Y&R: Jaime Lyn Bauer interview on exit

[DRW50]

Network Publishing Co

Jaime Lyn Bauer Talks About "Lorie"

(interview by Joanne Douglas)

J.D.: Are you happy with Lorie's current storyline about being falsely accused of murdering Vanessa?

J.L.B.: Yes, I'm pleased. It's a lot more fun to play than fights with Leslie over Lance. It's always exciting to have a new storyline, but I'd like it to move a little more quickly.

J.D.: If you could write Lorie's future storyline, what would you do with her?

J.L.B.: I'd have her changing careers, as most creative, free-spirited people do. They get tired of one thing and go on to something else. I'd have her become a painter, a sculptor, or an actress maybe. She'd become more involved in outside things. She'd travel and do exciting things again instead of being stuck in her apartment all the time. I'd try to get them to write my gymnastics into the show. It would be great to see Lorie do some different things. I'd bring back the kind of romance, glamour, and humor - the magic - she had with the old Lance with whoever Lorie would be with.

J.D.: Your agent has told us you're definitely planning to leave the show this August. Why do you want to quit?

J.L.B.: It has to do with several things. I've been with the show for over eight years. I've been with it so long that I've wanted to leave for a number of years. But because of one baby after another (Jaime is the mother of two boys), and financial situations, and my feelings of loyalty to "Young and Restless" and the people there, I've not gone. I've found that each year I've re-signed, it's harder on me to be as kind and happy as I should be. When you spend 14 hours a day, four to six days a week, at the studio, you cannot be unhappy. You can't dread going into work. It affects everything. Also, because I've been there for eight years, I'm aware of lighting, cameras, how a scene should be shot - these are a lot of things that are none of my business as an actress. But you gain a certain amount of knowledge in those areas and all of a sudden, you want to see things done differently. You want to see the ratings go up. You're so fierce in your love and loyalty and your ability that it's frustrating. And it's not fair to the people around me. It's not fair to have them hear me open my mouth. Whether I'm right or wrong, I am not being paid to voice my opinion in areas other than acting. The hour format is killing me! Last year I averaged three and a half shows a week and this year, it's worse. It's too much. I have children, I have a production company, and I have a husband. I have a lot of things in my life, and having to learn 120 pages or more of dialogue a week is too much. I'm tired. Frankly, at this point, it's hard for me to envision being able to continue at this pace until my contract is up.

J.D.: What are you planning to do after you leave?

J.L.B.: I'm waiting to see what will happen before I leave CBS, and hopefully, something will come from them. In the interim, I'm working for the production company my husband and I have formed, Swann Productions. I've been working on a few projects and by the time I leave the show, I'll have some credibility as a producer. I'm interested in getting some experience under my belt as a producer. I want to prove myself in that area, and that's going to take all my ability and my creative zest.

[juniorz1]

I think you have a "thing" for Jamie Lyn Bauer.

[DRW50]

I do think her acting is kind of hilariously addictive. Mostly I just like to read stuff about the old school Y&R and the end of that era, especially as the show has gone so downhill over the past several years. I typed up an article last week about a circus shoot they did in 1981, if you want to read that.

[Cat]

I remember when she came on Days as Crazy Laura Horton. I thought she looked like a grown-up Sissy Spacek in "Carrie." She kind of spooked me a little.

[DRW50]

(Lorie recap, also by Joanne Douglas)

Will Lorie's Future Ever Be Bright Again?

To say that the sleek blonde blue-eyed Lorie Brooks has had a colorful past would be an understatement. Her topsy-turvy life has been marked by great triumphs and devastating lows - mostly a byproduct of her tempestuous romance with high-powered business tycoon Lance Prentiss. He is the only man Lorie has ever really loved, and she's often paid a high price for his love.

It all began when Leslie, Lorie's older sister, arranged a match between Lorie and Lance. At the time, Lorie was recovering from a traumatic relationship with a man who turned out to be her half-brother, and she felt she could never love anyone again. Knowing the loneliness Lorie was experiencing, Leslie introduced her sister to her good friend, the dashing Lance Prentiss. Since Lance's and Lorie's personalities were so much alike, Leslie was sure they'd hit it off.

Leslie's instincts proved correct, and soon Lorie and Lance were enjoying a full-fledged - and very glamorous - romance. Lance was a challenge to Lorie because, unlike the other men in her life, he tolerated her "games." Lorie couldn't manipulate this millionaire playboy like the others. Unable to resist a challenge, Lorie set out to bring the arrogant but intriguing Lance to his knees.

What Lorie didn't expect, though, was that Lance was an equally adept game-player himself. Whatever ploys she dreamed up, he returned in kind. Both teased and tempted each other at every opportunity, and they knew that whoever seduced the other first would emerge the winner. But one day their games ceased, because Lorie and Lance realized they were in love with each other.

Lance, ever the extravagant romantic, treated Lorie to the kind of courtship every girl dreams about. There were long-stemmed roses, bottle of champagne, flights to exotic locales in Lance's private jet. Although this was a heady, heavenly experience for Lorie, there was an important element missing: Lance would not make love to her! It was all part of the "game." Lorie would wait until her wedding day to consummate their love, but she wasn't going to make it easy on Lance. She'd make herself so sexy and desirable that Lance would be aching for her as much as she was aching for him.

Lorie was elated to have finally met a man who was her equal, but there was trouble ahead. Lance had another woman in his life! She was a woman he worshipped and adored above all else - his mother, Vanessa. Little did Lorie know that Vanessa would become her rival...her adversary for Lance's affections.

Vanessa loved her son passionately and devoted her entire life to him ever since he saved her from a fire that was accidentally started by her younger son, Lucas, many years ago. When Lorie met Vanessa for the first time, she was still wearing veils to mask the scars the fire had left on her once-beautiful face.

When Lorie and Lance wed in a small private civil ceremony in Las Vegas, she had no idea that Vanessa felt Lorie had destroyed her bond with her son. After a while, though, Lorie began to sense the evil thoughts that were swirling around in Vanessa's head.

Vanessa hated Lorie for taking Lance away form her, and although Lorie could have returned Vanessa's hate, she didn't. Instead Lorie felt sorry for her mother-in-law. Lorie believed that if she could get Vanessa to have plastic surgery, she would emerge from the operation a new, kind, and beautiful person. And Lorie reasoned that if Vanessa felt good enough about herself to make a new life for herself, then she'd no longer be so dependent on Lance for her happiness.

Lorie knew that the only person who could convince Vanessa to have the surgery was Lucas, who had fled home and taken to the sea because of the terrible guilt he felt over Vanessa's scars. Lorie vowed to find him and convince him to come back to Genoa City. She tracked Lucas down in Hong Kong and had little trouble persuading him to return home.

While Lorie was away, Vanessa was busy plotting a way to turn Lance against her. She had a private investigator purchase boxes and boxes of Lorie's second book, "In My Sister's Shadow," an autobiographical novel that detailed an "acclaimed concert pianist's" mental breakdown. That "acclaimed concert pianist" was, of course, Leslie! Vanessa knew that turning Lorie's book into a best-seller would create a chasm between her and Leslie and make Lance angry with Lorie.

Although Lorie was reluctant at first, she eventually decided to come out of the closet to promote her book, written under the pseudonym of S.M. Brand. Lorie felt there was no harm in doing so, because rather than being a putdown of Leslie, the book was a testimony to her sister's strength and courage in overcoming her bout with mental illness. How could Lance be angry with Lorie when people reading the novel would come away with respect and admiration for Leslie?

But the more popular Lorie's book became, the more protective Lance became of Leslie. Feeling great empathy towards her, Lance became Leslie's companion and escort during her concert tour. Whenever she weakened emotionally, he would fly out to be with her. During one of these visits, Leslie and Lance gave into their intense feelings for each other and made love. But they both agreed it wouldn't turn into an affair...it would forever be just one glorious moment in their lives. Leslie was aware that Lance still loved Lorie and wasn't ready to choose between them.

Sometime later, Leslie learned she was pregnant with Lance's child and so the moment they shared together could never be buried in the past and forgotten. Because she didn't want Lance to divorce Lorie and marry her out of obligation, Leslie decided she'd never tell him she was carrying his child. If one day Lance came to her on his own, well, at least then she'd know he really wanted her.

Although she was carrying Lance's child, Leslie married Lucas. Lorie and Lance were surprised by the marriage, but they didn't doubt that Leslie and Lucas loved each other. Nor did they doubt for a moment that Leslie was pregnant with Lucas' baby.

Vanessa, who'd had her plastic surgery by now, soon found out the truth, though, and made sure Lorie discovered it. Lorie could have let this devastating news destroy her marriage, but she wouldn't let Vanessa win. So, rather than collapsing under the strain, Lorie agreed to help Leslie and Lucas keep their secret.

It was not an easy path for Lorie to take. After Leslie and Lucas returned from their exile in Switzerland with their newborn son, Brooks, Lorie prayed she'd have the strength to keep the boy's true parentage from Lance. She knew she had to keep the truth from him if she wanted her marriage to survive.

Lorie fought as hard as she could to keep her marriage intact, but Vanessa was determined to unravel it and destroy Lorie and Lance's happiness. A woman who'd stop at nothing to get her own way, Vanessa threatened to take Prentiss Industries away from Lance unless Lorie divorced him! Knowing that he could never be happy without the business, Lorie was forced to end her union with Lance even though she loved him as much as ever.

Leslie tried to make a go of her marriage to Lucas, but she couldn't forget Lance - she was still so very much in love with him. Unable to deal with her feelings, Leslie wandered off to a strange town. After being mugged, she became totally disoriented and developed amnesia! Since Brooks needed a mother while Leslie was missing, Lucas entrusted Lorie with the child's care.

Since she was now raising Brooks, Lorie became very attached to the boy and began to think of him as her own son. Naturally Lorie was quite distressed when she received word that Leslie would be returning home and would probably want her son back. There was no way that Lorie could give Brooks up now. She was his mother in every way that mattered.

Since Vanessa would do anything to hurt Lorie, she encouraged Leslie to fight for custody of her child, pointing out that the boy should be with his real mother. Once again, Vanessa triumphed: Leslie (who'd regained her memory after a fall) decided she couldn't walk away from her son - she'd fight for custody of him. Leslie was crushed when, at the hearing, the judge decided that since Lorie had become Brooks' psychological mother, she should continue having custody of him. Lorie cried tears of joy! Now if only she had Lance, her life would be complete.

Vanessa, who learned she was suffering from an incurable illness, vowed she'd make certain Lorie would never have Lance again. She couldn't die knowing Lorie had her claws in Lance - the person Vanessa treasured most in this world. When Vanessa heard that Lance had asked Lorie to remarry him, she set out to put a permanent end to Lorie by pushing her over the balcony!

But first Vanessa had to convince Lorie she wanted to make amends with her after all the years of hatred and bitterness between them. She even pretended to be pleased that Lance was remarrying Lorie. On the pretext of wanting to discuss the wedding plans, Vanessa stopped by Lorie's penthouse one day and suggested they talk outside on the balcony. Suddenly Vanessa's weeks of "friendliness" evaporated and she lashed out at Lorie, warning her she'd never have Lance and Brooks to herself. As Lorie covered her face in horror, Vanessa jumped off the balcony and plunged to her death!

Soon after witnessing the tragedy, Lorie was arrested on suspicion of murder and was later indicted on those charges! The life Lorie once knew has been turned completely upside-down. She is now a virtual prisoner in her own apartment...totally out of control of what's being done to her. And since Leslie is caring for Brooke while Lorie is awaiting trial, she doesn't even have her beloved son with her to carry her through the agonizing days ahead.

What, we wonder, will become of Lorie and Lance's love? Will it be destroyed once she takes the stand to answer charges that she murdered his mother? And will Lance finally learn the truth about Brooks in the courtroom?

Since Vanessa left enough evidence behind to make Lorie look guilty ,and since Lucas is convinced Lorie killed his mother, it's doubtful that her future holds much happiness. Lorie may yet end up spending a long, long time behind prison bars!

[Cat]

Oh, WOW. Not going to lie, I would have been glued to those SLs were they to be shown today. What a wonderfully plotted, winding saga. And Vanessa and Lance sound like the template for B&B's Stephanie and Ridge (you know, before it got camptastic).

[DRW50]

Yeah, on paper, it sounds like they managed to keep the drama fresh, although I know that it probably suffered some when John McCook left. A lot of that I had read before but some like the custody battle I hadn't. I guess Leslie left town with Brooks (can't remember if she left with Lucas or Lance or no one)? I also wonder how long this was before Lorie got together with Victor. Probably not that long.

It was also interesting how Lorie seemed to be written as the tortured heroine for most of this -- early on she was the bitch wasn't she? Bell's writing style was very good this way, I think he used the same template for Nikki. Too bad soaps don't do that now.

It just fascinates me how Bell managed to bring the old and the new together without alienating viewers and attracting new ones. What a contrast to today's show, which is a rotting husk, terrified of forward momentum yet only able to desecrate the past.

I'd love to see some Brooks return but I guess that's probably not for the best.

[bellcurve]

The hour format may have killed her, but did her exit have anything to do with Ed Scott(like her not liking the way he ran production)? Or did he arrive to Y&R after she left?

[DeeeDee]

She & Brenda (amongst others) had issues with Bill.

Brenda didn't have issues with Ed until her second run.

[DRW50]

That's right, I think Jaime said in other interviews that she had complaints -- wasn't one of them how awful studio conditions were?

[DeeeDee]

Yep.

[DRW50]

I feel kind of sorry for the actors who helped build Y&R but weren't there to reap the rewards later on, but then it sounds like Y&R has had such huge backstage tension for so many years perhaps being there too long would have made you go insane anyway. It's too bad though because I think Bauer would have fit in well to the new Y&R if she'd stayed around.

[soapfan770]

I actually really wonder how Lori Brooks would have fared on Y&R in the 80s and 90s as the central heroine, although I guess we had Nikki(and to some extent Christine) in that respect didn't we. I suppose since Bell let Jill and Katherine continue on Lori would have just done the same.

[DeeeDee]

Yep.

The irony is that despite their issues with Bill he commanded SO much respect from them unlike writers like McTavish, Sheffer & Guza.

[DRW50]

You can usually tell how little a writer might be respected if actors are dragged out to basically read press releases about the wonders of this person. That didn't happen with Bell.

I think that Lorie would have still worked, not in the big role she once had but still an important presence, since she was tied to Victor and with other characters who were still on the canvas. I could have seen her with Jack, or John. I think JLB's acting style was very much Y&R.

What do you think DeeeDee, do you think she could have stayed around or was her time past?