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The Newsbrief Archives

By Phyllis Brooks

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For week of 09.24.07

Show #8733 - 09.24.07 - Director: Sally McDonald

In Victor's office, Victor wants to know why Nick is so angry. Nick says because daddy tried to bribe his wife, get Phyllis to turn on her friend Jack, and Nick is tired of Victor playing sick "mind games". Victor says all he wants is for Phyllis to tell the ethics commission what she knows. Nick says Phyllis would never do such a thing; she's "loyal" and Victor doesn't give a damn about the people of Wisconsin; all he cares about is himself. Victor brings up what Phyllis did to Brad and asks, "You think you can trust her?"

With Nick gone, Victor locks the door, takes out the DVD, pops it into his computer and as Jack is heard confessing, has a flashback to when he told Jack that Jack took advantage of him when he, Victor, was sick.

On the phone later, Victor tells someone, "You don't know where the DVD came from" as there's a knock on the door. It's Victoria who can't understand why the door was locked until Victor said he doesn't want people walking in any old time they like. Victoria came to badger Victor about what he's doing to the family and said he needs to change.

Before Victoria went to see her daddy, Nick was with her asking if she'd ever wished she'd been switched at birth. He goes on to say what Victor did and wonders why, if Victor can get Phyllis out of prison, he hasn't already done it.

A knock interrupts them, Nick is rude to the person popping in and out quickly, then goes on and on about the importance of family. He'll never do what his parents have done; like shipping their kids off to boarding school.

"They are who they are," Victoria says of their parents.

Before all this, J.T. was with Victoria in the break room hinting that he wants sex.

"I know I'm irresistible, but you can wait until tonight" she tells him as Karen and Neil come in to discuss a condo project going into its third phase. As they talk, J.T. sends text messages to Victoria suggesting she take her clothes off. Victoria giggles and finally, when Neil and Karen leave, J.T. says he can't wait to get Victoria home.

Waiting to catch the elevator, when two female employees get off, they notice J.T. and one says to the other, that's the guy the boss is messing with? The gist being that Victoria got herself a real loser.

J.T. went to his place. Paul was there and as they threw darts at a picture of Victor on the dart board, Paul confirms that the firing of J.T. was a ruse. He reminds J.T. that once undercover, if J.T. finds anyone suspicious, he's to let Paul know so that he can run a check on the suspicious ones.

The subject changes to Victoria and how J.T. likes living with her, but she is a Newman. She can do better and J.T. is having doubts about his worthiness. Snapping him out of it, Paul tells J.T. to focus on his job. J.T. could be working with "violent felons" and if he gets into trouble, Paul won't be there to bail J.T. out.

When Victoria walks in, Paul tells her about J.T. going undercover! She doesn't seem to grasp the danger, instead imagining J.T. all sweaty swinging a hammer.

Paul takes his cue to leave and Victoria tells J.T. she came to have sex. After the deed is done, wearing J.T.'s shirt, Victoria puts his cellphone and her black berry in the oven before saying she hopes she doesn't turn into her father.

Back at his office, Victor tells Nick that he's made some calls on Phyllis behalf. Now they wait.

After meeting with Victoria, to say that for a pregnant woman she's working too hard, and while eating a donut telling Karen that she can't let work consume her, and Karen saying she's going to take a cooking class, Neil went to tell Victor about the condo project and to talk about Victoria who Victor said is "living in a dream world." Neil said Victoria is like her father as Victor said he wants his company to start drilling (the Clear Springs project) hinting that the project won't turn out like Nikki expects.

At the Abbott home, Jack is rehearsing the speech he's about to make to the press. With Sharon coaching, Jack says he owned Jabot and did what he did out of love for his father. All he regrets is having done it secretly and, "Dad, if you're listening, please forgive me."

The rehearsal over, Jack asked Sharon, "Did I sound sincere?" Sharon hopes he more than sounded that way. Jack says he is sincere and it's thanks to her. Just then a call comes in from the school principle. Noah has been in a fight. Damn kids were picking on him about Jack. Now Jack has got to postpone the press conference to go fetch Noah.

Back home, Noah says, "You should see the other guy," as Jack confesses that what the kids are saying about him is true. "I'll never forgive you!" Noah cries as he stomps up the stairs.

Later at the table, Noah is studying. He got suspended from school for two days and wants Sharon to forget Jack. Sharon explains that everyone makes mistakes and that she's proud of Jack. Calling Noah, "Sport", Jack says he doesn't blame the kid for being angry. Noah backed down. He still loves Jack.

BREAKING NEWS on the TV!

News of the DVD is out!

Oh no! Jack says it's too late for him to confess; the people will think he's trying to spin this latest development.

Show #8734 - 09.25.07 - Director: Andrew Lee

In the Newman breakroom, Nikki and David are talking about what sounds like an organic cookie store buying space at Clear Springs when a report comes on TV about Jack and the mess he's in. They surmise Jack's office must have been bugged and as David says he's prepared to run damage control to protect Nikki, she wonders, "How much damage can that man do?" Fearing guilt by association, she breaks down bawling and David pleads; let him protect her.

At the Abbott home watching, Jack is telling Noah to always tell the truth as Sharon answers a ringing phone to say no comment. Jack also says the press conference will go on as planned and better yet, on the phone, Jack says the conference will be a "town hall meeting" which his "Chief of Staff", Ben Hollander will coordinate.

All the talk about truth caused Noah to recall when he was in the second grade he broke something that wasn't his and told the truth about it. "Smart kid," Jack quipped and with Noah gone told Sharon he wonders who taped his private meetings?

With Jack on his way to the club for the conference, um, town hall, Sharon learns from Noah that he's done his homework thanks to the sitter she hired. That means Noah can watch his favorite show on TV tonight, but Noah says no; he'd rather watch Jack.

When Sharon got to the AC Brad walked in to say he won't let her go through the press conference alone. But as we'll see, she wasn't listening to Brad today.

Meanwhile, Katherine told Jack to make sure he tells reporters she had nothing to do with his mess; he does owe her. "I own you nothing!" Jack seethed.

When she first appeared, Traci Abbott Connelly (with red hair!) was at the coffee shop being brought up to speed by Colleen. They jumped to the club where Colleen told Brad, who had yet to notice Traci, that she'd come to support Jack because he's family; he's her uncle. Brad bashed Jack until Colleen reminded him about all that atonement crap he'd been spewing earlier.

When Jack spotted Traci, he asked if Sharon was responsible for bringing her to town, and saying he'd already spoken with Ashley, said the mess he's in is his alone.

Also watching the TV reports was Phyllis at the prison. Trying to make a call, she discovered her phone card was exhausted and eventually gave another prisoner $20 for a card so that she could call Jack merely to say she supports him and good luck with the conference, etc.

Speaking of prison, back at the coffee shop Gloria and Kevin were gloating how they're taking Jack down. Gloria is certain Victor would never stab her in the back by outing her as the source of the DVD and she hopes Sharon will realize now she can do better than Jack. She also suggested that Traci and Ashley sue Jack. By the time she's done with him, Gloria said Jack will be in a "maximum security prison."

"He'll be just Jack," Kevin remarked, perhaps a reference to the show "Will and Grace" in which Jack McFarland had a one-man show about 10 people ever watched called, "Just Jack" and often introduced himself as "just Jack."

Then Jana called to tell Kevin she's been transferred to the state prison and wants Kevin to come visit. Kevin was there in a flash since the prison is the same one where Phyllis is incarcerated. Kevin couldn't understand how Jana could be in prison without ever having a trial. Jana said she'll have one soon and that she deserves to "suffer" for what she's done to Kevin.

Kevin assured Jana that he'll get her out of prison even if he has to break her out. And lo, but when Jana was taken back to general population she saw Phyllis and rushed up to hug her.

Back in the big city Jack was making his speech. He confirmed his involvement with Jabot and Ji Min as Victor and others watched on TV. Jack said nobody else but Ji Min knew anything. He did what he did for the sake of his father and doesn't have a problem sleeping at night.

The conference now open to questions from the press, it was not a town hall meeting at all. Jack assured reporters that voters can still trust him and that he will serve out his full term. As to how he convinced his wife to lie for him, Jack told a reporter it was an out of line question, but that he does have the support of his wife and step-son which caused reporters to laugh.

Speaking too, Sharon said "My husband is an honorable man" and that people of the state are "fortunate" to have him.

Afterwards, with a sort of celebration going on as Jack was pleased with himself, Gloria slithered by to say how sweet it was seeing all the Abbott women standing around the fallen son. She reminded Jack too of when he threw her out of the Abbott home and later Jack saw Gloria toasting with Victor who had since made a personal appearance.

Earlier though, during a short discussion with Gloria, Katherine said she wants to speak with Emma Gibson's husband about how his wife died.

Also earlier at his office, Victor told Neil that Nikki made her choice to get involved with Jack and she'll have to live with it. Victor's going ahead with drilling at the Clear Springs project now that he has EPA reports apparently clearing the way. "That's how you do business; it's all in the timing," Victor said.

Having returned to the breakroom after the conference, David told Nikki to cut Jack loose as she got a call from someone who said they have no interest in dealing with a "corrupt" company.

Back at the Abbott home, Jack told Sharon that she and Noah will always come first no matter what. "Are they going to make you stop being a senator?" Noah asked. Intimating he doesn't think so, Jack gave Noah some words of wisdom; the measure of a man's success is how he deals with failure. Asked by Noah if he thinks he can pull it off, Jack said, "Just watch me."

Show #8735 - 09.26.07 - Director: Susan Strickler

At Jabot, Katherine and Jill are suffering from paranoia. Who could have hacked into the network computer system? What could there still be on company computers? Jill says she'll have every computer examined as she gets into it with Katherine again about how Ji Min was in cahoots with Jack.

In Kevin's Jabot office, he's on the phone to the prison leaving a voice message for Jana just so he can say goodnight! True story. Also in the office is a tech guy who has come to get the company computer to have it checked when Kevin realizes Gloria brought his laptop in from the car and he hasn't had time to scrub it.

In a panic, Kevin shoves the laptop down his pants and tries to get out of the building with Gloria when they spot Jill and Katherine. With Gloria distracting by offering the ladies Kevin's computer services, and told their help isn't wanted, Kevin and his mother make it out unscathed and head to the club for dinner.

Jill informs Katherine she wants to see all the tapes made in the office and the boardroom between certain time periods and finally confesses the sex she had with Ji Min could be on the tapes. With a hacker loose, Jill doesn't want her sexcapades showing up on "some sicko's website."

Suddenly Katherine announces she invited some reporters by to clear the air. Jill freaked, but it was all for not as when Katherine saw that the reporters weren't interested in what she was spinning, called the mini-press conference off.

Back at the club, Jeffery Bardwell stopped by Gloria's table to say his brother sent him a package and that Wilma had a premonition about his death. Seems Wilma and Jeffery made a pact as kids that they would always protect each other to the death. Gloria's eyes bug out when Jeff says he may have some of the skin cream she tainted too, although he doesn't say he knows it's tainted. When Jeff tells Gloria he likes the perfume she's wearing, the impression is he wants to get closer to her, but not for the reason Gloria may think.

Kevin meantime was taking a call from Jana when she called back live and in person. The call was cut short when Daniel appeared to ask if Kevin hacked into Jabot computers. Kevin denied he'd do such a thing.

At the Abbott home, Jack and Sharon are grousing about invasion of privacy, not just his, all Americans. Jack says too that he can't stop thinking about how great Sharon has been so far and if they get through this mess it'll be all because of Sharon.

Sharon goes on to say she fears there are hidden cameras everywhere, watching her, and she's not even a criminal! Jack keeps talking about who could have hacked into his computers and why Gloria was at the press conference; her son is a computer whiz. Determined to get to the bottom of it, Jack calls Paul and leaves a message that he wants to hire him.

Daniel arrives to say too that everyone is spying on everyone these days. Sharon says she hates "the world my son will inherit" as Jack asks Daniel if he thinks Kevin could have hacked the computers. Daniel says he doesn't think Kevin would do anything to hurt Jabot and that's when Traci arrives to say she can't stay. Jack thanks her for coming and says he'll never forget that she came to the press conference. "That's what family is for," Traci replies, and before leaving tells Sharon, "Try hard to keep him out of trouble."

Jack and Sharon go and on; "Are they watching us?" Who's watching and what do they want? A phone call comes in from a cleanup crew; Jack's corporate headquarters has been swept for electronic listening devices; nothing was found. Jack instructs Daniel to tell them he wants the house done tonight too, and later Daniel reports the sweepers will be there "in a few hours".

Paul calls to tell Jack he doesn't work for crooks.

After meeting with Kevin, Daniel called Jack to say he thinks Kevin did it, but he can't be sure.

Oops, now what?

Maggie arrives to ask Jack a bunch on nonsensical questions pertaining to his admission of guilt. "There's real crime out there," Jack tells her as Maggie is primarily on a fishing expedition at this point.

At the coffee shop, J.T. tells Victoria he wants her to play the tape with his voice on it close to her belly while he's away on assignment. He mentions again the baby being "an evil little Bradley". This time Victoria picks up on the slur and she's offended, thinking J.T. is jealous of Brad which he says he isn't, but he often thinks of when she was with Brad. Victoria says, well, she thinks of him with Colleen, but they both agree they aren't jealous.

Show #8736 - 09.27.07 - Director: Sally McDonald

It's a new day at the Abbott home. Jack tells Sharon the visit last night from Maggie didn't help him sleep any better and getting the newspaper sees a front page story about him. Sharon takes the Life & Style section and sees there's a story about her complete with photo and it's not good. The story tells how Sharon is standing by her "investment", how she came from the poor side of town and is generally a slut.

Jack jumps on the phone to Ben. "My wife is off-limits to the press!" he bellows, ordering Ben to make it stop.

Meantime Sharon gets a call from Brad. He's seen the paper and is going to cancel his subscription because the paper didn't write about the Sharon he knows.

Careful to note that he put it in the recycling bin, Jack tosses the paper out as Sharon says she doesn't want Noah reading "that garbage." Jack reminds her that sticking together as they are, and telling the truth, is the most powerful thing they can do. As for the public, it doesn't know how "strong" Sharon is.

As Sharon bawls, Jack says he's going to give her and Noah the life they deserve. And if she finds the stress getting to her, let him know and Jack will take her and Noah to a video arcade.

At the Baldwin apartment, Lauren is back with Fen-Fen and she's not a happy camper. Everyone is talking about Ji Min and Jack. As she goes into another room, Michael pins Gloria down. When did she give Victor that DVD? What does Victor have on her? Gloria told him not to worry.

Later Lauren ripped into Gloria for what's she's done and says she doesn't believe anything Gloria and Michael say anymore. Gloria assures her she'd never intentionally do anything to hurt anyone and Lauren slams out.

Michael lets Gloria have it too and she screams that Jack got what he deserves. "He has lied, and he has lied, and he has lied!" she rants.

When there's a knock at the door, Gloria opens it and seeing Jeffery has a flashback about the tainted cream she hopes in the box he's carrying. Back in real time, she invites him in. Together, they look at more of brother Wilma's stuff which he says was careful indexed. When Gloria goes to touch, Jeffery tells her no. In the box are the gloves Gloria wore when she tainted the skin cream. When Michael and Lauren came home later, Gloria told them, "He knows!"

At Newman Enterprises, Nikki is in the break room with David commenting on the newspaper article and how unfair it was to pick on Sharon. She reminds David again that they've got to "tell the world" that NVP/Clear Springs is not associated with Jack. David says not to worry; he's got a plan and is working hard to make her a successful business woman. "Remind me to give you a raise," Nikki coos as they prepare for a press conference, to be televised live, concerning the project.

The conference focused on the CS mall and how Fenmore's Department Stores are key to its success. When reporters ask if there will be blowback because of NVP's association with Jack, Nikki says no.

At the club, Victoria is ordering food to go and telling Victor about the press conference with NVP. He's looking at the newspaper and snarls when Brad wanders in and goes to the bar where he called Sharon before having a flashback of telling her that she and he are the "real" couple. Noticing Victor eating, Brad goes to tell him that Sharon is getting hurt because of what Jack has done.

"I'm touched by your concern," Victor snorts, dismissing Brad.

A reporter hit on Victor next and the crap hit the fan. "If you mention Sharon Abbott's name in your articles one more time it'll be your last assignment!"

After a workout, Victor went to the bar where Michael was waiting to ask if he's got any more DVDs to release. Victor denied knowing what he was talking about and reamed Michael out too. "You have shown me no loyalty," Victor said making it clear he's not about to protect Michael or members of his family.

In the interim, Lauren and Michael had a brief conversation during which she hinted that she may withdraw from the CS project. For now though, its full speed ahead.

Nikki arrived at the club in advance of meeting David to celebrate their press conference. Seeing Victor, she told him she's not going to let him bring her down; she's a successful business woman, etc. "You had nothing when I met you and that's what I'll leave you with," Victor snorted.

Meanwhile at the coffee shop, David was meeting with Carter, the reporter, who he asked, "Isn't it odd that Ji Min was found dead on the day he was to go public?" David suggests there's a big story there if only a reporter would investigate.

Flash to the prison where Phyllis is telling Jana she's not looking to make friends. Running into warden McQueen in the activity room, Phyllis says Jana is freaking her out. McQueen says he'll look into it.

Running into Jana again, who is pushing a book cart around, Phyllis chats a moment about what Jana likes to read and learning her favorite subject is serial killers, excuses herself to buy another phone card from another prisoner for $20. She calls Baldwin to say she needs help and it's not long after that when McQueen says she's being moved to another cell. He goes to tell Phyllis he wanted to make sure she was taken care of, and by the way, I saw you buying phone cards with cash and both are infractions of the rules. McQueen says he's not letting Phyllis slide anymore, and introducing her new cellmate, Phyllis' jaw drops when she sees it's Jana.

Back in the big city, Jack and Sharon have gone to Newman Enterprises. Jack goes to his office and Sharon meets with Brad in the breakroom where she tells him she needs to be seen as the supportive wife. Without Sharon's knowledge, Brad flips a switch on what looks like an intercom and goes on to say he hopes nobody finds out about what Sharon and Nick did when they were trapped in that bank vault.

In his office Jack hears every word and goes to the breakroom. As he walks in, Brad asks, "What's up?"

Show #8737 - 09.28.07 - Director: Jill Ackles

Brad and Sharon are in the NE breakroom when Jack comes in after hearing on the intercom that Sharon kissed Nick. Looking at him, a nervous Sharon asks, "Jack, what is it?"

Jack has a quick flashback before saying that how the press in treating Sharon must be getting to him, and without being seen Brad turns the intercom off as Jack returns to his office and puts in a spiritual call to the old man. "Dad, are you there? If I ever needed you, I need you now." John Abbott didn't respond.

Back in the break room, Sharon is in a panic. Jack already knows she still has a thing for Nick, but if he finds out about the kiss... Brad told her not to sweat the small stuff; whatever happens she'll always have his shoulder to cry on.

When Sharon went into Jack's office he played dumb. "Is everything okay? You looked upset," Jack said, adding that he'll always have time for her. But when she tried to kiss him, Jack pushed her away.

With Sharon gone, Jack called the Jackson Penitentiary in Michigan. Whatever he was after, Jack didn't get. Sharon returns and this time Jack says he knows about the kiss with Nick. "I feel horrible," Sharon confessed, and when Jack pressed for details she said, "It just happened."

"How do I know you haven't been sleeping with Nick?" Jack went on, adding, "I never thought you'd sleep with another man and lie about it."

Out by the elevators, Jack runs into Brad, manhandles and warns him again to stay away from Sharon.

Down in the parking lot Sharon is sitting in her car when Brad comes along to say that Jack just read him the riot act. Getting into the car, Brad lies when he says he's sorry Jack overheard their conversation. But, says Brad, "people make mistakes", and as Sharon bawls, "How could I do this?", reminds her again that he's available to her 24/7.

Suddenly, Sharon thinks she's got to tell Nick before Jack does and reaching Nick on the phone tells him Jack knows about the kiss.

At the club, Nick, Noah and Daniel were passing the time by listening to Noah blame Jack for making him get into a fight at school. Nick understands what Jack did because, "People make mistakes", and when Noah wasn't looking Daniel put salt in Noah's drink. "What are you, ten?" Nick asked Daniel as his phone rang.

The call came from Jana who was calling as a favor to Phyllis. Earlier, Jana told Phyllis how excited she is to be bunking with her, but the feeling isn't mutual.

While Jana was having another visit with Kevin, during which Kevin said that her stay at the prison is a "temporary pit stop", when the jury finds out about her tumor she'll go free, and Jana saying, "Our love is strong enough to survive anything", Phyllis was telling warden McQueen that Jana is creeping her out.

McQueen is tired of hearing Phyllis complain and when she asks to make another call, he says no more calls until she does some work to make some money to put into the card.

Done visiting Kevin, Jana returns to tell Phyllis that she has "special" privileges because she hasn't been convicted yet. In fact, she can call anyone she likes which gives Phyllis an idea; have Jana call Nick and he'll catch on that Jana has become a problem.

The first thing Nick did was leave a message for Michael to call him and within minutes Kevin was there! Daniel lit into him about Jana, the "killer" as his mother's cellmate. "Jana's cool," Kevin said, noting too that Phyllis is "no saint." Besides, what can Kevin do? He doesn't run the prison.

Oh no! Noah overheard. Phyllis is living with a killer? Trying to cover, Daniel says killer, as in awesome. But, as Noah had said earlier, "nothing gets by me," Noah knew that Nick and Daniel were lying. When they denied it, Noah demanded to see Phyllis. Nick said no; he and Daniel will go see Phyllis and promise to report back to Noah.

When they arrived, Phyllis told them she can't take much more of Jana. "She's like a Stepford wife." Nick isn't sure the warden will give him the time of day, but moments later Nick had been given an audience. Pleading his wife's case didn't impress McQueen. He called Jana a "model prisoner" and said he's tired of all the outside interference with regard to how he runs the prison. Nick begged. If the warden cuts Phyllis some slack, he promises Phyllis will be the prison's "poster woman."

Meanwhile, Jana ran into Phyllis again to say a book she ordered had arrived. Curious, Phyllis saw the book title "The Mindset of a Killer" as Jana started going on about wishing she could turn back time and forget certain things, like the sound of Carmen's skull cracking when she hit her with a flashlight.

At Jabot, Katherine told Jill and Cane that the entire building has been swept for electronic monitoring devices and the place is clean. Jill complains that since then, "my hard drive keeps crashing" and she still feels she's being watched and listened in on. Cane said they'll never know for sure if they're being bugged.

"I loathe that man!" Jill said, blaming everything on Jack.

There to ask more questions, Maggie says questions about Ji Min's death raise the possibility a crime was committed. "I knew it, I knew it!" Jill exclaimed. Maggie went on to say the coroner's report shows Ji Min sustained injuries consistent with a physical confrontation.

"Do you think there was a fight?" Cane quipped.

Maggie said yes, and that she intends to interview everyone again who had any contact with Ji Min starting with Cane. Katherine warned Cane not to say anything without a lawyer present, but he ignored her. He confessed to having grabbed Ji Min's arm, but it was nothing. Katherine warned him again not to say anything, and as Cane continued on Jill said it was Jack who had a lot to lose and not to put anything past Jack.

When Maggie asked if there's any surveillance footage they haven't seen, Katherine interrupted to say that Jack is Maggie's best suspect. Then Jill needed more details about Ji Min's death. Could anything have been done to save him? Did he suffer? Maggie said, "It took four to six minutes" for him to die.

Afterwards, alone with Cane, Jill asked if he got into a fight with Ji Min. Cane stuck with his story; no!

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