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Victoria Rowell Holds Press Conference And Says On Her Lawsuit: "This Is About Myself & Many, Many African-Americans Who Have Been Denied The Right To Perform In Front and Behind The Scenes, Specifically On Y&R!'

By Michael Fairman

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Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

Former ‘Young and the Restless’ star Victoria Rowell continued her efforts to drive home her point in her lawsuit against CBS and Sony, where she alleges discrimination in the job force behind-the-scenes and in front of the camera on The Young and the Restless!  Rowell had played Drucilla Winters on the daytime drama series.

Thursday, Victoria held a press conference in New York City, where Soap Opera Digest is reporting these comments from the actress and author:  “This is a profound moment for me as an African American woman, who wishes to continue to live the American dream.”

She went on to say: “I always advocated for myself and was taught to do so after 18 years in foster care, and I advocate for others and was taught to do so. So, this is not about me, this is about myself and many, many African Americans who have been denied the right to perform in front and behind the camera, specifically on The Young and the Restless.”

SOD teased they will have more on the press conference in an upcoming issue of their publication!

Meanwhile, CBS has already come forward in a statement from a network spokesperson  on Daytime Confidential stating:  “We were disappointed to learn that, after leaving the cast of The Young and the Restless on her own initiative, Ms. Rowell has attempted to rewrite that history through lawyers’ letters and a lawsuit that has no merit.  We harbor no ill will toward Ms. Rowell, but we will vigorously defend this case.”

So, what do you think of Victoria holding a press conference,  and the sentiments she is sharing publicly on her lawsuit?  Comment below!

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She is out of control!

Victoria Rowell is a pain in the ass that needs therapy to work out her abandonment issues. JMHO.

Victoria Rowell should of been back for fans and Neil long ago. How ridiculous they way the politic are going. Its all messed up. Look they made Victor hate Sharon when he loved her as a daughter. Now Adam they are writing wrong. Adam loved Sharon so much my screen would smoke! I can’t take Chelsea and her fake baby voice. Sharon is a real sexy women and Adam lust over her. writers please we all want Shadam back.

for something that isn’t “about her” she sure says ME a lot.

Typical narcissist!

More than that, Rob. Bottom line? MONEY !!!!. It’s always about the money.

I think she realizes she won’t be hired back and she’s really wanting to fight for more African Americans so the ones that are there don’t feel as alone as she did. She’s a strong woman who doesn’t want to back down now as she didn’t back down when under contract. If someone spat in my face, I would want them to choke on their own vomit. Imagine how a black person would feel when spat on by a white person…

She’s not a slave and does not deserve to be treated like that by anyone. Being spat on messed with her psyche. When that happened, I’m sure she felt as if she was transported back in time or she thought her “enemies” have never freed her race.

When you’re outnumbered it’s easier for injustices to continue because you have nobody to stand with you. I think she was treated like crap and she is paving the way for less injustice and more freedom.

To me, she’s a hero for the betterment of mankind. She may or may not be a wild crazy b***h, but if she is…maybe she was pushed to that point. She and her people have rights and it’s not right for others to uphold the practices of ownership of slaves.

Hi, 4ever Days.
I am sorry for speaking too soon. I did not know the dramatic and traumatic goings-on. Really, I didn’t I had no clue someon had spat on her person. That is not only inhuman, conjuring images of ‘days gone by’, but, apparently not so-gon-by, but also offensive.
If that is the case, then her agenda is genuine And I sincerely retract what I have posted.

I’m sorry, but she needs to stop talking before she really says something she’ll regret. Get over it, you’re NOT coming back to the series.

VR already knows that she is not ever coming back to Y&R. That is why she needs to make this new issue to get the spot light back on herself while attempting to frame her problems in a way to make it seem like it is about a “bigger cause”. She needs therapy.

She needs to get over herself!!! Stop playing the race card and get on with her life!! She left the show now she needs to live with her decisions!!! There are many African-American actors on Y&R!!!

Yep!

I lost all respect for her years ago. She is the one making this a race issue. If she just went in and did her job and stop the crazy. I am sure they would have taken her back. But clearly behind the scenes they knew more than we did and saw that she was only focused on causing problems then doing her job. She will not win this and will end up looking like a fool and she will not get cast in much after this. This is NOT a race issue

How do you know it’s not a race issue? Part of her claim is the lack of diversity i.e. African Americans in front/behind the camera. So it is about race. Why are people so scared to talk about race? That’s the very problem with this world. There is a race issue in the United States. You can deny. You can avoid it. But it’s there! A lot of claims she made right after she left were NEVER disputed by Sony or CBS. Example: The African American actresses had to get their hair done PRIOR to coming on set. Why? Because CBS didn’t have anyone who know how to do AA hair.

She might lose but at least she is doing something vs just sitting around. She’s always been vocal about the lack of diversity. You can dismiss it because you think she’s crazy or bitter. But she’s said this stuff even while on the show.

Lack of diversity…the race card…no, we are not scared of talking about it but i for one is sick of it being one sided…all Victoria mentions is black, black, black!!! To talk about diversity lets talk about all minorities and not just one race…how many Asians and Indian Americans…Hispanics ect do we see in front of the camera and behind it at Y&R?…i always said id like to see more diversity in our programs but its not limited to one race…and this is not just about race…VR also mentioned they wouldnt rehire her…so she IS using the race card…when the more classier Debbi Morgan was let go i didnt hear her cry lack of diversity…Empire is mostly black…should half the cast be white…no one says that show isnt diverse enough…half of this issue is about them not rehiring her as Dru…no show has to rehire any actor just because an actor wants their role back…its up to tptb if they want you back and if they dont its their right to do so especially on soaps…had they fired her…NO…she quit on her own and they didnt officially kill off the character for good…this means the character could someday return if tptb decide if and when…and if they really need the character…many characters are gone from this show…what if they all want to come back…not goin to happen…some might but not all and that still depends on those in charge…they pick and choose what characters that want to use…its not up to the actor…i dont care if your black or white…if you bad mouth my business i wouldnt rehire you no matter how good an employee you were…anyway if any blacks or other races were denied jobs behind the scenes and someone of color(white of course, they are always the bad guy now) and she had proof then just maybe id agree with her…however, she sounds like someone who only wants to work with those who are black…she is sounding very racist herself…jmho!!!

jimh(leave it to beaver)
If you are sick of talking about race and hearing about race then TOUGH. It’s a discussion that needs to be had. Sorry that it makes you uncomfortable. Yes, she quit. And she had her reasons for doing so regarding a pre-nom for an Emmy.

And who gives a damn about what happened after Debbi Morgan was let go? Victoria Rowell is NOT Debbi Morgan. I’m sure DM can speak for herself. And clearly you can’t seem to grasp what her suit is about. She isn’t playing the race card as you call it…for them not re-hiring her. I’d continue but….bored now!

I didnt say i was sick of talking about race, i said i was sick of it being ONE SIDED…also many times on this threads ive talked about race and how I WOULD LIKE ‘MORE’ DIVERSITY IN OUR SOAPS…more asians, indian americans and the reintroduction of several black characters on days…ive also mention about bringing back Dru and Olivia to the show…diversity should be about MORE than just ONE race! Enough said!

jimh(leave it to beaver) Indian American? I think you mean NATIVE American. It was enough said when I realize you are just ranting to rant. But that’s my mistake because I did see symptoms of intelligence. Clearly I was wrong.

Smooches

I agree with every word you said jimh!

I don’t believe it’s a race issue either. I think she’s just a trouble shooter. We have enough problems in the world right now without her trying to stir up issue’s that are not there. This is and always has been about her and staying in the spotlight. I don’t think she was very popular with the cast at Y & R most definitely not with the old Phyllis. If she is so worried about behind the scenes my advice is (Go back to school, get a degree in production & get behind a camera and do your own show.

Wait Anton. back when soaps like GH featured only two African American actors whose only dialogue consisted of talking about their white counterparts’ stories, we had Y&R serving us up two families of African Americans. I remember the day Drucilla got caught shop lifting by a Black cop (whose name escapes me). That cop was involved in front burner storylines all of the time. Drucllia brought with her a sister and was connected to the Abbot’s maid, her Aunt Mamie Neil came onto the scene bringing with him a brother and later, a daughter, Lily. All of the aforementioned were involved in front burner storylines for many years. Y&R is the last show which should be accused of racial discrimination as they have been ahead of all of the soaps in this regard.

Sometimes, lawsuits do need to be filed (and other unpleasant actions taken) before any real progress gets made. That said, not every lawsuit advances the cause (and that’s true of whatever the cause is). Before you applaud her too loudly for “doing something vs. just sitting around,” you may want to consider carefully whether what she’s doing is going to make things better or worse. She might have a real point—or she might not. (She comes off as an absolute nut case most of the time, but I have always said: that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s wrong.) Every time somebody plays a “card” (the “race card,” the “gay card,” the “feminism card,” the “whatever card”—take your pick), there’s a real risk that if what they’re beefing about ends up lacking substance, they will end up setting things back rather than pushed things forward, because then the next time somebody plays that same card, people pay a little less attention. It may simply be her inability to articulate her grievances coherently, but I’ve watched her statements through the years on this issue, and she doesn’t make a very compelling case. (That could mean one isn’t there, or it could just mean she can’t communicate it well enough.) Though some of the things she raises are disturbing (such as the hairdresser issue) and justify her anger, that’s a far cry from showing systematic racism and discrimination—which is going to be an uphill battle in regard to a show that consistently has had a much better record on storylines and screen time for African American characters through the years than any other soap except perhaps All My Children. And if she is really blowing smoke on this, and there’s not much to her claims, then she’s just made it harder for anyone with a legitimate racism (sexism, any other -ism) claim to get heard and to get justice—which is why I think it’s worth being careful before giving her too much applause for “doing something.”

Victoria having to have her hair done before coming in to the studio was a blessing in disguise. When she worked in Baltimore, the station sent Oprah to New York to have her hair done. She asked the hairdresser if he knew how to work with “black hair”. The hairdresser (who had a foreign accent) said yes. He did Oprah’s hair and all her hair fell out!

I am sharing this story ” tongue in cheek”. But you are absolutely right that Victoria’s experience on the Young and the Restless does demonstrate the need for diversity in hiring for behind the camera positions. African-American actresses NEED hairdressers who know what they are doing regarding African-American hair. Other races are deficient in this area. And it seems to me it would be a good business move to have personnel on staff who can work with the hair of African-American actresses. Sony/CBS could then be assured of the quality of the look of their African-American actresses. If you leave it up to the actresses to have to scramble for what they need they run a risk of inconsistent quality because things happen that are beyond the control of the actresses.

Maybe this is why there is a hiring problem in front of the camera too! Maybe Caucasian-American executives don’t want to make the effort to secure what African-American actresses will need in support staff behind the camera. Maybe they are too lazy to do so. If that is the case then the easiest thing to do is not hire African-Americans because they have needs and considerations that other races do not have. I don’t think American Indians and Asian-Americans have the same special needs regarding hair that African-Americans have.

If Sony/CBS won’t hire Victoria, maybe Tyler Perry, Spike Lee or another African-American producer will. She will work again somewhere!

Good for her!

This comment by CBS: “We harbor no ill will toward Ms. Rowell…” is beyond laughable. Their hiring practices behind the scenes is nothing short of racist. Only one African-American writer in over 40 years is an embarrassment, yet they have no shame. Ms. Rowell won’t win, but she is shining a light on Sony, CBS, and the Bells’ awful business practices.

So what. Since when do we have to hire what someone else wants or it’s called racist? Where my husband works it’s 90% family and everyone is happy. In a lot of places they only hire family why the hell do you think they call places Little Italy, China Town Jewish Community Square etc. Should we try & break them all up by telling them they have to hire whites. The problem is not African American it’s called a lot of cultures want to treat White American’s like little pee-on’s. I.M.O. This is just trouble Making.

Italians and Jewish people…though of different ethnicities and sometimes religion (there are Italian Jews) are white…just sayin’.

So tired of people playing the race card! I’m amazed that Al sharpton wasn’t there with her for his photo Op! Why is she throwing a fit when She is the one who chose to leave YR?

I wholeheartedly agree with you!!

So do I as a matter of fact I think it’s time for the body to be found and through dental records have her declared dead once & for all.

Well, there are times when the race card is applicable. This is not one of those times.

Victoria Rowell must have drank the crazy juice twice. She left the show, it was her decision, and now that she wants back on the show, TPTB didn’t want to deal with her crazy and said no, so instead of getting on with her life, she sues them!! If I quit a job, I don’t expect them to rehire me just because I made a mistake and wanted to come back. Go Away Victoria, your 15 minutes are over!

It is a shame because one can’t help but think if she had put this much time, passion and energy into her career post Y&R, she could have made the big times, like movies and wouldn’t be so fixated on this one show. Or if she had pursued social justice causes through politics or becoming a lawyer maybe she could have affected meaningful change by now. But by this course of action she is taking, she is wasting her time, talent and life— she should read Moby Dick, because she seems as obsessed with this one show as Ahab was his whale and look where that got him.

There is another article out there that states that if she does not get back on Y&R, then she wants a new role written for her on B&B. It appears she has her sights set on more then one show….

I simply no longer respect or like this woman. Just because you’re not invited back to Y&R does not a lawsuit make. She’s become a joke. One of the most self involved human beings in the history of mankind. Move on, Felicia!!

Btw…the CBS spokeman states, “We harbor no ill will toward Ms. Rowell…”. At this point, I think we ALL harbor ill will toward her.

I feel bad for Y&Rafter the year they’ve had this is another headache they have to deal with. Can you imagine the ramification if she actually wins. Would the other soaps be
forced to re-hire actors because the fans want them back? And why is she trying to get back on a show that doesn’t want her. She should be trying to get on primetime

Bringing a lawsuit against a company for not wanting to rehire you? lol. She is off her rocker. They don’t owe her anything.

Attention whore.

She left Y&R.

I’m losing whatever little respect I had for her. It’s a shame.

Victoria Rowell is true Attention Whore, for sure..
Also-
She is not right in head !!!

((She needs to take a trip to a psychiatrist and stop making fool of herself.. lol

Mo…the first 2 words in your post summed it up PERFECTLY!!!!! And…as far as I’m concerned, Victoria Rowell is nothing but a self-righteous hypocrite who needs a much-needed REALITY-CHECK!!!!! P-R-O-N-T-O!!!!!!

I am glad the issue of diversity remains in discussion. I am not happy with the acrimony here.

I have accepted Drucilla fell off that cliff and died. She was a powerful character and Miss Rowell gave her memorable vibrant life. My preference is for all to move on. Y&R needs to move forward as it rights its listing ship. I look forward to seeing Miss Rowell in other roles.

I love and respect Victoria Rowell as an actress but I hate what she is doing here. By all accounts she acted like an out-of-control diva on the set.
What I hate even more is that her faux allegation of discrimination is an insult to real cases of discrimination.
And finally, Y&R has always been the leader as far as racial diversity is concerned–they have been ahead of their counterparts for years putting African American families in front burner storylines. She needs to take control of her actions.

Bill bell adored her he helped pitch two storylines for her! LML came in like a buzz saw and started dismantling core families VR was unhappy because her peers did not pre nom her for a excuse me silly emmy they killed her off because they thought at the time Brad Bell would bring her to B&B like he had done for Eileen Davidson/Ashley. She needs to stop and think about this I use to love her character and her portrayal of Drucilla. Please stop VR and remember God does not see colr an that is all any of us should be concerned with he loves us just as we are sins and all

And if I sound preaching that is ok I have been thru hell and back the last few months with family etc! She disappoints me a great talent and you are wasting it on race most of us smart guys out here do not judge people by the color of their skin I judge you by what is in your heart!

Didn’t VR choose to leave Y&R? Strange how her lawsuit comes on the heels of Sharpton demanding an emergency meeting with Hollywood executives. Just saying.

VR won’t get her job back, but I hope this does put more African Americans in front of the cameras at Sony’s Days of our Lives!

My question is: Except for a semi-steady income, why would she want to go back to Y&R? I bailed on the show when Jill Farren Phelps came on board and haven’t been back.

However, she does spotlight valid issues that have plagued me since I started watching soaps when I was knee-high in the late 1960s. Since that time, truly accomplished and gifted African-American actors (e.g., Ellen Holly, Greta Rae, James A. Preston, Anna Maria Horsford, Peter DeAnda, Micki Grant, Kim Hamilton, Phil Morris, Michele Shay, Maidie Norman, etc.) have paraded before my TV screens with little to do except provide White characters with sage advice or a shoulder to cry on; or, when they did have storylines, it was in a vacuum that typically involved the only other AA actors in the cast.

Only a handful have enjoyed occasional front-burner status — Ms Rowell, Kristoff St John (when he wasn’t being back-burnered for the umpteenth time), Debbi Morgan, Darnell Williams, Tamara Tunie, Al Freeman, Jr. and Ellen Holly (although her status on OLTL diminished after OLTL’s first two-and-a-half years).

I fully understand Ms Rowell’s grievances. However, I doubt she will reinstated on Y&R; and, if she is, the animosity and on-set atmosphere would be too toxic to bear. I do, however, admire her for raising awareness to this matter in general.

Why aren’t you counting the two decades performance by Renee Jones in front burner storylines as Lexie Carver on Days of our Lives…A huge oversight on your part, considering she was the longest female African American lead EVER!

Lexie was huge and all the non DAYS fans missed out BIG TIME!!!

She had years when she did not have storyline. And even James Reynolds (Abe) said that daytime was racist and went on to talk about what was happening there. This is part of of the reason why Renee Jones left.

@Camp

Renee Jones rarely went without a front burner storyline. The main reason she quit DAYS was because she was tired! As for the racist remarks…They spoke of the lack of blacks on DAYS, not the lack of Renee’s/Lexie’s storylines!!!

Renee and her character was treated way better by DAYS than the African American soap viewers that chose to ignore and support her!

Why doesn’t she get another job and stop whining about this. She’s all about the $$$ and nothing else. I hope CBS sues her for anything they can.

Her talents as an actress and a ballerina have always been highlighted on the show. How can she say the things she has?…she thinks she is better than most, maybe that’s her problem. Theatre brats…

I guess something riled her up recently, basing this latest frivolous action on statute starting to run from date of last alleged infraction. I can’t take her so called ‘advocacy’ seriously since there are no palatable results as a direct result of her rants of the last 7 to 8 yrs. (Odd that there is very little to no evidence of her advocacy prior to leaving Y&R) VR is a narcissist. There are so many orgs that reach out at the HS and university levels to ensure POC interest in this field to provide available POCs for these in front of/behind the scenes positions; there are unions, POC production Cos., etc. – did she work with/thru any of them? She is supposedly a relevant actress with contacts, has she engaged them? You know, something positive that would impact not only Y&R but the industry as a whole. All I’ve seen are her rants about inequities (as they relate to her) the type of which the majority of us know about and have experienced in all walks of life.

This woman needs a Prozac the size of a volleyball and a Thorazine BIG GULP to wash it down – she’s out of control!!

VR is looking for a cash settlement she and her lawyers who are probably taking the case pro-bono are well aware she will never be allowed back on the set! i have no idea what went on over there after Bill Bell left I do know when he was running the show she pitched two storylines and he used them both. Her problem seems now to be with CBS/Sony but I do resent her including the Bells in her Twitter rampages because as far as I can tell she was well thought of by Bill Bell.

Ok, I loved her as Dru and was disappointed when SHE chose to leave. If things were that bad, why go back there? There are times when we have to move on and close doors and never look back. She does not own the rights to the character of Drucilla and if they wanted to recast the role, they could. She should make her manager earn his/her keep and LET THIS GO!

She has lost her mind. Filing a lawsuit after you quit for them turning you down is stupid. It sounds to me she needs money. If you want a job,go someplace else. There is no way she’s winning. The way she has ranted about the Bell family is awful. She would have no career today if it wasn’t for the Bell’s.

well. now both networks are in a lawsuit.

I wish you the best Victoria. Continue to fight for the rights Blacks deserve.
I agree with Antwon ; people are afraid to talk about race ; therefore, when Victoria or anyone brings it up , that person is accused of playing the race card.
One day we’ll get it right.

I agree that anyone should fight for their civil rights if they are being denied said right.. I too, hate the accusation of the race card being too liberally applied in these type of situations.
But damn it, this is not a case where the race card should be dealt a hand.
Victoria is responsible for her lack of employment due to her histrionics, her diva like fits and her apparently unstable mental state.
This has NOTHING to do with her race. To make this claim diminishes REAL cases of discrimination. She is not doing her race any favors with this frivolous lawsuit. She needs to accept responsibility for her own actions.

I wish that Victoria Rowell would STFU already!!!!! The only thing she’s succeeding in doing is alienating basically anyone and everyone she once worked with on the Y&R set…and anyone else she has worked with over the years. And if Y&R eventually decides to recast the role of Drucilla…and hopefully with an actress WITHOUT THE DIVA AND THE EGO…Victoria needs to bear in mind the following word: K-A-R-M-A!!!!!!!!!! Stupid, clueless woman.

Okay Victoria, you win, how about you Executive producing, head writing, directing and starring in the revamp #1 soap on CBS “The Young and African American!” What an ignorant women! I would NEVER watch anything she was EVER in again provided anyone is dumb enough to hire her!

What a piece of work! Talk about desperate measures to try to keep yourself ‘relevant’ and in the public eye?! She is going to alienate whatever diminishing fan base she had left by continuing her protracted campaign to get re-hired onto a show that CLEARLY has no interest. (It’s called a rear-view mirror, Diva: look into it!)

The entire 35 page court document is on-line. Why does she want to be rehired as Drucilla on YR? THE MONEY. She spoke of the emotional damage that co workers inflicted upon her..some admitted to their despicable behavior.
There’s always a risk when someone gives up a steady pay check to “persue other options”. She first asked to return to YR in 2010. She got the runaround. But was it because of her race, or her behavior?
That’s what the jury will decide..if this case makes it that far.
Victoria does not own the RIGHTS to Drucilla..even though she helped with character development.
Speaking of diversity..Bell & CBS hire gay writers and actors..but there are no gay characters on either show.
And..4 WHITE ACTORS were FIRED from YR in the past 3 years. STAY TUNED..

Yes, co-workers treated her like a slave during the ownership years. At least one co-worker spat in her face. And with the long history of sexual abuse backstage at Y&R, it’s a given that she was groped too!!

You can read the court document on Deadline.com. There are 5 defendants. Individuals were mentioned..but not named as defendants. I don’t know who she holds responsible for mental anguish..

Constitutional law: nobody is entitled to a job VR get over it move on we will see you in court!

Rebecca1 …I do understand what your saying but they still have their own little communities etc. If you go onto Victoria R. twitter it’s mostly about African American. It’s just fine to relive the getto days or slave days & I agree it was terrible but at least most of them lived. There are still a few survivor’s of the Holocaust & the stories they tell would make your skin crawl, right down to the gas chambers.. During the time of Al Capone some Italians were afraid to even go into church because these thugs would kill right on the street if you looked at them wrong. Each nationality has a story to tell but it seems like everytime we turn around their bringing out movies like “The Butler”, The Housekeepers, “Roots” “Salma” & then they wonder why things like what happened in Ferguson happened..I do get what your saying Rebecca1 I just think it’s time for V.R. to get over it & on with her life. BTW I voted for Pres. O’B because I thought he was smart,& knew how to communicate to the public unlike Winfree & V.R. I didn’t give a hoot that he was black.

What do movies like “The Butler”, ” Roots” and “Selma” have to do with what happened in Ferguson? Are young African-American men being slaughtered in the streets because African-Americans are making movies that show the African-American experience in the United States? Is this retaliation for telling the truth? Am I understanding you correctly on this? If so we need to put this on blast so the families will know why their boys were killed!

Hey Roland Martin, I’ve got some news for you about why the killing happened in Ferguson…..

I think you took what I said wrong. This last yr. or so we have had “the Butler” “Selma” “11 yrs. a slave” “The Help” and ” Mandela” just to remember a few. I’m not knocking one of those movies, & they we’re all well done but enough crying already. What these parents/grandparents/relatives are constantly telling their children about how those terrible white people treated them way back when is just putting a lot of hate in their children for the white population and in return it’s causing them to fight even if their is no problem. V.R. Is doing just that. She’s living in the past with a chip on her shoulders and using a black card against everything even trying to get her job back. She’s caused a no-win situation if they hire her back she will start her preaching to the cast & when they ignore her she’ll cry discrimination, If they don’t take her back she use her black card causing black’s to hate white’s and white’s to hate black when in actual fact they need to tell her it’s 2015, shut her mouth, stop spreading her hate, and get on with her life.

Nikki:

The only person spreading hate is you. There is no crying here by African-Americans. What happened in the past is a part of our history in this nation. It is as much a part of American history as the Revolutionary War. It is an unfortunate part of our nation’s history, but you can’t smother it or pretend it never happened.

The sad part is that there are still problems today. The difference is the tactics have changed but the motives and intents are the same. As far teaching African-American youths about our history in this nation, they understand why they experience some things today when they learn about our history. Life isn’t fair to anyone regardless of race. But there are some unfortunate truths that we African-Americans live with. Those truths include the fact pthat we have to fight a little harder than other ethnic groups in this nation. Our youths need to be prepared for what they will face in life. Learning about our history helps to prepare them for life.

If you are offended by the telling of the history of African-Americans in this nation, that is something that you will have to come to terms with. I for one will not refrain from talking about African-American history because you can’t deal with it. However what I can do is pray that you overcome whatever is bothering you.

Sony/CBS completely and totally mishandled this situation from the start. That is why they are in this mess. I have no sympathy for Sony/CBS.

Even if they were upset with Victoria, Sony/CBS could have brought her back for a few days the way they did Shemar Moore. He is on primetime TV so Shemar’s availability is limited. Sony/CBS could have brought in Victoria in a similar manner to “test the waters” and see if their issues with Victoria could be resolved quietly and under calmer circumstances. Instead, some executive do do bird pushed the situation with Victoria off into a stand-off. Thereby giving Victoria the ammunition she needed for a lawsuit! The do do bird should be fired and that salary applied to the money Sony/CBS needs to pay the lawyers handling this lawsuit.

To blast Victoria is wrong! What if it is really true that Sony/CBS has not been fair regarding their hiring practices? Is it wrong for someone, anyone, to raise this issue? What if the person raising the issue was not Victoria but someone else? What if a non-famous person who had applied for work at Sony/CBS was discriminated against and had the evidence to prove it? Would it be wrong for that person to file a lawsuit against Sony/CBS? Would that person be considered a trouble maker?

Why are persons blasting Victoria? Because she filed a lawsuit? Because she is an African-American? Or because it is Victoria, who happens to be the African-American who filed the lawsuit?

Hollywood caters to the whims and wishes of the Caucasian-American population. This time they hit a snag that will trouble them for years to come! This issue is not going away. It is just beginning!

From everything I just read and from what I’ve heard about Victoria Rowell’s departure, I strongly believe she should have brought her complaint against the (3) co-actors who did this to her. It is a crying shame when other co-actors have that much control over who I watch playing a character. Funny, I always thought the audience had that control or the current actor playing the part (meaning contract is not renewed or they decided to leave on their own). Unfortunately, Ms. Rowell will not be returning because she has probably burned too many bridges by now. However, if the writers, producers, directors are really paying attention they should realize that no matter who they put with Neil Winters as a possible mate, it hasn’t worked. So, far I haven’t liked the chemistry with any of them. Why not let Neil pull himself together by reflecting back on what he had with Dru and go forward from there. Maybe, he will find the right woman next time. He needs a woman of Dru’s character (independent, intelligent, resourceful) maybe add a twist and allow this character to have some financial pull of influence! Just saying……

General Hospital

‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Shares Reaction to His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy Nomination, ‘It Was to Honor Leslie Charleson’

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The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Award nominations kicked-off on Monday with the announcements of four major categories including, Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series — Actor, and among the nominees is General Hospital’s Steve Burton (Jason Morgan).

Burton is already a two-time Daytime Emmy winner in the Supporting Actor category for his roles as GH’s Jason and his turn as Dylan McAvoy on Y&R. However, Steve is yet to win in the Lead Actor category and he has received 11 nominations along the way in his daytime career.

Following the reveal that he is a 2026 Daytime Emmy nominee, he and his GH co-star, podcast co-host and comedy show partner, Bradford Anderson (Spinelli) taped a special edition of their That’s Awesome podcast just featuring Burton’s reaction to the news.

Photo: JPI

FOR LESLIE CHARLESON

Steve expressed, “I know it’s such a cliche to say, ‘I’m just so honored to be nominated.’ But truly, I’m so grateful to be nominated, so grateful to just be on the show off and on for 30 plus years and to be nominated with the guys in my category. Just to get the opportunity. Frank (Valentini, executive producer, GH) texted me right away. I was just like, ‘Thank you for the opportunity to get to do what I do.'”

Taking in the moment, Burton thanked those who helped him select the material for his nominated reel. “Unless you win, you don’t get to say things. So. I’m going just say a few things: Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) helped me a lot with the material, (as did) Michelle Henry, who’s a producer on the show, Laura Wright (Carly, GH), and then my wife Michelle (Lundstrom). I believe it was Jill Phelps who told me that when A Martinez felt like he had a great show or great scenes, he would mark it down. So, when Emmy time comes, you have all the show numbers written down, and you don’t have to think about it, because that’s half the battle (finding the material).

Burton explained how meaningful this nomination is for him, because of playing the scenes of Jason losing Monica, and his closeness with the late, great Leslie Charleson.

“The nomination’s an amazing thing, and it’s beautiful, but really it’s to honor Leslie Charleson. A lot of my material was because of her, and how I started on the show as a Quartermaine, it just means a ton,” shared Burton. “Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH) has obviously has been instrumental, and I’ve said it from day one and I’ll shout it from the rooftops. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here, and to be working with the people that we work with is incredible.”

Photo: JPI

SHOULD JOHN OLIVER BE NAMED HOST OF THE DAYTIME EMMYS?

During the end of his conversation with Anderson, Steve suggested that the host of the Daytime Emmy should be Last Week Tonight’s John Oliver, who recently guest starred as the head of the WSB named Z on General Hospital, and is soon to show up on Days of Our Lives in a mystery role in August.

Thus far, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has not revealed their host for the upcoming ceremony to be held on October 30 in a venue to be named in Hollywood, California.

You can watch Steve sharing his reaction to receiving his 2026 Lead Actor Daytime Emmy nomination below on a special segment on the That’s Awesome podcast.

Now let us know, are you glad that Steve chose scenes surrounding Jason mourning the loss of the woman that raised him, Monica Quartermaine for his Emmy reel? What do you think of John Oliver as a suggestion to host the Daytime Emmys? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

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Beyond the Gates

53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress Drama Series

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Monday on Entertainment Tonight, the second set of nominations for the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced which included the highly-coveted Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actress and Outstanding Daytime Talk Series.

ET followed suit after Extra announced the nominees, as previously reported, in the Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actor and Outstanding Daytime Talk Host.

Now, five leading ladies of the soaps are vying for the gold for Lead Actress and the category marked the first-ever nominations for CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates when two actresses made the final cut. Only General Hospital is not represented among the actresses this year after Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) took home the trophy last year.

Photo: NATAS

THE FIVE LEADING LADIES OF THE SOAPS ARE …

The 2026 Lead Actress nominees are: Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives, Karla Mosley (Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless, Heather Tom (Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful, and Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree), Beyond the Gates.

This marks the first Daytime Emmy nominations for Karla Mosley and Tamara Tunie. In addition, this marks the first-time in her career that Stacy Haiduk had received a Lead Actress nod after two Supporting Actress nominations.

Meanwhile, Michelle Stafford had previously won 3 Emmys – 2 for Lead Actress and 1 for Supporting, but this recognition makes it her 11th overall nomination.

Heather Tom currently is tied for the most all-time Daytime Emmy wins with One Life to Live alum and General Hospital guest star, Erika Slezak. The B&B star has 19 nominations throughout her career.

Photo: ABC

DAYTIME TALK SERIES

In the Outstanding Daytime Talk Series category, the nominees are: 3rd Hour of Today, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly and Mark, Today with Jenna and Friends and The View.

“We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television,” NATAS president and CEO Adam Sharp said in a statement on the nominations. “As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”

The rest of the nominations will be revealed tomorrow on Tuesday July 14 starting on The View and then the full list of nominees in both the main and creative arts will be released by NATAS. The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards are slated for October 30th in Hollywood, California.

So, what do you think about the women who are vying for the Lead Actress Daytime Emmy? Happy with who got in? Who do you feel got snubbed? What do you think of the nominees for Daytime Talk Series? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Marks Unprecedented 16,000th Episode Milestone with New Cast Photo

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Today’s Monday, July 13 episode of General Hospital marks it 16,000 episode to air on the ABC television network. It is a remarkable milestone. The previous television record was held by Guiding Light which clocked in at 15,762 episodes before it went off the air on CBS in 2009.

To mark the occasion, the cast, crew and creative team of General Hospital celebrated with a cake-cutting ceremony on the Prospect Studios lot in Los Angeles back on Monday, June 1, 2026.

In addition, GH has released a new cast photo taken the day of the on set celebration. Pictured in the photo are front row: Rory Gibson, Finn Carr, Kayden Brenna Tokarski, Asher Antonyzyn, Giovanni Mazza, Braedyn Bruner, Dean Geyer and Nathan Dean.

Featured in the back row are: Tabyana Ali, Eden McCoy, Josh Swickard, Kristen Vaganos, Rebecca Herbst, Dominic Zamprogna, Alexa Havins, Cameron Mathison, Brooke Kerr, Cynthia Watros, Steve Burton, Finola Hughes, Jane Elliot, Maurice Benard, Laura Wright, Maura West, Donnell Turner, Nancy Lee Grahn, Tanisha Harper, Kelly Thiebaud, Kristina Wagner, Lynn Herring, Chris McKenna, Katelyn MacMullen and Sawandi Wilson.

In addition, the official GH social media handles shared these sentiments along with some other photos from the cake cutting: “Today’s episode of General Hospital is the 16,000th produced since the show’s inception in 1963. It’s a milestone we couldn’t let pass by without taking some time to celebrate as a family (and, of course… eating some cake). 🍰 We hope you enjoy watching it as much as we did making it.”

WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON THE 16,000th Episode?

The 16,000th episode will feature Jason Morgan returning to the town of Port Charles, Anna and Valentin (James Patrick Stewart) reuniting, and a new surgeon, Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) joining the staff of ‘General Hospital.’

GENERAL HOSPITAL HOLDS SEVERAL RECORDS

Now in its 64th year, Emmy Award-winning daytime drama General Hospital is currently both the longest-running scripted American drama and the longest-running American soap opera currently in production.

General Hospital holds the record for the most Outstanding Daytime Drama award wins, taking home the prestigious Daytime Emmy Award a record 18 times. Will they do it again and make it 19 in 2026? Stay tuned for the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations tomorrow on Tuesday, July 14 to find out if GH will be going for gold in the category, once again.

The ABC daytime drama series was created by Frank and Doris Hursley and premiered back on April 1, 1963. Frank Valentini is the current executive producer with Elizabeth Korte and Chris Van Etten are the show’s co-head writers.

General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC and streams on Hulu.

What do you think of the new cast photo marking General Hospital’s 16000th episode? What do you think of the accomplishment to have that many episodes of a television show and its still thriving and kicking? Share your thoughts and congrats for everyone in front of the camera and behind the scenes on this milestone airing.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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