DramatistDreamer

I love that song and was just singing it today!

j'adore your avatar, Mr. Vixen. That. is. all.

In another bit of interesting trivia, Tiffani Caesar (Nella #1) was the daughter of actor Adolph Caesar (A Soldier's Story, The Color Purple).

See, that's what I initially thought that Kasi Lemmons, not Victoria was the final Nella. I'm guessing too that V.R. was a temporary replacement but in my mind I didn't have Kasi starting in the role as early as '86! I remember the first Nella very clearly (her eye roll in a weird way reminds me of Drucilla's) I also remember Nella being interested in Beau and them leaving together. Count Stovall played Det. Roy Franklin by the way. I think his departure probably had much to do with him not getting a decent storyline. It probably couldn't have felt very good to know that Hal, who appeared around the same time, got a meaty storyline, love triangle and wedding-- even Mac got his courtship and wedding to Nancy Hughes. I wouldn't be surprised if Count Stovall felt his character was being left out in the cold. Count Stovall does theater these days, by the way.

Good question, amy. Just a guess but I don't think it could've been more than a year, if that. When I tried to look up the character history, it had Kasi Lemmons (whom I actually remember in the role) as Nella Franklin #2. So was Victoria the last Nella? She probably didn't have much of a storyline, so perhaps the character was on the way out by then? If there's anyone with a damn good memory, I'd love to hear the story on this because I don't remember. At. All.

The late 1980s hair and clothes were a special kind of bad though. I remember seeing a recent episode where Betsey was wearing what had to be the beginnings of the Mom jeans (did we discuss that on this board? I feel like we did). Only a few years ago, there were so many cute bobs and precision haircuts (Barbara and Sierra, etc), now even Dusty (whom I always adored) is sporting an ugly looking half mullet. Flyaways and frizz galore and weird side ponytails on grown women. AsTheWorldStillTurns posted an undated episode and Victoria Rowell is playing Nella Franklin, Roy's sister. Funny how I remember the other two Nellas (the 1st and the last) but don't remember her in the role, of all people! So funny how she's playing a sweeter version of Nella than the original actress, who, attitude-wise would've had more in common with Drucilla.

ljacks13 And I was just wondering if AsTheWorldStillTurns was okay because I hadn't seen a new upload recently. Thanks!

It was an apt ending to an atrocious WTF, YEC. Some people were saying that Federer wasn't feeling back twinges until the final set tiebreak, so perhaps he didn't realize how series it was until the next morning. I've never had chronic back issues so I don't know. I'm trying to give Federer the benefit on the doubt on this one since he's only withdrawn like three times out of some 1200 matches, I'm told. Don't know what's the deal on the Mirka issue other than rumor and one rumor was that supposedly Mirka was overheard during the match, claiming that Stan wouldn't have the guts to close out Federer in the SF. In the O2, apparently, she was siting within earshot of Stan. Did Stan and Fed face off during Wimbledon? Now I want to take a look at that match. Supposedly the argument got so intense that the O2 people guided Fed and Stan to another more private space in the arena where their raised voices wouldn't be overheard. Does anyone think that Davis Cup will tell us anything? Did anyone see that Davis Cup picture where everyone looks so chummy? One wonders what belies those smilles. One other thing, why was Severin Luthi in Federer's box during the SF? I know he often pitches in with Fed's coaching but Stefan Edberg was there, so couldn't he sit in a neutral area considering that he'd have to coach both oponents for Davis Cup days later? Is he Swiss? He should know to at least give the apppearance of neutrality. Ooh, fresh news. I'm gonna read that right now. Thanks Soapsuds!

...and we know what happened to the last President who was impeached. Bill Clinton, whose legacy was ultimately in tatters is practically in hiding...quelle horreur! Right? Am I right? Hm, no? Guess impeachment isn't what it used to be in the days of Andrew Jackson. I guess McConnell and crew will have to stick with their own standby--holding votes on the ACA for the 50th time instead of passing actual legislation. Or their 2nd stated option--initiating a lawsuit. Wow, none of these options will be a huge waste of the American people's time and tax dollars, especially impeachment preceedings...because it worked so successfully last time. I mean, it put Bill Clinton down for 2 good weeks.

I am also a child of immigrants who arrived legally as well but I also recognized that we have people who are already here, not going anywhere and the status quo, with many remaining in the shadows is just not a sensible approach as well as unsafe for national security. Money has been going to secure the border and apparently, like $$$ going to Afghanistan and Iraq, will never be enough. I wonder how much waste may be at issue? While illegal immigration from Mexico has slowed, the numbers coming from the Central American countries like Guatemala and El Salvador have increased because of gang and drug violence at play. Like I mentioned with Ebola, how can we hope to ensure that the U.S. is safe from more cases unless we help tackle the issue where it lives and breathes? Perhaps leaders of these countries need to be pressed to serious tackle the issues of gangs and flow of drugs? Perhaps buyers of those drugs (Americans being some of the best customers) should realize that their drug habits are financing this violent vicious system and stop subsidizing it? But the people who are already here, some of whom are here for decades, have families and many of whom work for American companies-- what do you propose we do with them? I mean, realistically? By the way, these American companies who can hire the undocumented for rock bottom wages are the same ones that fight raising the minimum wage for Americans who are here legally and have the nerve to demand a living wage for a full day's work. And by the way, the system is incredibly backlogged now and has been so for about 15-20 years (I personally know someone who waited at least 12 years to come here legally). Perhaps fixing the system of visas, might go some way to remedying this? How is doing a piecemeal proposal going to clear all of these roadblocks with a system that has been dysfunctional for at least 2 decades? People seem to forget that Ronald Reagan, that great bastion of conservative values, set the precedent in motion granting amnesty. Was there a threat of a government shutdown when he did it, no doubt through Executive Order?

Looks like John Boehner won't rule out another government shutdown if the President takes any form of executive action on the immigration issue. And Senator Ted Cruz does not have cooperation in mind on anything. House Republicans suggested doing piecemeal legislation (oh no, that won't take forever) but like health care reform, they have yet to present anything substantial or of substance. So let's leave things and people in limbo and fail to know who is in this country since many undocumented won't step out of the shadows. I'm sure it's great for national security as well. And throw in another government shutdown for good measure-- everyone will really appreciate that. And the dysfunction continues...

Aww, you see what Federer did right there? Even though he's crushing people left and right, he still managed to make me feel like I need to be kinder. Still, if I had saved up money to purchase tickets, I might have bigger expectations for the tournament and might end up being slightly disappointed but I have heard that the doubles have lived up to expectations with tight, close matches. It's the ATP/ITF's fault for not giving 2nd class status, particularly on the Men's side. Not to harp on that Murray/Federer match but Soapsuds, you are right to say Fed looked good tonight. I haven't seen all their matches but from what I've seen and read, Fed and Novak have been playing some pretty flawless tennis this tournament. Still, Federer made Murray look like an absolute beginner in this match.

I caught the beginning and very end of the Federer vs. Murray match (on a bootleg feed every bit as bad as Murray's tactics today) and must say that Wawrinka now has some company. I'm not really a fan of Murray's tennis but ugh, that must've been embarrasing! I guess the Nishikori vs. Ferrer 3 setter did not break the spell. Maybe I'll just try to log on on Saturday and hope for the best.

Re: the people at your company, I can't blame them. I remember the first time I took the subway into Brooklyn a year after 9/11 (I'd avoided the area for several months-- I didn't believe one word out of that lying Giuliani's mouth when he claimed the air was safe) and I looked down into the dark hole where the WTC used to be. My heart sank. Condé Nast, I know is the first occupant of the building. I wonder how their employees truly feel about this. I don't know whether anyone caught Chris Rock's dark humor on the subject but what he's expressing was probably what a lot of people are feeling but don't want to risk offending anyone in saying. It will probably take a lot of doing but who knows? There are some people who will think "a job's a job" and take work there. And if I'm honest, I have to admit that although I have reservations about working in that building, somehow I don't have reservations about taking the subway that runs directly underneath it. I know...go figure.

Has anyone been trying to watch the WTF? Very unfortunate but what an apt acronym. Truly WTF! I tried to watch a few matches online here and there and I could only really get through two (barely). This has to be the least competitive year end Championships I've seen. The WTA YEC began with intrigue and surprises and although Serena won, for awhile it wasn't a given that she would even make the Semis. And even though the finals was a domination, the majority of the matches were reasonably competitive. Score 1 for the Ladies and for the equal prize money proponents.

Most people already know that during the recession the NY area, NYC lost some of its population during the recession. Ij fact many companies that moved out in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, have quietly moved back in the last few years. I'd be interested to know what the next Census says about population growth, although that still has little to do with my original statement.

I recently read an article that quote a few Tea Party Republicans who claim they intend to force the main party conservatives to emphasize what they see as their main platform, which does not include compromise with the Democrats-- even if this means another government shutdown. I'm convinced that some just do not want the government to remain anything but dysfunctional simply because there are indeed some who benefit from this dysfunction and paralysis. My question to Greg is that if Texas is so great, why are there so many Texans living in NYC? Seems like you can't swing a dead cat without hitting someone from Ohio or Texas! I guess those people do not work in the oil industry.

I was watching a PBS show called Makers and there was an episode on Women in Politics. There was a segment where they talked about how Women in Congress led the charge to end the government shutdown, many Republican Senators and especially House members chided their Republican male colleagues for one female House member described as "playing games with people's lives". It made me wonder how come there were seemingly no repercussions for the instigators of the goverment shutdown which only happened last year in 2013?

I think in a state like CT it's not a big surprise considering the tragic events that took place there but otherwise, I understand what you mean.

Have you ever heard Tom Foley speak? That would be one indication perhaps of why he lost. Interesting that some of the candidates who didn't run away from Obama like he had Ebola managed to keep their positions.

A few months ago, on You Tube, I watched what looked to be Bloom's last episode on ATWT and I think it aired around September '88. According to imdb Dance 'Til Dawn aired in October '88. Someone else more familiar with ATWT's production schedule can probably estimate when he might have taped the final episode or how far in advance taping was back then. It's very possible the two productions overlapped but some movies do months of post production before they're released, not sure about TV movies though. I've never seen the HBO series Oz, but I heard he had a role as Christopher Meloni's prison lover (speaking of SVU). Seems like he does a lot of voice over work for video games.

Not the murder part, the starter husband part.

I think Brian Bloom's Dusty was still likeable under Marland's pen. I do agree, however that during Marland's regime, Dusty lost a bit of that complexity and angst that he once had. Yes, it was probably sour grapes on Bloom's part, somewhat but I don't think it is comparable to Frank Runyeon's gripes because Dusty was not a pivotal character in the way that Steve once was with the big fat Greek wedding getting high ratings, press, pr. Dusty was always part of an ensemble story even when he was one of the focal points. Even with the Gunnar/Stenbeck story, it was just as much about John and Barbara as it was ever about Dusty-- in a way, it was more about John and Barbara. Even before Martha Byrne, writers were sort of building a Dusty/Lily love story and then here comes Holden. C'est la vie, really yet I can kind of understand that the changes might have thrown him for a loop. Still, when I saw Lily married to somewhat hapless simp Derrick, I wondered whether that was originally supposed to be Lily married to Dusty.

Yes, I saw that and I agree. I hope the dedication will be livestreamed.

So interesting to hear that Michael Zaslow never faced any backlash for his Roger Thorpe character in public. I compare that with Eileen Fulton who played bad girl Lisa Miller (I think she was Hughes at that time) and described being decked by a fan of the show. I don't think that Lisa was ever as bad as Roger Thorpe who seemed like he was a nasty piece of work, yet the reactions the actors got from fans say so much. Honestly, I'm thinking there had to be a double standard there.