The big blame shift

Despite Nick's repeated requests for her to cease and desist, Phyllis whipped out one of her poison-tipped arrows and spitefully sent it winging straight for Sharon's heart.

Wow, what a difference a few days can make in Genoa City.

After a week during which our Miss Phyllis was given ample opportunities to stand alone on a spot lit stage, remorsefully moaning in abject and semi-apologetic misery, up to and including her somewhat self-starring cliff top eulogy, adding to her collection a few more scenes for someday submission for possible award acclaim, the new week found her being taken tenderly off the hot seat. Though her face at first wore an expression of shocked incredulity that the tide had turned so quickly, one breath later, her lips twisted in that familiar cruel smile so very much a part of her as visible joy raced through her rancid soul. Immediate amnesia bathed her brain, conveniently erasing her own dreadful part in Dru's unfortunate demise, and she shivered with skin-tingling pleasure at the knowledge that Sharon's behind was being measured to ensure a snug and uncomfortable fit on the still warm seat. Not one to hold back when afforded a chance to deliver a possible death blow, despite Nick's repeated requests for her to cease and desist, Phyllis whipped out one of her poison-tipped arrows and spitefully sent it winging straight for Sharon's heart.

Yes, fans, it's true. Despite what we all saw with our very own eyes, and saw again on YouTube as many times as we felt like hitting the Watch Again button, incriminating images have mysteriously appeared, shifting the burden of blame from Phyllis' shapely shoulders to Sharon's, showing Sharon to be the one who sent Dru tumbling off the cliff top without a tether. So who doctored the photos, because doctored photos are surely what we have to be talking about here. Though agreeably Phyllis has no love for Sharon, I'm sure she wasn't the photo editor. Hmm, so who else could it have been but David Chow? A man who didn't bite his tongue when expressing open and adamant opposition to an election killing connection between his candidate and Sharon. Well, I won't presume to speak for any of you, but I don't care what those fake photos show. Phyllis put the whole tragedy in motion with her vampire-like determination to drain every drop of blood from Sharon. And that crow can caw her innocence long after the cows have been herded back into the farmer's pasture, but I'll still hold her at least one third accountable. While I can understand Neil's devastation at seeing the damming pictures, I confess I was a bit disappointed to see how drastically he changed the words of his song. I mean mere hours earlier he was calling Sharon a friend, enjoying Flutterwhatever snacks with her. Now she's become the enemy. Apparently he disregarded the fact that Lily was only feet away yet never once implied Sharon might have been deserving of blame. Say what you will about Brad, and I seldom fail to do exactly that, at least his belief in Sharon never wavered, even after the photos surfaced. Of course, that's about the only good thing I'll probably say about Brad this week. Too bad he's failed to stand so steadfastly next to his wedded wife. But more on that later. Maybe I was only one fan of few, but I found Sharon's depressed devastation at the horrifying belief of being the reason her only friend was no longer alive very real. Anyone who has ever found themselves in her unenviable position, you know, the can't eat, can't sleep, don't wanna talk to no one, no matter who they are position could certainly identify with her distress. Though my despair obviously wasn't for the same reason as Sharon, I will be the first to raise my hand high and shout, been there, done that.

I know it's a pipe dream, but how heavenly it would be if Colleen and her Professor beau would disappear to the shores of France forever. It's not that I hate the two of them together or anything. I just have a very hard time seeing her as the self-sufficient grown up she constantly claims to be. But most of all, I absolutely hate the way every damn sentence of hers dwindles to that extremely annoying breathy whisper, like some coquettish sex kitten. Call me crazy, but I swear it makes me want to reach through the screen and twist her fool head right off her neck. By the way, was I the only fan laughing as the Professor tried to behave as if Colleen was just another student while she flipped her hair hither and yon while batting her baby browns flirtatiously for all she was worth? Like every student on campus wouldn't already have figured out and gossiped about the two of them getting at it every chance they could. Because as we all are well aware, GC is a very, very small town where everybody not only knows everybody else's name, they all see each other in the same two places. No way anybody with even one good eye in their head couldn't clearly see these two as the smitten lovers they are.

Of course pipe dream notwithstanding, I know better than to get my hopes up that the doorknob will be smacking Colleen on the backside as she exits. Once Brad realizes his daughter is determined to hitch her wagon to the Professor's star despite his disapproval, much as she did when J.T. was the sun, the moon and the stars in her universe, I'm guessing Daddy will start crooning a more conciliatory tune. Maybe Adrian will wind up off the University but still not out of reach. Perhaps like overseeing the renovations in the Clear Springs community and collecting an inflated Newman salary to do so.

And lastly, speaking of Colleen, by week's end, I was actually quite proud and impressed with her unusual restraint. Not one time during Lily's lament about Daniel's Porn Peeping Tomitis did Colleen utter so much as a single syllable relating to the mini drama currently playing on the big screen in her own life. If I hadn't failed to hear her not do it with my own ears, I never would have believed it possible.

Now, getting back to Bradley. Does that man even know what he wants? First he risks alienating Victoria forever by bowing down and allowing himself to be browbeaten by Phyllis' blackmail demands so Victoria wouldn't discover his indiscreet dalliance with Sharon. Then he trots over to Sharon and declares his undying devotion, which while it might be considerable, isn't quite enough to induce him to leave his wife and baby to be. Yet he doesn't want her to marry Jack. How many desserts does he have to have on his plate before he pronounces himself replete? One thing about Bradley. He certainly knows how to play the game and knows the drill well. Deny, deny, deny. And continue to proclaim your innocence even after being confronted with damning evidence. And he's also skimmed the same book Amber gets all her rules from. Like the one about gifts, gifts and more gifts.

But, given the ugly truth Victoria, with J.T.'s help, is about to discover, perhaps Brad should have asked the librarian to recommend a book explaining how to keep a marriage you betrayed while still on honeymoon. Of course, I'm sure we've all heard by now how Victoria will wind up evening the score. These people obviously believe deeply in the eye for an eye mentality. Or as is so often the case with Genoa Citians, one good infidelity definitely deserves another. What's good for the grey goose is extra great for the gander. Another round of bed hopping or sofa stopping is surely in Victoria's immediate future.

If the soiled infidelity sheet is indeed about to be ripped away, no doubt the week to come will make this one seem like a cakewalk to Sharon. I presume Nikki will take time out from her campaigning to carefully rip Sharon up one side and down the other. And Victoria, though not much more moral than the woman she thoroughly detests, will surely go all betrayed victim on her former sister-in-law. Even Jack, once the truth comes out, might find himself feeling somewhat less than fully forgiving. Even though he had no part in Sharon's life at the time. And while I would never attempt any kind of whitewashing to cover up the dirty deed Sharon did against her then sis-in-law, the truth is if she really wanted to be a disruptive wedge in that marriage and waltz away with Victoria's groom, she could have easily done some manipulating behind the scenes to ensure the whole ugly truth came out. And if she wasn't sure how, Gloria Fisher could certainly give her lots of ideas to get the deed done with no detectible trace of her handiwork.

Anyway, hopefully, Sharon won't be the only sullied citizen enduring a mighty measure of misery. Phyllis could also find her week just a wee bit trying if the pages of her book on blackmailing are read aloud. I can't imagine her husband will be breaking his hand patting his wife pridefully on the back for her part in this mess. Even if it doesn't end up amounting to much more than a hill of beans or a stinking smack on the wrist, it would still be a nice change to see Phyllis actually in danger of getting her comeuppance. Nor is Brad likely to escape unscathed. I'm guessing the wrath of the Newman he's wed to will be copiously combined with the ones to which he isn't, which should amount to a whole lot of Newman rage. He just might manage to keep his marriage, but he could very well be stripped of most if not all of his executive power at Newman. And if that happens, I can't say I will be wiping away any tears of sorrow on his behalf.

As Victoria continues to take a stubborn stance on Clear Springs, one question keeps reverberating repeatedly around my skull. What do the people want? To continue to exist on the perimeter of poverty, with some of them falling into the abyss, while some rich heiress hundreds of miles away toys with their future, selfishly holding their affluent future hostage by clinging to their town's crumbling architecture mostly to prove she can beat Jack and Phyllis. Do they even want saved what she's determined to rescue and renovate? In order to push his project through, will Victor eventually be forced to accept the very compromise Victoria pitched to him previously, the one he rudely ridiculed before rejecting?

Begun last week, smelly secrets continue to be dug out of holes and dragged out into the open. Daniel, proving there is much of his mother in him, has become a master of creative storytelling. Or a liar to call him exactly what he is. Obviously he didn't have to be told by Amber that the best defense is a strong and surprising offense. And he didn't hesitate to take that route in hope of deflecting Lily's anger from him to her father. Oh yeah, he responded to her accusations. I might be a liar, but so is your father, he hurriedly tattle told, all but waving a bottle of scotch beneath her nose. The miserable coward!

And he continued to prove himself one by letting Amber tidy his mess by tying it together with more lies instead of manfully admitting the truth, the whole truth and nothing but and accepting his bitter medicine as penance. Every guy is going to look at naked woman was Amber's motto as she effortlessly convinced her own man to lie fluently and believably through his straight white teeth, still in the dark about his bride's duplicity. I don't know about any of you, but I beg to differ with Amber's assertion. Sure many men might be willing to peer in appreciation at the naked female form, just as some of us women might take a peek or two at pictures of unclad male specimens, but not nearly so many would likely be silly enough to put the charge on the credit card they hold jointly with their wife! Nor would they be prone to paw through the lingerie rack at the Boo-teek till they located the same one spray painted on the body of the woman they're salivating over. Who just happens to be a sort of friend to the wife. You would think Daniel would have enough of listening to Amber and her rules and advice given the pickle juice he's presently stewing in. As for Amber, since she's so good at spinning tall tales, I hope she has one all thought out should her own disgusting deeds come to light.

Okay, I can't call this column a wrap until I address the Fishers and their abominable behavior. Talk about a secret that needs to be dug up and spread out for everyone to see. And a woman who needs to be brought to some kind of justice for all that she's done and gotten away with. First of all, it's not as if Gloria is an unattractive woman. So just for something different, it would be nice to see her trap her man the old fashioned way, you know with her feminine wiles of manipulation and the like. But, just my opinion, her sleaze is definitely on full display as she goes about drugging people with sexual stimulants to get what she wants. And Kevin was having way too much fun with it. Just how much did he plan to watch? How many more pieces of clothing had to come off before he had the decency to turn off his monitor? Heck, the boy had popcorn and beer. Keeping in mind that this is for the most part a G-rated column, I won't put into words some of the obvious sentences that rise to my warped mind about Kevin's obvious pleasure in what was playing out on his computer screen. What next, will he be selling tickets to his home movies or sending them to YouTube for the viewing pleasure of millions? Maybe Danny ought to sell his membership to Strangers by Night to Kevin. Okay, so it was kind of funny watching Jill and JiMin fall under the spell of the drugs and each other. But it was still a sick thing for the Fishers to do!

Actually, if Gloria does capture Will, it's all good. I like Jill and JiMin much better together anyway. Gloria deserves to be stuck with the stiff William Bardwell mannequin.

And lastly, when it comes to secrets, there are still more to come. As a couple of fans mentioned below, priceless WAS the worth of the look on Gloria's face at Will's announcement of new evidence in the case of the tainted face cream. If Will actually discovers Gloria's hand stuck in the cream jar so to speak, it could certainly lay the groundwork for a couple of interesting developments. For instance, it could lift Jack's carcass off the hook allowing him to legally own Jabot. And give him a place to go when Victor yanks the knitted yarn rug from under his expensive loafers and causes his designer decked derriere to crash ignominiously to the dirt. Once officially in charge, Jack could commence to firing Fishers left and right with impunity. And finally it would put him in the proper position to resurrect the Jack-Victor vendetta, which currently lies dormant while Victor gives Jack just enough rope to make him believe he's actually free instead of being subtly manipulated in a space limited by Victor's whim.

So it's nice to know Nikki actually has a political platform. And a new, very attractive 'do. Let the Senator's race begin. But seriously, is there really any question who will come out the victor in this lopsided race? Shall we just go ahead and start addressing her as Senator Newman now?

Okay, I know it's too early, even by Genoa City standards, for a love link between Karen Taylor and Neil, but does anyone else see the possibilities? As well as Ms. Taylor's character similarities to Carmen; you know, an attractive, high powered, driven executive, but without Carmen's tawdry tendencies? I guess we will see.

Okay fans, I'm off and you're on. Go to it!

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VIVIEN - Hi Nita, great job as always. I love your wit. I've only been watching Y&R for three or four years, so I don't have the history, but I've watched ATWT for 30 years, so I know that characters are always being re-DNA'd. Rapists become heroes, adulterers become leading town citizens and so on. I think it's unfair to keep painting Nikki with her stripper days paintbrush. We've all been somewhere else in our youth. I don't like her perpetual pout any more than you do, but she has as much right to be ambitious as anyone else. Now for Gloria. She's a gold digger. So what? Is she any different than say Nikki? Or Phyllis? Or Sharon? From what I understand they all came from dubious backgrounds, yet now are the town pillars. Except for murder (no excuses there, and what the heck were the writers thinking?) she has done her best to climb the financial ladder like all the others. She's an interesting character, who has manipulated her younger son far worse than the stepfather who beat him. By the way, he's more than paid for his attempt to kill off Colleen. He's been used and beaten so often, it breaks my heart. I could go on and on, but I've already taken up too much space. Needless to say, I get bored and angry with Y&R sometimes, but I'm not yet ready to leave.

ROLONDA - Y&R has become Passions to say the least. It is so ridiculous that two top level executives can be drugged and tricked. Y&R never wrote ridiculous stuff like that. The real villains are getting away with stuff and never being caught; that is how Passions is. I am with the rest of the group. I no longer make the time to watch or even bother to tape it because it has become too over the top.

DEB - I must have missed the shows when Kevin went from being a bookkeeper that worked from his dingy apartment to being an IT whiz kid. Next he'll be hacking into the White House or the Pentagon. With his talent he and his witch of a mother could take over the world! What is up with Lauren going along with their illegal spying game? Hopefully it will all blow up in their faces and Lauren goes down with them for being so stupid. Fen should be so proud of his family! I agree Brad is an unbelievable snake. I actually like Sharon and was delighted that she told him to move on. Sharon deserves a storyline where she is not the victim; she lets everyone walk all over her. What does she really have to lose if the "secret" comes out? Jack? I say let it out and let the chips fall where they may. She was single when she slept with Brad and while it was definitely the morally wrong thing to do, Brad was committing adultery five minutes after the honeymoon. Amber ... yuk ... I can't stand the sound of her voice. Please send her away, Cane deserves better than that bleached blond bimbo. She and Daniel would make a good team, robbing the cradle would be right up her alley! I too like Jill and Ji Min together, William Bardwell has all the personality of a slug, it would do him good to be taking for a really big ride by the Glo-worm only to find out she was responsible for the tainted cream incident! Then he could send her sorry butt to the slammer for good! How about the look on her face when he told her there was new evidence in the case? Priceless!

TASHA - Nita, so pictures on the Internet will show Sharon instead of Phyllis (the internet genius who can manipulate any picture) is responsible for Dru's plunge over the cliff. How convenient! Plots like that was the reason I stopped tuning in, and just read your and others take on the show. It is so disgusting and frustrating. Did you remember to send them your rsum, by any chance? They need help. Stop the Phyllis show! And let Jack be the victor!

JOANNE - Well, well, well. It turns out Sharon is to blame for Dru falling off the cliff. What a surprise! I knew it couldn't be Phyllis' fault for long. Now of course, Phyllis will use this new information to rub it in Sharon's face even more. What is with this show! Even when it is clearly her fault she gets away with it again! I remember the show where the fall happened and it sure didn't look like it was Sharon's fault then. Could the photos be doctored or manipulated somehow? I give up. It appears the inmates are still in charge of the asylum. Seeing Gloria get the best of Jill and Ji Min was also very disappointing. Very creepy also watching Kevin getting off on what he was spying on. Seeing the look on her face when Will said there is new evidence in the cream tampering case was priceless. I'm sure the writers will make it so it's Sharon's fault though. Love your comments, Nita. Reading them makes me feel I am not alone in my take on the show.

TAMARA - I don't know why but I love Phyllis and Nick, but their passion needs to be revved up again. Why can't Sharon just grow the hell up!

THERESA - Nita, loved all the comments about Nikki's hair - the big, blonde round thing up there - cinnabun or what? But this week she has her hair shorter and I think it's cute - but now I think she has the hairdo of none other than Leanna Love! Way to go people in the hair dept! How ironic! I guess this means Nikki is only going to get worse. Loved the computer tricks of Kevin and the camera views from the computer screen too. But at the expense of Jill? Poor woman, let her be happy once. I like the Fishers villainous adventures, but I hope Michael can stay above it. I agree with your remarks on Neil. I hope the Winters clan can get on without Dru for awhile. So Olivia's only here for one episode and then she's swooshed back to Africa? I wish this show would have more dimension and perspective on the characters. Did I actually hear Jill mention the name of Nina when finding out about Cane? When is Ashley coming back? Is Neil going to be haunted by Dru's ghost? (Assuming she's really deceased.) I'm still watching, there seems to be slight signs of life in the writing, like maybe it (and the show) can be taken off life support.

WANDA - Neil, get a breath min t- or at least drink vodka so no one can smell the alcohol on your breath. Everyone else, get a clue- you can't smell Neil? He doesn't singe your eyebrows off every time be breathes in your direction? Wish Rebecca was still around to see her son behaving the way he does (or is it misbehaving). How come the Carltons no longer observe any Jewish activities since Mama is gone?

BELINDA - If Sharon Case doesn't win an Emmy for her performance last week (when she told Brad to leave her alone), then there's surely something wrong with the system. That was one of the most moving performances I've seen on Y&R in literally years!

FRIEDA - I can't get the image of Phyllis & her "pointy blackmail stick" outta my head. Hilarious!

WILMA - I don't understand the feedback I've been reading. Maybe I don't have enough to do, but I can hardly wait until time for Y&R to come on. It is so interesting, and I won't miss it. Phyllis plays her part so well, she is the villain we all love to hate. And Gloria just keeps winding everyone around her finger. One of these days, she will get hers. I do wish Nikki would look into the camera instead of down her nose at everything, it makes her pretty face look all nose! But I am glad she is finally going to give Victor a run for his money. Keep the good episodes coming. We're all young and restless!

SANDY - Well peoples, I have read what you all think and I agree with some of you and your thoughts on the Fishers. Gloria really needs to get what is coming to her; she is a female Victor Newman. Kevin should be in the cell next door to his mother. I have a love hate relationship for Phyllis. She is the most unpredictable person I ever seen. She gets what she wants and steps on whoever is in her way to get it. Nick has always been special to me, he is such a sweet guy sometimes, I think him and Phyllis are good together. Good/bad team. Yeah Nick has done his turn around the block but his ex-wife went around more than a few times. She is a skank, so is crybaby Colleen. Sharon amd Jack deserve one another, They both lie and cheat. I want Jill to get William instead of Gloria. I want anybody to get William instead of Gloria. For the Neil/Dru story, I think maybe Olivia should come back. She can entertain Neil and Brad. I have been watching the show since the late 70's, so I have been here awhile. LOL

CAROLE - I have been glued to the screen again, since the Sheila and Reliquary stories are over. The writing has greatly improved, we actually care about what happens next. I actually love J.T. and Victoria together (maybe they picked up on the real life love of these 2) and am glad they are putting them together. I do like Sharon with Brad, for some reason. I am glad Nick is finding out the truth about his blackmailing wife, even though they deserve each other. It was good to see Aunt Liv again; too bad Nate couldn't take a day off of school. Dru's memorial was sad for all of us who loved or hated her. She will be missed; if she wasn't found on the river bank by natives and has amnesia!