Y&R Casting Scandal?

[classicmoment]

This is one viewer who doesn't waste the hour anymore butI can truthfully say the one move (besides a resurrection of Bill Bell) that would immediately have me tuning in again would be VR's return as Druclla. I personlly feel the show needthat presence and what-ever they can and should do to make it happen I fully support them doing that. Behaviors are a big part of the working environment and the execs and actresses/actors involved are adults, if beghaviors need to be addressed on how it will be handled then address it. Make the boundaries and expectations perfectly clear from all sides just be reasonable (if it could only be this simple).

I'm sorry in this genre, where the black representation is concerned, truly and wholefully shows us to be in every way 'minorities' and 'afterthoughts'. I fully understand and agree with the not black enough prospect in this case. Lily is completly whitewashed (though not my biggest issue with the character). No interest in a leading strong black man, the only black identity to Lily is that Dru and Neil are her parents. The difference in the representation of the black enough and not black enough prospect to Dru and Lily is that Dru had courage, she had stregth, she was a survivor, she had a bit of every black woman inside her. As a black individual I felt the character on that level among others. It wasn't because she spoke with slang here and there, she had that down to earth-iness about her that one relates to coming from the black community. Something CK doesn't bring to Lily. A big part of that is VR. She works for many AA viewers because she is relatable in the sense. Dru is perfectly flawed and I can identify with many of her characteristics and mannerisms because of how VR pulls it off. It's not a sense of stereotyping it is a sense of culture. VR doesn't play the character one-dimensional either so I don't see how u r hinting that with her potrayal of DRU it should be taken that all black characters should be played by using words like 'wack' and 'sistah', because in how Dru has been written and VR's interpretation the character has clear intelligence blended well with her street smarts.

I'm not saying you are wrong about EB but VR has enough impact for diferent reasons.

ICAM. If it is that serious let's have an intellectual and professional sit down, individually if we must then TPTB delegate the actual expectations and ground rules

But I mean it's a risk each time. If we eliminated the VR issue there is absolutely no guarantee the chances of them leaving decreases next time contracts are up. These are the last days anyway the show should be trying to milk it and elevate creatively if u ask me

[JackPeyton]

lol, people put so much stock in this woman.

really?

the woman who claims she is the sole reason Y&R shot to number one? so many other things.

she defines the term Bat [!@#$%^&*] Crazy.

and i loveeeee it!

[MoTheGreat]

VR might be bat [!@#$%^&*] crazy. But this show is really shitty now. What they have to lose by rehiring her, nothing. That they are already not losing.

CK isn't black enough. It has nothing to do with talking ghetto. If they are losing black viewers. Other black viewers must feel the sameway as I do. CK can play princess but where is her backbone. Even snotty princess have backbones. Or they just write that for those drama princess in teen movies.

[JackPeyton]

i 100% agree.

[BadZoe]

I don't see where Stafford and Bergman would have to be a factor in Rowell's return. Just have her shoot on days when they aren't. The worst thing they ever did for the Dru and Phyllis characters was have them constantly in each others orbit, in situations that real people would avoid like the plague. Just have one of them get a restraining order against the other and everything would be hunky dory.

As for CK, they never should have brought her back. She never worked as Dru's daughter and never will.

This rallying the troops thing is hilarious. Hunter Tylo does that all the time on B&B and it hasn't done her any favors either. If there is a problem with VR returning to Y&R, she would fit in really well at B&B. They could even write that she is Dru, but doesn't remember who she is and while people could remark that she looks familiar they wouldn't remember that she was a Supermodel back in the day.

[alphanguy74]

Of course, I don't KNOW... that why in my post, I said it was just speculation on my part. But you have Nelson crowing in his column about attending a party at her massive, elegant home in teh hollywood hills that is relatively new. She just got married, and obviously her husband can't keep her in the lifestyle to which sh'es become accustomed.... otherwise, she'd be shopping and eating bon-bons. She's responding to her fans, YES...but the fact thatr the economy is in the toilet, she has this HUGE new house, and she's appearing more and more desperate for work... it don't take a rocket scientist to figure it out.

[alphanguy74]

Yes, and it's ridiculous. From the comments Rowell has made (the valley girl comments) one thinks that Rowell has issues with Kahlil not being black enough. But big deal.... isn't this just one oreo critcizing the other cause her cream filling is on the OUTSIDE of the cookie, and not the inside? I'd LIKE to believe that Rowell and Kahlil don't get along because Rowell makes her WORK, and doesn't just let her coast along... but nothing Rowell had said has led me to believe that.

[MoTheGreat]

If you would have read her comment carefully it said it start before the Valley Girl comment. The Ck said she doesn't want black family time. when she got back. & she didn't get any either. So something happen before CK got back.

Ck isn't black enough she isn't. She should have came on as an extra or somebodyelse child. Jack, Michael, or Paul. she probably would have done wonders for Paul character. More then what they done with Heather.

[Chris B]

I doubt she's hurting for money. Not only due to Y&R, but Diagnosis Murder and the fact that she had double the income doing both shows. She's done several moves, her book went into several printings. There is no reason to think she's hurting for money at all. She's never been an over the top spender from everything I've seen. I also think she could get roles in primetime and film easily. You must keep in mind she wasn't pursuing acting roles since leaving Y&R. She was on a book tour, then she met the love of her life and has been focused on a wedding. I don't think it's a coincidence she's interested in returning after her wedding.

As for Christial Khalil, she just isn't black enough. She's only a fourth black and doesn't even look black. Her casting is very suspect to me. She's a safe valley girl and that's why she was cast. From the beginning they've paired her with white actors and not tried to develop the connections in her family. Lily was raised by Dru and the reason she returned to the US is because she was hanging out with gang members and Dru couldn't handle her. Do you see that from Lily? She's a bloody princess, not a spunky hoodrat. So not only is she not black enough, but she's miscast based on the backstory the writers gave her! I wouldn't mind Lily if there were other types of black characters featured, but it seems clear she's the only one featured for a reason.

Look at the 80s and 90s...you had so many different types. Olivia and Neil are the college graduates who are hard working and very straight laced. You have Nathan and Dru who overcame difficult circumstances. Amy, Jazz and Tyrone all brought something special to the show as well. Not to mention Vanessa, Damon, Callie (RIP Michelle Thomas), Mamie, Lillie Belle and Walter.

[miajere]

As much as I want to see VR on Y&R, I don't care to sacrifice her voice in the process. While there may be a few actors ready to quit, tptb fail to see the actors that managed to grow in her presence. People may call her politics into question, but here's an actor asking the soap industry to do more- something we all want to see happen.

I don't have a problem with CK as Lily, but fans of the Winters deserved much better, not because she isn't black enough, but because what contributed to VR's popularity was the presence of a cast of black actors committed to making a name for the Winters- an assemble cast dedicated to a purpose outside themselves. The Lily we see now has inherited that hard work, and the writing for this actress doesn't honor that. The Winters are special for daytime and not just any good actress with a pretty face can bring it.

IF CK wasn't so clueless she might see that even on the front burner she has also inherited the marginalization of the Winters. She has no voice, she has no fight, her body isn't hers (cancer), and she has no claim to anything- anything but her mother's legacy. If she had her mind right, she would welcome the growth it could offer, the chance to work with someone who is driven by perfection, and leave the politics to behind her.

[Greg's GL]

I've stayed out of the debate til now, but the fact is that VR is a very talented actress. I don't believe that she NEEDS Y&R. It's painfully obvious to anyone that's ever enjoyed watching the Winters clan on this show that the opposite is true - Y&R NEEDS VR.

And IA with Chris' statement that she's as big as Victor, Nikki, Jack, etc. on this show. Whenever I have casual conversations with people familiar with soaps - not particularly viewers of Y&R - they usually ask about Dru, Victor and Nikki. Sometimes Jack. Sometimes Sheila even. That's just from my experiences.

CK is not Lily. Never has been, never will be. And if this is happening backstage, then WOW. PR has never been known for taking actor's grandstanding so I don't know why he is willing to take it now. Look how he treated Meave Kinkaid (Vanessa) at GL and she's an ACTRESS. CK is not.

[MoTheGreat]

I still think they are writing to CK strength. It's not like they haven't giving her anythnig to do. Once they see she can't pull through for a heavy storyline. They go back to the teenage lovey dovey Lily.

[classicmoment]

It is not obvious, VR could be just as ambitious as high strung. There are some people that enjoy a certain way of life but they are still very ambitious and independent. You're still being a bit too presumptious here even with the disclaimer of it being "just speculation on your part"

[aMLCproduction]

Why is the EP, letting the actors dictate who is hired!? They might as well make CK, Bergman and Staddford the new EP's. Sone one said for them not to tape on the same days. For Jack that would be easy but not Phyillis. Her return would gaunretee scenes with Phylis.

Bring back Devetta Sherwood( who had good chemistry with Daniel btw) And Dru.

[lovely_m]

They could be using the actors as an excuse not to bring back VR.

I don't know what it is but CK has some sort of hold on TPTB that they won't recast her.