Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[chrisml]

She gave those remarks directly to Logan. "But Dwyer-Dobbin says, "Roger is a powerful, active, sexual, multicolored villain. That's who we need him to be on the GL canvas. We do not need a wizened little old man. And that's what he would have to play in his condition. It really hurts me to have to say that, but all I can do is wish Michael all the best. My heart truly goes out to him."

Edited January 5 by chrisml

[Maxim]

This is despicable. 

[robbwolff]

If I remember correctly, an article that appeared in early 1997 hinted that the show was planning a major Roger/Holly storyline. It was right around the time that several GL actors, including Michael Zaslow and Maureen Garrett, reenacted a radio episode as part of the show's 60th anniversary.

[Contessa Donatella]

Okay, I stand corrected. She said it before, also, when no press was present. Of course, we are amazed at her arrogance in going out of her way to repeat it to Michael Logan. To me the most important thing is that she did not get away with saying it!!! She seems to have been enamored of her words. What a crock. This is her legacy. She wiped away her whole life's accomplishments. She will always be remembered for saying this truly evil statement. But, she thinks she's right! 

I thought the recast was just another slap in Zas's face.

[Maxim]

The lack of empathy demonstrated in her quote is blood curling. 

Edited January 5 by Maxim

[Contessa Donatella]

Also what does it say that a person with the values displayed by her was making decisions for years about AW, ATWT & GL. 

[Maxim]

If she had said this in 2024... I can't even imagine the reaction... with the way social media and the world works these days... She would have probably needed to record 10 different apology videos. And still... not enough. TOO VILE. 

[DRW50]

She wasn't the last soap person to feel so confident in Logan's hands that they said how they really felt. The same happened a few years later with FMB (to be clear FMB did not say anything along these lines - she just panned the state of ABC Daytime).

You could also see that onscreen as suddenly Holly and Roger were getting very clear scenes to rebuild their relationship and humanize Roger somewhat after he had been dragged through the mud under McTavish/Laibson. I remember one in an elevator and another over the phone. By the time Parlato came in that had mostly changed. They were still doing Roger/Holly but even then I think someone must have sensed it wasn't going to be the same. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Of course, the instant Zas, armed with his diagnosis, approached the show about writing his situation into the show, the writers jumped to immediately begin spitballing what they would write & how they would write it. Obviously they'd put Holly back in Roger's orbit ... but as we know Paul shut them down & even had the nerve to say to them they knew why this was never gonna happen. Funny, because they didn't think that they knew!!! I want to underline this! We can be proud of the writing team. By all accounts, their reaction was immediate, positive, affirming & reaching for a writer's solution as fast as they could brainstorm, completely assuming that this WOULD BE DONE. 

Edited January 5 by Contessa Donatella
typos are always with us

[chrisml]

Contessa, it's no big deal you misremembered the context of MADD's comment. We've all done it in other circumstances.

It's odd to me that Claire Labine initially was going to bring Zaslow to OLTL but then that fell through for mysterious reasons (Logan hints his agents nixed the 3 day deal). Shortly after, Labine went to GL knowing full what kind of people worked there on the show and at the network. She can't claim ignorance. She knew what she was walking into. I never thought about it before, but the timing is suspicious to me. Why of all the headwriters in the soap world would P&G bring over the very headwriter who made them look bad in the press over the Zaslow firing?

[Contessa Donatella]

Cool, and thanks. 

It really makes me wonder how much difficulty were they having getting a HW for the show. I agree that there are suspicious things about this. We may never know what was going on in any real sense. 

 

[Alan]

It appears that she practiced this quote in advance and seems delighted, aroused even, to utter these hateful words. How can you "wish someone the best" while taking away his employment,  dignity, and community of colleagues at the most challenging time of his life. This is her legacy.

[Contessa Donatella]

I look at her words that "it really hurts her to have to say that" and think how ludicrous it is that she thought she had to say it! WHAT?!!! 

[chrisml]

And Dwyer-Dobbin lasted years in the role after the quote/interview so no one at the network or at P&G had problems with anything she said or anything that was done. The more you think about the situation, the more horrendous it becomes. Even in 2025, their inhumanity is shocking. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Yes, well, nothing was done to her as a result of the statement. She was not forced to retire or anything like that. Her last contract ended Sept. 5, 2005 which is when she announced her retirement effective Oct. 5, 2005.