Y&R: In Support of Jess Walton!

[y&r_fan]

Take away the glaringly obvious underlying "Fire Tammin Sursok" message, and I actually agree.

Think Eva Marcille. Does ANYONE like Tyra? She needs to go, and take Ana with her.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

If the roadblock in Jess' contract negotiations involved episode guarantees, then that can be a separate issue from money, so cutting someone else might bear no effect at all.

[Heyou]

I have to wonder though if this is just the beginning of these contract negotiations, whose next?

[DaytimeFan]

The only person whose literally done one within the last few months is Jeanne Cooper. 3 year deal, no pay cut and no cycles.

[baller]

That is very true. And if the newer actors have smaller guarntees or the "paid if you work" contracts, it doesn't make the impact. Still doesn't mean they shouldn't cut the cast, but it's not the deal breaker.

Wrote snail mail today in support.

[Heyou]

I actually had forgotten about the guarantees but the cast is so large, they should definitely take that into consideration but instead it seems they are only adding more to the cast.

[Southofnowhere]

What makes her better than Susan Lucci and everyone else who took pay cuts?

[DaytimeFan]

She's taken pay cuts before. The problem is not the pay cut. It's the cut in her guaranteed episode count. Jess does not want to be marginalized ABC Daytime style.

[Cashton]

I'm mad - this is how you reward an actress of 22 years in an extremely popular role? She's doing some of her best work in years! This is her reward? I wonder if MAB and Rauch are taking pay cuts. The quality of the show is going to go down significantly if they lose Jess.

This situation reminds me very much of Heather Tom/Amiila Heinle. The character of Victoria has never been the same since Tom left and i dare say ligthning won't strike twice with this re-cast either. I hope they can come back to the table and work something out.

[Soapsuds]

DaytimeFan...I love your posts. They are always great. But why wasn't there a Support Martha Byrne topic? LOL...She was in the same boat and got shafted.

[DaytimeFan]

I've never watched ATWT...I only know Martha from the Emmys and only knew she'd been axed once it had already happened.

She's on a trial run as a writer at B&B...her first script airs in April I believe! So it all worked out for Martha!

I will fight for Jess, she's sensational.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

At least Martha landed on her feet elsehwhere, but with Jess' age, I'm not sure she'd find work outside of Y&R easily.

[Adam]

Does she need it though??? Something tells me if things don't work Jess will be just fine.

[DaytimeFan]

You're right. Jess doesn't work for the money. Though she never made Lucci or Dano or Thomas Scott style money...she still did well and hasn't lived like a moron blowing her money on clothes. She works on Y&R because she loves it and because she feels attached to Jill.

This dispute is not about money, it's about her episode guarantee.

[Cat]

If that is the case -- and if, as you say, Jeanne Cooper re-upped without cuts in episode guarantees, then Jess Walton should get the same deal.

IMO, Cooper and Walton are sort of a package deal. Even if they hadn't been playing mother and daughter (as they have these past few years), they are one of Y&R's premier "supercouples." Rather like Susan Flannery & Katherine Kelly Lang on B&B. Except moreso! Because the acrimony between Jill and Kay has been powering Y&R since 1973. And Walton has been in the role long enough that it is now her's.

If this had been about money, though... much as I love Walton, I am inclined to agree with RavenWhitney. It is a bad economy. Everybody is cutting back.

P.S.: If and WHEN Jess returns to the set -- I hope she considers growing her hair out longer. I love the whore hair LOL.