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U.S. Senate Confirms Appointment Of B&B Producer Colleen Bell As Ambassador To Hungary! Sen. John McCain Is Outraged! Sen. Barbara Boxer Defends Bell!
Courtesy/ColleenBell Photo: Sean Smith/JPI
Talk about your soap opera! First off, congratulations are in order to The Bold and the Beautiful producer, Colleen Bell who is also the wife of the series executive producer and head writer, Brad Bell. According to reports today, Bell was officially named the U.S Ambassador to Hungary. Bell was voted in Ambassador to Hungary by a vote of 52-42 by the U.S Senate, and the votes were along party lines.
Bell’s confirmation had been delayed by an onslaught from Republican Senator John McCain who raised objections over Colleen’s qualifications, and another confirmed appointed ambassador, Noah Mamet, who will be the U.S. Ambassador to Argentina by a vote today.
McCain continued his outrage over the nomination and appointment of Bell early this morning when he took to the senate floor to do some grandstanding. He want on to say, “We’re about to vote on a totally unqualified individual to be ambassador to a nation which is very important to our national security interest. Her qualifications are as a producer of the television soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful, contributed $800,000 to Obama in the last election and bundled more than $2.1 million for President Obama’s re-election effort. I am not against political appointees…I understand how the game is played, but here we are, a nation (Hungary) that is on the verge of ceding its sovereignty to a neo-fascist dictator getting in bed with Vladimir Putin and we’re going to send the producer of The Bold and The Beautiful as the ambassador. I urge my colleagues to put a stop to this foolishness. I urge a no vote.”
However, it was California Senator Barbara Boxer who shot back at McCain saying to Yahoo News!: “Just because someone is a producer of a popular television show, that doesn’t disqualify them. She’s an intelligent woman. She knows how to be successful. She’ll do a good job, and she’ll do very well, I think, in this position, because I know her well and she knows how to make friends, and she’s not angry.”
The nominations of Bell and Mamet would have been in serious jeopardy if the vote had been delayed while the Senate was shifting to the GOP majority!
Below watch John McCain’s rant via ABC.com on the appointment of Bell! Then share your thoughts on this political drama featuring a prominent figure from soap operas most prominent family!
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The nominations of Bell and Mamet would have been in serious jeopardy if the vote had been delayed while the Senate was shifting to the GOP majority!
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This would make a great storyline basis for Crystal Chappell’s “Beacon Hill: The Series”.
I dont understand this. Doesnt the Ambassador have t9 live in the country? Shes going to Hungery and Brad is going to stay here and produce the show? Isnt that a bit hard on a marriage?
Well a lot of the day to day producing is done by associates, so Brad can over see a lot using the internet and commuting at times. As for the writing, he can frame the stories anywhere and the other writers do the actual writing. But if worse comes to worse Brad might just step down and hand over B&B to a new team. I don’t think she would have agreed to the appointment if they didn’t work out how they were going to manage everything from a distance.
what a sexist comment. Would you say the same if a man was Ambassador? Probably not
LOL
I get a kick out of Sen. John McCain ..
He is a big cry baby, he really is lol
Nothing is ever right in his world-
He bellyaches all over the senate floor with his tantrums
anything that gets John McCain’s undies dirty is ok by me..
watching the big cry baby freak out is enjoyable .. aaahaha.
CONGRATS!! Colleen Bell ..
LOL. su0000, I love your hilarious comment. John Mccain needs to wash his undies. He is a very miserable man. Congrats to Colleen Bell, you go girl.
Cry Baby the man is a POW if you know what that is. He spent 5 1/2 years in a prison camp. He is absolutely right she has no business being an Ambassador she knows nothing about Hungary or what our interest are there probably could not even find it on the map. Show some respect for a man who served our country to fight for our freedoms!
Keep it in order..
Sen. John McCain the POW has my respect for his sacrifice and service <–
nonetheless..
In the senate he is a big cry baby who has tantrums..
and is always bellyaching about everything thing that is not his way and that has nothing to do with his past as a POW (<- that I respect)..
have a good day 🙂
do you know Coleen Bell personally?…..have you met her or spoken to her?….have you spoken to her about Hungary?…..I have not…….so I can not comment on her qualifications……..others should follow. After all……McCain thhought Sarah Palin qualified. To be VICE PRESIDENT
I AGREE WITH YOU K/KAY, HE WAS IN A POW CAMP FOR 5 YEARS, SHE SHOULD NOT BE AMBASSADOR OF ANY COUNTRY, EXCEPT A SOAP OPERA, SHE HAS NEVER BEEN THERE DOESN’T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE. JOHN MCCAIN DID NOT DESERVE ANY DISRESPECT FROM ANYONE HERE, CRY BABY I DON’T THINK SO. A HERO IS WHAT HE IS.
I agree with k/Kay. Unfortunately , intelligent qualified people probably don’t want to do it. If anything really important happens, I think we would send someone with experience there. It is just Obama saying Thank You for your contributions. It is amazing what money can buy and a lot of money comes out Hollywood and professional sports.
Oh I so agree with you Kay. I don’t care is Colleen was male or female. With the problems over there they need a strong person and Im sorry Colleen is not it. This man is right to be concerned and the rest of the country had better listen to him before it’s too dam late. If a war breaks out maybe she can entertain Putin with the Bold & the Beautiful.
I like B&B and admire the Bell family and what it has accomplished. That being said, I think John McCain makes a valid point. I read Colleen Bell’s responses to the questions asked during her confirmation hearing and, to put it very mildly, I was unimpressed. Ms. Bell may be accomplished and experienced in the television arena. However, there is nothing on her resume to indicate that she has background to make her a qualified diplomat and, in particular, has any knowledge or insight about Hungary. Her vague and irrelevant comments to the questions asked during the hearing also suggest that she did little (or no) homework about Hungary before the interview.
Again, I like the Bells and B&B. That being said, I think McCain is right on this issue. Once the (rightful) criticism was raised about Ms. Bell’s qualifications were raised, I think Ms. Bell should have withdrawn her name for consideration for the post.
This appoint is all about the $$$$ that Ms. Bell raised. It clearly is NOT about her qualification for the job.
NO CHRIS F, I DON’T KNOW HER AT ALL, BUT I HEARD WHEN SHE WAS BEING INTERVIEW SHE KNOWS NOTHING, WE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH RUSSIA AND WE NEED SOMEONE WITH A BRAIN OTHER THEN SOMEONE WHO PRODUCES SOAP OPERAS AND PAID FOR THE JOB TO BE AMBASSADOR FOR HUNGRY, SO MAYBE I SHOULD SAY I KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT HER THAT SHE SHOULDN’T HAVE THAT JOB, ARE THE SOAPS GETTING BORING FOR HER, SHES A SPOILED WOMEN WITH MONEY AND BELIEVE ME I WOULD SAY THE SAME THING IF THIS PERSON WAS A PART OF THE SOAPS I WATCH.
OK, so since this website is going THERE, I will state my two cents, and I’m probably in the minority on this board, being gay AND a democrat-turned-Republican. Brad Bell, I believe, was a contributor or fundraiser for Barry Obama. Everything Barry does is for political reasons and to pander to demographic groups. I don’t know what qualifications this woman has, but it seems she is connected and is being rewarded for backing and being connected with democrats. Entertainers and producers from California need to realize that people of all political views purchase and view their artistic output. Maybe it’s best to stay neutral so not to alienate half the audience. Of course, Mr. Bell has the right to support who he wants, but I have the right to not view his product. In closing, on another note, I think it’s a sad state of affairs when veterans and true patriots like Mr. McCain are so boldly disrespected by some. Shameful.
Hi jared ..
I think it is horrible how the republicans disrespect the 1st black President , elected twice by the people, of my America..
Barack Obama is the President of the United States of America.. our presidents have always been held in high esteem and respected,
Republicans do not like Obama and will do anything to shame him in the eyes of the world….. totally disrespect for the man, the president 🙂 heh
You are kidding right? Respect for the presidency??? Where was all this so called respect for George W. Bush and even Bill Clinton??? Look this is politics unfortunately. The woman was given the position by President Obama because she contributed HUGE amounts of money to him being elected. She is NOT qualify in any way shape or form for that position. McCain is correct; and he has earned his right to state his opinion after being in the Senate for over 3 decades. I don’t think any president should be disrespected but I find it highly hypocritical of some who called Bush every nasty name in the book to now call for respect for Obama.
Whoopie one of the harshest critics of Bush has the nerve to complain about attacks on Obama. WTH
Obama is not god; he makes mistakes like everyone else and this appointment of Bell is a huge mistake gven what is going on in the world.
Granted this is not new; Presidents have been giving these positions to their friends for decades now, but it is insane with the instability of this country, Obama is sending this person with not much qualification to be an Ambassador.
Oh and by the way, the disrespect shown to McCain by some of you is not only childish but disgusting. You want respect for president Obama but you think it is OK to trash a POW who came home and dedicated his life to the senate. Nice Hypocrisy at its worse.
Obama has done everything in his power to earn that disrespect. The only president ever to have 12 slapdowns (9-0 votes) by the Supreme Court. Nothing to do with his blackness honey.
Who is Barry Obama?
WELL SAID JARED, I BELIEVE THAT IS HOW SHE WILL GET THIS JOB, MONEY IN BARRY’S POCKET, WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY. IT’S NOT GOOD, IT IS SICKENING TO READ THOSE NASTY COMMENTS ABOUT MCCAIN, I AGREE IT IS SHAMEFUL. JOHN MCCAIN IS A HERO.
Im with you on this, I may not be a Republican but the only reason she is in this position is because she has the $$ to back it up.
Period.
Please review the late Shirley Temple being elected to Ghana in 1974 by Ford. That is more cringeworthy than this appointment
A lot of these posts have been about glad handing for both parties. They are largely viewed as ceremonial.
His name is NOT Barry. Shame on you! For name calling.
lol sorry but he went by Barry for years in school. I do think it is silly calling him Barry as an insult but it was what HE called HIMSELF for years.
@Jared our family has to distant ourselves totally from the view points no matter what direction they come from or we could not enjoy anything I am serious there are so many actors and actresses that my husband refuses to watch or pay for a movie ticket to see because of their statements. We want the government out of our lives I do not need them for anything now they are in my health care business you would not believe what we have been going thru trying to keep our same Doctor etc. I feel your frustration and I think this latest election proves people really just want this madness to stop and let us get on with our lives now whether or not anyone will have the guts to say no you have to abide by the constitution remains to be seen. Washington has a way of ruining people. I respect the office of the President I just wish the current person sitting up there did.
He did use the name Barry for a while.
Maybe she should stick to politics … Bold and beautiful storyline has been
HORRIBLE
Good one!
That’s like Angelina Jolie being ambassador for something or another.
Oh wait… she is. And she’s an actress.
And a philantropist.
Yep! Very key item right there.
I don’t agree with John McCain on a lot of issues, but I think he asked Colleen a valid question. And from what I’ve read, beside knowing how to throw big fund raisers for Obama, Colleen doesn’t know much about Hungary. International relationships are really volitile now…a soap opera of a different kind with deadly consequences…and I’m not so sure she has the right credentials to be in Eastern Europe at this time either. I also wonder how the Hungarians she will deal with feel since the U.S. sent a “light weight” when it comes to an international background. I just get sick of these “rewards” on the part of both parties, whether it’s ambassadors or judges to the Supreme Court, etc, for people who either raise a lot of money for their respective parties, or are ideologues to their party’s cause.
Quite the opposite of when the actor John Gavin (who is married to GH’s Constance Towers….) became ambassador to Mexico during the Reagan Administration. He was fluent in the language, as he was half-Mexican from his mother’s lineage, not to mention that he actually studied Latin American history and economics in college and worked on cultural issues regarding those subjects while in Hollywood.He also had a background in politics from serving in numerous positions in the SAG and was an intelligence officer in the military during the Korean War. Furthermore, he had a distinguished business career with various multinational corporations…now THOSE are the sort of qualifications an ambassador should have on their resume’!!!!!!
Agree I believe that was the point Senator McCain was trying to make as others including myself she did not even have any knowledge of Hungary she ran around the questions and I was embarrassed for her yet angry at the same time. I do not think he was slamming the entertainment business just making a point you need to know something about the country you are going to be Ambassador for she did not bother to educate herself before she went in there. Typical low information voter.
We will see Liam, Wyatt and Ivy…..in Budapest……maybe Ivy is a distant relative of the Gabors.If so bring on Zsa Zsa darling!
I too wonder what her qualifications are, besides giving fundraisers and money to Obama, but what are the requirements for this post? What qualifications/experience do other ambassadors have?
Frankly, I thought she was already ambassador. It’s been so long since her nom was announced.
I stand by McCain’s comments. I’d love to see the comments here if John McCain was tapped to write episodes of B&B. I would imagine some would equally declare that he is not qualified to write for daytime. Sometimes nothing is ever right with soap viewers.
I’m sure Ms. Bell is a nice woman but she isn’t qualified to be Ambassador to Hungry. POTUS promised in the 2008 election that he would change the way things are done in Washington. I guess he misspoke like he did when he said “If you like your health plan, you can keep your health plan period. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor period”.
If Hungary is undeed unstable, the ambassador should be someone with diplomatic experience. It is laughable for a soap opera person to be in this role. Of course the job was bought. This administration is more political than most.
1) Diplomatic – Being the top-ranking representative of their own country to the host country in which they’re stationed; conducting negotiations with the host government on behalf of their own government; representing their state in meetings and delivering messages on behalf of their own government to the host government; receiving messages and communications from the host government for relay back to their own government; being the spokesperson for their own government and its policies in the host country.
2) Ceremonial – Representing their own government to the people of the host nation at public events in that host country and being the most visible symbol of their own country, within the host country and to its public.
3) Administrative – Being the top ranking official within the embassy at which they’re posted, overseeing operations at the embassy and of other diplomats and staff members. They’d often be assisted in this role by other officials at the post who would actually handle, in greater detail and more directly, such internal embassy duties but it is the ambassador who is officially the chief of the mission and top-ranking embassy official.
I certainly would say that if one of the two had a high profile job here in the states that they wouldnt want yo give it up. Thats the whole point of my comment which U obviously missed with ur sexist jab!
Just what I wanted to read, a bunch of political rhetoric on a soap news site. Reading some of these comments, I thought I accidentally stumbled onto the Fox News website instead.
This just in, ambassador appointments are very often symbolic, ceremonial positions for political donors, friends of the president etc. Do I agree with it? No, but that’s the way politics work in this country. It’s happened under every President. George W. Bush appointed his college roommate as the Ambassador to Belize. But of course there wasn’t any outrage then, or outrage when Ronald Reagan appointed an actor as the Ambassador to Mexico. There’s only outrage when Obama does something, because Republicans are still seething that they lost to a black guy twice, and will do and say anything to try and discredit the guy. That’s what this all boils down to. And it’s downright disgusting.
Dan, it seems so easy for you to make these sweeping generalizations about Republicans and they couldn’t be further from the truth. As a gay man, I can say I try to ride the middle, but you have to admit that this back and forth between Republicans and Democrats has been going on a helluva lot longer than since Obama has been in office…and that is truly what it boils down to. Furthermore, CNN and MSNBC, etc…have just as much political BS on their websites as FOX does.
I disagree with your analogy. Comparing an appointment as ambassador to a place like Belize or Mexico, which are not political “hot spots” for American foreign policy interests, is NOT the same thing as being appointed ambassador to a country, such as Hungary, that is very adjacent to the Ukraine, a virtual political “volcano” right now.
I highly doubt Ms. Bell’s appointment to Belize, Mexico, Iceland, or Belgium would generate the same type of criticism. An appointment to one of those countries clearly would involve a LOT of ceremonial activities and I am sure, with her fund raising and party-throwing “skills,” Ms. Bell would be perfectly suited to such a task. However, to name this woman as ambassador to a country that presently is in the eye of a political hurricane is inane. She didn’t appear to even know enough about Hungary to sound competent in her confirmation hearing!!! What makes you think that she will suddenly turn into a Jean Kirkpatrick on Hungary when she gets to Budapest???
BTW, I’m a Democrat and clearly think this appointment is a BAD idea. I’m not some Fox News watching fanatic.
MONEY TALKS!!!!!
I agree. These “rewards” are for both parties. An ambassador has no power or authority. She will do a great job!
Maybe the real objective is to expand the B&B viewing audience to Hungary! Stranger things have happened!
On a more serious note, does Colleen or the Bells have any family ties to Hungary?
Regardless, what’s done is done. I wish Colleen well and much success for her sake and for our country’s. The best thing that can happen now is that she is successful at her job as an Ambassador.
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