GH: Jill Farren Phelps

[Q Steph]

How does the Emmy process work? I've been curious about it for a while.

[a2sassy]

I think it's safe to say NO ONE likes JFP. She knows how to destroy a show...Can we say Brian frons in a skirt???

[Dan]

Well depends on which system you mean.

The first system that was ended in 2003 went a little something like this:

Each employee at every show votes for whoever they want. THis is where blockvoting came in because the soaps with large casts were privledged because they each employee was mandated to vote for their show. Therefore, the shows with the largest casts often got the lion's share of the noms.

THen, the nominees went to the blue ribbon panel, who would choose the winner.

Now, with the edited system, it goes like this.

Each cast choose 2 pre-nominees from their own show. Then all of the shows vote for the final nominees from the pre-nom list. Then the noms go to the judges to decipher the winner.

[SoapQueen89]

I think Jill gets a lot of flack for everyone else's decisions. I also think she has a lot of the blame to bear because she is the only executive at the studio on a daily basis. I think Jill is just doing her job when it comes to firing - it's someone else's job to make the decision as to who get's the phone call from Jill. I think Jill is a woman who had to fight tooth nail for the job she has considering most of the executives in daytime are men.

I think Jill is very much in charge on a daily basis at the studio. She certainly had a handle of it when I met her 2 summers ago on a set tour. She seemed to be on "best friend" terms with Rick H and Greg V, that I saw. She was quite cordial with us, but behind the closed office door, you could hear her cussin' out someone on the phone to get something done that needed to be. She seems like a very take charge kind of woman.

I know in public the actors at GH speak very highly of Jill. Behind closed doors may be a different story, I don't know.

Because I know this first hand, my only complaint with Jill is she does NOT like facial hair on the male actors unless it is pertinent to the story. For instance, when Ted King came back to GH as Lorenzo, he suggested he should wear the beard to differentiate between Lorenzo and Luis. She left him keep the beard. I also know that when Chad Brannon grew a goatee, Jill pretty much told him to shave it off. I also know she asked Jason Thompson and Kim M. to stop with the use of the tongue when they kissed on screen. JT and KM told a group of us at a PA that was a direction from Jill.

Yeah I guess there are fans out there who don't like her because of all that the above have mentioned, but IIRC, it is not JILL who makes those decisions, she is just the messenger. It is HER job to fire, not necessarily her decision to fire - that would come from a higher position. *coughcoughFRONScoughcough*

Jen

[skiman12082004]

I know I'm in the monority here but I like Jill Farren Phelps. I loved her at Santa Barbara and I had the pleasure of meeting her many years ago, when she was EP of Guiding Light. She was gracious and very willing to answer questions. I'm not going to disagree that she has made some mistakes in her career, but who hasn't! Overall, I think she is a great at what she does.

[MomofTwins1992]

I dont care much for her. It seems every show she gets her hands on becomes complete [!@#$%^&*]. What I dont understand is why she continues to work in this industry with a track record like that. Only conclusion I can come to is that when it comes to doing the dirty work of the higher ups shes not afraid to do it and gets it done.

[MichaelGL]

I despise this woman.

Enough said.

[bellcurve]

Phelps is the daytime version of Hitler.

When Frons gets another promotion, I totally expect JFP to make a bid to be President of ABC Daytime. And when that time comes, God help us all!

[Ryan]

My dislike for JFP started way before Frons came into the picture.

[Tishy]

Sort of on topic here, but does anyone know what is happening with the Kari Wuhrer (sp) lawsuit?

[Cheap21]

I never liked her but the moment I realized she truly was a horrible person was when I read an interview by Genie Francis where she mentioned that a female producer at GH used to nitpick at her about her weight. One time she came back from a vacation and the producer opened her coat, and ridiculed her about her weight making her feel fat and uncomfortable. JFP wasnt named but it was pretty obvious who she was talking about. And then there was that bit about JFP refusing to let Genie have some vacation time over the summer of 2001 even though Tony Geary is allowed to leave for 2 months at a time. Completly disrespectful and unfair

[Q Steph]

I heard it had been dismissed. I'm not sure but Laura Koffman and LesliKay should've joined in on the suit. Not to mention Genie Francis who was riduculed for her weight gain. Rebecca Herbst was backburned because she dared to get pregnant. The woman is obviously sexist.

[AMCGio83]

I've hated every single thing she has done.

After 11 years I have still never forgotten the look on AW's Frankie's face as she begged Fax not to kill her for her daughter's sake. Plus, that was the moment it all started to go downhill for AW so I've always sort of blamed her.

Her OLTL tenure was just awful

She's ruined GH. I don't care how many emmys the show wins, it's violent, myagonistic and boring.

[tina m]

JFP is the WORST.

Why is still on there?

[titan1978]

She is a nightmare. She runs out at least one popular female actress from every show she does.

AW- Frankie Frame

Guiding Light- Maureen Bauer, Beverlee Mckinsey

General Hospital- Genie Francis, Sarah Brown

OLTL- Robin Strasser, Laura Koffman.

I used to think her taste was pretty great as an EP. I've heard great things about Santa Barbara during her time. Also, the first year or so of her Guiding Light run was excellent. She got crazy there though, and the show fell apart due to some of the decisions during the end of her run there. AW needed a cosmetic fix, she supplied that, but ended up pretty much killing the show. OLTL was a more attractive show to look at under her run, and Viki was given material and a great new lover, but it fell apart as well. During her run at OLTL, I remember her not having a true headwriter for a time, her production team was creating the storylines with a writing team. It was pretty awful stuff.

She started out under Monty on GH, and she wants to be Monty really bad. But she doesn't have the vision or the taste. Her shows fall apart. I'm just sad that the recent upswing on GH, both new characters and the Feb sweeps, will keep her there for awhile longer. UGH.

This is all not taking into account the FOJ. Kale Browne. Jensen. Rick Hearst. I hated Sam on OLTL, and I hated Jensen on GH. Roy brought back from the dead was just dumb, and not that great a character to bring back. Who cares what happened to Roy? Follwed by Stavros. oh, I just can't stand the woman.