Yesterday may very well have been a turning point in The Young and the Restless’ 40 year history. Both Michael Muhney and Billy Miller‘s characters were written out of the show with their final scenes airing yesterday and their exits have prompted major backlash from some of the shows most loyal viewers. A Y&R boycott has been suggested and it seems that a multitude of fans really do intend to stop viewing the show that in many cases has been part of their lives’ for decades.
Y&R’s numbers are down to so this isn’t just fans talking but in the last year 500,000 people have actually tuned out and that was before an organized boycott was on the radar. Cast members and various others’ connected with CBS have made the mistake of minimizing the fans influence and importance and almost making fun of them but don’t think that the network isn’t worried now! This week they began hosting Twitter parties where fans can interact with some of the show’s cast members when the show airs. The first Twitter party ended up with three actors naked, covered with signs promoting Y&R. I’m not sure if CBS thought that the cheap gimmick would work but if so they have really underestimated the fan-base that they are up against.
Today Joshua Morrow, Tracey Bregman and Christian LeBlanc will be live tweeting as Y&R airs and I’m pretty sure that this group of actors will be classy enough to stay dressed but it’s no less gimmicky. CBS knows that in order to appeal to long time fans they need to use the actors that people have invested in for years. They are hoping that these three will make you decide to tune in so that you can chat with them online and then the ratings won’t drop. Will you be on board for today’s Twitter party, or are you really finished with Y&R and being manipulated? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
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