with someone else. Down the road they get to know our humor and we get to know their writing and it works great for everyone. And unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it most of those funny lines come from our writers.

Eric Stuart:
And as far as my love interest there has been one cast and things should start to pick up with us hopefully within the next few months, her name is Toni. And she is a police officer.

NBCHost:
Eric. If you could have any love interest on the show who would it be with and why?

Eric Stuart:
Sophia. Just because it would never happen and because Rachel is taken :-) I just think a Sophia and Chris story line would make for interesting chemistry.

NBCHost:
Tom and Eric.. what do you guys like to do for free time when you are not working? Bonnie from Livingston

Tom Eplin:
Hi Bonnie!

Tom Eplin:
Sail. Fly my own airplane. I live at the beach so I like to walk my dog. And I started to read The Partner the other day.

Eric Stuart:
Hello Bonnie!!!

Eric Stuart:
I love to go to the movies, I like to read comic books and listen to Tom telling me about sailing, flying his dog, and walking his airplane.

Tom Eplin:
I happen to know another one of Eric’s hobbies...it is to coming to my dressing room, brush my dog out and leave my dogs hair on the floor.

NBCHost:
Teri-Denver Tom, do you still conducted seminars? If so when is your next one?

Tom Eplin:
Yes, and it will be advertised soon.

NBCHost:
Eric, Congrats on the recent marriage!! How's it goin'? Shirley in Texas

Eric Stuart:
I am extremely happy and I look forward to spending the rest of my life with my wife.

NBCHost:
Tom.. Do you enjoy working with Jenson Buchanan? You two have great chemistry and I hope you get together :)

Tom Eplin:
I think working with Jensen Buchanan is the best gift I have been given as a actor. They say in an actor’s lifetime you get one great partner, and I have as Tom Skerit said "I have been truly blessed."

NBCHost:
What is the funniest thing that happned on the set? Who's the biggest prankster? Kellie in Orange, CA

NBCHost:
(They are thinking....)

Tom Eplin:
Eric is the one who will come up with the most unexpected lines.

Eric Stuart:
Tom will do some form of physical or sight gag that makes both of us break up.

NBCHost:
Do you ad-lib? Also, did both of you submit your names for Emmy consideration, since the nominations are announced next week?

Tom Eplin:
Neither one of us have nominated ourselves for an Emmy, nor will we for this season even though the test of the daytime community should wake up and smell the coffee and realize that we are "AW's" super couple of the future!!!!!!!!!!

Eric Stuart:
Damn Skippy!!!!!!!!!

Tom Eplin:
But seriously, thank you for the compliment and we do have a great time together.

Eric Stuart:
As far as the ad-libs, during rehearsal Tom and I may say things just for fun that we don’t expect to get on the air and occasionally if its liked by the directors and producers, they will let us keep it.

NBCHost:
Amanda from Virginia--How do the two of you think Michael Malone's arrival will effect the stories on the show? Can we look forward to good things?

Tom Eplin:
Everyone at "AW" is very excited about the arrival of Michael. His history in daytime speaks for itself and not only can we expect good things but Eric and I promise you that we are going to knock you on your a...

NBCHost:
Will both of you be attending the AW Fan Club Luncheon in April??? Andrea C. -- North Carolina

Eric Stuart:
One of us will for sure. Tom's going to do his best.

NBCHost:
Hi guys, big fan of the soap since the beginning. I wanted to say first, congratulations to Tom for his award! My question is will Jake and Amanda become an item and do they have a love interest in mind for Chris? Happy Easter! Tracey from Revere, M

Tom Eplin:
Oh, thank you!

Tom Eplin:
Decisions, decisions. Amanda - Vicky - Vicky - Amanda. I just hope it works out so that it makes an interesting and compelling story and catapults us past every Bill Bell show!

Eric Stuart:
Yes they have and its about !@@##%$$%^$%^&$%&^*^**#%^*&(((%*($&(*$^&%^@$% time!!!!!!!!

NBCHost:
I like Chris's integrity. He always does the "smart" thing. I think a relationship with Toni would be great. (is that Diana Ross's daughter?) I think Jake is better as Vicky's best friend. A totally new love interest would be better for Jake.

Eric Stuart:
Thank you also and to your other question - YES!

Eric Stuart:
No, not since the accident!

NBCHost:
Was there a Final Four Basketball Pool at "AW"? Who are your picks to go all the way? (Regina L. "Go Tar Heels")

Eric Stuart:
NO pool! No picks... no idea

Tom Eplin:
Do the Raiders play?????

NBCHost:
Hi Tom & Eric! Thanks for bringing some comedy back to AW. Who do you admire most in the acting profession? T.Foster Université Sainte-Anne, NS, CANADA

Tom Eplin:
Eric

Eric Stuart:
Tom

Eric Stuart:
Seriously, I think after a conversation I had today with Tom, he has a great deal of respect for Harrison Ford after last nights interview with Barbara Walters.

NBCHost:
FYI, there is a loyal group of AW fans who chat in the Bay City room on AOL. Please join us anytime. Lisa in Iowa

Eric Stuart:
Thanks, I did not know.... I will try and check in some time as soon as I get a modem.

NBCHost:
Tom, you said you were an animal lover, If you had to choose a favorite farm animal...what would it be? Eric you can answer this too. (Ed the Farmer from KS)

Tom Eplin:
I love all kinds of animal including Eric and especially my dog.

Eric Stuart:
Elephant!!

NBCHost:
Do you get along well with Robert Kelker Kelly? Thanks for the fab shows!! :-) Tim@aol.com

Tom Eplin:
You are welcome for the fab shows. I get along great with Robert. I have as much respect for Robert as any actor I worked with and my mom thinks he is the sexiest man on daytime (which kind of hurts if you know what that means) He is a great, great asset to our show!

NBCHost:
Tom and Eric: Please say Hi to my mother Sheila, she has parkinson's disease and is not able to type in for herself! She loves you both! Whitney in Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Tom Eplin:
Hello, Sheila.

Tom Eplin:
We will try to sneak something in about Oak Ridge and you will know what we mean!

Eric Stuart:
Sheila, we thank you so much for watching and we will continue to think of you and pray for you!

NBCHost:
Barb, from New Jersey, How many fans send letters to you complete with "intimate" photos of themselves?

Tom Eplin:
NOT ENOUGH!!

Eric Stuart:
I usually get farm animals!

Tom Eplin:
Which translates to not enough!

NBCHost:
Amber Landry - Miami Tom- I am a senior studying theatre at The University of Miami. I have always been interested in acting for daytime soaps. How does one get started on that track, and how did you get started?

Tom Eplin:
My advice to anyone trying to get into this business (who is serious about the business) to get as much training as possible. Move to one of the major cities where soaps are done, ie., NY, LA. Do as much community theater as possible! And talk to the man every Sunday it never hurts!

NBCHost:
What do you think of this idea for a primetime sitcom: "Eplin"? A show set in NY about nothing. Also starring Eric Stuart as "Cosmo." (Tracy A in AK)

Tom Eplin:
LOVE THAT. We are sitting with network executives right now asking the same question.

NBCHost:
Speaking of animals...what do you think about this sheep cloning business? Would you want a clone of yourself?

Eric Stuart:
I personally am scared of cloning across the board. I am afraid of what it may lead to in the future and there is no way in hell I would ever want to clone myself because I saw that movie MULTIPLICITY and if I came home and found my clone in bed with my wife there would be clone parts splattered all over the room!

Tom Eplin:
In closing thank you for the support of the show. I think I speak of both of us when I say when day in and day out we try to provide you with as much range and entertainment as we can muster. CBS is dry and boring. ABC is glitsy and fake. May the force be with you and stay with the NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY. I want to go eat now :) DONT PRINT THAT!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Eric Stuart:
cccccccccccc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Ccccccccccccc! Good Night! :) We love you!

Eric Stuart:
Keep writing.. keep watching and keep sending the pictures! Lots of pictures!

Tom and Eric:
Thanks for the largest amount of questions...on an NBC chat. We will be doing our next chat butt naked..

NBCHost:
THANK YOU for a great chat everyone. :-)