Y&R: In Support of Melody Thomas Scott

[Khan]

You mean, the original, legendary, Victor/Nikki romance?

[DRW50]

The mainstream press gloms all over not-so-inspirational stories like Britney Spears or Lohan, or reducing women to their looks and their clothes, so their lack of respect is more often about a general disregard for soaps and soap fans (women who stay at home -- that was the general image of soap fans for many decades) than the actual content of soaps. The media also tends to sneer at most images of women in lead roles, and for many years, soaps were all about women in lead roles. Nikki was a fascinating character precisely because of what happened to her after she was rescued and molded by Victor, after she had to become her own woman, while still dealing with her feelings for Victor.

Pushed into taking less money, infrequent airtime, no identity of her own, her character reduced to only showing up long enough to take verbal hostility from the jerk she can never escape -- not too different from most ABC soaps, even if Y&R is different in other ways.

[rhythmchyc]

Hogwarsh!

[tylerbo20]

IF Days Lost Marlena and survived im sure YR can loose Niki and survive!! Ive watched for a few years and she hasnt done much but been supportive to other storylines...

[Sylph]

Yeah, Khan! I mean how corny and awful a fairy tale it is when a magnate saves a prostitute from the life she was going to lead? How often do you see that happening? That's the part I object to and which kind of ruins it for me.

Absolutely adore her! So much so that I can't wait for her to play the diva in order for them to get rid of her!

[Juliajms]

Victor does remind me of Sonny when he gets into that verbal abuse mode.

I'm sure it can lose Nikki and survive as well, but that doesn't mean fans have to be ok with losing her. If she's being asked to take them same cuts as male co-stars that's fine. I have no issue with that, but if she's not being treated fairly than I do have a problem with it.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Tell us about how much you love her voice and fashion sense.

[DRW50]

Right. Obviously Y&R can go on, but unless she's just making horrible demands no one else is, I don't know why it has to. She's a strong asset to the show, and I think the Newmans are nowhere near as compelling without her around.

[Khan]

As would I. Are we sure, though, none of the men at Y&R have been, or are being, asked to take similar cuts? I don't want to accuse the show of employing sexist tactics (especially when the showrunner is a woman herself) without clear evidence of it.

[rhythmchyc]

Why insist on keeping people like Tammin, who's off making movies more often than she infuses us with her Aussieness, than even fathom throwing Melody under the bus??!?!??!

Especially after the s/l she had last year.

Melody does not equal Y&R.

But she does equal Sursok/Goddard/Marcelle/Nash/Chapman/Shackelford.

[Southofnowhere]

This seems to be so one sided and "fair" seems to mean giving the actress whatever she wants.

[Adam]

I guess it makes financial sense to go after your heaviest contracts, but I am sure all the ones you mention would more than equal what they are asking Melody to surrender..... It just seems very bizarre..... there are many other people you'd go get rid of before you ask MTS to basically give up half of her salary.

[Khan]

About as often as you see a phonetics professor take a cockney flower-seller off the streets, mold her into an upper-class lady, then fall in love with her. (Oh, and did I forget, he did it as a bet?) It's utter nonsense; yet, Lerner and Loewe add some singing and dancing to it, rename it "My Fair Lady", and the entire Broadway community gobbles it up like it's candy.

What can I say? Some people are just suckers for a good, misogynistic love story.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

It also has to do with contract cycles, the other less essential actors/characters might have cycles that aren't up yet, unlike MTS and the obviously big sum of money she's making in comparison.

[rhythmchyc]

Hogwarsh LMAO.

People have been let go of contracts before.