Emmy® Nominated Actress Victoria Rowell Serves as Celebrity Mentor on Judge Hatchett

Emmy® nominated actress and foster care advocate Victoria Rowell, from the daytime series "The Young and the Restless," serves as a celebrity mentor on the syndicated courtroom television series from Sony Pictures Television, JUDGE HATCHETT on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 (check local listings for station and time).

Krystal, a 15-year-old from Milan, MN was brought into Judge Hatchett's courtroom by her mother, Donna Senske, who says that her daughter is completely disrespectful to her and the ultimate teen terror. Ms. Senske describes some of Krystal's "out-of-control" behavior that includes stealing a car, setting fire to her school and even trying to start an online drug-dealing business. Most upsetting to Donna is the fact that Krystal says she would rather live in foster care, than live at home with her mom.

At the direction of Judge Hatchett, Krystal is introduced to Victoria Rowell on the set of the daytime series, "The Young and the Restless." Rowell, herself a product of foster care, founded The Rowell Foster Children's Positive Plan (RFCPP), a non-profit organization established in 1990. For over a decade, RFCPP has provided the means for foster children to fulfill their limitless potential through involvement in fine arts, sports, and the provision of job opportunities.

Rowell gives Krystal a tour of the "Y&R" set and then sits down to talk to her about what life is really like in foster care. Victoria stresses to Krystal that her own time spent in foster care was not easy and that, "You lose your childhood (in the system), plain and simple."

Victoria also introduces Krystal to Venus Manuel, a young woman who had been in the foster care system since she was 12-years-old. Manuel's own biological parents were drug addicts, and once placed in care she went through nine different foster homes. Of her experiences in the foster care system, Manuel said, "Those times were worse than anything I had ever experienced." Fortunately, the message Victoria and Venus share with Krystal strikes a chord with the teenager.

Upon her return into the courtroom, Krystal expresses her gratefulness to Judge Hatchett and especially Victoria Rowell. Krystal is currently on the road to recovering her relationship with her mom.

Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. SPT produces and distributes top-rated, award-winning programming in every genre, including series, movies and family entertainment for network and cable television; first-run syndicated series; off-network syndicated programs; and theatrical releases. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

SOURCE: Sony Pictures Television

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or Beth Jaffe, +1-646-230-5759, bethj@sonypicturestv.com, both of Sony
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