ARTICLE: ‘Days of our Lives’ Head Writer Posts Query: “Tell me your job so I can tweet at you how you’re doing it wrong”

[Errol]

Just like every other daytime writer before him, “Days of our Lives” head writer Ron Carlivati faces numerous bouts of criticism (and sometimes praise) on a daily basis over the show’s storylines, particularly the current possession arc which is far from over. In response, Carlivati recently tweeted a query directed at socially savvy upset fans of the soap, telling them to “tell me your job so I can tweet at you how you’re doing it wrong.”

Carlivati is referring to the daily tweets he receives from fans of the drama series who verbalize their displeasure over the way characters are written, where storylines are headed, and what they think they could do better, among other criticisms. His tweet has since garnered nearly 400 responses and has been retweeted over 100 times and liked by more than 1,100 accounts.

Some of the responses included comments from those in the soap industry, including “General Hospital” alum William deVry (ex-Julian Jerome), former “DAYS” co-executive producer Greg Meng, composer and music supervisor RC Cates (“The Young and the Restless”), actor Greg Rikaart (Leo Starks, “DAYS”; Kevin Fisher, “Y&R”), and countless others. 

“Well… .I study lines, make choices, intentions, work on technique & perfecting choices that I think best reflects the character in that scenario. I fail 9 out of 10 times,” read deVry’s tweeted response.

“They couldn’t give me “all the tea in China” to do your job! It’s the chocolate factory… speed ‘em up! The clock keeps ticking… while you live and breathe it 365 days a year! I’m worn out just stating this… and I’m in awe,” said Meng.

“I usually have 12 tones to choose from. I’m expected to put them in an order that is pleasing to others,” noted Cates.

“Haha!” said Rikaart who included the “skull and crossbones” emoji, referencing the metaphorical expression, “I’m dead.”

One fan responded to Carlivati’s tweet, saying, “Excellent point well made. I’m a paralegal and I get told by clients I’m doing my job wrong all the damn time. It’s classless, demeaning, and usually stems from a lack of understanding. Just give people the space and the grace to do what they were trained to do.”

Another said, “DAYS popularity has always been because it was the campy, supercouple, comic booky , action/adventure soap, since I watched as a young boy on the late 80s, the show has never been realistic , that’s part of its appeal, I’ve seen more grounded , realistic soaps.”

Added another, “People are so ridiculous! They have no idea what it takes to try & make a long running show riveting 5 days a week without repeating story lines & with a limited cast of characters! The crazy talent & creative writers have a challenge every day. Just know most of us appreciate.”

Check out more tweets from industry insiders below.

Note: The post ‘Days of our Lives’ Head Writer Posts Query: “Tell me your job so I can tweet at you how you’re doing it wrong” appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website.

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[vetsoapfan]

RC is painfully childish and unprofessional. Every television series, every film, every book, every record album, every piece of art ever created is open to commentary from the public. Why should the public give him a pass?

 

[Gray Bunny]

If you can't take the heat, get out of the driver's seat. What a petulant child. 

[MichaelGL]

The fact that people are cheering him on makes me ill, but whatever. 

[AbcNbc247]

Yet, I still think he's talented and that there are other people responsible for the problems on Days.

What I find hilarious is that he constantly criticizes people on Twitter, but then has the balls to get upset when people do it to him.

If you can't take it, don't dish it out sweetie!!!

Edited March 15, 2022 by AbcNbc247

[Soapsuds]

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[AbcNbc247]

Here

[Khan]

One of these days, that hack is gonna learn to keep his ass off social media.

[FrenchBug82]

I love a lot of people involved in cheering him on here and I realize that there are people who are annoying and tell you how to do your job.

BUT if you work in the entertainment industry, people criticizing what you put out for our entertainment is NOT the same as telling a doctor what they should be doing.
Acting, writing, producing is about pleasing people. IT IS THE POINT.

When we say "the story you are writing is bad", we are not criticizing the technical skills involved, the way someone criticizing the paralegal was. We are criticizing the end result, the way I would criticize my lawyer if he lost my case.
If you can't take feedback from fans or criticism when something doesn't work, maybe show-business is not for you

[Soapsuds]

Did you hear that Martha Madison?

[AbcNbc247]

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And what exactly did she say to you when you commented?

[Khan]

Common response: "Because, the public doesn't know everything that goes into creating art!  THEY JUST. DON'T. KNOW."

My response to the common response: "Bullshit. 

"First of all, the public DOES know, more than you THINK they do.  Second, that's taking the whiny way out, instead of just sitting your asses down and doing better.  And third, whatever goes into 'creating art' is irrelevant.  All that matters, at the end of the day, is the finished product; and if the audience thinks the finished product is crap, they have a right AND A DUTY to say so. 

"After all, without your audience, who the hell are you creating all this [!@#$%^&*] for?  Just yourselves?  Good luck keeping the lights on that way, Cookie!"

Ron Carlivati is a prissy little bitch who doesn't take criticism well and who shouldn't be writing parking tickets, let alone a 56-year-old soap opera.

A soap opera is like any other dramatic work; it lives and dies by its' writing.  And Ron Carlivati might be talented (although, I've yet to see that for myself) but again, that's irrelevant.  As HW, his name is attached to every storyline currently running on DAYS; and right now, at least, he's failing.  Miserably.

Thank you.

I get what Claire Labine told Damon Jacobs in their 2016 WLS interview: you can't write for the audience; you have to write what interests and pleases you, because audiences can be fickle.  But, on the other hand, if something is clearly not working, and you know it's not working because your audience is telling you loud and clear that it's not working, then you have to try something else.  Period. 

Because, ladies and gentlemen, writing a television series is not the same as writing a novel.  You've got a lot more people to answer to, and if you piss them off too long and too often with cheap writing, eventually, they're gonna stop watching altogether.

Edited March 15, 2022 by Khan

[Taoboi]

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[Khan]

It would be one thing if Ron Carlivati was just going through a "rough patch."  All head writers in this industry have gone through periods where it's clear they're not as on their game as they'd normally be.  But, my God, when was the last time Ron Carlivati told a story on any show he's worked on that didn't make viewers want to scream in agony or question his taste or sanity?

[FrenchBug82]

And it is not even that he is resenting some specific criticisms and standing by a story that he thinks is more worth it than the audience thinks.
I am the first one to say that audience whining should not be the lodestar - especially at Days where so many stories that we regard as classics were constantly complained about at the time by fans of this or that supercouple who didn't want them separated.
BUT that's not what he (or the actors celebrating) are doing here.
They are mocking the *very concept* of fans criticizing them. As if the skills and hard work involved made them immune to us reacting to the end result.

I am sure writing is hard work - it is hard work whether you work great stuff or crap. Pointing out that it is crap is not invalidated by the fact it was hard work that required some skills we don't have. It is his job to use those skills and hard work to make something good. He is well-paid for it.
If a mason takes a year to build a house, and it is crooked, you'd better believe he will be criticized for it, no matter how much work he put into it and whatever professional skills he has that I don't.
If the end result sucks, he is going to have to hear the feedback and take it.