My Hatred Is Reaching a Fever Pitch

It's nice to know, no matter who's writing The Young and the Restless, whether it be Lynn Marie Latham and Co. or the scab writers, that Brad Carlton will always irritate me to such a degree that I find myself having temper tantrums at my television set. It's oddly comforting to know that, no matter how the world around me changes, I'll have at least that one constant in my life.

Because, seriously. I hate him more than Amber. And Pepsi. And the color orange.

Brad: So you're staying with Jack? Well, there it is.
Sharon: You know, I thought about this for a really long time.
Brad: Maybe you should've thought about it a little longer.
Sharon: Um, I know how you feel about him. I know how a lot of people feel about him.
Brad: That he's a manipulating egomaniac? With some terrific bonus qualities like lying and cheating?
Sharon: That's my husband. And we're going to build a life together. You should see him with Noah.
Brad: Ugh, Sharon. We just talked about this. You're doing this for Noah, and I'm telling you, it's not a good reason. You're gonna be in a miserable marriage. You don't think Noah's going to pick up on that?
Sharon: He needs stability. And you know what? I'm--I'm not perfect. I'm really not. Who am I to hold Jack in judgment? So I'm giving us another shot.
Brad: The problem is it won't work.
Sharon: No, the problem is that I shouldn't be coming to you to discuss this. So if we are going to be friends, Brad, in the future, this subject is closed. Permanently.

He is just...he is just the worst. I think we need to dissect this scene line by line.

Brad: So you're staying with Jack? Well, there it is.

Shut up, Brad.

Sharon: You know, I thought about this for a really long time.

Here's the thing: Brad's awfulness is catching, because I find myself loathing Sharon whenever she interacts with him or mentions his name, which is about 64% of the time she's onscreen. And I like Sharon a lot! It's just that...why does she think she needs to justify anything to Brad? Their BFFship came out of nowhere, he chose Victoria['s bank account] over her, he was responsible for her getting kidnapped, he has a scary immobile face and so on. And why does she keep going to him for marital advice? He's been divorced half a dozen times and, oh right, he has repeatedly and creepily professed his undying love to her. I think NICK would be less biased in this situation than Brad.

Brad: Maybe you should've thought about it a little longer.

!!! Is this supposed to be romantic? Am I supposed to feel anything but irritation that he is so unbelievably smug?

Sharon: Um, I know how you feel about him. I know how a lot of people feel about him.

You know how I feel about Jack, Sharon? I love him. And isn't that what matters? Because, for me, dreaminess will always trump silly matters such as lying and coercing a senile man to change his will.

Brad: That he's a manipulating egomaniac?

...says the man talking to his former mistress like she's a child and attempting to get her to leave her husband.

Brad: With some terrific bonus qualities like lying and cheating?

Heaven knows I try to remember the reliquary storyline as little as possible but HOLY HELL THIS MAN LIED ABOUT HIS IDENTITY FOR DECADES AND IS CALLING SOMEONE ELSE A LIAR. Has the entire world gone mad?

Sharon: That's my husband. And we're going to build a life together. You should see him with Noah.

You're losing me here, Shar. You shouldn't stay married to someone, dreamy though he may be, because he treats your 11-year-old son well. You should really ship said 11-year-old son off to boarding school, incidentally. What a lame argument! "He's nice to Noah! And he recycles! He's, like, totally awesome! I almost love him a little!"

Brad: Ugh, Sharon. We just talked about this. You're doing this for Noah, and I'm telling you, it's not a good reason. You're gonna be in a miserable marriage. You don't think Noah's going to pick up on that?

Stop agreeing with me, Brad! Now I feel unclean. But, seriously, leaving your husband because this guy who loves you thinks you should? That's a good reason?

Sharon: He needs stability. And you know what? I'm--I'm not perfect. I'm really not. Who am I to hold Jack in judgment? So I'm giving us another shot.

Brad: The problem is it won't work.

The audience is supposed to hate him, right? No one can possibly find him appealing. I find the idea that people like him to be completely baffling on every level. I have a greater understanding of complex trigonometry and the popularity of I Love New York.

Sharon: No, the problem is that I shouldn't be coming to you to discuss this. So if we are going to be friends, Brad, in the future, this subject is closed. Permanently.

Finally, the simpleton shows some sense!

Literally, there are no words. I loathe him. Every time Don Diamont is onscreen making that weird face he always makes*, that maddening combination of superiority, confusion, smarm and dead eyes, I just want to scream. Or indulge in retail therapy. Either or.

*Probably because it's the only expression his Botoxed face will allow him to make

Comments

[smirks]

There there. There there. I understand. I have the rabid loathing of Brad Carlton too.

Have you seen Don Diamondt's SoapNet promo, though? He seems like a thoroughly cool and funny guy when he's not playing that...grr *twitch*.

[Danny]

I've always liked Brad quite a bit. He's the only person on the show who pretty much consistently tells all of the Newmans that they're assholes. That family is the epitome of smug and superior, and they are in fact all assholes.

[David]

These days Brad looks like a down-right nice guy in comparison to Nikki and Gloria.

[Titian]

brad is horrible. i detest him. always have. always will. i truly enjoyed phyllis' little come to jesus moment with him the other day. as if, the divine ms. p would ever side with that golddigging bastard. george needs to stfu and stay his ass of my screen. y&r would be so much more pleasant without his leathered hide crinkling all over the canvas.

[Goddess]

My disgust with Brad is only equal to my disgust of Jack. They're both annoying and overly smug. Ooooh, to bitchslap them both.

[Gene]

I personally agree w/u about Brad. He is a overly pompous, arrogant, self-righteous jackass who needs to go asap. He been so written horribly that I would not miss him and the show would do a whole lot better and he can take his daughter with him and Amber and get Adrienne Leon back as Colleen. I like Jack a whole lot better than Brad and do feel the Jack is a better person for Sharon. But I want Jack and Phyllis back together again. They have some much chemistry and can scheme with the best of them and destroy Brad and Gloria.

[Mer]

I cannot agree with you more. Does botox face actually think him and his things of steel will actually make Sharon happier than Jack would? I detest Brad more than any other soap character I think I've ever watched, which is alot. Yet he is always getting airtime, WHY?! DD does not act. He blinks and stares and then his terrible excuse for a character smirks like a smug asshat and says some inane thing that makes me want to punch babies. Not that I ever would...:)

[Goddess]

I've never liked Jack and Sharon together, Gene. It feels like he's more of an uncle to her than a husband. But I totally agree with you on the issue of Jack and Phyllis. They have great chemistry together.

[Michele]

Ha! I'm so late in posting this but I kinda like Brad...maybe it's just the fact I've met Don Diamont and he's a nice guy in real life...really. Personally, I don't see Jack as a good fit with Sharon at all..of course I'm not a Sharon fan so probably not the most biased opinion here.

[Michele]

^^That should be unbiased opinion, lol..