Y&R: Who Should Replace LML, When The Time Comes?

[Sylph]

A bottle of what exactly?

[Sylph]

This woman has no livelihood problems. Her main problem is her narcissism and strong will to prove to other people in the industry she's the best. But she is not. I strongly dislike the woman, she's an awful person (remember the KL actors who said that?).

[Chris B]

Yes, far too many Knots actors had negative things to say about her. I don't believe the network is telling her who to write for because wouldn't they push teens and young characters on us? Latham's pets are Gloria, Brad, Phyllis, Victor and Jack. Beyond that she will write for whoever she needs for a specific story. She writes only for plots.

I think this is a part of it, but you see Kay Alden was dying to write AMC and was turned down. It's at a point where I doubt they even ask the quality writers. It's easier to go with someone like Dena Higley who Frons knows will be in his pocket.

Plus you have to keep in mind that traditional soap storytelling is not what the execs want. They want to change to soaps which is the problem. Y&R is not the Y&R that has been #1 for 20 years, thats why the ratings are down.

The networks need to hire people who can execute the vision that is proven successful for each soap. If Latham wants to launch a new soap, create one, don't destroy Y&R.

[IMissDrusilla]

Chris B,

Kay Alden was not turned down.

What happened is that she could not accept the "terms" of her position, and I don't blame her.

Who wants to be HW in a "name only" situation?

Kay Alden has VERY HIGH STANDARDS. She won't allow her name to be trashed by having it

USED if she doesn't have full power and control.

That's why I love her so much.

From being at Y&R, she's used to having her name attached ONLY to what she actually wrote.

(Are you following me?)

In the end, ABC had to go with people who were willing to take dictation.

ABC wanted Kay Alden, but she's another one who doesn't have to jump rope unless

she wants to.

[IMissDrusilla]

You're the man, you decide.

Make it something hard and mean like that sexy picture you've got of yourself.

OUUUH!

And btw Sylph...I can't believe you think we're arguing, bonbon.

[Chris B]

Alden turned them down?! How disappointing! Doesn't give me much hope for the new OLTL HW either. So I have to ask, do you have a source or are you involved behind the scenes?

Do you know of any big writers that were being offered a HW position at a soap and turned it down? What about ATWT? I have to believe for my own sanity that Jean Passanante was like the 30th choice.

[Roman]

They better find her replacement, and damn fast.

Y&R got a 3.7 for Friday show. The ratings from Thursday to Friday tanked. If you get your lowest rating on your biggest day of the week.......

[IMissDrusilla]

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Alden turned them down?! How disappointing! Doesn't give me much hope for the new OLTL HW either. So I have to ask, do you have a source or are you involved behind the scenes?

Do you know of any big writers that were being offered a HW position at a soap and turned it down? What about ATWT? I have to believe for my own sanity that Jean Passanante was like the 30th choice.

Hi Chris B,

All I know is that Kay Alden wrote a VERY solid bible for AMC, but they wanted to make some big "pacing" changes

in it and add a few "event moments" and she couldn't go for that.

She was heartbroken, but she couldn't let her bible be "jazzed" up.

There's a LOT of top writers who would kill to write for these soaps, but they're "picky" and demand

too much control. Back in the old days--they would have been given a 6 month shot if nothing else.

Nowadays. MEH.

Pam Long has said that she'll never recover her dignity after all the inteference she went through at

OLTL and Santa Barbara. She feels really bad about her time on those shows and won't come back to

daytime unless they give her FINAL SAY and pre-approved bible.

I hear both SONY and CBS have total "unwavering" faith in LML.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

What the hell happened to Nancy Curlee btw? She hasn't been credited for anything outside of GL, which was the last golden era of the show.

I think soaps would do better if there was a HEAD WRITING TEAM, similar to what GL had in the early 90's. I mean they had Nancy Curlee, Lorraine Broderick, Stephen Dermorest, and James E. Reilly all as head writers together at one point on that show and it worked perfectly. I'm amazed that such a strategy hasn't been tried since.

[Sylph]

That is a practice in the UK. There are no head writers in the AMerican sense of the term, and storylines go as far as 2 years in advance.

[King]

Isn't it obvious?

James E. Reilly.

Duh.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

^LOL! One of Reilly's first soap jobs was a staff writer on Y&R! He was also a staff writer on RH.

You have to wonder, how this guy worked with Bell, Labine, Broderick, and a few others and ended up the way he did.

[Adam]

Oh god I am really disappointed but of course not surprised Kay turned Frons down. ABC is an idiotic network. Do they not see what reputation and critical acclaim (and top ratings for 15+ years) Kay's style of writing brought to Y&R? I mean IDIOTS!!!

Good for Kay though not backing down. God I wish we could see her bible, but then again maybe we don't want too because I am quite confident if she had been appointed AMC, this show would have gotten back to its glory years.

[Sylph]

This thing about Kay, Frons and ABC sounds toooo familiar to me - the story of Burton Armus and his bible... Yes, I crave for an explanation and insider info, but I know I'm not going to find it.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

OK, now this thread is morphing into naming head writers we like, looks like I'm gonna continue the trend. LOL!

I hear Paul Avila Mayer is still writing plays, it would be nice if he made a return to soaps.

I think soaps need to seek out writing talent in the theatre world as well. There's so many talented playwrights out that are never given the time or day by any respected repertory company, it would be nice to adjust them to a soap environment.

Look at Harding Lemay, he was a playwright first, before ever becoming a soap writer. He's considered one of the best head writers to ever work on soaps now, that should be a message to network brass.