GH: Vet Actress bumped to Recurring

[SoapQueen89]

Jacklyn Zeman (Bobbie Spencer): Coinciding with her 30th anniversary on GH, Zeman has been taken off contract and placed on recurring status. "After 33 years on ABC, I was advised on Friday, November 9th that due to financial restructuring, Bobbie Spencer would have recurring statys," says Zeman. "I will continue to value my relationship with the GH fans. After all these years, many have become like family to me."

Happy freakin' 30th anniversary, Jackie. This show sucks.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Damn, but not like we didn't see this coming

So, it looks like we'll never get to see Bobbie get an actual storyline anytime soon and now that she has no episode guarantees, she'll just fade into the backround (more than she already has).

UGH, but leave it to GH to do this to a long-time vet...

So, I guess this is where GH is getting the money for their next stunt come February sweeps time?

[Khan]

You know, these days, there's more dignity in dying at the hands of a serial killer than THIS malarkey.

[juppiter]

I hope OLTL will become ABC's top rated soap. They deserve it, IMO. GH, after having a great 90s and early 2000s, has fallen out of touch. Instead of being the trendsetting soap they once were, they've become crap.

[Graciecat]

Okay, I'm going to play devil's advocate for a minute, and say that I understand GH's decision. Yes, I agree that it's a shame that she's losing her job after three decades. But I tend to doubt that her amount of airtime will change much, if at all. GH is a business, and they are a business that is forced to work under an increasingly small budget. If they were already only using her about four times a year, it doesn't make sense to pay her for every week. I do feel sorry for Jackie, but it may be necessary for the show.

And this may sound really, really mean, but let's be honest, JZ looks pretty creepy. Her plastic surgery was done very badly. Monica looks a bit better, and was always the more talented actress, so in these days of picking and choosing their vets, I think they made the right choice.

And to be honest, is there any story left for Bobbie? The show has proven that they are unwilling to write a real homosexual relationship (let's hope that changes soon), so I can't see them bringing back Lucas. BJ is dead. Tony is dead. Carly is hardly going to run to her mother for advice when she has her brain dead hitman BFF.

So yes, this is a shame, but I think it's understandable.

[dragonflies]

I don't see how it's understandable at all. They can write for her if they wanted too, but since Bobbie isn't a mob worshipper, she might as well be dead on this show....

As little as we saw of her this year she might as well have been on recurring

[SoapQueen89]

This is just another one of those little things like mistreatment of vets on ABCD. They'd much rather give the story to a not so great actor who is under the age of 30 than someone who has given 30 years of their acting career to the show. PSSH! Whatever.

Where was Bobbie when Noah came home? NOWHERE. Where was Bobbie when Durant showed up? NOWHERE. Where was Bobbie when Carly was having problems with Jax? NOWHERE. Where was Bobbie when NIGHT SHIFT aired for 13 weeks on SN? NOWHERE.

There have been plenty of opportunities for these writers to use this vet and they haven't. WHY? Because like most vets on this show, she's over 50.

[David_Vickers]

This is total bullshit. Jackie Zeman is a good actress and her plastic surgery isn't that bad now. I think she's had it redone over the last few years. Jackie is still far prettier than Leslie Charleson. Also B&B's Hunter Tylo looks a lot worse! Bobbie's daughter, Carly, is the MAIN woman GH wants to give airtime too, plus Jerry is her ex, Luke her brother, Nikolas and Lucky and Lulu her nephews and neice. GH could bring Lucas back if they would do it. If GH wants to save money, they should fire Sebastian Roché(Jerry), Stephen Macht(Trevor), Brandon Barash(Johnny), Kirsten Storms(Maxie), Steve Burton(Jason), Bradford Anderson(Spinelli) & Claire Coffee(Nadine). These are irritating as hell, played out or both.

Plus if ABC wants to save a ton of money, then they should FIRE the hacks, Bob Guza & bitch/exec. producer, Jill Farren Phelps, plus the idiotic fool Brian Scott Frons.

[SoapQueen89]

And let's not forget the newbie that's rumored to be coming. Just what this show needs more NEWBIES! Yeah pushing out the VET for the NEWBIE. That's smart. W/E.

I suppose Natalia and Robin Christopher are leaving on their on accord, but Denise Alexander, Rachel Ames, and now Jackie Zeman aren't given much of anything except walking papers, retirement options, or recurring. All three ladies can act circles around all those NEWBIES that have been hired in their place.

Like I said - mistreatment of Vets from ABCD and Frons. But whatelse is new. I hope with Jackie bumped to recurring - Geary takes a hike and takes LC, SD, and JI with him. Serves 'em right.

Jen

[David_Vickers]

True SoapQueen. Denise, Rachel & Jackie should all still be on contract and onscreen at least 2 episodes a week IMHO. What anyone sees in fools like Spinelli, I'd like to know?!!

[SoapQueen89]

And whoever came up with the brilliant idea of wasting talent like Bruce Weitz should be fired. An Emmy winning actor like him should be given celebrity treatment, instead he's playing a cartoon character like Anthony. Boggles the mind.

As for Bradford aka Spinelli - yeah totally a waste of space, Spinelli that is. Bradford is hysterically funny and a real talent but pretty much Spinelli is a useless character.

[dragonflies]

Spinelli IMO is nothing but a glorified extra.......

[Ryan]

Well.....isn't this a big !@#$%^&*] you to Jackie. "Ummm yeah....so....you've like been here forever. And we appreciate the work you've done...so uh...yeah....you're on recurring. Thanks for your work! Don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out bitch!"

Yeah...pretty much how that seems. So of course, with all the [!@#$%^&*] newbies on the cast, they needed room in the opening. I bet Dylan Cash gets his own solo shot now. People want to wonder why longtime fans are wishing for the destruction of the show? It's for stupid decisions like this. Jackie is a perfectly capable actress, one who could teach others the ropes. What a big freakin !@#$%^&*] you! Not only to her, but to the fans as well. I'm sure people will say it'll make no difference, we barely see her now, but it's not about that. It's about respect. People like LC, JZ, RA, DA, and others stuck with this damn show through the good times, and the bad times, and get treated like [!@#$%^&*]!

Take Jackie of contract, and shove more Lulu and her many harems of men, the hypocrital Jizamucky and their stupid baby, Carly the screaming banshee and oh yeah, the "exciting" text messenger killer story. Yeah....suck my ass ABC....

[Faulkner]

Over at the Soaphunks Top 100 Moments page, I was watching the scene in which Carly reveals to Bobbie she's her daughter. Zeman was PERFECTION in that scene. The look of pain and indignation on her face was palpable. Zeman is truly a rare actress, emotionally raw almost like a child. I think Lisa Brown has a similar quality.

I just can't bring myself to watch GH anymore. I find it morally repugnant on every level. The funny thing is that I'm sure Guza and JFP are convinced they've brought "The Sopranos" to daytime TV, that they've transcended the genre. And they have writers who CAN bring it, but these talented scripters are executing a sick vision.

Guza, you are no David Chase.

[Juliajms]

Except she WAS a mob worshipper so there isn't even that reasoning. Bobbie pimped Sonny to Carly many times. This is really sad to me. I imagine she was making a ton of cash, so I do see the business benefit, but I'm sorry it's come to this. I guess with the numbers GH got for sweeps it was clear someone else would lose their job. I'm just glad it wasn't JE.