Poor Little Bobby Ford Feels Like Crap

Cry me a mothertrucking river.

If you check in here often, you probably knew this was coming, and I'm happy to deliver. Well, "happy" isn't the word, really, because I am still seething today. I am not seething only because of today's episode but also because I made the foolish choice of exploring various pages and message boards to see what the general viewer consensus is and I've learned that I am clearly insane and watching a different show from much of the viewing public. Apparently there is an alternate-universe One Life to Live out there that also has a character named Ford who has recently found out he has a biological son, but in this alternative universe, he didn't get this biological son by sexually exploiting a mentally ill woman, he did it during a run-of-the-mill one night stand and he is, in fact, a really decent guy who needs to rescue his son Ryder from a handful of evil people -- and this handful of evil people has a ringleader named Brody. Brody is super-evil! He has the nerve to hate this innocent Ford who has truly turned from a player into a wonderful man all for the sake of his new li'l boy! That bastard Brody! 

See, on the One Life to Live I've been watching, Ford did sexually exploit a mentally ill woman and, doing so, neglected to use any sort of protection and impregnated her. He then blocked the mother of his newborn son from getting the professional help she so desperately needed and planned to live in a home with her alter (a woman who has attempted to, in fact, blow people up in the past) having regular access to said infant and wants to completely restrict the child's mother's family from having any contact at all with the child. This includes the child's sister. Any bonding that this baby did with his mother or his mother's side of the family in the weeks after his birth has been deliberately cut off by Ford, and he planned to continue this arrangement indefinitely. Possibly forever.

And then today on my version of the show, the mentally ill woman had a healthy moment. Her dangerous alter disappeared for a few minutes and she was desperate to make sure her son was okay. Brody, who is a pretty good guy (albeit occasionally hot-headed) on the version they show on my television, tried to help Jessica reunite with her son. Ford relented for a moment and let Jessica hold her son, and then when he realized that the good mental health of his baby's mother means that he probably won't have primary and sole custody of the boy (he's not really into sharing; he is, after all, a man on ABC Daytime, which means shared custody is emasculating somehow), he went ahead and deliberately traumatized Jessica until Tess re-emerged. And he did all this? "For his son." How does this help his son? What would that argument even be?

Now I'd be generous and say, "Hey, no biggie, Ford's an asshole and they're having him behave like an asshole, so it's fine by me!" if it weren't for two things. The first: Langston gave Ford a luxurious tongue bath of epic proportions yesterday when she swung by his apartment and told him how tremendously he's changed, what a wonderful father he is, how he's a new and "good" man, how much parenthood has changed him, and how totally selfless and purposeful he is now. She told him she hoped he won full custody and, therein, would keep his baby's mother from getting help and forever exposing his son to a dangerous, crazy person. And then today, he insisted that what he'd just done to Jessica was hurting a perfectly decent woman and that doing so "felt like crap." All of this indicates to me that we are somehow supposed to find one shred of sympathy for a small iota of his actions because he feels bad about it and because he's doing this "for his son." Now, I'm unable to muster up one single dingle thing about this situation that would benefit his son in any way.

Aw, poor tortured, heartbroken, "new man" Bobby Ford. He sure feels super-bad about making sure his baby's mother and everyone who loves her is suffering. But he has no choice! Clearly making people suffer and exposing his infant to a dangerous woman is far better than helping her get the help she needs and, if at that point she for some reason won't cooperate with any sort of visitation plan, going to court about it like he's already doing. He's a real dreamboat hero. A real fucking champion. I'm sure Hell could use a new prince, I nominate Bobby Ford.

And I'll stop there so I don't go on all night. I'm just an eency bit livid.

I just got way more livid. Rumors are that Susan Haskell has been let go. I am going to wait until this is confirmed officially because I am seriously going to blow a gasket here. But I can see the reasoning. "Hey, remember how not a single actor had won a Daytime Emmy for our show since the mid-1990s except for Erika Slezak, and then Susan Haskell did? We should probably go ahead and fire her."

Comments

[Mandy]

Louise You are not watching a different show I'm watching you're version with you. I was trying to give ford a chance but after what he just did to Jessica I am done! He is such an unbelievable, selfish, asshole. There is absolutely no excuse for what he just did and if I'm supposed to be rooting for this ass clown then apparently I'm more mentally ill then Jessica.

[LoriK]

This is exactly why I don't read those other websites. I'm watching the same show you are and I can't deal with the crazy people who are watching the show where Ford is a good man and Brody is the bad guy. There is not enough "Shut up!" in the world for that crap.

[Ron]

Fudd must die - painfully. Maybe the next time he gets a body wax, they can use acid.

I knew it wouldn't last, but sentimental me was enjoying Brody and Jess's reunion, and loving Fudd getting it in the thong. And then the bastard did it. Taunted Jess until he drove her down and brought Tess back out. I hope Tess gives him a taste of what she did to Gnat last time. In fact, it could be a two-fer, him and her, and I'd be a happy man.

So this Dud Fudd thinks he can pull that carp and he's a good dad?? I'm only sorry Brody didn't follow up on punch with a couple dozen more. What a slime.

And I have to say that Mark Lawson is really a solid actor. In that scene with Gnat, he was very convincing as a guy who is on the edge of breaking down. Not obvious, not overdone, just at the end of his emotional rope. Of course, Gnat had all the emotion of someone ordering fries, and all the acting chops that go along with that job.

[C]

"If you check in here often, you probably knew this was coming, and I'm happy to deliver."

Oh Louise, you delievered! I need a cigarette after that!

[Ariel]

Louise, You and I are watching the same show. I agree with every word you said. As far as Susan Haskell potentially being "let go" or leaving, I'm sorry to say but it's about damn time. They brought her back to try a romance with her rapist and that just did it for me. She is a very good actress and if she wants, I'm certain she will find more work but bringing her back from Ireland with a grown son was a mistake from the get go. Some stories are told and cannot be retold. Her story was her horrific gang rape and bringing her back to have the same rapist "make sweet love" to her turned my stomach. I'll close a happy note-love your blogs and Ford is a man pig and OLTL has its head up its butt to try to make him the good guy instead of my man Brody. OLTL can suck it-hard!

[Holly]

Grrrr.. I was so optimistic when Jess came out yesterday and now I read this. I always dvr and watch this show at night.

I don't think I can even watch today's epi now. Ford is the worst. People actually like this guy?

[Sue]

ITA. I watched today's show and thought the same thing - in what universe does he actually think what he is doing is the right thing. And in what universe do TPTB NOT understand that this guy is not a nice guy. Doesn't matter how many times you show him and his brothers without their shirts, the characters are hollow, horrible and have invaded what was (at times) a good show.

Not sure who decides what passes as good writing or acting or makes decisions on who gets screen time, but OLTL needs some help. Like Tess in an institution help. Soon. Or they won't need to worry about cancellation rumors, no one will be watching anyway and the remaining cast can go work on gossip girl....

Thanks for another great post....

[Sien]

*bows down* Thank you. Ford is a selfish pig. Always was and always will be. Can they pull the plug on him now? He deliberately brought Tess out and wants Ryder all to himself, a child he shouldn't be near considering the downright vile circumstance of his conception.

[Lisa]

You aren't watching the same show as RC, Valenti, and Frons... but they all three must be stoned out of their gourds to think that Rapey Raperson Ford is anything but a disgusting PIG.

Seriously, he sexually exploited (raped!) a woman so mentally ill that she had completely disassociated from reality. The reason for this woman's mental illness? A history of molestation and nearly being raped. So what's one more rape on top of all that?

Then he exploits her mental illness again, denying her psychiatric care that she desperately needs, denying her daughter her only parent and endangering the rape baby by leaving its mother in a legal state on insanity (with the intent of eventually locking her up so that HE can raise her child without her).

This character deserves to be hung by his steel-plated cahones and then pecked to death by crows. And RC, Valenti, and Frons need to lay of the crack and the rape stories on OLTL!

[Tara]

I haven't watched for a few days, but I saw something on OLTL's Facebook asking whether viewers blamed Ford for doing anything he could to protect his son. I was shocked that the responses were overwhelmingly positive towards Ford, but I thought it was referring to the custody battle against Clint and Viki. Reading this post about what actually happens is totally disgusting. Has anyone else (James, Starr, Natalie, Joey, etc.) heard about this and at least condemned his actions? Because not getting her professional help when her alter is out is one thing, but deliberately breaking her sanity when she gets it back is a whole other level of despicable.

[LadyBug]

Ford is a douche bag. He was a douche boinking Langston, the pizza girl and Hannah the wack job. He was a sleaze bag looking to have sex with a mentally challenged woman who thought she was 17 years old. Of course was going to try and hold onto Ryder and his trust fund, otherwise he can't pay his rent. Instead of OLTL firing BU and SH, they should have sent Ford, Inez, Old Man Nate, nuJack (bring back old Jack played by Carmen LoPorto), Rexx and Gigi a one way ticket to the west coast.

[Andrea]

Tara, facebook's love for Ford is sickening. I also bet that soapcentral was one of the places you checked.

ITA with everything you've said. Ford is a completely disgusting pig who deserves no custody of Ryder. If he truly cared for his son, then he would make sure that Ryder has a mother in his life. But, he's more than willing to keep Tess out forever so he can have "his" son. I bet you he'll even escalate to physically abusing her because he's already on the way.

Brody is Ryder's father. And when Ford told Brody that he never bothered with Ryder??? RAGE!!!!!!! Brody did come to try and take Ryder back and since it failed, he has since then stayed away to not mess anything up.

I hope Ford dies a slow, long, painful death.

[Bourgeois Nerd]

You know, this show is so weird, because while I can see them trying to pull this "Ford is changed! He's just a desperate father!" stuff, I don't actually think the SHOW (as opposed to the crazy fans) is trying to sell Brody as the bad guy, especially after he told Jess he'd never give up on her and then manfully cried with Natalie. I like the nuance there, if not the Ford part.

Sorry, though, Louise, I'm glad Susan Haskell's fired. They have obviously had no idea what to do with Susan Haskell for some time, and I'd rather everyone were put out of their misery. Plus, honestly, I've never been a big fan.

[Ron]

Yep, I can see the Loon Brigade on Soap Central embracing Fudd. That's one wierd crowd over there.

I agree that the SHOW isn't showing Brody as the bad guy, not with the scene he had with Gnat and his interactions with Jessica. And why on earth anyone would expect him to be nice to Fudd, and include the perv in decisions about Ryder are beyond me. The guy should be on a sex offender list, not raising a kid. He shouldn't be allowed near a houseplant. Unless they match him up with Gigi, she's close to a houoseplant as it is.

[realbrenda4evr]

Ron, that's a huge problem I have over at SOC when it comes to Ford. He blinks and it's the most romantic blink ever. Everything he's doing is for his son and it's mind-boggling how no one can see that and how dare anyone not sympathized with Bobby over the big, bad Buchanans and blah, blah, blah....

What he's done and continues to do concerning Jess is hideously disgusting and insulting and I'm supposed to feel sorry for him??? I think not. Has it escaped this fool's attention that Ryder and Bree--poor Bree; I'm grateful Jess came out for the brief time that she did b/c she's the only one who has mentioned that little girl--need their mother? He's also destroying a little girl's world, but it's all about Ryder for him.

B/c Jess wanted to take the baby home, now he's justified in what he did? Any potential agreement they could have come to regarding that baby (he really shouldn't have a place with that child considering how Ryder was conceived; why won't anyone challenge that???) should be thrown out the window. Ford crossed the line a long time ago. He needs to be under hell.

[LoriK]

Ron, that's a huge problem I have over at SOC when it comes to Ford. He blinks and it's the most romantic blink ever. Everything he's doing is for his son and it's mind-boggling how no one can see that and how dare anyone not sympathized with Bobby over the big, bad Buchanans and blah, blah, blah....

When guys process information this way we refer to it as "thinking with the wrong head". It's no more intelligent or justifiable when women do it.

[Dirk Mancuso]

Personally, I can't stand Ford or pocket cop Brody. The show never should've killed off Jared -- that man was red hawt smokin'.

[Michael]

I can't (and wouldn't if I could!) argue against the idea that BobbyFord is one of the scummiest soap characters in history--but you folks cannot truly be surprised that there are legions of soap fans so in thrall of the actor's (allegedly) dreamy looks etc. that they are willing to defend what the character does and find honorable motivation in the most depraved of actions. There's a long history of this, both on ABC soaps and others. Both Roger Howarth and Trevor St. John have had legions of fans who have shown themselves willing to defend the character of Todd practically no matter what he does (and for Howarth, it even extended to his time on As the World Turns, when his character was behaving appallingly and his fans were contorting themselves to justify what his character was doing). Then there was that whole sad, sad, SAD period of General Hospital fans mobbing Tony Geary at fan events and screaming "Rape me, Luke!" It's an incredibly disturbing phenomenon, but hardly a new one, and the only twist I can really see in this latest incarnation is that whereas Geary, St. John, and Howarth can all (in varying degrees) act, I have yet to see even a passable, much less a convincing, performance by the actor playing BobbyFord, despite plenty of opportunities. So now the delirium/dementia of the fans doesn't stop at defending reprehensible character actions but extends to seeing acting ability that isn't there. Heaven help us.

None of the above is intended, incidentally, to excuse the writers and producers for trying to shove this BobbyFord-is-really-an-OK-guy crapola down our throats. It's really sort of sick to exploit viewers that way (Are we sure Guza isn't a creative consultant to OLTL?). If you really MUST capitalize on the actor's obvious (though inexplicable, at least to me)resonance with fans, then actually REFORM the character--don't give us this incredibly disturbing storyline in which he exploits a mentally ill woman and then try to make us buy that he's really doing it for good, defensible reasons. While I fully buy that BobbyFord's afraid that the Buchanans will make it nearly impossible for him to see his son and that he's got a legitimate reason to be worried (though I'm amazed he's grasped that, since he generally hasn't had enough brain power to handle such complicated concepts), if he were REALLY "reformed," he'd (1) recognize that being raised by the Buchanans wouldn't necessarily be the worst thing in the world for Ryder and (2) acknowledge that after the way he's behaved, it's his own damn fault---in other words, GROW UP and MAN UP. But that's not what we're seeing: no, instead of real reformation, we have the writers shoving it down our throats that he's reforming--without his every really making a single legitimate move to do so. He's every bit as selfish as he's ever been, and it's not "his son" that he's doing all of this for, it's himself. And it's unbelievably insulting for the writers to go to such lengths to paint it any other way.

[Amanda R.]

I bet we're supposed to sympathize with this pervy little dipshit who wants to play house with "his" son's trust fund. I couldn't loathe this horrendous character more if I tried and tiic want me to think he's a hero.

[Ron]

Michael, you bring up good points about Todd. I didn't watch OLTL when Howarth originated the role, but I've read enough to know that some folks perferred him in the role to TSJ. All I've seen is TSJ, and I think he does a great job at playing a sick psychopath with non-existent manners and a creepy obsession with his daughter's sex lives, among many disturbing characteristics.
I'll be the first to say that I enjoy watching TSJ as Todd, but not because I like the character. I generally loathe him, and that's my positive response. I do think TSJ does a good job of playing him, and I "enjoy" the character as I see him - utterly repellent. When I have read posta at another site - guess which one - who justify everything he does, I'm amazed at how easily people miss the point of this character. There are times when it seems the writers want us to feel empathy for the character, which is confusing, at best. But Todd, no matter how well portrayed, is first and foremost a very creepy villian.

[OLTLfan]

Louise,
ICAM sickening story. Nasty guy who raped a woman and never admitted it yet "hawt" sweetheart loved by Langston and the facebook fans. The one dimensional propping of Ford by Langston and Starr makes me gag and hate both of them too. Can't wait for Langslut to leave. Hope Ford goes out in a body bag someday. I know it won't be soon because of the facebook fangurls.

[LoriK]

@Michael: Personally, I'm not at all surprised that some viewers just love Ford. Not surprised =/= not disgusted.

@Ron: I was watching OLTL during the Howarth years and there were plenty of viewers who reacted to his Todd the same way that some people are reacting to Ford---they found him sexy & so they justified everything he did. They weren't enjoying a compelling actor playing a character they loved to hate, they saw Todd as a hero. That was a major factor in Howarth's decision to leave the show. He didn't feel comfortable playing a rapist who had become a sex symbol.

[Sharon]

There are so many things wrong with this story and the way it's being told, most of which have been eloquently stated above. But here another -- the laziness of way the court case is unfolding. Now I never expect that any television show, especially a soap, will be 100% accurate in depicting a court case. All I really ask for is a modicum of believability and realism, and this story has none. The crux of Ford's case is that he married 'Jessica' not 'Tess.' All Viki and Clint would need to do to disprove that is have private detectives follow Tess around documenting her every move and interviewing everyone she comes in contact with. Then have those people testify re who they actually met. Simple! Hell, Starr, Viki's niece knows that Tess is out. Why isn't she testifying? When there are plot holes large enough to drive a space shuttle through it's hard to take anything seriously about a story.

[Judy]

@Michael: Regarding GROW UP and MAN UP: The only real men on this show are Brody and Bo, and possibly Cristian. Clint used to be a real man, but now he's scum. John and Todd are douchebags (though of different types). Joey is a chump. Charlie has morphed into a douchebag. And Ford defines the word "motherf***er." The likelihood of his manning up is about as high as that of pigs flying.