Smile for the camera, lovely Lily

Lily didn't exactly smile when an obsessed fan forced her to pose for a picture with him. Why was Lily, a Brash & Sassy spokesmodel, more of a target for a stalker than GC Buzz on-air celebrities Hilary and Mariah? It's a case of being 'close-up' and way too personal in Two Scoops.

Say cheese and smile pretty for the camera, Lily. You could imagine the horribly creepy stalker dude saying this, as he snatched the cellphone out of his pocket to take a selfie with Lily. But what could she do? Lily tried politely, several times, to get away from him, but he wouldn't let her escape. The creep kept insisting he was her biggest fan, and he more than likely even invented a fiance to make himself appear more approachable and normal.

But this guy was obviously strange, and I can't blame Lily for wanting to get far, far away from him. If she'd had her way, Lily would probably have wanted to send him to another galaxy. Hey, I've heard that Pluto is nice this time of year. And I mean the recently reclassified dwarf planet, not the smiling, friendly Disney dog. Sure, Mickey's pup may be sweet, but the cur who had Lily cornered in her room was anything but.

In these modern times of the Internet, Facebook, and YouTube, celebrities have the opportunity to be in the spotlight more now than ever before. But this extra notoriety comes with the added price of putting themselves more in danger, since the light shines their images brightly across to everyone -- the good, the bad, the ugly, and the insane. It's hard to believe that there are some out there who think that just because a person chooses to be on camera to make a living, it means he or she belongs to all the wackos of the world. This way of thinking is very seriously warped. Apparently, March isn't the only thing that's gone mad.

I couldn't believe the gall of the creepy stalker dude to ask Lily for another picture because he wanted her to smile. How could she when he was so obviously making her feel uncomfortable and insecure? When he held the camera of his cellphone right in her face, I could almost hear Norma Desmond's famous remark, "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my closeup," from Sunset Boulevard, float through my head. Only Lily was nowhere near ready to have that animal put his paws all over her. Ugh. Actually, Lily could have called the police and had him arrested for false imprisonment, since the toad wouldn't let her leave when she attempted to. The filthy vermin unlawfully restrained Lily. Lily will surely regret not making that telephone call to the cops down the road.

Thankfully, stalking is finally considered a crime in all fifty states. However, the illegality doesn't deter some sleazeballs from acting upon their sick, depraved impulses. But a person who makes a living in the public eye shouldn't have to worry about being safe from someone's unwanted attention. Of course, I knew about John Lennon, but the death of Rebecca Schaeffer of My Sister, Sam really emphasized to me the magnitude of danger caused by a stalker's fantasy and obsession for a celebrity. And not that long ago, The Voice finalist Christina Grimmie was murdered by a crazed fan who felt she belonged to only him, and he, therefore, found a way to make sure no one else would have her. Today's celebrities don't have just the paparazzi to worry about -- anyone can get into the game. But sadly, it's often a game of life and death. I applaud The Young and the Restless for telling this very topical story, and I only hope the writers do it justice.

While Lily was in Genoa City, where she was unknowingly watched by the jerk, Cane was partying it up with Juliet in Tokyo. So, Cane was drinking shots overseas, as the creep stalker dude was taking shots of his wife at home. But did Cane do more than paint the town red, since Juliet's earring was in Cane's bed and a nightie was in his suitcase?

Gosh, nothing Cane did was appropriate for what was supposed to be a corporate meeting. I mean, who would hug a business associate from any country after coming to terms on an agreement? Nobody I know. And since when has Cane been such a heavy-duty drinker, even after clinching the big deal? He was downing one shot after another, which didn't seem true to his nature or to the character. Besides, Cane sure picked a fine time to leave his wife alone, but then again, how would he know that Lily wasn't safe? Apparently, Cane's not as up on the more recent events of celebrity stalking as I am.

And neither are the Genoa City police, since they only arrested the jerk, who was tailing Lily, for trespassing, when the creepy guy was obviously stalking. What?! Come on, he pretty much trapped her in a room to get a picture, and then he followed her home, peering through her blinds to take more pictures. By going to her house, he clearly crossed way over the line of propriety, and the scumbag should have been arrested with the more severe and appropriate criminal charge. The Genoa City cops really need to brush up on the law.

But once Cane returned home, he decided to install a new security system and cameras. You've got to be kidding me. Please don't tell me the creepy stalker dude storyline is over already. So much more could be done with this story, since stalking is a problem for women all over the world, not just for celebrities. What a wasted opportunity.

Okay, I get it that the stalker saw a photo of Lily and decided she was the girl of his dreams, as unrealistic as that was. But then we have Hilary and Mariah, who, as the hosts of GC Buzz, also place themselves smack-dab in the public eye on a daily basis. So, what made the writers choose Lily as the target for this kind of creep over the two ladies who do live interviews on TV? Well, Lily does have more at stake than Hilary and Mariah, since she is a mother of two children, whom she would need to protect. A despicable cad could use her kids as weapons against Lily to get what he wanted. It also, of course, allows Jordan to be brought closer into Lily's orbit.

Also, Lily's public persona would be classified as sweet -- not so much with Hilary, I would say. A scum of this nature would search for the "nice girl" as his next victim, rather than go after the more hard-shell Mariah or the somewhat nasty Hilary. Come on, the guy's a wacko, but he's not crazy enough to pursue Hilary. Nor is he stupid, since he guessed he would have a chance to get close to Lily, who would not want to ever appear rude to a fan. Shoot, Hilary would have shot him down and thrown him out, and Mariah probably would have laughed in his face. Unfortunately, predators have a particular type, when they are going after their prey.

And speaking of Hilary, she has the guys falling all over her, thanks to the appeal and the vibes she gives out through her telecasts. Hilary has men fighting tooth and nail just to be at her side, and she loves every minute of it. When Devon and Jordan both craved her attention, she was smiling in glee at the thought of wrapping each of them around her little finger. Luckily, she has two of them. Little fingers, I mean. Hilary loves shifting her men around like pawns who jump at her beck and call. She has all the adoration on earth. Small wonder Hilary is ready to move onward and upward with her life.

Yet, Mariah has no suitors of any kind, which I find rather strange, especially after her faceplant on the carpet on live TV. Her courage to bounce back after her fall grabbed the public's attention and admiration. So, where are all her fans or groupies? It's just a little weird that there are no men who find her attractive, especially since Mariah's public image has improved with a total makeover. Mariah is really quite comely. Forget Kevin. Where are all the other men? Mariah is on camera daily, which should romantically bait the appetites of the men all over, but no fish seem to be biting.

Even Kevin hasn't noticed how lovely Mariah has gotten since she started her hosting gig. But then again, Kevin has been blinded forever by Chloe, who only cares for him when he can do something for her. Kevin would rather have someone who can use him, rather than someone who really cares for him. Mariah deserves so much more -- and someone who truly appreciates her.

Also, while Jordan goes back and forth between Hilary and Lily, he has never even noticed just how pretty Mariah is. What kind of flirt is he if he can't even bother to pay a compliment or two to the radiant redhead? Sure, it's unlikely a flattering remark would turn Mariah's head, but Jordan could, at least, give it a shot for practice. And when Devon accompanied Mariah to the Underground and saw Hilary with Jordan, why didn't it even occur to Devon to pay the ex-con a little special attention, if only to make Hilary jealous? I don't think the show gives enough credit to how fetching Mariah really is, and that's where they are missing out.

I am glad that Mariah finally got a career at GC Buzz as co-host, which you can bet won't last long once Hilary sinks her fangs into ownership of the business. But it's time for Mariah to finally find love, as much as she denied ever wanting it to Devon. Actually, Devon could still see what's been right in front of his face for quite some time now, and that's a beautiful and genuinely nice (as much as she would ever hate to admit it) lady on the inside and out. That's where Hilary tends to come up a little short -- being nice and genuine. With Mariah, a man would get the real deal. However, Hilary enjoys a good game, and some guys tend to enjoy the chase more than they do the conquest. Devon has never seemed to be that kind of guy though -- or maybe he just got tired of running.

Since Lily had that disgusting skunk following her every move, maybe Mariah's story could be the other side of the coin, where she meets a nice fan who admires and respects her. You know, a man not named Kevin. He had his chance, and he blew it. Y&R could use a slow-moving buildup to a love story for the distrustful ex-con who has decided to spurn love and marriage forever. Wouldn't that be fun and romantic? Fans used to see that on soaps, but romance, much like chivalry, seems to have disappeared like a rabbit in a top hat. Presto-change-o. Poof! Vanished in a puff of smoke, right in front of our eyes. But who's to say the magicians can't bring back this bunny?

As far as love goes, there were no surprises in store for Victoria, who so obviously wanted, deep down in her heart, what she has wanted all along -- Billy. Absolutely nothing has changed in that regard. But because she doesn't trust him, she pushes Billy away, only to later pull him back in. Billy never knows if he's coming or going, but he only has himself to blame for that. As much as Victoria has always loved him, she's had a teensy-weensy problem with trusting him, which sabotaged their marriage. But even after all they have been through together, Victoria still can't let him go. Seriously, the new and improved Victor is starting to get a little dull, anyway. Maybe it's time for Victoria and Billy Boy to reunite, just to jumpstart her daddy's interfering ways again. Victor has truly become unrecognizable.

No matter what happens personally between the former spouses, it looks like Billy will be gearing up for another corporate battle, only this time, he will be duking it out with his brother, Jack. Yeah, the same brother whose wife Billy chose to have sex with, multiple times, which destroyed Jack's marriage. It appears Jack's still just a little bit miffed about that. With Victor being all nicey-nicey now, the fans need some corporate fireworks sparking off somewhere, and there's a new kid in town named Brash & Sassy, who's ready for the next skirmish. The sports world had better be prepared, because round one for Jack and Billy will be in their arena. Hey, how appropriate that the brothers' sparring match will be in the realm of sports. It fits like a glove -- a boxing glove!

Hey, Ravi can really clean up nicely, when you get him in a suit, and didn't he look dapper with his slicked-down hair and minus the glasses? It would be enough to make any girl's heart skip a beat, but what about a more mature woman like Ashley? Who knew Ravi was such an opera geek, as well as being a computer nerd? If Ashley were a wee bit younger and wasn't Ravi's boss, I would think that they could be "a cute couple." But the age difference is just too extreme in their case. What may not seem like such a problem now could very well become difficult to deal with later in life, when health issues could become more of a factor. I am all for live and let live and for finding one's soul mate, but one must be realistic also. With the odds against them, Ravi and Ashley would need to have more than just opera in common to build a strong and lasting relationship.

I'm sorry, but I still find the whole Scott espionage story a little dull. Seriously, I just saw the same storyline on The Blacklist: Redemption a few weeks ago. A journalist overseas was captured and needed to be rescued, so the good guys dashed their way over to secure his release. Well, okay, they didn't do it singlehandedly, like Kevin did, but they were heroes nonetheless. It truly was a heartwarming tale, except for the part where the journalist died after the rescue, but you can't have everything, I guess. But wait...could Phyllis be Scott's -- and this story's -- savior?

Wow, who would ever have thought that Jill would turn to Nikki for advice? But Jill was desperate, so she hoped that, as Katherine's best friend, Nikki would have picked up on some of the wisdom and knowledge that our beloved grand lady had held. And strangely, Nikki pretty much pointed Jill into giving Colin another chance. Okay, actually Nikki told Jill to decide with her heart, which is actually very good advice. And it's true. Jill needs to figure out if her life would be better with Colin or without him. She will regret it forever if she makes the wrong choice out of anger.

I can remember a similar situation between Greenlee and Leo from All My Children, way back when, and Greenlee wisely chose Leo. They are still one of my favorite soap couples of all time. Hopefully, Jill will choose correctly, also, but will it be in time, since Colin realized it would be best to leave town for his loved ones' sakes? Will Colin be like the music box and be gone from Jill's life for good this time?

I liked how Hilary compared the downfall of her marriage to Devon: she did the dance, but then the music stopped. Somehow, the music never really fit them though. Maybe he was a little bit country, and she was a little bit rock and roll. Shades of Donny and Marie!

Now Victoria, cut Reed a little slack. Zoey could be a queen bee and also be a bumblebee. Sheesh!

Now that Elizabeth Hendrickson has been taken off contract, will Billy ever learn that, thanks to Chloe taking his sperm, Bella was (supposedly) his daughter? Has this storyline gone the way of Katherine's music box, to reappear at another time? Or is it yet another one that has ended up in the lost-and-never-to-be-resolved junk heap? Time will tell, I guess.

Until next time, please stay tuned.Teddi

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