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Days Of Our Lives

Does DAYS Will and Sonny's Youth, Locale & Domestic Stability Make Them The Most Important Couple On Soaps?

Courtesy/NBC

Courtesy/NBC

Days of our Lives Will (Guy Wilson) and Sonny (Freddie Smith) are now young-marrieds, seemingly financially sound, living in small town USA ( not a gay mecca such as Manhattan or Los Angeles, or San Francisco) with a solid sex life, and they basically are raising together Will’s bio-daughter Arianna.

Sans the latest storyline where Nick Fallon (Blake Berris) has just been murdered and the two young men being murder suspects , in a new Op-Ed column for Advocate.com, writer Jeremy Helligar explores why WilSon just might be the most important couple in soaps right now!

Helligar writes after comparing WilSon to other couples on DAYS:  “If you’re asking the obvious question facing any solid couple – How do they do it? – consider another: How did a show with such strong religious and moral overtones, one with a priest as a romantic lead, one in which a main character was once possessed by Satan himself, one with a leading lady (Melissa Reeves, who plays Will’s aunt Jennifer Devereaux) who faced major backlash two years ago for supporting Chick-fil-A on Twitter, become arguably TV’s greatest champion of gay romance?  …. What elevates Will and Sonny to groundbreaking status is their youth, their location (Smalltown, U.S.A., far from the coastal gay meccas of New York, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco), and that their domestic stability (and sex life!) is so front-and-center on Days, which devoted three episodes in April to a gay wedding.”

Later in the piece Helligar illustrates WilSon and the current primetime dramas that have gay characters:  “Young gays in modern dramas, though less overtly stereotypical than the ones in sitcoms (even Lafayette on True Blood has a significant masculine streak), tend to be more romantically challenged and often even more screwed up than the straight people around them. Over on Revenge, in the space of a half-season, we saw Patrick Osbourne, Virginia Grayson’s gay, long-lost son, murder two men, including his biological father. He and Mickey Milkovich on Shameless would make an excellent match if Patrick were to return from his apprenticeship in Italy and move to Chicago.

Two states down, on Nashville, gay country singer Will Lexington, whose shame over his sexuality made him suicidal, has married his beard, a fellow rising country star that he can’t get it up for in bed. Then there are the guys on Looking: They cruise in the park, cavort with gigolos, have threesomes and cheat on their boyfriends.  They make Will and Sonny, who still only have eyes for each other, look like choir boys, the monogamous romantic equivalent, some might say, of “passing for straight.” Perhaps they’d take it further and criticize their union for being too closely modeled on traditional straight relationships. That’s an argument for another op-ed, but it doesn’t make “WilSon” any less of a valid representation of another gay reality, one that might be more inviting to young people who are struggling with coming out than anything we’ve seen on Looking.”

So, do you think Will and Sonny are illustrating that they are the most stable couple in soapdom? Would you like to see them knocked down a peg and not be so saintly?  Even if one of the guys did murder Nick Fallon would it really tarnish their good guy images?  Weigh-in below!

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Gay or straight…sooner or later they will break up…without some angst in their life they will stagnate and become boring unless you can write them and make like Tom and Alice, Chris and Nancy or Mike and Nancy who did have some minor marriage difficulties but their marriages last many many years and never bored me…can Will and Sonny last as long…maybe but i doubt it…mho!!!

The three i mention just happen to be my favorite long lasting couples: Days Mickey and Maggie are my favorite Days couple together as well even if they did remarry(didnt Tom and Alice remarry)…Doug and Julie were daytimes best supercouple(even if they remarried as well)…imb!!!(in my book)…Sonny and Will would have to last just as long but they are very interesting…why cant other couples on all the soaps be written that way…?

I’m happy that the show has made Will and Sonny a stable couple.However eventually they will have to give Will and Sonny some problems to deal with as a couple and individuals.I’m not saying to break Will and Sonny up anytime soon but they need to be treated like any other couple.Plus the show could give them some real life issues to deal with.For example Will and Sonny could try to get a bigger place to live and run into bigotry.Plus with Gabi going Will and Sonny could run into problems raising Arianna Grace on their own.

I think they are a great couple and I root for them but I dont think they are the most important couple on daytime . Days is in solid standing on nbc and signed thru the very least for the next 3 years . ABC is the scary villain in the room that would love to drop the dominoes for soap operas. I think the most important couple on daytime is the soon to be epic love story of Carlos and Sabrina . It has so many twists and turns and finally put a latino couple front and center

I think the best thing that DAYS can do for gays and straights everywhere is to give Will and Sonny messed up lives like anybody else! Don’t treat them differently because they’re gay. Treat them like all soap couples. DON’T PLAY BY THE RULES OF LGBT! Play by soap rules! DAYS is a soap opera, not a soapbox!!!

You said it best, LOL..I agree with you 100%..If Will and Sonny stay together it will spell BORINGVILLE..All couples need challenges and slings/arrows thrown their ways to make them exciting.

I love will and sonny whatever they choose to do days is just a joy to watch for this story and for all the stories I just love days!!!!!!!!!

Will has sworn to never be like his mom, and if he stays the course that means Sonny is the one who will stray. I hope they do it with taste. 😉

I love Sonny and Will. This has been one of the best and most important storylines that Days has ever done. I was so glad and thrilled that they did a gay storyline. With that said, I want Sonny and Will to stay together but to keep drama going they will have to face challenges that couples face on soaps, but I want them to keep working it out as a couple .

There is absolutely nothing realistic about Will and Sonny. They are not indicative or representative of the gay community in any way. They are written as a straight couple. When people talk about “gay stereotypes” there is really no such thing. It is not wrong or a lie to depict a flamboyant effininate gay person on television because there are a lot of them out there. I know many gay people and none of them act like Will and Sonny. It is very hard to do an apt portrayal of the gay lifestyle on daytime t.v. though. It’s a little easier on cable. But it’s a soap opera and we don’t watch for reality. We watch for fantasy and escapism. Will and Sonny are the fairy tale romance that the gay community wants to see and to that end they succeed in what they are doing. If it helps DAYS ratings I say keep the fairy tale going strong!! Even though I fast forward through all of the Wilson scenes, I feel that Days is the one show that keeps romance alive with their other couples like Eric/Nicole, JJ/Paige, Jennifer/Daniel, even Sami and EJ if you can call that a romance. I wish the other soaps would remember that romance is what soaps were about when they were HUGE in the ratings. They weren’t about nearly incestuous intermingling like Bold and Beautiful. They weren’t about violence and villains running rampant like General Hospital.

Have to agree with Johnny on this one – they are not depicted in a realistic
manner. I take into account that it’s a soap, but they are at times a little sickeningly sweet. I realize that it’s important to show them in a positive light
and that they are role models in a way, but the writers, if they want to add some degree of realism, need to show one of them maybe catching the eye of a mysterious stranger in town or doing something not so Saintly. The fact that practically “the whole town” was in favor of their marriage is also, unfortunately, not terribly representative of Society’s overview in general, albeit it would be nice if that were true.

I completely agree.Maybe the show could introduce one of Sonny’s exes.I’m not saying to break up Will and Sonny but maybe through his ex we learn something about Sonny’s past that we didn’t know before and it doesn’t put Sonny in the best light either.Will has done things in his past he regrets.So the same could be said about Sonny.I also have no issue with the show keeping Will and Sonny a happy couple but they still have to give them problems and let them deal with them together.

So Noah and Luke weren’t young?

Kyle and Fish didn’t live in Smalltown, USA?

Bianca didn’t get married (even if that storyline was horribly handled)?

The fact that none of the other daytime soaps that paved the way for all the “groundbreaking” Days is apparently doing were mentioned is a bit ridiculous.

Agreed. It’s like calling Lucas-Brad-Felix the first gay triangle on soaps. Um, no. Kyle-Fish-Nick on OLTL. I guess soap fans have short memories.

I couldn’t agree more with this article. Although I do agree that Will and Sonny are not an accurate representation of the majority of gay couple’s or gay people in general’s lifestyle, their situation is one to aspire to. I’m 31 and have been with my same sex male partner for 10 years, we are now married and live a perfectly ‘normal’ life, we have straight friends and gay friends and most of our gay friends live quite different lifestyles to ours but my husband and I chose to live the way we live, I suppose you might call it ‘traditional’ married life and Wilson show others that they can too, not that I criticise the way others live their lives, each to their own, but it does annoy me that some people think that monogamy doesn’t exist in the gay world.

I find this daytime couple to be nauseating. I have not grown to like nu-Will. I’m not sure why, I just don’t care for the recast. I fast forward through most of their scenes. I feel the same way about Brady and Theresa. I can’t stand Theresa; and it’s not that I love to hate her; I just hate the character. No redeeming qualities whatsoever. Daniel and Jennifer are very boring. Daniel needs a really hot, sexy woman, not Jennifer. I really can’t wait to see Eileen Davidson as Kristen Dimera to return. I absolutely adore Kristen. I also love the character of Kate Roberts. The actress is incredibly beautiful and talented. I love her raw honesty.

I agree regarding Theresa, the writers are making her too “one dimensional” and not allowing any layers to be hinted at. What made her this way? She admits to being a bitch but we don’t know why. A flashback of a tormented childhood might give us some insight on why she’s so determined to be rotten to the core. I do notice on the show (and soaps in general) that people are either complete Saints (Jennifer) or completely bitchy and manipulative (Theresa) and few characters are a little of both.

As a gay man, I like the portrayal of WilSon as just a normal couple-not stereotypically flamboyant like so many other shows depict gay/bisexual men. Not that there is anything wrong with that, or that flamboyant gay/bi men don’t exist (they do), but I like also seeing manly gay/bi men, or just ‘normal’ gay/bi men, like me, who aren’t really overly flamboyant or overly masculine. I do like their marriage and them raising the child. However, the show does need to add some drama/spice into their relationship. As far as the positives go, they are being treated like any straight soap couple. The same needs to happen for the negatives. Not necessarily infidelity or anything that serious that splits them up, but some shocking secret about Sonny’s past being revealed, an interloper who wants to steal away Will (or Sonny) but has no reciprocated feelings, much like Chloe last year trying to get with Daniel. I know that next week, Will finds out Sonny knew about Gabi hiring Andrew, and that is sure to bring in some drama. Maybe have a relative of Sonny’s or Will’s disapprove of their sexual orientation.

Well as we now know there is trouble in the relationship since Will’s article came out. The fact that Sonny was able to help Will get his foot in the door for becoming a published author didn’t sit we with Will. I just hope he remembers all Sonny did for him and in fact, it was Will’s writing that got him the job, Sonny just held open a door for Will to go through. I want this couple to last. yes they will have problems but they will need to work through them like any other couple. They are an amazing couple and so sweet to watch. Will is a bit young acting at times. He is tempermental but cools when shown that he wasn’t right in what he assumed. Sonny can’t and isn’t always right but that is what makes them both so lovable…imo. So I say “Keep going guys. Remember what brought you together and let’s keep it together!”

Days Of Our Lives

Days of our Lives Star, Greg Vaughan, Gives Health Update and Thanks Everyone for Their Support

Greg Vaughan (Eric, Days of our Lives, ex-Lucky, GH, and ex-Diego, Y&R) provided an update on his health on Sunday, March 17th. Vaughan had previously shared that he had become ill during a trip with his sons to Colorado, and had developed altitude sickness when he was having trouble breathing accompanied by terrible headaches and landed in the urgent care.

Now on St. Patrick’s Day, Greg took to his Instagram and shared how he is feeling now, and to thank everyone for their love and support.  As it turned out, Vaughan was diagnosed with high altitude pulmonary edema, commonly known as HAPE. However, he is on the mend slowly and surely.

In his new video post, the DAYS favorite started by expressing, “I just felt such an appreciation and gratitude for everything. . reaching out. Your prayers have been felt. It’s been a struggle, but I’m over the top. And, taking this moment just to say I didn’t realize the things that I was going through. My (original) post was simply just to educate, put some information out there and some things that I was feeling, just share that information and the struggle that I was going through, which I didn’t quite understand. And it wasn’t because I’m stubborn or just because I’m a father, a man, and didn’t want to go to a doctor. It is just something I thought was so minor that I could overcome it, just by taking care of myself.”

Photo: JPI

The Daytime Emmy winner then revealed his actual diagnosis, “So, basically my situation was high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). With some good friends, doctors that had reached out to me, it kind of gave me some understanding on the aftermath, which was very, very beneficial.”

“But I’ve been resting, taking care of myself even though I live in a hamster wheel,” said the dad of three teenaged boys. “I gotta get up and, you know, do my normal domesticated stuff, eventually. I’m tired of laying down in this bed, but, I am feeling much better.”

Photo: GVaughanIG

Talking on his confusion of trying to understand what could have been ailing him, Vaughan expressed, “I couldn’t quite figure it out, even though I was emphasizing and professing to my children going on our spring break getaway about hydration. I professed it. But, even though I was acting on it, it had a greater effect on me, and for which I did not even think, because my head was such in pain, and I was in a very bad state of mind – not being able to be out there with my kids on the mountain, enjoying their time, as well. I thought I was doing the right thing. Unfortunately, my lungs were full of fluids and my head was in severe pain and even migraine pills didn’t even help. So, I just want anybody that goes into the Colorado Mountains to know, it is no joke. It is this very serious thing which I guess is why they call it the Mile High City.”

Greg had a mountain of ‘thank you’s’ to give for the outreach he received from his original post, “For everybody internationally, wherever you are, I love you and I appreciate you and just the time and the thoughts that you’ve shared with me,” said Vaughan. “I didn’t realize that it would make such an impression on so many people around the world. I feel tremendously loved and I can’t say it enough. I’m good. And I appreciate you.”

Photo: GVaughanIG

The actor concluded his video with, “To all the family and friends that have reached out to me, man, it means the world. So take care of yourself, enjoy your spring break with your families. It’s Saint Patty’s Day, obviously. I wish I could be out there.” Vaughan added, “I feel loved and touched and I can’t emphasize that enough. I’ll take better care of myself, promise you will do the same.” Before he signed off, Greg shared, “Just know, that I’m alive and well and breathing, and I’m sore. So, be well, take care. I mean it. Thank you, tremendously.”

Glad to know that Greg has been on the mend, and shared his appreciation for everyone that reached out to him during this trying time? Comment below.

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Days Of Our Lives

‘Access Hollywood’ and ‘Couple to Throuple’ Host Scott Evans to Appear on Days of our Lives

Scott Evans, host of Access Hollywood and the Peacock reality series Couple to Throuple, will make a guest appearance this week on Days of our Lives.

Circle the Thursday, March 21st episode of DAYS for Evans’ arrival in Salem. During his tape date last fall (since DAYS tapes months well ahead of when episodes actually stream), Scott posed for a snap alongside Mary Beth Evans (Kayla), Jackée Harry (Paulina), James Reynolds (Abe) and Greg Rikaart (Leo).

Teasers for the 3/21 episode of DAYS share that Leo tries to come up with his next gossip column, and Paulina and Abe return home to a mini-celebration set up by Johnny and Steve. Will Evans pop up in one of those scenarios? Stay tuned.

Photo: JPI

For a long time, soap opera fans knew only of one Scott Evans. The one who played Oliver Fish on One Life to Live from 2008-2010.  But in show business, there are two Scott Evans’ that are widely-known.

Last Thursday, March 12th at the 35th annual GLAAD Media Awards, it found both Scott Evans and Scott Evans together in the green room and they taped this video ditty below, calling out how they both share the same name.

Photo: JPI

Last weekend, viewers saw OLTL’s Scott Evans on-stage at the Oscars when he performed in the musical number “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie led by Ryan Gosling.

As for Access Hollywood’s Scott Evans, he has been with the entertainment news program since 2015, appeared in the recent Ladies of the 80s: A Divas Christmas with Linda Gray, Donna Mills, Nicollette Sheridan, Loni Anderson and Morgan Fairchild, and currently has an overall talent and development deal with NBCUniversal.

So, looking forward to seeing Scott on DAYS? Check out ‘Evans meeting Evans’ below, and then share your thoughts in the comment section.

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Days Of Our Lives

Days of our Lives Star Greg Vaughan Shares Sudden Health Scare: “I Truly Feel Like I Work & Live in a Soap Opera!”

What started out as an adventure with his sons, quickly turned into a nightmare for Days of our Lives Daytime Emmy winner, Greg Vaughan (Eric Brady).

In a series of Instagram posts, Vaughan shared the sudden health crisis he found himself in.  The images show Greg with an oxygen tank to help him breathe.

The actor began to fill people, sharing, “I’ve said more than a few times, I truly feel like I work & live in a Soap Opera! 🤪 this trip was nothing short of another great Vaughan adventure!”

He went on to say that on a father and son Colorado spring break trip, he began to feel shortness of breath, feeling tired and with a headache and after two days of hoping he would feel better, Vaughan finally went to an Urgent Care to get checked out.

Photo: GVaughanIG

“I finally surrendered & went to urgent care and to my shock I learned that I was experiencing severe altitude sickness.” Vaughan admitted. “My Blood Oxygen was at 54% & my lungs were full of fluids! Blood oxygen, also known as oxygen saturation, represents the percentage of hemoglobin in your red blood cells that is carrying oxygen. Most people have an oxygen level of 95-100%….”

Providing more detail to his health scare, Greg shared, “Well, 4hrs later, a couple of bags of IV & oxygen tank strapped to my face, I was told that I needed to immediately get off the mountain! However I couldn’t, we still had another day to go & wanting the boys to enjoy their last day on the hill tops! I opted to go home with an oxygen tank, a good laugh for everyone, and I know will follow, but my boys looked after their old man & fortunately they had friends on this trip!”

Photo: JPI

The experience of altitude sickness in the Colorado Rockies gave Vaughan a bit of a new perspective, “In all seriousness, no matter your age, and all the times I’ve ⛷️ & 🏂 in my lifetime, Colorado Rockies is no joke! As they say, ‘ take a breathe and smell the roses!’ That is truly something we need to remember & appreciate! #recover”

Share your well-wishes to Greg as he continues to be on the mend via the comment section below.

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Peter Reckell returns for a second visit with Michael Fairman following the wrap-up of his recent run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives.Leave A Comment

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