Lynda Hirsch talks about Paul Rauch

[Scotty]

This is my favorite part:

Link: http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/...2009-05-23.html

[R Sinclair]

Oh, brother. Nothing better than working for a dick.

[Sylph]

Is she for real? Blaming Rauch for all this and Engen?

[MarkH]

It is outrageous. I wonder if Rauch has anything to do with this? I doubt it...

[SteveFrame]

Well as I said when I first posted this in the Engen thread and then commented on it in the Thomas Scott thread - I find it very ironic that the actresses thrown out by all the sources were actresses that Rauch knew. If it was only Sony involved I doubt very seriously they would have come up with Victoria Wyndham, Linda Dano and Anna Stuart. And those were the 3 actresses reported by many sources as the ones used to threaten Walton with. Rauch loves all 3 esp. Wyndham.

Plus add to that the little tidbit thrown out by Nelson which attributes Rauch and even MAB as not taking anything off the actors. Either you believe what Nelson says or you don't, but even he attributes the Scott stuff to Rauch.

So knowing Rauch's history from all the way back to AW, I believe Hirsch. I think she is closer to the truth than most want to believe.

As I have said before I love Rauch's production values, but he is not an actor's producer and you don't find too many actors who out and out love him.

The long list of performers who are said to absolutely hate the man grow and grow with each passing year: Virginia Dwyer, Jackie Courtney, George Reinholt, Maeve Kinkead, Ellen Holly, Lillian Hayman, Robin Strasser (who he is said to have given problems to at OLTL), etc.

[Ann_SS]

Why is this hard to believe? Why is it outrageous? Hirsch has been in this business forever. If anyone has reliable sources, it is her.

SteveFrame posted that he was wondering about Rauch's involvement in the Jess Walton situation because he noted out that the actresses listed to replace Jess Walton all worked with Rauch before.

Rauch was hired by Sony/CBS as a consultant prior to become EP at Y&R so obviously he is their man. I don't know where this idea has come from that it is all Sony's doing and that MAB, Rauch and the Bells have no role. It is incredibly naive thinking.

SteveFrame, we posted at the same time. Great minds.

[MarkH]

I'm going on DaytimeFan, who was quite reliable. And DF swore that Sony was driving this. But I personally know nothing.

[Ann_SS]

Even if Sony is behind the pay cuts, how does that eliminate the involvement of Rauch and the Bells? Rauch was brought in by Sony and CBS so he is their man. Also, given his track record in this industry, why is so impossible to believe that he doing what his employers want him to do?

[SteveFrame]

MarkH, I want to believe DF too. And in the past yes she has been very reliable. But there are way too many coincidences here. The actresses names. As I said Sony would not have come up with those 3 names. They work with California shows. Most likely it would have been actresses they knew and not just the ones Rauch has worked with.

Plus with both Hirsch and Nelson attributing it to Rauch now.

Then Rauch's reputation speaks way too much about this.

And sorry but I lived through the Reinholt stuff and watched him on the Mike Douglas show after his firing. The Engen situation is so similar to the Reinholt situation it is not even funny. It is almost like deja vu all over again.

I'm one of those that applauded Rauch's return to daytime and Y&R, but even with that I was well aware that it could mean trouble backstage with the actors. Esp. knowing how Y&R has a reputation for being heavy on divaish behavior and complaining.

It just seems obvious to me that Rauch is trying to establish himself as the supreme high commander and quelch any performer who thinks they are too important to the cast.

I just wonder what will happen when Jeanne Cooper's contract comes up for renewal or even Eric Braedan. It should be very interesting.

[MarkH]

Regardless, it sucks. But as Y&RWorldTurner reminds us, this is nothing too. Melody cleared her dressing room during her last negotiation (and was out for a while). The same happened with Morrow, Case, Braeden, Woodland. (Those were during Jack Smith and LML regimes). And hardball was played in various ways with Rowell (asked to be released if she couldn't be producer), Heather Tom, Don Diamont and Jerry Douglas.

So, this really isn't Rauch. These games, with the top players, have been going on for at least a decade. The only common denominator in that is actually Sony/Bell...since there is near total turnover in TPTB over these regimes.

I'm not denying that Rauch could be the current hitman (though that is not how I understand MAB's casting of his role, which I have read as solely overseeing production....but I really know nothing). But the fact is that things have been hardball with these unnecessary contract interruptions for a while.

[Sylph]

This seems like: Hey, I know Paul Rauch was known for "certain things" in the past and I see all these interesting stuff happening behind the scenes of Y&R so why not blaim it on Rauch? People will totally buy it!

And there ya go.

[Ann_SS]

Is Linda Hirsch known for making up or putting out erroneous gossip like Branco? I have never known her to have that kind of reputation, but I may be wrong.

I don't still understand why is difficult to believe that Rauch is involved as Sony/CBS's hammer given his past track record. In the interview with the former Y&R writer (can't remember her name) that was pulled, she stated that LML was the network's person brought in as a consultant and then as headwriter/EP. Sony, CBS and the Bells gave LML the authority to fire all those people so again I don't see why anyone would doubt that it is not the same thing with Rauch when they also brought him in first as a consultant and then as EP.

[MarkH]

My understanding is that Rauch was a Bell hire, and Sony agreed. Not vice versa. He reports to MaB.

[DeeeDee]

That's how ATWT's cast must feel.

[EastMA2]

Steve Frame - there are 2 sides to every story. I know actors who have worked for Paul Rauch who LOVED him. He doesn't put up with crap, nor should he. He has a tough job.

Don't get me started on Robin Strasser. One could write a book about her.