Kristoff St. John (Y&R) has died

[Emelee]

Kristoff St. John has died at age 52.

https://people.com/tv/young-and-restless-star-kristoff-st-john-dead/

 

[Daniel Avery]

This is terrible news. His suffering (after the suicide of his son) had unfortunately been broadcast all over the place, not really allowing him to deal with such a private thing in a way an average person might have.

 

[TJames03]

I wonder how long it will be before Victoria Rowell and Eric Braeden makes this about them?

 

[Jason73]

How terribly sad. I can't imagine what a toll losing a child must take on a parent. I first watched him on Generations and he was my favorite part of that show. He was a talented actor.

 

[supermanfan]

 

[TJames03]

Yep, Rowell and Braeden were the first to comment.

 

[Emelee]

Yep, Rowell and Braeden were the first to comment.

All the cast members were quick to comment. Shemar Moores, Victoria Rowells & Eric Braedens comments seem the most heartfelt of the bunch.

Braeden even cried.

Many others seemed to post "heartbroken" and an emoji, and then off to posting their regular stuff as if they didn't even know Kristoff.

 

[Jason73]

I thought the tribute to Kristoff at the end of the show today was very disappointing. I wish they would have devoted more than two minutes to him. Supposedly the show is going to create a storyline for later this spring that will "pay tribute" to the character.

 

[TJames03]

If anyone from the show died, Braeden would always be the first one commenting. He uses words to always be the center of attention for everything. He says nothing sincere.

 

[Emelee]

If anyone from the show died, Braeden would always be the first one commenting. He uses words to always be the center of attention for everything. He says nothing sincere.

I thought he sounded very sincere in the clip. And I also think he should be quick to comment as he is the lead actor of the show. Everyone who has been on a show for that long in such a big part automatically represent the entire series. Just as I expect John McCook & Katherine Kelly Lang be very quick to comment B&B stuff.

Speaking of John McCook, he kind of disappointed me with his comment. It was short and then he immidiately moved on to posting his normal stuff: comedy and a bit sexist. He worked at Y&R for years and then across the hall from Y&R for the past 32 years. I dunno, I just expected more.

 

[TJames03]

I find it silly regarding Rowell's comment just a few years ago she and St. John got into a verbal sparring on an LA radio show when she was being interviewed. She was blasting him saying that he was the "slave" of YandR and if he had joined forces with her, the show would prob would have begun to treat black actors properly.

 

[TJames03]

I know, but always having to see his withered old face and greasy hair is tiresome.

I imagine that Neil will be killed off. Even though the show wouod never do it, to have Neil abruptly commit suicide would be a way to get mental health examined on the show. The show will prob just take the easy road and have him die in his sleep or something......

 

[Emelee]

I imagine that Neil will be killed off. Even though the show wouod never do it, to have Neil abruptly commit suicide would be a way to get mental health examined on the show. The show will prob just take the easy road and have him die in his sleep or something......

I'd be shocked if they had Neil commit suicide. For two reasons: Neil seemed just fine when we last saw him and because of how the actor died. I don't think the show would do that to Kristoff's family!!
But I would be disappointed if they do what soaps tend to do: ship them off to work in Paris.
I think dying in his sleep is a much better alternative. Sudden heart attack, or raptured aorta. Something quick that didn't make him suffer. Peaceful.

I think that in order to do a mental health/suicide storyline, it's better that the actor is alive and fine, just leaving the series.

 

[TJames03]

That is the point....he SEEMED fine.

 

[TJames03]

On AMC, when Grandma Kate died, she died in her sleep, but I would have killed her off in a car crash, the exact way Kay Campbell died in '85. Not everything is so quiet and peaceful when one dies.

 

[Rove]

That is the point....he SEEMED fine.

That's a very good point. After the death of a love one in these circumstances I've heard from family or friends say they appeared "fine". With permission from Kristoff's immediate family the producers should push forward with the character taking his own life. Handled with care this would open up conversations surrounding mental health. Prior to the episode airing an announcement should be made that permission was sought and granted from Kristoff's family to tell this story. Of course after the episode screens the appropriate organisations contact numbers would be displayed to assist anyone in need.

Of course there will be those debating if a soap is the place for this type of story to be told. I think it's the perfect vehicle given the story could unfold over many weeks and years. It's a sensitive issue and needs to be dealt with in that same manner. I don't watch Y&R but was aware of Kristoff's passing via an Australian website.

Sympathy to his family, friends and fans.

 

[Daniel Avery]

If they chose to tell that sort of story, it would seem rather...half-assed? without anything from Neil that indicated a problem in his life. If they had set up some kind of lingering issue (say...depression over his daughter being in jail or something we saw onscreen) in scenes he played before KSJ died, then they could use that as flashbacks to under-pin the story. I don't think there's any of that available. We know that real-life suicides sometimes occur without the usual indicators prior to the act, but in soapland, viewers are much more accustomed to cause-effect storytelling, where clues are dropped and the shock twist is therefore somewhat telegraphed beforehand.

In the most emotional story of this type I can recall right now, Ben Reade on Guiding Light committed suicide onscreen after it was revealed he had committed some violent crimes (killing someone? I forget) and the police were going to arrest him. Viewers had learned that Ben (a legacy character that had grown up onscreen) had been sexually abused as a child/teen for many years while away in SORAS boarding school and had been carrying around that trauma. The actor (Matt Bomer) got to play out the whole scenario, including actually doing the deed. The story had impact mostly because the actor was there to play it out to the end. If Y&R really wanted to write off the character of Neil with an out-of-the-blue suicide, they should keep in mind that to many viewers, this would forever tarnish the image of a heroic, strong character. Writing it without KSJ there to play it out would seem to have none of the emotional impact, but with all of the controversy that might leave people thinking less of the character for the decision to kill himself. Additionally, they would not have that concrete explanation/reason that might help them understand why he did it. The writers could come up with some after-the-fact reason for his doing it, but I don't think exposition/dialogue explanations with no "visuals" (flashbacks, etc.) for major actions like that rarely play well.

 

[TJames03]

Then tarnish his legacy. Really shock the soap world. However, we will get the started trope death. Have him die the exact way Devon's wife died and have Lily think it's karma for her. Do anything except the crappy "They died in their sleep" bit.

 

[TJames03]

Btw, having a character commit suicide would be tarnishing the legacy of a man who commited suicide??? Huh??

 

[Daniel Avery]

I was only referring to such a story possibly tarnishing the memory of the character. The show has no control of how people remember the actor who worked for them.