Eric Roberts Joins Y&R

[DRW50]

It is a bit strange that Russ and Roberts were both cast since they were on AW around the same time but then they both went on to do a ton of stuff after their soap careers so it may be a coincidence.

[Juliajms]

I agree with you there. I don't get it either, especially considering how close Y&R came to losing people like EB and MTS just this year. This role may be more than it originally seems, but even so, it is short term, so I don't really see the point in spending more than the minimum for someone to play the part. .

[DRW50]

It's an inferiority complex. They think that Y&R and soaps are unworthy and that casting pseudo-names makes them more valid.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

And weren't they both recast on AW too for like less than a year or only a year? I doubt Rauch has that much devotion to them, since they never followed him on any other shows, not even on guest stints.

[Sylph]

Again — apostrophes!!! Star is not the same as 'star'.

[Ann_SS]

No, he doesn't, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't need the money and grabbed the offer. Any near-has-been actor like Eric Roberts who works constantly in bad movies and has 12 projects lined up must be desperately in need of money.

I keep saying this, but actors (soap or not) with recognizable names and long careers have money problems like the rest of us and desperately need cash to maintain their high price lifestyle. I don't think that it is a coincidence that some of these "name" actors are taking guest stints as the economy has tanked. Franco is not in that situation, but I suspect that William Russ, Michael Learned, and Eric Roberts likely are scrambling to keep their income flowing by taking these soap roles.

[soapfan770]

Pretty much. Worse for us is that most of these "names" we've seen so far ie Russ, Young, Hasselhoff, Hauser etc. have lost any acting ability they once may have had.

[Sylph]

Yeah. 'Cause soaps are swimming in oceans of money.

Since when?!

And how much will he get for this, in your estimates?

[DRW50]

It's hard to tell because even people I know can act, like Stephen Nichols, have done a poor job since showing up at Y&R. The show just does not make any effort to get any quality performances out of anyone, and the material is so shoddy, the actors can't work with it, unless they have been on the show for ages and are consistently strong.

The show's idea of "names" kind of reinforces how tacky and gauche they are. Remember when a big name to guest star used to be Joan Fontaine?

[Ann_SS]

You must have never been desperate for money that you would work a job for a little change to tide you over. This is exactly what these actors are doing.

I'll never understand how fans think that actors so different from them when it comes to money.

[Sylph]

It's not denial of truth. It's that it makes no sense. I wouldn't have any trouble accepting it if it seemed plausible.

But first, I'd have to know how much is he paid for this stint and who initiated the whole process? I doubt it was Roberts who called Y&R of all shows and said: Hey, I wanna role, write one for me.

Does that make any sense to you?

[bellcurve]

Careful now...wouldn't want the wit police coming in and acting like a judge on Last Comic Standing.

[Sylph]

The Wit Police is carefully monitoring the developments.

[bellcurve]

Well now that our boards are safe...

[DRW50]

Stop, you're giving MAB ideas.