Y&R Report (December 13, 2025): The Latest on The Young and the Restless

Hey Y&R fans, every second Saturday TV Banter discusses the latest happenings and provides commentary on your favourite daytime drama. Note to U.S. readers - SPOILER ALERT: Here in Canada, I watch the show on Global TV, which is one episode ahead of CBS.  I will inevitably refer to incidents you haven't seen yet.  Read at your own risk.  If you are the curious type, though, you may prefer to discover some things in advance.

Hi fans,

First, a note to readers: I am going to take a short Christmas break.  I will be back in the New Year.  My Y&R column will return to this space on Saturday, January 17, 2026.

So, Sienna has come to Genoa City, much to the annoyance of Sharon and Nikki.  Sharon doesn't want her son involved with Sienna and Nikki doesn't like it at all.  Did you see how she looked at Sienna?  Longtime fans will remember when Nikki disapproved of Nick and Sharon because he thought Sharon was a gold digger.  I'll never forget the look of disapproval on Nikki's face at her son's wedding to Sharon.  She had that same look when she saw that grandson Noah had brought Sienna, a married older woman, to Genoa City.  

Sienna and Noah are not being discreet about their affair.  They kissed in the open at Sharon's home, and Sharon saw them.  Sharon is not too pleased about her son's involvement with Sienna.  She is rightly concerned that Sienna with attract Matt Clark to Genoa City.

As for Noah, he certainly doesn't have a good track record with women.  First there was Audra, then Allie and now Sienna.  He just can't seem to get his act together.  It appears that he hasn't gotten over Audra yet.  He had a very strong reaction when he ran into her in Genoa City.  He kept staring at her nervously.

Thanks to flashbacks, we finally learned about the crime Audra and Holden committed in Sienna's nightclub in Los Angeles.  We also learned that Audra changed her name from Audra Cortez to Audra Charles  to cover up her involvement.  Claire is determined to find out what really happened, not the bits and pieces that Holden has fed her.  Meanwhile, Claire's feud with Audra is really heating up.

I should have been more certain that Detective Burrow would turn out to be a good guy.  Genoa City is in dire need of a police detective now that Paul and Chance have departed.  It would be interesting if Burrow became attracted to Sharon?  That would certainly create a love triangle and drive Nicholas Newman crazy.  He devotes his life to protecting Sharon, whether she approves of his actions or not.

I enjoyed Michael and Lauren's 20th anniversary celebration.  I also enjoyed the flashbacks (I noticed that Gloria and Kevin weren't in any of them).  It doesn't happen very often that a couple manages to stay together on the soaps.  I just wish Michael wasn't such a lackey for Victor, especially after the way The Big Man has treated him.  Would he have left the celebration if Victor had summoned him to the ranch for an emergency meeting regarding?  

Michael is the one who informed Victor of Jack's plan to close down Jabot so that it couldn't be destroyed  by AI.  I am on the side of the Abbotts.  Somebody has to stop Victor's reign of terror.  Somebody has to bring him down.  Nikki may be the one to stop her ruthless husband.  

What's with Lily?  First, she has a change of heart and decides to accompany Cane to the Abbott Communications launch, then she verbally attacks Audra.  Audra is far from a model of good behaviour, and she has not been the nicest person - far from it!  However, she was minding her own business when Lily ambushed her and slammed her.  It was obvious that Audra was down and disheartened.  So why did Lily have have to kick her when she was down?  She wasn't bothering Lily or interfering in her life.

I watch Y&R on Global TV, so I have already seen the episode in which Abbott Communications is launched.  I enjoyed seeing all the characters in their 1950s retro outfits.  Of course, Victor chose that time to attack Jabot.  Will someone please stop that man?  Everyone is so afraid to stand up to him.  Why does Michael do his bidding?

CAST NEWS

Cait Fairbanks (Tessa Porter) is engaged

Cait Fairbanks announced her engagement to longtime boyfriend, musician and producer Jay Rudolph.  The couple has been together since 2020 and recently celebrated five years together.  Cait confirmed the good news on Instagram, showing a photo of her engagement ring. Another photo showed the beaming couple with some beautiful landscape in the background.  Jay expressed his joy with the comment, "She said 'Yes.'"

Cait and Jay have been working on an album together, which is expected to be released "in early December."

Eric Braeden denies rumour

Eric Braeden is 84 years old and he has portrayed Victor Newman for almost 46 years.  There has been a rumour going around on the internet that Eric might be retiring.  However, it seems that he is not the retiring type.  He quickly shut down all the speculation with three simple words and three exclamation points on his personal Facebook page - "SIMPLY NOT TRUE!!!"  Along with this response, Eric posted a photo of himself with Y&R castmates Courtney Hope (Sally), Michelle Stafford (Phyllis), and Christian LeBlanc (Michael).  Eric's fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL

Zuleka Silver (Audra

Luca Adams (Noah)

Noah has quite a history with Audra.  She even revealed that she had miscarried their child and that she wanted to get back together with him  He refused and chose to remain with Allie.  Noah and Allie eventually moved to London, where Noah opened a nightclub.  Although he seems to be in love with Sienna right now, but he appears to be quite fickle.  Look how he just dropped Allie when they seemed so happy together.  I was struck by how strongly Noah reacted strongly when he ran into her recently in Genoa City.  Fans, do you think those two will become an item again, much to to the disappointment of Nikki and Sharon?  Nobody seems to like Audra except Sally.  What do you think about the possibility of Noah and Audra reunion?  Respond to the poll below and let me know.

Do you think Noah and Audra will reunite?

Yes, Audra is desperate and Noah is fickle.

No way. It's over. That ship has sailed.

It's possibility. I wouldn't rule it out.

I don't know.

Other

 

pollcode.com free polls

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.  All the best in the New Year.  I will be back in with more Y&R news and discussion on January 11, 2025.  I'm looking forward to the holiday season in Genoa City.

Happy Hanukkah

Happy New Year

Take care,

Joanne

Happy 100th Birthday, Dick Van Dyke!

Dick Van Dyke was born Richard Wayne Van Dyke on December 13, 1925 in West Plains, Missouri, and raised in Danville, Illinois.  The beloved comedian/actor turns 100 years old today.  He is the son of Hazel Victoria (née McCord), a stenographer, and Loren Wayne "Cookie" Van Dyke, a salesman.  He had a younger brother, Jerry McCord Van Dyke, born in Danville in 1931.  Jerry, also an actor, passed away on January 5, 2018 at the age of 86.

Dick started out as a stand-up comedian while still attending Danville High School.  At Danville High, he joined the drama club and the a cappella choir  During his senior year, he left high school to join the United States Army Air Force for pilot training in World War II.  He was denied enlistment several times because he was underweight.  However, he was eventually approved as a radio announcer before joining the Special Services and entertaining the troop in the United States.  He was discharged in 1946.  

After World War II, Dick became a disc jockey at a radio station in his hometown of Danville, Illinois.  In 1947, he formed a comedy duo with pantomime performer Phil Erickson.  They called themselves "Eric and Van" and toured the West Coast nightclub circuit.  In the early 1950s, Dick appeared on a New Orleans television station, first as a comedian, and then as the host of a comedy program.  He appeared  on Chance of a Lifetime with Dennis James, in 1954, and two episodes of The Phil Silvers Show in 1957-58.  He also appeared on ABC's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom and NBC's The Polly Bergen Show.  During that period, a friend of Dick, who served as CBS executive, recommended  him to the network.  Van Dyke eventually signed a seven-year contract with CBS.

In 1959, Dick made his Broadway debut in the Girls Against the Boys.  In 1961, He received a Tony Award for Beast Featured Actor in for his performance as Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie.

Van Dyke in 1959

Dick is a very versatile performer.  He is known for his film performances in Mary Poppins (1964), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), Divorce American Style (1967) and Bye Bye Birdie (1963),  He also appeared in Night at the Museum (2006) and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

Dick has delighted audiences with his singing and dancing,  He is also celebrated for his television role as comedy writer Rob Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show along with Mary Tyler Moore, Morey Amsterdam and Rose Marie.  Carl Reiner created the sitcom and cast himself as the lead in the pilot.  However, CBS insisted that the role be recast, and Reiner chose Dick to replace himself.  The Dick Van Dyke Show aired on CBS from 1961 to 1966, with a total of 158 half-hour episodes, all filmed in black and white.  Dick's portrayal of Rob Petrie earned him three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor.

Below is a photo of some major cast members of the Dick Van Dyke show.  From left to right: Dick, Mary Tyler Moore, Morey Amsterdam and Richard Deacon.  All of the main cast members have passed away except Dick and Larry Mathews, who played Ritchie Petrie, the son of Rob and Laura Petrie (Mary Tyler Moore).  Larry is now 70 years old.  Mary Tyler Moore and Rose Marie died in 2017, Morey Amsterdam in 1996 and Richard Deacon in 1984.  Carl Reiner passed away in 2020 at the ripe old age of 98.

Mary Tyler Moore and Dick with Larry Matthews

Larry Matthews

Ann Morgan Guibert and Jerry Paris played Rob and Laura's neighbours, Millie and Jerry Helper.  Ann, who portrayed Millie, died of pancreatic cancer in 2016.  Jerry Paris, who played Millie's dentist husband, Jerry Helper, passed away in 1986, as the result of a brain tumour.

Ann Guibert

Dick with Jerry Paris as Jerry Helper

From 1971 to 1974, Van Dyke starred as Dick Preston, a Phoenix television host, in The New Dick Van Dyke Show, with Hope Lange as his wife, Jenny, and Angela Powell as their daughter, Annie. CBS had high hopes for the show and even agreed to film the production near Cave Creek, Arizona, where Dick and his family lived at the time. Carl Reiner created the sitcom, which ran for 72 episodes over three seasons. During the early years of the series, Reiner was was very involved, writing and directing episodes.  However, he left the show when CBS refused to air an episode, "Lt. Preston of the 4th Cavalry."  The episode featured an off-camera moment in which Annie walked in on her parents during an intimate moment.  CBS claimed that this did not fit Van Dyke's wholesome image.  A frustrated Reiner vowed not to work with the network again.  

After Reiner's departure, Dick opted not to renew his contract.  Dick was also not pleased that during its third season, the show had been retooled.  Filming and setting had been moved to Hollywood and he had been uprooted from his Arizona home.

Dick appeared in a 1971 episode of The Cosby Show and a 1974 episode of Columbo with Peter Falk.

In 1977, he replaced Harvey Korman as a regular on The Carol Burnett Show, but left after only 11 episodes.  Unfortunately, the show's writers couldn't adapt to Dick's comedy style.  However, he has remained good friends with Carol. 

Dick Van Dyke has not always played comedic roles.  From 1993 until 2001, he starred in Diagnosis Murder as Dr. Mark Sloan, a medical doctor who solves crime with the help of his son, Steve, a homicide detective son, Steve.  Steve Sloan was portrayed by Barry Van Dyke, Dick's real-life son.

Dick and Barry Van Dyke

I think that the three greatest all-time TV comedians are Dick, Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball.  Lucy passed away in 1989.  Fortunately, Dick and Carol are still with us.  Carol is 92 years young. 

In a recent interview with People magazine, Dick said he felt "really good."  He credited his attitude for his longevity and his lack of pain and discomfort.  "I've always thought that anger is one thing that eats up a person's insides."  He said that he's "rather lazy" and has never felt driven by the type of resentment that can worsen over time.  He told People that "Sometimes I have more energy than others - but I never wake up in a bad mood."  He explained that although disapproves of certain things and people, he "never really was able to work up a feeling of hate," and definitely not "a white-heat kind of hate."  Dick also mentioned that his father, Loren Van Dyke, was "constantly upset by the state of things in his life and it did take him at 73 years old."

Here are Dick Van Dyke's secrets to longevity:

* Positive attitude

* Regular exercise

*Active lifestyle

* Healthy mindset

Dick has one simple indulgence, though.  It's vanilla ice cream.  He says the perfect ice cream sundae snack before bedtime is two large scoops of vanilla ice cream with a topping of chocolate syrup.

Dick Van Dyke has been married twice.  He wed his first wife, Margie Willett, in 1948.  They married on the radio show Bride and Groom because the show paid for a wedding ring, a honeymoon and household appliances.  Dick and Margie had four children - Christian, Barry, Stacy and Carrie Beth - and divorced in 1984 after a lengthy separation.  In 1976, Dick began a long term relationship with actress Michelle Triola Marvin.  The pair lived together for more than 30 years, until her death from lung cancer in 2009.

On February 29, 2012, Dick married markup artist Arlene Silver, 46 years his junior.  The couple first met six years earlier at the SAG Awards, where Arlene was working backstage.

I think that the three greatest all-time TV comedians are Dick, Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball.  Lucy passed away in 1989.  Fortunately, Dick and Carol are still with us.  Carol is 92 years young.

END NOTES

* Dick Van Dyke released a new book on November 18, 2025.  It is titled 100 Rules For Living To 100: An Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life

* Dick has been greatly influenced by the physical comedy of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.  He delivered the eulogy at Stan Laurel's funeral in 1965.  He has also admired the work of Buster Keaton and Carl Reiner.

*  In 2023, Dick appeared in four episodes of the soap opera Days of Our Lives.  He played amnesiac Timothy Robichaux, also known as Mystery Man.  In 2024, he won a Daytime Emmy for his guest performance on Days.  At the age of 98, he became the oldest winner of a Daytime Emmy.

* Dick was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993 and the Television Walk of Fame in 1995.

SOURCES:  The Independent, "Dick Van Dyke's secret to a long life? Not being angry," by Ellie Muir, December 4, 2025; Fox News, "Dick Van Dyke says living longer linked to his lack of hate and anger,"  by Khloe Quill, November 30, 2025; Yahoo.com, "The Simple Sweet Treat That Dick Van Dyke Loves," by Laura Christine Allan, November 30, 2025; Remind, "Inside Dick Van Dyke's Forgotten 1970s Sitcom," by Lauren Novak, December 13, 2025; Wikipedia; Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

- Joanne