Reader feedback

Brooke fears that her rapist might do something to keep her from getting her kids back, so she has refused to call the police, and she has refused to seek immediate medical attention.

Every week I get the privilege of hammering away on my keyboard and dispensing my own special brand of ranting and raving about B&B. For over 5 years I have amassed some of the best and most astute readers any columnist could have. As the events of the last week or so has quite literally turned my stomach, I have decided that my Scoops faithful should have more than their usual short time on the Soapbox and instead be given the floor so to speak. This storyline with Brooke's rape has garnered some of the most passionate and intense reactions I have ever seen since I started writing this column. Many of you very eloquently expressed your shock, disgust, and sadness for how this story has played out and why. Brad, if you or anyone in your production company reads me every week (probably not but nice to imagine), it's time you put your finger on the pulse of the viewers of this show once and for all....

Jean: 'I saw Brad at the Daytime Emmys sitting between his mother and sister andI wondered if he might secretly hate that situation and take his frustration outon the women of B&B. If anyone needs to be flogged it is Brad Bell!!. Did hegive any thought to the women that watched this that may have been attacked? '

Bev:' I have been fuming all weekend wanting to write Mr. Bell and give him a piece ofmy mind, but that's what he wants. He loves when we are outraged by his hideousstorylines.

Anastasia:' I don't understand whythe writers can't come up with a story that would show Brooke in a new light. Honestly, I feel like one minute the writers are building her strength and youlook forward to the change and then the carpet is pulled right from under youbecause they revert right back to the victim roll.

RubyD: 'It is time this vile woman I held accountable for herwicked deeds.Is Stephanie's life so empty that although she got Brooke out ofRidge's life that is not enough?

Connie: 'Brad has sunk to an all-time low with this Brookerape storyline - just awful!'

Cyndi: 'I have read your columns for some time now & have not always beenthrilled with your opinion of Brooke but you hit a home run with how the rest ofus feel about the "rape" storyline -- BBell is going way too far!!! So onbehalf of all Brooke fans -- THANK YOU!!!'

Giovanna: 'I wish she, Taylor, would tell Stephanie off and meanit. FGS, she is no longer married to Stephanie's son, yet the old witch goes overto her office to whine about Brooke.'

Leah: 'I agree with you, the rape scene with Brooke and Andy made me literally sick andI DID turn off the tv....if Brad continues to write these kinds of storylines...I for one will not be watching it anymore.'

Belinda: 'A woman of Brooke'smeans would never, never, NEVER find herself losing her children to a man thatisn't even the father of one of them. The rape thing takes what has alreadygone too far and pushes it even further. I can't watch it any more.'

Linda: 'Thank you, Kristine for ripping this rape storyline apart. I am intears...that's just how badly I feel after half watching the today's show. As avictim of rape in 1981, I could not look at Friday's show. I find myselflooking at B&B less and less. All I can say is that this is not entertainment.'

Linda from NJ: 'I watched therape and I cried and had to walk away. What the hell is wrong with Brad and hisstaff. My GOD this is daytime. I have and always will be a fan of KKL... Anyway the anger is there isn't it gf thanks to Bell the nutso.'

Rebecca: 'I feel like theydon't really care what the viewers think and always take the storytelling roadthat is most titillating and cheap. The writers don't seem to understand whatgood writing is all about and unfortunately, have been able to hold viewersbased on fast, cheap tricks.'

Julie: 'This is gettingannoying to watch. Worse yet, the rape scene. No public service here, Brad. Ialways liked Stephanie. They have turned her into a complete maniac. Show isgoing down the tubes ! Brad, lighten up!'

Cindy: 'Steph is an obsessive, malicious, out of control monster. My hope is that shewill be exposed for the low-down, manipulative, hateful woman she truly hasbecome. I want to see her world come tumbling down and lose everything andeverybody dear to her.'

Gladys: 'Hurry up and bring this rape to light.It's time to bring Stephanie to her knees. Any woman that could contribute toanother woman being rape is as low as the rapist.'

Chris: 'To have her raped in her own home and not call 911 because she was afaidof losing her children was to much for me. I couldn't stand to watch. For thesafety of her children is more than enough reason to call. I would think thewriters would have her fight her attacker off, and for all the women watchingthe show at least MAKE THE CALL to the police.'

Angie: 'I get so sick of this sexist soap, I am almost done watchingit. I hate almost every single storyline. What a waste of a great cast!!!

Valerie: 'I am not so surethat that was a good scene to put in the show, it was much too graphic and forother women who have been raped this scene may have been much to graphic and putall the feelings on the front burner again. not so good I don't think...'

Ruby F: 'Having known someone who was raped, the current storyline is very real and needs to be done. Too many people think it is no big dealthat women just ask for it. Yes, it is intense, but I believe it is getting thepoint across.'

Sue: 'Ifthe entire Stephanie being buddies with the lady from Child Protective Servicesand managing to get Brookes kids away from her the rape deal did push me overthe edge.'

Tracy: 'This storyline doesnot help real rape victims. This storyline is encouraging victims to remainsilent when threatened. Just for once couldn't they have Brook screaming toeveryone that she had been raped? This is a sad attempt to help raise theawareness for rape victims.'

Steve A.: 'I am a male fan of the B&B but I can't tell you how violated I feel watchingthis past week.(KKL's acting has been great) and the rape was horrific, but Ialmost feel dirtier watching Stephanie and her manipulations. Does she ever gether comeuppance?'

Marya: 'Please let someonegive Stephanie her due. Kill her off for all I care. She is cold and heartlessand allowed to get away with so much it is getting to be unbelievable.'

With so many emails, I tried my best to get to everyone's and present angles that did not exactly mirror another's (and so many people said the same thing...amazing that this story has done that for SO many readers). I have to say this...I originally thought the PSA's at the end of the shows would likely be of some benefit but the more I watched, the more evident it became that they were entirely hypocritical and laughable. Don't tar and feather me yet...hear me out...

This story has Brooke fearing that Andy the psycho rapist could possibly do something to keep her from getting her kids back (so ridiculous) and that has caused her to NOT call the police, NOT seek immediate medical attention so that there is DNA evidence to help prosecute him, and NOT to really do much of anything. However, her PSA implores victims of sexual assault to seek help immediately, etc. How can you portray one thing and yet advise another? Doesn't this send a mixed message to all victims of rape? Why would Brad have her suffering in silence? I still say he hates Brooke and has 'issues' with women in general because to portray this is STUPID and irresponsible. I have a 15 year old stepdaughter that I have helped to raise since she was 5 and when she saw it, she asked me the same thing. "I don't get it...if I were raped, I would think the first thing you do would be to tell someone, like the cops or your doctor...it would be so hard be how could you not?' Out of the mouths of babes, I say. She and many girls her age watch these and other shows and can easily take their cues from them (though we don't like them to sometimes) and this message is dangerous. Brad, wake up...your story is truly the worst you have ever put to the screen.

The Soap Box

All the best of the Soapbox is above but I want to thank everyone that emailed this week, sharing such heart wrenching personal stories and relating them to this mess on B&B. It could not have been easy and I appreciate it. I have never suffered a sexual assault (close but I got myself out of there in time) so I cannot say I understand but as the stepmom to a wonderful 15 year old daughter, it is something that I worry about and pray she never has to face. Brad should have handled this story better, sent a better message, and made Stephanie pay for her complicity in it. I hope she pays for this but as we have all seen, Brad likes to make sure there are plenty of weak and dependent women gracing our screen everyday. It's a real shame. And sometimes impossible to watch.

I'll be back next week in rare form and ready to slice and dice as usual!

Have a great week!!!