DramatistDreamer

Ugh, so gross!

19-year-old ballerina sues the New York City Ballet, alleging that male dancers created a “fraternity-like atmosphere” in which they shared sexually explicit photos of her and other female dancers https://t.co/mo1aoGKuP2

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) September 6, 2018

Les Moonves had a lot of help from within the ranks of CBS. 

Getting rid of him (and the 'Golden Parachute' is beyond insulting) is solving only half the problem, since sexism and misogyny have become part and parcel of CBS' DNA in how it functions as an organization, at virtually every level (news, daytime, primetime, limited series, etc.).

The genius of Irna Phillips was definitely in her ability to create and conceptualize these show and some of their characters and story trajectories.  Those were her skills, which, unfortunately did not include human resources, personnel or talent relations. 

I also think that being a woman in any position of authority, especially during those times required a strong hand, and Phillips likely felt that she had to demonstrate a 'show of strength' as a woman doing what is generally thought of as a man's position.  The problem is that, on occasion that 'show of strength' appeared to have ventured into tyrannical territory-- there really can be a fine line sometimes.

It continues to be a source of great disappointment that there has never been a thoroughly complex, holistic assessment of Phillips and the industry that she created.  It is worthy of a documentary series on the scale of Ken Burns' Jazz but it's yet another acknowledgement of how little people think of the daytime drama genre, even people within the industry seem to think very little of it, particularly the history.

12 hours ago, P.J. said:

Well, maybe us "crazy CarJackers" can be absolved of "getting her fired". 

 

No one should have their career tanked through the good ol' boys network, but it's hard to envision her as NCIS' Kate, for example. 

I believe that quite a few soap actresses had their careers tanked by abusive male executives and their long retaliatory reach. 

In fact, I think these same abusive execs eventually helped to sink the genre, which is why only shards remain.

This is why I never believed the generalization that CBS executives stayed out of the affairs of their soaps.   They were clearly the unseen hand, dipping in where they saw fit.  If a network is airing your show, (especially if your program was housed in their network's building for a quarter of a century) even if they are not producing it, there is no such thing as no interference.

The second trial of a Blackwater contractor charged with shooting unarmed civilians in the Iraq War ends in a mistrial, a US attorney spokesperson says https://t.co/Zel0DaiJiv pic.twitter.com/eR9y4CQQyp

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) September 5, 2018

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told House lawmakers the company should have acted faster to remove an image edited to show a gun pointed at Meghan McCain as she approached her father's casket last week. https://t.co/PBbjC22WqG

— The Trace (@teamtrace) September 5, 2018

Anyone who hasn't read Sarah Joy Brown's Twitter timeline, it's worth a quick read.

She pretty much states that Les Moonves cratered her acting career. 

If you remember her character Julia Larrabee was murdered by her abusive ex husband Les.  Yes, Les!

It's as I always suspected that those executives as CBS had a long reach and were not above interfering in the inner workings of the show.

Marland was likely the last ATWT headwriter who had any type of true autonomy/independence over the show's creative direction. 

Perhaps, in a weird way Goutman had some some type of autonomy but by then very few of the network or PGP executives actually cared about preserving the show, ATWT was in 'sunset' mode by 2001.  (I know because I was in communication with someone at PGP's NYC office). 

4 hours ago, j swift said:

Is Liz's stairway death the infamous case of writer's revenge? 

That was a well documented case of Phillips having the final say over the actions of a character when she couldn't get the final say over the actions of the actor.

According to ATWT folklore, the actress had been performing in a B'way play where her role required nudity, which Phillips was opposed to.  Apparently Irna Phillips made her feelings known and the actress was given an ultimatum which she disregarded.  So Phillips killed off the character and the method was having her fall while going up the stairs. This was before I was born so I've only heard of it. 

I would've loved to have seen even a clip but right now, I'd settle for being able to read the script.  If only I could get a copy of that script!!

So many of this country's institutions are run by truly garbage people.  Those "resisters" are every bit as complicit as the glassy-eyed supporters who labor in delusions of the "good" that this White House is supposedly doing.  They're actually worse because they have a sense of how much damage this twit-in-chief is capable of. 

This Op-Ed is clearly an attempt at trying to absolve themselves, perhaps so they can look at themselves in the mirror?

No problem @j swift.

This did get me thinking though... it would've meant a great deal if someone had culled/curated the top 50 (hell, I'd even settle for 25 or 20) episodes that dramatized the evolution of Kim (I'm not going to type out all her married names, lol).

1 minute ago, P.J. said:

You're judging '70's tropes by modern standards. Abortion wasn't legal until 73. Kim only married John to cover up her ONS with Bob, and she wasn't screwing John, he raped her and she got pregnant with Andy. But when that happened, marital rape wasn't even recognized.

 

I'm a little fuzzy on the entire Paul/Liz/Dan/Susan thing, but there again, younger characters never would've been shown openly cohabitating without marriage. 

 

I'm sure ATWT "behind the times" by 70's standards, but even on All in the Family, Gloria and Mike were married and enjoying sex, not single and screwing.

I was going to say something similar when I read the post but didn't have the time at the moment I read it.

Social mores in previous decades are always different, and we have to be careful to look through that lens when judging the stories.  That's not to say we can't be critical, there's always room for critique...just that we have to take all of those factors into consideration.

EDT:  I just started to peruse Sarah Joy Brown's TL and besides the fact that it got my blood boiling the lengths to which a misogynistic tyrant like Moonves will go to punish anyone who doesn't bend to his will but it concerns me how much someone of his level within CBS can reach down and mess with things, even a soap opera just to wreak vengeance.

I'm more convinced than ever that executives do indeed interfere with the soaps, even if it has nothing to do with their area.  It's what I've suspected for a long time but no one within the network system is truly autonomous, let alone independent.

Sadly, I can guess why Brown has been blocked in her career.  It's likely Moonves employed the "Harvey" method for punishing actresses who don't submit to his advances.

Speaking of which...what's the latest on Moonves? 

The focus on him seems to have dimmed somewhat. 

CBS might have be more institutionally flawed than even NBC, if that's possible.  

Wasn't there supposed to be some sort of internal investigation of Moonves, or was that simply a delay tactic?

It takes a special kind of display to surpass Marco Rubio in terms of sheer desperation but Jones' wild show of desperation just about covers it.

Someone took a picture of one of Kavanaugh's aides flashing a white power symbol as she sat next to Condoleeza Rice.

This country looks so sad and incredibly pathetic right now.

EDT:  So now there is a social media debate about 'did she or didn't she?'  in the Congressional hearing. 

Meanwhile Marco Rubio got into a scuffle (mostly verbal) with Alex Jones in the hallway outside of the hearing.

This morning a protesting woman sitting in a wheelchair was dragged out with the cameras rolling. 

Now, I understand that the camera is instructed not to show the mostly female protesters as they are being dragged/pushed out by security, so they don't get T.V. time.

racists hand gestures or not, this country still looks sad and incredibly pathetic right now.

I don't like the comparisons to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.  First of all, as a former member of the City Council, Ayanna Pressley has quite a bit more legislative experience than Ocasio-Cortez, for starters.

I think the press meant to compare Crowley and Capuano, two relatively popular, heavily endorsed candidates who were defeated after serving long incumbencies in their political careers.

Ms. Pressley's Congressional seat was once occupied by JFK.  

Ayanna Pressley has defeated 10-term incumbent Rep. Michael Capuano for the Democratic nomination in Massachusetts's 7th congressional district.

With no Republican challenger, Pressley will become the first black woman to represent Massachusetts in Congress. pic.twitter.com/dbPZn142nW

— Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) September 5, 2018

Grassley is shook by all the chaos in these hearings.  He is stumbling to get words out.

15 hours ago, Juliajms said:

Is 45 the rat or the seal?

Both animals are smarter than he is.

It's okay @victoria foxton, we knew what you meant to say, lol.

49 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

Not sure I want to get that intimate in a group!

I saw that too but I thought I'd let that one go.

You just know that it's not a pretty picture when the former chief of staff describes Trump's White House as-

“When you put a snake and a rat and a falcon and a rabbit and a shark and a seal in a zoo without walls, things start getting nasty and bloody,” Priebus says.

There's nobody that could've watched that entire thing.  Nobody!

I missed the sermon but there was an uproar on Twitter over it, with good reason.  The pastor who groped Grande, at the very least apologized, this pastor has not and stands by what he said.

I wonder why the family didn't choose someone who has demonstrated a greater grasp of public speaking in front of a multi-generational audience.

I was glad to see the likes of the Clarke Sisters perform, they truly embodied the genuine spirit of gospel and church.  Even Fantasia was really moving people.  And normally Jennifer Holiday is OTT but she was in the right tone for the occasion and they needed a strong gospel roots singer to close the ceremony out.

Jennifer Hudson can clearly sing but she is definitely more closely tied to pop than gospel, regardless of what some might say. 

Honestly, I would've risked Lauryn Hill (yes, I know her reputation for not being on time).  Hill had a closer relationship to Aretha Franklin, especially seeing that she wrote and produced one of Aretha's last hits on the charts, Lauryn even sang some backup vocals, lol!  Had they invited Hill to sing "His Eye is On the Sparrow" it would've been special. 

The family missed a few key points of significance with this homegoing celebration but they were grieving and no doubt, tried their best.

Just now, DRW50 said:

 

Yes, that's what I meant. 

John Mulaney, Patton Oswalt, Judd Apatow, Jim Carrey, among others. 

 

And of course people are saying they are all terrified of debate, when this type of pullout is what the right has done for decades. 

Oh, I don't expect anything in the way of just behavior from the majority of these media outlets. They have already shown where their priorities lie.

The New Yorker has indeed published its share of high quality journalism and other long form pieces but I've had issues with them way before this.

1 hour ago, WTGH said:

This Brett Kavanaugh SCOTUS hearing is WILD.

I had a livestream running in the background for awhile and yes, the first thing I heard was squealing and yelling of protesters.  I suddenly had a craving for popcorn!

15 hours ago, DRW50 said:

Another reminder of the hollowness of the "resistant" media (they disinvited him but only after various names said they would pull out). It's a shame, as the New Yorker has good moments. 

 

https://money.cnn.com/2018/09/03/media/steve-bannon-new-yorker/index.html

Didn't they throw him off the roster after other guests threatened to drop out?

Nothing can make me join Facebook but thankfully she has her own website as well as other social media.  When I get some time, I'll definitely take a look!

Thanks for clarifying that @vetsoapfan and @Bright Eyes.  I've seen screencaps of these types of videos but have never watched one.

I don't see the point either, even less so for storylines that happened decades ago.  Perhaps if there were a group chat feature where some type of discussion took place.  Even then, I'm not one for discussion until after I've watched the program.

The reaction video would be a pass for me.