Days Of Our Lives
REPORT: WGA Takes Issue With Soap Producers For Creating "Particularly Insidious" Problem Making Writers Request Waivers For Less Pay and Work!
Courtesy/CBS
In a report today via Deadline, the entertainment industry news outlet, it has come to light at the WGA (Writers Guild of America) that soap producers, most notably from CBS Daytime’s: The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless appear to be in some form “bullying” their soap scribes, according to the allegations in the item.
The “particularly insidious” problem that’s “cropping up regularly on daytime TV”, according to Deadline’s sources has that the producers of the soaps are asking their writers to request waivers from the WGA to take pay cuts and to take less work.
According to Deadline: “The guild contract requires a soap to give writers one assignment a week. But writers can ask for a waiver to cut back on the workload if they have a legitimate reason, such as illness or a family emergency. Some crafty producers, however, allegedly have been gaming the system by bullying less-favored writers into requesting waivers to reduce their assignments by one or more a month, even though they actually want to continue working full time. Sources say that some writers have been forced to give up a script or two a month so that an actor or a line producer can write a show or so a new writer can be brought in at no extra cost. ”
Courtesy/CBS
They add: “The contract language governing these waivers was meant to protect writers by mandating that the request come from the writer. If it does, the contract requires the guild to grant the waiver, but if the guild determines that it originated from the company, it can refuse. The guild, however, has yet to deny such a waiver requested by a soap writer.” Dan Wilcox,who raised the issue in his campaign for election to the WGA board of directors, called it an “unfair labor practice. It’s a way to hire people at below the contracted minimum.” In his campaign statement, Wilcox noted: “Over the last few years, a couple of the companies have begun using the reduced-load waivers to punish some writers and reward others. The companies tell the writers in disfavor to apply for a ‘half-deal’ waiver or be fired. Given a choice between some income and none, the writers request the waiver.”
As far the actual number of waivers requested by the writers from the different network soaps, they report: From June 2014 through June 2015, the guild granted 23 such waivers to soap writers – 16 on CBS’ The Bold And The Beautiful, six to writers on the network’s The Young And The Restless, and one to a writer on NBC’s Days Of Our Lives.
What do you think of this situation which allegedly has writers feeling “forced” to get a waiver to continue to work or potentially lose their job? In the contracted scene of the daytime drama, where only four remain, is it just a sign of the times with budgets so tight an effort to cut corners, the show’s are asking their writers to do so? Is it complete and unfair business practices to have writers, who have the hardest job in the soaps, being completely taking advantage of? Share your thoughts below!
Days Of Our Lives
DAYS Promo: What’s Going To Happen At Jarlena’s Wedding Anniversary Shindig?
Coming up next week on Days of our Lives, prepare for drama, drama, and more drama! From the looks of the latest promo for the NBC soap opera, the action takes place at Marlena (Deidre Hall) and John’s (Drake Hogestyn) surprise one-year wedding anniversary soirée, where things could take a deadly turn!
But with the Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) masquerading as “Nicole” plot reaching new heights, Anna DiMera (Leann Hunley) and Tony DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) back in Salem, and the promo telling viewers “For one guest, the party, is over” followed by Sonny (Freddie Smith) yelling, “She’s got a gun!” and Brady’s (Eric Martsolf) ending line, “Oh, my God!” there is plenty to conjecture.
Also seen in the teaser is Kate (Lauren Koslow) trying to rip off the face of Susan Banks (Stacy Haiduk), and Stefan (Brandon Barash) and Gabi (Camila Banus) getting hot and heavy and Eric (Greg Vaughan) yelling, “No!”
So, check out the promo below and then let us know via the comment section below, what you think is about to go down at Jarlena’s party, where last August at their nuptials … things did not go off without a hitch, either!
Days Of Our Lives
DAYS Stacy Haiduk and Eric Martsolf Talk Kristen & Brady’s Twisted Relationship : The Mask, The Deception, The Sex
Last week on Days of our Lives, Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) was able to get the man she craves in between the sheets. So, just how did that happen when Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) had no idea she was alive? Well … he still doesn’t, really. You see, Kristen returned to Salem disguised as another ex flame of Brady’s, Nicole Walker (who everyone believed died in the warehouse explosion). And Kristen has been parading around town donning an incredible likeness of Nicole’s face – via a prosthetic mask – and some other tricks to sound and look just like her!
Kristen’s goal is to infiltrate Salem, remind Brady of the love and passion they shared, take over DiMera Enterprises, and who knows what else! And everyone who stands in her way, better watch out as we have seen! We are speaking to you (the late) Ted, and (once kidnapped) Kate, et al.
Fans of the NBC daytime drama series have followed the tortured relationship between Kristen and Brady for years and through many plots; Kristen was first played and brought to life by Eileen Davidson, and for well over a year now by Stacy Haiduk. Not only has Haiduk reprised the role of a frustrated, vengeful Kristen, she is also playing at times multiple roles: the wacky and often misunderstood, Susan Banks, Kristen playing Susan, or Kristen pretending to be Sister Mary Moira.
As for Daytime Emmy winner, Eric Martsolf, this latest story arc puts him front and center as viewers watch to see if what Brady senses, and the clues, and the feelings he is having, bring him to the conclusion that he has been duped by Kristen, and that her horrendous scheme – pretending to be Nicole (Arianne Zucker), and dumping Nicole’s longtime love Eric (Greg Vaughan) to be with him have a result that is unexpected or catastrophic!
Michael Fairman TV sat down with Stacy and Eric for this conversation about: all the plot twists, and playing the drama and the humor of the situations they find themselves in as actors in a wild story that only head writer Ron Carlivati could pen and keep the audience on the edge of their seats in the process. Check out this oh-so-fun, direct, and enlightening chat with two of DAYS most shining stars.
Photo: JPI
Eric, what has it been like working in this part of your storyline; where there’s the character of Kristen in its many forms: Arianne Zucker playing “Nicole” (but it’s really Kristen), Kristen as Susan, and the real Kristen, etc?
ERIC: It’s been a nightmare Michael. (Laughs) I don’t know who I’m sleeping with anymore. I’m at the point where I go home at night, and I just tug on my wife’s cheek just to make sure that she is not my ex-girlfriend from high school.
When you first heard of this storyline, and that it was going to facilitate how Arianne was going to come back to the show… and that it was supposed to be Kristen in a Nicole Walker prosthetic mask with a voice alternator, what went through your mind?
ERIC: I think in the back of Ron’s Carlivati’s (head writer, DAYS) mind, he was thinking to himself, “This dude started his soap career on Passions, he’s okay with this kind of thing,” and honestly, nothing surprises me anymore. When you’re thrown into that supernatural, crazy reality, doesn’t-live-here sort of atmosphere for you first soap gig, you don’t sweat a mask and a voice modulator. That’s just par for the course. My biggest problem was the body thing … that Brady is not able to distinguish one body from the other, because I would as Eric. My God, I know every inch of my wife’s body. So, it’s difficult to get my head around that, but at the same time, I’m going with the whole “love is blind” thing here. (Laughs)
Courtesy/NBC
(Laughs) I was going just going to say that Brady would absolutely know Kristen’s body from how passionate their relationship has been in the past, as well, he would Nicole’s body from his relationship with her.
ERIC: Since Kristen did finally just succeed – let’s use the word in “seducing” him, and using her wonderful feminine wiles as only Kristen has to get Brady in to bed, there was also another twist. What plays after that is that he notices the tattoo that’s been removed, and she plays it off as scarring from the fire. What’s going through his mind as he is making love to Nicole is a “Kristen train”. He can’t get Kristen out of his mind, and the guilt that he feels about that is horrendous.
Right! Brady is thinking: “Why am I feeling this when I am supposed to be with Nicole!?”
ERIC: Right! Brady has been waiting for a relationship for God knows how many years now – at least a successful one. He is so eager to have this work, even though he has been concerned about how Eric (Greg Vaughan) would feel about this. In Brady’s mind, Eric is done with Nicole. He’s good. He loves Sarah (Linsey Godfrey). This is fair game. Brady and Nicole have always been close … they’ve been close before … so, for him, it’s, why not give it a fair try? However, he finds himself now thinking about another woman the whole time. That’s rough.
Courtesy/NBC
Do you think in the back of his mind, that this whole time, he possibly knew that “Nicole” was Kristen?
ERIC: Well, you just have to wait. There will be a reveal eventually, obviously, but until then, let the games play on.
So, once Brady and “Nicole” have sex, he keeps thinking about Kristen?
ERIC: Constantly! She just plagues his mind. I think he’s realizing that his affection for Kristen is anything but dead and is very alive, and I think this is Kristen’s master plan from the very beginning. She knows that she pervades his soul, and once she does reveal herself, I would guess he would probably be surprised, maybe a little angry, but in the end … you can’t deny what your heart and your body wants, right?
One of my favorite recent scenes had Brady half-naked and Kristen as Susan getting into his room, because she was looking for the MIA Nicole mask she so desperately needed. She finds herself gawking and lusting after Brady under her disguise, and he tries to remove himself from the situation and says, “Susan, I’m going to get in the shower…”
ERIC: Yeah! And, “It’s not going to happen, baby.”
What was that like doing that scene?
STACY: I loved it! I thought Eric was brilliant in it. I watched it, and I thought, “Oh, my God!” (Laughs) It is one of my all-time favorite scenes.
Photo: JPI
ERIC: Kristen is a tiger.
STACY: She is a tiger. She’s got a goal, and she is going to go after that. She has obstacles that are going to come in-between her goal, but she will go after whatever she wants.
When Stacy comes in to Brady’s room as Susan, were you not laughing?
ERIC: No! I thought she was hot. (Laughs)
STACY: He did … he loved it. You liked me, didn’t you baby? (Laughs)
ERIC: I don’t think anybody can deny that Stacy Haiduk’s portrayal of Susan Banks is ridiculously good. Everything from her delivery … to her facial expressions. I think it is amazing. I mean, it is corny, and it is fun, and soaps need characters like that once in a while to lighten the load of the heavy dialogue and the drama. It’s a welcomed addition. So, I love playing scenes with Susan.
Photo: JPI
Eric, you always have been able play the straight-man so well in comedic scenes with impeccable timing,
STACY: You’re brilliant, Eric.
ERIC: You guys are being very nice to me.
STACY: You are. I remember on the day how much fun we had, but then, seeing it back and the crap that I was giving you, and just the stuff you were giving back was so beautiful, and innocent, and so alive. It was so funny.
Does Kristen think that now that she finally got Brady into bed that she won … that she got what she wanted … even if she had to don a “Nicole” mask to do it?
STACY: Well, no, because she still can’t be really Kristen. I think she is grateful that she gets to be with him. That’s one of her biggest goals: to be with Brady and she wants to have him fall back in love with her again. But for her, now it’s all about, “How do I reveal myself so that he doesn’t get scared away?” That’s the toughest part for her. Kristen’s love is so deep that it goes beyond this mask. So, how is it going to be when he sees her? Is he going to freak out? What’s going to happen?
ERIC: Did you think Kristen would be a little pissed off and think, “Oh my God. He did go for Nicole?”
STACY: Yes! I do, because she’s like, “Finally, I got him! But wait a minute … did I get him because I was Nicole … or because I was Kristen?” As Kristen, she always believes there is something deeper between them and a deep connection. That remains a driving force to her.
Photo: JPI
ERIC: That’s why I love these characters so much, because of you and the history of Kristen with Brady. She’s always wanted him as much as he has wanted her. She’s always wanted to be loved.
STACY: Yes … and very much so.
ERIC: Kristen had always wanted to be a part of the DiMera Empire, just as Brady has always wanted to be a part of the Kiriakis Empire, and they’ve always wanted love. They’ve never had it. They believe in the back of their minds that anything is attainable. So, I can see why Kristen would just forgo the Nicole disguise and just go, “He wants me.”
STACY: Kristen wants to believe that Brady knows it. She says to herself, “He knows it’s me inside and behind the mask. When he finds out, he will fall back in love with me.”
Now that she actually had sex with Brady, wouldn’t that make Kristen even more insatiable to be with him? Like, “I’ve got to have him!?”
STACY: The fear is still .. what happens she takes this mask off? She always says, “I’ll reveal myself, but I have to do it slowly when it is the right time.” I think there is that built up frustration now for her, absolutely!
Photo: JPI Studios
Arianne Zucker really has Stacy’s mannerisms down as Kristen. It really comes into in scenes where “Nicole” goes off on someone or loses her temper. Eric, you have worked with Arianne for years on this show. What do you think about her performances in this storyline?
ERIC: I have worked with Ari over the years, and I have enjoyed it a lot. Ari did do her homework. She did study Stacy’s tape, and she watched her mannerisms, and she took it very seriously. I know that because she is a hard worker, as much as a goofball as she is, she does work hard, and she wanted it to be good. I think my favorite parts were the Kristen meltdowns. You have to understand though; Stacy and Ari get along very well! They’re kind of two peas in a pod. So, it wasn’t a big stretch for her to take on how Stacy would play those types of scenes. They’re both animated, they’re both wild people by nature, and so, it was a good fit. It was a smart idea from the writers.
STACY: It was a good fit!
ERIC: I’ve been out with the two of them, and it’s hard to tell the two of them apart. (Laughs)
STACY: We are just like two cuddly bunnies.
ERIC: They’re like flirting with each other, and hugging each other. You find yourself thinking, “Are they going to start ordering the same food at the same time? This is getting weird. (Laughs)
Courtesy/NBC
In the recent scene that aired; where Kristen as “Nicole” turns off the light while having sex with Brady, is she worried her plan will now go awry?
STACY: Yes. I think she is worried about her body because it is burned. You know, how they take a tattoo off, and it’s as painful as can be. Not that I’ve had that done personally. I like my tats, but I hear it is painful. So, in the storyline, the burn is that pain that she has and the tattoo. There’s a part of her that thinks, she has to cover it up, and turn the lights down low.
ERIC: “Nicole” is sleeping, and Brady is rubbing his hands over her shoulder and touching her body, and as he goes over the burn marks. He sees a flash of the tattoo! That is a pivotal moment when he starts to put some pieces together. He thinks, “Woah! That’s exactly where that tattoo was.” It’s a slow little rollercoaster ride.
Courtesy/NBC
In the past, Kristen then played by Eileen Davidson, drugged and raped Father Eric. Stacy, did you ever see that story arc? Literally the sex scene is playing on the screen at Kristen’s wedding to Brady and then all hell breaks loose. This to say Kristen is notorious for the ways and the lengths she goes to get her men into bed.
STACY: Yes! I saw her Eileen do those scenes.
ERIC: You also saw how close Kristen and Brady were to their dream, to their happiness, their goal, which was they were going to marry each other. Brady is looking upon his loved ones in this town and thinking, “I know what you all think of her, but I’m going to show you our love on this screen, and once you see the connection that we have here as a couple, you all are going to be convinced that we belong together as well. This is the happiest day of my life,” and the screen comes up and it’s his brother banging Kristen instead.
Marlena (Deidre Hall) played the wrong DVD!
STACY: It was so good. See, I try to find as much info as I can on the character’s past, because all of the time I’m trying to find where these characters have been in their dark and twisted past.
Photo: JPI
ERIC: You’re putting your own stamp on Kristen. You got a direct call from DAYS casting department, didn’t you … when they were recasting the role?
STACY: Yes. You have to understand, I had two really separate characters to play when I was on Y&R. One was a doctor, and one was this crazy passionate, wild, little minx.
ERIC: I will say to find the wild and the beauty in one package is not easy in any town, yet alone Los Angeles. I’m glad they called you, because you have that. You have that villainous nature, but you also are able to show a vulnerable side to Kristen that is going to be a lot of fun and interesting to see.
Stacy is one of those people that will leap off of the screen at you and you will remember her. She is one actress that will have fans talking about their work, like when you played crazy Patty Williams on Y&R. The audience was on the edge of their seats going, “Oh, my God! What is Patty going to do next?”
STACY: I never knew what she was going to do!
Photo: JPI
Eric, has Stacy come to you at any point where she been overwhelmed by the task at hand; playing Susan while playing Kristen, etc, and the two of you have a moment where you work through some of the challenges of complex scenes … and ones where she is playing multiple characters?
ERIC: We’ve had many moments to speak of.
STACY: I always come into Eric’s room, and am like, “I’m scared!”
ERIC: It’s funny you mention it. We have had some very emotional scenes, and Stacy – who cares so damn much about this job and portraying this character correctly – that she gets a little overwhelmed, and the material that they give her is overwhelming for any anybody on any level. I have looked at her in the eyes, and said, “You’ve got this gig. You are this character. You are knocking it out of the park. Just do it. Just be you.” I can’t wait for people to see some of the stuff we have shot recently and have been doing.
Photo: JPI
Stacy, do you think Kristen can be redeemed? Many characters on daytime … and on DAYS … have done horrible things and later turned over a new leaf.
STACY: The thing is that villains are bad and all that other crap, but they’ve got a lot of stuff going on inside and insecurities, and they’ve got a heart. I’m sorry, the villain with a heart of gold, can be very true. I never see villains (and I play them a lot) as bad. You have to find where it comes from … how far does this go … where did that little seed change … and what made them go into the dark, but also, where is the good? You want to bring the good to it, too.
ERIC: Let’s face it! Star Wars is all about Darth Vader and how he became that because it’s intriguing.
Because of the pace in which DAYS tapes its episodes; do the two of you find time to run lines together before you go hit the set?
ERIC: We are running out of time to run lines. It’s pretty wild. Funnily enough, I was recently filming a movie and I was so underwhelmed at the pace of everything. I’ve gotten so accustomed to moving at this militant style, that as hard as it is, it is preferable to me now. I almost like it because you don’t have time to overthink what you are going to do, and you end up getting more visceral and natural reactions to the material. You can overthink a scene, and you can come to a wrong performance that way. When you burn your fingers on a hot stove, that’s the most natural reaction you are going to get. You can’t have ten minutes to think about how you are going to scream about that pain.
Photo: JPI
But, would you like the pace of shooting the show to be a bit slower?
STACY: I would like to, but I do think sometimes just jumping in, and going and seeing what happens is great. I love that. I do appreciate that.
ERIC: It’s scary.
STACY: It is scary. I would love if we would get to do a rehearsal and then two takes just to see, and then they can mix together what happens. Sometimes I am hard on myself as an actress. I’ve always been. It’s that jumping in when you only get to do one take. You have to just give it everything you’ve got.
ERIC: You can have a second take. Want me to give you a little secret? All you have to do is screw up your last line.
STACY: I can’t do that. I don’t even need it to be perfect because nothing is perfect. It doesn’t matter what I’ve done if I sometimes don’t feel it. I need to feel it when I’m on that set. I need to feel something because when I shut down, I close myself off. It’s like an athlete who has just got to train as hard as they can to reach their goal.
ERIC: You’re an Olympic swimmer!
STACY: You’ve got to do it as hard as you can. You practice, and you practice, and you practice, and you practice, so that when you come to that day, you do the best you can, but sometimes you are disappointed because you didn’t get that one last thing you had hoped for.
Courtesy/NBC
How do you view what happened to Eric with Kristen, who disguised as Nicole, tricked Brady into bed with her? Some fans commented that that they thought it was akin to a rape.
ERIC: No, I would disagree with that theory. I believe there is a high degree of deception in this, but there is a willingness on behalf of Brady. He’s not drugged. He’s not being forced to do anything. Deception, yes. Rape, no.
Stacy, what do you think?
STACY: Total deception. There is no rape. There is absolutely no rape. These are willing participants; he just doesn’t know exactly who he is dealing with.
ERIC: I appreciate the context of how somebody could construe that, and the seriousness of the matter. I don’t think it really has a place in this particular storyline.
Do you guys think that Brady and Kristen are each other’s star-crossed lovers in a weird, twisted, bizarre way?
ERIC: I don’t know. I think they’re magnetism can’t be denied. I think the hurdles that they’ve jumped through are astronomical. Will they end up together in the end? Who knows! Will there ever be an end? Who knows! It’s definitely been one of, if not the most, in-depth relationships Brady has ever had.
Photo: JPI
And intense!
ERIC: Yeah. They’ve just gone through so much to be together, and when you do that, anybody who is married knows that, that’s where the good stuff is; the wars that you win together and the battles that you go through. When you come out of the war, and you’re still together, that’s the bond. That’s what lasts.
What would Kristen do if she couldn’t have Brady in the end? Would she find a new obsession? What if she could not nab her man?
STACY: Wow! Hmmm. (Laughs) She’s going to get her man. She wants her man. She wouldn’t settle. She’d keep fighting. I would say to her, “Kristen, keep fighting the good fight.”
So, do you think Kristen will reveal herself to Brady sooner than later? Will Brady figure out what Kristen has been doing to get to him? Will Brady turn Kristen away if he knew she was alive and back in action … or would he fall back into her arms? Share your theories via the comment section below.
Breaking News
Daytime Emmys To Merge Younger Actor & Actress Category Into One As Gender-Inclusive Categories Are On The Rise
The upcoming 47th annual Daytime Emmys are already making some changes to key categories and specifically this one that affects daytime drama performers. Word from Variety is that NATAS (National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences) is going to announce that they are combining the Younger Actor and Actress categories into one gender-neutral category
Not only will the Younger performer category be gender-inclusive, but network soap performances will be combined with digital drama series performances for the category. Previously, for this past Daytime Emmys, NATAS had changed the Guest Performer in a Drama Series to be gender-inclusive.
This category was initially created in 1985 when it was called the Outstanding Ingenue and then from there tweaked into Outstanding Juvenile Female and Male, and more recently that morphed into the Younger Actor and Actress categories.
Photo: JPI
Former GH star Hayley Erin (Ex-Kiki) and former DAYS star, Kyle Pettis (Ex-Theo) will now be the last female and male to win the two separate categories with this new move for 2020.
Fans of film and TV have noticed that on several award shows on MTV: their Movie and TV Awards and their VMA’s, there are several gender-inclusive categories, as well as the Television Critics Association Awards who for instance doles out Outstanding Individual Achievement in Drama in comedy.
So, what do you think of the change; that there will now be one Younger performer category at the Daytime Emmys? Comment below.
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It’s more Y&R I think CBS knows Phelps and Pratt are very unpopular with the Fans, I’ll be interested if we don’t see big changes coming soon…
You got it Chuck..nobody but JFP and CP while they ride the ratings waves off the backs of established scribes they’re firing or threatening with lesser knowns…Y&R WILL implode.
Exactly!! But CBS knows The fans are disliking Pratt’s Stories, even when he first came on last year he was ruffling the feathers the fans knew him from All my children and Santa Barbara. He has made Y&R for most people Unwatchable, The ratings Have gone down slightly in the past two weeks so I do see changes on the horizon !!
Really serious and really concerning. Needs to stop and producers who have Ben doing this severely reprimanded.
I can only speak for myself….I find Pratt’s writing stale and unimaginative. Stories get recycled to the point of exasperation…pulling my hair out. So, it is very possible that the “writers are forced to get waivers to continue to work”….. The writing always suffers and falls short of delivering sharp, concise story lines.
Who, among us, did not suspect Neil in Hilary’s disappearance? C’mon …..really? It would have been so much more compelling to have all clues point to Neil and then the baddie be someone else. The cards were displayed too soon.
Exactly!! The same thing happened with the killer reveal everyone knew way ahead who it was even before it was brought to light, Pratt is writing himself into a huge hole and he can’t get out of it.
CeeCee, do you also find the writing misogynistic under Pratt? I do.
The whole situation with Marco and Phyllis was insidious and since she had sex with this man thinking he was someone else, that falls under the legal terminology of what constitutes rape. Then we are supposed to believe that feisty Phyllis is just going to let it all go for the sake of peace? And what Neil, who has always been the pillar of the community and the very personification of integrity, is holding Hillary hostage after doing God only knows what (there was blood found on the sight where she disappeared).
And on another note, I find the fact that Sharon is keeping her miscarriage a secret and is clearly going to steal Sage’s baby to be mind numbingly dull and boring. The ruination of Sharon continues.
@Harry.
Yes, Harry…we do agree. It has been, not only my contention , but also Timmm’s, if you remember, that there is no way a woman does not know her man’s body, inside-out, and vice versa. We had this very discussion for days….back and forth. Of course, it’s a soap….but, we are intelligent beings….Homo Sapiens….Sapiens, being the key word here.
As far as Phyllis not sticking out her chin and giving it the old one-two ( feisty, as you so aptly describe the real Phyllis) , is because Gina Tognoni is not Phyllis. I have said this since her first appearance on stage as the nuPhyllis. I love Gina, but there is no fire in her eyes. The real Phyllis would not demurely sit, hands folded in her lap and accept whatever crumb is hurled at her; come what may. She is written into a corner, yes, but Gina would still not have brought it home the way Michelle always, and unfailingly did/has.
I never liked Neil….so, I await his downfall. ‘Tis quite ironic how two of his wives both came tumbling down their own respective cliffs, like the walls of Jericho. What are the odds?
Poor Sharon….this character is a lost cause. She is living in her own little world all over again. How fallacious, these writers are. They should know better. It is chancy enough for a young woman to get pregnant the first time around ( it does happen often enough) , but a woman in her mid-forties does not ‘drop’ that many eggs any more….LOL……making the chance of conceiving almost nil. Not without some medical intervention. I am not saying it is not possible, because it is, of course. But the older we are, the chances get slimmer and slimmer. I don’t need to tell you that. You know better than I.
Yes, I will accept all the drama thrown at me….even a little ignorance, but, please, PTB, give the viewer a storyline that makes a little sense. I think, Harry, that the writers to not write for us, the fans, but to indulge their own ego…it’s almost as if they experiment to see which storyline is the most outrageous. I apologize for the tirade, Harry. Later.
Soooo not surprised at this from CBS and Y&R in particular. Lots of bullies in that soap, in front of and behind the camera.
All I know is it is getting to be unwatchable. I ff through 90% of the show.
I’m very happy with DAYS!
It shows how crooked the CBS soaps are!
hi 4ever DAYS-
How do you think CBS/Y&R has had the highest rating for two decades/25? years and never once having another soap above them, not once (there used to be many great soaps)
the odds of that happening would be 0 .. lol
In big business there is always a way 😉
You’re on to something, su0000!
Didn’t CBS/Y&R/Nielsen Ratings Co. team up, create and release a survey/questionnaire regarding Y&R?
Shouldn’t such things be considered a conflict of interest? Who is in who’s pocket?
Yeah, and it’s all Victor’s fault. LOL.
“The Newman Ratings!”
How many did Brad Bell ask himself to get? 😉
Not nice if this is true.
ok-
( who are the ”crafty producers” ? /names
also;
”WGA board of directors, called it an “unfair labor practice. It’s a way to hire people at below the contracted minimum.””
—- that ^^^ is big business at work. It is all about the money.
Soap are a financial burden on daytime tv.
All can bitch about it/the contract but nothing will change until new contracts are negotiated.
A contract as written is the way it is.
Perhaps there will be another writer strike.
I doubt saying= we don’t like the contract will change anything.
””’ “The contract language governing these waivers was meant to protect writers by mandating that the request come from the writer. If it does, the contract requires the guild to grant the waiver, but if the guild determines that it originated from the company, it can refuse.””’
Writers’ strike or not, it will never change.
I used to work in the legal department for one of these large movie studios (who also did television, hint, hint). Their contracts are all written to get as many rights from the artists yet THEY never share their intellectual property rights. It is pretty one-sided.
Oh and they would rather presume they have the rights and risk settling out of court than confirm they have the rights.
“Bias and racial discrimination.” Just like what Victoria Rowell said about CBS soaps
Interesting. This might have raised her case a little bit more. Racial discrimination is difficult to prove but if the network is involved in other nefarious activity, their believability goes way down.
Interesting, indeed…opens a can of worms; such as the Michael Muhney ‘story’.
There were so many versions circling around…how he made some kind of remark about Hunter King’s physical endowments? Hmmmm. In the midst of it all, Eric Braeden’s name slithered in there. Double Hmmmm.
I’ve never been in a union but where I live it is employment at will. No one is guaranteed a job or a certain number of hours.
There are just a handful of soaps left. It appears TPTB is telling writers to take it or leave it. The writers will probably take whatever work is left. The soap industry is in sad shape.
People don’t work well when they are afraid for their jobs and what a way to play people off of each other. And then have actors or others write the scripts. Hmm. GH execs and the producer are claiming they are tweaking the writers’ scripts. I wonder to what extent they are allowed to write?
Why the picture of Ridge from B & B instead of the cast? Bullies in Y & R I can’t help but wonder if the actor who plays Victor Newman had a hand in this somehow?
Hey, Nikki. You beat me to it, if you read my post above. I posted before I read yours. Well, I know neither of us is a fan of Eric/Victor. I said it jokingly, but if you say it (and I trust your opinion), it must be true, yes?
Ahhhhhhh CeeCee I just read yours. He is a bully. I love Adam/Chelsea and Kevin/Mariah along with a few others but I cut myself down now to watching it Wednesday’s & Friday’s because I honestly can’t stand or stomach that Victor Newman or Summer. That man should have been put in jail a long time ago and I know they try to keep the soap’s with the latest trends but he’s just too much to deal with. I was kind of hoping they wouldn’t renew his contract and have it end where he finally goes to jail for life but that was wishful thinking. As for Summer how she goes for more low budget movies and tries to act.
Do you think that the Abbot who is behind that Pyramid Project (or whatever it’s called) which was orchestrated to bring Victor to his knees is really John Abbott?
@Harry.
I think no one is really keen on the Paragon Project. I certainly am not sure of what it is, really. But, John Abbot would never orchestrate something so devious. John did not work that way. Unless, his apparition tells Jack what to do. So, the, it would all be in Jack’s head. A figment of his crazy imagination. Perhaps, Jack has been off his rocker all along? LOL.
It is such a stupid terminology. If not Jack, then, logically, aside from Victor, the only schemer who comes to mind is Colin working with Marco. Let’s stretch it even further, Harry…..How about Neil? Considering he has joined the dark side, there could be a conspiracy of baddies. Who is the mastermind? At this point, it could be anybody. Maybe it’s Nikki Newman. Oh, God !! I invoke and implore you….get her out of her misery, please !!
With the positive ratings and awards CBS has had with B&B and Y&R seems short sighted to mess with the writing. I realize it’s a business and you have to watch overhead, but they should renegotiate financial and scheduling issues with the union. Not look for small print/loopholes in the contract, and nickel/dime the writers. And thank you CBS for keeping your soaps on the air.
The execs must be under severe pressure to keep costs down and writers are often invisible to most. Until the quality of the writing finally tanks.
hi Nikki,
EB probably holds stock in Y&R,,, LOL
He is very powerful as to what he wants.
ALL know there is no Y&R without Victor, without Victor the Newman family would fall.
Most all the stories revolve around Victor.
Yes, actors/characters are replaceable but not EB/Victor and CBS knows that fact.
Unfortunately so does he. At his age you would think he would step down & let the younger one’s have a chance. Where I come from they retire at 65. I loved Kay Chancellor & their was a time everything revolved around her, unfortunately she passed away and the show went on. Victor needs to go to jail for all the crimes he’s committed and the soap would save a ton of money by letting the bully go.
Nikki, I totally understand what you’re saying and agree with your sentiment.
However, I love Victor’s ominous forceful presence on the show.
Moreover, when he gets mad and starts railing against someone, I just have to laugh.
Can you imagine him ordering coffee at Starbucks?
‘NOW LISTEN, AND LISTEN GOOD PUNK, CAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO SAY THIS AGAIN. I WILL TAKE A CAPPUCCINO, HALF CAF, HALF DECAF WITH ENOUGH FROTH TO MAKE IT AESTHETICALLY PLEASING BUT NOT TOO MUCH AS TO GIVE ME ANOTHER MUSTACHE? GOT THAT?
Harry OMG You made me laugh out loud. Yes I’m sure his presents is known wherever he goes. I think he figures he is Victor Newman. As I said I only watch Wed.& Fri. now but wouldn’t you know it yesterday Wed. he was on. When he walked over to Gab/Adam and called him a name I wanted so badly to be Adam for just one minute. Long enough to push him against his desk and knock a few teeth out. I have a whole new respect for Adam (who just walked away). In real life he’s no better. Someone asked him if he was leaving Y&R and he said “No they extended my contract,so don’t ask me that again”. Can you imagine who does he think he is?
The actors have / and have to take pay cuts why not the writers ect
This isn’t negotiated in their contracts, this is wage theft. Actors got a pretty good raise on SBC this year. Not sure about CBS.
Why are you assuming that they have not, already? I have not seen much about it, one way or the other, but it stands to reason that as the big stars were asked to take pay cuts, the writing staff (and the production staff) probably were too.
be glad they got a job. If they are really good , someone else will hire them.
Most actors on all soaps have been pushed to recurring, taken a pay cut or like RM just quit. This is true for all shows, not sure why writers shoud be different.
True in all industries. everyone I know unless working for government or own businees got pushed aside or told to cut back for cheaper people at age 55.
BTW supreme court has been asked to consider these actions, but neve do. guess that is what happens when you have a job for life.
I don’t know the inner workings of a soap or the financial demands.
However, as a viewer, I know the plots are UNWATCHABLE. Particularly with Y&R, it doesn’t look like the writers put much time and thought into the plots they create. Everything seems just thrown together. Often, there are glaring problems with the plots that make no sense (even by a more liberal standard that I typically apply to soaps).
As for Y&R, this is not a recent development under the current writers. It has been this way for over 5 years. The recent writers are guilty of giving us shoddily crafted plots and their predecessors are as well.
I’m beginning to wonder if the very poor quality of the writing that is appearing frequently on these shows in the past decade is a result of financial issues. The shows are paying less to the writers with more oversight by the network (see the frequent comments from that CBS executive Angelica about the minute details of the show). This may cause the writers with any real talent to seek work elsewhere and get away from these shows.
There is NO explanation as to why Jean Passanante (with a resume filled with shows cancelled under her writing watch and firings) continues to snap up new writing jobs the way that she does other than she must work for a bargain salary. The writers willing to take much reduced salaries go from show to show, with no concern that these writers simply lack the talent for this work.
I guess you pay for what you get. Considering what we’re getting, the pay must be darn low.
The pay must be high for DAYS’ writers because the show is ON FIRE!!!!!
So basically what they are doing would be like an employer strong arming a full time employee who is making 20 dollars an hour to take an unpaid vacation for a month, and while they are gone they hire a temp worker at 10 dollars an hour to fill in for them. Well isn’t that charming. Unions have their bad points, but if producers are doing this kind of stuff with a loophole in the contract, imagine what BS they would pull without a union in place.
Soap actors have taken huge cuts in salary. Otherwise they would be out of a job.
I have not seen much about it, but my bet is that the writers have too (in addition to this latest shenanigan).
I’d rather y & r die gracefully then continue with this schlock. I just watched a bunch of old y and r episodes on youtube. Now that was writing – Bell and Alden!
After 35 years plus of watching Y&R faithfully, I can’t believe that I’d ever say this but………………………………… I totally agree with you!!! The show is terrible and, sadly, has been this way for a decade. I have continued to watch through this past decade, always having a momentary hope that things would improve with the constant shifts of writers and producers. “Maybe the new ones will get it??” Alas, each time, I’ve been disappointed. The problems may have been different with each new group of writers but the end result is always the same: a disappointment. It has been NINE years since I found one of the plots well-written and interesting: The 2006 death of John Abbott with Gloria arguing to keep John on life support and Jack fighting to give his father a dignified death. The scenes between Gloria and Jack during that time and the aftermath of John’s death were fantastic. Gloria was not totally wrong or right. Jack was not totally wrong or right. Sadly, I haven’t seen anything to brag about since then. NINE years is a LONG time to keep watching a show out of shear loyalty and constantly being disappointed in the writing. I vividly remember how horrible Guilding Light became in its final years: The “realistic” episodes that appeared to have been filmed in trailers and motel rooms in New Jersey by high school kids using handheld cameras. Did anyone think viewers wanted to watch Reva talking about her problems while she folded clothes sitting on a sofa in a cheaply panelled room?? There was a HUGE lesson in what happened to Guiding Light — No show, its cast, crew, or viewers should have to suffer through that. Much like John Abbott on life support, there comes a time when it is best just to put things out of their misery than continue to keep them on the air. Over the past decade, Y&R has ever so slowly moved to that place in my mind. I’m very close to saying, “Just cancel the damn thing! If you can’t give us a better show than this, take it off the air.!!” Yes, the show could be saved — Alden is still working. What about Jack Smith? What about Sally Sussman? Where are Meg Bennett and James Hougton?? All of these folks worked for years on Y&R, particularly under Bill Bell, and would have some idea what to do. Heck, I’m not a fan of Lauralee Bell as an actress but I might be interested in seeing what she could do behind the camera!! The constant underlying these folks —- They KNOW this show. They’ve worked on it. Which is more than I can say about the crew over the past 3-4 years. (Yes, I know about Maria Arena Bell. Yes, I think she was terrible as well. However, my major beef with her was that she didn’t appear to devote enough time to Y&R but, instead, may have focused on other activities like art… Read more »
I stumbled across the article on Deadline the other day. It caught my eye so I read the full article. Sounds like Y&R and B&B both have problems that no one (fans) knew about. I think this is a cause for concern by fans. It reminds me of a house or building that looks beautiful on the outside but has internal structural damage that could cause the house or building to collapse unexpectedly at any moment.
Imagine what it would be like if all of a sudden Y&R and B&B were off the air with no warning! That would be heartbreaking for the fans of those shows as well as the people who work there. I think those two shows are in serious danger! And then there were two…. GH and Days! It could happen!