As you would say Jillian CHAPTER!

You know Jamey said on twitter that he was willing to turn this show off if Kristoff is punished again for speaking out and I am willing to do the same. I was beyond pissed with MAB/Sony/Y&R when Kristoff admitted on the Foxxhole that he was punished. I am getting worked up now typing this now.

MAB is the first writing regime who has done NOTHING with the Winters family since their introduction on the show! It's a shame before God that as a black man you can't speak out but Eric Braeden, Melody thomas Scott, Peter Bregman can all speak out and you can't. I will not support this at all! I am fed up with Y&R and ready to turn off this show for good!

Kristoff St John is a twenty year veteran of this show and deserves to be treated much better. It's a shame that the character of Neil/Olivia/Malcolm have all been reduced to talk to for the character of Lily. Absolutely disgusting!

Vote with your remote people!

Jillian, yeah this is the USA. Yeah we do have free speech, but unless you live in a freakin' fantasy world, this country IS NOT, HAS NEVER BEEN, WILL NEVER BE COLORBLIND! Kristoff wasn't backburned just because he spoke out. Kristoff is an AA man who spoke out and because he did that's why he got backburned. Of course those other actors and actresses weren't backburned the way he was. color and race had everything to do with it. If you don't believe me? Watch the show sometime in the near future and see if you see Neil Winters again for a LONG time!

"Y&R's black characters have been just as popular as Kay, Jack, Nikki or Victor over the years..."

Are you kidding me?! What show have you been watching and from what planet!?

You seriously need to start reading the blogs more! I, and many of my friends and family members have stopped watching YR because of Drucilla's death. I will not watch that show ever again. I think it's disgusting and deplorable how she died, how the actress was treated on the show and how she was backburned for a character who can't even act to save face!

I tend to discount "conspiracy theories" but if all of this is true then it could account for Kristoff St. John's recent dour one note performance. It would also be something to legitimately drive viewers away in droves if exposed.

But ... could these problems have more to do with the actual person rather than diversity issues? Maybe some of these Y&R alumni are causing more trouble behind the scenes than we are aware of.

If all is true though, the issue will need to be addressed and corrected post haste.

Smitty, I joining with you. I haven't watch the Y*R since May. I will not be giving my money or viewership to a show that don't give a damn about my people, the ones that made Y&R billions of dollars over a long period.

Mo matter who you are, and where you work at, controversy and calling your bosses in a public place no matter if you are right, will NEVER gives you what you want.

I'm sorry but this is life and has nothing to do with who, or colour or sex or work environment.

This kind of behaviour will always result in that kind of backlash. And frankly in most work environment; they would simply show you the door!

I don't deny the diversity issue is real, it is.
I just do not condone the strategy used for what: trying to fix it? Seriously?
Denouncing it? We know it's there!

I call this disaster shooting oneself in the foot!

YR has disrespected it's core audience the AA viewers for yrs. Every magzn or poll says that the numbers reflect AA are the dominate viewership and yet we can't get a main s/line or traction for keeping the good actors of any COLOR.

Rafe the lone hispanic, gay lawyer. Keemo the Asian Abbott who Jack never talks about or visit even for family events or Christmas. Esther still running around in that Mamie costume as a Maid. And poor Estella, now that EVERYONE knows all the things ADAM did. Was she offered compensation or a job back for being Fired, Jailed and having her character maligned all through GC.

I agree w/KSJ rockn the boat doesn't feed his kids or put a roof over his head. But going along to get along makes you a little weak and lets them know they can Walk all over you cause you won't fight back.

I disagree with VR for puttin all of KSJ's business on the street during Foxxhole. Because he still has to work w/these people and interact with them. But she is right Dru and Neil are just as much the history of Bell's legacy as the Fisher/Fenmore/Baldwin/Bardwell clan or any Newman.

timepass, I have to disagree. Eric Braden called his bosses out and he got exactly what he wanted. There was no backlash at all.

I'm sorry but this is life and has nothing to do with who, or colour or sex or work environment.

And therein lies the problem. The above is very true..the issue is that Y&R isn't handling it this way. Instead, the white actors/actresses that have spoken out weren't reprimanded, and the only remaining AA actors have been reprimanded.

KSJ wasn't given story.
BJ made a statement and had to "retract" it within a few minutes. The Black Box still exist.

I wish EB would have been reprimanded, because then, no one would have a case.

I'm just glad that somebody here had the stones to call out "Auntie Ri-Ri" for this! THANK YOU, JILLIAN!!!

I fully expected KSJ to disappear after what he said - and they proved me right. And no - EB did not get a reprimand. And yes - EB did get just what he wanted. And Yes, Peter Bergman has spoken out about this show over the years. If anything, KSJ has always been amiable (perhaps too much so) where this show is concerned.

I certainly don't want him to turn into a stark raving lunatic (*cough*VR*cough*), but he should not have received any repercussions for what he said, if it was not in line with what was happening with everyone else.

Christel will be the only person of color on contract in a few months.

Since Darius is so on Paul Rauch side, where is Malcolm's s/l? No where to be seen, VR is right about the politics behind the scenes on Y&R.

I pictured Paul listening to that part w/a cigar in hand and a "boy" in his response.

@ Pure_Diva, why do you liken VR to "a stark raving lunatic"? Everytime I have heard her speak whether it was via Daytime Confidential or the previous broadcast from the Foxx Hole she has been articulate and calm, and pretty much laid it out there. This is a continual issue in television and film. She made a lot of valid points especially about Paul Rauch. When Mr. Rauch took over ONE LIFE TO LIVE in the mid 80's, granted he did a lot of great things for the show's anglo characters but he did cut three of the show's African-American characters: Sadie Gray (Lillian Hayman), Carla Gray (Ellen Holly, as referenced by VR in the Foxx Hole interview) and Lt. Ed Hall (Al Freeman, JR). These three characters were rich to the ONE LIFE canvas and vision for so many years...the show's African-American matriarch, Lillian Hayman, didn't even know her last day had happened until somebody from the studio came out to her in the parking lot and presented her with a box of her personal stuff. Ms. Hayman was pretty respected as an actress in New York, and that's how Rauch treated her. Unbelievable...but apparently true...and now in 2010...still an issue.
Erik

My understanding was CBS/Sony pressured him into taking a huge pay cut even though his contract had a couple years to go. They were writing him to die from his heart condition and hired "Tucker" to be the new Victor in town.

It seems that Jill and Nikki have both been punished for contract negotiations/speaking out.

Jillian I agree with you 1000%.

I knew this show was going down the hill as soon as they announced Paul Rauch and then Hogan Sheffer was joining the scene. But Maria Arena Bell takes the cake as the HBIC.

LML treated black actors which a bit more dignity and respect than that. We also had ample storyline on the show. But then the new regime came and the blackout began.

Y&R hired that tired model Eva Marcil in the role of Tyra that she swore she didn’t use the name due to the characters association with ANTM and after almost 2 years of trying to force the character on the fans they finally gave her the pink slip after the whole incest sex story with Devon.

Then they had the accomplished actress Nia Peebles on there who languished on backburner and once discussed in an interview how they tried to have pretend to be black wanting to give her a character Karen a history where she was the daughter of a black maid in which she was estranged from. Nia quickly let them know that since she was not black that it would be disrespectful for her to do that. It wasn’t too long after that Mr. Rauch and Co. first tried to fire her but couldn’t.

Last year Bryton James tweeted about the lack of inclusion of his character Devon and Kristoff’s Neil. Soon a swarm of fans swooned in and accused him of dissing the show. Ignorance was bliss on their part. The same thing happened to some extent to Kristoff after his interview.

And isn’t it funny that these two Emmy winners are given about as much screen time senior citizens are on most other soaps?

Yet the care TBTB have taken when recasting Tucker, Abby, Heather, Adam, and Noah or bringing on others such Jeff Branson and John Driscoll, even some of the actors didn’t work pales in comparison to their care for casting and crafting the African Americans.

Let’s go back to when Paul Rauch said Darius was the best audition in 20 years and took a character that was known for his looks put “this” man in the role and then Maria tried to sell him as she going back to Bill Bell’s original plan for the character of Malcolm.

Let’s see that the fabulous and mainstream popular actress Tatyana Ali was hired for 30 second stints once a month.

Let’s keep it real that characters like Billy, Tucker, and even for a short while Phyllis and Nikki can run their own companies but Neil who has more experience then all of them wrapped up into his pinky finger is regulate being a offscreen CEO, who still lives in a kitchenette apartment while Billy and Vicky get a home as do other characters.

And let’s talk about Sequedia aka Sofia. I don’t care about the actress’s size. But her In Living Color ghetto girl performances are far from a strong black woman in an executive position type and it sure didn’t make me want to see more of her. Why not have cast Ameila Marhsall? But I digress…

And all this falls on Maria Hell’s shoulders, since she is the HBIC. So Maria is not two-faced she’s got multiple faces and ain’t none of them focused on the blacks on Y&R or the majority audience.

My understanding was CBS/Sony pressured him into taking a huge pay cut even though his contract had a couple years to go. They were writing him to die from his heart condition and hired "Tucker" to be the new Victor in town.

It seems that Jill and Nikki have both been punished for contract negotiations/speaking out.
-------------------

This is wrong for several reasons.

#1 The two do not compare. You cannot equate the issue of racial/sexual equality over someone concerned about their salary reduction. MTS mocked Sony in an interview saying that due to the downturn in the economy that they were using that as leverage to cut her salary. Of course the entire television industry has to make sharp cuts. She was and from her interview just like Eric believed she was above a pay cut. And so instead of punishing her she was given a moratorium on talks of her salary cut until the end of the next cycle.

Jess Walton complained that she was upset because she was the first one being asked to take a pay cut.

Both actresses were speaking up for self-interest.

#2 Kristoff was speaking up for Equality on the show. He not only spoke about racial equality but he also spoke out about hideous storylines for the 2 gay characters on the show. So he spoke up about social issues related to the series.

I'm sorry but this is life and has nothing to do with who, or colour or sex or work environment.

This kind of behaviour will always result in that kind of backlash. And frankly in most work environment; they would simply show you the door!

I don't deny the diversity issue is real, it is.
I just do not condone the strategy used for what: trying to fix it? Seriously?
Denouncing it? We know it's there!

I call this disaster shooting oneself in the foot!

You must be White because only some one who has never dealt with racism would say something as trivial as you. Did you not read the article where it talked about Eric Braeden (as well as others)speaking out and getting what he wanted and not being penalized. I am glad Victoria Rowell spoke up and put Y&R on front street. Now lets see what the producers and the people at Sony Television do now.

I'm glad somebody has the guts to put YR TBTB dirty laundry out there. In the words of Maya Anjealou, if people show you who they are, believe them! MAB/PR has been shown their funky tactics!

I would love, LOVE, to believe that race has nothing to do with this whole situation, but it's hard to come to any other conclusion when you see the inequality of what has happened in the case of certain actors and what has or hasn't happened in the case of other actors who happen to be Afro-american, especially in the areas of air-time, storyline development, and salary.

Race has PLENTY to do with this situation. Mama Bell and Paul Rauch are LAZY, complacent, power-hungry SNAKES who don't know how to tell decent stories that appeal to African Americans, and they don't want to learn. And God forbid that they should actually do the UNTHINKABLE and hire an AA writer for the show. But as Lynn Latham and Barbara Bloom told Victoria Rowell back in 2007: "That's never been done before." I guess that because it's never been done before, we are to assume that it simply doesn't work???? Yeah, it's called not really giving a damn!!!!!!! Should blacks be written as caricatures?? No. Are Caucasian writers perfectly capable of writing good stories for AA characters themselves??? Absolutely. Is Maria Bell capable??? Not if her life depended on it. At least not based on her track record!!!!!

AA viewers are this show's bread and butter, and have been for years. And I would GLADLY boycott watching this show if it would help institute the necessary changes in the guard that would get rid of Hackarena and Paul Rauch (whose old demented ass needs to SERIOUSLY consider retirement. Hell, he's older than Methusela already!! Does he really NEED the money??? Nope, just wants to rule with his iron fist and keep torturing good actors who have helped build this show's legacy!)

As Victoria Rowell said, Rauch, Maria Bell and CBS don't care if you show up and do your job, smile, shut up and color within the lines, they will STILL cut your airtime willy-nilly if they chose to. Tonya Lee Williams has always colored within the lines and has never caused any controversy, and where's HER airtime??? So it comes back to TPIC not really giving a RAT'S BOOTIE about AA characters, unless their name is "Lily Winters." Don't get me started on that...............................

And yes, many other actors who don't have as much pigment in their skin have complained, and they STILL get shown 8 days a week, so what's REALLY going on????

It's called RACISM!!!!!! And it's far from subtle or understated. Some racists hide behind the bushes and others show up on your doorstep donning their white sheets!! What type of racists are running Y&R nowadays????
Inquiring minds wanna know.....

Change is needed NOW!!!!!!! And I hope it happens sooner rather than later!!!!!

I'm sorry... I am still stuck on Darius's ignorant as HELL "picking cotton if the check is big enough" comment. I can't. I just can't...

I have respect for both Kristoff and Victoria (even if I don't agree with some of her methods). But I have ZERO hope for the future of diversity on Y&R.

We have Falcolm who doesn't have charisma nor care about the product he's putting out or the material he's given. As for his resemblance to the original actor...well... who cares, because all black people look alike, right? We have an actress who is supposed to be playing an African-American character but refuses to have a black love interest or acknowledge that part of her heritage. And another actor who, while talented, is too afraid for his job to speak up.

This is a mess.

Also, let's remember diversity is more than just black or white. I have yet to see an Asian, Hispanic, Native American, gay (the list goes on) character accurately represented.

And ironically, an industry that is built on women discriminates against them in contract negotiations and ships them off once they hit 45.

You surely did not read my post entirely, and I won't accuse you of being illeterate.

YES it is racism, pure and simple and OBVIOUS!
YES it is ok for VR to talk about it since she does not work for them, and does not have to suffered the repercussion.
BUT if you still work for the people in charge, the same people who have all the power, then yes you shoot yourself in the foot!

I did not suffered racism BUT I am a woman and I suffered from that fact in my work environment. I was an only woman in a room with 100 guys in a meeting, because even though woman are as intelligent and deserving as man, they only promote man.

I am worry about the guys still worming on Y&R, this article will not help them at all, in fact we all know what the repercussion will be!

I hope the show doesn't cave and allow Victoria back after her stink she put up behind the scenes. Yes, I can understand how she would be upset about being spit on; but other things I feel that there is a larger story we're not hearing.
They need to have more Neil in the business world and focus on Malcolm and Sophia as they are as compelling couple as Dru & Neil were back in the day. If they do decide to recast Dru, I hope they consider Jasmine Guy, they would bring a firey character back to life and without baggage.
...now where is the 'recast Dru petition?
Les