Did a gay kiss for Rafe lead to a last-minute recast on "The Young and The Restless"?

Sad to see Chris Engen go and specially under those circumstances, but is nice to get Michael Muhney, hes a very good actor, I loved him on Veronica Mars, and he is quite easy on the eyes. 

As for Rafe and Adam, I see good things and bad things coming out of that pairing, it all depends how the show will aproach it. 

I love the word "brouhaha" and am so happy I finally get to use it in a subject header!

Anyway, there is a lot to discuss. First, Chris Engen: obviously, we're only hearing one side of the story--a leak from a CBS/Y&R staffer--and so hopefully we'll hear Engen's side of the story. But, still, I don't think he's done himself any favors; if Branco's reporting is accurate, his behavior is totally unprofessional: calling in sick and then abruptly walking out and quitting; the sad fact is that this has the potential to be the most talked-about soap story of the year, which would've brought him more press than he's yet received; instead, now he's facing a potential lawsuit for breach of contract AND has potentially put his career at harm--how many producers are willing to put up with such diva-esque behavior on their sets--let's face it, he's a newbie, not Eric Braeden or Susan Lucci, and even they know that their characters are at the whim of TPTB.

As to a Rafe/Adam pairing: I'm all for it; Rafe, thus far, is portrayed as a pure, good person--to pair him off with another pure, good person would be dramatically boring; better to pair him off with a scheming, conniving, evil character like Adam, and let the fireworks begin. I'd like to think that the scenario is that Adam is initially using Rafe to keep him quiet about his gaslighting of Ashley, but that he would then grow to be genuinely fond of Rafe and grow a conscience and not want to hurt him (even though the revalation that Adam got Rafe's Aunt Estella fired would be a breaking point for Rafe, not to mention Adam's treatment of Ashley). I do think this has long-term potential, and I've also heard a rumor that a 3rd (or maybe even 4th) gay character will be revealed in Genoa City.

As for Michael Muhney, I'm afraid I never watched Veronica Mars, so I'm not familiar with his work; physically, he strikes me as looking a bit older than Chris Engen, though he's certainly an attractive man. Anyway, I'm eagerly looking forward to this.

And thanks for the shoutout and sharing with AE's readers!

I know I'm always picking on something, but here goes again, which is it "Matt Muhey" or "Michael Muhney"

Isn't this good news? I mean, if you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen. From the little scene that I saw, Rafe and old Adam had very little chemistry. I wasn't looking forward to them kissing. Now, it sounds like Michael actually wants to do this role, so it can only be good for the storyline.

Good guy pairing with bad guy it's what this storyline needs.

In ATWT works the good/good because there was a dramatic coming out to tell, but here the characters are older and Rafe is a small character right now, so they need to spice things up.

But in the end the chemistry between the actors is the more important, there are a lot of gay couples in soaps, but all that made an impact (Nuke, Ollian, McDean) have something in common, the great chemistry between the actors.

And i hope the actor who left the show has other motivations, because it would really stupid left a show when his character could make a big jump in his popularity, come on, Van and Jake are very very popular, and the ratings of ATWT are not even near of the ratings of the Y%R

Let me just say- WHat? How does one get mad because their character is a villain? Wow. Someone is going to have a limited acting career.

by Engen, at least career-wise. Forgetting the rest of it, walking out on a signed contract for whatever reason is going to be a huge problem when it comes to future casting. There are so many actors auditioning for every role, casting directors are looking for any reason to cut the number of candidates, and backing out of a signed contract role mid-storyline is a big negative.

I do think that Engen's situation is somewhat less reprehensible than Will Smith's Six Degrees Of Separation situation, however. Smith took on a role that was already clearly defined in the original play, then decided that he wasn't going to perform the integral-to-the-plot male/male kiss after he agreed to play the part as written. I have a feeling that, when Engen was hired, the Y&R folks made no mention (and probably had no idea themselves) of just how villainous Adam would become, nor that Adam would be open to the possibility of some man-on-man action.

I do find it hard to believe that Engen is all that unhappy about Adam's evil side, however. Most of the actors I know would much rather play a gray-area-to-evil character than a goody-two-shoes. From what I'm told, playing evil is much more interesting for the actor, and more memorable to the audience.

Well we now have confirmation on who Rafe's love interest is going to be. If I were Chis Engen I'd be at home Googling "Isaiah Washington's career"

Given the dark, villainous character that Adam has become, the more logical speculation about ''the kiss'' seems to be centering aound it being rooted more in Adam's need to manipulate or seduce Rafe into doing something for him or keeping quiet about something - as opposed to Adam becoming Rafe's ''love interest.''   Love may have very little to do with it.   Adam's basically been using Heather as well.   They have sex, then he sees what he can get her to do.   That line of thinking would tie into Muhney's comment that things will be getting ''interesting, perverse, and warped.''   

 

First of all I hate to see Chris go...but you do what you have to do. Lets just hope you still have a career. I guess we'll see you on "Get Me Out of Here! I'm a Celebrity!"...Okay! Back to the rumor of who I think might be "Mister 3rd Man"...Phillip Chancellor the 4th!!! I read on Soap.com that there is a possiblity that the actor who was recently played Coop on Guliding Light has been cast as PC4 and He will come out to his family. He could be Rafe's saviour.  YAY! PC3 and Nina are back on the show! I missed them even if its for a short time...because we don't if Tricia Cast is staying....but Thom B. sign a contract. No matter how you look it Y&R is about to blow up this Summer! And I can't wait! One more thing...Isn't interesting that Bold & Beautiful doesn't have any gay characters! After all it takes place in the Fashion Industry! Maybe Thorne should come out of the closet or even Felicia? 

Nelson mentioned on a different forum that Adam isn't gay...adding more plausibility to the theory that Adam will kiss Rafe to get him to do what he wants.

Has Engen been paying attention?  Actors don't dictate story.  When your big stars, the show's leads, can't walk into the office and demand a story be written a certain way, what does this dude who has been with the show little more than a year think he is going to accomplish by yammering on and on about how he doesn't like the direction of his character?   He should ask some of his co-stars about how they felt about the horrible stories they dealt with during the LML period and whether they could get things changed.

The thing is, everybody had been talking about how great the gaslighting storyline was and how good he was in it.  He had the opportunity to be in one of the most talked about roles on which I truly believe will be the soap everybody is talking about this summer and into fall.  He also seems to have no clue who he is dealing with.  The Bells don't mess around.  Cross them and you'll never work again.  Personally, I hope they sue the pants off him.   I look forward to seeing the new actor in the role, as he seems to relish the story the show has in store for him.

You ought to see what's being posted on other boards: so many folks are PRAISING Engen for standing up for his so-called "principles and beliefs" and that if he doesn't want to kiss a male, then he shouldn't have to even though as an actor, Engen is CONTRACTUALLY obligated to do what TPTB dictate.  Engen has forgotten his place and that he is merely a hired gun, nothing more, nothing less.  

I have to wonder: what if we change the fact pattern a little and what if Engen left because he did not want to kiss a black female actress.  Technically, that would be Engen standing by his principles and beliefs.  Would he get the same pass that these Engen worshippers are giving him because the poor lad needn't be subjected to some male on male kissing based on his personal beliefs and principles?  Probably for some, but I would hope the majority would not.

I am also going to listen to whatever Engen has to say with a bucket of salt.  Given the positions of the parties right now, litigation as to whether Engen breached his contract is likely imminent and anything that either Y&R/SONY/Bell Productions or Engen says will be highly massaged and carefully constructed so as not to have any party make public admissions that can harm either side's case.

But even given the limited facts known to the public, there are only a limited number of reasons as to why Engen would depart Y&R and it has been heard in the industry that the forthcoming kiss between Engen's character with Yanni Gellman's Rafe was the tipping point for Engen's departure.

Draw your own conclusions, but there aren't that many choices to pick from, in my view. 

Nelson Branco's Suds Report has some more details; scroll down the page about half-way:

http://tvguide.sympatico.msn.ca/The+Suds+Report+May+22+2009+UPDATED/Soaps/Suds/Articles/090522_news_nelson_NB.htm?isfa=1

In her latest gossip column, Lynda Hirsch claims Y&R co-executive producer Paul Rauch (along with headwriter Harding Lemay, the mastermind behind Another World's classic 70s heyday) hired Michael Muhney "within two hours" of Chris Engen bolting the set. Wow!

http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/lynda-hirsch-on-soaps/lynda-hirsch-on-soaps-gossip-2009-05-23.html

I really did like the character of Adam when her first came to town as a Harvard business school whiz.  He was a breath of fresh air as compared to that whiny, nose-perpetually-stuck-in-the-air half-sister of his, Victoria.  I credit a good deal of my like of Adam to Engen's portrayal of the character.  It has been hard to like Adam in the recent months and I totally can understand Engen's concerns about where the character is going.   I as a viewer am wondering if the character can be redeemed when all is said and done so I can only imagine what Engen might have been thinking as the scripts were coming out.  Still you keep your mouth shut and keep it moving.  Him bolting on a contract was a total mistake.  You just don't do that.  I can sympathize with whatever personal issues he was struggling with but you have to maintain professionalism.  I think it would have been good for him to try and ride it out.  This upcoming S/L could potentially be one of the most talked about of the year.  And for it to be centered around his character means that the top brass had confidence in his skills and abilities as an actor to make good drama.  I don't know if Engen will be working anytime soon in Hollywood after this fiasco.  I wish him well in his uphill battle to land a new gig.

The much speculated kiss between Adam and Rafe I am looking forward to in an odd way.  Not so much as "two guys kissing on Y&R" but moreso of "how much lower will Adam stoop in this nonsensical scheme of his" way.  Adam at this point has no scrupples, so I can't be but so shocked at what he'll do next.  He's willing to use any and everyone to get what he wants, consequences be damned - even to those he cares about (poor dumb Heather).  I almost feel duped for even liking the character and defending him to his detractors :-p. 

Chemistry...  While Engen and Gellman didn't have blazing "chemistry" on screen I have to wonder how much of that was Engen resisting what he probably suspected was coming down the pipe or just his indifference to the storyline?  Engen did have chemistry in spades with Vail Bloom (Heather) IMO.  They were totally my couple.  Engen also had some really good scenes with on-screen pop Eric Braeden (Victor).  I think he's a talented actor.  He're hoping Michael Muhney can do just as good a job with Adam.  His willingness to embrace the storyline is already a positive.

Once upon a time I died.  And like my namesake I got better.