ATWT: Why is Jean Passanate's job safe?

[Chris B]

I'd say next to Bradley Bell and James E. Reilly (@ PSNS), Jean Passanante has the most stable HW job in daytime. It seems like no matter how bad the show gets, she'll remain. I was just discussing her on another board and it irritated me so I had to ask. WHY is her job so solid? I won't even fool myself with a "Can her" thread because we all know she won't be the next LML. If she wants to leave, she'll leave, otherwise she'll be the HW to write ATWT into it's death.

I lost a lot of respect for Peter Brash during his ITZ interview where he gushed about her and her "great" ideas. What show is he watching? It can't be the same misogynistic, predictable, inane version of ATWT I'm watching. Since she took over minorities (including Nuke) have been treated like token minority characters, older characters are extras, romances and pet characters (Meg, Gwen) are force fed to us.

Then you throw in the fact that her partner in crime aka Co-Headwriter is Leah Laiman and I want to screen! How was that woman of all people allowed back at ATWT?! I just don't have words for that. Many fans have given up on certain soaps like GL or AMC, but I'm getting that way with ATWT. I really do think it's *that* bad and I dread their return post-strike.

So getting back to my question, WHY are these hacks still employed? How could you go from four-time Emmy winning Hogan Sheffer to not bothering to search for a new HW?

[JackPeyton]

I agree, altho i do think Hogies last yeare was horrid on ATWT, it wasnt worse than what the show has been since he left.

[ivanmmd]

I'd say next to Bradley Bell and James E. Reilly (@ PSNS), Jean Passanante has the most stable HW job in daytime. It seems like no matter how bad the show gets, she'll remain. I was just discussing her on another board and it irritated me so I had to ask. WHY is her job so solid? I won't even fool myself with a "Can her" thread because we all know she won't be the next LML. If she wants to leave, she'll leave, otherwise she'll be the HW to write ATWT into it's death.

I lost a lot of respect for Peter Brash during his ITZ interview where he gushed about her and her "great" ideas. What show is he watching? It can't be the same misogynistic, predictable, inane version of ATWT I'm watching. Since she took over minorities (including Nuke) have been treated like token minority characters, older characters are extras, romances and pet characters (Meg, Gwen) are force fed to us.

Then you throw in the fact that her partner in crime aka Co-Headwriter is Leah Laiman and I want to screen! How was that woman of all people allowed back at ATWT?! I just don't have words for that. Many fans have given up on certain soaps like GL or AMC, but I'm getting that way with ATWT. I really do think it's *that* bad and I dread their return post-strike.

So getting back to my question, WHY are these hacks still employed? How could you go from four-time Emmy winning Hogan Sheffer to not bothering to search for a new HW?

I so agree. The writing on ATWT is horrible. It borders on unwatchable. She is just as bad as B&E on AMC. I think Hogan is worlds better than her. And yes, Leah Laiman with Jean is a deadly combination.

[P.J.]

Because daytime in general is crap, and "holding your ground" has become a sign of "success".

[Vee]

She has turned ATWT into an unwatchable, even worse version of her worst days at AMC. I never thought I'd see the day when ATWT became as bad as AMC or GH or Dena Higley OLTL but she's done it. Even after Hogan got fired I used to be able, for awhile at least, to still rely on ATWT for good dialogue and characters. Now it's just like any other bad soap. It used to be the cream of the crop.

[Cat]

The reason she's still around is that ATWT has surpassed GH in the ratings. Basically, the crappiness of other shows is assuring Passanante's job.

[stenbeck212]

If ATWT is as closely tied to the fate of GL as many think it is, P&G simply doesn't give a damn and hopes to ride out this wave of mediocrity all the way to cancellation for both shows, no matter what the ratings reflect. I believe a blend of Passanante's deficiencies and corporate interference are exactly what the company wants. Goutman nor his puppet masters are going to change the status quo for Emmy consideration, and they'll be damned before hiring an enthusiastic and diligent talent like Ron Carlivati. Despite the hellish writing, the show's actors still get awards. At least the ABC soaps have tried SOMETHING like bringing back popular actors or changing head writers in the last few years, regardless of the varying results.

[Adam]

ATWt and GL\s long term success is based on this slashed back production style they are embarking on. Its just delaying the inevitable, unfortunately. P&G will as stenbeck said ride the mediocrity right into cancellation, and the fact that ATWT is 3rd in the ratings right now doesn't discredit Jean's cause.

[miss wolf]

I'm asking myself the same question about GL...Why is DK's job safe? Why is EW's jobs safe? Simple...P&G and CBS just don't care.

[NYC123]

She is safe!!!!

With ATWT in 3rd and 4th in the ratings she is safe.

She is very lucky she has devoted fans of ATWT.

I know I left 1 year ago. I watch it on an off but evrytime I watch it is like WTF!!!????

[Y&RWorldTurner]

PGP is a such a cluster of a production company. Their two existing soaps are in a deplorable condition, yet they refuse to see that act as if everything is peachy and Goutman, Passanante, Wheeler, and Kreizman are guiding their shows to their peak in quality and popularity, when it's exactly the opposite

As I alluded to before, when PGP eliminated the Executive In Charge of Production position, it showed that they no longer cared for their soaps and were content with ATWT and GL dying with their existing creative teams. Enjoy it while you can folks, because Goutman, Passanante, Wheeler, and Kreizman will be sending ATWT and GL into cancellation...

[stenbeck212]

The way I feel right now, I think I did the same thing yesterday. And for a while I thought that if I couldn't watch ATWT, I probably couldn't bring myself to watch other soaps either.

[Soapsuds]

That's the million dollar question. I did so many threads like this one all of last year. Goutman and Pissant aren't going anywhere. They have their clutches on ATWT and arent letting go.

[sema608]

Very interesting topic.

I think you've said volumes just in the second sentence. I really think those idiots are looking at the "ratings" and decided to leave the way things are since they are getting their numbers. I disagree with their logic. If the other soaps kept their game, ATWT would be second to last at the bottom of the list. The number three spot is just a placeholder. They're only #3 as a default.

I gave up on ATWT's writing regime when Hogan left. He has his haters, but the man and his writing team KNEW what they were doing. In fact, they are the reason why I loved ATWT so much. Every character was multi-layered and I could find at least one thing I liked about each story. It was grey. THIS ATWT? It's a disgrace. A woman HW is writing women as weak, pathetic people who think Men are their gods. Don't even get me started on the porno she wrote. The dialogue is beyond stupid and the pairings are the most random things ever. Jack/Katie? Simon/Carly? Don't even get me started on the mistreatment of the actors. I don't understand how Goutman went from GREATNESS to pure HORROR in the same year. I find nothing recognizable nor watchable in ATWT.

I just wonder if the ATWT fanbase is so loyal that only cancelation will stop them. I mean, people are praising the show and I'm dumbfounded. Have they seen ATWT during 2000-2003? What is onscreen now is like the Passions version compared to ATWT during Hogan's reign. (And he wasn't fired. He quit.) *No offense to Passions fans as I'm a Passions fan myself).

I can't comment on Leah L. I only watched ATWT regularly during Hogan's reign and got fed up during 2005 to present. That's how bad it is. UGH. I went from a full fledged fan to a hater in one year. JP did that and Goutman let her. So at the moment, I don't feel to warm and fuzzy about him either.

Going back to topic, ATWT is only prospering on the other soaps' failures. I want ATWT to go down so bad just so we can get a new EP and HW, but it seems impossible. With such a loyal fanbase, I don't think ATWT will budge.

[sema608]

Unfortunately, I think this is their logic.