I am happy and relieved to report that Nelson is HALF RIGHT in his story.

Jess IS sick...but it's not really life threatening.

She DID walk out of her negotiations (just like Lesley Anne Down did a few years ago at B&, the casting call is an attempt to scare her. So far, she's not budging.

If the casting call really is an attempt to scare her- I would call their bluff. Its classless. F. Them.

Relieved to know Jess is not seriously ill. I was really scared...... But to just let Jess Walton walk like that... when she is back to being a major force on this show. What the hell is Y&R thinking? Jess Walton, you stand your ground. I will support you until the end! This is so ABC of them. Who is behind this? Who does the negotiations, MAB and Rauch? Or Sony?

Welcome to the post Diedre Hall world of daytime.. Does anyone have a link to that report a few months back about Y&R losing more vets/or paycuts/ or something.. It was soon after Brad Carlton's death.. I guess it is all adding up.

Relieved to know Jess is not seriously ill. I was really scared...... But to just let Jess Walton walk like that... when she is back to being a major force on this show. What the hell is Y&R thinking? Jess Walton, you stand your ground. I will support you until the end! This is so ABC of them. Who is behind this? Who does the negotiations, MAB and Rauch? Or Sony?

I was certainly concerned too Adam. She's sick enough, I have a feeling she'll be ditching the cigarettes if she hasn't already...but it's Sony who does the negotiations at Y&R.

I hope Jess stands her ground. She COULD quit and live the rest of her life in style and comfort, she doesn't do Y&R for the money, she does it because she loves to work. Her problem with the pay cut is that it basically guarantees that they'll use her less. I will be surprised if this isn't resolved, she has the support of MAB and PR and the Bells. Ultimately, however, it's Sony who pays her so it'll be Sony that fires her if it happens.

Actually, if this really is true... I will breathe a huge sigh of relief.... cause my mind was going to... CANCER.

Yup

I'm really glad Jess is not seriously ill and it's mostly about her contract, but I wonder how much bargaining power she really has. The character's status has been reduced over the past few years from lead to supporting. She is currently working on front burner story, but she is not a front burner actress. There's a difference. She's not carrying a story of her own but is heavily involved supporting other stories. I'm curious as to how valuable TPTB actually find Jess and Jill to the show.

I was certainly concerned too Adam. She's sick enough, I have a feeling she'll be ditching the cigarettes if she hasn't already...but it's Sony who does the negotiations at Y&R.

I hope Jess stands her ground. She COULD quit and live the rest of her life in style and comfort, she doesn't do Y&R for the money, she does it because she loves to work. Her problem with the pay cut is that it basically guarantees that they'll use her less. I will be surprised if this isn't resolved, she has the support of MAB and PR and the Bells. Ultimately, however, it's Sony who pays her so it'll be Sony that fires her if it happens.

This sounds just like Heather Tom.

This sounds just like Heather Tom.

Same situation. The difference is, Jess can afford to walk away and never work again wheras Heather, young lady that she is, still needed the work and even then, she quit.

Interesting to consider where Heather is now...

I've started a thread in DTS in support of Jess, I hope everyone responds to it. A little pressure can go a long way.

It appears that no matter who plays her, the character of Jill is going to be background material- The way I am reading this is that they are cutting Jess's episode guarantee- to what- one day a week or so- maybe 75-80 episodes a year?

The casting call thing is nothing new to daytime or primetime. The powers that be have been doing that for years.

Dallas/ Lorimar went as far as hiring an actor - I forget now who it was - to play JR during one of the contract negotiations with Larry Hagman. I think it was Robert Culp. At the last minute things worked out and a deal was reached, and Robert Culp lost the job.

They did it again when contract negotiations were going south with Victoria Principal. They met with both Marilu Henner and Pamela Sue Martin and made sure the press got wind of it.

This is just the way they play ball.

Actors do the same thing a lot of times too. They will have their agents release press info that they have met with so and so around contract time in hopes to scare the producers to giving them what they want in order to keep them.

There was even a blind item several years ago that when Ilene Kristen was meeting with Ken Corday and Brad Bell that she was doing it in hopes of scaring OLTL/ABC into giving her contract back. It didn't work.

As far as expecting Jess Walton to take a pay cut. I don't blame her one bit if she doesn't. As bellcurve said I am not sure I could take a pay cut. My pay has been cut big time in the last few months due to my business dying and even the slightest cut when it started put a big dent in my lifestyle.

Even with that I think as audiences dwindle and ratings decrease, we are going to be seeing a lot of this. Even though the shows are getting on the Internet and getting more exposure in that sense, their money still comes from advertisers who are still stuck in the mindset of the TV ratings when they spend their advertising bucks.

I definitely think the days of million dollar contracts in daytime are gone forever.

As far as expecting Jess Walton to take a pay cut. I don't blame her one bit if she doesn't. As bellcurve said I am not sure I could take a pay cut. My pay has been cut big time in the last few months due to my business dying and even the slightest cut when it started put a big dent in my lifestyle.

Even with that I think as audiences dwindle and ratings decrease, we are going to be seeing a lot of this. Even though the shows are getting on the Internet and getting more exposure in that sense, their money still comes from advertisers who are still stuck in the mindset of the TV ratings when they spend their advertising bucks.

I definitely think the days of million dollar contracts in daytime are gone forever.

Jess has never had a million dollar contract. I'm not implying that's what you said, but I want to be sure nobody thinks she's just being a greedy bitch.

Jess makes a health salary. She took a pay cut for her last contract.

She doesn't deserve to take another.

Everyone post onto the thread I started on DTS!

You Go Jess Walton!

I don't agree with this... Why wouldn't she take a paycut when everyone around the world, in all types of work are getting paycuts...? I love Jess and all, but seriously...

I don't agree with this... Why wouldn't she take a paycut when everyone around the world, in all types of work are getting paycuts...? I love Jess and all, but seriously...

Thank you, Manny - for being a voice of reason.

I'm curious what the pay cut is that they're fighting over. If JW is walking away because she'll be making low six figures instead of mid six figures, then as much as I LOVE JESS WALTON AND JILL ABBOTT, I can't blame Sony.

Without all the details, I'm not forming an opinion for either side.

Thank you, Manny - for being a voice of reason.

I'm curious what the pay cut is that they're fighting over. If JW is walking away because she'll be making low six figures instead of mid six figures, then as much as I LOVE JESS WALTON AND JILL ABBOTT, I can't blame Sony.

Without all the details, I'm not forming an opinion for either side.

The problem is NOT the money. She's taken cuts before.

The problem is the episode guarantee. They want to use her way less, she isn't willing to be ABC Daytime'd into oblivion!