Jill Farren Phelps: "We Certainly Pay Attention To What Fans Say"

I don't trust anyone who wears eye makeup like that.

But I must say, thanks for Niz. I appreciate it.

I'm really excited to read the article!! I just clicked on the link and saw the cutest pic of Kirsten and James Franco!!

I have to say, I do think GH has been doing a better job at giving fans what they want (in general). And she's right, it's a fine line they have to walk. Everyone wants their favorites to be happy, for instance, but if you do that then you've got no more show. And let's not even get started about warring couple fanbases - it's impossible to make everyone happy. It really is a tough job.

GH has gotten better since the carnival stunt but I do not agree with Phelps. I know of several onliners that no longer tune in to GH on a daily basis. Instead they go to youtube to watch their favorite characters' scenes. Watching youtube does not help GH in the ratings. I look forward to seeing James Franco, but I do not know if he is enough to bring back longtime viewers that have become upset with GH for whatever their reason.

I read the article. Not bad. And she was respectful and gracious when talking about GL's cancellation - which is more than I can say for Brian Frons (he did an interview in which he was *very* dismissive about GL.)

LISTEN TO FANS??? what is she smoking? Some of that brown broccoli? The biggest crock of sh&%$& I've ever heard.

Since when?

How can that woman stand with a straight face and tell a bold face lie like this when fans begged and pleaded among many things, for Genie Francis (for years) and she with her good ole' boys tag team steadfastly refused her with her iconic status the same contract they gave TG when she pimped him to stardom....stop killing Qs for years, stop the pimping of pets, tone down the mob for years

She's lying again; I do not believe this not one iota. I notice since Franco's appearance is scheduled and all eyes are on them their pimp machine is working overtime...I can write an essay on the crap she's pulled but why bother...they just lied about Greg Vaughn leaving when they fired him.

She'll get another emmy and be heralded as the greatest thing since sliced bread.

The Pimp Machine hard at work..even Guza is opening up his big mouth talking. I want to see the story he writes for Franco....since everybody else seems to be suffering with crappy stories (except their pets they stroke). "Glued" to the set? Look at your numbers you just managed a #4 after being #5 for two weeks straight your show is tanking. Its not #1 they aren't "glued" but glued to uTube and reading fan fiction about your show.

coolblue - Well I'm one of those "old timers" I guess since I've been watching GH since 1974 when I was 16. My college used to have a "study break" from 3-4 PM just so everyone could watch Luke and Laura. Until college I had never watched a soap opera as it's not something my mother or grandmothers did. But I got hooked and have watched it ever since. There have been plenty of storylines I loved and plenty I hated but nothing so horrible that I completely stopped watching, even when I had to tape the shows and catch up on the weekend. I guess during the bad times I kept hoping things would get better and they usually did. I've always thought GH was better than the other ABC, CBS and NBC soaps. None of them ever held my attention the way GH did and still does. And I'm certainly not bored now!!

Amen Cyber! That woman is so full of BS i can't say anymore on this message board but i agree with everything u said.

I stated onliners, not oldtimers. I was trying to make the point that the average soap viewer has many options to watch their favorite shows, not just GH. Phelps seems to think that every fan that is upset with aspects of GH is still glued in front of the tv everyday at 3OM. The ratings tell a completely different story. The carnival, and the Spixie nonwedding boosted their ratings but GH as a whole failed to keep them. With JJ's return as Lucky, and Claudia's end also boosted ratings.

I personally think OLTL is the best soap on ABC. Since I do not watch CBS or NBC I cannot compare GH to them. I hope you continue to enjoy GH.

Well to each their own. There were a lot of things I liked about OLTL and a lot of things I didn't. I finally stopped watching, in large part, because I was tired of Todd, the psycho violent rapist, being pimped as a romantic lead. And while I love Roscoe Born, the thought of another rapist running around town hardly makes me want to put OLTL back on my DVR. I have A LOT of problems with GH, but at least they don't try to convince me that rapists are sexy.

I'm always thinking about watching OLTL again, because I want to support a show that's in trouble, but I just dread it.

I stopped OLTL during rapemance but I went back because with OLTL nobody is on every day, you can have Toddless days like today. And unlike Todd, I expect Mitch will remain a villain.

coolblue - I know you did not say "old timers", I did. That was just my way of describing myself. lol

As for OLTL, I watch when I'm home but I don't tape it. For me OLTL and AMC are pretty boring but it's just my personal opinion. I haven't spent much time watching soaps on CBS or NBC but the few times I've clicked on to them, what I saw didn't appeal to me.

I'm glad that you enjoy OLTL so much. I hope that you continue to enjoy it for many years to come. That's why there should be a variety of soaps on the air. Different tastes for different folks. For me, my preference is GH!

yeah right, that the reason the rating are so bad, because you "pay attention to the fans"

Somewhere Skate fans, Liason fans , Quartermaine fans and Laura Spencer fans all bit the heads off puppies...

No Giddens we loved puppies lol

I am enjoying a lot of GH right now, but it doesn't change the fact, that much of what a lot of the fans were loving in '08 was scrapped, all at once, with no real resolution, and the ratings have reflected that. Jill wasn't listening to fans when she did this, she was listening to Frons, and I get that, because he's her boss, but Frons has no idea what fans want on any of his soaps. Jill has never listened to fans in any real sense on any of the soaps she's worked on. Did she think fans wanted Eden Capwell raped by her gyno? DId she think fans wanted Maureen Bauer, Frankie Frame and Ryan Harrison killed? She uses fuck-us, I mean focus groups to justify the decisions she already wants to make.

I am in total agreement with "cyberologist". I still say they (tptb) need to clean house starting with Ms Phelps, Frons, Guza and whoever else dragged GH down to #4 and 5 each week.

*snicker*

*snort*

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!!!

Thanks Jill! That's the best laugh I've had all day!!!

Yeah Jill, let me clue you in on something - nowadays, if people are mad, they turn their TVs OFF. Look at your ratings.

A story revolving around Jason?!?!?! What an original concept!!! And by a lot of characters, I have to assume that means the same five that are on every damned day, throwing in Lulu, Lucky, and Maxie for kicks one day. K.

So GH is blowing their entire sweeps wad on James Franco, which is all well and good, but it's still the same clueless, violence-happy hacks running the show. Enjoy that two-week, two percent ratings spike, GH!

It maybe true at the beginning of a storyline that if fans are mad they are watching. However,if they stay mad; they become frustrated. If they are frustrated and disappointed enough times they stop watching. Life is short. There are enough things in “real life” that are disappointing without wasting a hour on a TV show that continually disappoints.

Yeah sure, they listen to what fans say and then do the exact opposite of it.

I agree, it is obvious that JFP is in denial. Yes, GH has been better in the past few months, but it is far from where it should be. A little, make that alot less mob more hospital. More diversity and give them storylines. Bring back more Hardys, Webbers, Qs, and characters like Anna, Robert, Holly, Sean, Tiffany, and clean house at GH,

So giving fans the complete opposite of whatever they like is "lidtening to them" is it?
The only American soap right now that continuously listens to the fans is One Life To Live!

You all realize that she is eating up all this talk. If you guys really hate the show as much as you do and say that you have stopped watching, then please stop commenting. It is beyond frustrating when all the posts on this say is how no one watches. I agree with JFP. People are watching. It might not be enough but give it time. I only have two complaints. I want to see Guza gone, although recently I am loving GH, and a new opening. Obviously they aren't listening to the fans to closely or they would have realized that we want an updated opening. OLTL does a great job of adding new contracted characters right into rotation but GH never has in two years. It took them forever to get Emily off, SJB never was put on, Johnny and Olivia still aren't, GV is still on and JJ needs to replace him, finally the worst of all Stuart Damon who needs to raise from the dead is still on and he was on another soap. GH that looks really bad!

I agree Beth, GH is going to see a spike with JF and during the sweeps but the question will always be can they maintain that, and if the recent ratingfs have been any indications they won't, which really is a shame

Y'all need to get over yourselves. As sassydreams pointed out, all shows have their ups and downs and true fans will always tune in. Those that stop watching simply because their couple isn't together, or because there is too much Sonny and Jason/mob stories are just being silly. I mean do you really expect perfection every single day, day in and day out. Look at the past, we have enjoyed A LOT of great stories so to put up with some of the bad just comes with the territory. Yes, they are pimping James Franco, wouldn't you if you were writing this soap? Hello people, he is an award winning movie star who I am sure didn't just want to come on GH and play a janitor. I have seen an remarkable improvement in GH over the last month, specifically because of the return of Jonathan Jackson. Has ABC/GH handled everything that has transpired perfectly (i.e. GV)? No, but is there really a good way to fire someone. I agree that GH needs to focus more on the other characters which I think they are trying to do. I have no doubt that they will bring back Genie Francis so just be patient. For all the haters who aren't tuning in, give GH another try. There is so much garbage on television that I find it refreshing to watch GH everyday, even during the bad times.

#9 Ita I don't know how OLTL is now but I walked when Renee Goldsberry left and I will never watch that show again. I believe they did not want to give an African American lead status story & money. They wouldn't write "for her" with three relationships no wedding, nothing but angst I got tired of waiting for it to get better and I'm not interested in that show now but I heard it was in trouble and needed support...wake Evangeline up I may consider it.

GHLuver - AMEN!!!

Frons must be paying her to say that........Oh, right, he is! What a pile of BS!

ITA, Cyber, cokey, Dinah, Beth, italiano, Simple C, keanna & of course, Jamey!

If they are "so busy listening to the fans" then please explain the horrendously low ratings of late?
Except for "Stunt, Gimmick & Explosion" Days, and New/Old Character In & Out Days, everything in between is just crap thrown at the wall to see what sticks.

Nothing is going to really change at GH except for the removal of Frons, Phelps & Guza. JMHO

No offense, acespencer...... we can complain on here till the cows come home, we can send emails & snail mails, post on message boards & dial the comment lines until our fingers have callouses, but it still proves the point that TIIC DON'T LISTEN & DON'T CARE WHAT WE SAY OR WHAT WE WANT. By not watching WE don't have to SAY anything anymore---the Ratings are telling the story! jmho

Ya hear that Jill??? **cows mooing & crickets chirping**

People want different things, so you can never please all the fans. I think over the last couple of years, the show has made some changes that reflect what fans have wanted. The hospital is used more (I remember a time when we barely saw the hospital) for instance. Spixie is another example. There is no way that Spixie was going to be a go couple originally, but TPTB saw the audience response and created a love story for them.

People complained that the show was too dark, so now we're getting at least *some* breaks (karaoke, Spixie non-wedding, light JaSam moments, Scrubs happiness), they brought JJ back (which upset GV fans but at the same time, made a lot of other fans happy.) They're bringing back the Spencer vs. Cassadine dynamic. I've heard they're trying to get back Genie Francis (which was not the case previously) And they hired a bunch of young actors who can actually act (which is more than I can say for a lot of other shows.)

As a Sam fan, I can say they definitely listened to what some of her fans have wanted. For years online fans have said they should make her a PI, and they did. They wanted her to interact more with her family and that's happening. JaSam fans wanted a more balanced relationship between the two, and they got it (so far.)

Liason fans are pissed (as any fans of a couple that's been broke up would be.) But TPTB HAVE responded to ReH/Liz's popularity by giving her a front burner storyline (with JJ back), and they're bringing back her brother. Liz fans have wanted her family back for a long time, and even I was one of the people that have been suggesting for years that they bring back her brother. And it's happening.

I hate that they took MW off contract. I think they missed an opportunity with Kate. However, even though they've decided that they don't want to use her character full time right now, they have brought her back from time to time and in wonderful ways. The Kate/Coleman stuff was awesome. And while people would argue this isn't giving fans what they want, I would say that to a certain degree they're trying to. Years ago, they would have gotten rid of the character and that would be that. But now, at least they're giving her fans something by continuing to bring her on occasionally.

Do I think the show is perfect? Hell No! I don't like the way they treat their vet actors/characters, I think they've made a mistake by continuing to phase out the Qs, I think the show is still unbalanced (though I think that's improved a little bit), I don't think they do a good job at ripple effect storytelling (which OLTL is great at), and I think the show suffers from too much machismo. However, I do think that they've tried recently to give fans more of what they want.

OLTL...is probably the most diverse soap on television right now. Alot of the storylines have had gone under critical eye, but for me the storyline has played out quite favorly. The established vets are utilized...there is plenty of Viki, Dorian, Clint, Bo and Nora to go around. The cast is extensive and they all intertwine - you do have Toddless days, and Johnless days...and it's nice. The only character anyone wants to see is Viki - she is the show's core. History is also referred to on several occasions - like one day Viki talked to Noelle about the men she had been in love with and she showed pictures of each of them. The best was when she showed Noelle a picture of Clint Ritchie and remarked how much he had changed over the years. It was a wonderful tip of the Stetson to both actors. Conversely, OLTL does tend skew some facts, like Lee Helpburn being alive, and Daniella being too old for her age...but it's not the biggest offense out there. May I ask what Jill Farren Phelps has done? I know she was the reason for Robin Strasser's leaving OLTL the last time - though I never knew why...was she responsible for the Rappaports being a big Llanview presence? If she did then I guess my answer...