Time After Time/Soap World

Word on the street in part 2 of the interview with Nelson Branco Victoria Rowell responds to the spit-take incident and baby you gotta hear what she has to say.  Here is the exerpt when she tells all:

TVG: On the flip side, in one my recent interviews with your former co-star Michelle Stafford, she claimed that the now infamous spit scene, or as she refers to it, “spit take,” was cleared by cast and crew. Would you like to respond?

VR: [Laughs] Yes, I heard. I recall that particular day very clearly. It’s well documented. I was very excited about those scenes in which Drucilla announces to Phyllis that she is her boss now at Newman Enterprises. I even brought in one of my best hats, my own fierce jacket, and sported a beautiful burgundy dress. I was even wearing my own heels. I had done my own hair. I had done a cute bun, and wore some killer Mac red lipstick. I couldn’t wait to see the script because Michelle and I were eager to see how they’d write this shocking revelation that Dru would become her rival‘s boss. I knew creatively from an actor’s standpoint it would be simply delicious and a memorable classic soap moment. However, I did worry that Michelle might have taken issue and umbrage with Dru being Phyllis’s boss.As we were running lines, I heard her ask a stagehand for a cup and to fill it up to the top with water. To clarify, the spit take wasn’t in the script, and the script is in evidence if anyone would like to see it for themselves. Now remember, I’m off to the side of the set, but I still heard Michelle’s request. I don’t think I was supposed to hear that, but I did. In her defence, it’s not uncustomary for an actor to ask for a drink of water to clear the pipes, etc. So I didn’t assume she was asking for a cup of water for any reason other than that.

During the scene, as Dru is about to tell Phyllis she’s her boss, Michelle elected to freely pick up the mug, fill her mouth with water, and spew the contents therein on me. You could hear a pin drop on the set. No one moved. Dead silence. Michelle began laughing hysterically and couldn’t stop. In fact, Michelle ruined the tag of the scene because it was supposed to end on her but she couldn’t refrain from laughing. Finally, the director said, “Stop tape!”

I looked into the blackness of the theatre and the stage and asked if anyone had a blow dryer because let’s not forget we still had additional scenes to film. No one had a blow dryer. Had the “spit take” been cleared with anyone, don’t you think there would have been something to dry me off with? So, I had to excuse myself from the set to dry myself off. Michelle screamed at me, “You have to stay wet for continuity.” I continued to climb the stairs and finally dried myself off. When I returned, Michelle was gone. When she twirled back on the set, she was hysterically out of control. She wasn’t laughing this time but she was hysterical with [former co-executive producer Ed Scott] following behind her saying, “Just finish the scene, Michelle.”

Michelle looked at me, and said to me, “You are a freak and no one here likes you.” I responded, “Are you ready to run lines? We have another scene to do.” Here she was on the wrong page of the script, and on the wrong stage because she was flustered. She then ran off the set. I immediately ran to [CBS VP of Daytime] Barbara Bloom’s office. She wasn’t there, so I hand-wrote her a letter which I’m sure she and Sony have on file. What did I write? I let them know that no actor will ever determine when my day is done. I had another scene to do, so please get your dog out of the pen so we can finish the day and move on with our lives.

After I returned back down to the set, the crew was placating Michelle to leave her dressing room so she could return to tape. While the show moved on to film other scenes, I sat down on my set and waited for her to return until they turned back the lights on the set and finally got her to return to the set because she was in breach of contract. Luckily, she returned and we finished our scenes.

The next day I returned to Television City with my representatives who demanded that Michelle apologize to me. That’s all I requested because I know the fans love the Phyllis and Dru dynamic and relationship. I suspect that Michelle thought I would throw a fit and refuse to work with her ever again. That wasn’t the case because I’m a professional and will always put the show first before petty feuds. I think that took her by surprise. Michelle was then made to apologize to me. I said to her, “Michelle, what you did was vile. You were trying to spin this [aggressive act] as a spit take. What is that? Do you think a black woman of my stature would ever allow anyone to spit in my face? Much less not being asked to do so? I’m an NAACP Image member and an NAACP Award winner, and this is a different kind of lynching. I also know that you are trying to distract the attention off of me and the [upcoming] Daytime Emmy Awards. Beyond that this was meant to humiliate me, and discourage me from all the behind-the-scenes progress I am making. And this cannot just be forgiven. Anyone who wants to distort that, well, it’s the God’s honest truth.”

Before everyone walked out the door, I said to our head writer, “Whatever you do, don’t stop writing us, Jack [Smith]. We’re in the Top 5 super-couples in daytime. I don’t know what issue Michelle has with me, but I want to continue working with her for the show and the fans.” Well, let me tell you, everyone almost all but fell off their chairs! From that day forward, Michelle and I hardly ever worked together again. I believe Michelle decided she didn’t want to work with me anymore and her reps made Dru and Phyllis’s magic go away.

What is truly disturbing in your recent interview with her is that she underscores the fact that, in her own words, that everyone knew that she was going to spit on me without my knowledge. And that’s an absolute disgrace and lie.

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Now if that were me we'd be fighting on that set..fighting!  That's all I got to say!

But Michelle did say in her interview that there was a time that she didn't like Victoria Rowell but never elaborated on it.  Also VR hasn't mentioned this incident since her first interview in 2007.  It wasn't until MS dicussed this in the recent interview that she went on to address the "whole" thing.  So what VR is doing at this point is what anyone would do.  Make it be known what really went down.