carolineg

When Anna said charm has no moral weight in regards to Sonny I felt that.  Good dialogue between Laura/Anna

You can objectively like someone and then realize they are awful at the same time.

12 minutes ago, j swift said:

Also noted, a side benefit of a small budget is that we were sparred the visual of Paulina on an actual snowplow in that hat.

You know back in the 1980s she'd have been screaming yeehaw on the back of a prop snowplow against a greenscreen. 

She's radioactive my friend, she might have busted the snowmobile with her radioactive powers lol  None of it makes sense.

1 minute ago, j swift said:

Especially because Konstantin's daughter died, so Victor could've given Xander to someone else to raise

Yup.  Super easy fix in the scheme of things.

12 minutes ago, Gina90 said:

Xander's mother is Scottish and Konstantin's daughter is a Greek

That's an easy detail to fix for Days.  His "mom" could be his adoptive mom

1 hour ago, Vee said:

This has been my question since I heard about it. Curious and intriguing.

It looks like 2014 where Vanessa was a guest at NLG's GH fan club weekend event.  That's not to say she hasn't done some events with others, but not at the fan club weekend.

Is Vanessa low key/high key campaigning for her job back?  Don't answer just let me live in carolineg's dream world for a while.

27 minutes ago, AbcNbc247 said:

It’s similar to what happened with Gwen.

The way that she’s delivering her lines makes you think that she’s figured out the truth already.

I have never been a Maggie fan, but I have always considered her smart.  I don't think after being married to Victor all these years that she would be that naive.  I also don't consider Maggie a thoughtless person and all these people she cares about telling her about Konstantin being a bad guy would not just fall on deaf ears to her.

18 minutes ago, janea4old said:

 @carolineg (or anyone)
re Vanessa at 2024 fanclub weekend,  (Link to post) 
When was the last time she did such an event?

I think she's done a few with Mo over the last decade, but I don't know the last one.  It has to have been several years.  I think she was a special guest of Mo's on fanclub weekend maybe 6 or 7 years ago. They are both still pretty friendly so it's not terribly surprising.  Tbh,  I am not the best at recalling fan events because you tend to hear the same stories and info over and over especially with non-current cast member events.

Just now, ranger1rg said:

I guess we'll have to disagree here. For me, the correlation is THAT they're both criticized, not what they're criticized for.

With that criticism, women get labels that men don't.

For sure.  My point was I feel like Ingo deserves the criticism while Genie, Vanessa, whoever don't.  So our basic ideas are the same, but I wouldn't defend Genie or Vanessa if they didn't want to get vaxxed back then either.

6 minutes ago, John said:

I like Brenda. I like VM. Issue is she wont do anything longer than a year and then bolts. How can you write long-term when as soon as the story gets gangbusters VM walks. 

I don't think it's fair to blame Vanessa for deals GH willingly gives her and for her to leave when it expires.  Do I wish she'd commit longer? Yes.  Has it screwed up long term plans? Yes.  But I can't fault someone for fulfilling their contract and leaving when it is done. She doesn't owe us or GH a lifetime of servitude.  I think every time she left her reasons were valid.

31 minutes ago, ranger1rg said:

I brought up Ingo in case anyone thought "Well, Ingo has been criticized a lot, so it's not only women who are trashed." To me it doesn't matter that it was a safety thing. The double standard applies because of gender.

Ingo will likely never be back but we don't have these recurring discussions about Ingo's relationship to Frank, or his demands on the set, or about him being difficult. And yes, Steve is an issue, especially since he was able to return with seemingly so little discussion or pushback.

But Ingo's been trashed for way different reasons.  I don't feel it has anything to do with gender.  It's more like he's an awful person.  Not "difficult", "high maintenance", or "controlling" so I don't see the correlation there.

2 hours ago, Khan said:

It's like what I always say: you can get away with acting like a diva if you have the goods to back it up.  It's only a problem when your behavior is as shitty as your performance, or vice-versa.

IMHO, GH needs Vanessa/Brenda, because Carly in particular needs Brenda.  In fact, Carly probably needs Brenda more than even Sonny does, because Brenda - again, IMO - is the only character who can fight Carly's fire with fire of her own.  IOW, Brenda brings out the best in Carly.  (Or the worst, depending on how you look at it, lol).

Carly by herself as a lead (anti-)heroine is okay, but Carly and Brenda...?  That, my friends, is like having a license to print money.

Lol.  I have always said watching Carly's head explode was the best part of Brenda's last return.  LW just gave the unhinged portrayal perfectly and VM and LW sparred great together. 

7 minutes ago, ranger1rg said:

That's been the #1 thought running through my mind for the last few dozens of posts, and for every post about Vanessa Marcil. The double standard is so bad that even those of us who KNOW there's a double standard can't fall prey to it anyway.

Those actors you mentioned -- Steve, Mo, Tony -- were NEVER scrutinized in the same way as Vanessa Marcil. There was never the same passion in that discussion, either. Frank's relationship with them was never discussed in the same terms, with the same language.

And no, Ingo isn't proof that there isn't a double standard. If a woman pulled the same crap as Ingo -- then and since -- she would have been pilloried beyond belief.

I am not disagreeing with most of your points especially about Vanessa, but what does Ingo have to do with it?  It wasn't a sexist thing-it was a safety thing.  Steve being allowed back with open arms is more of an issue than Ingo who will mostly likely never be back.

28 minutes ago, Vee said:

It's no secret she can potentially be high maintenance or eccentric. But she's earned it at GH. And I am inclined to agree about the above. If an actor is powerful enough to advocate for themselves or the character it often turned FV/RC off, unless it was TG or MB where they couldn't fight it due to the network. Look how many times Frank has tried to dump Genie for wanting a contract.

Me too. Typical Ron tbh.

Yeah, I am definitely not saying Vanessa isn't both those things at all.  I agree she's earned it.  And at the end of the day she might be a little more work, but the upside she brings is worth it.  Maybe Frank doesn't want the headache and that's up to him.  Seeing Vanessa/Brenda as only a vehicle for MB/Sonny's happy ever after does irk me (if true) because Brenda is so much more than that.

And it becomes a double standard when Genie/Vanessa are treated as "difficult", but Steve, Mo, and Tony are just fighting for their characters.

4 minutes ago, Vee said:

I didn't have a problem with it but it doesn't surprise me that she might. And the implausible insta-engagement to Jax offscreen (which went nowhere and ended immediately) was stupid. They did the same thing with Laura and Scott that same year. Some performers are big enough to have an audience impact where you might want to listen to some of their character concerns, for the same reason VM cracked down on the Dante storyline. From what I've often heard, FV historically does not do that. Especially back then when you couldn't tell him or Ron anything.

I have a bit of a problem with the Michael/Brenda stuff mostly because she wasn't there to really play any fall out from it.  Sonny was mad for a few days and then made out with her.  They left the whole thing on a cliffhanger, IMO, with Brenda on the plane recalling the incident which made viewers (at least me) think more happened than she said.

The Jax engagement was supposed to more of a story, but Ingo got Dancing with the Stars and could not commit like he thought he could because of that.

1 minute ago, Contessa Donatella said:

Yes. She is perceived as "high maintenance" aka "a problem". It is typical that actors get these reputations. This is the bad rep. The good rep would be "easy to work with" also funny, bright, sense of humor. Like that.

Personally I also think there is a kind of culture clash. Soaps today are so different than they were before. 

I can see her being high maintenance, but overall Vanessa has worked quite a bit and we haven't heard she was much of a problem.  Her co stars all speak pretty highly of her on GH.

I do think there is something there about soaps being entirely different than when she was in her heyday.  I know Vanessa mentioned the pace was difficult.  I still tend to think of Vanessa as someone who knows her worth and her character and that might rub people like Frank and Ron the wrong way.

10 minutes ago, BetterForgotten said:

What was her behavior during the anniversary run for Frank to be so against her?

This is all rumor and I have no insider info, but the gossip was Vanessa was a bit of a diva and/or demanding.  Nothing awful, but I think Vanessa was used to a certain level of treatment in her previous runs and Frank basically didn't really care lol.  I get the sense neither like one another very much.   I haven't heard Vanessa or Frank say anything negative though obviously.

It could be nothing but the lack of Brenda for a decade and very few mentions of the character lead me to believe there is 0 interest on Frank's part.

3 minutes ago, Vee said:

My assumption has always been he took umbrage in her being vocal about her story BTS, which VM often is especially in recent years. Frank also got pissed when John Stamos didn't just want to come back in 2013 to play drums and do a gag with Demi Moore (who probably would've said no) vs. having a meatier appearance during the anniversary, and was not pleased about Jack Wagner's complaints. If people don't show up and just do what they're told FV tends to ice 'em out in my experience.

I could see Vanessa having issues with Brenda fake sleeping with Michael.  That was a bit much.

I always heard "demanding" which vocalizing issues with story falls under that.  

3 hours ago, AbcNbc247 said:

Johnny and Chanel deserve a better storyline than radiation sickness.

I’m glad Eric is finally getting a job though lol people on here are 100% correct about him. Him being a bit of a selfish deadbeat seems unintentional, on the part of the writers, but I hope that that aspect ends up being used to somehow cause conflict for him and Sloan. 

As for Maggie, I’m convinced that she knows Konstantin is full of crap and playing him. I hope I’m not wrong, or that it’s written in a way that dumbs Maggie down. 

I think Eric/Johnny fall under similar categories.  We aren't supposed to think they are deadbeats or losers because they are generally nice guys, but the show makes no effort to give them career goals at all lol.

I could be wrong, but the way SR plays it makes me feel like Maggie knows what's up.

1 hour ago, Contessa Donatella said:

I was thinking about the idea that Vanessa Marcil is an enemy of Frank's. As I understand it it's not that there's any level of enmity or antagonism. It's just that he has no use for her & no intent to cast her unless Maurice decided to retire. Because supposedly MB sees Sonny & Brenda going off together into the sunset, Ultimate EndGame. 

But that alone to me shows he has little regard for Vanessa and for Brenda as a character.  Frank can't find a place for Brenda unless she rides off into the sunset with Sonny?  When Lois, Sonny, Jason, Jagger, Lucy, and Deception are currently driving story on canvas?  If he can find a way to "fit"  3 Michael Easton and 3 Roger Howarth characters, he can figure freakin Brenda Barrett out if he wanted to.

I am not trying to negate what you heard or know, but at this point it's clear FV doesn't want Vanessa on the show, not that he can't find a place for her.  Frank may not hate her or Brenda, but he certainly doesn't like her lol.  I always thought the rumor about him not liking Vanessa or her behavior during the anniversary run a decade ago sounded pretty true.

10 minutes ago, Vee said:

The true north will always be Sean Kanan's A.J. for me, but he is otherwise occupied and Frank's mortal enemy. Ah well.

In some ways the AJ/Carly is the unfulfilled pairing on GH.  And then they just go back to Jason/Carly or Sonny/Carly.  I didn't think SK was FV's enemy, but more Ron's.  I thought Vanessa was Frank's #1 enemy lol 

50 minutes ago, Vee said:

I don't care that much about it either, but I do think they have some chemistry and nice interplay. But I have also never seen Laura shortsell a pairing yet, ever. She didn't put him down or disengage, she was right there. Dear God he needs a haircut though.

I have never seen Laura phone in a pairing either.  She tries no matter what.  I just wish the show were to give her something a bit different with a love interest.  And, yes, Jagger needs a haircut.  It's giving 2010 Dante Chachi hair vibes.

21 minutes ago, Vee said:

I am tentatively open to more Carly/Wagger but I agree that blond on blond is a hate crime lol. And yeah, I don't care about Nina giving it up. Giving it to her always seemed arbitrary on par with the endless job carnival nonsense on Y&R; just a timefiller, not something she would actually care about. I still prefer Carly going back to her humbler roots at Bobbie's though, so I hope she'll keep that.

Again, I feel like Carly/Jagger look like siblings, but I didn't feel that way about her and Jax.  Maybe it was the accent.  Anyway, it's just another man that's at odds with Sonny and Jason, another guy who was with Brenda (although that's completely non-relevant at this point), another guy that's going to be sad when she runs to Jason/Sonny eventually and protects them etc.  It's just so obvious and done before.   I just don't know how the show is going to make this pairing new or different.  I am willing to see it out though.

I really hope Carly keeps Bobbie's too.  It worked for her.

Nina has so many jobs now I am fine if she ditches one (or two).

7 minutes ago, Vee said:

I believe he was. I will never forget his and Dr. Sarah's kinky softcore photo session where she like ordered him around under the hot lights lol. But I thought someone had him model for half a second too.

Oh, boy, that Sarah/Lucky stuff was awful.  No wonder she's never returned to town.  Too embarrassing.

I have to say I did enjoy the Carly/Wagger scenes as well.  I just think it felt too predictable.  

At least Nina got the point of view yesterday that the hotel took up too much time and effort and that she didn't like it.  It makes me feel better about Carly taking over.

7 minutes ago, titan1978 said:

Me too! But a year of terrible stories and the last two days in overalls have left me beyond numb to poor Sasha. Time to cut that character. Let her get an amazing job offer from Home and Heart that takes her out of Port Charles and we wish her the best!

Perfect!   I do wish her the best!  I do have a feeling she might be around for the Cody/Mac reveal though.

@Vee I thought JJY's Lucky was the Deception photographer for a minute, but I could be wrong

34 minutes ago, dc11786 said:

 

To expand upon what @titan1978 said, Natalia specifically nixed the part of the contract that required Blaze to be a spokesperson for the company. She could appear in the advertising, but couldn't be forced to make personal appearances due to issues of exposure. It would have been interesting had Blaze showed up because it would have pissed off her mother and then her mother could have fought whoever she thought was behind the decision. 

Whether or not Blaze is in a position yet to defy her mother seems up in the air. 

Has the show ever had a male Face of Deception? Or for that matter, has any show had a cosmetics company develop a make up brand for a male clientele? In real life, I know the brand War Paint was a thing a few years ago, but I'm not sure how that panned out.

Yeah, that makes sense about Blaze.  I listened to what Maria  Natalia said, but I still think it would have been more interesting to have Blaze step in and let the chips fall where they may with her mother.  I have defended Sasha for years, but I am over her and don't think she's in any way right to be a brand spokesmodel.

Jagger (ASJ, obvi) did the boxing campaign with Brenda, but that's the only male I can recall being in campaigns for Deception.

2 minutes ago, Khan said:

Why do I feel like TPTB (including the new Co-HW's) are overlooking a potentially good storyline where Cody and Sasha are named the Faces of Deception?

Weren't they basically already lol?  Sasha was and Cody was her sidekick/male model/whatever.  Blaze has been an option the show has been teasing for awhile and I don't love it, but I don't know why they'd go back to those two.  

1 hour ago, titan1978 said:

IIRC Blaze agreed to be the Face while also opting out of stuff like personal appearances. The Momager made a big deal about it. I knew when it happened that Sasha was going to be back hawking Deception on that show.

I wish Lucy had a real friend or confidant on the show that is not Scotty. Maybe rekindle her friendship with Felicia? Because I would like a scene where Lucy admits her bulldozing has more to do with her inability to deal with her life outside work, and her overbearing nature with Deception is because that’s all she has as a legacy. She is desperate for the name Lucy Coe to have some kind of meaning. They could even tie it in to her reaction to Bobbie’s death, and how much an entire community grieved for Bobbie and how little Lucy feels her absence would even be noticed.

Speaking of which, where is Felicia? For the faults of Chris and Dan and Frank V, I hope the new regime recognizes the show was saved by weaving those legacy and fan favorites back onto the canvas. I don’t want a Frons level show again where we only see Carly getting story and a rotating cast of youngsters.

Give me a real story for Liz, for Laura, and Anna. Not just rotating them into other people’s stories. When PM was on Guiding Light, it was an ensemble and nearly everyone had something to do. Portia could also use something deeper than Trina’s mom. And just like several other times on this stupid show, where is Trina and why won’t they use her as a lead?

Got it.  This seems to fall under a promotional thing though?  Anyhow, I found it weird they didn't at least try to get ahold of her.  It feels like Blaze would have done it, but I know it was all to get Sasha back.

Agreed about Felicia.  But honestly Lucy could have anyone.   We could even get a Lois/Lucy friendship since Lois has little to do.

42 minutes ago, Vee said:

It feels like it's always just been an excuse for FV to use Morgan and Susan Batten from OLTL. I'm tired of seeing them and this mess.

And yeah, I haven't often liked the use of Lucy since at least 2015 (not that Ron's use of her was exactly stellar, but he did bring her back and highlight her for a good stretch). Lucy is part of a supercouple and is a major beloved character; I know Lynn can sell anything but she needs to be treated with a bit more respect onscreen.

Ava is obviously going to keep the truth about the pills to herself. I wouldn't be surprised if she tracks it back to Valentin and cuts into his operation for her own ends.

It's definitely an excuse to bring in some stunt casting.  It's just doesn't fit the classy vibe that Deception at least wanted to have.

Anyhow, I get the feeling at this point, no one gets Lucy or understands the character.  It is obviously is all in flux now, but Lucy's not stupid or entirely oblivious and that's how the last few shows have portrayed her.

I think we all knew this was exactly what Ava was going to do with the pills.  I guess it just the first genuine sign that Ava is up to no good.

I was always of the mind that Deception was going for a higher end market than a home shopping network, so none of this nonsense really fits.   I get that this was a quick way to make money for them, but it needs to stop.   I also have a hard time believing Lucy would lack such self-awareness about herself and her own business.  Lucy has experience hosting and has managed to stay on topic at the Nurses ball so it's a little difficult for me to believe she can't do that with her own company.  

Sasha saving the day was also silly.  No one cares if Sasha stays or goes from Deception.  Where was Blaze?

I usually like Tracy/Gregory scenes and they do have nice chemistry.  It's a bit strange to think Alexis almost married her son and now Tracy/Alexis are in some quasi love triangle with the same man.  Anyway, I just find it hard to care about Gregory at all.

Interesting that Ava is going to get the pills checked out herself instead of just telling Sonny they may be off and have him get them checked.