Beth Maitland has been front and center on The Young and the Restless. Unfortunately, she has been the target of some unsavory comments on social media, but she isn’t going to stoop down to those levels. For good measure, some of Maitland’s The Young and the Restless co-stars chimed in and took up for her.
Call it what you will, cyberbullying, online harassment, internet aggression—they are all terms to describe ugly and un-useful forms of digital behavior. By definition, cyberbullying is offensive and unflattering. In other words, it brings out the worst in people.
Ironically, it can also bring out the best in people. Take Beth Maitland for example. The Daytime Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series debuted on The Young and the Restless in 1982.
Her character, Traci Abbott, is currently embroiled in a front-burner storyline that involves her character writing a juicy noir novel, loosely based on The Young and the Restless characters, including her own.
The story within a story makes for entertaining and creative television in a genre that is too often maligned for being clichéd and tired.
Instead, this plot is anything but unimaginative, and as she spins her tale, Traci’s mind is betraying her. The handsome noir protagonist with the killer dimples is played by Daniel Goddard, who also plays Cane on Y&R, while in Traci’s minds-eye, she is portraying his sweet secretary.
Traci has a crush on Cane, and among other fantasies, has pictured him shirtless while talking to him. For some reason, some viewers have objected to this pairing and said some ugly things about it on social media.
Their comments only served to prove how beautiful and gracious Maitland is.
When her co-star, and daytime icon, Eric Braeden tweeted about the madness, “@BethMaitland is one of the kindest people I have ever met and A DAMNED GOOD ACTRESS!”
Her response was both diplomatic and sincere.
“All is well,” she tweeted, “Just a little fuss over name calling and misunderstandings. I feel very championed and loved…and am a little tougher than I look. XXXX to all.”
Thank you, my dear. @EBraeden All is well. Just a little fuss over name calling and misunderstandings. I feel very championed and loved…and am a little tougher than I look. XXXX to all.
— Beth Maitland (@BethMaitlandDQB) May 27, 2019
Co-star Eileen Davidson tweeted, “Beth you’re amazing. When you come across a troll I have three words. BLOCK BLOCK BLOCK and please just move on. ❤️❤️❤️.”
Beth you’re amazing. When you come across a troll I have three words. BLOCK BLOCK BLOCK and please just move on. ❤️❤️❤️
— Eileen Davidson (@eileen_davidson) May 25, 2019
Because being able to say what Maitland did in response to being trolled says it all!
“I respect everyone’s right to their opinion. I respect tolerance, kindness, an open mind, and exceptance [sic]. I don’t respect meanness so much. Thanks Lisa for returning us to reality. I do what they write. I’m an actor. And I LOVE representing real women with true hearts. Xxx #real”
I respect everyone’s right to their opinion. I respect tolerance, kindness, an open mind, and exceptance. I don’t respect meanness so much. Thanks Lisa for returning us to reality. I do what they write. I’m an actor. And I LOVE representing real women with true hearts. Xxx #real
— Beth Maitland (@BethMaitlandDQB) May 25, 2019
Maitland’s reaction shows how sometimes the worst in people can bring out the best in people. And how what we have to say says more about ourselves than anything or anyone else.
The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS.