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GH's Maurice Benard Talks Sonny Drama, Modeling To Acting & Mental Health On A Spoonful Of Paolo!

Photo: A Spoonful of Paolo

Photo: A Spoonful of Paolo

Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH) has continued to rack up rave reviews for his performances over the last few months as Sonny attempts to cope with the death of his son Morgan.

The storyline has provided Benard with material worthy of his talents.  Now, in a brand new sit-down video interview at his home, Maurice talks with Paolo Presta on his online series, A Spoonful of Paolo!

Presta, whose life changed in 2005 thanks to Oprah Winfrey when his dream came true to come to Hollywood, and got a part on General Hospital. shared a throwback moment with Benard, when he recalls Maurice delivering the news that he would get to be on the ABC soap opera.

Years later, Paolo now interviews Maurice and a wide variety of topics are discussed.  From Benard’s 23 years as Sonny, to his early years as a model-turned-actor, to bringing attention to mental health issues, in particular bipolar disorder, and more, Maurice offers more insight to the man who has played the loveable mobster on and off the screen.

At the end of the episode, Presta tests Maurice’s knowledge with some rapid-fire questions.  Watch the interview after the jump. Then. let us know what you thought of it, and your favorite moment contained in it, via the comment section below!

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GH has been too morbid and depressing, not a good thing to bring all that downtrodden overly sad and junk into one’s life, daily for months.
It is not entertaining it is depressing and not all that mentally healthy to be tapped with dark emotions over and over again, every day for a length of time.
GH has not balance– no lightness, happiness, laughter it has been total mentally draining and filled with dark..

My family can’t believe I watch this stuff lol ..
I am the Only one to ever watch soaps.
I’m usually getting feedback because I come from a family of Psychiatrists. (mother, sister, aunt/psychologist and a close uncle)
((I suffered alot growing up LOL))

My favorite; masochists sopapers , luvin to feel the pain .. ahaa!

Anyways.. I miss Ron! I laughed, I had a good time watching..
I am bored to near death with J&S pity parties and doom & gloom ..
I want a good Agatha Christie type mystery that actually has a climatic end.
I’ll take anything that even resembles a surprise shocker cliffhanger. a climatic, anything… Something intriguing!

Guess I’d be wishing in one and — in the other waiting for excitement of a lighter note, and one, just one, good laugh.

Long Live GH !!

Wow that was a great interview with Maurice. He was very down to earth and humble. He is also entertaining/funny to watch. I have always said that I admire him for being an advocate spokesperson for mental health. This interview makes me adore him even more (if that was possible). I also can’t get enough of that gorgeous smile.

I agree with you totally. He is so real, just as he is on the show. Would sure like to have him send some of those dimples my way, but I’ll have to be satisfied in getting them via the TV screen. We love you Maurice/Sonny

Thanks for the reply friend. Maurice is awesome and still has a irresistible smile.

Great interview with Maurice Benard. Love seeing him out of character. Paolo was great too. So enthusiastic . Loved it❤️

The character of Sonny needs to go. He has overstayed his welcome by about 20 years. Nothing against MB…who does what is asked of him. Serial killers like Sonny, Jason, Franco etc. are not entertaining in the least. While on topic…Billy Miller as Jason is a complete and epic fail on every level…from the writing…to his lackluster marbles in mouth portrayal….to the complete lack of chemistry with Kelly Monaco. I cant see Miller sticking around much longer.

completely agree

OMG… I loved this interview!!! Maurice Benard is so awesome! Sonny is my favorite character and has been for over 20 years. Hoping for 20 more years of this awesome character. Can’t wait for Sonny and Carson to reunite. btw… I love the mob!!!!

I LOVED THIS INTERVIEW SOOOOO MUCH MICHAEL!!! Thank you for sharing. It made my day and I love how the host gave you a shout out!

I only come back because bipolor disorder is something i have in common with BM plus we were both born in March…i have struggled with depression much of my life…recent stressful events involving a near death of a family member. illnesses. my father becoming bedridden and early stages of dementia and too much more to mention and the possibility i may end up homeless is a major cause of my struggle with my bipolor disorder-i stopped commenting taking time to deal with all this anf hopefully turn things around-my biggest fear is the homeless part buhopefully i can prevent thatt …i dont get much meds so some days its hard to cope and there have been some more recent stressful situations that havent been helpful…if you know someone who struggles with any form of depression make sure they get help…i wish some of the help and meds they have today was around when i was younger..how much different my life might had been.

My mom has bipolar, so I know what you’re going through and sympathize with you, Jim. The meds do help her stay regulated, but it’s a constant roller coaster ride and battle every day. Unless a person has it themselves or knows someone that does, they have no clue how bad it is. It’s another reason, aside from the fact that he’s a great actor, why I respect and admire Maurice Benard.

All the best to you, Jim. I hope you’re able to get the meds you need. If you’re not, there are programs out there to help with that sort of thing. Nothing wrong with reaching out for some help. Keep your head up, stay strong and keep fighting the good fight, brother!

i try to stay positive but then something else happens and even on meds the stress is overpowering and i have very little hope left,,,

Jim…do you see a therapist? I assume you consult with a psychiatrist who dispenses your meds…but it would be great to have frequent visits with a psychologist or social worker to discuss your worries. Just speaking about things is cathartic. And while they can’t change your life it’s a place to be heard, unburden yourself, release the thoughts that go round and round in your mind. Perhaps a support group, too. Not sure if up you have insurance but their are sliding scale places and probably free clinics, etc. feel better…

Yes…i do but so much keeps happening with our family its been a struggle…and i could even end up homeless if we dont get thinggs straighten out…too loose everything i couldnt take it…id rather not be around great pain most days…hopefully me and my sister will work things out-she keeps getting ill and nearly died a few months ago…her husband and son and she all had heart surgeries…their dog died..my dad had to replace his car…water in the basement destroyed stuff…i briefly thought i had a brain tumor because of a month long headache…my dad fell and is bedridden..i fell and injured my arm and im in…my neice ex boyfriend came to our house and caused a disturbance and i had to call the police,,,its worse than it sounds…im so stressed ive been warned i could have a stroke…now you see why im struggling with depression…

sorry about typos and misplaced words…pain was suppose to come after my arm injury…its the stress

Be well. My thoughts and prayers attend.

Thank you…

I love the interview with Sonny. I really love him on GH, he is one of my most favorite. He does seem so down to earth. Thanks for sharing.

Just a little note to the Sonny haters. Don’t watch the show if you dislike the characters so much. Maybe the green eyed monster has gotten you , do you think?

I hate to be told not to watch something if I hate it. I think some of the viewers have a right to complain about the unevenness of the storylines and the uneveness of airtime of characters. And shouldn’t be told what to do.

Cooks, you have every right to your own opinion regarding a character on GH. I believe Violet was just stating that many of us long time Maurice fans are tired of anti Sonny viewers consistently stating how much they dislike him. Ask yourself why do viewers who dislike him so much continue to read articles written about him. Just so you or someone else can post over and over again how much you don’t like him. At times I don’t like Sonny’s actions, but I don’t make it my mission to leave negative comments all the time. No matter how much I don’t like a character I am still respectful towards the actor who portrays them, and there fans. There have recently been many important storlines on GH that don’t include Sonny.

I taught runway modeling classes in S.F. on Sutter Street at John Casablancas in the early 1980’s. One of the students was Maurice Bernard. I introduced a very young and very good looking Maurice to my agent, Jimmy Grimme. The Grimme Agency signed and represented Maurice where he began his modeling career and was very successful in the S.F. market. Who knew at the time he would play both Ricky Ricardo and Sonny Corinthos on television? Bravo, Maurice!!

Breaking News

Haley Pullos Receives 90-Day Jail Sentence Following DUI Charge And Wrong-Way Car Crash

Former General Hospital actress, Haley Pullos (ex-Molly Lansing-Davis) is going to be doing time in jail, exactly one-year after her arrest from a hit and run wrong-way car collision.

The crash resulted in bodily harm and damages to the other driver, and now Pullos who pleaded “no contest” to the charges and will serve 90 days in jail. She was taken in custody on Monday, April 29th, after the ruling.

According to Haley’s attorney, Mark Daniel Melnick, the 25-year-old actress struck a plea deal and after her three months in jail will be sentenced on July 29th. As part of that sentencing, she must serve five years probation, 200 hours of community service and pay $8,260 in restitution to Courteney Wilder, the other driver in the crash and her driver’s license is revoked for a year.

Courtesy/ABC

According to TMZ, the plea deal for Pullos has the “no contest” to one DUI, while the judge dropped the felony DUI causing bodily injury and misdemeanor hit and run charges.

Melnick said in a statement to PEOPLE, “Haley is very grateful to the court for a minimum sentence and for recognizing her remorse and the strides she has made in her sobriety.”

Pullos had played the daughter of Alexis Davis (played by Nancy Lee Grahn) on the ABC soap opera since 2009, but after her car crash and DUI she was replaced by three different actresses until the show finally settled on the current Molly, Kristen Vaganos.

Photo: Pasadena PD

Back in April 29 of 2023, and at the scene of the crash, the police found edibles and mini-bottles of tequila in Pullos’ vehicle and that she was intoxicated. As it turned out, this was to be the second hit and run in the evening for Pullos who had an earlier collision with another car.

The courts decision follows a year-long legal battle with Haley’s pleas changing throughout it, ranging from “not guilty” to “no contest”. She sought treatment for her drinking at a rehab following the crash.

Nancy Lee Grahn, who portrayed Pullos’ on-screen mom took to X on Monday night, April 29th and shared on the sentence and the specific jail, Haley will be serving time: “As Haley’s TV mom I can tell some truths about her as I’ve loved her since she was little girl. She made a HUGE mistake, knows it, owns it & has spent the last yr doing EVERYTHING imaginable to take responsibility 4 it. It’s not that I oppose jail. It’s that I oppose this jail.” The jail in question by Grahn is the L.A. county jail.

So, what do you think about Haley Pullos serving a 90-days jail sentence, and the other rulings that will be part of her sentencing? Comment below.

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General Hospital

GH’s Laura Wright Previews How Carly Gets Clued-In to Sonny’s Behavior: “All the Questions That Anybody Would Have, We Hit on Them”

This week on General Hospital, Carly (Laura Wright) seems to be close to figuring out what is going on with her ex-husband, Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) or is she? In the latest promo for the ABC daytime drama series, looks like Jack Brennan (Charles Mesure) and Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) have a plan to bring Sonny down … eliminate Jason (Steve Burton) and make it look like Sonny is responsible.

Meanwhile, Carly gets an earful from Nina (Cynthia Watros) that Ava (Maura West) had a lot to do with getting Nina to sell her portion of the hotel back to Jason, her interest is piqued.

According to Laura Wright during her chat with Soap Opera Digest, Carly has a growing concern over Sonny’s current roomie, Ava Jerome, and the mobster’s paranoid and irrational behavior recently.

Courtesy/ABC

Wright shares about Carly, “She doesn’t trust Ava for a moment.” Then in a great teasers, Laura reveals “All the questions that anybody would have, we hit on them. I’m excited.”

So, will Carly figure out just what Ava is up to? Will she learn that Sonny has been fed the wrong pills that are not controlling his bipolar disorder thanks to Valentin? Stay tuned.

Check out this week’s promo for GH and then let us know, what do you think Ava is up to exactly? Is she in cahoots with Valentin or operating separately? Will Jason and Sonny be led down a path where the two try to eliminate each other? Share your theories in the comment section below.

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General Hospital

Jack Wagner Recalls Dilemma During Time on General Hospital: “It Was So Hard for Me Being in the Music Business and Coming from a Soap to be Taken Legitimately as a Singing Artist”

Soap fans first met Jack Wagner back in 1984 when he joined General Hospital as Frisco Jones. While they loved Frisco and Felicia’s (Kristina Wagner) on-screen romance, one might recall that when Frisco first came to town he was the lead singer of Blackie’s (John Stamos) band, Blackie and the Riff Raff.

During his early days on GH, Wagner was also working on his rising musical career, which put him at a serious crossroads. Things got even more challenging, when Jack became a pop star after the release of his 1985 single, “All I Need” which hit the Top 10.  The character of Frisco actually sang the song on GH, before it went on to become a mega-hit.

While Wagner appeared on GH through 1995, and reprised the part for several episodes back in 2013, fans to this day miss him and hope one day he might return.

Photo: ABC

Speaking with PEOPLE, Wagner admitted his inner conflict with being a soap star, while trying to have a successful musical career.  Jack reflected, “I used to battle it, because it was so hard for me being in the music business and coming from a soap to be taken legitimately as a singing artist. It took time to let go of that, but now I embrace it. If I can make someone’s day by going down memory lane, it makes my day.”

Photo: WarnerBrosRecordsInc

In his early musical days, Wagner released six albums, and his role on GH didn’t hurt the frenzy surrounding seeing him live. “I would sell concerts out in an hour or two,” Jack admitted.

Looking back at the GH hey day, in which he was a part of, Wagner added, “It really was incredible how popular the show was in the ’80s. It was crazy, because back then, people would join fan clubs, and there would be bags and bags of fan letters. I took it in stride, because it was just sort of the things (that) happened to Tony Geary (ex-Luke), Rick Springfield (ex-Noah) and John Stamos, who were ‘teen idols,’ I guess you would call us, back then.”

Wagner currently appears on Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.

So, do you remember Jack’s musical taking off during his time on GH? Do you hope that one day he might make a return as Frisco Jones on the ABC daytime drama series? Comment below.

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