Y&R: Shocking Role Recast

[dragonflies]

Sounds like he might be better off getting work in primetime or elsewhere.

The part that irritates me is this doesn't even sound like Y&R wanted to do a gay romance, just Adam kissing a guy that IS gay just for shock value.

That's so ABC

[YRBB]

Oh my, so.much.word.

Maybe a career in the Church? Oh, wait....

[Sapounopera]

First of all Nelson Branco -who reported the story- never liked Chris Engen and said that he should be recast from day one. Now he breaks this story today and a few hours later the new actor starts shooting his scenes?? And NB has an interview with MAB next week? Are you all sure that you know the entire story?

Then I read that someone sends the unconfirmed story to Perez Hilton and is delighted about it?? What is this supposed to be? Soap activism??

Chris Engen is a bigot. He didn't want to kiss a guy. Then you say he hasn't been happy with his story for quite some time. Whatever. Just another message board party for the soap activists with no real meaning...

[Soapsuds]

And I love Kirk Cameron.

You are so sneaky.

He is catholic and graduated from a catholic school. An SOC article says his beliefs are why he had trouble with his characters actions..etc. Does he not know this is Hollywood??...hello....sex, murders....gay characters....mobs..etc.....

He is in the wrong business. He should become a priest or a school teacher.

But back to his character...yes, his character was getting darker and darker but hell..I would have loved to play that part. I was sure he would be redeemed at some point.

[dragonflies]

So much WORD to this!

[cara mia]

I 100% support gay marriage, gay rights, etc. I just can't hate on Engen though, especially if his religion is the source of his issues, because Lord know that religion can grab hold of you in a way that makes you irrational. Engen may have destroyed his career for this. Only two things could be the source of such an unwise move -- pure homophobia or his faith. He mentioned once in an interview that CLB was one of his closest friends on the show so I don't think he's some raging homophobe picking on his gay co-stars like Isiah Thomas.

I know a lot of otherwise good people who have a narrow view of what it means to be a Christian. I do my part to educate but it's not easy. This is on my mind because of the whole Lambert/Allen showdown on American Idol. I can't help but believe that Lambert's sexuality cost him the crown. He easily outsold Allen on Itunes. There's a HUGE DIVIDE between people like us and people who have issues with homosexuality. The country is probably split 50/50 but folks like us are slowly becoming the majority. The problem though is that the divide is deepening. It's like America is divided into Perez Hilton & fans on one side and Ms. California on the other. The chasm disturbs me.

[Soapsuds]

I guess Chris Egen won't have din din with Thom B.

[Soapsuds]

It's his right to not to do a certain scene because of his beliefs but he is in the WRONG career.

As for Lambert and Allen...I just heard the studio versions of the last song on Idol. Lambert sounds great on it better than the live version. He doesn't scream or screech like his does live. I couldnt get Allen's version to play for me. I do think his supposed sexuality had to do with him not winning.

[Evan]

Putting the "homophobe" label on Mr Engen seems to be a face saving move by Y&R, covering up their culpability in this.

The Adam character has been ruined, to the point that he can't be redeemed, I no longer recognise this guy as Hope's son.

Judging by the interviews with Chris Engen I've read, he seems to be an intelligent guy who had definite expectations for the character and what he wanted to do on Y&R, but MAB/Sheffer had other ideas.

Good luck to the recast, they will be tough shoes to fill, CE is one terrific actor.

[DRW50]

I thought the part was almost unplayable, especially after the gaslighting. I'm not sure they will bother to redeem him, as I believe his turn to being evil is more a means to an end (they have to find a way to make Victor sympathetic and give Ashley some type of storyline since they've cut out all other material for her which isn't about Victor), not about his character.

They've ruined Adam, and if he's been unhappy for a long time, then the kiss was just the tip of the iceberg.

[Rakesh]

I disagree about the wrong career comments. Not every actor have to portray gay characters on-screen. I support gay marriage and rights 100%. I really, really hope Chris speaks up on this mess. We really need to know both sides of this story. On some boards and sites that I just visited, some members/readers are angry at CE and are already calling him names. Like wtf, you don't even know the full story!!! It also shows how low those people would stoop to just because he supposedly doesn't share the same views like them. That was the same [!@#$%^&*] that pissed me off with the whole Miss California crap. Then when Cali said people choose to be gay because Perez Hilton thinks its cool, she lost me there with that and her other stupid comments.

As for AI's Adam, someone even sent me an anti-Adam poster on YouTube telling me not to vote for him. That same poster was posted on Perez Hilton a few weeks ago.

[cara mia]

I've read some on Engen's interviews, too, and he comes off as very intelligent. It's tough to square intelligence with homophobia but then again, Rick Warren seems smart in interviews, too, and he's certainly a homophobe.

I know I've been praising Y&R of late, but with Engen's quitting, JW almost leaving, MTS threatening to leave, etc, it seems like the show behind the show is a hell of lot more soapy than what's on-screen. Maybe they should just film the backstage theatrics.

[Ann_SS]

If Branco's intent was to sic the public on Engen by passing on the story to Hilton, he is sh!t out of luck. The responses to Hilton's blog comment on Engen were not kind to Hilton. Most of the people are coming down hard on Hilton for attacking anyone who does not tow to gay causes and telling him to stop calling people homphobes because they do not want to kiss someone of the same sex. Totally surprised me so I bet it surprised the heck out of Hilton and Branco.

Neither of those two cities are a monolith. If LA is so liberal and not homophobic, all those actors would not be stuck in the closet. The entertainment business is far more complicated when it comes to sexuality.

I now know that this is true. Why am I so freaking blind? I was so convincing that they were building Adam into this great character, now it is obvious they are writing him in to the dust. i saw someone speculating that there will be a "who killed Adam mystery in November. I can see this happening now.

[Sapounopera]

Closeminded people can be both straight and gay.

[Soapsuds]

What show could CE be on? Dont get me wrong I thought Adam was going to be Mr. Nice guy on Y&R. He is Hope Adam's son after all.but the writers had different plans. I was upset he was made evil at first but he plays evil very well. He could have ended his run on Y&R in style and then gone on to primetime. I just don't see that happening anymore. Rumors of him calling in sick...etc etc....dont bode well for him. Hell I sometimes hate my work but you dont see me calling in sick. I tough it out!