titan1978

Bless her, I love Donna Mills, but for some reason she does not photograph as well as she looks in those older shots. She often looks deer in the headlights or awkward to me in photos from the Knots era.

One thing I really appreciate about the current regime for the last couple of years is Felicia. Between investing in her by using her and Kristina Wagner leaning in to her character’s personality and connections, she is the most like herself she has been since the horrid Luke affair. She seems like who Felicia would be at this stage in her life.

@LeClerc there have been reports this week that General Hospital is hiring what ABC is calling “temporary writers”. That’s why it flared up.

Thank you for contributing to this. I am shocked at how willfully obtuse soap fans are being about her comments (other people like Warren Leight have also called them scabs), and keep throwing around Fi-Core like it is the same thing as an exemption or waiver. They can either choose to be full union members or they can continue to work by not being full members, designated as Fi-Core. It’s because of a legal ruling that said people that do not want to be in the union don’t have to be- they do, however, benefit from the negotiated contract and must pay fees to their union because of that. The actors on daytime must work if the show remains in production. No writer has to write for them. If soap fans want to celebrate these folks as keeping their beloved shows in production that is their choice. It doesn’t change the fact that they are scabs and Fi-Core is working through a picket line, and these striking actors and writers have every right to call them out. Because legally they are required to, due to the fact that they benefit from the negotiated contract when not on strike. It was a legal challenge involving non-entertainment unions that was considered a huge win for unions, because they may not have to be full members, but they have to pay for the benefits the collective bargaining wins for them.

Just to clarify, Financial Core as a union status was not created by the WGA. It stems from labor disputes involving non-entertainment unions. It began after court cases that were brought about to ensure that workers were not forced to join a union in order to be employed. It was decided that since they benefit from those union contracts and protections, they must pay fees related to bargaining but are not considered Union members. Contracts in the entertainment industry have the most leeway with this because so many people are willing to cross the picket line, and or work on non-union productions. Which weakens collective bargaining for the whole.

You seem really hung up on a term that has nothing to do with allowing anything. It is a status, and pertains to their demarcation within their union. Their status is fi-core, which means they do not support their union but do enjoy their negoatiated terms. The WGA is not the only Union that uses this term. They could be writing a sh!tty Transformers film right now, it doesn’t just mean soaps. It’s still work that violates the terms of a strike. Again, if it didn’t, why are soap writers striking?

If they are “allowed”, then why doesn’t the contract grant waivers for daytime writers? The WGA considers them to be scabs. It’s their industry.

They are still considered scabs because the WGA is striking. They are not non-struck work for writers. Why would people like Michele Val Jean, who works as a writer in this industry, be on strike right now if writers from daytime were not on strike? Make it make sense. The issue that seems to be confusing everybody is the actors- they cannot strike, if the production is not shut down they work or are in violation. That is not the same thing as the writers. Those writers are choosing to break the picket line, hence scabs.

That is not at all what I saw. What I saw was an actor that was calling those writers scabs because that is what they are. Fi-Core is a technical term which means they get the same benefits of their union but do not stand in solidarity with them. They have to pay fees associated with bargaining because they get those benefits, but they are not actual union members. That’s the definition of a scab. Just because the actors on daytime cannot strike does not mean they have to have scripts. That is a choice by the production company, made possible by production assistants and scab writers creating material. I am so annoyed by this tonight for some reason that I keep rehashing the same post over and over again myself but in opposition. Soap fans be wild in these streets!

Can replace is the issue here- just because they can do it doesn’t mean they are not still being scabs. Or else their WGA contracts would stipulate they could seek a waiver or are covered under strikes differently. It seems like so many people come at this from the perspective that if the soaps stop production then they end and that’s the worst outcome possible. And it would absolutely be awful for the folks working in that industry and ultimately the fans. But they are hiring scab writers to continue the scripts while actual soap writers are striking. They know their industry is dying. But they are still mostly out on strike and don’t go fi-core because as writers they see the bigger picture and recognize the importance of their union. And if anyone were to be replaced right away by AI scripts it would be soap writers. People are not out here calling soap actors scabs- they know the score. But the writers certainly are that are still working on the shows. And these striking WGA/SAg-AFTRA can call them scabs anytime they want.

Doesn’t Greg Meng work for Corday still? Not DAYS, but Corday productions? He worked on the show under the tight production model, and I seem to recall the actors liked him/respected him. Anybody making a television show in 2023 and having it described as a frat house/boys club environment should be long gone. When you add in all the other allegations it’s beyond horrific that he wasn’t terminated when the investigation was concluded. Also everyone that has speculated how little Ken has to do with the show has been proven correct!

I rarely participate in soap discourse on whatever the hell Twitter is now, because it’s often filled with stupidity. I’m thankful that we have this board for soap fans that for the most part think beyond the basic. Reading Lisa Ann Wolter from Abbott Elementary interacting with a GH fan site and other fans about what their contract stipulates is embarrassing for all soap fans. People are making the argument (more than one person I might add), that she doesn’t understand the contract and that FI-CORE (writers)is the same as Netcode (actors). And then they add that if the contract says soap actors have to work then somebody has to write the shows so why is she calling those writers scabs. Jesus people are just so ignorant, and within internet fandom soap fans really think they know stuff they know nothing about. And whoever the hell Alan Sarapa is chiming in with more of the same ridiculous nonsense.

I don’t really agree it’s just part of the job, because soap fans are often delusional. They call the actors by the character’s names to their faces. They rant at actors in very derogatory ways about storylines they have zero control over. I know this is just how it is online. I just don’t think it is how it should be. But at the same time, the daytime writing staffs now are shadows of what they used to be. As much as I love Liz, she has no business attacking Joss looking at her own poor relationship decisions. And she knows it. Liz isn’t Carly, who would totally insert herself into this teenage drama. I actually think it is in character for Liz to show Joss some grace, and for Laura to have empathy for Esme, no matter how awful I find both characters.

What? How odd, this show is a casting nightmare right now.

This show has dropped stories during FV’s tenure when all the major players were not recasts. Many times. It was still early enough they could have rested this with the last recast, and moved Kristina into something else. You know, like Holly’s story being moved a full year due to her health, and not mentioned most of that whole time. Or Spencer’s tampering causing Laura to win the election. Or the Deception Spa. All had many scenes devoted to them then just dropped. There are many more examples, those were just the top of my head.

Thank you for posting that @Vee People forget FV began his career as Paul Rauch’s assistant, and Paul was well known for playing hardball even when soaps were rolling in cash. And he also pushed out people that questioned story or spoke out. He and Frank both had issues with Robin Strasser who is outspoken to say the least. I was kind of surprised we saw Nora on GH, because HBS openly critiqued the network and Frank’s production mode at OLTL. Look at the Genie Francis debacle of a couple years ago- she’s on the show with a contract and a central role because what is left of the soap fandom turned harshly on FV and ABC for trying to force her to go recurring and essentially firing her. And again, she’s one who has said every time she is not going to be on General Hospital unless under contract. She’s not accepting FV’s crumbs. People need to realize that these jobs are often dream jobs, and because of that, the networks and production corporations treat everyone like they can be replaced in a second. Which is a terrible way to work, especially for a creative person. Running everything like a corporation isn’t working for any of us.

Thanks for the clarification!

I know daytime actor contracts do not allow them to strike. But I was wondering if it impacts new hires/non contract roles? Does SAG/AFTRA allow actors to be hired on soaps for background work, recurring, or audition and begin a new contract while the strike is happening? Because shows like GH have their recurring folks in constant story. If I was in this union I would understand honoring the contract. But I would frown upon non-contract actors still appearing.

Thank you! I will remain hopeful that I get to see it in HD sometime before 2025! Or demand the public turn on the actors and writers or else Knots burns.

Anything official you would like to add @Errol? Or any more hints? Please😄

The network people have always gotten this completely wrong! As a kid I loved Alice and Tom Horton on DAYS, Katherine and John Abbot on Y&R, Asa on OLTL, and several older characters on GH. Lee and Gail, Dr Hardy (never much cared for Audrey), Jessie, Ruby, and especially Edward and Lila Q. Some became more like a talk to- but many of them were integral in their own ways, just not always the lead.

GH better do something!

It seems to me like Fran was actually negotiating in good faith, and yet keeping notes of the stupidity they were being presented. That’s why she had that initial statement that everyone reacted to with the letter- and that caused her some grief in public from her union because she wasn’t out right slamming the studios then. Next we have the Brand appearance, also out of context, enduring more public attacks and chagrin. But that speech was a real rallying cry, and even if faked, timed beautifully.

Very sad news, she was incredible on more than one soap. Tina during the Rauch period on OLTL was instrumental to how popular that show was during the 80’s. Evans ran with what they provided in the writing, creating a kind of engine that powered many storylines, and scenes. She was one of those actors that had chemistry with everyone. I always respected her for how outspoken she was about dangerous fans, and her experience with stalking. It was way ahead of it’s time, and truly sad that the network, show, and legal system were not willing or able to offer her more protection.

Maybe Kenny and Ginger would have lasted longer if they had a more loving marriage? A better contrast to the Ewings as newlyweds and the troubles of the Avery and Ewing households, and the family squabbles of the Fairgates. A really passionate, deeply in love pair of younger characters getting to experience all those marriage firsts might have worked out better in the long run. Although I think Kenny would have to be recast for that. To me they just kind of drift along until they are gone.