It's summer, it's the Fourth of July, and it's time to celebrate and have some fun. And Y&R sure knows how to bring the fun, mixed with some drama and chaos, at the summer parties. "Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Those days of soda and pretzels and beer." Nat King Cole sang the lyrics for a true picture of summer, which could accurately set the mood for any Genoa City gala. "Just fill your basket full of sandwiches and weenies...and on the beach, you'll see the girls in their bikinis." I can almost feel the warmth of the sun beaming on my face and hear the rush of the waves from the water. All I need is a picnic basket full of goodies and drinks.
The July 4th celebrations are never dull in Genoa City, and one pool party at the Chancellor mansion that took place in 2009 became all about the hoax that Cane Ashby and Phillip Chancellor III played on their loved ones, and when the truth came out, it really livened up the festivities. Cane and Phillip were partners in crime, when Phillip provided his blood so that Cane could pretend to be the son of Jill and Phillip II. Phillip III had been depressed about marrying and becoming a father at a very young age, he later revealed that he'd been afraid of hurting his loved ones, if they were to find out about his homosexuality. He had faked his own death so he could run to Australia, where he'd met Cane. After Katherine, Jill, and Nina learned the truth at the party and verbally attacked Cane there, Phillip made his grand entrance and took the blame. It was certainly a moment to remember.
In 2017, Neil and Devon hosted the first Hamilton-Winters Independence Day gala, which was to celebrate the American dream and to honor women and minorities in becoming a force in the business world. There were food and drinks galore, fireworks appropriately topped off the festivities, and Neil and Devon had meant for their celebration to be an annual event. Abby, who was decked out in an American flag bikini, embodied the spirit of the holiday, declaring that she was a free and independent woman as she rubbed her independence into Scott's face. Hilary, who had expected the night with her exes to be awkward, enjoyed herself and believed that she, Devon, and Neil were finally moving on. Little did she know then that her fireworks with Devon would return.
Although most July 4th gatherings in Genoa City have been held at a festive venue, fully decorated in red, white, and blue and complete with plenty of food and drink, a most touching celebration was held at the hospital in 2013, when Billy provided his own fun and frolic to his beloved daughter Delia, who was running a high fever. When Billy saw that Delia was missing the fireworks display, he brought his own sparkle by donning a red, white, and blue wig; pulling out some light-up toys; and running around her room, tossing glitter as Delia hummed a patriotic song. The darling girl didn't needed fireworks when she had her father, who made her laugh and gave her his love and attention. It was truly a special event for Billy and Delia, which showed the spirit and joy of Independence Day.
Another memorable summer gala happened at a June pool party in 2018, when Kyle bared all to promote Jabot's new product, "Birthday Suit." This strategy, which proved to be successful for the sunscreen, also let the fans know the kind of character that Michael Mealor's Kyle would turn out to be. Kyle stole Billy's thunder, when he decided to liven up the live telecast on GC Buzz by stripping off his shirt and diving into the pool to demonstrate that the product was waterproof. Unfortunately, when he jumped into the water, he lost his trunks and "didn't realize it" until after he got out of the pool. Even though Kyle was "embarrassed," he had carved out a place at Jabot, since he had shown that his ideas were creative and innovative. The shock of Kyle ending up in his birthday suit put a bright spotlight on a product named "Birthday Suit."
Congratulations to all the Y&R winners at the Daytime Emmy Awards! To Jason Thompson as Outstanding Lead Actor! To Bryton James as Outstanding Supporting Actor! To Eva LaRue as Outstanding Guest Performer! And to our beloved Y&R for Outstanding Drama Series! Y&R truly shone in 2019, and these coveted golden statues were proof of that, which shines a bright light going forward into the future for our loved ones in Genoa City.
In a prerecorded speech for his very first Daytime Emmy Award win, Jason Thompson paid tribute to his wife and two children, and in a Soap Central interview, stated that "it's an honor to be acknowledged by your peers, which is really, really important to me." He voiced that he was very excited to see Bryton James win, but when he watched his category, it had all happened so quickly, he was like, "Whoa, what's going on?!" Mr. Thompson requested to use the speech with his wife and kids, who were so adorable that they stole the scene, because it made the win more memorable for him. Jason Thompson truly deserved the win as Billy Abbott for showing Billy's complex nature and the battle that Billy constantly fights within himself. I truly can't wait to see what's ahead for Billy.
In a Soap Central interview, Bryton James said he shared the honor of his Daytime Emmy Award win for Outstanding Supporting Actor with his mother and his girlfriend, Britni Sarpy, who plays Elena, and explained that it was all the more special, since he got to experience it in the comfort of his home, surrounded by his close friends and family. Mr. James gave a special shout-out to his scene partner, Brytni Sarpy, and to Kristoff St. John, who had taught him so much as an actor. He added that it was a shared award "with anyone that you share the stage with, which is most of the cast." Since this is his second award, Bryton James indicated that he would give his first award back to his mom to keep, after seeing both of them on his nightstand for a week. Bryton James is truly a class act and so very talented. Congrats!
In their interviews, both Jason Thompson and Bryton James explained why it was important for them to discuss the important of equality and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Now that Eva LaRue has won for Outstanding Guest Performer, maybe Celeste can return to Genoa City and pick up where she left off in her flirtation with Jack. Celeste can provide the sauciness and spice that Jack needs in his life, while his calm wisdom can help keep her from flying off the rails. Jack really needs a new lady in his life, and Celeste could fit the bill to bring his love life back into play. Plus, with Rey and Lola still in town, Celeste could constantly give them her motherly advice, whether they want it or not. Congratulations, Eva LaRue, and I hope to see you as Celeste again in the near future.
Victor doesn't seem to genuinely smile and laugh as much as he did in the past -- although maybe he doesn't have as much reason to now with an all-grown-up and always menacing Adam around.
Even though Soap Central has reported that Y&R has pushed back the tentative date to resume production to July 13th, we know that new episodes may be coming soon. While the classic episodes have been fun to watch, we, the fans, are all ready for our favorite daytime drama to return to bring back the love and the angst in a safe and entertaining way. We have missed our beloved characters, who are all just like family to us, so the new episodes will feel like a homecoming. So, as long as they can film safely during this very difficult time, we will welcome back our Genoa City loved ones with open arms.
Until next time, please stay tuned.
Teddi
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