Bold and Beautiful: The Lost Generation

A discussion began on a Bold and Beautiful board about Phoebe’s death, questioning why the writers decided to kill the character off.  Many of us have been asking the same question.  In the long run, there doesn’t seem to have been any real benefit to having the character destroyed.  There also doesn’t seem to be a formula for determining which characters are killed off in daytime and which live,  is there ever an objective assessment of what the long term impact is of killing off characters?

The ever stellar Lesli Kay’s Felicia was saved after ‘dying’ from stage 4 colon cancer.  Despite the improbable odds that Felicia could be saved and make a full recovery.  LK brought so much to the role of Felicia that her resurrection made sense.  It would have continued to make sense had  the writers then used the character or something other than window dressing for the rest of the  time she was onscreen.

Given the choice, I would have selected at least three or four other characters whose deaths would have better served the show than Phoebe’s death.  The only seeming long term effect of her death seems to have been the long term damage to a generation of  Logan-Forrester  legacy characters. The short term  fall out from the character’s death was marvelous!  Ridge tapped into emotions that even he didn’t know he had.   Brooke and Ridge were tested in a way that seemed to make it clear that they had whatever it took to survive any storm, even one as big as this – Rick is her son, but also Ridge’s his brother/nemeis and Phoebe is his daughter, Brooke’s beloved stepdaughter.  The writers then blew the BRidge relationship to soaphell (later recovering nicely).

The other short term event that played out nicely?  Rick had to face the fact that his hatred and spiteful behavior, contributed to Pheebs’ death. Even if he didn’t cause the accident he was responsible for the pain and anger she was feeling before she died.  It was tragic and poetic, but it went no where fast!  Rick became even more malevolent.  He became angrier and even more controlling and no one connected to feelings of guilt or anxiety linked to his role in Phoebe’s death.  Instead, Rick became a malignant narcissist and taunted his brother Ridge for his pain, he slept with Phoebe’s twin, informed Ridge that twin Steffy’s  ass was ‘his’, he stole from his family, and even told Ridge to say goodbye to his ‘other daughter’.  It would have been  a typical villain’ s act,  had the writers wanted us to view Rick as a villain.  BnB writers have a magnificent penchant for turning characters who would be villains in any other format into simply ‘misunderstood’ people (see Stephanie Forrester, who’s only counterpart is Hels Cassadine, GH).  Only, I consider it confusing and not so maginificent.

It would have been great for this to have been bratty Rick’s transformational moment and for him to have become a better person. I would have liked to have seen a complex, layered Rick struggle with wanting to support his mother, fight for HER happiness instead of her fighting for his – even with a man he couldn’t stand, and feeling troubled by the fact that supporting Brooke could hurt taylor and her brood. He could have been overwhelmed by the guilt of not wanting to cause them any more unhappiness. The guilt could have caused Rick psychological distress and he could have had some sort of genuine breakdown (a soapy approach to DID = multiple personality disorder? Depression and suicidal behavior? or A psychotic break?)

The storyline could have led to some sort of growth for taylor.  Instead of using Pheebs death to try to get back into Ridge’s bed, she could have had a crisis of faith. She could have become openly angry and vengeful and gas-lighted a psychologically frail Rick (rather than the passive manipulator she has always been). Who could blame her for hating him AND herself for letting Rick into their lives? It would make sense of her lie that Rick ‘took advantage’ of her. That lie would have become part of the game. She could have gone so dark that even satan’s handmaiden would have become afraid of her and the twist would have been watching Stephanie protecting Rick from taylor, for BOTH of their sakes.

Imagine, instead of Brooke and Ridge fighting over her protecting Rick, that they fought over Brooke trying to protect Rick from taylor!  Ridge would be too consumed with guilt to worry about whether taylor was actually setting Rick up to become even more divorced from reality and possibly setting Rick up to either hurt himself or at least institutionalized for the rest of his life. Even if he knew she was, his love for Broke would be in conflict for his desire to see revenge and he might let taylor continue on (not caring that she was being destroyed in the process). He wouldn’t help her, he just wouldn’t stop her.

A new woman would be cast for Rick to date many months after Pheebs died, but he would still have a hard time getting close to her because he would believe that he was undeserving of happiness. He’d end up seeing Pheebs dying every time he tried to get close to her. She’s the one would figure out hat taylor was setting Rick up and stop her. Rick would eventually recover, unable to hate taylor because of Pheebs

taylor would end up in the position she wanted to put Rick in and is institutionalized for the next 30 years – where soap time = real time!  Brilliant!

That’s what would have played out for me over the next year, instead of the pimping of Phoebe’s ghost for sex, the fighting between BRidge, Steph setting up her vulnerable son, Tommy boy bombing cars on public lots, Rick and Steffy having sex, and pretty much everything else that played out after she died.  Of the current generation of Logan-Forrester kids, only Bridget is left with the potential to be a heroine and likable.

I’m both excited by AJ’s Bridget being in an upcoming frontburner storyline with Sarah Joy Brown’s Sandy Sommers, and concerned.  The only BnB characters who can remain likable for long periods of time are often those the writers haven’t concentrated on.  With the spotlight on ‘Budge’, I’m going to have to count on Ashley Jones to navigate the character through disjointed dialogue, inconsistent plots, and the most improbable of situations.  Her Bridget is the last of her kind, the last likable character of her generation on Bold.

Is it wrong? (General Hospital)

That I love the idea of:

… GH’s Patrick being a wanton sex god?  How unrealistic would it have been for Patrick’s ex-hookup’s good friend to not give him the eye?  His reputation precedes him!  I don’t mind that other women give him the eye, want to seduce him, or think he’s hot… as long as he remains Robin’s wanton sexgod, I’m all good! We had another of those rare moments in soaps, last week.  A reformed playboy let’s those around him know that he’s HAPPY with his life and wouldn’t trade being a father and husband in and any part of his past.   We need moments like that to wash the rest of it clean!  By the time he was getting the lusty eye from the new ADA, it just rolled off me.  No Scrubs Love fear that she would drive a wedge between them.  OH, and double bonus points for the writers having Robin use the phrase “Scorpio Drake family”.

… SB’s ‘Claudia’ end coming near.  The writers are making Claudia such  a despicable toon that she really does deserve to have something awful happen to her (I’m thinking prison, where both she AND Sonny belong – not murder).  I have to be honest.  I don’t want her to ‘get what’s coming’ because she’s despicable – that’s what also makes her FUN.  I can’t wait for her to go because SB then turns up as ‘Sandy Sommers’ on the BnB the following day and I’ve been aching in anticipation of seeing what gifts she brings to the show.

…Greg Vaughn being the “Lucky” to win Elizabeth’s heart before JJ’s episodes begin airing?  Won’t happen, I know, but it would have been the most decent thing TPTB could have done for GV’s fans.  It would send Vaughn’s Lucky out on a high note (if you can count winning cheating Elizabeth’s heart for a moment a ‘high’).  Vaughn has taken the character of Lucky to some pretty dramatic highs – through the character’s emotional lows following the drug addiction storyline.  I can’t imagine even the beloved JJ doing such a great job with the storyline.  Don’t get me wrong, I love JJ’s interpretation of Lucky – he originated the role a nd made the character one to root for, I just couldn’t see him pulling the story off as well as Vaughn did.

…Alexis finally being the person to catch the perfect daughter in the act of throwing herself away on some pinhead?  Sam, on one hand, is doing the responsible thing by making sure “K” is protected from her own bad choices, but at the same time, it’s bothersome that Alexis is completely cut out of her daughter’s life.  (Honestly, I’m shocked that no one has run to Sonny to have him break the kid’s kneecaps. He’s treated as more of a parent to Kristina than Alexis is).  The writers continue to lead Alexis out to the edge to try to  ‘make sense’ of the fact that she’s not the person her daughter trusts, even after she took the rap for Claudia’s accident.   Sorry writers, we know that Alexis is too clever to keep going after Michael and trying to drive a wedge between the siblings.   The brilliant woman she was before becoming a ‘Sonny’s Baby Mama’ would have made sure that Michael and ‘K’ spent most of their time at her home, so that should keep an eye on them.  THIS Alexis is ingracious and obnoxious… and I’m not buying it.

… Dominante taking the mob boys down?  UH!  I’m living for the day Sonny and Jason are in adjoining cells and wearing orange jumpsuits!  Dominante was sickened at how easily Sonny ordered another man’s death.  Will that change once he finds out that Sonny is his father?  I hope not.  I hope he continues to be repulsed by Sonny, and maybe by his mother for having loved a man like that.   I would rather see Sonny finally have to work to win someone else’s respect.   I don’t just want Sonny and Jason to have to do some time in prison and lose all of their assets.  I want this to be a new beginning for them.  I hope this means that the writers are closer than ever to bringing the mob to an end… dare to dream?  If the writers must keep them around, drop the dark drama that surrounds them!

… the new Cassadine wiping the floor with Nik?  Sorry folks, I’m not interested in his redemption.

In for a Penny, in for a Pound: Diversity in Daytime

Victoria, Rowell, the ex- Drucilla Winters. This image may be subject to copyright - all rights retained by the original owner

The SON commnunity has been having  a wonderful discussion about diversity stemming from Christel Khalil’s interview.   I thought I would post some ‘final thoughts’ (HA!) about the matter:

YnR writers aren’t writing ‘color blind’ storylines, in my opinion. I would love to believe that CK’s Lily is the perfect example of  ‘post racial’ storyline telling.  It would make sense if it were true of all storylines regarding all characters.  As it stands, only Lily is the ‘integrated character’… and for what reason?  To what end?  Not in the history of daytime has any non-minority character shared screen time almost exclusively with minority characters, to the exclusion of all other non-minority characters.  That’s not ‘integration’.  That’s not ‘color blind’ storytelling.  I think it’s a travesty and it sells the audience short to think we wouldn’t notice.

Bear with me as I do something I rarely do in this blog, at least, and that’s comment on my perceptions of an actor’s talent.   I find the writers pushing CK’s Lily to the exclusion of almost all other multicultural characters especially  troubling because, in my opinion, I find CK’s performances LIFELESS!  I honest to goodness don’t know how anyone avoids holding a mirror to her face to check for breathing whenever she’s not speaking.  Her inflections feel wrong in pretty much every scene and I think her acting choices leave A LOT to be desired.  I think CK’s Lily sucks the breath out of every scene she’s in.   Any male paired with her becomes the same walking sleeping pill she is.

Kristoff St. John probably whizzes away more talent after a stiff drink than CK will ever have – pardon the coarse expression. Victoria Rowell could sleepwalk and do a better job.  Yet, neither actor is around to do a darned thing, with the exception of KSJ’s far too infrequent appearances, because the writers seem to believe that their ‘diversity standard’ is set by Lily and that the diversity the Winters family once provided is no longer needed.

The Winters as a family was beloved and embraced by fans because they were authentic in representing the spectrum of life that most families have, including African-American family-  Bless Bill Bell for knowing that and giving us:

• Neil, straight-laced high achieving all around good guy.   He is sometimes a little too impressed with the sound of his own voice and his own magnificence, but he means well.
• Dru, reformed from her bad girl days, criminal record, rejected child acting out.  She was a screwed up child who became an extraordinary woman.  I could EASILY cut away three or more characters from YnR to have her back… EASILY.  She was worth every one of them PLUS!
• Olivia, another high achieving privileged first born.  Olivia was  a bit of a judgmental prig and the thought that Liv and Neil would have eventually gotten together was enough to make me shudder.  They would have been daytime’s first African-American stuporcouple.
• Malcolm, wild child, playboy/sexgod/work in progress and still a man with a good heart.  I never knew whether to root for him to be redeemed or for him to continue on in his naughty naughty ways!
• Mamie, loving and devoted aunt, not a lot of money or education, but she’s gives all the right things. She takes in the unwanted, unloved Dru and helps her turn her life around.  When the writers focused on her relationship with Dru and Liv, she was the middle class version of ‘Auntie Mame‘.
• Nate, a good guy who had a rough start in life but turned everything around.    Nate had ‘rootability’ from the beginning, in my book.  He had to be Dru’s hero, and I’m glad that he was.  Each of us probably knows a RL ‘Nate’, a man who took back his life and ‘made good’.
• I’m still wishing for ‘Little Nate’s’ return.  I wonder what he would make of his family, now.
• And now Devon rounds out the family (not sure if he was Bill Bell’s creation or not, but I’m glad he’s on board).   College student, survivor, a little screwed up, but he completes the family.

Nate Sr. has died, Malcolm is off in the world,  and I have no idea where Mamie is (forgot).  Devon and Neil are occasionally  seen.
Everyone else? Traded in and we’re left with  LILY.
What a slap!

Regarding MarkH’s insightful question of whether Dru’s presence made  Olivia’s introduction possible?  Was Olivia more acceptable because of Dru?

Dru wasn’t the ‘default standard’, for me. I loved the way the two sisters complemented one another. I wouldn’t have wanted EITHER woman, alone. Liv, the accomplished doctor, who was still a little too ‘sorority girl’ (along with Ashley – they were so sappy sweet together, I developed cavities when they were on screen together). Then there was Dru, the street kid.

Dru was never ‘good enough’ for her mother.  Her mother never wanted to have another child after the perfect LIV and didn’t so much as notice that her daughter couldn’t read.   Liv was the heir, Dru was the spare. It’s such a classic ‘family’ story (not just “African-American” story) and it was wonderful to see these two sisters play off of one another, genuinely loving one another but being divided by the strife their mother created.

Minorities/underrepresented groups so rarely get to have the balanced portrayals that non-minority groups do that we’re caught struggling with our feelings about the few characters who are supposed to represent us.  Drucilla alone feels like a cruel joke – daytime writers once again indulging their fantasies about who black women are. Olivia alone feels somewhat like a different kind of repudiation of culture (much like Lily). Bill Bell was master enough to appreciate that and I think he really understood that in both simple and complex ways that the current YnR writers are ignorant of, or seem to be.

OLTL writers ” got it” and provided balance with the ‘good sib’ and the ‘troubled sib’. It’s how they wrote: Nate and RJ Gannon, and Cristian and Antonio (as well as Vicki and Todd, and Natalie and Jessica).

Victoria Rowell played ‘The Race Card’?

THIS article (posted at The Huffington Post)  won’t seem like it has much to do with the comments Victoria Rowell made regarding the status of African-American actors and actresses on the YnR, and daytime in general.  If you have the time, however, please read it.  If not, at least please view the video below.  While neither the article nor the video seem as if they have any connection to the comments  leveled by Ms. Rowell or at her since her departure from the genre, I urge you  to hang in there with me, and give me a minute to put it all in context.

(WARNING!!!!!!!!!!  The video below is of performers appearing in ‘black face’ as the ‘Jackson 5’ and another performer appearing in ‘white face’ as Michael Jackson):

There’s something you need to keep in mind about these performers.  They are all real life friends, and  real life physicians.  They were INVITED to come back and perform that routine,  having originally performed it some 20 years ago on the same show -when they were all medical students.  Shocking, huh?  It blows away the stereotype/the myth that only deeply evil or completely ignorant and uneducated people, all of whom are beyond reason, engage in such inappropriate behaviors.   Some acts of racism are intentional, others are not.  Some acts of racism are meant to wound, others are not.   Some actions aren’t deemed racist in the times they occur, but with reflection we can see the harm they caused.

How will we ever know the difference if we never take another person’s charge of racism seriously when it happens?  (That question also includes the other  ‘isms’ we often pretend aren’t happening:  sexism, ageism, and homophobia/orientationism).  If we never embrace and examine another person’s charge of bias when it occurs – we are doomed to repeat damning patterns of inflicting pain.  We’ll continue to expect others to live with our messes, grin and bear our ignorance, suffer in silence and just be a good ‘team player’.

As I’m reading the message boards about the  ‘conflict’ between Victoria Rowell and Christel Khalil, I’m deeply saddened by the use of the phrase ‘race card’ in reference to Ms. Rowell’s charges that she and other African-American actors were treated unfairly backstage at the YnR.  The ‘race card’ charge is being leveled  by fans and others, especially given Khalil’s recent interview with Buzzworthy radio (you can hear that interview by clicking:  Khalil Interview.  It should be noted that Ms. Khalil is not making that charge, to my knowledge).

The next time someone uses that phrase, I would appreciate a definition of the term to accompany it.  What does it mean to those who’ve used the term?  I’m African-American and I’ve  never received one!  I don’t know any other person of color who owns one.  As I understand it, it’s a ‘get out of <insert problem> free’ card.  You can ‘play’ it and everyone around you bends to your will.  Is that what it is?   And if so,  just how is that workin’ <g> for everyone?  Who has successfully played this mysterious ‘race card’?

GH  dismantled the ‘Asian Quarter’  more than a decade ago.  The only lead African-American male, and one who was connected to one of the show’s prominent core families, was found dead and stuffed in the trunk of a car — THE TRUNK — and he was an attorney.  Of course, he’s the only prominent attorney I can remember who fell in with the mob and was killed for it.  Latinos on GH???  Does Michael’s ex-nanny, Leticia, count?  There were the Alcazars, but they were criminals.  Sonny?  Enough said?

AMC has FINALLY brought the Hubbards back, but the Santos family is long gone.

DAYS?  Technically they still have Abe and Lexie, but other than her getting it on with any new (and young) man who comes to town, there isn’t ever much of a storyline for either of them.  We’ll see what happens with Rafe  and his growing family.

Every soap has its own problems with ‘race’, though OLTL leads the pack in trying to get things right, as far as I’m concerned.

So who has successfully played this ‘race card’?  The writers backstage?  How many writers of color are there in ALL of daytime?  Head writers?  Executive Producers?  Heads of Daytime of any of the networks?  Directors?  HELL, stage managers?  Whoever these successful ‘race card players’ are, someone should give them Victoria Rowell’s phone number.  Apparently they play it well and I’d love to see her back onscreen again!   The trouble for Ms. Rowell is that whenever she’s accused of playing it, she’s also accused of being ‘crazy’, or words to that effect.

When Peter Bergman implied that Victoria Rowell was imbalanced for her criticisms of the treatment of minority actors and characters,  it was heartbreaking.  I can only imagine that Ms. Rowell was in shock, having worked on the same set with the man for so long. I don’t know how she actually felt, I don’t know her.  I do know what I felt when I read his words.  I know how I reacted as a fan.  I  was DONE with him.  I haven’t rooted for him as an actor, or for his onscreen character, since that time.    In a June 2007 Interview with TV Guide

TVG: What did you think of Victoria Rowell [ex-Drucilla, Y&R] lambasting the Emmy system in Soaps in Depth, calling it ‘contaminated,’ and daytime ‘racist’ because she failed to be recognized by her cast?
PB: I look at her with compassion and concern. I don’t think she’s playing with a full deck.

TVG: And the work being judged began in January 2006. When the Emmys air, we’re already into half a year of eligibility for next year’s Emmys!
PB: Exactly. It’s a flawed system, which was born from another flawed system. We haven’t perfected it yet. Another weird thing: I got my pre-nomination on either the 16th or 18th of January. When the Emmys air on June 15, it will be half a year this process has been going on! I mean, come on! There is so much about it that’s maddening, especially with the pre-nominations. For Victoria Rowell, I don’t even know what to say about her because she’s not grounded in reality, however, the system does amount to a popularity contest. You’ve heard all the rumours of who is reviled on their soaps, and that ultimately costs them a nomination even if they had the goldest of golden years.

Has any other actor been called ‘crazy’ (or words to that effect) when they’ve commented on the unfair Emmy process?  PB dismissed Ms. Rowell without refuting any of her claims.   What evidence did he offer that there WAS NO racism either backstage or in the Emmy system?  That, in itself, suggests to me that Ms. Rowell was waging an untenable battle  on a daily basis.  Who took her voice seriously?    PB’s comments, in my book, came across as incredibly self-important, ignorant, arrogant, and self-indulgent – that’s THIS fan’s perspective, you may have viewed his comments differently.  How many African-American actresses have won a daytime (or even prime time) Emmy as Best Actress?  Best Supporting Actress?

From Tom O’Neil (March 2009):

Angela Bassett would make Emmy history if she wins lead actress for ‘ER’

There is a spirited debate in the forums about whether Angela Bassett of “ER” should put herself forward in the lead or supporting category at this year’s Emmy Awards. The Oscar-nominated actress (“What’s Love Got to Do With It”) has joined the cast of the NBC medical drama as attending physician Cate Banfield for the final season of its 15-year run. Were she to get a lead nod and then win, Angela Bassett would make Emmy history as the first African American actress to prevail for a regular lead role on a drama series.  (Read the rest of the article by clicking on ‘Tom O’Neil’, above)

EMMY HISTORY?  In 2009!?!?!?  Click HERE for the ‘Prime Time’ list… I could find no such list for Daytime, if you know of one, let me know.  My current understand is that NO African-American actress has won for Lead or Supporting.

Victoria, Rowell, the ex- Drucilla Winters. This image may be subject to copyright - all rights retained by the original owner

My  interpretation of Mr. Bergman’s comments is that he seems to suggest that things are good for him, so they’re good across the board -, but your mileage may vary in your interpretation.  It strikes me as odd because the man was in a storyline about his “Vietnamese family” (and they were treated as such, never fully integrated into the Abbott family and then written off as quick as an eyeblink given what should have been a prominent status).  Was that not odd?  One of the longest running African-American characters on the show was a woman who served as the Abbott maid, Dru and Olivia’s aunt, a woman named ‘Mamie’ (and if you think about the significance of her name, and her status, you get it).   Ashley was Liv’s sorority sister and despite having no other real friends, they almost never speak.  The YnR made a big production of signing the first lead Asian-American male role in daytime… and then killed him off relatively soon after:  Eric Steinberg’s Ji Min Kim.

NO lead actress/supporting actress Emmys for black actresses, not once in the history of the Emmys and Rowell is  ‘not playing with a full deck’?  Is it possible that Ms. Rowell isn’t crazy, but that she has a different perspective?  Is it possible that she’s thinking about the underside of the industry that doesn’t seem to be openly discussed often enough?  The side of the industry that has existed without intense scrutiny for far too long?  I’m disheartened when thinking that Ms. Rowell spoke out, alone, and that there were no real advocates on her side – at least none that I could find.  I’m disheartened to think that  some of her colleagues still seem to think it’s  perfectly fine to dismiss her as a  ‘difficult’ person, instead of a FRUSTRATED person who may believe that she has to fight for thing things that others seem to take for granted in their work.  I’ve been there.  I know what it’s like to show up day after day and believe that your contribution won’t carry the same weight as others (who may have even contributed less).  I know what it’s like to feel obligated to mention the inequalities and to fight for new standard only to realize that to others it means that you’re being ‘difficult’.  I’m saddened that Ms. Rowell seems to be dismissed as a stereotypically ‘angry black female’, rather than having anyone address the merits of her argument.  That her argument has not been addressed, but that she instead is the focus of any response I’ve heard, suggests to me that there’s something there worth exploring.

I’m glad to hear Kristoff St. John – also on Buzzworthy Radio,  speak out about a similar issue, the problem of diversity overall in daytime and specifically on the YnR (There are no comments from anyone associated with the show which have referred to KSJ as being ‘divorced from reality’, as far as I know!).  It seems that most of the core Winters family have spoken up about the same issue.  You can hear the KSJ interview by clicking HERE.
For the record, I don’t think that the actors, writers, producers, and others are overtly racist.   That’s not the point of this article.  The point of this article is that no matter where we are in our lives, there are very good people, all of whom mean well, but who sometimes have poor judgment – as with our physician friends above.  We are sadly as not introspective about our own ideas, motives, actions as we are judgmental about those of others.  As I think about Ms Rowell’s reactions to very serious issues related to racial diversity in daytime, I am empathetic.  To not want to be subjected to well-meaning, yet still soul searing, unintentional assaults does not make one:

• mean and nasty
• crazy
• troubled
• delusional
• disruptive
• unreasonable
• too ‘PC’
• too sensitive
• ungrateful
• too outspoken
• ridiculous

or any other  adjective you might add with a similar sentiment.  It just makes you tired and, yes, sometimes a little angry.  There’s a reason Ms. Rowell has continued to be embraced by so many African-American viewers, and not just as ‘Drucilla’.  I would love for her to continue to speak out, and for others to listen, and to ultimately correct any situation that bears correcting.

*****************

Edited to add a great big special thanks to the brilliant-as-always Adampascalfan for the comment about Debbie Morgan. I found this: “…The talented thespian, who portrays sensible and nurturing Dr. Angela Baxter Hubbard on ABC’s long-running soap opera, became the first (and) only African-American actress to win a Daytime Emmy Award in 1989 when she won (in a tie-can’t the Emmy jurors let a sister get her shine on solo?) when she won for Best Supporting Actress…”   Essence

TGVN: Eric Braeden Opens up

Just one  of several questions and answers from Michael Logan’s insightful interview:

You’ve stayed true to Y&R since the day you arrived. Unlike many other actors in daytime, you never quit to go pursue other roles.

I’ve never left and I’ve been on the show for nearly 30 years now. What the soap medium has given me is a chance to play a huge scale of emotions that one rarely has a chance to play in primetime or film, and I have appreciated that enormously. But, as it turns out, the contracts you sign are not worth the paper they’re written on thanks to this ridiculous clause where they have a right to change anything or let you go every 26 weeks. It’s a joke. Our union ought to be ashamed of itself for having [allowed] this. And for the show to actually invoke that clause after one has served loyally and lovingly for 30 years is unconscionably ungracious.

Many fans have stayed loyal, too, and we’re also getting the big kiss off when TPTB keep killing off and getting rid of beloved vets and giving us ‘substitutes’ instead.  Read the rest of this interview by clicking HERE.  The entire enterview is a ‘must read’ for any daytime fan, not just fans of the YnR, or TGVN, Himself!

The Cougar and The Kitten

For as much as I’m enjoying the beastly behavior of the BnB’s new bad girl, Steffy Forrester, someone has to clue me in as to why Owen would even consider  fooling around with  Steffy and risk losing his wife for her.  Sure, she’s young, but what else does she have to offer?

She’s not well-educated.

She’s not interesting.

She’s not accomplished.

She’s certainly not bright.

The only thing she has to offer Owen is sex, and let’s face it, given Jackie’s past and varied experiences, she can rock Owen’s world forwards and backwards.  As for Steffy, seriously, what man REALLY wants to go there with a woman whose first sexual experience was with the man she use to call ‘Uncle’ until just a few years before she slept with him? To make matters worse, “Uncle Rick” was using her after having already slept with her mother and having tried to sleep with her twin before that.  What a catch Steffy would be!

The only thing that makes Steffy remotely interesting is her status as a third generation hypocrite.  She, like her mother and grandmother before her, has spent her time judging other ‘less worthy humans’ for their actions.  It was just a few short weeks ago that Steffy was pointing her crooked finger at Brooke and proclaiming her a certain kind of woman, one who didn’t respect other people’s families and relationships.  Oddly enough, she was sitting in judgment of Brooke while trying to break up Brooke’s family.  It’s a good thing for Jackie that she’s not married to a relative of Steffy’s… a least not a relative Steffy would be comfortable sleeping with, because familial relationships mean nothing on this soap and for Steffy intra-familial loving draws her like a moth to the flame.   If Jackie was married to a distant enough relative, there would be no stopping Ms. Steffy, who wouldn’t let go until she had him.  As it stands, she’ll probably grow bored of Owen by the time the newest ‘near relative’ hits town.

No matter where the writers take Jackie and Owen in the future, I want Jackie to at least have an early victory over smug homewrecking Steffy (wasn’t that what Steffy called Brooke, or how she thought of her?  Ah, sweet irony!)  I would like to see the ‘older woman’ win at least once.  Stephanie Forrester, for obvious reasons, never had that victory – but she was a different kind of woman.  She as filled with anger and vitriol.  She was cold and aloof, and had little time to return the love she was given — she was too fixated on her obsessions, most especially her Logan obsession.  Jackie is warm, and loving, and cares deeply and passionately for those she around her. That a woman like Jackie regardless of her age would lose out to a dim bulb like Steffy is almost inconceivable.

Jackie’s very existence is antithetical to that of Steffy’s.  Where Steffy still lives off the graces of her parents, Jackie controls an empire of her own making.  Where Steffy is maze dull, Jackie is a bright woman (who occasionally does dumb things – Deacon).  Steffy thinks the world revolves around her and her needs and desires.    Jackie can be misguided, but her focus is on what she believes she needs to do to make others happy.   Hands down, Jackie is the winner.  Steffy?  Not so much.

I’ve gotta’ feeling…

Just for the hell of it…

About James Franco joining GH…

How does this statement read to YOU:

Executive producer Jill Farren Phelps says it’s “an honor that an actor of Franco’s caliber would choose to spend some of his valuable time in Port Charles.”

Read More at:   The Huffington Post

DAYS: Chock full of surprises…

Maggie and Melanie… It’s no secret that I’m a Melanie Layton/Molly Burnett fan.  MB brings back some of the best moments of daytime for me.  I think of her portrayal of Melanie as a cross between Lynn Herring’s wicked bad girl Lucy Coe and Jackie Zeman’s vulnerable bad girl Bobbie Spencer.  There’s something fun and light-hearted about MB’s approach to ‘Melanie’ and having removed the dead weight of big brother ‘Max’ makes her even more fun to watch.

As  a BnB viewer… yeah, yeah, it’s back on my playlist, I’m use to a very typical, but sadly misogynistic relationship between older women and younger women in daytime.  Older women in daytime, despite their own questionable histories, become renewed virgins and unreproachable paragons of virtue.  Stephanie Forrester (who in her youth slept with two men in a matter of weeks, lied about it, and passed one man’s child off as another’s) routinely  refers to young women she dislikes as ‘whores’ and ‘sluts’ even if they have a SINGLE partner – men they’re married to or dating.  She gives a ‘pass’ to younger women she likes and whose histories may be equally questionable to if not worse than her own.

On each soap you can name a woman who should be a mentor to women of the younger generation and who, instead, belittles and demeans them.  Not our Maggie.  Maggie knows what it means to be unfaithful to a good man who loves you and to find yourself caught up in a major scandal.  Of course, there were no sex tapes to be distributed on the internet as evidence in her time, but that’s neither here nor there.  Maggie embraced Melanie earlier  on and continues to embrace her.

She’s not concerned that Melanie isn’t good enough for her grandson.  She’s concerned that Melanie doesn’t realize her own value and will end up being hurt by a man unworthy of her love – with Phllip Kiriakis being exactly the sort of trouble Maggie described to Melanie… oh how I thought I’d lose my lunch during his speech about knowing a woman who accepts him for who he is and who isn’t out to change him… Let’s face it, there’s a lot about Phillip that REQUIRES changing.  Now that he’s moving in on Melanie like a heat seeking missile, both Maggie and Nate have their work cut out for them, stopping Melanie from becoming her own worst enemy and giving in to Phillip.  Phillip will no doubt continue to toy with Melanie’s feelings while bouncing back between her and Stephanie.  Let’s hope that Melanie will take Maggie’s counsel to heart.   I love the relationship that’s developed between the inexperienced but headstrong Melanie, and her generous and loving mentor.  Who’d a thunk it?  Women don’t actually hate each other!

Brady/Nicole/EJ. How amazing are Brady and Nicole on screen together?  EM’s use of subtle cues to lead us to realize that there’s still something very real between the pair makes every scene worth watching.  I keep waiting for the next ‘cue’.    While Nicole was crying and begging Brady to be the good friend she’s needed, to help her keep the daughter and husband she loves more than her own life – I thought it was Brady who would collapse into Nicole’s arms.   He seemed to feel every bit of her pain.  Notice how he held her just a little too long as she thanked him for saving her family?   Brady would do anything for Nicole.  When it comes to this woman, clearly his heart allows him to betray his head as long as she needs him.

The big shocker was having EJ tape Nicole’s conversations and learn about the miscarriage through her.  I was prepared for Kate’s move into the mansion to be the catalyst for having Nicole and EJ’s marriage destroyed by Kate…Kate would overhear Nicole and Mia, blackmail Nicole, EJ would catch them.. that’ s par for the course in daytime, but not this time.  Nicole’s own need to confess all to Brady and to keep him involved in her whacked out plan to save her marriage did her in.  Oh the irony!

I would love for EJ, for ONCE, to be a real man –  THAT would be  a welcomed surprise.  I would love for him to love Nicole and Sydney as he should, as much as they love him… but he won’t.  He’s not capable of it.  H won’t care that Nicole, as misguided as her actions were, took Sydney in to protect him, to stop his heart from breaking as hers had.  He won’t care that she wanted to prevent him from losing a child he knew nothing about to complete strangers – given Sami’s  original plan to have Grace adopted.  Sooner or later EJ will try to make his way back to his rape victim, Sami, I’m sure.  He’ll tell her it’s a miracle that their child is alive and that they belong together as a family.  Nicole, the woman who truly loved him, will be devastated – but hopefully not for too long.  Brady is much hotter… and he’s not a in love with the idea of victimizing the woman he claimes to ‘love’ and raising a family with her.

Stefano/Kate... I’ll say it once and then I’ll avoid ever saying it again if I can help it because it creeps me out…I like them together.  I didn’t think I would, especially since Kate was blackmailed into marrying Stefano.  Then again, it’s not like she’s had much luck in love!

Daniel was a lying cheat.  Victor ws just freakin’ cruel. A relationship with Roman could never work because Kate could never stop hating Sami (who might have ended up in that hospital bed instead of Chloe, under different circumstances), and nothing else has panned out.  What does she have to lose at this point?  Neither Kate nor Stefano make apologies for who they are and I like that about them, to some degree.  Stefano has been a part of so many quirky, unrealistic, and embarrassing supernatural storylines that I’d lost the ability to think of him as a romantic lead… I’m starting to see that it’s possible that they could be a real couple, and  I can only imagine the fresh hell they’ll unleash in Salem… as a matter of fact,  I’m looking forward to it… the added bonus of the tension between Kate and EJ and Kate and Alexandra?  PRICELESS!

On the Move in Daytime – Comings and Goings

• Sarah Joy Brown is on the move and I can’t friggin’ wait, though I wouldn’t mind seeing SB play something other than batshit crazy in daytime:

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sarah Brown will be checking out of ABC’s “General Hospital” and into CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and she won’t get a moment’s rest in between.

The actress’s last appearance on the ABC daytime soap as Claudia Zacchara, the sexy daughter of a mobster, is set for Nov. 5. The next day, she’s to be introduced as goodhearted newcomer Sandy Sommers on “The Bold and the Beautiful.”

Read the rest HERE

• GH is really shaking things up.  Greg Vaughn is leaving (no comment on what his next move is).  Jonathan Jackson returns in the role of Lucky Spencer.  Let the flaming begin, but this one worries me.  I loved JJ as teen Lucky, and for my money, he still looks too much like” teen Lucky”.   I have to wonder if it’s not a signal from TPTB.  A signal for?  I dunno.  If JJ’s Lucky continues to read as Nik’s baby brother, I see Nik and Liz long term.  If they’re trying to play off of the amazingchemistry  young Liz and young Lucky shared, Nik is probably a goner.  Either way, I’m loking forward to seeing JJ and AG’s “Luke” onscreen  together again.  They were often the best part of GH for me for quite a long time.  Hopefully the era of wunderkinder Ethan is over.  The writers never committed to Luke and the ‘cowboy’ with Vaughn in the role.  Maybe they’ll fnally remember that Lucky is Luke’s son… or at least change his damned name.  It’s cruel to keep referring to that guy as ‘Lucky’.

• The Bold and the Beautiful’s Ashley Jones will appear in an upcoming episode of ‘The Mentalist’.  Details to follow (Thanks for the tip, Ann!)  As for her BnB character “Bridget Forrester Marone “…. our Budge is on a crash course with Sarah Brown’s upcoming character, Sandra… BRING IT, Baby!  Bridget has had to fight for love her entire life, Sandra the psychotic might just be in for a shock!  Might we eventually see a Sandra /Whip (Rick Hearst) pairing?

• I still can’t speak on the YnR’ s hardball tactics with Eric Braeden.  Who’s going to fill his awfully big shoes if they can’t lure EB back and bring Victor back to screen?  LILY?  Amber?  Kevin?  Jack?  Pffft.    I will not speack of EB’s departure.  Can’t.  Too stunned/disgusted/shocked/ready to move on from the YnR.