Connect with us

Interviews

305

The Jill Farren Phelps and Josh Griffith Interview – The Young and the Restless

Photo Credit: MF SOAPS Inc

As The Young and the Restless is about to hit its 40th anniversary milestone on March 26th, there is plenty in store for the citizens of Genoa City and their enduring fans who have watched the number one show for decades.  Crafting the stories, the production, and mapping out the series creative future is now in the more than capable of hands of executive producer Jill Farren Phelps, and head writer Josh Griffith.  Jill and Josh landed at Y&R, after completing Sony’s Nick at Nite telenovela, Hollywood Heights.  Josh had been here before as writer and EP, and as everyone knows, Jill’s prior daytime home was for years at General Hospital.

On-Air On-Soaps sat down with Jill and Josh for this very special interview which offered plenty of insight into many of the questions on viewer’s minds.  We take a look at what’s ahead in the 40th anniversary episodes, how Jill and Josh feel the show is now doing creatively, plus the challenges they have faced and the changes they have implemented.  We also address a myriad of casting decisions from the hiring of the new Abby Newman, and bringing long time ABC favorite, Steve Burton on to the CBS soap as Dylan McAvoy.  In addition, the status of many of your favorite characters on the canvas are bantered about including: Sharon, Adam, Nikki, Cane and Lily, Michael and Lauren, Phyllis, Avery, and more.

Now let’s face facts: no one in soaps is more decorated as an executive producer than Jill Farren Phelps, having won seven Daytime Emmys.  No EP faces the firestorm more than Phelps has over her career.  That is most certainly true now … from Jill’s cast cuts when she got to Genoa City, to her recent hires and the term that will seemingly always follow her no matter who she has cast … the “FOJs” (Friends of Jill).  As far as Griffith, he has had the task of having to unravel the mess that he inherited upon his return to the show, where many beloved characters were unrecognizable, which in turn caused lackluster story and not-so-happy viewers.  Here now are Jill and Josh on setting Y&R on the right path, as we celebrate the series legendary success!

MICHAEL:

Now that the two of you have been here at Y&R for awhile, what do you think of the air shows?  Are the episodes meeting your expectations?

JILL:

Courtesy/CBS

I think you are going to find that we are always going to want it to be better.  I do like very much what I see on the air.  But that doesn’t mean we are in the place where we are not going to aspire to do better on every level.

JOSH:

I agree.  I think we are in a very good place.  We are through the transition.  We are really starting to hit our stride with the stories we want to tell and the way we want to tell them. But there is always going to be looking at the monitor going, “Ooh, I should have done it this way” and “Ooh, I missed that beat,” or “Ooh, that is not quite there.”

JILL:

It takes a lot more than six months to turn a show completely around.

MICHAEL:

I can tell you Y&R does feel like it’s hitting its stride now.  I feel the difference in the pacing in the scenes.  I hear the use of  music beds for characters and couples which are a staple of Jill’s work, which you now see at the end of love scenes, etc.  In terms of the writing, it is offering up some surprises, where at times you don’t know exactly where the situation or the characters are going to go.  It feels different from the prior regime, where it was often times difficult to get through an episode.

JILL:

My experience has been, and this is what I tell myself when I get discouraged at the beginning, “Oh right.  It takes a year.”  It’s not that I think that on the course of being on this journey that we have not gone a long distance, but you can’t come in and completely explode a show.  You have to gently and carefully take it from where it was, into a new place while honoring the old and bringing in the new.  I think we are in that place.  We are in the beginning of starting to see that change.

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

MICHAEL:

For you Josh, coming in as head writer again, what were the challenges you had with some of the characters?  For instance, I thought it was great that you gave Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) bipolar disorder, because it was very difficult to understand where the previous writers were taking Sharon, as she had become so completely scattered and unrecognizable.

JOSH:

Looking at where they were overall, for me it was about bringing them back to their core and who they are, what they want, and who they interact with.  That was the biggest challenge.  When I came in and looked at it, I felt in my opinion, and from my vision of the show, that they veered away from who I knew them to be.  So the biggest challenge was bringing them back to what I felt was their emotional core. 

MICHAEL:

Are there a couple of examples of a few characters that you are bringing back to their core?

JOSH:

I would say definitely Sharon, and Adam (Michael Muhney).  Adam had lost a lot of his edge.  He is the next Victor Newman in my mind.  So, I wanted to get back to his complex and conflicted relationships with his father and with the Newman family, and being the outsider trying to get inside.

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Jill, did you have any specific mandates for Josh such as, “I need this to happen …?” For example, the Cane (Daniel Goddard) and Lily (Christel Khalil) pairing had become boring to watch for some people, so you asked Josh to look for ways to mix it up?

JILL:

I think we certainly had a mandate, which was to bring the show into today and along with that is:  the look, the feel, the sound, the rhythm, and the stories.  I think we have had to address all of it.  This is a very iconic show.  So when you start to tinker with something like this, you have to be very careful that you are doing what you have been hired to do, and at the same time not disregard the legacy of this show.

JOSH:

And at the same time, you want to shake things up and create conflict within characters and couples that are gliding along.  They seem like their lives are fine, but that is not really exciting to watch!

MICHAEL:

I have loved what you’ve done with the characters of Michael (Christian LeBlanc) and Lauren (Tracey E. Bregman).  Back in the day with other regimes, I was informed that people did not want to see Michael and Lauren unhappy, and have a problem between them.  It was the one couple they did not want to break up.  And even when I spoke with Christian and Tracey, (in previous interviews before this year) they would also inform me that the writers would never have one of them cheat on the other.  Now, Lauren has cheated on Michael with Carmine (Marco Dapper).  It sets up a great fall-out story for Christian to play with Lauren being the one who cheated on Michael.  Wouldn’t you agree?

JILL:

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Someone once said to me, “The audience thinks they know what they need.”  And our job is to show them things they didn’t even know that they needed.  To keep everything status quo on any show is not going to build your audience.  If we are going to be around for another 40 years, we need to build the audience, and we have been doing that.

JOSH:

The feeling was, if we approach that conflict with Michael and Lauren, and the conflict didn’t come out of the cheating, but the cheating was an outgrowth of a familial problem, it would make sense.  So if the conflict was rooted, such as in the bullying storyline with Fen (Max Ehrich), and you have Michael righteously on one side of it, and Lauren more emotional on the other side, then there was a very honest and believable way to put these two at odds, which would then lead to all kinds of problems.

MICHAEL:

So you would say, we should look forward to more beats in this story?  I am very concerned for Michael!

JILL:

Oh yes, and you should be concerned at this point.

JOSH:

All three in that family have quite a journey ahead.

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Jill, you must pinch yourself that you have been the executive producer at General Hospital, which is about to celebrates its 50th anniversary, and where you won multiple Daytime Emmys.  Plus, now you are at the number one soap, The Young and the Restless for their 40th.  Who else can say that?  That’s pretty amazing!

JILL:

I think I have been very fortunate.  Someone just told me this morning that I was at GH for the 40th and I am now at Y&R for the 40th, as GH is celebrating its 50th.  I have been a very lucky lady.  I have been able to be around for those anniversaries for these shows that people love.

MICHAEL:

Let’s talk about Steve Burton coming to The Young and the Restless as Dylan.  I’m loving him thus far on the show.  His character comes across very endearing on-camera.

JILL:

Were you surprised?

MICHAEL:

Yes, I am pleasantly surprised.   I feel it’s working.  I think he is adorable on the show where fans go, “Awww.”  But of course, I am waiting for the other shoe to drop! (Laughs)  Since Dylan just slept with Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan), are you trying to figure out who is going to end up with whom?  Or, is Dylan’s end game truly Avery (Jessica Collins)?

JOSH:

We would never say what the end game was!

JILL:

Photo Credit: CBS

We know what the end game is.

JOSH:

We know what the end game is unless something stuns us!  (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Obviously, you both watch the air shows and check out the on-screen chemistry between actors and their characters.  So if you see something, perhaps it might switch it up in your heads and spark something about which way to take a character and who to pair them with?

JOSH:

Oh, always!  To me, storytelling is incredibly organic. You can have an idea of where you want to go and where you are going, but I am always continually surprised by things along the way, and the journey dictates where you end up.  But, you never end up anywhere, and that is one of the greatest things about soap opera.  The story never ends.

MICHAEL:

I want to hit with both of you some of the “hot topic” buttons, starting with Steve Burton.  Fans felt that Jill took him from General Hospital and it was all part of a master plan.  I recently interviewed Steve.  He was very candid.  I think we set it as straight as we were going to with his fans.  Steve got a lot of negative pushback for his decision to come here.   From what I understand though, there were always plans for the character of Dylan McAvoy to be on the Genoa City canvas.

JILL:

There was a character coming on to the show named “Dylan McAvoy.”  He would have been here whether Steve Burton decided to play him, or not.  I had nothing to do with Steve leaving General Hospital.   We did not abduct him from there to come here. Steve left as he had been saying for a long time that he wanted to do, even while I was there. We happened to have this phenomenal part.  Josh and I had talked about it for quite awhile saying, “Wouldn’t it be phenomenal if Steve would do it ….”  But we were casting it.  Steve and I had enough of a relationship and we were talking.  I said to him, “Well what if …”   And whatever he did at home with his family, and whatever we were able to do to accommodate his wish to be able to spend time there, made this really wonderful thing happen.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/CBS

Steve got quite the welcome on CBS’ The Talk!  I watched the episode back and at one point, you can see Steve fighting back the tears and completely overwhelmed by this show of support.

JILL:

That was amazing.  CBS did a lovely thing in the way that they welcomed him.

MICHAEL:

Now, let’s talk about the new Abby Newman, Melissa Ordway.  You are now getting pushback from the fans for now casting three Hollywood Heights actors on The Young and the Restless …  the first two being Robert Adamson (Noah) and Hunter King (Summer).  But I am assuming in your estimation, these three are very fine actors who got the parts.

JILL:

Look, at this stage of the game, I am never going to be able escape this perception that these are “friends of mine” as opposed to talented people with whom I have crossed paths over the course of the last 28 years.  I have done six shows.  I have done two other shows besides the soaps – Hollywood Heights being one of them.  You meet wonderfully talented young people, or not so young, and it is natural and everybody does it in every field.

JOSH:

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Why would you not want to work with people that you worked with before who understand your way of working and whose talent you admire?  It’s why Martin Scorsese uses Leonardo DiCaprio over and over again.  Why would you not hire people you are comfortable with, and who you know are going to deliver?

JILL:

We are basically giving the audience a gift of people we know who can actually do it. And, it would be nice if they could get over the sense that it was some sort of personal vendetta.

MICHAEL:

It is true that that you have taken this kind of flack for years over your casting decisions! This has been called, as you know, the “FOJs”!

JILL:

Let me just say, if GH hadn’t gotten Roger Howarth (Todd), it is all together possible we would have looked to see if he could have been on this show!  Then I would have gotten in trouble for bringing Roger Howarth, who was an “FOJ” from One Life to Live to The Young and the Restless.

MICHAEL:

I guess here at Y&R everyone is an “FOJ”; either a friend of Josh’s, or a friend of Jill’s! (Laughs)

JILL:

It’s all “FOJ” here! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Let’s talk about the decision to give Nikki Newman, Multiple Sclerosis.  I read that Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki) was sitting right here in you office when you told her the upcoming story.  I understand your intent is to show how the disease affects a person’s life.

JOSH:

We were looking for something that would be topical, and that wouldn’t necessarily be a death sentence.  It seemed like an emotionally rich journey to take Nikki and Victor on. It’s also very topical.  We are able to inform the audience who may not know about this. For the ones in the audience that are dealing with this in their own lives, they can relate to it.

JILL:

We have gotten a lot of response from people who are suffering from MS, and who are so grateful to have another venue to have light shined on this disease.

MICHAEL:

When you told Melody, what was her reaction to the news?

JILL:

She was wonderful and professional.

JOSH:

She said she looked forward to playing it.

JILL:

Melody is a lovely actress who has an opportunity to play something.  This is going to give her that opportunity, and at the same time, we also hope that it will inform.  It also becomes a more dramatic way for Nikki to live her life with Victor, facing the challenges that having the disease requires.

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

The Talk’s Sheryl Underwood was on Y&R last week.  You also have Y&R long-time favorites Eileen Davidson (Ashley) and Beth Maitland (Traci), who are going to be back, plus B&B’s John McCook (Eric) is crossing over to Y&R!  Who else is returning for the 40th anniversary?

JILL:

That was pretty good!  There are four people right there.

JOSH:

I would love, as we are moving into Jabot starting this fashion division of the cosmetic company, to find ways to do more crossovers with The Bold and the Beautiful.

MICHAEL:

Speaking of crossovers … General Hospitals Maurice Benard has told me, (and I believe his followers on Twitter at one point) that he would love Sonny Corinthos to come to Genoa City for a visit to take on the great Victor Newman (Eric Braeden)!

JILL:

Oh, I did not know that! (Laughs)  Well, I think he would have to ask ABC about that.  I am not sure ABC would want to share Maurice with us, but I love Maurice.  It would be a hell of a story!

MICHAEL:

Eileen Davidson went over to Days of our Lives to reprise her role as Kristen Blake DiMera before you both were in place at Y&R.  Would you love to have her back, or return for more episodes?

JOSH:

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Absolutely!  She was an integral part of the canvas and cast. Jack (Peter Bergman) misses having Ashley around.

MICHAEL:

It seems that when the two of you came in, you decided to make Jessica Collins character of Avery more of a central heroine and central figure to the show.  What factored into that decision?

JILL:

I think Josh and I both liked the actress very much when we were just watching the show before we ever got here.  The reality is; whether we made that decision or not to make her a central figure, the actress and the character grew with the story.  As she grew and was so wonderful, that begets more and more.  There was chemistry with Joshua Morrow (Nick), and there is now chemistry with Steve Burton.  She has done such a wonderful job.

JOSH:

She has done such a wonderful job with the character and where Avery was, and then we could play where Nick was, and where Phyllis was.  We saw the possibilities for a dynamic there that could be interesting.   So we looked into Avery’s back-story.  She had been divorced and she doesn’t like to talk about it.  Then we thought about her ex-lover!  So it grew into this whole storyline that Jessica’s just delivered in a fantastic way.  Joshua has hit it out of the park, and the triangle between Nick/Avery/Dylan is gold!

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: Duffimages.com

Let’s get to Daytime Emmy winner, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis).  Are we going to be seeing more of her driving her own story?  In other words, do you have a big story for Phyllis?  Some viewers feel since the two of you have been at Y&R, she has not been front and center.

JILL:

Michelle is a superb actress and she wants to act.  She is going to have a really fabulous big story.

JOSH:

Well, we feel she is having a big story with what she has been doing, which is being the savior of Jack.

JILL:

The very nature of what we do is that we have an ensemble cast that for over 40 years – people are in the foreground, and then they recede a little bit, only to come back and be in the foreground again.  Michelle has never been “back-burnered” in our opinion, but our story now is more evenly divided.  We value Michelle as an actress tremendously, and that character is intricately woven in to the fabric of Y&R.   The audience is very able to say and to articulate now what it is they see, and what they don’t like, and they weren’t able to do that before as much prior to social media.  It’s natural that characters are in the foreground and then they would support, and then they would come forward and then they would support.  So this whole notion of this current storyline for Michelle between Phyllis and Jack, we think she has her own storyline.

JOSH:

Phyllis is the hero for Jack and the hero is the center of the story.  To me, that made it her story as she did the heroics.  Michelle has another fantastic story coming.

MICHAEL:

When the 40th Anniversary episode airs on March 26th, what can viewers expect? Or, are we celebrating Y&R throughout the month of March as a whole?

JILL:

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

The whole month of March is our celebration, because how really can you sum it up without somehow disappointing someone with, “This is the day that 40 years ago we did …”   So we thought for the 40th anniversary, we would use it as the 40th anniversary month as opposed to a specific date.

MICHAEL:

Do Victor and Nikki truly get married?

JOSH:

Absolutely! Probably! Could be? (Laughs)  They get married, but I will say a lot happens at the wedding.

MICHAEL:

Well, I wouldn’t expect anything else from a Y&R wedding! (Laughs)  What has this collaboration been like for both of you, in terms of working with each other?  Josh understands the characters of the show.  Jill you have a unique producing perspective with all of the soaps you have steered.   I know the two of you have crossed paths on projects a few times in your careers.

JOSH:

Courtesy/Nickelodeon

My first job was on Santa Barbara where Jill was the executive producer.  Then we would see each other over the years at events and award shows, and what not.  We came back together thanks to Sony and Steve Kent on Hollywood Heights.   It was like 28 years later.

JILL:

It’s a really good collaboration.  We have a lot of respect for one another and a lot of affection for one another.  We work well together.

MICHAEL:

So what happens when you disagree with each other?  Will someone say to the other, “Hey, this is not going to work?”

JILL:

Oh yes!  But nobody sits on there hands and goes, “Well, I really didn’t like that.  I wish we wouldn’t have done that.”  We talk all the time!

MICHAEL:

Is it odd for you Josh, that you were once the executive producer here, and now that is Jill’s job?

JILL:

Courtesy/CBS

Is it, Josh?

JOSH:

No, not at all. 

MICHAEL:

Is it easier doing both jobs as executive producer and head writer of a soap, because then it would seem to be your own singular vision, as opposed to doing just one?  The demands of both jobs are so huge.  I would think you could focus on your job more handling just one!

JOSH:

It’s impossible to do both, in my opinion.  You cannot be the EP and head writer of a five day a week show.

JILL:

I agree. There is absolutely a reason why these jobs have remained separate as opposed to all of the other shows on primetime, where the writer is called the producer.  They are doing an hour a week over eleven days, and we do an hour a day.  Being a head writer of a serialized drama like this is, without question, the hardest job in the business, if not the world.

JOSH:

I think Obama’s job is the hardest! (Laughs)

JILL:

Courtesy/ABC

Well yes, (laughs) but I know this from having to run writing teams during two strikes.  So my appreciation of what a head writer does has grown exponentially over the years.  It’s really important to know how absolutely difficult and all consuming it is to deliver this. Certainly, that is why I love Josh, because he does it so brilliantly.

JOSH:

The truth is, you can’t do this job if you don’t have an incredible executive producer, which you have right here in Jill.  If you are not in synch with your executive producer, and you don’t trust your executive producer, and they don’t trust you as a head writer, then you spend more time battling to get to the goal.

MICHAEL:

Jill, one of your staples is these big dramatic events encompassing the entire cast.  On General Hospital, I remember you did that amazing carnival sequence.  Are we going to see something like that in Genoa City?  Or, is it now a budgetary issue that this sort of shoot can’t occur, due to the current economic climate in daytime?

JILL:

It’s a different world now, but we will be doing that in our own way, for sure.  With each show that I have done it’s been a different kind of event.  On Guiding Light, it was a blackout.  We blew up things on General Hospital, because it’s a different kind of a show.  If we could afford a carnival, would we do one?  Absolutely!  The way we move things around in order to do anything these days is a miracle, but we aspire to the same goal –  to dazzle our audience in one way, or the other.

Photo Credit: MF SOAPS Inc

JOSH:

I have worked on a lot of shows and Y&R has this image of being huge because it’s, “The Young and the Restless!”  But the truth is, it’s a very intimate show.

JILL:

Y&R is an emotionally driven and character driven show.  And it’s the twists and turns of the characters, that give the show its luster.  On GH and many shows, it might have to do with more of the events.  But the reality is; all daytime or any good show is about good storytelling, how ever you dress it up!

Leave a comment | 305 Comments

305 Comments
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

So Phyllis’ current story is to babysit Jack? Or and let me guess, Phyllis next big story is to sit around and play wifey to Jack?

Jill and Josh, Phyllis is more than a Jack prop.

I pray we get back Drucilla and have Sharon and Adam make lpve and get married and have a son. Forget Chelsea!

Chelsea and Adam are belong together, Sharon don’t need other baby, she getting older…. And Yes Bring Back DRU!

As long as Victoria Rowell keeps bashing Y&R with her tweets and now sequel to her book, you will never see her back as Drucilla Winters.

I’m sorry to say to you, but that ship has sailed.

I agree I will not be happy if Sharon does not end up with Adam. They are the shows Romeo and Juliet . Shadam has the gift to be long term till the show ends. They need a bay and a huge blow out fairytale wedding.Dylan would make a fantastic long lost brother to Sharon.

Sharon is the best actress right now, Emmy worthy this past year. Sharon should be with a man who is not a Newman. Random jokes fly about Dylan and Sharon being brother and sister!
Sharon’s had enough kids & she’d finally coming into her own & not depending on a Newman to rescue her. Sharon & Dylan will be together!
Chelsea and Adam are having a baby, they will get back together.

Sharon and Adam are the power couple. Dylan will be a good brother to Sharon! Sharon is Adams only true love! They are the next new Nikki and Victor! 🙂

Don’t like Chelsea. Never have. Nick also can do what he wants cheats with Grace, Phyllis and Avery. Time for Sharon to be happy with Ada, Nick is a bully. Time for Nick to be alone without a women and watch Sharon be happy with Adam! Dylan will make a great brother. I will never like it if Chelsea sticks around and Dylan needs Avery.

I hate the character of Chelsea. never liked her from the start! The last few days of Adam in the hospital shows how much what a deed powerful connection love Sharon and Adam will always have. They need to carry on Adams name with a son! NOT this Chelsea. What a sad thing to have this con character carry the Newman name. She has no chemistry with the Adam character and does not understand Adams need to belong to the Newmans. Sharon gets Adam. They are the new Nikki and new Victor of the future. Shadam 🙂

Sharon is the best actress on the show she needs Dylan as her brother and Adam as her husband 🙂

I don’t think it happen, becuase it confirm that Dylan will be Sharon’s love interest… and there is alot of Shylan fans out there.

I agree! Team SHADAM! Love Sharon Case… Her and Michael Muhney are the SUPER COUPLE!

Sharon and Adam make the best hot couple! Have Chelsea go missing like Daisy after the baby is born so Shadam can raise the baby together and that would be a story

I love Adam & Chelsea,they make a hot couple 2 me.

I love Sharon with Adam . She was the person always for Adam . She needs to have a baby and no Sharon is not to old at all. Chelsea I never liked and wish this character went away when she threw away her baby without a care in the world except where her next meal ticket con was .

Sharon and Adam need to get that baby from the un fit mother Chelsea. No one will ever respect her.Chelsea is over . Come on writers why would Chelse a have another baby. It was ridiculous the first time even more crazy the second time and out of this world nuts this third time. Adam will never forget about Sharon! Sharon gets with any man Adam will freak like Victor did when Nikki found a new man! 🙂

Loving Phyllis with Jack, Sharon with Adam, Avery with Nick and Dylan and Neil needs Drucilla! P.S also have Chloe and Chelsea leave town they are the most boring people! 🙂 🙂 :0

It is genius that Dylan and Sharon will be siblings. Once I saw the St. Christophers medal Dylan’s dad had then Sharon is also wearing it around her neck also. I said there you go. the Bill Bell way of great writing. Now sharon and Adam need to get back to the love they tried to start before Victor and Sky and Nick interfered. Chelsea needs to give up another one of her kids she did it before and let sharon and Adam raise it.

No way. Sharon have her own baby.

I am loving Sharon and Adam back together but hope they move them faster back as a couple. We love the chemistry they have. I hope the rumor is true about Sharon and Dylan have the same father. That would be wonderful. Sharon needs family. She really can use family on her side. Phyllis and Jack need to find out Summer is really Jacks and Nick lied. Also Leslie is not working out! We all want Victoria Rowell to return as Drucilla for so many reasons. Im a fan of this show for 32 years 🙂

LOVE SHARON AND ADAM! Please have them have a baby! Love Phyllis and Jack and want Summer to be Jacks. Can not get into Leslie for Neil. Please bring back Drucilla! Victoria Rowell is a icon and loved! Not right to make the fans have to beg soooo long for her return! Sharon needs to be married to her love Adam and her brother is Dylan I will love that. Please no more Victor and Nikki. ZZZZZZZZZZZ Last Chelsea and Chloe never was a fan of these characters from there start. Please give us a Jana again for Kevin.

I am soooo happy josh and Jill are giving us back Sharon and Adam! They were so in love . It was NEVER believable that he would ever stay with Chelsea. The big mistake though was making this Chelsea character again pregnant! Do something please make her give the baby to Sharon nad Adam!

Me thinks she could have an affair with Kyle, Jack’s own son..and her own daughter Summer could be pretty jealous..maybe it will not happen (i am not in the ‘know’ behind the scenes of course) but it would not surprised me..Phyllis being Jack’s ‘savior’ can’t be a storyline forever..

Well, I love the shake up with Lauren and Michael. I am very disappointed though they have anyone with Chelsea. I truly thought she would be gone now. As the next Victor Newman we know how important Adams first child is and Sharon is his Nikki. Sharon needs to have his son not Chelsea. She is not important to the center family of this show period but Michael bravo on a excellent interview! Now can we have Summer come out to be Jacks? Nick did get in the plane crash and must have no memory he was the only one to see the dna report just saying

Phyllis has been replaced by Avery IMO. Michelle Stafford is the reason I began watching and I miss her. She is in the background, regardless of what J&J try to say and it is a shame. Couldn’t Lauren have cheated with someone other than Carmine? I just don’t get the attraction. Still love Chelsea. Have a feeling she & Dylan aren’t endgame though. It seems to be the Avery show now.

I think the show has no use for a character like Chelsea unless they make her a villianess like Shelia! No one can replace the best icon villain of daytime history but to see Chelsea really loose her mind would be about the only interesting thing about her or believable.

I do not like Chelsea. I ff through her. Shamful to have her have Adams son when Sharon is Adams true love and his Nikki! Sharon and Adam are meant to be. Give them a fairytale wedding and have Dru her bff surprise us for a Shadam wedding and then a Shadam baby!

Love the real romance of Sharon and Adam > never believed for a second he would ever not be so in love for Sharon. I still think about New Orleans and if Victor did not mess up Sharon and Adam about that Sky buisness and sending poor Sharon to Jail and Nick wasn’t such a hypocrite because he wants to control Sharon then we would still of had Sharon and Adam. Full circle would be if Sharon had Adams baby and heir. Hope Chelsea is not really pregnant she NEVER went to a Doctor

Need I say more the Emmy winner Sharon Case is my favorite. Adam and Sharon #DREAM WEDDING

ITA! Why should a Phyllis have to be Jacks hero? This is all about JG wanting the Phack together. There wasnt anyone for Jack. Genie Francis went back to GH (no question for this fan why) and Niki was back with Victor. JG has always liked this couple and this worked for him. – Not the majority of fans who want them just to be friends. But hey it made it easier to give Navery a love story- which after 6 months still doesn’t resonate with the majority of fans.

So what’s next for Michelle. Who knows. Somehow I think it will be something that will hurt the character z& bring the Phaters out in full force. I truly feel they dislike the character & are doing everything they can to destroy her even more.

I would love to see Adam and Sharon finally be a couple and have a baby. Have been awaiting my Shadam for a long time, would luv some Shadam finally!!!!!

I want Sharon and Adam to have a wedding bigger than anyone had even thought hey once had a beautiful winter wedding. TEAM SHADAM! A SHADAM BABY and Dylan as Sharons Brother YAAAAY

No the ship has not sailed for Victoria Rowell! Dru is the only one for Neil i have my FF button ready every day. Now give us Dru and Neil and Sharon and Adam

Nikki and Victor are abusive to Sharon .Will they ever be happy for Sharon and Adam? Why such hate????? Chelsea needs to not have Adams baby. WRITERS you made a really big mistake! Sharon and Adam are the true Romeo and Juliet and she needs to make Adam the happiest man and give a baby to Sharon and Adam! 🙂 Oh PLEASE can Dru come back . i think Leslie is boring and Avery boring and really don’t like Chelsea or Chloe at all BOOOOOOOO

GET READY SHARON AND ADAM YOU TWO ARE THE SHOWS NEXT KING AND QUEEN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS SHOWS HISTORY! WAY TO GO SHARON AND MICHAEL. GREAT ACTORS AND EVEN GREATER CHEMISTRY! 🙂

IT MAKES ME SICK WHAT THE WRITERS DID WITH NIKKI AND VICTOR ABUSIVENESS TO SHARON! THIS MUST END THIS ABUSE. CHELSEA IS DISGUSTING AND DOES NOT DESERVE TO HAVE ADAMS BABY!!!I MISS THE OLD BILL BELL WRITING. SO SAD THE ABUSE SHARON GOES THROUGH . I AM SO DONE WITH THIS SHOW. I WANT SHARON BACK WITH ADAM AND HAPPY . VICTOR AND NIKKI MUST STOP THIS GROSS ABUSE TO SHARON. SHARON IS THE MOST KIND LOVING CHARACTER ON THE SHOW AND THIS TOWN ACTS LIKE SHE IS THE TOWN SHIELA CARTER. BRING BACK SHARON BEST FRIEND DRUCILLA AND MAKE DYLAN STAND UP FOR SHARON AS HER LONG LOST BROTHER. DORIS AND DYLANS DAD HAD AN AFFAIR! ENOUGH ABUSE PLEASE TO SHARON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish Daniel Goddard aka Cane and Christel Kahlil aka Lilly had more of a storyline with their kids please Josh and Jill make it happen. Oh it wouldve been great to have Roger Howarth on y&r he is a very godd method actor and it would be wonderful 2 see in the dynamics of y&r Thanks for the interview Michael and can you plz tell me will Roger be coming back 2 GH and if u can please interview him sometime

He is on GH right now and pretty popular..even the web version of OLTL want him..these two soap already battle (it is almost a soap triangle isn’t it ? lol) for him, let’s not add Y&R for now..lol Although it seems Roger doesn’t need to worry about unemployment in any ways..lol

I was under the impression that CK did not want that much storyline so she could do other projests. Or was I misinformed? The Cane character has had so many rewrites it has been confusing for me but I do not dislike them.

They need Drucilla back . Victoria Rowell would put the ratings in a all time record for her return

I had stopped watching young and restless as soon as genie francis was let go,,but last week being on holidays i decided to pvr the show again,,,sorry to say i fast forward 90 percent of the shows,,,,over kill with the rediculous weddings of nikki and victor…
Adam has totally lost his edge,,,sharon moves in with adam and then tells adam she cant be there with him or at newman…someone up her meds,,,and as far as the winter family dramatics,,,i say dont bother ,,the only interesting actress to bring any interest to any storyline with them was victoria rowell…..so untill she is back,,get rid of the winters clan,,and please take tyler and the sister with her, shes about as interesting as watching paint dry…summer doesnt cut it…i could go on but need less to say young and restless has ben taken from my pvr list again…

They need to have Adam and Sharon be the next Nikki and Victor super couple that will always return to each other. Adam needs a heir with Sharon. What are they doing with this Chelsea character. Way to much time is on a character like Chelsea that is not part of any family in GC! Dylan will hopefully be Sharons brother or he to will not be a strong character with any ties to GC.

I am in love with the idea Dylan and Sharon turn out to have the same dad. Doris must of had an affair a long time ago. The medal of St. Christopher matches the necklace Sharon has been wearing. i would love a big fairy tail Shadam wedding and Sharon have twin sons for Adam. he loves his Sharon so XOXO….They are the next super couple like Nikki and Victor only much much better and less toxic then Nikki and Victor are still… Love Shadam XOXOXO

Interesting Interview. I do have one problem with your question and answers. You made the statement that Cane and Lily have become boring. That statement was made as if they have had good, coherent in depth writing with plenty of airtime to tell the story. How can a couple be boring when they are barely ever seen with very little written for them. I find it funny that the lack of care for these character is never mentioned but boring is the buzz line….instead of pointing out that these characters have been horribly neglected for over four years. They have been used as props for everyone else’s s/l. When they do get a story line it is to kill one of them off or to break them up. I would love for someone to ask why is it that Christel Khalil is always shoved to the back for every newbie female that comes on the show. She is never pushed to the front but always has to take a back seat to whomever tptb favors at the moment. When will she get her time to shine like the characters Avery or Chelsae or even Chloe? What is the difference between her and these women? Why arent these questions asked? Dont you ever wonder why CK’s treatment is so different compared to others on the show? I do!

Chelsea and Chloe have ruined this show! They must GO! These two characters do not belong on Y&R and please bring back Victoria Rowell as Drucilla winters. Now that Sharon will have Dylan as a brother she needs her BFF Dru back as well for Neil and Lily! thanks 🙂

Oh please..right now Tyler sniffing around her is her story, it is her chance for a story !
And if you don’t want any conflict between Cane and Lily there is NO story for them, it is that simple.
As for boring, it is a matter of opinion i always found them boring, don’t get why there are still together..and to see them always in ‘happily ever after’ make them even MORE boring. Lily..well she is definitely not the spitfire, interesting and fun character that her tv mother Drucilla was..to say the least, she can’t drove stories, it is clear.

Drucilla needs to come back to really make this a Winters family! It would give lily a lot more substance.

Not sure what show you are watching this was not Lily or Cane’s story it was Tyler and Chels story. Lane was written OOC and dumbed down to make this sl about them. How do you know Lily can not driver a story when she has not been given one. She is on screen for 2.53 mintues a week if that not much time to drive a story.

Where in my statement did I say I didnt want conflict? Maybe you should read what a person has written before commenting on it. Tyler is one person, Lily literally doesnt talk to anyone but him outside of her family. It is your opinion that they are boring. What I consider boring is when you have good dialogue, good s/l and airtime and there is no interest in the s/l (i.e. Villy Kidnapping) You cannot truthfully judge whether a character is boring without a good s/l and airtime. I’d say you have no idea if she can drive story or not if she is never given a chance. It’s hard to judge honestly when you start off hating the characters you are judging. Thus your assuming I didnt want conflict!

btw Olivia anyone can drive s/l if the writers will write the proper vehicle to move the s/l. Chelsae is driving s/l because she is literally thrust down our throats whether we like it or not. She is given the opportunity and I want to know why her and not Lily. The writers decide who will drive and who will sit in the passengers seat or go along for the ride in the trunk. I want them to give all the characters an opportunity to drive and not alienate some because tptb has their favorites. They need to balance this show and listen to what the fans want to see. Ignoring the fans is why soaps are in trouble today. I find it interesting that a few on this show helped to tank GH and AMC but are thought to save Y&R SMH

Outsiders are not the core of the show so people need to have at least one sibling or been on for years to hold water with fans now. Fans are way to smart and they know what they want. Leslie, Tyler ,Chelsea,Chloe are all boring. Leslie and Tyler may be siblings but no other ties to a core character. Dylan will be okay if he is Sharons brother that Doris had an affair with Dylans father now boom he is a uncle and a brother.Avery was saved because she has Phyllis as a sister so there is some tie to the show .:)

Clamoring for Dru to return to Y&R in the form of Victoria Rowell is not going to do much for the Winters family. If writers are not writing for Lily, Neil, Devon, Tyler, Leslie, Mason, or any other AA characters now, why should having Dru on the show be any different?

One of the reasons why she left was b/c they would not allow her to write, so she is just a performer (an actress) in the cast just like the rest of the Winters family. Dru cannot do any more than the writers & EP allow her to do on Y&R & neither can VR!

Oh give me a break. Maybe if you were not so blinded by by your obvious bias you would see the truth for what it is. And btw what is going on is not a Lily or Lane story its yet another bunch of mangled plot-points to destroy Lily and Lane by muzzling her and writing her OOC to promote another JFP newbie.
Another FYI for you CK and her alter ego can hold her own thank you very much. She has never had to ride anyone coattails unlike other tptb pets who do nothing but suck her blood to get to the “top” or so they think.

How ridiculous that CK and DG continue to be sidelined to cater to player haters. WHat they bring to YR is original and dynamic and no matter how much some people hate on them the truth will stand for itself.

I don’t hate them ! lol I just find them without interest, ‘hate’ come on a strong word..i am not so much a ‘hater’ of fictional characters well there is maybe some few exceptions..and still..hate is a really strong emotion for something you watch on a tv screen no ?! Anyway guys not big deal..enjoy your couple no problem. Everything is fine, i will not upset you for a tv show, enjoy Cane and Lily.

“Lily is not the spitfire Dru was”. Do you have any idea of how racist that sounds Olivia? Basically what you are saying is if she is not practically an illiterate, head and eye rolling black woman, she is boring! If you expect this from Lily, can I assume you want to move Sharon to a trailer park along with Chelsea and Avery and have Chloe cleaning piss off the floor at the Chancellor Mansion with her maid mama whilst her gay husband is trolling GC for a hookup at night?

Seriously Enuf! ?! Ok i get you defend your favorite fictional soap character and couple but don’t go too far..I loved Drucilla not because she was ‘ghetto’ like you said but because she was spunky, smart, passionate, strong, sometimes pretty independant, snarky, sometimes (when writing was good) witty, sexy, stubborn, fun to watch ect..and yep i said ‘spitfire’ like i would said ‘spitfire’ for gals like Phyllis, Brooke Logan, Sami Brady, Carly Spencers, Blair Cramer, Erica and Kendall Cane, Vicky Hudson, Lucy Coe, Carly Tenney you know WHITE gals who are also some little strong, grey scheming female soap characters.
As for a somewhat kind of ‘nice’ classy (although to me Dru could be classy when she wanted..shrug..) black female character while being also interesting and fun to watch i have one for you : Olivia Pope female LEAD of prime time soap Scandal played by Kerry Washington ! That it is a great and smart character who is the opposite of boring imho.

And by the way i quite enjoy Leslie (she is FAR FAR better than Lily for sure in my book, so much more interesting and sexy) and Leslie and Tyler siblings dynamic, they are great addition to this soap imo. I even find Tyler too good for Lily, he needs an interesting and sexy love-interest, maybe with the futur Abby we will see, i am curious about it.

Olivia now I figured it out, you are a Victoria disciple. This is the same line I always hear from her followers. She hated CK so they hate CK. Thanks for the enlightenment!

Victoria Rowell DRUCILLA is my favorite actress and so is Sharon Case. Those are and were my reasons to still watch the show

That is not true! Christel is not only talented she is gorgeous and sexy and that sensuality is exuded into her alter ego Lily Ashby. She doesn’t even have to try unlike other chicks on the show who have to force sensuality. GMAB Oh wow, all the labels and the lies they would throw at this young woman!
Thank you anny’ you are definitely right about this person being a VR disciple.
But I do agree on one thing, that Lily should not be accosted by that obscene disgusting insulting to all women character thank you. Its laughable that any one let alone any woman would thing that, that borderline sexual predator as he has been portrayed by JFP and JG is a dream come true for any woman. How insulting and sicking they think this is how “someone” like Lily to use your own words should be treated!.

No thank you! Lily already has someone who loves and adores her and treats her like the lady she is.

She should be surrounded by people that love and care for her. These last few years she has been surrounded by vultures & even her one best friend killed off the show.

GMAB!

A VR disciple ? Really guys ?! lmaooooo ok if you want guys, if that make you feel better. For the record i never said VR was a ‘goddess’ or whatever actually she is kind of wacky, it is well known (sometimes in a good way sometimes in a bad way ! lol) but she is/was such a damn actress and played Drucilla as a real soap jewel in my opinion, unique character. As for Christel Khalil really VR doesn’t like her ? Why ? I did not know..i don’t follow actors gossip very often..interesting..lol

OMG get over it! Listen Victoria Rowell is a ICON! You can NOT compare this Lily character to a icon strong character like Drucilla. She was on fire and if the producers are smart they will sure lock in another 40 years if they hire Dru aka Victoria Rowell back already! Leslie is a snooze with Neil. Give her cane to shake things up! 🙂

Michelle Stafford Phyllis spit in Victoria Rowells face and was forced to say she was sorry!

I really don’t know what to make of their responses. They are close teammates that’s obvious. & yes why I understand working w people who you can work with is important- all of these newbies who are fans of Jill & Josh is over the top. But in my opinion they don’t value the fans. At least not all fans. They have their own agenda. Fans aren’t stupid. We know our show. We also aren’t hell bent on staying in the past. But some of the things they have done (ie. Bullying s/l w no interaction between all of the parents & consequences) were big misses. They seem to deliberately try to erase some couples (ie Phick). Soarsing some (summer) and not others (Reid). That hurts a lot of fans & comes across as insulting and is not a building a trust relationship with the writers or JP & JG for a lot of us. I also question equal distribution of characters on screen. One thing I do appreciate is bringing Neil back in front. He & Leslie are great. But if they want another 40 years they are going to have to do a lot better. Increasing new fans by +1% and losing the base – isnt going to get them there.

ITA one thing that Bell Sr. understood is the symbiotic re/ship between him and the audience. He did not dismiss our concerns and it paid off big time. That is why YR has enjoyed that spot at the top for many years. Because of the trust that Bell Sr created between him and the audience. Sadly, to say that trust has been eroded and continues to be thanx to MAB and JFP and JG! And what a shame it is. You can not force the audience to like what the people running the show like.
We are not stupid we don’t need to be told what to like and what not to like and we certainly don’t need JG and JFP shoving their favourites down our throats.? GMAB!
Their interviews are as offensive as the way they run this show.

ITA with you and all your comments Laney! You take the words right out of my mouth! We should start a Lane campaign!

Hi there dolly. Thank you. Most of the audience feel the same way. JG and JFP may cater to the player haters but that has never been a plus for the show, they should ask Mab and Co how that worked out for the show. As long as they continue to hold back lane CK and DG this show will continue on a downward spiral because no matter how many people of “colour” they fill the show with, their racism against Lane and CK mar their intentions. As well it should. Who the hell cares about new people if they can not even utilise the ones they have already? BTW did you notice that BJ (Devon) is paying the price for that newbie they have been promoting? LMAO so much for “diversity”! WHat a load of crap. To JFP and JG one person of colour is interchangeable with another, that is the only conclusion I can come to after what I have seen.
And anyone and everyone regardless of colour should be offended by what this show has become under Mab and JFP!

And btw unlike what some would have the world believe the majority of the YR audience love and enjoy what Lane bring to the table. They love and enjoy both actors as well and they support them!

Oh I forgot to add bad interviewer about that campaign you can check us on twitter and mbs. I don’t know if you are in any of social media but its not difficult to find us of like mindedness.
Good Sunday evening.

Its very interesting to get their take on the show. I like what they have done with Michael, Lauren, Sharon and Adam. Michael & Lauren needed some drama. Sharon & Adam are finding their way back to each other. JFP does have a point, given all years in this industry its inevitable that she will make many friends along the way.

So if Adam is the fair ‘heir’ apparent, successor of the ‘great’ Victor Newman..who is his Nicky ?! Sharon ? Chelsea ? Who is his Ashley ? Chelsea ? Sharon ?!

Sharon is by far Adams Nikki. Chelsea is a total con we can never take seriously or respect. Now please give Sharon a heir from Adam!

Sharon is Adam’s Nikki and Adam’s Ashley is Newman. Chelsea is not worth mentioning

Thanks Michael. Nothing earthshattering said by JFP or JG. Y&R has always had complex characters/storylines; under this regime, its bordering on reality tv stunts. Its reaching into the “soapy plotlines” bag of tricks with very little foundation. I know it takes time to weave newbies in and make their connections relevant, so we’ll see if they can bring stories that keep characters and Y&R’s history intact. Right now, WTD, marriages scarificed for newbie propping, loss count of Nictor weddings, and the list goes on and on. So far, not impressive.

DG/CK Cane and Lily are not boring. They have been given poor writing but they have turned that into gold. They have not been promoted, nor given airtime or a well written sl. The so called Lane sl was not about them all the power in the sl was given to the other players in the sl this also happen to them in 2008 same sl different players. The only time they are brought to the front burner is for destruction and the breaking up of their marriage for the purpose of promoting newbies and handing what they have built to others to make them shine. I ask you as a reporter the next chance you get please discuss this with the person you are interviewing. If they really were boring they would not be the first ones to promote the newbies now would they. They are used because they are popular but never given a good sl that is about them that they are the driver of that they have the power in, an sl with good dialogue, airtime and the beats of the sl played out on screen.

ok…poor poor Cane and Lily..i almost cry..whatever..eyeroll..

Poor baby! Why waste your tie crying or eyerolling? Boring is subjective. Boring is a matter of one’s personal tastes & opinions. I don’t cry for Lily & Cane at all. I absolutely adore them. There are quite a few boring couples w/ little or no romantic chemistry on Y&R but I won’t & don’t waste my time attacking them or crying for them. They have too much screen time already. I FF’d or don’t tune in. Besides JFP & JG have already stated that the viewers do not know what they want until they tell them or show them by puuttin git on the screen. I already know what, who I do and do not like. You like whomever appeals to you and that is all there is to IT!

ITA APurvis….. but I hope JFP and JG remember that what goes around comes around. Their bias towards Lane DG and CK will come back to bite them. God don’s like ugly not even in a soap.

I meant to say God don’t like ugly. You reap what you sow JG & JFP. ANd don’t worry you surely will. In spades.

Lily is boring without Drucilla. This Avery is nothing interesting. Chelsea is the WORST boring person character on the show!!!WHAT HAPPNED TO THE REAL CAT FIGHTS THEY HAD YEARS AGO AND HOT SEXY IN REAL BEDS AND MYSTERY KILLINGS??? IT is a soap oprea! WE need more twisted drama!!!

Every executive EVER during a switchover says they want the show to be more “current”, “contemporary” and “fresh”. Seriously, read any interview with any of them and those are the buzzwords. While I see differences in the show, especially with the kinds of stories MAB would tell, I definitely do not feel it to be any different.

Jill seems to be very defensive in this interview. I guess she knows what her reputation is. But I’ll give her credit where credit is due, she seems like a tough cookie, a strong woman with read cajones…..for better or for worse.

On another note, anyone else think the quote “The audience thinks they know what they need” was a Brian Frons original? It just reeks of him.

Jill destroyed GH and if you give her enough time she will ruin Y&R as well. Don’t believe anything she says!

ITA!

ITA….and how much you wanna bet that 2 day a week tape deal Burton has with JFP ain’t gonna work. There is no way she is gonna let Burton just do two days a week and then go home to his family for five like he claims.

Agreed! She destroyed Another World which led to their cancellation eventually and ruined OLTL for a time.

I never watched Y&R and with her at the helm I wont watch for sure.

Y&R has been such Bull Sh*t and from what I have seen of the show Lately It still is Bull Sh*t IF they can not do any better then this then that is very sad indeed . JG and JFP need to pack it up and go Before they Kill the Show with their malpractice

thtat was great Michael. If you think back to the previous regimes interviews, they always thought they were SOO epic and amazing and completely out of touch. Jill and Josh were humble here and still strive for excellence and seem to not only like what they’re doing but truly care about the show. I pray gone are the days where show killers take over my shows!
The past few weeks Y&R has really sung. Still not perfect and i’m hating kevin and chloes story but as a whole its very very good and so friggin much better than it was a year ago.

bring back dru

Where does one start when they laughed so hard through this entire article. I mean I don’t see anything that says the show has turned around. But I guess when you are looking at the increase in the ratings in 18-34 demos anything is possible. I what to just point out how full of hot air both Jill and Josh truly are. I have not once heard a casting call put out for Summer,Noah, and now Abby all we have seen is Hollywood Heights actors taking over and Hollywood Heights sets being used. And I just now realized where I have seen the Avery loft set with was on the City. They talk about it was a great idea to give Sharon a bipolar disorder but they write her like she is bat shyt crazy with schizophrenia. And what the heck was that trash about Michelle S. having a story line really she appears and disappears on a whim and gets to play babysitter to Jack is a story line. Both Josh and Jill should never be interviewed or speak again because I nearly peed myself of how they loved JCs character Avery that they seen, what exactly made her stand out??? Because it surely wasn’t the front burner story lines that she didnt have. Makes me wonder if Josh and Jill actually paid attention to the show before they took over and have “turned things around”

Why so much on Michelle. Sharon is the star of the show not Michelle.

Really, Sharon is the star of the show??? When was that and where was I… I don’t think Michelle is the star of the show, I think all the vets have made the show not just one character. Sharon Case can not hold a scene when she has a story line, she turns into a prop and the character of Sharon is and always will be someone’s victim. And as it stands right now from reading Jill and Josh talk out of their asses Jessica Collins is the star. Did you not read that fact no where in there did Jill or Josh say Sharon was the star. Apparently Sharon has to be part of a pairing to stand out to Jill and Josh. And from where I am sitting I am offended that Jill and Josh seem to think that we the viewers not see how the vets which includes are not driving stories.

Sharon is not now nor has she ever been a lead character nor is Sharon Case a lead actress I don’t see why she got a pre-nom! What has been so great ?

Sharon was the star of this show the first time Sharon Case took over the role as Sharon Newman. I wait for her to come on every day . When she is not on and with my other favorite Drucilla still not back yet I fast forward through the rest of the cast at times . Lately with Victor and Nikki wedding for the millionth time and Chelsea AGAIN and Leslie and the congress man I am soooo bored! Sharon is my favorite and loving everything Abbott! Go team Jack and Phyllis. Now is Summer Jacks??? I hope so. 🙂

Sharon and Drucilla both my favorites and loved Shelia as the bad girl. Now I love Shadam. Nick lost me a long time ago. Chelsea all wrong for the show so is Chloe and Leslie in my opinion. I love Ashley and Jack miss John Abbott. Not into Victor any more or Nikki.

Time for Sharon and Adam to make love and have a baby of there own !

YES Sharon Case IS the star of the show!!! Do you have any idea how much media and chats are surrounded by her fans and fans who love to be jealous of her. She is the most talked about character in Y&R history other than Victor Newman! She IS the Barbie sweetheart of the show!

Thankyou for giving us back Sharon with Adam the way it should be. Chelsea is not a long term core character so she needs to give the child to Adam to raise with Sharon.

Too bad Ms. Phelps wasn’t concerned about GH’s legacy! lol…. and SOOOOOO glad she let Genie Francis go from YnR, and got the borg off of GH. That swap has been the best thing that has happened to GH in a long time….. well besides the change in Executive producer, and head writer!!

Now I consider myself reasonable intelligent and I can smell bull. That horrible triangle is just that a big fat mess. Any character can have chemistry but you need it with this three. It is built on quicksand. A newbie as lead. As for. Michelle. Driving story. I don’t believe them, they could not even get their lies straight.

Sharon. Has not changed shehas switched Newman. Lane are still boring. They have chemistry outside of their pairing.

Sharon is the most nicest person on the show and no one is more kind and loving of a character. Sharon and Sharon +Real love and go’s deep with Romance like Nikki and Victor. Adam will ALWAYS run to Sharon in the end like Victor does to Nikki. That is what came out of Shadam XOXOXO

Sharon and Adam XOXOXO

I am one long-time fan of the show that has never enjoyed the pairing of Sharon and Adam. Adam is an evil psychopath who kidnapped Sharon and Nick’s baby, burned a fetus, played mind games with Ashley, used Rafe, etc., etc., etc. IMO Sharon, who was once my all time fave, has been completely ruined by pairing her with psycho Adam and makes her look like a complete idiot. She’s put Adam before her child. It’s so sad for me. Nick and Sharon were the love story of this show…they should still be. I FF through anything Adam and I wish the actor would get his big break that he’s always trying to get and move on.

Paul but Nick will never be the next Newman and Nick can’t keep his pants on. He jumps from one to the other. Adam however will always come back to Sharon.he would loose everything for her and her alone. He is the next Victor Newman. WHY WOULD THE WRITERS GIVE CHELSEA ANOTHER BABY!!! SHE GAVE AWAY HER OTHER CHILD AND NEVER FOUGHT FOR SHARED CUSTODY. THAT IS NOT A MOTHER. LIVING UP IN HER MANSION UP THE STREET.Victor has been so toxic to Nikki he drove her to drink so why would Adam be different and besides Adam did this before he fell in love with Sharon. Adam loves Sharon and they need a heir . Nick and Sharon were over a long time ago when he cheated over and over and lied that summer is his child . Summer is Jacks!!!

FYI: Sharon Case is also an emmy winner for best supporting actress Michelle Stafford who I like also is not the only one who has an emmy on this show Jess Walton has two Jeanne Cooper one Beth Maitland Tracey Bergman why do we always mention Stafford I like her but they have a wealth of good actresses on this show. And sorry JFP you are and have always been full of it.

Sharon Case better win best actress this coming year. it will be a total dis like poor Ben Affleck with Argo if Ms. Case does not win. For the first time in years I am going to sit at the edge of my seat at the Daytime Emmy’s

Hey Ben got the oscar for best picture..not bad !
There is still hope for Sharon case, don’t be pessimistic..lol..anyway these Daytime Emmys are a real joke and that since years, maybe decades.

She deserves the win for putting up with making her bed two men who were 20 to 30 yrs. older just so they could feel good about themselves.

Sharon Case WILL win for best actress this year! She is so diverse and did so many personalities. She is a real actress. Love her!

Thanks again Michael for the explination. I don’t know wat is it about Roger Howarth that makes me crazy with he’s acting either its he’s adlibs he adds or the chemistry he shares with the people he’s in a scene with. I really hope he comes back to General Hospital I like this dynamic he shares with Laura Wright and I want. To see where it leads he challenges her and that’s great I hope u interview him someday and soon I hope

I like Roger with Laura Wright but the dynamic of their characters right now is too much a rehash of Todd and Blair (or Tea..take your picks..) GH should write them more profound with new flavors in order to make the relationship unique imho otherwise they will soon become a cheaper version of Todd and his ex-lovers dynamic imho.

I hope they are going with Sharon and Dylan as siblings and Sharon and Adam back together. I have not read all the interview, because I stopped watching the show when chels got pregSharonant and it should have been sharon and adam.Thanks.

Agreed. We as a audience do sometimes know what we do want. Watching it for 29 years and Sharon and Adam are the next super couple of this show. Move over Nikki and Victor Shadam is in the house!

MM as Adam is really great, even more when they write good material for him and Sharon is more interesting (despite the all over the place writing for her these last years) than she has been for a long time..before i found her so boring for years with her ‘good girl’ routine. Her dynamic with Adam while being sometimes pretty twisted gave her a spark she did not have before.

Michael Muhney & Sharon Case are the future of this show their chemistry is over the top, Sorry JFP golden boy is still sitiff as a board and I happen to like SB he just needs a drama coach my sister is a great one call her.

I love Lily and Cane; and I don’t find them boring at all. How can they be boring when they are on screen so little and have no storylines? Something else is at work here & it is not the couple. Even w/ the little screen time they have been given over 5 years and the most destructive storylines of any couple, they have kept a HUGE loyal following or fanbase as you call it. It is refrehsing and totally different to see a young couple who love each other, loyal & devoted to each other & their family. I find all the couples involved in triangles, quadrangles, bedhopping, cheating, partner-swapping, impulsive sexcapades boring.

How can anyone be bored watching Lily & Cane for approximately 2 minutes & 53 seconds on Monday, March 4, the only day LANE appeared on screen that week? Last week, They appeared on Tuesday, March 12, for less than 5 minutes & that was the only day they appeared on screen that week. That’s not enough time to hit the FF’d button. More time was allotted to the two chipmunks, Chelsea & Chloe, plotting to name Cane or some other unsuspecting male as Chelsea’s baby daddy than LANE got on screen.

I don’t know what to make of vapid interviews like these from the HW & EP of Y&R. I feel annoyed & totally confused by whatever they state in interviews like this one. Still feels like MAB spinning tales to hopefully spike the ratings or to keep cbs & Sony off her back to me.

Two Chipmunks Hahahaha I LOVE it. Chelsea and Chloe. I think they are more like the two acorns . Watch out for the Chipmunk when your a acorn Hahaha

Me ! I am bored by Lily and Cane. Hey it is a matter of opinion and taste maybe..they just bore me and that since the beginning. On the other hand i freaking floved Diva Drucilla, too bad her daughter is the anti-Drucilla..are we not sure she is Olivia’s daughter ?! (yep i know it is also my name but i did not chose..lol).

Who do you like? Do you have a Fav pairing on Y&R? SHadam? Shick? Phack? Villy? Bet I find them boring but if the show is BALANCED, most viewers will find a reason to watch. Personally I consider Lily being educated, well spoken, loving and lovely and not ghetto like Dru was written waaaaaay back in the day to be a very good thing because I am not into stereotypes. That sickens me which is why I was appalled and completely turned off when Tyler opened his mouth for the first time! Notice TPTB did not insult Angelica McDaniel by writing the Latino cop and his sister or even Carmine that way.

I have to agree with you they seem to think they are spinning gold on the horse shyt that came out of their mouths in this interview. I may not be a Lane fan but I have to agree with you on the basis that when a couple doesn’t get the air time needed to tell a story, then them being boring has more to do with the lack of creativity and writing skills, and direction of the show based on the writers like Josh Griffith and the EP Jill Phelps. Both seem to think we the viewer don’t see that nothing has changed and nothing will change until they get their heads out of their own asses long enough to make the show about YR instead of Agendas and Egos

Thank you, Tasha, for speaking the truth!

Yes this! its as ridiculous as its offensive. I guess we can translate that its because its Cane and Lily who are in love and have mad chemistry. I find that when its the “approved” couples by JG and JFP they are not “boring” then. Only Lane right? the same couple that has been sidelined 5 years and counting the same couple that still hold the fascination of most of the audience that Lane right? LMAO their bigotry is so transparent they think they are covering it up behind words like “boring” as if that will justify their cruel injustice towards not only towards the couple “Lane” but Christel and Daniel Goddard.

Lets take Christel for example, a vet on this show and yet she is constantly backburnerned and sidelined while JFP and JG promote newbies lile JC (Avery) and MCE (chelsea) when the question is posed why they continue to hold her back the answer “its a journey”
Right, its only a “journey” when it comes to Christel, or Lane or DG.

And why is that? because Christel’s pigmentation is not quite “white” what other conclusion can one make when she has been on this show longer? she is very talented and she has the charisma to hold the audience’s attention. She can hold her own and has never ridden other people’s coattails unlike the other chicks being shoved down out throats simply because JFP and JG think are better suited due to the colour of their skins I suppose.

This show is not the legacy of Bell Sr. May he rest in peace. But his once beloved show has been turned into a den of racism (on the down low of course) and bigotry and hatred.

Oh how they like to feed into the player haters. But like all the other shows JFP drove into the ground, she will be YR’s downfall.

‘racism’ ?! Come on i loved loved loved Vicky Rowell as Drucilla (one of my all time favorite character on this soap) i just find Miss Khalill as Lily a bore, she can be blue, green, pink, black, yellow, white, grey still boring and kind of corny to me…anyway i will stop i made my point and Cane and Lily fans are pretty sensitive in the love of their favorite daytime tv couple, and i get it guys by the way, i did it, i could also be passionate with other tv pairings so i will stop teasing you guys. But the ‘racism’ issue i had to say something because it is not accurate at all, at least in my case and for vast majority of people disliking the Lily character i am sure.

I agree Michael gave a wonderful interview and asked great questions. He never said Lane was boring. I do in fact think they can and have been boring. I have been begging for Victoria Rowell to return as Drucilla for YEARS and think it would give Lane more substance. As it would if what i am hoping and hearing Sharon turns out to have Dylan as a long lost brother. i love family on this show. That is why they Abbotts are near and dear to my heart. i wish Tracy would return for good and not once in awhile.What a HUGE mistake it was to kill off brad, John and Colleen! Who’s bright idea was this to kill them off and poor Cassie! Id love to see Sharon have a teenage daughter to love and hang with.

ITA Enuf!TwitTwatWriters you said it!

The truth will always be the truth regardless of how any player haters go around saying its not.

ITA with everything you said ! I think it’s very unprofessional (to say at least) from an interviewer to tell the Executive producer that a couple is boring when he knows that they never got a real storyline the last few years. They never get more than 10 min screentime a month the writers never give them a chance to shine! Lily and Cane are a couple of which Y&R could be so proud of! If they would give them only a storyline so that they would finally be able to show their amazing acting talents. Daniel Goddard is a fantastic actor and so is Christel Khalil! I’m disappointed of the interviewer and have lost all respect for him (until he probably makes thing clear in the next interview) The favoritism for certain characters/ actors continues . I hope that all these interviews open the eyes of SONY yet again so that they choose a great and competent EP and HW this time ! Perhaps they are already looking for someone new because this Y&R is disgusting, disgusting because of the MORE THAN OBVIOUS favoritism for certain actors! The way it was before JFP came to the show!

How come nobody ever asks JFP about being let go from GH? I would love to hear her thoughts on GH’s sagging ratings during the end of her tenure and what was going on with ABCD. Was it the writer, Frons, or her that caused GH to turn into a mess?

I love Josh & Jills Jessica Collins love! She’s a star and Avery is a breath of fresh air. I also loved of Josh acknowledged Sharon was away from the core of who she is. MAB had her unrecognizable! I’m glad they are trying to bring her back. I see the Sharon I know and love coming back slowly but surely.

JFP appears to be a more nuanced version of MAB. ALL of the characters are boring to someone. The point is to write to what fans respond, too. Tyler is a sterotypical, package holding thug. I can NOT believe he was brought on, at all, much less placed as an interloper for Cane and Lily. Chelsea and Chloe are sexual offenders, and to see Chelsea put in the spotlight is an insult to the female characters fans actually love and want to see. The only drama, this team seems to be able to write is ring around the bed, and I find that boring and insulting. I despise Shadamned, but I can acknowledge they are a popular couple, and the actors have wonderful chemistry together. The same acknowledgement is NOT given to Cane and Lily Ashby. They are constatnly dismissed and used as dupes to promote other characters on the show. If they were being written in character, Cane would have dropped Tyler on his butt long ago, and Lily would have been able to put not only Chelesa, in her place, but Chloe too. I am so sick and tired of the comparisons of Lily to Dru. History lesson, Dru did everything, in her power, to make certain Lily would NOT be a carbon copy of herself. Dru did an excellent job. Lily is refined, sophisticated, and strong. Lily is more introverted than her mom. This does not take away from Lily. If you want to write something for The Ashby’s without trying to destroy them, bring back Colin. Why not allow them to build a business that rivals Newman, and Jabot. How about having Tucker be Cane’s father afterall? All of this would be very dramatic, soapy, and wonderful to see without destroying the essence of the characters. BTW, does anyone know why Cane and Lily were “jealous”, I certainly don’t.

Get Chelsea OFF the bloody screen 5 days a week!

Not all characters need to sleep around to be viable.

JFP and JG are not the only ones who “know” these characters, so do we. The majority of fans are saying the same thing…we all can’t be wrong.

As for character writing, the only characters who seem to be written for properly, are the ones the new team is introducing & their obvious favorites. I, as a fan, should not be able to see clips, of the show and see who you like the best. If you want fans to stop using FOJ phrase, then stop hiring your friends….simple.

I hate what this team has done to Michael and Lauren. Lauren, as a 50 year old woman, looks foolish and stupid engaging in this “relationship” with a man half her age.

Where is Jill? Jess Walton returned, for what? Where is Katherine?

I could go on and on, but I think I’ll stop here……

Sharon and Adam . Team Shadam . Move them along please they need to be back in each others hot steamy life. Sell that old haunted house Adam bought with Chelsea. Two mistakes.Why is Chelsea still on this show? Just wondering?

I loved Colin, Robert Scorpio was great as Colin, he had an edge. Hope he will come back one day, his romance with Jill was not too bad also. Lily is just boring imo. I love Lauren and Michael’s story, it was time this show shake up this couple..for years they had no story and it is totally in character for Lauren..if you know the Lauren character, the only problem is there was not fallout for the Bullying story..totally anti-climatic but i love Lauren cheating story..let”s hope this time there is a real fallout and Michael get some of his ‘dark side’ back not too much of course (i want him on canvas) but a bit..he was so devilish back in the day..lol

Gr8 post Laurel Twist! ITA This regime might as well change their name back to Mab and Co. Because nothing has changed for the better. Same ol’ same ol’. I can not believe that JG would think this crap on YR right now is great stuff. I can not believe how wrong I was about him!
JFP already showed me her true colours so Im not surprised by her at all.

What a wonderful and refreshing interview and I never got the hatred for this woman. They make a great point when stating why wouldn’t you bring over actors who can deliver? Every single one of their casting decisions has been bang on for me. I’m still on the fence regarding the actress who plays Adriana, but honestly the stolen money story was not anything impressive, sorry to say. All that aside everything else seems to be popping on all cylinders. The lighting is fabulous, the music evokes more emotion and the costumes hair and makeup have even been kicked up a notch. I’m thoroughly engaged by the show now and if they are working with severe budgetary constraints I can overlook a few things, because the show had been brought up to a more glamorous standard instead of looking like beaten down neglected show as it was under Maria Bell.

I personally love Jessica Collins. She was wonderful as Dinah Lee Mayberry and the actress has proven her mettle in daytime and I think she’s done a great job on YR. I don’t dislike Nick and Avery but in my opinion Joshua Morrow is just not a strong enough actor for any leading lady. I think Steve and Jessica have the dynamic here that can truly build a couple status. Which brings me to Melissa Claire Egan. Is there a reason why her character is still on the show? They seem to be throwing Chelsea at every man under the sun all to no avail. She has no strong chemistry with anyone..certainly not enough to justify breaking up other couples to give her a romance. SC and MM are so steamy it feels like I’m intruding on them. CK and DG love them or hate them are very sensual in their love scenes. But MCE and SB did nothing for me in their love scenes. In fact he could have been alone, simply undressing and that scene would have been great. There was no need for her at all.

Love that Adam has his edge back and that they realize having him in that tag n grab nonsense sitting on the couch talking about angel babies with Chelsea was not riveting soap. Let him be Victor Newman 2.0. Also great to see they realize how important Sharon Newman is to the show. She’s an iconic character who for me has always been a strong driving pulse for this show. Her character is one who can do things that cause reactions and create story tentacles for others. It’s important for them to restore back her balance and humanity.

Just my thoughts.

I am so happy these are intellegant comments and not those who for some insane reason on the other sites support a person like Chelsea who infact was a hired pro by Victor who gave away her child just to go live in a mansion up the road just to try to have another child but lost that child only to be so upset but then to find out she once again is again pregnant but now again does not want this child, OK WHO IS BIPOLAR NOW!!! …. LOL

I agree Lisa- Chelsea should have been a short term bit player, how she ended up on front burner status is beyond me. She would have been far more interesting if they kept her as a con artist; if her romance with Adam had been a con to get all his money that would have made sense. If she had fleece him out of his money, left town and had Adam all disillusioned about love and life, after trying to be more Hope than Victor- the character would have served a purpose. Right now I don’t think the writers have a clue how she is supposed to fit – but one could hope if her clothing line is successful maybe they will ship the character over to B&B. I think she would fit right in there.

Great post (although i don’t mind MCE as Chelsea and Cane and Lily are still boring to me..lol). As for the hatred toward JFP..well she did lot of damage to some other soaps (but she is not Dena Highley thank god..lol) but let’s see what she can do with this one before making very hard judgment..we will see.

Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.

NOW IF ONLY JOSH AND JILL READ HOW YES SOME OF DO KNOW WE DON’T LIKE SOME CHARACTERS LIKE CHELSEA. THAT WAS A MAB MISTAKE BECAUSE ADAM WOULD NEVER EVER EVER EVER LOVE ANOTHER BESIDES SHARON. THEY BETTER HAVE A ESCAPE PLAN NOW THEY GOT THIS SEX OFFENDER CHELSEA PREGNANT AGAIN. GEEEEEZ

Keep Phyllis in the background for as long as possible. They made too much of her in the past and all she delivered was crap and misery to most in GC.
Thank you for bringing Michael back in line, for saving Sharon from some horrible writing, and for bringing such great characters as Dylan and Avery.
No if you could only bring back Tucker being played by the same actor and give us more Jill too. Thanks for respecting long time viewers who knew these characters so well and felt them getting lost.

I agree with bringing back Stephen Nichols as Tucker McCall. He is desperately needed in Katherine’s storyline as well as those with Devon, Jill and the businesses of GC. I would like to see JFP bring back this non JFP actor. It would pleasantly surprise me if she did!

I think she also needs to slow down on the hiring of all the new actors. She should at least remember that new characters need to be SLOWLY integrated into the storylines and not shoved down our throats!

AMEN. I miss Stephen!

Do you really want Jill to bring back Dru to Y&R? If you watched GH when Jill brought back Brenda and ruined that character by over exposure and a dumb plotline that was so boring you didnt care that she left, how could you risk that happening to Dru on Y&R? Dru deserves better than that and somehow i dont feel this team can do the job!!! They only done very little so far to improve the show in my opinion. I dont even watch as much as i used to. And there was better ways to add conflict to Micheals and Laurens marriage then having her cheat on her husband just over a repairable disagreement. Like maybe she shoplifts at Fenmores? im kidding about the shoplifting at her own store. I just feel they trashed Lauren for me. But then again the return of Dru, if done right, could be exactly the shot in the arm this show needs.

p.s. Im not totally against Jill as i may sound because many producers and writers do have their ups and downs plus she has won emmys for her past work in daytime which proves she has done some things right. She may not of done a well job at GH but that doesnt mean she could never go back and not let be as bad as it got b4 and shes got plenty of time to make y&r better. There is some good moments i still tune in for. Besides look at movie producers of the big screen. Sometimes they make a bad movie and sometimes they make a good one. Same with producers on tv. sometimes their shows succeed and sometimes they fail. so ill give her another chance…for now!

OMG I forgot that JFP brought back Brenda and she was on everyday. Even her fans wanted her gone. She is doing the same damn thing with Chelsea to the point I almost want to stop watching. Now if she is doing the exact same thing with Chelsae as she did with Brenda…who is to say she will do any different with Y&R as she did with GH? GH was on life support by the time she left.

I have been saying it since last year, Adam doesnt fit with Chelsea. Adam is a dynamic character that shouldnt have been thrown into business with Kevin and Chloe. His crowd is Sharon, Victor, Jack, Nick and Phyllis. They should reunite him with Sharon.
It sucks that the new writers made Chelsea pregnant with his child. He shouldnt have any ties to her. Sharon having Adam’s baby would have been a better story.

I dont enjoy Phyllis with Jack. They are good acting partners but they dont have any sexual chemistry. Why didnt they keep Ronan for Phyllis? No offense to him but Peter Bergman hasnt had any sexual chemistry with anyone except Skye (Adam’s dead wife). PB’s pairings generally suck because of PB not the ladies. They didnt give Diane (Maura West) a fair chance, they could try her and Jack again. Phyllis should either get Ronan or a new man, her pairing with Jack sucks, they are better off as friends.

I AM VERY HAPPY TO SEE THE COMMENT ON HERE ARE FAR MORE LOGICAL AND INTELLIGENT THAN THOSE ON THE COMMENT BOARDS LEFT ON THE Y&R SITE. CHELSEA WAS NEVER A KEY PLAYER AND WHY WAS SHE ON THE TALK TODAY WITH ADAM WAS INSANE. THE ACTRESS WAS ON THIS SHOW ALL OF 5 MINUTES AND IT IS A INSULT TO THOSE OF US WHO ARE REALLY CELEBRATING 40YRS. SHE HAS NOTING TO CELEBRATE. BACK TO PINE VALLEY SHE GOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PHYLLIS AND JACK ARE GREAT TOGETHER AND SHARON WITH ADAM (THAT’S THE NEW NIKKI AND VICTOR) THEY NEED A DRUCILLA RETURN. PAUL AND CRICKET NEED TO GET MARRIED AND DO THE IN VITRO NOT BILLY AND VICTORIA . WE HAVE SEEN THEM HAVE KIDS, SOMEONE ELSES KIDS. ENOUGH OF BILLY AND VICTORIA. AS FOR CANE AND LILY. OH SOOOO BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another insulting interview IMHO I do not know how this regime headed by JFP and JG and Co can continue with the racism dare I say and the bigotry against CK and Lane (& DG by association of course) and then have the nerve to mention them as if either the actors or the couple / characters Lane / Lily & Cane got a fair shake on YR. Its truly sickening to me to see someone as talented as Christel be constantly sidelined by others who come to the show as new actresses while she continues to be ignored.

I truly do not understand why they treat the couple of Lane (Lily & Cane) as if they were not “good enough” or perhaps I should correctly say they are not seen as the “right colour” which is the crux of the matter isn’t it?

I will say this I expected better from Josh Griffith but perhaps I was also wrong about him because I always thought of him as above such bs. But live and learn as they say.

Daniel Goddard and Christel Khalil are among the most talented actors in Daytime and they portray one of the most popular couples in daytime and the most popular and beloved on YR, But looking at the inequality between the writing and the airtime they get with others (including newbies) one would never know just what they bring to this show.

I’m offended by one saying that Lily and Cane are boring? Really? I wish this show would bore me everyday then. I notice when its the so called “right” couple that JFP and JG want to continue pushing down our throats they are never “boring” well guess what Lane is not boring to the majority of us. The majority of us are rational people who can see prejudice thats continually thrown at them for daring to be popular when its clear some people running the show think they shouldn’t be.

But whether JFP and JG accepts it or not the audience know what they want. I know what I want, what I like on the show and just because they are forcing certain “favoured” people on the screen everyday while neglecting the cries of the fans does not make the aforementioned statement null and void.

What a shame in 2013 we have people who run this show who have no concept of good writing and good drama, who would rather drive this show into the ground by forcing their “concepts” of what they think the audience want to see.

WHat a shame that we have someone as talented as Christel, a vet on this show, this young woman we watched grow up before our very eyes, what a shame that she is continually pushed aside for newbies who are JFP and JG’s favourites like the actresses who portray the characters of Avery or Chelsea?

And what a shame that when its Cane and Lily aka Lane that are popular they are used and abused and never given substantial material to tell their story? Its been five years and ever since Mab and Co and now JFP and JG and Co continuing in the sickening tradition of bigotry against an IR couple purely because they are IR. Even more of a shame the fact that they look at them as IR and not as a couple in love with fantastic chemistry.

WHat a damn shame that such fantastic actors like Christel and Daniel have to constantly take a back seat to others just because they are not favoured by JFP and JG and Co.

So spare me these dastardly “interviews” that say absolutely nothing and continue to offend. You may think you are hiding your intentions (JG &JFP) but you are not. Actions speak louder than words and your actions towards a certain couple called Lane on YR and the actors who portray say everything.

But I will say one thing you will never keep them down forever.

FACT: Other shows in prime and now B&B realize the very thing about Lily and Cane JG and JFP hate is what viewers embrace and expect THIS century from programmes. FACT: Failure to be INCLUSIVE whilst claiming to endorse CBS’ and Sony’s diversity programmes does not bode well with viewers, especially when a regime intentionallly hires and introduces a stereotypical black man (Tyler) who offends minority women, nee ALL women, with his ghetto jive speak because an aged writer thinks that is what we want due to the fact said writer(s) want Cane with a white, which Story they think will be easier for them to tell. FACT: President Obama job is hard but you wouldn’t hire him–he is not stereotypical enough for you!

^^^ ITA Indeed! ANd notice how its only Lily who they think should be treated like crap. I notice all their so called “proper” “leading” ladies are treated like they are special but not Lily. They would remove Lily from the one “man” as in cane who ever loved her beyond anything. He treats her like the queen she is but no, JFP and JG would take that from her so one of their manless chicks can have a man. Yes this show is offensive and nothing more. ANd surely, JFP and JG would not know good storytelling if it bit them in the nose. Whats even more offending is when they give “interviews” like this as if we as rational people would not recognise bs when we see it!

Having watched Y&R for over 20 years and knowing JFP from GH, I can say I promise I can hardly watch Y&R anymore and stopped recording it. Now thanks to Frank Valentini, General Hospital rocks big time. Sorry but Y&R is completely boring just like General Hospital was when she was at the helm (JFP).

I don’t care for rubber masks, hallucinations, vampires and people eating paper. This show has now become a “freak show” with a bunch of vets thrown in for instant ratings and most will be gone after the 50th anniversary is over. Then what are they going to think of next?

Betty! I too worry about what will become of GH after the anniversary hoopla. If they dont keep some of the vets around, we are going to be left with a very bleak, boring, and empty canvas! Right now, embarrassment of riches is an understatement. As it stands, when Sonny comes on the screen, he just seems like an out of place after-thought…much to my delight!! I have been clamoring for the show to get rid of that character for 15 years! Now it is at the point where he could leave and not be missed at all!! FINALLY! I hope they have a contingency plan in place! Either they ARE keeping some vets or they are working overtime on story for the other characters…they need to do something. I do think that Frank and Ron are smart enough to realize this though. Felix is pointless and useless…get rid of him and take his salary and offer it to a beloved vet to keep them around. The show is must see tv and has been for some time. It would be a herculean monumental task to prolong this momentum and positive buzz…lets hope they can do it and sustain it!

Interesting interview but I do not want to see Phylis and Jack back together there has to be something else. I really do not like the character of Nick right now and I am not by my self so we shall see what happens.

Wow could Jill and Josh spin anymore BS? I am so glad I cut this show months ago.

Seriously? “We are basically giving the audience a gift of people we know who can actually do it. And, it would be nice if they could get over the sense that it was some sort of personal vendetta.” WOW! What a stuck up attitude for somoen who JUST joined the Y&R Family. The fans have watched for 40 years .. We DO know these characters and adore them, and hiring all your friends from your failed Hollywood Heights does not work for US…Perhaps Jill needs to “get over herself” and realize when you alleiante your fans, your shows get cancelled. You don’t NEED new fans, you need to keep t!he old ones for 40 more years–we are the one’s who have incomes and buy the products advertised–not the bratty spoiled rotte 18-29 year olds who have the attention span of a newt, with their Twitter and 2 hours of total TV time a day! You will never grab them, but everyine from all the cancelled shows are tuning in to Y&R to follw a good story…not crap! (Fen does no community service for nearly bullying a kid to suicide? The terrible actress playing Summer gets a car after she commits vehicular manslaughter? Oh and both these brats came from HH…..Please!) Then she has Neil’s unqualified family destroy the class and dignity of Jabot eliminating the dress code? All the rumors are true this woman is clueless, and we will be cancelled under her rein just like practically all her other shows …

Well said!

Oh wow I love the way you said that … It is exactly what I have been thinking in the past years. They dont realize that the people who watch and quit watching day after day are the real long-time fans !!!!!! there are no new ones, esp not the younger generation ….. Cant they just watch some episodes of the 80s / 90s to realize how good Y&R was !!!

All I know is they are dragging out this story with Lauren and Michael way to long..so we know she cheated time to let Michael find out and start the re romancing of Likey Likey fans will not tolerate Lauren with Carmine for long before we switch it off and move on.l If the end game is Lauren and Michael having a wedding renewal of their vows and real romance,..it might be worth it. I had high hopes for two great actors Christian LeBlanc and Tracey Bregman..but you are dragging it out way to long..Time to bring he beautiful love of Likey back and if you want a story for them lets try an illness dont you people realize Michael has one kidney..could make for a dramatic story let get rid of Carmine and get Lauren and Michael back on track.

I absolutely DO NOT GET the bad feelings on this site for Chelsea! I just don’t. I also wish people would get over wanting Drucilla back. I mean, seriously? Not gonna happen.

Well we still can speak about Drucilla come on. She was one of the most dynamic character this soap ever had, and when you compare to someone like Lily you can’t help but speak about how awesome she was..lol.

Someone like Lily is it? Your true colours continue to shine as dull as that chick tptb are “propping” and “promoting”

You are right about one thing. “Someone” like Lily is a million times better than some rapist molester character who is only around because JFP and JG favour her and nothing more.

So yay for “someone” like Lily. I will take her any day. She shines brighter than the sun despite obvious disadvantages and she will always shine.

Chelsea was brought on as a con artist. Her character came in and accused a man of raping her. It wasn’t true. Billy did no such thing. Because of her alliance with Victor, Billy was kept from his daughter Delia who lay dying in a hospital. Chelsea has skated on this because it’s too easy to blame Victor but all he did was find her and pay her. The simple answer for any woman with scruples and integrity was to say no but Chelsea didn’t and then she came to GC and tormented Villy and was so horrible to Victoria while sitting on her couch, eating her food. How is that not loathsome? I’m not even a Villy fan and I was appalled.

Then she gave her baby up and the fans were supposed to think that was noble and it was up until she married Adam and was suddenly eager and ready to be a mom with him in just a matter of two months. Why? Because she suddenly was married? Had more money? How was Johnny not worthy of her keeping him and raising him, but Newman baby was? I found that equally appalling and not at all noble.

The insults kept coming when Adam was then marginalize to be with her. There was no way the Adam fans knew would be with a woman like her much less fall in love with her so quickly and want to marry her. He’s never been an impulsive character prone to flighty decisions and he would never hang with a kid…which is what she, Chloe and Kevin are. It was an obvious thrown together coupling all to give what fans perceived as Chelsea her whitewash and she needed a popular character to do it . Only it didn’t work, instead it made Adam look worse and worse as he ran around town demanding everyone especially Victoria respect his wife and the writers had these two victims of Chelsea’s apologizing to her.

Even now Adam is being painted as some horrible character to give Chelsea her perpetual victim status when nothing could be further from the truth. The man was never abusive to her. All he did was help Jack and Sharon and refuse to give up his entire life as he knew it to fly to Paris with her. Clearly it was just a way to isolate him and make him prove his love to her..because if GC really was that bad and she was that threatened by Sharon and everyone else, she would be in Paris right now. The worst thing Adam did was not love her and only her and he was very honest with her about it. He came clean with her and it’s a lot more than can be said for other characters (NIck) who continue to lie when confronted by their spouses.

Even Dylan is being used as some mouthpiece to hit fans over the head lest we forget that Chelsea is a victim. “the guy that dumped you is a jerk” I literally had to laugh at that one. Dylan has no clue who he’s bedding and he has no clue about Chelsea but fans do and we aren’t buying it.

If anyone was abusive and a jerk to Adam it was her. Throughout the marriage anytime Adam tried to talk to her about his family or people in GC, she would never miss an opportunity to remind him he had no friends, no one wanted him, or his father didn’t love him. You could see Adam’s pain each time she said it. To me that is not a person who cares about their spouse or has any clue what they need. Chelsea is an emotionally stunted self absorbed character who doesn’t get life or relationships period. Even now she had no idea how to mother her child.

There isn’t one decision she has made since she came to GC that she owns, it’s everyone else and she’s doing the very thing to her unborn child that she claims her mother did to her, which is use her child to run a con. The sad thing is this child has no choice and was not consulted.

Furthermore, fans are simply sick of MCE. She’s been shoved down our throats ad nauseum and thrown into one contrived story line after another and tested with several leading men in order to make Chelsea relevant. Nothing has sparked the huge popularity the writers and execs want. She’s just not all that and fans are sick of having her shoved at us weekly.

I couldn’t have said it better myself- bravo.

Again, excellent post. Clearly articulated, & all true. Chelsea is a pariah, & will NEVER be liked or accepted, by majority, of fans!

WOW, tell us how you really feel! Ha. I understand & remember & agree with you Teri but just about every character on every show has done awful, terrible things. I guess I just don’t think Chelsea is any worse than the rest of them. Awful characters either grow up, “change,” (Michael) whatever & then eventually become likeable, even lovable. Or they keep doing awful things & getting away with it (Victor). The entire Patti mess was started by Victor! Look at the fall out from that. Did he ever pay? He actually has Traci’s daughter’s heart (can’t rem. her name) & the girl died at Patti’s hand because of VICTOR! And Adam did some of the worst things ever-what he did to Ashley when she was pregnant? That was never really acknowledged or explained. Soap characters evolve over time. Also depends on who is writing! Ha.

NO CHELSEA IS BAD. VERY BAD. THIS WOMEN WILL NEVER BE LIKED. NOT WITH ADAM NOT WITH DYLAN. THEY REALLY MAKE ME MISS SHEILA. KIM BROWN AS THE REAL SHELIA WOULD KNOW HOW TO HANDLE A CHARACTER LIKE CRAZY CHELSEA AND CHLOE. YOU CAN’T LIKE A WOMEN LIKE THEM. A MAN HOWEVER IS SUPPOSED TO BE DARK AT TIMES. GO TO THE MATTRESSES .

Why doesn’t any interviewer ask about Jill Foster Abbott?

It was announced months ago that Jess Walton was returning….could someone please find out for what?

Is Y&R done telling her story? Is she going to return like Tracy or John to say a few lines of dialog and disappear for months again ( like under MAB). Tracy and John had exit stories but Jill is still living and residing in Genoa City so visits don’t make sense.

Y&R had strung viewers along for almost 4 decades with Jill’s story, if this regime doesn’t want to continue it then write her AND US a wrap-up. JC’s not going to be around for ever either, can’t there be some type of Jill & Kay story? A love story between Jill & Colin & she leaves with him…..then she could “visit”. Is everyone’s story going to endgame going to be floating around in the background doing absolutely nothing???

YES!

Jill’s chartacter was completely destroyed and negledted over the years. I remember when she had good writing and great storylines …

I can’t watie for the best Actress on TV to get more longer story to do and marry the best Actor on TV Michelle Staffors and Peter Bergman.I love Michelle she is #1 for even Dru will never be back to Y&R go look at her Tweet page your no why.Dru hate Y&R.go look for your self I cant wait to see More of Michelle on TV.

Well for sure it is not tomorrow that Vicky Rowell will come back on Y&R, that’s for damn sure !! lol but still doesn’t change the fact she was awesome as Drucilla on Y&R.

LOL, VR is not only not coming back, but is not even the best supporting supporting supporting actress on TV! Hell she can not even get a jot her reputation is so bad!

MS is golden with whoever she is paired with! Hell she even made crappy Joshus Morrow “act” better!

Do these two so called writer not know the history of the show? Phyllis IS an only child!

Sorry Jessica Collins sucks maggots when it comes to acting and sucks the life out of the show, how can this newbie be a lead ? Miss Easy Bake Oven needs the off Neanderthal Nivk and get sent up the river!

Phyllis and Michelle Stafford deserves better then this crap from these two!

To me Jessica Collins is a good actress, the problem: her character is boring. IMO the actress could generate sparks and charisma if the writing was not so one-note and cheesy, goodie two shoes propping. Here the acting (and/or actress) is not the problem it is her character’s characterisation and her love-interests doesn’t help..
JM is fun off-screen but Nick is so not interesting, it hurts..a block of wood to me borderline caveman, controlling most of the time..how exiting..and such a shame but it has always been like that with the Nick character whereas Joshua Morrow is so fun as himself ! lol

ITA- both are great actors. But i totally dislike the Avery character & the pairing with a nick. She comes across is a hypocritical, self righteous & too good to be human. She will be right regardless of who she hurts. Remember Daisy? And as Olivia says she is so boring. Almost like watching paint dry.

I am not interested in anything these they have to say unless they come forward and give the real reason for Stephen Nichols being fired.

All I can say about the interview is BS. I am wondering why you didn’t ask Jill why she canned the byllying sl and didn’t at least let Jeff stay to do it up right.Also want to know if they ever intend on bringing back Tricia Cast and Jeff Branson to do that sl? There could have been so much sl with these two. I can see who they are favouring ,all the newbies they brought on. What is wrong with doing more with the vets also ? Doesn’t seem like you asked too many questions abotu old unfinished sls. Alsowan to know why they keep saying they didn’t hire their friends and got rid of others thye didn’t care about or want.JMO

Please no more Shadam. They have not worked for the past 4 years and they ain’t working now. As for Chadam, you had a goldmine with them until you decided to break them up.(MCE is why I started watching this show again.) Loved her as Annie on AMC. Chadam are way more popular than Shadam on every poll I have seen. You need to fix it.

I don’t have a real ‘shot’ in this battle but me thinks Shadam while being polarizing (‘remember what he did ? He is a baby stealer, he burn a foetus, what he did to Ashley, Sharon..how she can chose him over her child ?! oh ohhohh..” ‘Sharon is destroyed’ bla bla bla..which makes me laugh actually when Victor is the main STAR on this show and the guy almost started on this show by making his wife’s lover prisoner and giving rats to eat..yikes and all the things he did all over the years..oh guys the list is too long and Nicky always chose him over ANY and i mean any other guys..lol moreover it is a freaking soap where characters can some really bad things in order to make a story after if they want the players to stay well in a way these ‘big bad’ characters have to get away) is pretty popular..more popular than Chelsea and Adam although this pairing did gain a fanbase pretty fast..impressive. To me Sharon with Adam became an interesting character i finally wanted and enjoyed to watch after years and years of a goodie two shoes corny romance with Nick, emotionless Joshua Morrow. As for Chelsea she is ok to me but not really a stand-out, i don’t know..

Chadam was and still is a gold mine! They need to reverse their destruction ASAP. I do not want to see Adam saddled with that snoozefest Sharon Newman who’s only purpose is to seduce other women’s men. No thanks. Chadam is magical and they have what it takes to drive storylines now and in the future.

NO WAY!!!! CHADAM IS ONE HOT MESS OF WRITING CREATED BY MAB. THAT WEDDING WAS LIKE WATCHING PAINT DRY AND CHEWING GLASS. ADAM WOULD NEVER MARRY THIS CHELSEA GARBAGE. THE MAN WENT TO HARVARD. CHELSEA IS SELFISH. ADAM IS A BUISNESS MAN AND VICTOR NEWMAN JR. CHELSEA WILL NEVER GET ADAM LIKE SHARON DOES . SHARON IS THE NEW NIKKI FOR ADAM IS THE NEW VICTOR . PERIOD!

ALSO ADAM WAS SHARON MAN FIRST NOT CHELSEA. IF VICTOR DID NOT FRAME SHARON FOR SKYES MURDER AND NICK THEN WOULD NOT OF MADE SHARON CHOOSE BETWEEN HER KIDS AND ADAM THEN THEY WOULD OF BEEN BACK TOGHETHER BEFORE CHELSEA CAN GET HER GOLD DIGGING CLAWS IN ADAM WHEN HE WAS SAD AND DOWN! ALSO WHY CAN NICK SLEEP WITH TWO SISTERS BUT SHARON CAN’T WITH TWO BROTHERS???????????????ANSWER THAT EINSTEIN !

After reading thru all the comments, I just had to say my piece. I think the new regime or executive producer and head writer are doing a wonderful job so far. Thanks for bringing in the actor, Steve Barton, as the new character, Dylan. Since I only watch one soap (Y&R) daily for at least 27 years, I can only say that these two, E.P. & H.W. are life savers for my soap opera, Y&R. It was like I came out of a nightmare after I watched 4 years of Maria A. Bell & Co.’s supposely Y&R. They did a hatched job on the character Sharon Newman. I don’t know whose idea it was to marry or put Victor with the mother of his grandchildren or his former DIL. The first time was bad enough when Victor sat in jail for Diane’s murder and they married while he was still sitting in jail and annulled. It was to throw off the suspicion of Nikki killing Diane. I heaved a sigh of relief. Then, the worst happened, Victor decided to marry Sharon to parade her around as his trophey girlfriend and wife to make Nikki jealous. It was the weirdest and incestous feeling hookup and by this time, I figured that Sharon character was being trashed for a reason since it was really similar to how the Diane character/actress was treated by M.A.B., and she was killed off, and she was trashed by begging for money from Jack, Victor, and made to sleep with Nick, Victor, Jack, and Tucker. Diane was a carreer woman, who had no problem raising and supporting her own son all these years and yet they made her penniless and a sex object for men. I noticed the same trend with the Sharon character. Sharon and Nick may have cheated on each other, but, they married really young and had to mature right along with their young children, Cassie and Noah, so of course they had the double duty of being young parents and still a lot of growing up to do. But, during their decade or so of marriage, they always managed to protray how much they still loved each other and their children, especially Cassie and Noah, was surrounded by their love and it extended to them growing up. Sharon was a housewife who tended to her little ones or Cassie and NOah all these years and Noah is the result of her being a loving mom to him. It was really disheartening to see M.A.B. write her so out of character choosing Adam over her baby, FAith, who he stole and kept that info. for so long until it was beaten out of him. But, we’ve long time viewers knew that Sharon was a good mother to her other children, Cassie and Noah. Thank you for finally writing Noah protecting his mother as she was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder (the former regime had the younger noah turned against his own mother and it was not at all believable, too). I could go on and on, but I will just finally say, to the new regime, THANK YOU, THANK, for the wonder scenes of little Faith, Noah (I love this Noah, btw) and Sharon family scenes during the Thanksgivng week and during the Christmas Holiday, the little girl who plays Faith is such a darling and a sweetie and I am so happy to see some Sharon and Faith scenes after being so deprived of it or hardly no mother and daughter scenes. Thanks A Million. I am finally enjoying Y&R as a whole ensemble cast again.

Great interview Michael!!! Both of them really seem to care about the show,

They need to bring back Sheila (Kimberlin Brown) and the Barber sisters (Victoria Rowell and Tonya). These are characters viewers have emotional investment in, Bill Bell put a lot of creative vision into their storylines and they have all had a provocative impact on the canvas.

Totally agree , they need to bring back old characters for the longtime viewers because they are not gaining new ones ….

Great interview! I love that JG & JFP have given the show balance again and have moved some of the vets that have been in the past for years to the front like Michael, Lauren, and Neil. I’m happy to see the characters like Avery & Leslie being given real storylines. Jessica Collins has been amazing to me and certainly taken me a ride with her acting. I smiled watching Avery and Nick finally give in to each other and become a couple and I cried when Dylan came back after she thought he was dead and she told him goodbye.

I’m looking forward to watching Y&R again something that hasn’t happened in years. Thanks JFP & JG for giving me great storylines that make me want to rush home to my tv or computer and watch Y&R.

As a Lane fan, I’m going to give JG and JFP credit for what I see them getting right 1 Giving Lane good romantic scenes on a regular basis. This is something that was sorely lacking with the last regime 2 dressing them in fanstastic clothing and 3 Aging the twins and picking what seems, 2 wonderful child actors, that seem to fit Cane and Lily like the other beloved Charlie and Mattie :smile I will also give them credit for showing how much these two love each other.

What I want for them, which has been stated before is good storytelling,good dialog and good airtime for their story to be told. Let Lane have story together and outside of their marriage. Give us stories for them involving romance, family, jobs, friendships etc. Lane did need a shake up in the sense of someone actually caring enough to take the time to write for them in a good way and for us to actually see them on screen doing what they do best, with the sufficient airtime.

So “some” find them boring. The key word here is “some” Not everybody is going to like the same things. I really don’t care that some find them boring. I know that myself along with many others love them. We love them because we find them romantic, unique,different and possessing amazing chemistry(the actors DG and CK). They come across as “real”. We love their love. That’s what JG and JFP need to understand,realize, and capitalize on when writing for them.

A balanced, well written show for all characters is the key to success for YR

While I find the character of Sharon tedious on her own and most definitely with Nick, she has great chemistry with Adam. Yes, he did horrible things( to her and to Ashley) but so have Michael, Victor, Kevin, to name a few. Somehow, those characters were turned around – in great part due to the skill of the actors. Well, not so much Victor. I still think he needs a grand comeuppance.

And, Sharon is no angel, either. How many men has she been with over the course of the show?

Admittedly, I kind of enjoyed the Adam/Chelsea pairing in the beginning. I thought redefining the character of Adam from Satan to someone with compassion was a good move. It showed growth in the character. Unfortunately, Chelsea became a jealous shrew, not totally unjustified as Adam’s decision to become a savior to Sharon was not the best since Chelsea knew their romantic history. But, she is somewhat un- anchored to the show despite the reveal of Jeffrey being her father. He isn’t a large enough part of the canvas for it to matter.

Except for a decade ago when she had her storyline with Kevin, Lily has been meandering as a character. I get that they are trying t create conflict in the marriage but, seriously, suddenly Lily is not only qualified to be a major player at a conglomerate but is willing to leave the twins in someone else’s care? Where was that willingness when Cane had no job or was going to be deported? How did she expect to raise the kids with no income?

I know there are people crazy about Lily & Cane. I just don’t get it. First, think about the fact that if he is the same age as Philip, Cane is at least 25 years her senior ( DG is really too young for the role). I don’t think DG is an atrocious actor but I have always felt their “love” story was written and acted as more of a high school romance. He makes puppy dog faces when trying to get across his intense love for Lily. Sorry, a mature man doesn’t do these things.

VR was a legend as Drucilla. Unfortunately, right, wrong or in between, I feel her constant berating of TPTB over the lack of AA actors, writers, etc on Y&R has tainted her. I doubt they would bring her back.

Good gracious! You missed a lot of Lily’s life if you must to go back to Kevin giving her chlamydia when she was a teen. Since then Lily was attacked by someone hired by Kevin & Daniel. Lily dated Daniel, ran away w/ Daniel, was shippped to boarding school, graduated HS & attended GCU for at least 3yrs, married Daniel, divorced Daniel. I had almost forgotten that Lily was entangled w/ that arsonist-pedophile, Fischman. Lily has been the fresh face of Jabot, had a romance w/ Cane, and a romance w/ Billy. She married Cane twice and has a set of twins. Lily is a character who had enough storylines to show her growing up on Y&R into the beautiful young adult woman she is today. She did not meander thru any pat of her life story. MAB came aboard 5 years ago in 2008 & she became a prop for every newby possible who came on the show. I want my feisty, bullheaded, assertive and often outspoken Lily back again. CK deserves better witing and treatment than she had in the past five years.

Michael, I would be interesting in knowing what parts of the interview you think have been lost in the responses & expressions of comments. Thank you!

Thank you, Michael, for answering my question. I really appreciate the response.

Well it is because i don’t care much about these issues Michael so i did not comment on it lol..I mean don’t get me wrong i love your work, your site, your interviews, your questions are pertinent and relevant but these particular issues did not really get my interest, but it is personal. You really did right to ask these questions because i know lot’s of viewers were/are concerned, interested about it and certainly some will post about it.
Well i would just say that Steve Burton is alright to me on Y&R not really a standout performance for now imo but his character has some humor, he shows some emotion, smile but his character is beginning to become too much propped and THAT is NEVER good, even more considering his situation with the headwriters..Also his character has to be more fleshed out but i give a pass for now maybe writers need time to do that. As for his chemistry with ladies..well well well to me on GH he had far more with the actresses playing Sami and above all Liz (he had killer chemistry with Rebecca Herst imho) with Y&R ladies right now it is kind of weak, not the same magic he was able to generate on GH..I don’t know what is the problem there is one..his first love scene with Chelsea did nothing to me..nada ! And for a guy who was able to create uber-popular pairings (i mean the Jasam, Liason fanwars were insane and the relationships with Robin or Carly..i mean IMPRESSIVE to say the least) praised for their chemistry for years on another soap it is really disappointing and strange..maybe the problem is the character or SB has lost his mojo..let’s hope it gets better soon, it is not awful i will say but pretty weak given the actor..
Great job Michael, always.

i think JFP and JG forget one important thing, this is not THEIR show, it is OUR show! and by shoving Steve Burton and the HH newbies down our throats, they are alienatinng THE FANS. I am sorry, Y & R did not need Steve Burton, or Jessica Collins either for that matter. I know my favorites were newbies at one time, but as Bill Bell newbies they were not showed 5 days a week for weeks! Bell stayed true to basic history that he set down, every HW and EP afterwards has bastardized the true history of the show ( Jill not being a Foster, Sharon being a theif since she was young, Brad not being who he said he was and being a Navy Seal!?! and his mother a Nazi hunter!, Phyllis’s father was now in prison instead being a minister and instead of being an only child suddenly we have perfect sister Avery, Ashley getting pregnant after having her uterus removed). JFP and JG just porved in this iterview tht they do not know that the fans actually WATCH the show and do care about the characters and the history of the show

Ok Michael I will make a comment and truly be honest the HH actors do not bother me I like the nu-Noah especially the relationship with his mother/Sharon Case. As for Summer I really never watched the other actress play the grown up so I have no bias on her. As for SB I am probably one of the few people that did not care for the character of Jason. I do feel they are making a mistake with pushing him front and center so much but so be it. JFP is not a person I have fond thoughts of but every EP has actors they really care for more then others. Lots of positives that they have turned around. Who knows maybe I will fall madly in love with the character of Dylan. But soap actors you always need to be improving on your craft good looks just get you so far.

Averysucks too funny! I just want to know one thing why did Sharon get all the blame for the Victor/Sharon mess last year not one person called him a dirty old man and the character of Victoria needs to be slapped hard across the face. I believe her and her mother both bedded Deacon & Cole. I know different writers but please research history

News flash, JFP/JG, you aren’t as impressive as you think you are!

Believe it or not, I don’t need to be taught how to watch this show. Not only do I know what I want, I know what I don’t want and unlike a trained monkey, I know what I’m not going to waste my time watching if it doesn’t appeal to me. If I recall correctly, MAB said something similar in her version of a white-wash interview. The arrogance is absolutely astonishing.

JFP likes what she sees on screen, but I don’t. Case and point, the all time classic solution to “Winters Wednesday on Winter’s Island,” was to turn them into a JOKE! Relocating them to an office and turning it into the soap equivalent of a rap studio, only to introduce and prop the new & infinitely irritating brother and sister crap-fest s/l. Don’t know them, not invested in them, don’t care about them, but they get to be integrated all over GC, taking care of that pesky ambiguous Diversity Initiative all in one fell swoop.

These two have been given what a lot of fans have been wanting for the Winters/Ashby’s for years, and I resent it. Clearly JFP & JG interpreted our screams of MORE for this segment of society as more bodies, and more storylines for the new additions instead of MORE content and development for the ones already on canvas. They should be driving storylines with the newbies in the periphery not the other way around. By the way, haven’t they said cast reduction was one of their mandates in other interviews? Sorry, I digress, that’s a WHOLE other can of worms, focus, Lee, focus!

A step in the right direction would have been fixing the patriarch: Neil is currently a judgmental, fickle, horn dog, control freak in upper management, which is just sad. Giving him a love interest with whom he has chemistry – no, not Dru, and not just pulling the only EXTRA black character they had hanging around, and attempting to make her relevant by giving her & her stalker brother more screen time than all the Winters combined, would have been awesome. Other characters have been reinvented, why not Neil, instead of having him prop Leslie and Tyler, “My Man.”

One saving grace is that Tyler was given something to do other than salivate offensively and make disrespectful comments to Lily while sneering at Cane as if he’s coming on to HIS wife. It doesn’t take a psychiatrist to deduce that the intention was to portray Lily as becoming so bedazzled by this type of guy she’d throw everything away, including her values and self respect to become his Rihanna/ChrisB-esque “dime piece.”

JFP & JG obviously felt that they could appeal to the audience that finds Lily boring and CK talentless by redefining Lily to fit into the stereotypical box that viewers with those opinions can understand and find much more palatable, exhibiting another side of CK in the bargain. What they don’t get is, even if these are the kind of characters who fit these expectations and they can understand it will NEVER work for the character of Lily. The viewers who appreciate CK’s abilities and relate to the character of Lily get that you can’t turn a silk purse into a sows ear to fit Tyler’s character.

JFP & JG should be ashamed of themselves for what they did to the character of Tyler, and there’s nothing they can do to fix him in my eyes. Even if Lily found him lying on the floor of a malfunctioning revolving door, curled in the fetal position, sucking his thumb, sweating profusely, the Lily that isn’t written OOC would simply tell him to scoot over and move his feet so she can try to squeeze past him, after all the sleazy crap he’s pulled.

I can only speak for myself, but I’m not satisfied JUST to be able to see diverse ethnicities on canvas, even though they are given little thought or creative effort. I know my opinion isn’t popular but I’d rather not have any at all if they’re going to be written so badly, because it makes the disparity in treatment look like a neon stripper sign in a church. It also labors under the assumption that we will stop whining and be satisfied to accept what we can get.

Not big deal you know they can give Tyler another love-interest (i vote Abby if the chemistry between the actors are here) and this new love will be involved in the umbrella story Tyler is part of and bue bye Lily ! Problem solved !! ha.

thank you keep-up! Great post and great insight. Every word of it is true. Keep telling the truth. Tell it like it is.

Correcting……Leep-Up! Thank you for that post. Great post and great insight. Every word of it is true. Keep telling the truth. Tell it like it is.

I agree with you, I have a problem with writers that feel like they are meeting the ethnic quota by stereotyping the characters to fit some stereotypical judgement based on the likes and dislikes of people.

ITA with you!

Leep-up, this is a magnificent post. I truly hope Michael passes this on to JFP/JG. This is an EXCELLENT post. I agree, with you, 1000%.

BRILLIANT POST LEEP!!

Adam and Chelsea should be the next Victor and Nikki. There are tremendous similarities in these characters to warrant this. I personally love CHADAM and am to this day convinced they are the love story on Y&R today, future and should be further developed as such. It is 2013 and you know what they say it is extremely difficult to go back to someone you had a relationship 5 years ago. Some things just aren’t fixable.
That is my belief about SHADAM. Even if TPTB do it I will not see it because it just won’t be believable. Besides they IMO never had a story ever. Their acting is so forced I am actually embarrassed watching them.

Every scene with Adam and Chelsea is magic, huge chemistry, and I feel it every time.
There was a scene recently when Chelsea went to see Adam at home. Most of the time the camera was on MCE while MM spoke off camera, I thought wow, she had a home run right there…..just the best ever. MCE can carry scenes on her own. She can do it all. My sadness is that having a talent this huge will not be given the chance to really shine the way I know she can just to prop up other actors who just are not cutting it on their own. What a waste of brilliant talent from MCE.

Hope Chelsea and Adam are the next Victor/Nikki. I really feel MCE and MM are the couple. LOL and the can fight like nobodies business but still love each other………..

Chelsea’s character is so rich. Adam and Chelsea were really successful as a couple and I know the audience supported this in big ways.

Audience also support (maybe more imho) Adam and Sharon therefore you have a popular triangle for years to come and if Adam is Victor successor you will have a sort of Nikki/Victor/Ashley triangle new generation with Sharon/Adam/Chelsea..instead of the Sharon/Nick/Phyllis uber popular triangle with a Victor’s son we had these last years you will have another Victor’s son : Adam at the center with Sharon and Chelsea..almost mark my words..

MM and MCE have done their best work on the show together with the range of emotions they showed. They truly bring out the best in each other. Much like MTS and EB’s one-two punch. If they think Adam is the new Victor then I want Chelsea as his Nikki!

NOOOOOOOOOOOO Chelsea is a big fat JOKE! She is soo annoying! Id take the Chipmunk role instead of this women. Chelsea and Chloe make me use the fast forward button like a maniac. Chelsea has nothing at all on the love romance lust love and understanding Sharon and Adam have together. Sharon fell in love with Adam way after he did the faith issue to Sharon way before he fell in love with her. On GH Luke and Laura turned out to be the #1 couple in daytime. Give Shadam a blow out fantasy wedding and a son together and they to will be the best super couple this show has ever scene. 🙂

Why does so many people always trash the newbies. Its the newbies who help refreshen these shows and the vets storylines or they would all stagnant. you got to keep the storylines moving. Not every newbie we will all like and i do feel some do get too much airtime but most of these vets arent originals and also started as newbies! B4 the Abbotts, the Williams and the Newmans this show was about the Brookes and Foster families. Bill Bell had to replace the original two families by the 1980s because he felt prominent performers who left the show could not be replaced so an overhaul was needed. People didnt complain that all these newbies took over and they added even more history of their own to the show. Too many newbies can come in and the vets could be cut or pushed aside which can hurt a show to the point of cancellation and ive seen it happen but others do work when done right and no matter what we think of them newbies are still needed to help these shows continue into the future because like everyone these vets arnt going to last 4ever!

But most of the original characters/family’s were on less than six years when that change happened. There is a very long list of characters that have been on Y&R six years or less. It’s not like today where many viewers have been following a select few for 25 to 40 years.

Newbies are great when they advance the story and are interwoven into the lives of those we have been following, but not so nice when they take their place. If they aren’t going to write for our long-time vets they should give them an good end story. Any character that has been on this show for 25 years or more has lots of followers deserves some sort of wrap -up. They shouldn’t disappear without explanation or linger in the background. It’s not right.

But even with the originals were only there six years it still looked like a whole knew show to those who watched them when all their replacements came in. But luckily the Newmans, Williams ect. were equally enjoyable to watch and were easy to welcome. But i do also agree with you on a lot you said. Thanks 4 the reply.

I kind of agree with you although core families who proved to be ultra popular for decades (Newman, Abbott, Winters, Chancellor ect..) have to stay in one way or another but you don’t know if there was no complain before (and i am pretty sure there was but they could not share like now..) there was no internet at this time ! Today everybody can voice his opinion with just a tweet, a mail, a comment on a message board, on soap site like here ect..

Before the internet we had several soap magazines to voice our opinions on what we liked or disliked about our shows but they werent reliable because not all letters got published. So glad we got the internet because it allows all of us to connect with each other and voice our opinions and much quicker too. p.s. i do agree with you about the core families. Without these favorites we loose interest and this is another reason we loose these shows. If done right newbies that are gradually brought in and are interesting well written characters somehow connected to the core families and help them stay important makes them a lot easier for us to accept then those who come in and take over a show and push our favorites out. Thanks 4 the reply.

Fans are not sick of MCE there are thousands and hundreds of thousand fans out there that simply adore this mutitalented, super talented actress. I want to see more of her on screen, much more than she is getting right now.

CHADAM forever. She is the next Nikki……….

Interviews

The Young and the Restless’ Michael Damian On Christine/Danny/Phyllis: “It’s a Fun Triangle Story That They’re Having Us Do, Because It’s Very Retro”

This week on The Young and the Restless, while Danny (Michael Damian) and Christine (Lauralee Bell) hit the sheets, and Phyllis (Michele Stafford) sets off an alarm as payback (literally!), the top-rated CBS soap opera continues to weave the tale of these three characters decades later, finding themselves in very familiar territory with each other.

We know that Christine and Phyllis are basically, mortal enemies, while Danny, who has been the man in the middle, has had a past with both women. However, it is Christine who has been, for all intent and purposes the love of his life.  But, will Phyllis’ machinations make it near to impossible for Danny and Christine to be together? Stay tuned.

Last week, Michael and his real-life wife, Janeen Damian visited the Michael Fairman Channel promoting their #1 streaming film on Netflix, Irish Wish starring Lindsay Lohan. The film was produced by the Damians, while Janeen directed it and co-wrote the romantic story. Michael is featured on the Irish Wish soundtrack performing his track, Wild Irish Heart.

Photo: Netflix

During the conversation, Michael shared what it has been like revisiting the Christine/Danny/Phyllis triangle years later. Damian addressed the fans on the livestream, who inquired. “It’s a fun triangle story that they’re having us do, because it’s very retro. And I think it’s fun to bring that nostalgia, retro thing back.”

Photo: JPI

Recalling a tender moment between Danny on the piano alone with Christine (during the standalone episode which honored Lauralee Bell’s 40th anniversary with Y&R), Michael expressed, “I think what they’re doing is so smart, and they’re reconnecting a lot of the fans to a lot of the story. I mean, we’re talking years and years of story.”

Photo: JPI

The longtime Y&R fan favorite, added, “I’m really glad they did the thing on the piano because people have been asking, ‘Why are you not doing any music? Why are you not singing? Where’s your band?’ You know what I mean? Janeen is asking the same thing, ‘Why aren’t you singing something on the show?’ The last time I sang on the show was when we thought Phyllis was dead. So, you know, that didn’t count. (Laughs)

One of the funniest moment in the revisiting of the triangle occurred when Phyllis and Christine were arguing over Danny, and he was right there in the room with them. The two women got so engrossed in their fight, they forgot he was there, and thus he walked out of the room.

Photo: JPI

Michael revealed, he liked that scene too! “They’re fighting. They’re arguing and Danny’s like, ‘Listen, I’m over here. Please stop it.” And then they don’t stop,” Damian recalled. “And so Danny just grabs his coat, picks up his sheet music, because he was working on a song. He goes to the door. In the scene, I even look back to see if they are even noticing me leave, and then I just left. That one was pretty funny. I’ll be honest. I was laughing out in the hallway when I left. I was thinking, ‘Should I slam the door? But then if I slam the door, they still have dialogue.’ They’re still talking and they would’ve turned, and then it would’ve ruined it. So, I just gently closed the door and left.

Photo: JPI

During the livestream, Damian teased he has some upcoming scenes with longtime Y&R co-star Beth Maitland (Traci), “I just worked with Beth Maitland actually the other day, and that was really fun. I can’t wait for people to see that show.”

Check out the the Michael Fairman Channel chat with Michael and Janeen Damian below.

Now, let us know, are you rooting for Danny and Christine? Do you think Phyllis will continue to be a disruptor in this relationship and somehow worm her way back into Dannys good graces? Share your thoughts in the comment section. But first check out this sneak peek for this week’s Y&R featuring the trio.

Continue Reading

Days Of Our Lives

Days of our Lives Star Blake Berris Chats On the Everett Lynch/Bobby Stein Mystery, Working with His New Co-Stars, and the Last Christmas Episode with Bill Hayes

On Days of our Lives, the return of Blake Berris is making for some very intriguing drama, with the audience guessing just which way the story will go.

When Berris arrived back on Days of our Lives, after previously playing Nick Fallon, he was taking on the new role of Everett Lynch, who has a past with Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein) and Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu). Only, as it has been revealed, the past he had with Jada was under the name “Bobby Stein,” who from what we can tell was far from a nice guy.

Blake visited the Michael Fairman Channel for a livestream interview this week, where fans in the live chat were weighing-on what could be the truth about the guy – is he a split personality suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder? Did the accident that cost him a year of his life in a coma, never happen? Recently, someone set fire to the beloved Horton house. Fans are suspecting it would have been “Bobby” who is working for Clyde Weston (James Read). Others believe that Everett/Bobby could actually be Clyde’s son. With upcoming therapy sessions with Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) about to start, things are about to get more juicy in Salem.

Photo: JPI

Here are just a few excerpts from our conversation with Blake on a myriad of Everett/Bobby subjects. Make sure to check out the full interview for more.

Did you know that they were going to make Everett Lynch a Jewish character? This is only the second time in the history of the show that they have even had a Jewish character on the canvas. Didn’t they reveal this at the Horton family Christmas episode?

BLAKE: No, they never asked me. I am half-Jewish on my dad’s side. There was never like, ‘You’re Jewish, right? We can call you Jewish on the show?’ At the Horton Christmas, “They made a real point of it, yeah.”

And now the new ‘character’ is “Bobby Stein” …

BLAKE: “Right, and that suggests more Jewish, and then Lynch must be coming from somewhere else, maybe the mother. I was so curious because I think the show has been historically, I’m gonna say, Catholic more than like Wasps. With the Bradys there’s this sort of Irish influence, and then the DiMeras, that’s Italian. So, we’ve got Catholics sort of on both sides that are dominant. Now I, “represent”.

Photo: JPI

What has it been like working with Abigail Klein?

BLAKE: I think she is extraordinary. We start off sort of frosty, or she’s frosty with me, like she doesn’t want to let me in. And then, for a while things are going really well. I just could not adore Abigail more. She’s such a good actor. I could always rely on her to bring me back into a scene and be there in this emotionally, supportive way.

Photo: JPI

Everett and Chad seemed to be becoming friend-ish, when all went awry when at the PCPD interrogation room, Everett let him know about Elia and Bobby Stein, and Chad let him have it for worming his way back in to Stephanie’s life.

BLAKE: Billy would call us the ‘disgusting brothers’ and that’s a reference from Succession, because all of a sudden they’re just so chummy with each other. It’s like all of a sudden we just had this like ‘Bernstein and Woodward’, sort of dynamic duo. I think that Everett really started to think of Chad as a friend and feels sort of disappointed, and he feels, “Oh, it’s that easy? I just needed to have some other identity and now you’re a fair-weather friend?”‘

Photo: JPI

In recent scenes, Jada sees Bobby Stein for the first time, and we see you and Elia Cantu share scenes with each other for the first time. What is it like working with Elia?

BLAKE: She’s fire, man. She comes in hot and she tells you the way it’s going to be. I think early on, we were trying to suss each other out and the more we worked together, the more comfortable you get with somebody. I think actors do this sometimes with each other; if there’s spice on screen, you like to keep some of what you have on-screen in your (real-life) interactions because it helps … it helps the work.  Eventually, we just sort of wore each other down and we’re like, ‘I actually totally get you, and you’re great.'”

Did you know that they were going to make Everett Lynch a Jewish character? This is only the second time in the history of the show that they have even had a Jewish character and didn’t they reveal this at the Horton family Christmas episode?

BLAKE: No, they never asked me. I am half-Jewish on my dad’s side. There was never like, ‘You’re Jewish, right? We can call you Jewish on the show?’ At the Horton Christmas, “They made a real point of it, yeah.”

And now the new ‘character’ is “Bobby Stein” …

BLAKE: “Right, and that suggests more Jewish, and then Lynch must be coming from somewhere else, maybe the mother. I was so curious because I think the show has been historically, I’m gonna say, Catholic more than like Wasps. With the Bradys there’s this sort of Irish influence, and then the DiMeras, that’s Italian. So we’ve got Catholics sort of on both sides that are dominant. Now I, “represent”.

Photo: JPI

You were on set and in the annual Horton Christmas episode which sadly marked the last for Days of our Lives legendary Bill Hayes, who passed away in January of this year.  What do you recall of that tape day?

BLAKE: It was the Christmas episode when we were watching Susan (Julie) and Bill, say ‘Merry Christmas.’  And there was something about it that just felt like it could be the last time. I mean, it wrecked us all on set. Bill gets so choked up and there was something really profound about the moment. They kiss each other as they have so many times before on the show. It was just beautiful. It felt beautiful to be there for that last Christmas. He’s just such an icon. Every time I’d see him, he was so with it … he knew my name, he knew his lines. What an incredible, incredible man.

Photo: JPI

Fans will get to see Everett in therapy sessions with Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall)? Would you say she is helping the guy?

BLAKE: Deidre’s always making jokes about Marlena, ‘She’s the worst therapist in the world’ (Laughs) I remember in the first therapy session, we almost couldn’t get through the scenes because it’s just so clear that Everett has a litany of very profound psychological issues that he is going to have to work through. He’ll keep coming back. This guy’s gonna pay the bills!

Photo: JPI

Viewers are waiting to see how they mystery of Everett Lynch/Bobby Stein plays out. What can you say as a tease for what’s to come?

BLAKE: As far as a tease, I would say, you have all these characters sort of, trying to wake up the ‘sleeping giant’ in a way. I think it’s safe to say that like if you poke a bear, the bear might wake up.

Watch the livestream chat with Blake in full below.

Now let us know, what do you think is going with Everett/Bobby? What has happened to him in his past? Share your theories in the comment section below, and make sure to catch Days of our Lives next week on Peacock for more to his story.

Continue Reading

Interviews

Y&R’s Melody Thomas Scott Talks on 45 Years as Nikki Newman, the Keys to Playing Drunk, And Those Genoa City Relationships

February is ‘Nikki Newman Month’ in soapland as the The Young and the Restless iconic Melody Thomas Scott celebrates her 45th anniversary in her leading role.

My how time flies! Nikki has had numerous marriages, and some to the same man, battled her addiction to alcohol too many times to count (and we loved it all), and faced so much heartache in the process.

Currently, on all-new episodes of the top-rated CBS daytime drama series, Nikki can’t quite get a grip as Jordan (Colleen Zenk) is out there and in the middle of her next master plot to make Nikki suffer, all the while Nikki is drinking again. Thanks to the heinous plot concocted by Jordan and Claire (Hayley Erin) that revealed itself last November.

Photo: JPI

In a special conversation for You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel, Melody shared her thoughts on a myriad of subjects including: her current story, those long tape days at Victor and Nikki’s weddings, why she plays drunk better than anyone on television, plus we take a mini-deep dive into Nikki’s past.

Y&R fans were stunned when the powers-that-be had Nikki kidnapped and then hooked her up to an IV of booze. Just how much did Melody know of the story going in? She elaborated, “I knew Nikki would be terrorized. That’s all that I knew. I thought that sounded like great fun. I didn’t know for a little bit that she was going to fall off the wagon in the process of it. And then when I heard how it would happen, I was thrilled to bits. I did kind of want to have a little leader (or crawl) down at the bottom of the screen saying, ‘Hey, people don’t put an IV with vodka in your arm because that will kill you.’ But, poetic license, I suppose.”

Photo: JPI

Melody also weighed-in on if she thinks Nikki will stop drinking anytime soon, expressing, “She just can’t get out of this. Then of course, Jordan’s not letting her out very easily. Just when Nikki thinks she is mentally strong enough to never take another drink, well, of course she does, because something else happens. I think it’s also a learning point for people who are watching the show who may have an addiction problem. Now, I could be wrong, but I think it’d be highly unusual for somebody to be just mentally strong to be able to stop.”

If you wondered if Melody enjoys playing a drunk Nikki, look no more, “I do. That’s simply for selfish reasons,” she shared. “That’s for my enjoyment. I take great pleasure in it. It’s fun for me, and just the process of pretending to be drunk. I love the end result. I try not to do too much because there’s nothing worse when an actor is overplaying drunk. So you have to kind of keep it a little bit underneath (the surface). However, sometimes because of Jordan, Nikki does get much sloppier than I normally would play it.”

Photo: JPI

In recent episodes, it seems that Jack (Peter Bergman) and Nikki are gravitating more to each other, as both are drawn together through their shared experiences with addiction. Victor (Eric Braeden) is not happy that his arch-nemesis is helping Nikki try to stay sober. Could Melody see Jack and Nikki becoming romantic again? “I love Peter. I mean, Peter was my second favorite husband on Y&R. It would be wonderful, but I don’t know if the fans would go for that,” she explained. “They’re so invested in Niktor that I think they would really be upset about that unless Victor did something really crummy, then I could buy that.”

Photo: JPI

One of the more ‘out there’ stories during Melody’s 45-year run, was when Nikki was paired with Crazy Edward, and he took her home to meet his mother … who was in an urn! You would think maybe Melody didn’t like the story .. but think again! “Bill Bell (co-creator, Y&R) was writing the show in those days, and Bill kept that information pretty tight. I don’t remember us knowing even a week in advance. Maybe, we would get our scripts, three or four days in advance and that was it. You knew nothing about future story, but I loved the story,” she raved. “It was almost Hitchcockian, shall we say. The actor who played Crazy Edward, Paul Tulley was so magnificent and such a sweetheart. We loved working with each other so much, but man, when that red light came on the camera, he scared the you-know-what out of me. He was absolutely terrifying. But then, the minute the scene was over, we’re fooling around and laughing and everything. He was so good. So good!”

Photo: JPI

According to Melody, the pairing of Victor and Nikki was not something she, nor Eric Braeden, initially thought would made sense: “I was a little terrified when I heard that he and I would be doing scenes. I thought, ‘What, what?’ He also wondered, ‘What am I going to be doing working with that young kid, that snotty kid?’ We had no idea what Bill Bell saw. He had a vision with us and somehow knew that we would have chemistry. It didn’t take Bill long to show us in the scripts why he put us together. Then, we started to see it. Although, it was hard to imagine at first, certainly we knew it worked by the time Nikki had baby number one during the ‘Who’s the father?’ storyline. Nikki and Victor weren’t even married yet. So, we did figure it out pretty early on.”

Photo: JPI

From her early years as Nikki Reed, Melody reflected back on some major story points in her character’s history, relating, “I actually did like her in the very beginning when she was just a little brat living with her sister and her father, who of course ended up trying to rape her…  and she had hit him over the head with a lamp … and he died. I did not care for the stripping storyline at all. Only because I knew that I didn’t have the natural dancing ability. I wasn’t fluid enough to really look good up there stripping. I know they hired wonderful choreographers and everything for me, but I just didn’t feel worthy of being up there … I guess is what it was. Of course, now I look back on it and I think, ‘Oh, I guess it wasn’t too bad.’ Later, there was a strip she did in the Colonnade Room. At the time, she was married to Jack. Victor’s sitting there with some other woman and she’s drunk. I saw that scene recently, and I thought it was great. I didn’t at the time, but looking back, I thought, ‘Wow, that was good.'”

Photo: CBS

Watch the full 45th anniversary conversation with Melody below.

Now let us know, are you enjoying Nikki being back on the bottle? Would you want to see Jack and Nikki try their relationship one more time? What has been your favorite storyline of Melody’s over the last 45 years on Y&R.  Let us know in the comment section.

 

Continue Reading

Video Du Jour

Peter Reckell returns for a second visit with Michael Fairman following the wrap-up of his recent run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives.Leave A Comment

Recent Comments

Power Performance

Kim Coles as Whitley

Days of our Lives

Airdate: 7-24- 2023

Popular