Y&R: Shocking Role Recast

[dm.]

He seems like a really great guy, and things can be blow out of proportion.

[Rakesh]

True lol

I'll see if I should move this thread to the main board or not.

[SteveFrame]

I don't know if even I who was so passionate about it even expect that.

The last few days have just reminded me even more and more how it is so easy for us as human beings to have the capacity to hate. There is such a thin line between love and hate that we can turn from one to the other so quickly.

We see hate in so many others but don't even realize how quickly and how easily we can return hate ourselves.

It was so easy for people to hate him for what they perceived and wanted to believe.

It is just so sad that we have that capacity within us as human beings. It's not only love that makes the world go around.

[Southofnowhere]

What a bunch of double talk nonsense!

He really didn't say anything at all?

Funny how all these peeps always say they have gay friends.

[MTSRocks]

Eat crow? His actions still stand, and we'll probably really never know the real story.

[CSF]

It's about time he issued a statement, but one thing I find interesting is this:

What does he mean by the bolded part. Is he referring to the kiss? Is he trying to say he was no longer happy with driving Ashley insane? What does he mean by that statement?

What does he feel isn't right? For one man to kiss another man? If that is the case, then how can he have many gay friends who would be happy to speak on his behalf? That doesn't make any sense at all.

[Southofnowhere]

Why he still refused to kiss a man and walked off like a crybaby!

"Saying" he has gay friends or in his words "Homosexual" doesn't prove he isn't a homophobe.

I'm sure his agent wrote the statement!

[MTSRocks]

Or, "I'm not racist. I have a lot of black friends."

I hate when people say that [!@#$%^&*].

[shadow]

Yeah he pretty much confirmed that the gay kiss was the last straw for him

And of course he had to add the usual "I have gay friends" stance

[Aback]

It doesn't prove that he is a homophobe either.

Thank you for the link. I had been waiting for this. I wish him the best. It's scary to see what this whole mess has become.

[Southofnowhere]

He said he is own words that he refused to kiss a man.

An actor refusing to kiss a man makes him a homophobe!

[KLN]

Well, I'm glad he issued a statement. However, never in my life have I read so much text only to come away feeling like I didn't read anything at all, LoL. He's very well-written, I'll give him that. However, he still didn't clarify the exact reason he decided to leave. Most of it was rambling and talking in circles. For fans of the show, I think it does make a difference why he quit. Was it because he didn't like the "dark" direction of the storyline, or was it actually because of the kiss in particular? I don't suppose we'll ever know, and I'm not sure if I would believe him even if he did come right out and confirm it one way or the other. I guess the best evidence we'll get is whether or not Michael Muhney kisses Yanni Gellman within his first few episodes on the show. If that happens, I'd say chances are pretty likely that Engen's contract was broken for that very reason. Coincidence happens, but it's pretty difficult to swallow in this particular case.

At this point, I feel like he's just trying to save face. He denies being a homophobe and follows it up with the classic line of "I have homosexual friends!" Racists often use the same defense. Is Engen, in fact, a homophobe? Personally, I don't think there's any way to tell. Only he knows that. Only he knows what he feels at the core. His actions, however, haven't exactly painted him as gay-friendly in any definition of the word. If that's his prerogative, fine. Just own it.

As for his claim that he only called in sick one time, I'm certainly not going to say that he's lying. I don't know one way or the other. However, I can't help but notice his use of the word "sick" in that particular sentence. "I called in sick ONCE in my 16 months on the show." That's nice, but is it possible that he skipped out on work numerous other times and he just didn't use illness as an excuse/reason for doing so? Given the wording of that sentence, it's possible. Then again, perhaps I'm just dissecting his statement and being over-analytical, which tends to happen when I'm skeptical of things, LoL.

Finally, I'm glad he admitted that it's possible his decision makes him a limited actor. That's what I said all along. If he's too afraid or not willing to act what's on the page, it makes him a limited actor and he's probably in the wrong business. He hit the nail square on the head with that one.

[baller]

I agree--after reading this I don't think we'll ever know what went down. It also really makes me think there's more to the story than just the Adam kiss coming up, and we won't know that till we see it. (I've always thought this Rafe/Adam kiss twist was going to be more of adam working the situation than Adam gay. )

But you know, I respect him. Regardless of me agreeing with him, I respect him for coming out at saying this. He has been taken to town over this and called a lot of things, but I respect him for issuing the statement and sticking by what he believe in.

[detroitpiston]

No it doesn't.

[SteveFrame]

To hell to the no it doesn't.

He said:

If the rumor is true that he was only using Rafe, then he could have honestly had problems with playing that and didn't want to be a part of it.

But of course I never dreamed that it would change some people's minds. The truth of the matter is even with this statment more and more is brought into question. We don't know the truth.

If you or anyone else feels comfortable enough to label a man and to continue with that then that is fine.

I don't.

As I said it comes down to who you believe. Branco or Engen

People will generally choose in the end to believe what they want to believe. And sadly most people want to believe the worst, just the same as the religious right wants to beleive the worst about him. Funny that we end being the same way many times.

Sorry but I am still not convinced by what he said that he is a homophobe. Good for some of you that you can. You are evidently a better person than me or at least know more than I do.