We Love Soaps Article-Melissa Reeves (Read 4,777 times)

[jaysdelina]

Greg Rikaart Calls Melissa Reeves & Chick-Fil-A's Don Cathy 'Grown Up Bullies'; Hopes For Better Understanding

FOX News host and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee organized a "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" on Wednesday, August 1 after the company received heat for their support of anti-gay organizations as well as president Dan Cathy's remarks about marriage equality. Melissa Reeves, who plays Jennifer in DAYS OF OUR LIVES, tweeted a message that day which read as follows:

Chick-fil-A today!!!! Loved every bite of it;)!! Land of the free and home of the brave. Love that we all appreciate free speech, right?"


Soap fans and non-soap fans alike tweeted immediate and strong reactions ranging from unconditional support for Reeves to being completely dumbfounded and even disgusted. I personally fell into the surprised and confused category. In a January 2011 interview with We Love Soaps, Mrs. Reeves shared her thoughts on speaking out against things that are unjust:

I think we’re so afraid of not being liked that we don’t speak out for what’s important. Now I don’t want to just be a blowhole because that is ugly. But when I think something is not right, I definitely want to speak out about it. You have to. That’s how we love and protect people.

In the past decade, Reeves has spoken often about her strong religious beliefs but based on our interviews and everything I knew about her, she came across as compassionate and accepting of others. And it just seemed like an odd time to speak up for this particular cause since DAYS OF OUR LIVES won a GLAAD Award this Spring for its gay storyline. From a public relations standpoint, if nothing else, why take a stand on this particular issue and invite negativity on to her and her show? So I wondered to myself if she really believed the heart of the controversy was Dan Cathy's freedom of speech (and nothing more). No one ever questioned Dan Cathy's First Amendment rights, but perhaps she did not understand why the company, its funding of hate groups and Mr. Cathy's comments upset so many people.

I tweeted Reeves from our @welovesoapstv Twitter account to share my thoughts and to try to understand hers. Instead of responding and engaging in a conversation, she blocked @welovesoapstv.

She did the same to other people with an opposing view including THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Emmy-winning actor, Greg Rikaart, who plays Kevin on the show. Rikaart expanded on his thoughts in a wonderful essay for the Huffington Post on Friday. Here's an excerpt:

The media blitz surrounding Chick-fil-A isn't about chicken sandwiches or Dan Cathy's First Amendment right to speak his mind. Mr. Cathy's company has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to organizations like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which publicly denounces the "impure lifestyle" of the LGBT community.

Furthermore, this company donated money to the Family Research Council, which supports the criminalization of homosexuality and states on their website that they oppose efforts for homosexuals to have equal rights. Can you even imagine -- your neighbor, your friend, your sibling or your child being criminalized for being who they are?

I posted a tweet airing my disappointment in Melissa Reeves (another member of the daytime community) for aligning herself with this company that financially supports the furthering of hatred and bigotry. I did so because I have aligned myself with organizations like GLSEN (the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) and the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) and I have read too many stories of alienated LGBT kids taking their lives after relentless persecution.

Whether grown up bullies like Dan Cathy and Melissa Reeves realize it or not, they are directly or indirectly telling these vulnerable kids that there is something wrong with them, or they are somehow less than. Nothing could be further from the truth. I'm certain of it.

I'd happily talk to Mrs. Reeves about this myself, but alas, she has not responded to me and has blocked me from having access to her twitter account. I have happily engaged in debates with people who have reached out to me in defense of her and/or their own beliefs. People often say "agree to disagree." I think that's a cop-out.

Like Mr. Rikaart, I would love to speak with Mrs. Reeves about this subject. That's what I was trying to do on Twitter that day. While the intentions of some people may have come from a good place, if you read "Chick-fil-A" tweets on August 1 you saw large percentage of homophobic and hateful remarks. It was enlightening and somewhat discouraging to read some of these comments, but also gave me even greater appreciation for my own life. As a gay man living in New York City, I can legally be married to the love of my life. In fact, that exact thing is happening on August 18! Why people like Don Cathy think marriages like mine will somehow harm him is something I will never understand. But more and more people have come to understand that it won't impact them at all.

In responding to supporters and critics alike, Mr. Rikaart set an example for other celebrities by engaging in a respectful and honest dialog to use it as a teaching moment. I don't have lofty expectations of famous people, expecting them to use their status for good in the world. But it's a wonderful thing when they do. Thank you, Mr. Rikaart.

www.welovesoaps.net/2012/08/greg-rikaart-calls-melissa-reeves-and.html

[villa281]

Thanks for posting. That was a great read.

[jaysdelina]

While I agree she has every right to express her opinions,I feel her stance is pretty bigoted and I didn't expect that of her.She's always come off as so nice and accepting of all people.Not only that,but if she feels she didn't do anything wrong by expressing herself the way she did,why block everyone who tries to ask her about it?

[DancingDays]

I find her stance to be all that more ironic when you consider her own previous actions. Jason Brooks anyone?

[fluffysmom]

I think the bottom line is that most people in the entertainment industry seem to have very liberal views. She doesn't and that's her right. Just like it's the right of people to have an opposing view.

[villa281]

Aug 12, 2012 15:45:45 GMT -5 DancingDays said:

I find her stance to be all that more ironic when you consider her own previous actions. Jason Brooks anyone?

It is like my grandma always told me, be careful when you point the finger at someone because there are four more fingers that are pointing back at you.

[slyn11]

I knew she was like this....I am a bit shocked she was so vocal about it, in such a "in your face" sort of way, given her co-stars/workers and that she is in the entertainment industry. Seems like a stupid move.

I have a hard time with hate...in any form....so she won't be someone I support in the future or follow on Twitter etc. What Greg Rikkart said was right on the money.
==========================================

here is a link to his post...

www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-rikaart/chick-fil-a-controversy-_b_1765990.html

Here is the text...

The media blitz surrounding Chick-fil-A isn't about chicken sandwiches or Dan Cathy's First Amendment right to speak his mind. Mr. Cathy's company has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to organizations like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which publicly denounces the "impure lifestyle" of the LGBT community.

Furthermore, this company donated money to the Family Research Council, which supports the criminalization of homosexuality and states on their website that they oppose efforts for homosexuals to have equal rights. Can you even imagine -- your neighbor, your friend, your sibling or your child being criminalized for being who they are?

I posted a tweet airing my disappointment in Melissa Reeves (another member of the daytime community) for aligning herself with this company that financially supports the furthering of hatred and bigotry. I did so because I have aligned myself with organizations like GLSEN (the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) and the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) and I have read too many stories of alienated LGBT kids taking their lives after relentless persecution.

Whether grown up bullies like Dan Cathy and Melissa Reeves realize it or not, they are directly or indirectly telling these vulnerable kids that there is something wrong with them, or they are somehow less than. Nothing could be further from the truth. I'm certain of it.

I'd happily talk to Mrs. Reeves about this myself, but alas, she has not responded to me and has blocked me from having access to her twitter account. I have happily engaged in debates with people who have reached out to me in defense of her and/or their own beliefs. The knowledge that I might have the ability to change someone's mind or possibly get them to see the issue from a different perspective is worth the few naysayers who have sent me unkind comments. People often say "agree to disagree.' I think that's a cop-out. Frankly, the stakes in this case are too high to let the conversation end. Let's disagree and talk about it. Maybe I can better understand you and vice versa.

I'm grateful and encouraged that the majority of the feedback I have gotten has been very supportive and positive, and I am happy to use my bit of notoriety to stand up for what is right. Some people have accused me of bullying for expressing my disappointment in Mrs. Reeves. A man named Wayne Self likened this rationale to walking up to a bully on the playground beating up some other kid and then scolding them both for not getting along.

I was having a conversation with some friends last night and someone said "What's the end game on this Chick-fil-A issue?" My hope is that with all the media attention surrounding the issue, Dan Cathy would be open to taking a meeting with my friends Eliza Byard of GLSEN and Chad Griffin of the HRC. Maybe he can walk away from that with a better understanding of why his actions are so hurtful to the LGBT community, particularly the youngest and most vulnerable members of it, and maybe he will think twice about where his tax-deductible donations go.

Until then, I will not be eating at Chik-fil-A. On the occasion that I treat myself to junk food, I'll head out to KFC for some chicken, munch down on some Oreos or some Ben and Jerry's and wash it down with a Venti Iced Vanilla Latte.

[sportsgirl]

I went to Chick-fil-a to eat that day and it was too crowded... It's the man himself & not the company... branches are awarded to individuals who wind up having a good living for their families.
I despise hate in any way... including boycotts! If that was the case there are a lot of actors & musicians I would boycott, but I don't.

[jayssweetgirl]

I am a christian and to a point, I agree with Melissa and Dan Cathy, but I would never push my beliefs off on someone else. It's not a lifestyle I would ever choose, but to each their own. I feel like everyone has a right to what they believe and how they choose to live.

[jaysdelina]

I strongly believe in free speech,and I also strongly believe that everyone has a right to live their truth,live the life they want.I think Melissa took it too far though.Unfortunately she's in an industry where she,as well as her peers are very influential.She might as well have handed a kid trying to find him/herself a loaded gun and said "use it.Who you are is wrong,WHAT you are is wrong".In this case I feel that she should have kept her thoughts to herself,expressed them privately,and she needs to remember,she's no saint.As someone else already pointed out,Jason Brooks anyone?She has no right to sit in judgement of someone else.Being gay isn't a choice,either you are or your not,the same as being straight,and I feel that if she,and society as a whole understood that,we'd be alot better off.

[jayssweetgirl]

I missed the whole Jason Brooks thing. What happened?

[jaysdelina]

Aug 13, 2012 10:31:43 GMT -5 jayssweetgirl said:

I missed the whole Jason Brooks thing. What happened?

It was in 94-95.She had an affair with him.It supposedly lasted only two months,but hubby caught her and pretty much forced her to quit Days at the time,causing her to be sued by Corday productions.

[DancingDays]

When Jason Brooks played Peter Blake he and Melissa had an affair. When her husband, Scott, found out, he demanded she leave the show or he would leave her. She left and Jennifer was recast with someone else (Something Cameron - I can't remember her name). It was very scandalous and was spread all over the soap mags.

[jayssweetgirl]

Aug 13, 2012 10:35:42 GMT -5 jaysdelina said:

Aug 13, 2012 10:31:43 GMT -5 jayssweetgirl said:

I missed the whole Jason Brooks thing. What happened?

It was in 94-95.She had an affair with him.It supposedly lasted only two months,but hubby caught her and pretty much forced her to quit Days at the time,causing her to be sued by Corday productions.

Oh wow......that is crazy.....no one should ever point the finger at someone else bc the only perfect person in GOD. we wouldn't be human if we were perfect

[jayssweetgirl]

Aug 13, 2012 10:36:49 GMT -5 DancingDays said:

When Jason Brooks played Peter Blake he and Melissa had an affair. When her husband, Scott, found out, he demanded she leave the show or he would leave her. She left and Jennifer was recast with someone else (Something Cameron - I can't remember her name). It was very scandalous and was spread all over the soap mags.



I remember the recast and her name was Stephanie Cameron and I heard the only reason she even got the part was bc she was dating a producer or something like that and she didn't last very long on Days.