Y&R: RIP Kristoff St John

[DeeeDee]

Tonya's been crying all day.

[Khan]

God, this is just too damn real for me to comprehend.

[vetsoapfan]

Throughout my life, many people people have assured me that there is a loving God who will reunite us all with our loved ones in the afterlife. I fervently hope this is true and that KSJ is now holding his son tightly in his arms again. 

 

I was saddened by the deaths of Charita Bauer, Emily McLaughlin, John Beradino, Macdonald Carey, Frances Reid, Helen Wagner, Jeanne Cooper, and so many other beloved veterans of daytime drama. Some folks scoffed at my feelings, and questioned how I could possibly be depressed over the deaths of people whom I "did not even know."

 

But what the critics don't understand is, these actors came into our living rooms for many years, sometimes for decades. We often saw them more than we saw our own families. They shared their gifts with us. Their mere presence on-screen provided us with a reassuring, comforting constant in our lives and helped us endure pain during personal crises of our own. Like the millions of people around the world who anguished over the deaths of John Lennon and Princess Diana (celebrities they did not personally know), soap fans feel the loss of "one of our own" deeply.

 

This is an usually tragic week, with multiple actors passing away at the same time, but it is sweet to see everyone on public media coming together to celebrate their lives in such a respectful, loving way.

 

RIP, KSJ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[YRfan23]

I’ve felt sick all day

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+1

[BoldRestless]

I haven't posted here in years but I have to share my grief over KSJ. So young! What an amazing talent. I'm crying over here watching Shemar's instagram post. Damn. Thank you to everyone who has been posting links and tributes; I look forward to revisiting this thread.

[Darn]

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He's brilliant here.

 

I wasn't watching Y&R at the time, can anyone tell me about this story? Did it pop up out of nowhere? What did we know of Neil's parents before this?

[Faulkner]

 

 

From Loren Lott:

 

 

[Meredith]

I haven't been here in ages.   I always liked Kristoff St John.  He was a beautiful, talented man with so much class and a huge heart. I still can't believe I'm writing about him now in the past tense.  I literally grew up watching this man on screen.  When I lived away from home, the only thing that got me through my days was my show, Y&R.   RIP sir.  You will be missed.  

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[DramatistDreamer]

I don't know if this has been posted already.

 

[Taoboi]

When my brother texted me at 6 in the morning (I'm in San Diego, he's in St. Louis), I knew it was bad news.

 

I had hoped it would be a hoax as well.

 

In shock still if I'm to be honest. I thought he had just gotten engaged and was on the mend. Just...wow.

 

He and Dru were really my first representation of black characters on soaps dating back to me as a child. I didn't get it then, but definitely grow to understanding and feeling how good it felt to have people on television that were just like you. We can't all be a Malcolm.

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And I remember when Neil started to branch out because he had grown and climbed to as high as his character to climb and now wanted to start his own business...which he finally did. I felt proud for him and Dru then. 

 

Just feel sad now. 

[Roman]

I couldn't even get midway through that scene with Nichelle. I just.....I don't know. My goodness.

Daniel Goddard‏

 

 

I will never forget u & will never be the same now that u are gone. We spent our time together filled with ridiculousness & practical jokes because there were few things that we liked more than to make each other laugh. U remember this one? Rest my friend. U r now at peace.

[ajsp35801]

 

Everytime I don't think I could hurt worse, and each time I'm wrong. EB us so earnest in his emotions. You can tell he's really affected 

 

I didn't miss that shot at MY though.  Lol

 

Glamorous! That's the word. It's not often subscribed to males but it fits him. I know KSJ didn't like Neil buttoned up all the time and wanted him more casual. But Neil in his suits as a businessman was unique in 90s. I always saw him as sophisticated and a serious character. Probably why the stories the character were given in later years felt so onerous. Neil was definitely glamorous. 

[Faulkner]

Oh yes. And just came out and said, basically, that some co-stars you just don’t give a sh!t about. But Kristoff was loved.

 

It’s funny how in tributes to celebrities who weren’t liked, you can always read between the lines and see what people aren’t saying. There’s none of that hedging here.

 

EB loathes Mal with every fiber of his being. The utter disgust just wafts up from the page like a pungent odor.

[ajsp35801]

 

See, I thought KSJs troubles were the reason for his absence. EB makes it seem like a creative decision by Mal. 

[Faulkner]

That was an innovation for a black male character at that point, right? Ed Hall and Jesse Hubbard certainly weren’t glamorous in the way that white male characters were in the ‘80s.

Mal probably used KSJ’s troubles opportunistically to do away with a character he wasn’t interested in.

 

You know, even after posting all of these tributes, I still look at this thread title and think it’s absolutely surreal.

 

I also wonder if this is the highest-trafficked day for this board in a while. I never see 100+ anonymous guests on this site.