GH: Felicia needs acting lessons
Lee Anne De Wan
This girl is as bad as they come. Her nasaly voice, her
inability to show any kind of emotion and make it look real is
bringing the whole story down.
YUK, it's time to throw in the towel Kristina..
Victoria Nicole Vogt
In <51q09h$i...@nntp.Stanford.EDU> lee...@bonair.Stanford.EDU (Lee Anne
Oh, I don't know. Felicia is an *extremely* popular character on
GH. She always has been. This "inability" to show emotion, as you put
it, in intentional. Doesn't that seem obvious to everyone?
As for her voice, it doesn't bother me. In fact, I've never even
thought about it.
It could just be me, or that I just woke up, but I believe here on
RATSA we usually try to criticize characters and storyline, not
actresses and their "nasaly voices." I do not believe Kristina Malandro
is as bad as they come because I happen to think she is a great
actress. Even though I don't like the way the storyline is going, it
seems clear her acting style at the moment is very intentional. If it
seems unintentional to some, perhaps it shows she's even a better
actress than I'd originally thought.
*Star*
Lee Anne De Wan
Victoria Nicole Vogt (lode...@ix.netcom.com) wrote:
: In <51q09h$i...@nntp.Stanford.EDU> lee...@bonair.Stanford.EDU
: *Star*
Ok Star, well you have your opinions and I have mine but to say
that I can't have an opinion about the Character's flaws and to
say that here at RATSA "we" don't usually criticize characters is
just plain, well, STUPID! uh hum... Maybe you did just wake up.
jeez....
Adrian
lee...@bonair.Stanford.EDU (Lee Anne De Wan) could possibly, in their
infinite wisdom, have said:
>This girl is as bad as they come. Her nasaly voice, her
>inability to show any kind of emotion and make it look real is
>bringing the whole story down.
>YUK, it's time to throw in the towel Kristina..
I'm sorry, no offence meant, but I totally disagree with you. KW is
very talented. And your singling out of her 'nasaly' voice suggests
you are not critiquing her acting but rather her personal attributes.
I suggest you borrow a tape of the Maxie/BJ story line if you want
proof of her talent.
*pout*
ADRIAN DOWN UNDER
FGCs:CEO, FGC Bobbie Inc; Founder, Bobbie Appreciation Day April 16;
FGCs:Felicia,Keeper of the Blonde Brain; Lucy,Keeper of the Versace;
Chief of Staff, MHGC Augh-dreary; MHGC Veronica Balls; Mbr., PEACE;
FGCO: Keisha & AJ; Member SESIDANG/VAT of PUKE/SIDATHUSSEIN/DEBIT.
GH:Where the Nurses have Balls and the Doctors Don't. Psst:I'm male.
Jan Penovich
kmj...@pfs01.cc.monash.edu.au (Adrian) writes:
>lee...@bonair.Stanford.EDU (Lee Anne De Wan) could possibly, in their
>infinite wisdom, have said:
>>This girl is as bad as they come. Her nasaly voice, her
>>inability to show any kind of emotion and make it look real is
>>bringing the whole story down.
<snip>
>And your singling out of her 'nasaly' voice suggests
>you are not critiquing her acting but rather her personal attributes.
That's not necessarily true. I generally like Kristina
(though I don't always like Felicia), but her voice IS
annoying and has become part of the Felicia character.
Kristina could change it if she wanted to.
>I suggest you borrow a tape of the Maxie/BJ story line if you want
>proof of her talent.
She was very good in that story, but I think the problem
with her is that she's inconsistent. I don't think she has
the range of Lynn H., Jon L., Genie F., or Tony G.
>*pout*
Please don't pout, it is so unbecoming.
jan (one of the one in six Americans who knows someone, is
related to someone, or is someone from Brooklyn)
--
********************************************************************
TTFN, * jpen...@encore.com (my opinions are my own
jan penovich * Encore Computer Corp. not my employer's)
Melanie Kern
> lee...@bonair.Stanford.EDU (Lee Anne De Wan) could possibly, in their
> infinite wisdom, have said:
>
> >This girl is as bad as they come. Her nasaly voice, her
> >inability to show any kind of emotion and make it look real is
> >bringing the whole story down.
>
>
> I'm sorry, no offence meant, but I totally disagree with you. KW is
> you are not critiquing her acting but rather her personal attributes.
> proof of her talent.
>
>
> ADRIAN DOWN UNDER
>
I must add on that even though I totally disagree with Felicia's
vengeful behavior right now, the reason I feel so strongly about how
she's treating Kevin is directly related to KW's ability to act.
Felicia angers me so much because she is so different than how she
usually is. She is completely out of character. Guess what?? It takes
a talented actress to do that. I don't think we ever really got to see
KW *really* act (except for BJ's death). For Felicia to stir up so many
different emotions, good and bad, KW has to be doing something right,
otherwise, none of us would believe that Felicia was really angry. I
think we can all agree that she *is* really angry.
KW has talent; we've just never seen it until now and it's throwing us
off.
Mel
AndreaK803
(Lee Anne
: De Wan) writes:
: >
: >
: >inability to show any kind of emotion and make it look real is
: >bringing the whole story down.
: >
: >YUK, it's time to throw in the towel Kristina..
Unlurking for a moment to agree. Just started watching GH again and love
the whole story line, but when Felicia was being held hostage I couldn't
tell what she was supposed to be feeling and now that she is going after
Kevin, her acting abilities just aren't up to it and it throws the whole
storyline off (I'm still watching though). I've never been one of
Kristina's fans and it has taken years to get used to her voice, but this
is the first time her lack of skill has bothered me. Andrea Klein.
Susan Richmond
Lee Anne De Wan wrote:
>
> This girl is as bad as they come. Her nasaly voice, her
> inability to show any kind of emotion and make it look real is
> bringing the whole story down.
>
> YUK, it's time to throw in the towel Kristina..
Ouch! This is a little harsh, don't you think? Her so-called "nasaly voice" is
Kristina's, not Felicia's. Some of the actors DO read RATSA. A few weeks ago,
something very unflattering was written about an actor on OLTL. The actor reponded
personally on RATSA to the insult. If I was Kristina, I would be very hurt by the
above comments. Not liking Felicia is one thing (Although I have liked Felicia from
the beginning, I've come close to hating her(the character) this past week or so),
but personal comments about people's voices, looks, etc. seem unnecessarily hurtful
to me.
--
Susan
FCC Tony, BOBB
Member, SESIDAR
MHGC Carly, Keeper of the Insincere Flattery
Adrian
jpen...@encore.com (Jan Penovich) could possibly, in their infinite
wisdom, have said:
>kmj...@pfs01.cc.monash.edu.au (Adrian) writes:
>>lee...@bonair.Stanford.EDU (Lee Anne De Wan) could possibly, in their
>>infinite wisdom, have said:
>>>This girl is as bad as they come. Her nasaly voice, her
>>>inability to show any kind of emotion and make it look real is
>>>bringing the whole story down.
><snip>
>>And your singling out of her 'nasaly' voice suggests
>>you are not critiquing her acting but rather her personal attributes.
> That's not necessarily true. I generally like Kristina
> (though I don't always like Felicia), but her voice IS
> annoying and has become part of the Felicia character.
> Kristina could change it if she wanted to.
I've seen her on ET and other programs and she has the same voice, so
I doubt she could change it. Yes, the writers do make jokes about it,
and of course it's noticeable, but it doesn't make her a bad actress.
>>I suggest you borrow a tape of the Maxie/BJ story line if you want
>>proof of her talent.
> She was very good in that story, but I think the problem
> with her is that she's inconsistent. I don't think she has
> the range of Lynn H., Jon L., Genie F., or Tony G.
I don't think she has the *writing* of all the above. The character
is written *very* incosistenly. The only range she gets to show is
her facial expressions every times she says "don't forget your lunch
box, Maxie".
>>*pout*
> Please don't pout, it is so unbecoming.
:)
Michael E Mcgurrin
Not liking Felicia is one thing (Although I have liked Felicia from
>the beginning, I've come close to hating her(the character) this past
week or so),
>but personal comments about people's voices, looks, etc. seem
unnecessarily hurtful
>to m
think that she is wrong in her actions or whatever, but I don't think
that making digs about Kristina's acting ability or her voice is
right.We should separate the actress,Kristina Wagner from the
character, Felicia Jones.In fact, I think Kristina is doing a good
acting job now, because she has stirred up so may feelings of anger and
hatred in so many cases.If she didn't have the acting skills I am not
so sure that GH would be interested in having her in the cast for the
past 10 years.When KW was considering not resigning her contract, the
writers wrote her a storyline so she would stay.BTW, I am angry some of
Felicia's acctions also, but that's another thread. Christina
Tante Joan
On Sat, 21 Sep 1996 21:04:04 -0400, Susan Richmond <su...@webspan.net>
wrote:
>Lee Anne De Wan wrote:
>>
>> This girl is as bad as they come. Her nasaly voice, her
>> inability to show any kind of emotion and make it look real is
>> bringing the whole story down.
>>
>> YUK, it's time to throw in the towel Kristina..
>
>Ouch! This is a little harsh, don't you think? Her so-called "nasaly voice" is
>Kristina's, not Felicia's. Some of the actors DO read RATSA. A few weeks ago,
>something very unflattering was written about an actor on OLTL. The actor reponded
>personally on RATSA to the insult. If I was Kristina, I would be very hurt by the
>above comments. Not liking Felicia is one thing (Although I have liked Felicia from
>the beginning, I've come close to hating her(the character) this past week or so),
>but personal comments about people's voices, looks, etc. seem unnecessarily hurtful
>to me.
>
>
>--
>Susan
>
>FCC Tony, BOBB
>Member, SESIDAR
>MHGC Carly, Keeper of the Insincere Flattery
Susan, I'm sorry but I must disagree here. Kristina Wagner's voice is
not like her eye color. An actor's voice is one of her (in this case)
chief tools, and most serious actors give it serious consideration.
There are many things one can do to improve a voice, and there are
vocal coaches whose job it is to help accomplish this goal. If
Kristina Wagner truly wanted to work on it, she could lower her
register and speak from the diaphragm instead of her head. Literally
thousands of others have done so. Criticizing her voice is not only
fair, it might be helpful: if she is reading these comments, they
could inspire her to correct something that detracts so strongly from
her performance.
BTW, Lauen Bacall, who has one of the most distinctive voices in the
acting community, began her film career with one much higher and more
nasal than the throaty, low purr we know today. I wouldn't recommend
the method she used, however: Howard Hawks sent her up into the
Hollywood Hills with orders to shout herself hoarse every day for two
weeks. It worked, but at what a price!
Tante Joan, Executive Vice President, NSP
Proud to be new co-CEO of FGC Nikolas; FGC Laura's Backbone; FGC Stefan,Jon Hanley, Lucy, Mike,
Sigmund, Emily, Kevin, Tracy, Nedley; Member, Precision Slapping-Bobbie Drill Team; MHGC Katybell;
FGB: Sonny's Other Business
Susan Richmond
Tante Joan wrote:
>
> On Sat, 21 Sep 1996 21:04:04 -0400, Susan Richmond <su...@webspan.net>
> wrote:
>
> >Lee Anne De Wan wrote:
> >>
> >> This girl is as bad as they come. Her nasaly voice, her
> >> inability to show any kind of emotion and make it look real is
> >> bringing the whole story down.
> >>
> >> YUK, it's time to throw in the towel Kristina..
> >
> >Ouch! This is a little harsh, don't you think? Her so-called "nasaly voice" is
> >Kristina's, not Felicia's. Some of the actors DO read RATSA. A few weeks ago,
> >something very unflattering was written about an actor on OLTL. The actor reponded
> >personally on RATSA to the insult. If I was Kristina, I would be very hurt by the
> >above comments. Not liking Felicia is one thing (Although I have liked Felicia from
> >the beginning, I've come close to hating her(the character) this past week or so),
> >but personal comments about people's voices, looks, etc. seem unnecessarily hurtful
> >to me.
>
> not like her eye color. An actor's voice is one of her (in this case)
> chief tools, and most serious actors give it serious consideration.
> There are many things one can do to improve a voice, and there are
> vocal coaches whose job it is to help accomplish this goal. If
> Kristina Wagner truly wanted to work on it, she could lower her
> register and speak from the diaphragm instead of her head. Literally
> thousands of others have done so. Criticizing her voice is not only
> fair, it might be helpful: if she is reading these comments, they
> could inspire her to correct something that detracts so strongly from
> her performance.
While I agree it is possible that Kristina could change her voice with
coaching, it was more tone of the criticism that I was upset by. If it
was offered constructively, such as "Krisina's performance would be
improved by changing the tone of her voice, IMHO", or something like
that, might inspire her. But "nasaly voice" and "it's time to throw in
the towel Kristina" and "this girl is as bad as they come", would hurt
me, not inspire me. I've watched Kristina as Felicia on GH ever since
Frisco found her hiding under his bed some 10 years ago and I can't say
that her voice has ever bothered me. If you have a constructive
criticism you think might help the actor, by all means, give it. All
I'm saying is that the actors on soaps have feelings, too. JMHO.
--
Susan "who is most honored that the great and wise Tante Joan replied to
my post, even if it was to disagree.":-)
Amy Elizabeth Mcwilliams
Michael E Mcgurrin (mod...@ix.netcom.com) wrote:
: I get angry at this.I think that we can hate Felicia all we want,
: think that she is wrong in her actions or whatever, but I don't think
: that making digs about Kristina's acting ability or her voice is
: right.We should separate the actress,Kristina Wagner from the
: character, Felicia Jones.In fact, I think Kristina is doing a good
True, but I sometimes have trouble doing just that. Most of my favorite
characters are favorites *because of the actors who play them*. The
performance secures my interest in or sympathy for a character I might
otherwise like, but not adore. I agree we should try to be considerate
when discussing real people on ratsa, but a simple separation of
performance and character isn't always possible for me. I still adore
Luke, primarily (but not completely) because of Tony Geary's talent.
Amy McWilliams * aem...@tam2000.tamu.edu * http://acs.tamu.edu/~aem2192
FGCs: Stefan, Keeper of The Other Side; Sonny (Offer to Take Care of
Someone); Lois (Relentless Enthusiasm); Nedling Unlimited (Blue Silk
P.J.s); Laura (Faith); Kevin, Monitor of His Wit
FGCOs: Ned & Lois (Business/Marriage), Luke & Laura (Perseverance)
FGB: L&B Records, Roadie for Eddie Maine and the Idle Rich; PSBDT member
Melanie Mermelstein
HI! I would like to know what someone said about an oltl star that was
disrespectful? Who was it said about? If someone knows respond. Thanks
Melanie
Melanie Mermelstein
HI! I was wondering what was said that was disrespectful to someone on
oltl? Who was the person on oltl that it was said about? Does anyone
know? If yes respond. thanks MElanie
Adrian
jros...@mail.med.cornell.edu (Tante Joan) could possibly, in their
infinite wisdom, have said:
<snipped in various places>
>On Sat, 21 Sep 1996 21:04:04 -0400, Susan Richmond <su...@webspan.net>
>wrote:
>>Lee Anne De Wan wrote:
>>> This girl is as bad as they come. Her nasaly voice, her
>>> inability to show any kind of emotion and make it look real is
>>Ouch! This is a little harsh, don't you think? Her so-called "nasaly voice" is
>>Kristina's, not Felicia's. I would be very hurt by the
>>above comments. Not liking Felicia is one thing (Although I have liked Felicia from
>>the beginning, I've come close to hating her(the character) this past week or so),
>>but personal comments about people's voices, looks, etc. seem unnecessarily hurtful
>>to me.
>Susan, I'm sorry but I must disagree here.
Like I must, TJ.
>Kristina Wagner's voice is
>not like her eye color. An actor's voice is one of her (in this case)
>chief tools, and most serious actors give it serious consideration.
>There are many things one can do to improve a voice, and there are
>vocal coaches whose job it is to help accomplish this goal.
I know I can reply to that with the following without you taking it as
a flame, TJ: that's *CRAP*. Maybe she can change her voice with
training. But how is that different from saying, "gee, XXXXXX looks
old/haggard. If she really wanted to, she could get a face lift,
breast enhancement, collagen lips..." etc. What you are saying is
*so* wrong IMHO, TJ. Acting is not about personal attributes, it is
about talent. Sure, if she was speaking unclearly, and we couldn't
understand her, then a speaking coach would be of use so her
performance be appreciated. But what happened to liking an actor for
who they are. At least she's original. Do I want to watch a soap to
see everyone with the same voice? NO WAY. KW's voice is kind of
charming, in a chip-munk sort of a way. To take the chipmunk voice
out of Kristina is like taking the sashay out of Lucy.
SHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
>if Kristina Wagner truly wanted to work on it,
here's a thought: Maybe she wants to be herself, and not some false
parody like so many other soap actors have become.
>Literally
>thousands of others have done so.
Like I said, thousands of others have had plastic surgery. So what?
No one's said it's an impossible task. It just is unneccessary.
>Criticizing her voice is not only
>fair, it might be helpful: if she is reading these comments, they
>could inspire her to correct something that detracts so strongly from
>her performance.
or they could make her feel hurt and resentful that someone would .
>BTW, Lauen Bacall, who has one of the most distinctive voices in the
>acting community, began her film career with one much higher and more
>nasal than the throaty, low purr we know today.
Well, what about Fran Drescher. That voice is part of her persona,
part of why the Nanny is such a successful sitcom. It annoys some,
but to give her a standard US voice would be so wrong and so stupid.
*pout*
ADRIAN ZEMAN DOWN UNDER
Adrian
Melanie Kern <m...@webspan.net> could possibly, in their infinite
wisdom, have said:
>I don't think we ever really got to see
>KW *really* act (except for BJ's death). For Felicia to stir up so many
>different emotions, good and bad, KW has to be doing something right,
Put this in the record books, guys, I agree with Mel! ;)
Pam Salensky
andre...@aol.com (AndreaK803) wrote:
>(Lee Anne
>: De Wan) writes:
>: >
>: >
>: >This girl is as bad as they come. Her nasaly voice, her
>: >inability to show any kind of emotion and make it look real is
>: >bringing the whole story down.
>: >
>: >YUK, it's time to throw in the towel Kristina..
>Unlurking for a moment to agree. Just started watching GH again and love
>the whole story line, but when Felicia was being held hostage I couldn't
>tell what she was supposed to be feeling and now that she is going after
>Kevin, her acting abilities just aren't up to it and it throws the whole
>storyline off (I'm still watching though). I've never been one of
>Kristina's fans and it has taken years to get used to her voice, but this
>is the first time her lack of skill has bothered me. Andrea Klein.
I have been out of touch with this group lately, so please excuse any
repeats on my part...BUT...I have been watching since Felicia came on
GH...Remember her disguised as a boy? And never has her "little girl
voice" annoyed me as much as now. She has just recently started to
talk this way on a consistent basis. PLEASE. What is the point? To
prove she was a victim? How about Anna and Grant Putnam with that
doberman? That was hostage and victim at it's best...did she whine?
-nuff said.
-Pam
Tante Joan
On Mon, 23 Sep 1996 07:07:52 GMT, kmj...@pfs01.cc.monash.edu.au
(Adrian) wrote, in part:
> Acting is not about personal attributes, it is
>about talent. Sure, if she was speaking unclearly, and we couldn't
>understand her, then a speaking coach would be of use so her
>performance be appreciated. But what happened to liking an actor for
>who they are. At least she's original. Do I want to watch a soap to
>see everyone with the same voice? NO WAY. KW's voice is kind of
>charming, in a chip-munk sort of a way. To take the chipmunk voice
>out of Kristina is like taking the sashay out of Lucy.
Snips galore, but the meat is here>
>Well, what about Fran Drescher. That voice is part of her persona,
>part of why the Nanny is such a successful sitcom. It annoys some,
>but to give her a standard US voice would be so wrong and so stupid.
>
>*pout*
>
Adrian, sweetie, no offense taken, so don't *pout.* I know you are a
big KW fan, and even as I responded to Susan's post I regretted the
probable effect on you. Using Fran Drescher as an example is
unfortunate -- she has chosen to use her own voice on "The Nanny," and
since its success, she keeps it. However, I have seen Fran Drescher
is films and episodic TV where she has spoken in a lower, more
modulated version of her own voice, chiefly for dramatic roles. It's
still her voice, just not in as high a register, and without as much
nasal sound production. She learned to do that, and it wasn't an
insult to her essence. In fact, she has written that recognized her
own voice was ill-suited to playing the roles she needed to stretch
her acting range.
If KW were a light comedienne or a children's TV host, her voice
wouldn't be such a distraction. But she's been involved in one heavy
storyline after another, and the way she sounds does affect the way I
react. That's just me, and I have a solution that allows me to
appreciate her work -- I hit the "mute" button and watch her with
closed-captioning turned on. When I do that, I appreciate all the
other fine qualities she brings to her role.
But I would never say throw Krisitina out because I don't like her
voice. I'd miss her. And I'd miss the times when she knocks my socks
off. Wishing that she would get some vocal coaching is not the same
as advising her to get plastic surgery. Every reputable acting school
in the world teaches voice production. I know of none where breast
augmentation 101 is on the curriculum.
Jan Penovich
kmj...@pfs01.cc.monash.edu.au (Adrian) writes:
>jros...@mail.med.cornell.edu (Tante Joan) could possibly, in their
>infinite wisdom, have said:
><snipped in various places>
>>Kristina Wagner's voice is
>>not like her eye color. An actor's voice is one of her (in this case)
>>chief tools, and most serious actors give it serious consideration.
>>There are many things one can do to improve a voice, and there are
>>vocal coaches whose job it is to help accomplish this goal.
>I know I can reply to that with the following without you taking it as
>a flame, TJ: that's *CRAP*.
Excuse me, but what Tante wrote is definitely NOT crap.
It's absolutely true. Many actors go to voice coaches to
change the way they sound. They lower or raise the tone of
their voices, as well as change inflection and nasality (is that
a word?)
When I took commercial acting classes we had to use the
lower and higher registers of our voices depending on what
we were trying to accomplish.
>Maybe she can change her voice with
>training. But how is that different from saying, "gee, XXXXXX looks
>old/haggard.
>If she really wanted to, she could get a face lift,
>breast enhancement, collagen lips..." etc. What you are saying is
>*so* wrong IMHO, TJ. Acting is not about personal attributes, it is
>about talent.
That's not quite true. Directors are extremely aware of
physical attributes when casting plays, commercials, tv,
movies, etc. Someone with Kristina's voice would never be
cast in certain roles (e.g., Kate in the Taming of the
Shrew or any other strong woman's role).
Directors are also very picky about looks. I've seen them
turn down a very talented actor because he/she didn't look
quite right with another actor that was cast. It could be
anything from height, weight, coloring, etc.
She limits herself with that little girl whiny voice, and it
is easy to fix.
>Sure, if she was speaking unclearly, and we couldn't
>understand her, then a speaking coach would be of use so her
>performance be appreciated. But what happened to liking an actor for
>who they are. At least she's original. Do I want to watch a soap to
>see everyone with the same voice? NO WAY.
No everyone shouldn't be the same nor should any actor stick
out because they are incredibly annoying. Bobbie is another example.
>KW's voice is kind of
>charming, in a chip-munk sort of a way. To take the chipmunk voice
>out of Kristina is like taking the sashay out of Lucy.
You're kidding right? You meant to put a smiley here?
>here's a thought: Maybe she wants to be herself, and not some false
>parody like so many other soap actors have become.
Maybe she doesn't realize how annoying she sounds.
I have a friend who is a good actress, has a wonderful
voice, and always auditioned for the ingenue parts in
musicals. The problem was she was overweight
and directors never gave her the female lead. She never
attributed it to her weight.
(and let's not get into a debate over whether people should be
judged by their weight or not.)
>>Literally
>>thousands of others have done so.
>Like I said, thousands of others have had plastic surgery. So what?
>No one's said it's an impossible task. It just is unneccessary.
It unneccessary if she doesn't care about advancing her
career or even about making Felicia a strong believable character.
It's hard to believe a character is strong when she sounds
like a chipmunk.
>>Criticizing her voice is not only
>>fair, it might be helpful: if she is reading these comments, they
>>could inspire her to correct something that detracts so strongly from
>>her performance.
>or they could make her feel hurt and resentful that someone would .
Oh give me a break. She's an actor, and her voice is part
of her acting repertoire. If she can't take constructive criticism,
she's in the wrong business.
>Well, what about Fran Drescher. That voice is part of her persona,
>part of why the Nanny is such a successful sitcom. It annoys some,
>but to give her a standard US voice would be so wrong and so stupid.
Fran Drescher fits into a niche. Directors want her
character, including her voice. I saw her on a late night
show where she said that she had been to a vocal coach to
change her voice and accent. She gave a demonstration. She
then said that directors wanted her only in the whiny NYC
personna, but she can change it if necessary.
Jan Penovich
kmj...@pfs01.cc.monash.edu.au (Adrian) writes:
>jpen...@encore.com (Jan Penovich) could possibly, in their infinite
>wisdom, have said:
>> That's not necessarily true. I generally like Kristina
>> (though I don't always like Felicia), but her voice IS
>> annoying and has become part of the Felicia character.
>> Kristina could change it if she wanted to.
>I've seen her on ET and other programs and she has the same voice, so
>I doubt she could change it. Yes, the writers do make jokes about it,
>and of course it's noticeable, but it doesn't make her a bad actress.
She can change it with coaching, but she obviously doesn't
want to. No, it doesn't make her a bad actress, but it
does make her less believable in different situations and
roles. If it wasn't funny, why would the writers make fun
of it?
>>>I suggest you borrow a tape of the Maxie/BJ story line if you want
>>>proof of her talent.
>> She was very good in that story, but I think the problem
>> with her is that she's inconsistent. I don't think she has
>> the range of Lynn H., Jon L., Genie F., or Tony G.
>I don't think she has the *writing* of all the above. The character
>is written *very* incosistenly.
It's her acting that inconsistent. It's her whiny little
girl voice that often negates the impact of her acting.
>The only range she gets to show is
>her facial expressions every times she says "don't forget your lunch
>box, Maxie".
That's not true. Her part may not always have the most depth, but
she could do more with what she gets.
Carolyn Gillis
Pam Salensky,sale...@westol.com,Internet writes:
She has just recently started to talk this way on a consistent basis.
PLEASE. What is the point?
I think that Felicia is the sister of the Doc and his dead twin brother. She
sure is acting strange. It would be just like the typical soap storyline to
have had their hatred of Felicia to have been triggered by her resemblance to
their/her mother!
Gillis
Michele Jackson
>>understand her, then a speaking coach would be of use so her
>>performance be appreciated. But what happened to liking an actor for
>>who they are. At least she's original. Do I want to watch a soap to
>>charming, in a chip-munk sort of a way. To take the chipmunk voice
>>out of Kristina is like taking the sashay out of Lucy.
>
>
I don't think Kristina needs lessons for the TONE of her voice. In fact, I
never had a problem with the tone and never noticed there was anything
wrong with her voice at all, until I started reading letters or notes that
other people had written and that was about 7 years after Kristina had
joined the show. I do think that there's a problem with the WAY Kris
talks, however. Many times, what she is saying is unclear. She doesn't
enunciate all of the time, or sometimes she OVER enunciates as if the word
is completely unfamiliar to her. She places the emphasis on the wrong
parts of sentences or on the wrong syllable. She gives lines the strangest
readings I've ever heard. She flubs lines all the time and she is always
turning sentences around. If she has to repeat a saying like. If Kris has
to say a line about the dangers of deception, there is no way on this
green earth that she will ever say, "What a tangled web we weave, when
first we endeavor to deceive." She'll have that sentence so mangled by the
time it comes out that you'd think it had been in a 10 car wreck.
So, I really do think that, if she wants to pursue a career outside of GH,
that she could use some training. Voice lessons and just some theater work
would do her a lot of good. However, as far as soaps go, I think Kristina
is perfect. She is no Olivier, but I can promise you that I wouldn't want
to see Olivier on my soap opera day in and day out for 12 years and
counting. Yeah, Wuthering Heights is fine, but every day at 2:00? No
thank you. Call it what you want, charisma, TV Q, whatever, Kristina has a
magnetic quality an ability to involve the viewer and, sometimes, a
believability that can't be found in an acting class. She has been in all
the scenes I've hated the most on tv, but she's also been part of all the
scenes I've loved the most anywhere. I light up when Felicia enters a
scene and want to strangle her before it ends, but the fact that she still
inspires these polar reactions (and that indifference hasn't set in long
ago) shows me that whatever else the character may lack, it's not
endurance and I credit the actress for that. Otherwise, she would have
been written out for "storyline purposes" a long time ago.
So, while I can agree with those who think she needs acting lessons, I
also think that any acting deficiencies she may have are largely
irrelevant. There are always going to be those who dislike her, but I
think she had only been on the show a few months when she proved that,
just as she is, she can charm a majority and that's all the PTB cares
about. For me, I see a lot of soap actors that are very talented,
technically superior, but I don't find myself caring about their story or
character. Now for prime time and feature films, I think I use a different
standard for actors. But for soaps, I think the biggest factor is
likeability and I think Kris has that in spades. Of course, she can be
cool and unlikeable too and sometimes, because of the actress' natural
propensities, I think Felicia sometimes comes off a little differently
than the writers meant her to be perceived. Kris has worked with Brad
Maule since 1984 and giggled with him and is obviously very comfortable
with him, but sometimes I really get the impression that if she saw him in
a mall, she might not recognize him and, even recognizing him, might not
speak. Though, I'm sure she likes him very much. I think that she's that
way, a bit distant and tuned out and quirky, on a different wave length.
I think that Felicia is sometimes this way and I'm GRATEFUL. With her
angelic looks, Felicia could have come on the show and been this sweet,
butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth thing, but she wasn't. She was
sweet-looking, but spoiled, demanding AND funny when we first met her and
then, she became sweet and loving, but she can alternate. Felicia can be
demure and yielding, but she also has a backbone and an edge and a
sharpness that I don't think she could possess if the actress weren't a
little different. If she were a perfect actress, I think Felicia might be
a less dimensional character overall (though far less jarring to some
segments of the audience).
Ironically, the way she speaks, or doesn't speak, might be one of the
most endearing things about her to me. Of course, there are lots of people
who DON'T like her and it has little to do with talent or lack thereof,
but they aren't the majority and the PTB only has to count the beans and
weigh the outcome. I think pro outweighs con. Michele
Adrian
>>I've seen her on ET and other programs and she has the same voice, so
>>I doubt she could change it. Yes, the writers do make jokes about it,
>>and of course it's noticeable, but it doesn't make her a bad actress.
> She can change it with coaching,
let's not go there...;)
> but she obviously doesn't
> want to. No, it doesn't make her a bad actress, but it
> does make her less believable in different situations and
> roles. If it wasn't funny, why would the writers make fun
> of it?
I think it is funny because I recognise it, and when they are taking
advantage of it (ie: Felicia singing, etc). But when the character
and role is played straight, I know it's serious, and I don't think of
her voice. I just think of her as Felicia. I *do* laugh when they
make jokes because it's obviously recognisable, but the fact that they
joke about it obviously means KW is not personally offended (or they
would never write it).
>>I don't think she has the *writing* of all the above. The character
>>is written *very* incosistenly.
> It's her acting that inconsistent. It's her whiny little
> girl voice that often negates the impact of her acting.
you attribute "her whiny little girl voice" often having a negative
effect on the acting. Maybe for you, but since you have conceded
this, it sounds like it's not her acting that you find ineffective,
but rather her voice? I would argue that her voice, and her acting,
are two separate issues - unless in the storyline or scene they are
taking advantage of it for comedy.
>>The only range she gets to show is
>>her facial expressions every times she says "don't forget your lunch
>>box, Maxie".
> That's not true. Her part may not always have the most depth, but
> she could do more with what she gets.
there's only so much you can do with the scenes she has had previous
to this storyline. KW has not had a chance to shine since the
Maxie/BJ storyline. Much the same as Jon Lindstrom not particularly
shining in any scenes while he was on the back burner a few months
ago.
*pout*
ADRIAN DOWN-UNDER-ZEMAN
Adrian
jros...@mail.med.cornell.edu (Tante Joan) could possibly, in their
infinite wisdom, have said:
>On Mon, 23 Sep 1996 07:07:52 GMT, kmj...@pfs01.cc.monash.edu.au
>(Adrian) wrote, in part:
>> Acting is not about personal attributes, it is
>>about talent. Sure, if she was speaking unclearly, and we couldn't
>>understand her, then a speaking coach would be of use so her
>>performance be appreciated. But what happened to liking an actor for
>>who they are. At least she's original. Do I want to watch a soap to
>>see everyone with the same voice? NO WAY. KW's voice is kind of
>>charming, in a chip-munk sort of a way. To take the chipmunk voice
>>out of Kristina is like taking the sashay out of Lucy.
>Snips galore, but the meat is here>
>>Well, what about Fran Drescher. That voice is part of her persona,
>>part of why the Nanny is such a successful sitcom. It annoys some,
>>but to give her a standard US voice would be so wrong and so stupid.
>>
>>*pout*
>>
>Adrian, sweetie, no offense taken, so don't *pout.*
<phew!>
>I know you are a
>big KW fan, and even as I responded to Susan's post I regretted the
>probable effect on you.
I would feel the same way if we were discussing any other actor on GH.
Sure I might joke about Veronica Balls and Audrey, but if their voices
annoy me, well, too bad. I don't expect them to go and get a voice
coach to change it so it won't annoy me.
> Using Fran Drescher as an example is
>unfortunate -- she has chosen to use her own voice on "The Nanny," and
>since its success, she keeps it. However, I have seen Fran Drescher
>is films and episodic TV where she has spoken in a lower, more
>modulated version of her own voice, chiefly for dramatic roles. It's
>still her voice, just not in as high a register, and without as much
>nasal sound production. She learned to do that, and it wasn't an
>insult to her essence. In fact, she has written that recognized her
>own voice was ill-suited to playing the roles she needed to stretch
>her acting range.
I applaud her for doing that if she *wants* to do it. But I don't
think an actor should change an integral part of themself and their
persona to please a viewer.
>If KW were a light comedienne or a children's TV host, her voice
>wouldn't be such a distraction. But she's been involved in one heavy
>storyline after another, and the way she sounds does affect the way I
>react. That's just me, and I have a solution that allows me to
>appreciate her work -- I hit the "mute" button and watch her with
>closed-captioning turned on. When I do that, I appreciate all the
>other fine qualities she brings to her role.
I don't for a minute take away from the fact it changes the way you
react to her, but I believe that does not translate into her having to
change her own voice to please you or anybody else.
>But I would never say throw Krisitina out because I don't like her
>voice. I'd miss her. And I'd miss the times when she knocks my socks
>off. Wishing that she would get some vocal coaching is not the same
>as advising her to get plastic surgery.
It *is*, TJ. We've seen here on ratsa people comment many times, they
can't stand watching XXXXXX because of their makeup/hair etc - should
the actor then go and change themself so these viewers can watch them
without feeling uneasy? It's the same thing. If you don't like the
way an actor looks *or* sounds, too bad.
>Every reputable acting school
>in the world teaches voice production. I know of none where breast
>augmentation 101 is on the curriculum.
In NYC, perhaps, but have you heard of a little city called L.A.? ;)
Adrian
Michele Jackson <michele...@worldnet.att.net> could possibly, in
their infinite wisdom, have said:
>She doesn't
>enunciate all of the time, or sometimes she OVER enunciates as if the word
>is completely unfamiliar to her.
That's what I love about her. It's something different from the rest
of the crowd. It makes her stand out, IMHO. When she
over-enunciates, it is usually intended and logical for storyline
purposes, too.
>She places the emphasis on the wrong
>parts of sentences or on the wrong syllable.
according to whom, you? Sometimes changing things around so they
don't sound like they are straight from the script works so much
better. KW has said before that she learned during the Gloria Monty
days when she would encourage ad-libbing and such. If KW just read
the lines, line for line, they would sound so much lamer.
>She gives lines the strangest
>readings I've ever heard. She flubs lines all the time and she is always
>turning sentences around.
I've been watching her for years now and I can honestly say I can't
remember her ever flubbing a line. Perhaps you see her vocalisation
as such, but I honestly have never picked up on it. I see her
different methods having a more enthusiastic effect in a scene, and it
makes me enjoy it more, even when it is a "don't forget your lunch
box" scene which KW has been subjected to recently.
> If she has to repeat a saying like. If Kris has
>to say a line about the dangers of deception, there is no way on this
>green earth that she will ever say, "What a tangled web we weave, when
>first we endeavor to deceive." She'll have that sentence so mangled by the
>time it comes out that you'd think it had been in a 10 car wreck.
and how utterly overdone and scripted would it sound if she said it
word for word. GH is usually not an offender, but occasionally when
actors seem to be going word for word from the script, something so
corny and un-like every day speech will come out, it's obvious it came
from the pen of a writer.
>Call it what you want, charisma, TV Q, whatever, Kristina has a
>magnetic quality an ability to involve the viewer and, sometimes, a
>believability that can't be found in an acting class.
I agree, and in trying to account for it, I think, for me at least, a
large part of that comes from her innovative acting flair. She makes
it fun to watch, and as you say, invovle the viewer.
>I light up when Felicia enters a
>scene and want to strangle her before it ends, but the fact that she still
>inspires these polar reactions (and that indifference hasn't set in long
>ago) shows me that whatever else the character may lack, it's not
>endurance and I credit the actress for that. Otherwise, she would have
>been written out for "storyline purposes" a long time ago.
True. In true character terms, Felicia has been a dud for a year or
so. Nowhere to go, nothing to do. A bit like Tiffany Hill and Sean
Donnelly at the end.
>Though, I'm sure she likes him very much. I think that she's that
>way, a bit distant and tuned out and quirky, on a different wave length.
Oh I pick up on that too, but KW is pretty guarded in real life so I
wonder if that is just a far out perception. When I see her with her
kids, it shatters that image though. KW doesn't like publicity in the
sense that she does not often do personal appearances or talk about
her private life. And that makes her a little more mysterious than
media prostitutes such as Deidre Hall.
>With her
>angelic looks, Felicia could have come on the show and been this sweet,
>butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth thing, but she wasn't. She was
>sweet-looking, but spoiled, demanding AND funny when we first met her and
>then, she became sweet and loving, but she can alternate. Felicia can be
>demure and yielding, but she also has a backbone and an edge and a
>sharpness that I don't think she could possess if the actress weren't a
>little different.
ITA so much it's not funny. I see that edge every day in her
on-screen persona. Felicia isn't just a bubbly person, there are many
undertones going on there that are brought about by KW, intentionally
or unintentionally, I dont' know.
> If she were a perfect actress, I think Felicia might be
>a less dimensional character overall (though far less jarring to some
>segments of the audience).
I'm not conceding for a minute she is not a perfect actress, but I'm
saying, perhaps your image of a perfect actress is something formulaic
and perhaps overwraught, while KW's cool persona is a different take
on it all together.
> Ironically, the way she speaks, or doesn't speak, might be one of the
>most endearing things about her to me. Of course, there are lots of people
>who DON'T like her and it has little to do with talent or lack thereof,
>but they aren't the majority and the PTB only has to count the beans and
>weigh the outcome. I think pro outweighs con. Michele
me too! :)
Adrian
jpen...@encore.com (Jan Penovich) could possibly, in their infinite
wisdom, have said:
>>>Kristina Wagner's voice is
>>>not like her eye color. An actor's voice is one of her (in this case)
>>>chief tools, and most serious actors give it serious consideration.
>>>There are many things one can do to improve a voice, and there are
>>>vocal coaches whose job it is to help accomplish this goal.
>>I know I can reply to that with the following without you taking it as
>>a flame, TJ: that's *CRAP*.
> Excuse me, but what Tante wrote is definitely NOT crap.
> It's absolutely true. Many actors go to voice coaches to
> change the way they sound.
What I meant was, the reasoning was crap. I know that anybody can
change their voice if they try hard enough, but it was the reasoning
that I was so vehemently against.
>>Maybe she can change her voice with
>>training. But how is that different from saying, "gee, XXXXXX looks
>>old/haggard.
>>If she really wanted to, she could get a face lift,
>>breast enhancement, collagen lips..." etc. What you are saying is
>>*so* wrong IMHO, TJ. Acting is not about personal attributes, it is
>>about talent.
> That's not quite true. Directors are extremely aware of
> physical attributes when casting plays, commercials, tv,
> movies, etc. Someone with Kristina's voice would never be
> cast in certain roles (e.g., Kate in the Taming of the
> Shrew or any other strong woman's role).
I'm not saying her voice would not rule her out for certain roles, but
I'm saying she shouldn't have to change it in the role she is in now,
and indeed should not have to change it at all if she does not want
to.
> Directors are also very picky about looks. I've seen them
> turn down a very talented actor because he/she didn't look
> quite right with another actor that was cast. It could be
> anything from height, weight, coloring, etc.
exactly. So should someone currently starring in a soap who is meant
to be desirable for storyline purposes and perhaps looks a little
'old' have surgery to help the scene?
>>Sure, if she was speaking unclearly, and we couldn't
>>understand her, then a speaking coach would be of use so her
>>performance be appreciated. But what happened to liking an actor for
>>who they are. At least she's original. Do I want to watch a soap to
>>see everyone with the same voice? NO WAY.
> No everyone shouldn't be the same nor should any actor stick
> out because they are incredibly annoying. Bobbie is another example.
I'll let that one pass :)
>>KW's voice is kind of
>>charming, in a chip-munk sort of a way. To take the chipmunk voice
>>out of Kristina is like taking the sashay out of Lucy.
> You're kidding right? You meant to put a smiley here?
Nope. As I said in my post to Michelle's comments, I find the overall
package very energising and she brings a lot of charisma to the role
with every part of her persona and attributes, voice included. If she
walked in with Keisha's voice (which is nice, and very ordinary), much
would be lost as far as getting me enthused about the scene.
>>here's a thought: Maybe she wants to be herself, and not some false
>>parody like so many other soap actors have become.
> Maybe she doesn't realize how annoying she sounds.
Even if you find it annoying, why should she change it? Obviously the
actress is very popular as far as TVQ ratings go and mail. I
personally like watching Jennifer Jason Leigh at *all*, but she is
often called a good actress, and I can't stand her acting. But I
would never expect her to start chaning her voice or her acting to
please me.
>>Like I said, thousands of others have had plastic surgery. So what?
>>No one's said it's an impossible task. It just is unneccessary.
> It unneccessary if she doesn't care about advancing her
> career or even about making Felicia a strong believable character.
what's wrong with being a long term and dearly loved soap opera
actress? When has she arrived, in your book?
> It's hard to believe a character is strong when she sounds
> like a chipmunk.
that's where acting comes into it, Jan. Felicia is *incredibly*
strong to me. Very. She is probably the strongest woman on GH, IMHO,
save maybe Lila. (I know Lucy is often considered as strong, and
despite myself loving her, she has lost Deception how many times to
the Qs and Katherine, and has fallen for Kev and Mac as Norma and Eve,
and yes, she has triumphed, but to me Felicia is a stronger
character).
>>or they could make her feel hurt and resentful that someone would .
> Oh give me a break. She's an actor, and her voice is part
> of her acting repertoire. If she can't take constructive criticism,
> she's in the wrong business.
It comes down to whether you think it constructive. Ok, let's be
honest, how many people have posted here how stupid they think a
Bobbie/Stefan pairing would be? Many say it's because of her looks,
etc. Should the actress then have surgery to change her eyes, or her
mouth? I don't think a personal trait, be it changeable or not, that
is advised to be altered can be taken as constructive in the sense
that KW changing it for Felicia is.
>>Well, what about Fran Drescher. That voice is part of her persona,
>>part of why the Nanny is such a successful sitcom. It annoys some,
>>but to give her a standard US voice would be so wrong and so stupid.
> Fran Drescher fits into a niche.
*exactly* - a niche. A niche that I believe KW fits into in her role
as Felicia.
Carolyn Gillis
Carolyn Gillis writes:
I think that Felicia is the sister of the Doc and his dead twin brother. She
sure is acting strange. It would be just like the typical soap storyline to
have had their hatred of Felicia to have been triggered by her resemblance to
their/her mother!
Furthermore, I think that the "annoying voice" that Felicia is putting on is
the infantile voice of a child attempting to please an abusive parent. It
gets stronger and more phoney, the more angry she gets.
Gillis