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Doug Davidson addresses his Y&R firing for the first time after clearing out dressing room
It’s finally here. The answers we all were hoping to hear regarding why Doug Davidson was fired from Young and the Restless are finally out in the open. Doug opened up about why he was replaced by Michael Damian on Y&R, two months after clearing out his dressing room.
Why was Doug Davidson fired from Y&R?
Doug Davidson, a legendary soap star, joined the cast as Paul Williams on Young and the Restless way back in 1978 and had quite the journey on the show. As Paul’s popularity soared, Davidson found himself on magazine covers and even winning fan awards. Especially in the late 80s, Y&R really kicked things into high gear for him with the George Rawlins Murder Mystery storyline, and the show even reached the No. 1 spot in the ratings.
In 2013, Davidson even took home a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor. But fast-forward to his 40th anniversary with the show, and they basically showed him the exit door. From 2018 onward, things got pretty darn rocky, and Doug didn’t hold back about his beef with Y&R, expressing his dissatisfaction on Twitter for all to see.
Then, on July 23, he cleaned out his dressing room at TV City, where Y&R and even The Price Is Right used to shoot. Fans were absolutely outraged when they found out they wouldn’t be seeing Paul on Y&R anymore. It was a total shocker, and they were seriously pissed about how the show handled it, raising a whole bunch of questions. But now, finally, Doug sat down for a chat with Soap Hub, answering all those burning questions we’ve been dying to know.
While he was cleaning out the dressing room, he described that moment as surprisingly easy. He mentioned the changes at CBS over the years and how the iconic TV studio was not what it once was. Despite the nostalgia, he found it easier to say goodbye than expected. He said, “It was so much easier to say goodbye than I thought it was. There was no power anywhere. I went around with my cell phone. As my wife pointed out, it was like visiting the Titanic. “
Y&R didn’t celebrate Doug’s 40th anniversary
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Davidson also revealed that he learned he was being taken off contract in early December 2018. While he had a good working relationship with producer Jill Farren Phelps, it was her replacement who ultimately decided to remove him from the contract. Despite Doug’s concerns and warnings, he was told not to worry.
This decision came as a shock, especially since he was approaching his 40th anniversary and there was no traditional on-set celebration, which left him feeling uncomfortable given the circumstances. He said, “It was a big deal. But at the same time, it was odd for him to celebrate after he just got fired.
That’s not all, after Josh Griffith took over as head writer, he was once back in October 2019, but that was his last. After it, he was contacted by Josh and Daniel, director of CBS, about his return to Y&R and even had several meetings, but when Doug’s lawyer contacted Sony, they had no clue about it. He would’ve, of course, felt disrespected, so Doug said he would not return to Y&R after that.
The real reason Paul Williams is not on Y&R
Regarding potential storylines for Paul Williams, Doug emphasized that there were always story opportunities for his character, given his numerous relationships on the canvas. But the main reason he was not there was because, as he said,
“Paul is more expensive than Danny. That’s what it’s all about.”
But just because he had a bad relationship with the heads of the show, doesn’t mean he isn’t still friends with the cast.
He said that he still hears from Tracey, Michelle, Melody Thomas Scott, and Peter Bergman, and that Eric Braeden and Lauralee have been constants. He also added, “Eric is probably my best male friend on the show. Lauralee would be my best female friend on the show.” He also connected with some of the production crew and directors who shared similar experiences in the industry too.
But he still hasn’t forgotten about the gratitude he has for the Bell family. “’I’m indebted to Lee and Bill Bell and everything that they did for the show and for me, personally. It was not my place to complain when you have such a brilliant writer. You’ve got a 30-year-old man being nagged by his mother, but people loved it. He knew they loved it.” he expressed.
Soaps Hub also asked if he would go to another show, but he made it clear that he was not interested in joining other shows. “When I was asked to go to Santa Barbara, Paul Rauch said to me, “You’re not ready to leave. Are you?” He was a character. He came onto our show and had the decency to call me to say, “They’re cutting you again.” he said.
Lastly, the interview touched on fan support and the outpouring of love on social media, and Doug expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming warmth and support he received from Y&R fans. For him, there were negative comments too, but the positive energy from fans far outweighed any negativity.
When he gets some of the haters on there, they get swamped. At the end, he also said that “Y&R viewers have been incredibly supportive.” They’re the only reason he’s on social media anymore,” their commitment, support, and love. I can’t say enough about them.”
Doug Davidson is a total gem, and firing him was the worst decision Y&R ever made. We will definitely miss him a lot. But let’s continue to give him our love and support. Also, share your thoughts in the comments below.
