The Buzz - BuzzWorthy Radio

Victoria Rowell

Victoria Rowell, who many fans have loved as Drucilla Barber Winters on CBS Daytime's The Young and the Restless, makes a return to BuzzWorthy Radio to chat with fans before the launch of her book, "Secrets of a Soap Diva," hits stores May 4, 2010.

The NAACP Image Award winning actress also wrote the book, "The Women Who Raised Me," which is a New York Times Bestseller. After landing a part on The Cosby Show in 1989 as well as a short stint on As The World Turns, Rowell has been turning heads as Drucilla Barber on The Young and the Restless. From former street queen, to ballerina starlet, to fashion mogul, Drucilla has done it all and then some in Genoa City. While also filming Y&R, Rowell pulled double duty and worked on the primetime show, "Diagnosis Murder," which starred Dick Van Dyke.

The book website has officially launched, so make sure to check it out at http://www.secretsofasoapoperadiva.com/

Duration:: 1h 17m
Broadcast on:: 30 Mar 2010
Audio Format:: other

Log told the radio. Come get you live in this buzzworthy radio. Where you can get the latest buzz. I'm all your favorite tunes inside. Buzzworthy, start now. Edith and Buzzworthy radio right here on your internet. I'm last met the CMT and this is pretty much where I hang out all the time when I'm not on the air. So, you should too. See ya! I had to make sure that I had unmuted myself before I was very blocking. Otherwise, I was just going to say stuff and you weren't going to hear me. Hey, everybody, what's going on? Welcome to a new edition of Buzzworthy Radio. We are live right now. It's Monday, March 29, 2010. It's 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific here on blog talk radio.com. I'm your host, Mabelle J.Z. coming at you right now. On this site, we are going to be joined by in just a few moments, Victoria Rao, who many fans love and adore from the young and the rest of us, as Drusilla Barbara Winters. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to speaking with her again. We talked earlier the first time back in August of 2009. Like a couple of weeks before the daytime, as I think. And we're now getting the chance to speak with her again. So I know you guys probably have a lot of questions you want to ask her. You also want to probably call in, I assume. I never say too soon, but I think I'm going to assume tonight. So if you want to get in on the conversation with us tonight, the number to call in is 646-595-4228. That number again is 646-595-4228. We had the chat room up and running right now. Everybody is making way over there into the room. As we speak, I absolutely have no idea what we're going to expect tonight. I'm going to be quite upfront with you. I have no idea what we're going to expect tonight. I just know that it's going to be hell on wheels and I'm going to enjoy every single minute of it, baby. That's pretty much what it is. And make sure you guys, if you're not going to, I think you should now. I think you should, on May 4th hit, you should buy secrets of the soap opera diva. That's when the book is released, ladies and gentlemen. I think you should buy that book. I'm not just saying that because she's our guest tonight. I actually think it's going to be an interesting book. So I think you should go ahead and do that. But then again, I tell you, you know what I mean? But I lost my chin as well, but I was going to say, actually, on Wednesday, same time, same place, this coming Wednesday, March 31st, James Scott, who plays E.J. Demera, will be joining us. I'm going to make sure you guys tune in for that. But I want to introduce you guys to one of our favorites here on Bells' Ready Radio. She's played the role of just the Barbara Winters on the young and restless. She introduced the part in 1990. She has a book coming out on May 4th, Secrets of a Soap Opera Diva. And if you haven't checked out her videos on YouTube, check them out because I think they're absolutely hysterical. I'm loving every single minute of them. Callista, ladies and gentlemen. Victoria Rowell is joining us on the line right now. How are you? Nice to speak with you again. I'm so glad that you're back with us again. Oh, this is so much fun. I love it. I love the fact that you're here. You're dishing with us yet again for the second time on the show. You know, as I said, before you go on the line, we don't know what we're going to expect when we get you here, which is just a thrill. It's just a ride. I'm enjoying it. Let's get the ball rolling. I know we want to talk about the book. I know that we've been seeing you tweet profusely the last couple of days. I got questions coming in left and right from every single person underneath the sun. Let's get right into this, shall we? Let's get right to it. That's what I love about buzzworthy. We get right to the buzzworthiness. We do get right to the buzzworthiness. I actually have to start it off right now because pretty much this is why I got hit with the first moment I got here to my computer, to my studio looking right at it. The first thing I saw, which is probably about four hours later after they first posted this, was about why not on a character of Simone? I'm just reading all about this throughout the entire point of the day. Everybody is pretty much asking me, what did Victoria Ralph's impression of this whole entire thing? What was her first thought? I'm like, why don't we just go ahead and ask her right off the block. Let's get right to it. What are your thoughts about this when you rent this? Well, it's clearly a plagiarism of a extraordinary character to Silla Winters. I have systematically watched the show pick away at this sterling character like she is a used piece of Abbott furniture. I feel that there is no respect for 17 years of hard work that I invested in this character. I think that the fans obviously know that I built that character. It wasn't in the script for her to wear hats. It wasn't in the script for her to say he cooked my last grit. It wasn't in the script because I brought my own branding to the character and that they are picking away at that and suggesting that it is not worth salvaging is a travesty. I don't think the fans are going to buy into this. The fans are not blind. Oh, absolutely not. I mean, it was pretty much an uproar out the entire day. As soon as they heard and read this, it was complete in utter fabrication of Drew Silla Barbara Winters and Victoria Rall is this part. You made this part. I am not going to deny it. I'm coming right out on all barrels. I am saying it right now. You are Drew Silla Winters and I know people say that roles can be replaced. I don't think you can replace that with anybody else. You can't do it because you brought your own, like you just said. You brought your own brand to this part that no one else can do. I brought my experience. I brought my brand and that's why the character has been enduring. And like when Eric Braden was temporarily off the show and there wasn't an expectation that he was going to be brought back, but Eric went barrels drawn. He went full bore ahead and he worked his magic and he got back on the show. I know that he was met with quite a bit of resistance. And he's a character that is not replaceable. Yes. I mean, if you don't have an Eric Braden on the show, quite frankly, you don't have the young on the rest list. And I know that there was that troublemaker actor that had some snide remarks to make about Eric while he was not on the show, but I know his face was cracked when he saw Eric show back up. I love it. You love it, Eric. I love Eric. Eric, I love Eric Braden to death. We love Eric Braden. But back to Simone. I mean, this is just another example of the show attempting to reinvent Drusilla. And to me, it's sad. You think about it because I actually had this poem brought to me today and I completely forgot this, the role of Tyro when that character was on the show. They were saying that she was supposed to be a Drusilla as well back then. And look at what happened with that point. It didn't pan out, obviously. And this is just another attempt to try to do that again with this character of Simone. I mean, I'm just seriously just sitting here thinking like, how long is it going to take you to the next step? Who's sleeping with who, quite frankly, let's get to the skinny. Because actors who take pay cuts do not have power except what the power gives them to have. So now I'm curious, who's sleeping with the power? Because someone is, you know, swapping spits somewhere. They should just like cave and just like, just go ahead and just like, ask you back. I mean, forget the fact that, just forget the fact that, you know, just put this out there, let's just forget the fact that there are issues between cast members and others among the cast. Let's just... And you're always on. You're always on. I mean, I think the difference in this particular scenario that truly, the difference in this particular scenario is, first of all, they have never been met with a strong black personality like my own. And I would dare say a lot of the people that are dealing with brown face people are doing hard work or cleaning their homes. And I'm just going to go there and put that right on the table. And so when you come to work with me, you come prepared. And I think, and no, I know, that that did not work well with certain individuals. And I got that level of pushback on my second day of work in 1990 with an actor that didn't want to run lines with me. So when people say, "Oh, how could you stay in such an acrimonious environment?" I said, "Listen, darling, if I, if I caved based upon that, I would have been gone on my second day on that show." Uh-huh. I never knew that. No, they didn't want to run lines. So I don't know that this is something that is something that they've ever had to deal with before. And because I am black, this is an issue. So let's stop not wanting to talk about this issue. Because I am a character that came on the show that was not in an apron, that was not going to do a storyline and white face, because we know that's what Stephanie had to do, and we know that's what Philip Morris did. I wasn't even going near that kind of material, but I was going to talk about diversity not only in front of the lens, but behind the lens. And it was the behind the lens material that I wanted to discuss that ruffled the feathers because that's talking about an investment in brown. And clearly, there still isn't an investment in brown because in 37 years there still is not a black scribe on the show. So not everyone wants me back at the table because it's not just about Drew Silla putting on a hat and reciting her lines, Victoria Rowell stands for equality around the table. It just reminded me of that quote that you said the last time you were here on the show, they're intimidated by a woman of power who is an African-American, which I still find to be so true, like how come you can't have an African-American woman in that kind of position that Dr. Silla was in when we last saw her before she went over that clip, but I'm just saying. You know, when I tried to, you tried to build on, you tried to build with a company and that was certainly what Bill Bell certainly inspired in me was to build, to get better, to do as much as you can do. And so the idea of writing and directing for the young and the restless made all the sense in the world to me and then to hear back from Barbara Bloom that, oh, we've never done that before, haven't done what Barbara, haven't hired an actor as a director/writer, or haven't hired someone of African-American descent, which is that, because that's extremely nebulous. And that came through my agent, that information, where the number one soap opera in the country and have been licensed in over a hundred countries, how can you be licensing your show on the continent of Africa, showing two and three times in the Caribbean, and you don't have anyone behind the lens of color to really speak up. Let me make sense of it. See, that's not cool. Look at that. It doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense. Let me go afterwards. As backwards. But never mind, let's take the black piece off the table from it. Why aren't you empowering your actors to do more than recite lines? Why aren't you allowing them to direct and possibly write for the show, even as an apprentice, so that they get the experience? So they have an idea of what they're working with. That's called control. Like how Susan Flannery used to do on the bull and the beautiful. That's what she does. And she does, mm-hmm. That's what she does. I mean, Bradley Bell is thinking and has always thought ahead, and he's always been smart in flipping the "why in our talent" over to his show. And I'm sure he's criticized for it. Yeah. But it works though, doesn't it? In your opinion doesn't work. You're beautiful. Thank you. I agree. I got to ask though, do you think that Bill Bell was the only one that was able to or knows exactly what Drew Sillip Winters is? No one else is able to comprehend who she is except him, do you think? I think Jack Smith was a close second. But Bill and I of course had a friendship off the set, so he absolutely understood what made me tick, and it was what made him tick too, and that was the work. He loved the work, and we loved collaboration, and obviously I miss him tremendously. Absolutely. So yeah. Very good. And he respected me, and I respected him, and you know, not everyone was excited about our relationship. You think that we're kind of jealous of that kind of, oh no, honey, let's say it's bad. Uh-huh. All right, let's change that, they were, okay, they were jealous of that relationship. I mean, seriously, you got to think, like, why would they want to be, like, why should they be? I didn't know anyone, and that's a great question, because I didn't know anyone on the young and the rest list that wanted to work as hard as I did and do. You know, I had three jobs, and I don't know anyone on that show that wanted three games. You had that, you had, I guess, his murder, and I was always doing the film, or an independent, and I still do. Uh-huh. I didn't know anyone else that was, you know, leaving skid marks in the parking lot, trying to get to a commercial audition, because people become complacent. They want to collect a check, and they mind their business, they bury their heads in the sand. They don't care that a young black girl was passed over for Melody Thomas Scott and Ed Scott's daughter, who was a trainee. Nobody's caring about that young lady who's crying in the corner, because she's been on the show for ten years, and she keeps getting passed over, nor a wade. Nobody cares about the cameraman, the black cameraman, who's no longer on the show, and I say, "Dude, where are you?" He says, "I couldn't take it anymore." So nobody wants to talk about that, but yet people find a way, like Christoph St. John found his way to me last summer saying, "Vicky, we need you. You know, they barely work me. Why are you coming to me for it, brother? I told you a decade ago that we had to build this, so this very thing that you're complaining about would not be happening. Don't come to me now and say they're only working me twice a month, or brighten twice a month. But I told you that if we didn't band together, divided we would fall." "You heard that show that he was on when he sent that too, by the way." "Oh yes, and then he proceeded to be told to keep his mouth shut." I then was told that he was unceremoniously informed that he might be going on a three month hiatus. Now, whether that is true or not, and I tend to believe it is, I haven't heard from brother really. So you tell me. So we still are dealing with these antiquated ways of intimidation, you have no power, and read the lines and go home. So how much have we gained since 1990 when I was trying to build a brand and build for the next generation and get black hair stylists and black makeup artists and get some color around the table. Not necessarily black, but black and brown people at the table behind the lens and build a cast of eight people, which I have a shrink before my eyes. We haven't gained anything. In fact, we've lost everything if you think about it. If you're going to, let's rewind that. Like you said, because I was only like working what, you said, twice a month, twice a month. I'm sure at the time he was very, very concerned. I understand he has more play now, but I hear Brighton McClure, the fans tell me he works maybe once a month. How does an Emmy award-winning actor of his acumen work once a month? Use that quote. I use this quote everywhere I go because it's in my signature. You can't write what you don't know. And how are the able to write for him? They don't know how to write for him. It's like this character has been on the back burner for how long now and they're trying to put him into a relationship with Ashley. I love, I mean, Davidson did that. I do. She's my girl. But this isn't going to work. This isn't going to work. That is scraping the bottom of the barrel. That's scraping the bottom of the barrel. And the issue is that I bring it and I don't bring just what's in front of the camera. I don't just bring my hats to the set and my pressing combs and everything else I need to do to make Drew feel the right and what you've enjoyed all these years. I invest in the character, but I also bring about the politics. And I attempt to close the chasm of lack of diversity that exists on the young and the restless. Yes. Because now I have no problem. I just feel like everything is just like segregated all over again. You know? Well, it is what it is. And then you get branded. You get branded for being difficult instead of be for brown and brave. And no one else is caring about that I know of because no one ever knocked on my dressing room door and said, Vicki, I'm with you on this. You're right. We do have to bring about some change and oh my God, our cast is shrinking. Oh my God. Right. Where's Mamie? Where are the parents? Where's Keith Hamilton Cobb? Where's Nathan? Where's little Nick? Where is the black existence of a show that is number one because of a predominantly African-American audience. People wake up. Thank you. Thank you. We're the ones buying the pine fall. Wake up. Thank you. It is the advertising dollars that keep the young and the restless at number one. Not you one at a time watching the show. Advertisers, proctor and gamble, products, keep you, the power of your purse, keeps the show at number one. And if you don't believe that, then you're under a rock. I know this. And when an actor like me is a businesswoman and knows that that scares people and oh no, we cannot have that voice around here. Oh no. No. No. So don't get it twisted. It's more than Spanx in here. Spray baby. That's right. Thank you. Thank you. And also, I had to ask this to because I know you had an opinion about this as well when they recast the role of Malcolm with Darius McCrary. And God. I have to admit, and I know everybody who follows me on Twitter, follow me on Twitter, buzz me the radio. I have to admit, I was not happy with this one. I came right out and said it. Let me ask you a question. Let me ask a question. Did you see the baby, did you see the baby that they cast for Drusilla back in the day? Now God knows that little child, but we had nothing in common. Okay. Oh, the little girl back in the thing and the thing about casting, which is always going to be an issue for black actors, is can you try to cast us as though we come from the same family gene pool? And so the lack of integrity around either casting black family or attempting to look at what the fans would like to see is never really respected. I asked six, eight years ago for casting to consider not always casting mixed race black people. I thought it was an insult to us as a black people, that everyone that they cast, they considered black as long as you were mulatto. And they got a lot of heat for that. Oh, yeah. So I believe that you might cast somebody chocolate. I would like to have a relationship with a brother that's not mixed race. I mean, that became an issue in fan mail, in casting, and I never got to see that happen from myself on the show, unfortunately. But as far as the recasting of Malcolm, look, Shamar Moore was iconocaster and people would have wanted to see more of a likeness of Shamar Moore, not to take anything from the actor that was cast, but they should have created a new character for that particular actor, because why would you put him through that? I agree. That's pretty much what I said about it. It just created a new role for him, not cast him in the part that was iconic, that was made because of Shamar Moore. Exactly. I don't know, it just seems that the show as a whole has more problems besides the diversity that's not being shown in the show than everything else. Oh, look at this dish, tell me what's going on. What's the latest? First of all, where do I start? Like you said, why not unless you have Eric Brain and Victor Newman on the show, which I agree with. Where's Nikki? You know, where's Melody Thomas Scott now? She's now reduced to recurring status, excuse me, why are you putting her on the back burner? Is she on the back burner? She is now. I found out a few days ago she's now on the recurring status. Okay, well let's say we're on a Viking stove. Say we're in front of a Viking, yeah? How far back is she on the Viking stove? Is she three burners back? How about not being shown at all except like once in a blue moon now? Wow. That's, she's way back without a pilot light, way back without a pilot light. You know, I actually watched it, I've been, I was watching it a few times and I said, where the hell is Nikki Newman? Like where is she? Seriously, where is the woman and why, and why is it, why is it, why is it that everybody on the show, especially the women, why is it that these ladies that are on this show need to get brain implants? They are so, wait a minute, where is this, I'm afraid to ask where Olivia is. Oh, honey girl gone, honey girl gone, if she ain't seen any more, she ain't anywhere to be found in that hospital and anywhere. Now okay, let me just make this point, let me make this point, let me make this point. You have a Victoria Rowl, who speaks the truth, who shows up to work, brings in her own hats, even though they criticized me and said nobody's interested in your hats, hmm, love the hats, love the hats, haters, but then you have my sister, who's played by the lovely, Tanya Bailey Williams, who minds her own business, reads the lines, recites them, and goes home, and they don't play her either, so you see, it doesn't matter. As far as I'm concerned, if you look at the landscape of the African-American cast, it is perceived as unimportant, because systematically, though I left of my own volition to pursue a writing career, one which I tried to get with why in our first, I want to make that perfectly clear, and was denied, what am I to do, not to try, well I did, and I got on the New York Times bestseller list, and oh, oops did I mention on May 4th my next book drop, secrets of a soap opera diva, get your copy, and we're going to talk about that soon, I hope, about the book, oh I'm looking forward to that book drop, yes we're talking about the book type, oh yes we are, but I tell you what, I'm tired of these women having to depend on men like they're nothing, but you know they're clinging to them as if they're lost dogs, where are the strong women that we had on the show, I'm like is the only one that's strong on the show, Katherine Chan for now, what happened to the rest of the strong cast, why is Jill Foster Abbott now a weakling, why is- No, don't tell me they watered her down, Jess Walton's one of the best actors on the show, thank you, she's one of the best actors, she could go anywhere, there's a handful of actors, well maybe three, that could go anywhere and get a gig, okay I'll up it to five, I'll up it to five, who could go anywhere and get a gig, but and Jess is one of them, and I know you love her to share in case, another one, I love, I've been loving her performances, I really am, but it's just like oh my god they could give her so much more, well here's the other thing, here's another theory, you can't write what you don't know, and if you have a Victoria Rowl come back, who is going to write for her, because at least I've been always, I've been always able to work it out if the lines weren't precisely there, because that's our job as an actor, we have to manifest, the lines are there but we have to fill in the gaps so to speak, with the acting, get it acting, so if the line isn't even on the page to work with then you're kind of SOL, so I'm sure it has crossed the minds of some that we really don't have a scribe necessarily that can write the powerful work that we know she's capable of doing, and that's really a consideration right there, I think my blood pressure is going to go up in a minute, but I can't sit, I can't sit at a table weeping over some artichokes, and they know that, I love it, it's true though, it is true though, and before I take this call, I'm telling you right now, you have so much love coming from this board that I am a member of, I'm a part of daytime royalty saying that they are freaking loving you right now, they wish you are back on the YNR, like, profusely, I mean, they're coming out in your own name, but you know what they're showing me so much love, you push me up to on YouTube's front page as most watched webisode, I have 17 foreign honours already, I'm feeling like Lady Gaga a little bit in my own little way, what else can I tell you, Donna Summer has come on board, and I'll be over at Wendy Williams Show in Monique and Extra and Access Hollywood all coming out to support the vickster and secrets of the soap opera diva and kids, if you have not checked out my website, you know I created it just for you, log on to secretsofasopeopera diva.com, you will not be disappointed, and one more thing, yes, I'm dropping my debut song, stink of blood with a pine fall chaser on April 13th, and I am wrapping it, I think I saw the preview of it on the website, I actually was loving it, that was hot, I tuned you can download it on iTunes, April 13th, keep it moving, April 13th, alright, I gotta put that on my calendar now, I do have the website on this site, so you guys do have it, so you will be able to see it just in case you miss it, I think you're good with the perfect view, so delicious diva was never understood, heated by my cast but loved with my fans who stomped their feet and clapped their hands, draw extra, read and weep, lift off a cliff, ain't heard a peep, cut to commercial oil of a lame, bump my head, Ebenezer they say, stink of blood with a pine fall chaser anyway, that's all for now, oh, I was in it, I was in it, I was in it, I was on top now, come on, keep it going, I'll tell you what, that was hot right there, ladies, all right, Bill, Phil, I know you're there, I know you wanted to talk to her for a long time, you had the floor, you were on the phone with Victoria Rau, what's up, hey, how's it going man? Hey. Hey, how are you? I'm good. That's good, I'm a huge fan, whoa, and I have to agree, I'm definitely, when I heard that news today, it's definitely disrespectful for all the work that you put into that character, you know, and it's definitely not cool, that's for sure. And I was wondering, if you thought that there might be some racism going on there a little bit, I'm a white dude personally, but I love black people and I believe inequality and stuff. Yeah, well, yeah, I mean, yeah, quite frankly, yes, and that you would never, they would never try to recast Nicki's character or Eric Braden's character, Victor, or Mrs. Chan, so there'd be riots, and that it's not even a consideration that they pick away, as I say, at the Jerusalem character, now for years, and try to suggest that this is all original when so much of the character is my blood sweat, and tears, yes, and tears, in creating this character, and they marginalized its importance and the work that I have put into it. Yeah, I don't know anyone else that's won as many awards as I have for training through the Winter's and be treated with such disrespect, especially to your fans too, you know, especially to the fans, yeah, I mean, obviously to you, but you know, in the fans too, I mean, it's like, no, it's definitely, it's crazy, and just the show isn't like, I don't even like watching the show when you're not on it, it's just not the same, you know. It's not going to be the same, but I appreciate, I appreciate you saying that. Oh, you're welcome, many times. Well, I'll let you go, because I'll let other colors get in or whatever, but would you check out my website? Oh, of course, yeah, definitely, definitely, I bet on a couple times it's awesome, I love it. Thank you. Yeah, definitely, I'm definitely looking forward to the book too, you know, it's going to be really good. Yeah, and I might add, when you drive by your local Barnes and Noble, if you would pop in and say 10 copies, make sure you have at least 10 copies, because not all bookstores order the books, but if you make sure that they get the books in, they will get them. They just need to know that the interest is there, I just want to say that to all of the listeners. Of course, yeah. Yeah, I've a Barnes and Noble like 20 minutes away from here, so definitely on it. Okay, where are you calling from? I'm from Vermont, actually. Oh, cool. Yeah, yeah. Question where I was born and raised in Maine. Oh, wow, wow, you're New Englander then. Oh, yeah, I am done shoveling that snow though, honey. Let me tell you right now, I am done, oh, it does not like to be cold. Yeah. All right, well, it's great talking with you too. I appreciate it. Thank you. Yep. Thanks, Bill. Thanks, man. All right, I'll talk to you soon. Bye. All right, bye. You know, here's something interesting, I was told that it would be too complicated to bring Victoria back. What do you think that means? Yeah, please explain that. We want to know what that means. Does that mean Peter Bergman's panties will be in a bunch? If I come back or, you know, who or what? Yeah, you've got to take into consideration. I mean, you know, if there are actors like we said, that cannot get along with other actors behind the scenes on the set and everything. And if they're not in scenes with you, that's what's hilarious. Peter and I don't even work together on the show. You've got to put those feelings aside because you know what? Get the work done. If you don't like each other, fine. You don't have to, but you've got to go in there, read what's on the page, do your scene, and there you go. Go home and go home. What is so difficult about that? I don't know. I don't know. I've been doing it for 17 years. God knows. I know. But the minute I went on my book tour, a few of them got very busy. I think they've been running back and forth and all over kingdom come spreading lies across the land. So they got very, very busy and apparently got the support of a few folks over there. But Sony, Steve Moscow and Steve Kent and Barbara Bloom and poor Maria's caught in the middle. So what can you do? But anyway, do we have another caller? We do actually. This caller is from Ohio. Did I get to get the state right? Or am I somewhere close? Echo 513, you're on the line. Hello? Hi. Hi. How are you, Victoria? Well, I'm better now, but you called in. Good. Good. It's good to have you on the show again. You always get good interviews. Thank you so much. I try to be honest. You know, put it right there on the table. Well, I just want to say that I'm looking forward to your new book to come out. The web-- webisodes are hilarious. Thank you. My-- I love the person when you're climbing up the wall, trying to get off the cliff. That was hilarious. Thank you. Thank you. And I'll have a few more dropping before the book launches. So, you know, stay tuned. And you know, Essence Magazine is going to be doing some fabulous things with my book. So I'm honored. I'm honored, but go ahead. Well, I also wanted to say I've been watching Young and the Restless since I was probably a little kid, and I was a young African-American male. I'm 26, and, you know, I never thought I was the day. The characters of Neil, Olivia, Drew Silla, and Malcolm would be using the prop for the character of Lily. It doesn't make any sense to me, because the people who are watching this show, like my grandmother, my mother, they want to see-- they want to see Drew Silla, Neil, Olivia. They don't-- they're not really interested in Lily and what she's doing. Granted, of course, she has to come in eventually, but want to see the people we grew up watching who have made the Young and the Restless so successful in Black homes, because we could relate to both characters. That's right. That's right. And it is to my understanding that when the family came on the scene, because the audience demanded it, so Young and the Restless went to number one. No, I stand corrected if that is not true, but I understand that it went and has maintained number one. So I'd like to say that the Black family had a part in getting us there. I have never, ever known for a Black family to be non-existent during time of crisis. That right there shows that you don't know what you can't write it. Well, it was like her-- Lily's-- Olivia was there one week, and then she's been gone. Every-- and this was-- when did Lily first get the cancer, I think, in like July or August? Well, have I heard of the mother not being there when the daughter has cancer? I've-- it's-- and you don't even hear anything about Mandy saying anything, you know-- Mandy's marooned on-- well, she's marooned on Gilligan's Island. I mean, it's-- it's bad, and it's very frustrating as a viewer, because, personally, I don't hate Crystal Khalil. I like her as teenage Lily, but she's not my favorite as adult Lily. I like Devetta Sherwood better, but they've got to get a better-- if they're not going to bring you back, they've got to get a Black actress that can act and that can handle and lead a family, because what they have now is this is not working. I will just say this about Devetta Sherwood. Now I know Crystal has her fan, but I will say that I was insulted when I got a call on a Sunday afternoon to tell me that Devetta has been let go, and we're bringing Crystal back. I was insulted that even then the brown actors were not given the opportunity to discuss, to know, to ask why. They were replacing on a dime another brown actress, and that's how it went down. On Monday morning, I was no longer looking into Devetta Sherwood's face. Devetta Sherwood was treated with extraordinary disrespect. Devetta Sherwood was called out of her name on set. I wasn't there that day, but I heard about it, and shortly thereafter, she was unceremoniously stripped of the park, and these are the kinds of things you don't know about, but I do. Well, I love the young and restless. I'm used to watching, and I watch it every day when I get home from work, and Drew Silla Winters and Nikki Numa are my two favorite characters in the whole, and it's a shame that like the host was saying earlier, Melody Thomas Scott has been reduced to a talk to, and then you're not even there. It's like, "Why am I continuing to watch this show?" This is not the young and restless that I grew up and came to love. Well, you know, where Melody and I didn't typically have seen, she's another person that speaks her mind, and I'm sure in doing so, she's being systematically silenced. So, you know, these things happen. Look at Kim Zimmer. Look at a number of actors that, you know, the minute they have something to say, and it has some credence, they kind of go away. Well, I think it's, I mean, I'm going to be honest, you speak out against the show, and Eric Brayton speaks out against the show, and you're treated a lot different than he is. I don't think that's true. I mean, he, when he was going through his contract negotiations, he had all these interviews, and he said this and that about why and all, and he was back on the show, and everyone on the message board, there's always someone who wants to play, well, you know, she was used to being mean, and she's the mean spirited, and it's like, she's, she's allowed to speak out, Eric Brayton doesn't, and no one backs an eye about it. It's not being spirited, it's not mean spirited. Racism is mean spirited. Disparity is mean spirited. But the person that discusses it is not the mean spirited one. That is the truth, and the truth is hard to face for some people. Yes, yes, yes, yes. You were right. I want to say I'll continue to support you in all your endeavors. I'm looking for the book, hopefully you come to Ohio, so I can get the book signed. I'm looking forward to seeing you, and I will continue to support you. I always have your back on the message board, and good luck with everything. Thank you, and don't forget, secrets of the soapopardiva.com, please tune in. Oh, I definitely will. Okay, and Twitter. Make sure you Twitter. And Twitter. Thank you for always responding to your fans on Twitter. We love it. We love it. Oh, good. I love responding to my Tweet fam. So thank you. All right. Thank you. Have a good evening. Yeah. Thanks. Okay. This is awesome. And, of course, we got to get into the book. I know we are going to get into this book because everybody is dying to know, is this more fact than fiction or vice versa, first of all? Well, see, I leave that to the discretion of the reader, because I'm a voracious reader and the beauty of reading fiction is it could be whoever you want it to be, or whatever you want it to be. I put you in the places. I put you in a contemporary time. I give you a fictitious cast that's fleshed out really, really well. I'm also also answering to my diagnosis murder fans, and so I have a lot of mystery. I have a murder. I have a lot of fun, topsy, twirly, roller coaster, e material, and it's written with a cliffhanger style for the sequel. Okay. I'm very proud to announce that I already have theatrical interest in the book, and there's one actor, there's one daytime actor I've already approached when we get it. Are you allowed to say? Oh, I've already approached Eric Braden. Okay. All right. All right. Oh, yeah. Without question. If I had to stunt cast one character in the book, it would be him, and plus he's a primetime film actor. I mean, he's perfect. So I will leave it to the discretion of the reader to imagine whoever they want the characters to be. But I will say this, that on my website, when you go on to Secrets of a Soparperdiva.com, I have created a virtual cast, so that it'll say R and R. Of course, the name of my fictitious soap opera is The Rich and the Ruthless. When you go to R and R cast, you will see the characters that I have brought to life in the book, which will make reading it much more juicy and fallacious and so delicious. So delicious. See now, all I'm going to go on back is to that website. There's a recent one that you've had where you just mentioned the delicious and Calista man. I thought that was the best one out of the two that you just put out there. I was like, I would love him that woman. I couldn't stop cracking up. How did you come up with that idea to do that? Well, I knew that the soap fans wanted to see me on camera. And I've never waited for permission to be proactive in my creativity. I mean, you have to do you. And there's always going to be people out there that would want to prevent you from being creative. But I'm an artist first. I was a ballet dancer, then I worked in the theater, then I did some acting. So I've been an artist my entire life. I design as well. And so it may have always loved fashion. And I decided that I would create these webisodes. I have many webisodes already produced and we will be able to enjoy them. I hope all summer long. And as I mentioned, I've already received studio interest around the book itself. So it made sense to frame the book because darling, these days, you can't just have a fabulous product. You have to know how to market it. You have to market it. Oh, absolutely. You have to market it. So I'm so proud that Moet, Hennessy, is hosting the launch parties. So we'll have champagne pour across America. I'm proud to say that Chanel and Clinique and Pine Sol and Tumi and, oh my goodness, fabulous, fabulous sponsors are very excited about Secrets of the Soap Opera Diva. Essence is very excited about Secrets of the Soap Opera Diva. I could go on and on. We have some wonderful, wonderful partners in this endeavor. And of course, my publisher, Simon & Schuster Atria, The Bachelor of the World. Yes. Yes, Simon & Schuster. It's squarely behind the book. And of course, we launch on May 4th and we kick off in New York City and we will be all across the country. So please check the listings which are already posted on Secrets of the Soap Opera Diva.com under appearances. And also, Soap Opera Digest is listing the tour as well, which I'm very grateful for. Oh, wonderful. I know I just got a question if you were going to probably hit Chicago, but I don't think you are sure of that yet, I think. I don't think we've booked Shytown yet, but we're working on the Chicago Tribune Book Fair. So that would dovetail nicely into a book signing while I'm there. You treat me so well in Shytown, I just wanted to do a shout out over there because you really treat me like a queen. Love it. But I'm asking people when you come to my book signings to please wear a boa, wear boa feathers, wear most outrage, just think Elton John. Just come. And think Grace Jones, I want you to come out as diva down as you can to my book signings. So be Elton John, Lady Gaga, ask. Lady Gaga, I want you diva down, diva and diva down when you come out to the Barnes and Nobles, to the Borders, to the book signings, when I'm in New Orleans, at Octavia Books, when I'm, oh my God, I'm going to be all over the country. And you know, Wendy Williams is going to be hitting that diva fan and the bubble machine when I come on the show. Yes. And Monique is going to have the diva fan going. We are going to have fun, we're going to throw down. We are going to par tag. I'm going to get my plane ticket to New York. I have to get my plane ticket to New York. I said to New York. Well, I'm going to be all across the country. I'm going to be in Baton Rouge. I'm going to be in New Orleans. I'm going to be in Texas. I'm going to just be all over the country. I'm going to be in Augusta, Maine at the border at Barnes and Nobles. Augusta, Maine, Barnes and Nobles. Okay. All right. All over the country. Well, that's the other thing, I'm going to get that list from SOD right now and put it on my side. You need to put it on buzzworthy. You need to put it on your site plus the One Woman Show. The secret of a so far, producing One Woman Show, June 3 through June 6 at the Southwest Arts Center. Now, you know we are going to have fun at the One Woman Show. Watch out Tyler Perry. That's all I can say. Watch out Tyler Perry because Victoria Rowell is taking it on the road. Secret of the soap opera diva, the architecture of the soap opera star. Absolutely. And Dawn just posed this to me because you had just mentioned about Monique. She wanted to know what were your thoughts of Monique winning the Oscar? Monique winning the Oscar was pure poetry in motion. I loved her acceptance speech. It just spoke volumes for so many, so many women, so many women in trouble and girls in trouble. And she really was poised but she made her point. Here it is. I was extremely proud. And the thing about Monique is that she brings people with her so that when she got her show she upped the ante for others. She raised the bar and when you're in a position of power like that you can make it happen. But shouldn't that be the goal of all of us that are in positions of power so that when you're working let's say on a young and the restless, you would hope that a cast would support change. You would hope that they would support setting up for the next generation. And so when I look at 17 years of work, I'm saying that's the result of 17 years and they were like, you know, two black people on the show, you got two black people on the show. Oh man, I'll tell you if this is-- And that's okay and nobody behind the camera except a stage manager named Herbie. That's it? That's it? That's it? That's it? You're kidding. Oh no. No, no, no. So let the fans know they will not be trying to bring back a Victoria Rowl any time soon because Victoria Rowl knows where all the skeletons of buried she knows the score and I really care about the whole picture, not the blurred one because darling that show is not color television. That pretty much was it in the show just by that one sentence. That was it. You pretty much nailed it on the head, that was it. Someone actually said they could see you on a bowling, beautiful, acting opposite of Susan Flannery. That would be amazing. I have to agree with that person. Susan and I talked not that long ago. But you know, obviously Susan's the best in the business and I'm sure if they came up with a storyline that made sense, that could be so much fun. Not to mention, can I get to Italy with Ron Maas? Oh my God. You noticed of the why and our people that go over there tend to want to stay. Yes. That's true. They tend to want to stay. But yeah, I mean I would love to work with Susan and the acting goes without saying, but I mean as a director, those are stuff and she's someone that certainly could teach a tremendous lot. But it's interesting what the caller said about these core characters in the Winters family are now props for the Lily character. Well, they really are. I mean if you think of it, they really are. I mean it just seemed like they're propping the character of Lily for her relationship with Kane played by Daniel Goddard on the show. It's not really about the Winters family anymore. It's now about Lily and Kane. Why are we not really saying anything involving the Winters family with the Winters family? You can't put that kind of responsibility on a young actress who may not have that in, that may not be her focus, I'll just say. Whereas as an actor on the show, I was very focused on building the black family. Yes. Do you follow me? I do. Not everyone is thinking about the whole picture and the character. So what will happen is that if that is what they're hanging their hope onto for the whole black family, then eventually we'll see Christoph sort of go off into the wings and someone else will fulfill their three year contract and that will be the end of that. You have to be proactive. I can't tell you how many times I asked for certain actors to be played. I fought for that black social worker. I fought for Brighton McClure because they did not want him to be black. I said, "Well, that'll be a classic." Excuse me. They were not hiring a black actor for that role and I said, "Don't make a mockery of me. I'm a national spokesperson for foster care and unfortunately the predominant race in foster care are black, just disproportionately black boys." So you really must consider the facts. So I was very, very proactive around building the black story line. I thought that the Crystal Khalil character should have a black boyfriend. That was shot down. I asked for my parents. I would ask for my parents. I said, "Drusilla, even though she's a strong character, must have a relationship with her mother and father who are still alive." Who are still alive? Ben Gillery would love nothing more than to come back on the show. It was very, very hard to get that investment and what I was able to cobble out is what you saw on the screen. Nichelle Nichols, who played Captain Yohuru, Lieutenant Yohuru, rather, on Star Trek. She was interested in playing my mother. Can you imagine? Can you imagine that? Nancy Wilson, the great legendary singer, wanted to play my mother. Daphne Reed, Daphne Reed wanted to play my mother. I proposed all of these actors. I proposed all of it. And it was shot down. Get out of here. Can you imagine if Nichelle Nichols or Nancy Wilson, you know, were on the Young and the Restless, Aretha Franklin wanted to come on the show? What? Get out of here. What? Yes. The problem becomes, so just so the fans know and the viewers know, that's too much power. You see, because if you put that kind of cast together on the show, who's watching anything else? Right. I mean, maybe I'm being a bit selfish and a bit biased. I apologize if I've insulted anyone, but I will just say that if you put those faces on the tube, who's watching anything else? That would be powerful to see a Nancy Wilson on camera, to see in Nichelle Nichols, to see Daphne Reed, because Daphne doesn't play. She goes on screen. And that's pal. That's it. That's it. That's unbelievable. But you know, that you have that kind of talent that would like to appear, and why? And why? Because they're fans of the Young and the Restless. They are fans. You mean to tell me that you cannot reward your fan base with that level of talent, but you go and get Molly, what's their name? You'll go get a Molly, what's your name? Yeah. You can put her up on the screen. It didn't make any sense. But that's the kind of person I am. I went after production value. That's why we had Kenny and Sean Taylor at a more on the show, I went after them. I remember that. I remember that. Yes, you're right. Anyway. But it's just, no good deed goes unpunished, as they say. Apparently not. Apparently not. How long time do we have left? Actually, oh, there they are. I have time for one more caller. Oh, goodie. They had to call, yeah, they had disappeared, but they wanted to come and back, so that was good. I was about to pick them up. But caller from Mississippi. Oh, good. That's why my book is set. Good. That's why my book is centered in Greenwood, Mississippi. Nice. 601 area, because you're on the line. How are you? I'm fine. How are you? Good. Good. What's your name? My name is Rose Wright. How are you doing? Hi, Rose. Good. So, good. You know that Secrets of the Soap Opera Diva starts out in Greenwood, Mississippi? No, I did not. But I'm waiting to hear it and read it. So, I got an email about it coming out. I'm the president of the Santa Booklet. Oh, good. Make sure you gave up plenty of books. I have been following you. Thank you. So, do you have a question for me? I was listening to you comment about the Soap Opera and everything, and I was just, you know, I was just saying to myself, man, here are those who made this would have been wonderful. But I just wanted, you know, say that I think it's great that you, you know, you voice your opinion. Sometimes people don't listen to us, but I'm glad that you were vocal. And, you know, because, you know, sometimes it's hard out there for sisters, I mean, it is hard. Oh, you have to keep going. You have to keep going. That's right. You got to keep going. I love your vote of confidence. I mean, look at our president. Would we have healthcare otherwise for all? No. And, you know, I live in a state where the governor hates our president, and I promise you, I am counting his days out of office. And really, literally counting the dates when this governor can leave. I mean, it's awful. Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, people who, you know, we have a president who inspires change and inspires courage and is grace under fire. I mean, the epitome of grace under fire. And he's extremely tactful and eloquent, and one aspires to be half of that. In any event, it is historically documented that when you are a person about bringing about change and change we know is unpopular, no matter what it is on whatever level it is, it's all relative to what it is that you're doing, you have to stay the course. You have to stay the course because it's the only way it's going to get done. And, you know, colleagues of mine in the entertainment industry say, Vicki, why do you stay on that show? When they knew what I was putting up with all that nonsense with the knuckleheads, they'd say, why do you want to stay on that show? And I said, do you know, without tenure, you cannot bring about change. Let me just say that again. Without tenure, you cannot bring about change. That is so true. That is so true. I teach school, and I mean, sometimes people tell me all the time, girl, why do you do that? I do it for the children. I do it for... I like it. I like it. Mm-hmm. And I mean, no matter what, how they see you, you know what you're doing. And you just keep doing it, because, you know, they say, you know, at the end of every hour, everybody knows how to go, but you just keep going. Thank you. I appreciate it. So go on. I appreciate the encouragement, and I remain lifted. Your book is in, out of a Greenwood. Yes. My book, Bula Espinetta Jones, is my protagonist's real name. Her legal name is Bula Espinetta Jones. [laughter] I see. Okay. I got to laugh already. I got to laugh already. No, I got to laugh already. Just raising her. Mama Jones. Okay. And Bula gets into a little bit of trouble and has to flee from Greenwood. Yes. She flees, and, but she lands in New York for a minute, and then heads on out west to California. And boy, you have to read what happens when she gets to California, but she doesn't take any stuff, and she has a bumpy ride. She has a bumpy ride, but I think it's going to be very, very enjoyable for the soap fans because it's all behind the scenes. It's behind the scenes of the soap opera world. Okay. Well, I won't tell until I used to be so addicted to soap opera, I'm real. I was recording while I was at work, and coming through the door, and, and, and, yes, as I get in the door, my, my, my papers, that, you know, was going out, and using it all up. I mean, I was, well, you know, I write about that in the opening of my book, it's called Well, you can read it on my, on my website, Secrets of the Soap Opera Diva dot com. So from the author is the opening of my book, and I talk about the generational nature and the psychology pieces of soap operas. I talk about the phenomenon of how they're addictive, and not just domestically, but internationally from India to, to England to, well, I list a number of, of locales around the world, and I name the soap operas, and, you know, the culture, the soap opera culture, and, you know, how a lot of us grew up in soap operas, because our grandmothers or our mothers were watching them, and we sat right with them. That's right. They started with the ads of night, the edge of night, the doctors, remember the doctors? The doctors. Oh my God. Another world in Somerset. Okay. Yeah. Rachel and Mac. Oh, I've done three, I've done three soaps, and this is my silver anniversary, everyone. I just want to say, woohoo, two, two, okay, congratulations, thank you. My silver anniversary, I started out on one life to live, not my problem, people got the history wrong. Okay. And then I went over to, as the world turns, yeah, that's what I asked the world to say. I was in Ella Franklin, I took over for Casey Lemons, who became a famous writer and director, because she was an actress on that show, and then I went over to Y&R, all right, and I'm not done, and you know, the, the, um, the, um, Drew in, in, um, Y&R, but I tell you, Drew has come a long way. She's come a long way, but you know what, I think would be fun, and people have been writing in what they would like to see happen, but I think what would be fun is if she really does have amnesia, I know I did my spoofy webisode called, uh, Soap Diva Glamnesia, but if she really did revert back so that when she turns around, you see a woman with like six braids, and when she turns around, and when she turns around, she's gone back, um, and she doesn't know her name. I like that. Right? Okay. Mm hmm. I like that right there. Yeah. So, we'll leave it there, but that's, um, there it is. Okay. All right. Well, you get your book, make sure the bookstores, plenty of copies come May 4th. Okay. Okay. I, I, I, I am following that because, um, uh, you said that you had to come through, and I really, I hope to get to meet you this, uh, and we're working on Mississippi right now. We'll be putting it up on the website as soon as we book it and, uh, and the price point is awesome. Everyone. I just want you to know the book is only $16. So no excuse. Nice. All right. Well, I will be looking, I will be looking out for that because like I say, uh, some, I, I've talked to someone about you already. Mm hmm. Two, two, two, uh, so hopefully it will make that happen. Okey-dokey. All right. And you take care of you here. Thank you. You too. Yeah. Bye. Bye-bye. People, it's so nice. Wow. I love it. I love it. You have so much support on all, on all sides. It's amazing. So before we wrap up, let's, let's do it again. We've been pipping it out all night. Let's pimp it out one final time site book when it drops where they can find you on Twitter. Everything. Okay. Where can they all look out for you? Let's go. First of all, tweet me. Okay. It's my name, Victoria Rowell. So you can find me easily on Twitter. And secrets of a soapoperatdiva.com, that is the official website. Simon & Schuster would love if you would visit their site, Simon & Schuster.com. And type in Victoria Rowell in search. They'd love for you to visit them. What else can I tell you? iTunes. Yes. These are the Pine Falled Chaser. That will be dropping April 13th. Yours truly did the music video and is rapping and yes, those are my licks. Those are my licks. Okay. Those are your licks. All right. I got you. I got you. I have some other music that will be for sale on the website by Peter Adams and Brenda Russell. Oh, the stars are coming out honey. They want to be a part of this one. I like Brenda Russell. We love Brenda Russell. So we have lots of sticky content to get your fingers on on the website. You will be able to buy signed books. You will be able to get photos. You will be able to do a lot of things. But most of all, you'll be able to press flash with this daytime diva on the road at the bookstore. That's right. And May 4th, everybody, it drops. May 4th. It drops. It drops. I have to thank everyone for going on to YouTube. Thank you for going on to YouTube, and for those that don't know, it's youtube.com/victoriarattle. That's my channel. Thank you for tuning in to the webisode stuff. That's right. And there's more to come. Thank you. Oh, my God. Every Friday at midnight, Eastern Standard Time, we drop another webisode. It's called soap opera Saturday. Okay. And that's why you've been seeing these webisodes drop. So this Friday at midnight, Eastern Standard Time, we're going to drop another one before the launch of Secrets of a So Far Per Diva. And then we're on and popping. I'm looking forward to it, and then you've got that whole book tour coming out, everything. Yes. Wendy Williams. All of it. All of it. And after Hollywood. Extra. We just want to say this, though. Oh, Steve, Rhea Barbara, come on, come on, how you know who get out of the pampers and put on his big boy panties, and let's go. And I have to say, if it does come to the point where you go back to one hour, we'll be, we'll be tuning in to you. Oh, yeah. I'll let you know we're going to have a big party, we'll have a big bash. But before that, before all of that, meet me out on the road, all of May, I will, all of May I might on the road with the book. So can't wait to hear what you have to say about Wendy, and Monique and I, and all the rest. Okay. Well, that means you're going to have to come back then. Oh, absolutely. You have to, you have to interview me while I'm on the road. So we have real time with your viewers so they can, and your listeners so that they can know real time what's going on while Victoria is on the road with her book. And hopefully it'll become the New York Times bestseller, we'll see. Fingers crossed, but I'm liking this idea. We're going to roll with that idea, Miss. I think we are. Okay. Thank you all. Thank you, love. Bobbleton Kicker. Take care. Take care now. Bye-bye. Bye. Fantastic, everybody. Victoria Rowell, everybody. Thank you so much for everybody that came to the chat room who called in. I really do appreciate it. We had a blast. We had so much fun here, but right now I'm going to switch gears, and I want you guys to switch gears with me as well. We're going to head over to Stardish Radio right now in about 45 minutes. She's going to be joined by Bradford Anderson who plays the role of Damien Spinelli on ABC Day Times General Hospital. And she's right now on air with Joan Benedict, and I'm not mistaken, as well as this coming Wednesday on my show, this morning, Wednesday, here on Buzzworthy, Jane Scott from Days of Our Lives and plays the role of EJ DeMare will be here joining us. Make sure you guys check that out on Wednesday as well as next Thursday, April 8th, 11.30 AM Eastern. Tiffany, remember Tiffany from the '80s? I think we're alone now. That one hit Wonder. That one hit Wonder Song. Yes. She will be joining us here on this show as well, but make sure you guys come back on Wednesday. Jane Scott, EJ DeMare from Days of Our Lives will be joining us as well as a really airing of a Maurice Bernard interview that night. I encourage you guys to follow us on Twitter at BuzzworthyRadio. Join our fan page on Facebook, BuzzworthyRadio is his name, and go to our website, www.buzzworthyradio.net. But for now, I am setting up. I thank you guys again, Navell Jilly, here, making sure you guys get the latest Buzzworthy radio. See you guys on Monday. Take care. Can't get enough of Buzzworthy Radio. Knock on now to www.buzzworthyradio.net. To get the latest news, I'm upcoming guests, past shows and videos of all your favorite stars. Keep getting the latest Buzz with Buzzworthy. [BLANK_AUDIO]