Y&R: Shocking Role Recast

[Cashton]

Really? How do you interpret "I deserve better than to be forced to do something that I don’t feel is right on many levels"?

[Vee]

It's a matter of interpretation if you want to bend over backwards to defend a cute actor. We'll see how people react if and when he turns up as another Miss California-style figurehead for the right wing.

[marceline]

You know when this news broke I thought Engen was probably a closet case who freaked out when he had to kiss a man. Not a full-blown Westboro Baptist homophobe but basically a sad guy out of touch with who he is, who essentially lost his mind when forced by his job to face his latent feelings.

But after reading page after page of overly simplistic posts virtually stringing the poor bastard up from the nearest tree based on nothing, I am completely ready to find this guy, hand him some cash and a fake passport and smuggle him out of the country Underground Railroad style. If he doesn't want to stick his tongue in another man's mouth, so be it. It's his tongue, he can stick it wherever he wants assuming he has permission. Yes, he supposedly broke his contract and he'll need to deal with the consequences of that. As for the gay question, I simply don't give a [!@#$%^&*] anymore. His body, his choice. If you can't control what you do with your body, then you're powerless.

Many, many years ago after a 15lb weight loss, three bleeding ulcers and a bald spot the size of tennis ball, I quit a job because I felt like if I didn't I wouldn't live to see the new year. I had nothing else lined up but I felt like it was quit or die. The next couple of years were hard but I never regretted my decision. Rightly or wrongly, I saw a lot of my own experience in Engen's statement. It's he's a homophobe that's between him and his creator. If he's not and this small town mob mentality has lynched him based on the words of Nelson Branco then I suspect he will need ask that same creator to help him find forgiveness.

[detroitpiston]

"I stole the cookies from the cookie jar! Who you? Yes me! And I lost 85 pounds!"

Sorry, I just love that commercial lol.

Awesome post, ICAM!

[Cashton]

I'm glad you don't give a [!@#$%^&*], but for us gay people, who don't have equality yet pay our taxes, and are forced to have to hear people congratulating Engen for his beliefs and similar stories everyday, we do give a [!@#$%^&*].

[Vee]

Keep comparing making a bigoted choice in an intensely public industry to your ulcer. Keep comparing my slamming a homophobic actor who invited this scrutiny and criticism with his own actions to a small town lynch mob. It does wonders for our communication.

[Paul Raven]

All this talk of homophobia etc pales into insignificance now that Engen has released this statement...

The real issue,now,is that he can't put together a coherent sentence!

[marceline]

I'm sorry, I missed that part where gay equality lived or died on the actions of one newbie soap hunk. Oh yes, I'm reading the opinion of the California Supreme Court right now and they clearly state that they would've overturned Prop 8 if only Chris Engen had agreed to kiss another man. My mistake.

[Vee]

Wow. Keep talking - you may soon win Miss Congeniality.

[Cashton]

Why do some posters insist on putting words in my mouth? You "missed that part" cause I never said it. YOU said you don't give a [!@#$%^&*] - not me.

[marceline]

It's true. I don't give a [!@#$%^&*] whether he kisses another man. Like I said, "his body, his choice." It sounds to me like he's willing to accept the consequences of breaking his contract whatever they might be. As for the rest, so what?

And by the way you said you give a [!@#$%^&*] too:

Perhaps people aren't putting words in your mouth so much as trying to jog your long term memory.

[miajere]

It was a lazy career choice but I don't expect anything different from a guy like CE. I don't imagine he's made the connection between the symbolism of his choices and what's happening today in America, but why should he? Conversations on sexuality, race, etc are easily kept quiet because people are afraid of doing exactly what this guy has done- saying the wrong thing, doing the wrong thing, making a social misstep.

Unless you are dealing with the consequences of things that are out of your control, there's no need to bridge a gap between you and the rest of humanity. The guy simply doesn't understand! Is that his fault, yes and no. Yes, because in a perfect world we should all be reaching out to people different from ourselves. And no, because in this imperfect one he didn't. All he can do is learn from this mistakes, but he should be allowed to move on.

"There's alot of love in this room."- Delirious

[MTSRocks]

For those who supposedly don't care, why keep posting? You obviously do care then, LoL.

[MarkH]

You know I do a lot of statistical analysis in my real life, right? So that there is sexy talk...

Absolutely. He is so enthusiastic, I can't wait to see what he brings.

LOL.

Tell me you didn't invent that!

Utterly, totally, and COMPLETELY fascinating.

I definitely got the sense that the show agreed to let him out of his contract once a suitable replacement was found. Now, that doesn't mean it was all kiss-kiss nice-nice. But I am getting the sense that -- contractually, legally -- maybe he's not ruined?

We'll know when Frons hires him .

You know, I've been the guy who sticks in sh!tty job to keep food on the table. It really sucks. I have also been fortunate to have it another way...

The bottom line, for me, is that Engen realized he was a POOR FIT for this job/this role. That is a really important recognition...we all should be so smart!

Let's assume for a moment that he was a poor fit because he was a skinhead homophobe. THEN WE ARE ALL SERVED BY HIS DEPARTURE.

Isn't all well that ends well?

Cashton, listen: Homophobia has, at times, RUINED my life and the lives of others in my life.

I get how even SUBTLE SNICKERS or lip-sneers of disgust can be just devastating. I realize the Prop 8 and its ilk is fundamentally unfa

But I really don't think Engen is the clear poster child for this. The situation is too complex, and we know too little.

For me, the SAFE conclusion that can be drawn -- as someone who was a real fan of his Adam -- is that we are ALL served...Engen, the show, the audience...by this turn of events.

[baller]

Seriously. And today on any day I think would be more about the idea of tolerence, even if we don't agree. And Cashton, please don't try and speak for "all the gays" because I'm pretty sure while on the same team, we're on opposite sides.

I think if nothing else, his statement proves (in the jumbled words) that this issue is bigger than the kiss portion of the storyline. And until we see what actually plays out, I don't think anyone (no matter how much they think they know) has an idea of what goes down, and what affected CE this way. None of us are also on set, seeing what might get cut from scripts and everything--and I think this is something that would be a TOTALLY different story if all of that was known.

Honestly, I feel bad for CE. For whatever reasons, he was done with the story and wanted out, and is allowed to feel that way. But one portion of that whole experience was picked up from a tabloid soap site, and now he's branded. And even after releasing a statement, he can't win, he's crucified either way.