General Hospital
Bobbie’s Diabetes Diagnosis Serves Up Story For Longtime GH Vet, Jackie Zeman
On Wednesday’s episode General Hospital viewers, and Bobbie Spencer (Jackie Zeman), learned that she has type 2 diabetes. Lucas (Ryan Carnes) who has type 1, tells his mother that she tested positive for the disease.
Reeling from the diagnosis, Bobbie can’t understand how she has it when she takes very good care of herself. To give her a dose of reality, Lucas says it is happening and now, and more than ever, she really needs to take care of herself, because it could lead to a number of health complications if not managed properly.
This gives long-running and beloved GH cast member Jackie Zeman some story to play. In an interview with TV Insider on GH telling another important medical issue, Zeman shared: “The complexity of getting to play Bobbie having type 2 diabetes is very interesting because there are so many people who are affected by diabetes in this country. We should have it on the show. This story is a reminder of the complexities of life, the cycle of life. Wonderful things happen and challenging things happen. Sometimes, they happen at the same time. You have to look at it and say it’s all good.”
As to how GH will be dealing with Bobbie’s type 2 diabetes medical diagnosis, Jackie expressed: “They say that stress is a big factor. One of the symptoms is thirst. Also, vision gets blurry. A lot of people in the health care profession are always too busy taking care of everybody else. It’s easy for Bobbie to dismiss the symptoms. She thinks I’ll get to it when I get to it.”
So, what do you think about GH having Bobbie Spencer have diabetes? Do you hope the show continues to shed light for some time to come by a disease shared by so many in the world? Comment below.
This is a good topic to share considering the show is called General Hospital. Also kill off Shilow and and a great who done it for fall
@Jim…Port Charles’ sickening Svengali absolutely needs to go bye-bye! May I suggest he receives the “Rasputin” treatment? That should assure his demise will be a permanent one!
ANY story for one of the beloved vets, I’m on board! Diabetes is a MAJOR issue and I hope GH says on top of this like they have with Alzheimer! Go Jackie!
One of the things that GH does so well is their ability to showcase medical and social issues that are prevalent in our country. By drawing attention to Type 2 Diabetes, GH is opening viewers’ eyes about the symptoms and difficulties associated with the disease. I’m hoping that it starts dialogues in families and between doctors and patients, and I truly hope that this is not going to be a short story arc but one that cycles back during good times and bad. Bobbie is the perfect character for this story line…as are her family and friends, who will give her the support and she needs.
…”support and love she needs.”
I’m happy for her to have some story to play other than a sentence or two here or there. Don’t know how much more they’re going to get out of this story other than a PSA, but hope there’s something more for Jackie to play. I really liked seeing her and Ryan playing across from each other as “mother and son”. GH needs to mine the familial relationships more and deeper, IMHO.
Ok Frank. You’re going to have me, weeping. Where is this coming from? Are you listening? First Kevin, some Dante, now big Mac… Horizon,. My vixen my lady my love. Her wherewithal is so present. Excitement build
Hi Patric 🙂
Ok- ‘Diabetes’
Is that a new one or, how many characters have diabetes??
Soap Health Crisis is overwhelming.
(is it the disease of the month)
–Many Transplants; Liver, Heart, Kidneys — Many- Brain Tumours — Deaf now Hears– Blind then sight– MS– Many Many Cancers– Amnesia too many to remember lol — Aids- Many Miscarriage — Brain Worms –Comas — Paralyzed–
— Whatever the disease of the Month is a character will have it.
So- what will the next health crisis be?
Well?? lol
0ooh- Leprosy- Malaria – Black Plague?
None have been used yet, right?? AHA!!
Do tell- have I missed any?? STD’s
you’ll know if I have.
Niki’s MS seems to be gone, Devon’s deaness is gone- whichever aliment, cancers are gone, It’s Miracles!
Bobbie will be just fine 🙂
Spot on su000..So lame…Diabetes? Will Bobbie make it?? Stay tuned to the continuing stories of GH! Smh
You forgot the greatest medical miracle in the history of daytime…. when Phillip Kiriakis got his leg blown off in Iraq, but it somehow grew back.
With all the casual hook-ups that happen in Port Charles, an STD storyline certainly wouldn’t go amiss, su! Especially in the over 50’s crowd, as such diseases are actually running rampant in that particular “real life” demographic..(No shortage of prospective GH characters who could be included in that group, but I won’t name names…) The only time I vaguely even recall such subject matter being broached in daytime was on Y&R eons ago…I believe a teenaged Nikki and Paul were involved in that one, although I really wasn’t allowed to watch it due to my tender age, so I cannot. offer any further details! (And of course, at the apex of his career, Anthony Geary starred with Judith Light in a herpes-themed ABC Movie of the Week called “Intimate Agony.” Quite the understated title there, eh?)
Hi Shay,
Maybe you were too young back then, but when Lily and Colleen on Y&R, first got interested in boys, Lily met bad boy Kevin, he seduced her to his apartment, where she lost her virginity and wound up with an STD.
Thank you for sharing your recollections with me, Violet! Those names which you have referenced don’t ring a bell for me…my first brief glimpses of Y&R came in the waning days of the Brooks Sisters (especially Lorie and Lesley….I thought Jaime Lynn Bauer was the show’s most elegant and sophisticated character…I just loved to see what that statuesque beauty was wearing…no matter the fashion choice, she always looked fabulous!) However, my more regular viewing began with the advent of the Abbotts….but I do remember Nikki’s sis, Dr. Casey Reed, who was decidedly frosty to the notion of sex, much unlike her licentious younger sibling who was all about it! The only specific aspect I can really envision regarding that earlier time in Genoa City is a very young Paul Williams and Nikki doing what came naturally and the accompanying disease-ridden consequences of that action! At least, I believe that was the case….soon after, Nikki took up stripping, caught Victor Newman’s eye, and the rest, as they say, was history!!! Lol….At any rate, I hope you have a very happy 4th of July holiday week, Violet! It’s always a treat to hear from you!
Shay
Thanks for sharing my memories. I also loved the Brooks sisters, and their own unique stories. I thought their dad was the most handsome man.I still enjoy seeing Jamie Lynn Bauer when she plays Jennifer’s mom on Days. I am surprised that you do not remember Neil’s daughter Lily and Traci’s daughter Colleen and all the trouble they’d get into as teens.Thanks for the holiday wishes, and right back at you. I live in San Diego, so will be watching the fireworks from N.Y on TV.
@Violet…Thank you for clearing up the mystery regarding Y&R’s “Colleen” and “Lily!” I didn’t realize you were speaking of characters from what, the ‘90’s on? I thought that they were from the show’s early days before I even watched it. Although I really enjoyed the ‘80’s version of Y&R, mainly because of Jack and Ashley Abbott, I pretty much quit watching once Terry Lester stopped playing his naughty, saucy “Jack The Lad”….there was simply no way that “Dr. Cliff Warner” was ever going to fill that role for me! Hence unless the discussion revolves around characters still remaining from that particular time frame, then I am generally lost…Of course, I do know some of the more recent, highly-publicized Genoa City players like Adam and Phyllis (UGH!) but beyond that, I couldn’t name most from either the past few decades or the present. At this point, even trying to keep up with GH’s ever-revolving cast is enough for me…LOL. At any rate, I hope you had a pleasant holiday and didn’t suffer any great reverberations from the big quake up North this morning….Even though I’m on the other side of the country, I’ve lived through one very minor temblor in my life and it was extremely disconcerting to feel the earth…move…under…my…feet! Given the horribly hot and humid headache-inducing weather we are currently experiencing in the East, I was with you on taking in the fireworks in the cool comfort of home via TV, although I chose to watch the DC festivities…they were quite magnificent, but I know New York also does a great show, too….I still remember the fabulous 1986 Statue of Liberty tribute that was absolutely breathtaking! For some reason, fireworks taking place over the water always seem more impressive…I’ve witnessed some unforgettable light shows over the Atlantic Ocean shoreline. Later, Violet!
Hi Shay
Thanks for your quick response.
First of all I didn’t realize that you weren’t a regular Y&R viewer. I also loved Terry Lester, more so on ATWT. Is GH the only soap you watch? I watch all of them, but have stopped B&B for awhile, too disturbing SL right now.
I was born on L.I but grew up in Connecticut, with the scary hurricanes, worst in my memory was 1937. Being only 5 yrs.old, I’ve never forgotten it. I lived in the mid- west for while, and it was tornado warnings, so when I arrived in Cal. I thought, oh I can handle an earthquake or two. Wrong! They are all scary. The one yesterday, I didn’t feel or know about, until I read it on-line. I was surprised because how close we are to L.A.
I wound up watching a little of the D.C fireworks also. You are right about how beautiful they are, when viewed over the water. I used to watch them years ago, over San Diego Bay, with the boats and all, was spectacular. What I miss most is the seafood from the Atlantic waters, so much colder waters than ours.”Talk” to you soon.
It’s always my pleasure, Violet! Alas, “GH” is the only soap I “follow” these days….I cannot even call myself a viewer that much anymore…I read recaps, see what everyone here has to say about the latest developments and then take an online peek at certain characters I still enjoy like Anna, Robert, Laura, et al…but I was a HUGE fan of the show back in the ‘80’s and on-and-off since then. Then again, I watched nearly all the soaps back in the day, requiring multiple VCR machines to stay up on the sheer volume of episodes available each week….but that was then and this is now. I just don’t have the time or same inclination to “do daytime,” however, I still have such fond memories of all the soaps, both those defunct and still remaining! So when one mentions a character from any soap that I recall, I will comment….I used to love “B&B” until it became the “Brooke Logan Show,” and “DOOL” was another favorite due to the DiMeras….especially Thaao Penghlis’ Tony/Andre, since I first adored him as GH’s Victor Cassadine! I also enjoyed AMC and OLTL in their heyday, but by the time they were cancelled, I had long lost interest in them. I also have a nostalgic soft spot for “Capitol,” “Santa Barbara,” “Loving” and “Ryan’s Hope!” They were all on my watchlist at some point….as was ATWT, although I sadly missed Terry Lester’s “Royce,” which I understand was one of his best roles. As far as your early life on the East Coast, I think both New York and Connecticut are beautiful states despite the sometimes horrible weather conditions you have mentioned! I’ve always gravitated to that part of the country for vacations and life, in general. I love having four seasons and spent many a holiday on various North Atlantic beaches and in large coastal cities… as well as Canada. I’m just not a sunshine and palm tree sort of gal…I like cold temps and fall and winter, and there is no better place for that than New England! Of course, I could do without tornadoes and floods, but no matter where one dwells, there is always some peril from Mother Nature involved! Since we last “spoke,” I noticed that your neck of the woods has experienced more earthquake activity….I sincerely hope that you remained as blissfully unaware of those temblors as the previous ones, and that all of our California friends here at MFTV stay safe a sound….including the man himself! At any rate, I always enjoy your posts…you have the most marvelous, devil may care wit, and I often find myself LOL-ing at your remarks! Take care, Violet and have a great rest-of-the-weekend! Later….P.S. I hear you about the cold water seafood…even though I must be careful with my intake due to allergy of said cuisine, what I have been able to taste was absolutely delicious! The shrimp and lobster were divine and I’ve always liked a nice codfish dinner, albeit in necessarily small portions!
Hi Shay
I have probably watched every soap there has been over the years. I started in 1954, and The Edge Of Night, Secret Storm, ATWT, GL, etc. were among favorites. I really did not get in to Ryan’s Hope, but most of all the others you mentioned, I enjoyed at one time or another. I loved Santa Barbara especially, and was so sad to see it go.Nancy Ann Grahn, has hardly changed.
Have felt no quake action, so am just holding my breath.Our weather is so beautiful, I have never been sorry moving to Ca. I truly believe it is God’s country. I have been coast to coast, but never to the southern part of the country.
Well, enough of the boring Travelogue, it’s 2A.M,time this old lady got to bed. Hope to “talk” to you soon.
@Violet…Ooooh, I forget to mention my passion for Edge of Night in its last years…thank you for the reminder, my fellow “Night Owl!”! I was totally enthralled with Charles Flohe’s Preacher…he was just sooooo dreamy and gorgeous, whilst Larkin Malloy’s Sky Whitney was as handsome and dashing as any soap opera leading man could have ever hoped to be. I was completely crushed when Monticello went dark….Santa Barbara was also a rollicking ride of good fun for a number of years before it went rapidly downhill toward eventual oblivion…Believe it or not, I actually enjoyed NLG’s resilient, determined Julia Wainwright, especially in her supercoupling with Lane Davies’ tortured, mercurial Mason Capwell. Their chemistry was amazing during their long-term, honest-to-goodness emotion-filled up-and-down relationship which was built around so much more than torrid, tempestuous sexual shenanigans…unlike the assorted amoral antics of Alexis and her carnal crew of questionable characters that she has amassed in Port Charles over the last few decades! At any rate, I’m glad to know that you’ve not experienced the “whole lotta shakin” that your neighbors to the North have, Violet…May you remain safe and sound in “God’s Country!”
Hi Shay
First, thanks for the well wishes. I was a very big fan of S.B, although I felt they ruined it at the end, too much crazy stuff. I wanted to ask you if you watched Edge from the beginning? I was reminded of another Larkin, John, who was the first Mike Carr. Just a little nugget here.John also played Perry Mason on the radio, and he had such a distinctive voice, I recognized him right away, although I had never seen him. Another favorite was Secret Storm, that came on just before Edge.
OMG, no!!!! I wasn’t near being born when EON began, Violet! My only experience with that soap was in its waning years….perhaps the last two, if even? For some reason, I started looking in on Monticello right before the time Preacher Emerson came on the scene…the day he arrived, it was like a thunderbolt moment…I was totally riveted by the amazing Charles Flohe!!! The fact that he had an uncanny resemblance—right down to certain facial expressions and phrases he used—to a real life beau whose family had recently moved away only added to my fascination …hence watching him was very much bittersweet, but also cathartic! (Lotsa tears…but still love my Preacher memories…sigh!) I do recall there was a soap named “Secret Storm,” but never saw it…my daytime viewing very slowly began in the late ‘70’s into the ‘80’s when I was quite young and impressionable…needless to add, my mother frowned upon the habit and did everything in her power to dissuade me from spending too much time parked in front of the TV screen instead of engaging in more productive tweener activities, so they were more of an occasional treat, as opposed to a daily happening for me. (Only on holiday and summer school breaks or maybe once in a while at a friend’s house….) But by the the time GH became a phenomenon, I was a hardcore soap fan…loved all the ‘80’s primetime dramas, too. Those truly were the halcyon days for serials!!!!
This is probably one of the most well-done informational pieces GH has ever done. For a problem that is out of control in the U.S., this was a great way to address it.
As a person dealing with this I say thank you for thisstory lne.
The writers are too inept to write such a story. We won’t hear from or see Bobbie in weeks (from now). I miss Gloria Monty and Wendy Riche.
& Claire Labine.
gloria monty ruined the show…wendy riche and claire labine made it great in the 90’s
they ( frank/shelly/chris ) CERTAINLY – NEED – to put to rest Max Gail’ Mike.
even I know it’s obvious .. Shelly/Chris are that lame… to keep trotting out absent minded Mike… seems more fitting than altzheimers’ doesn’t it? ALL of this misstep to PROP Maurice Benard. JOKE is on US.. the audience, who truly ARE in fact… affected by this horrific debilitating illness.
I can give ONE prop to Shelly/Chris for the magical show of Jon Lindstrom.. AND all those in and around who stepped up to the plate… WOW !!! @GH
Dante short RUN was proof positive DZ acting chop is still untapped
I want to have high hope for Jaclyn Zeman.. but I so agree… Shelly AND Chris value as a writing team .. is as inept as they come. I’m hoping that that TWITTER FEED on sharing that Shelly is looking to retire… WHOOPIE that’s one happy dance I’ll not let up on
Love Jon Lindstrom!
There are; Diabetes support groups and a list of useful resources for people with diabetes for support offering factual information.
I would never get advice, about deadly health problems from a soap opera !!
Your doctor and their nurses are your information, not a soap opera.
And- the soaps having all these deadly diseases create hypochondriacs !! lol
suOOO,
I have to agree with you. You don’t know how many times, back when I was young and gullible, I would be watching one soap or another, when someone had some mysterious disease, and I would wonder if I had it too.
I have had diabetes 2 for many years,take medication and insulin, and the very last thing I need is having it preached about on a daily basis on a show I watch for a little escape from the real world, and some enjoyment. If I need help with my medical issues, I’ll watch an infomercial, or see my doctor, whom I get enough counselling from.
Also one of the big drug companies is sponsoring these shows, enough said!
Violet when I watched Marlena become possessed by the Devil, I became convinced I was possessed by the Devil too!
Harry
Stop pulling this old lady’s leg. I don’t walk too well these days, as it is.LOL!
Patrick, you are so right!! Writing regime MUST go..Benard got his 2nd Emmy, enough of this drawn out storyline..It was good, now its time to end it!!
Jaclyn Zeman, is a legend and all she gets its this diabetes storyline?!! Wow, so heartbreaking!!
Rebecca Buding, please hurry back!! Please get rid of this ridiculous Shilo character..GH take a page from OLTL about psychotic cult leaders: Mitch Lawrence..Now that was entertaining!!
Patrick
I so love Max Gail, but the way they are dragging this out is insane. The poor man acts perfectly normal one minute, except for forgetting names and then in the next breath is talking about marrying another man’s wife, with the encouragement of Sonny and Carly. I feel sorry for Marcus, just having to give into all this craziness. Okay, I’ve ranted enough, sorry!
I love Jackie but feel Frank is teasing us long time viewers by dangling the vets before our eyes so we plod obediently forward with the show. Case in point? Robert and Mac Scorpio are back! And it felt like they never left as they acted in perfect lock step with each other. I hope Mac stays as the Port Charles police commissioner and Robert stays as the DA.No offense to Jordan, she has proven to woefully inept as police commissioner no matter what actress is playing her. The collective and positive reaction to seeing the Scorpio brothers reunited was through the roof! They have sparkle! They have charisma! They have chemistry! More please–this could be fun. See? GH has been rather dark and depressing as of late. Sixteen year-old Oscar dies from brain cancer and his parents grieve with Kim going off the deep end with her grief. The Shyster story line is also very dark and not very fun. Weeping Willow’s mother, Disharmony, is an utter disgrace of a mother and brings out the ick factor for me. Then, if things weren’t depressing enough, Sonny and Carly discover that their fetus has spinal bifida and they wrestle with some very grave issues. Now, Bobbie has type 2 diabetes? I need escapism from my escapism! Yes, I guess Lizzy and Franco can provide that escapism but I am really more excited about the Scorpio brothers being brought back to the canvas.
Ok, I got the message, GH has chosen a history of shining light on health issues. Just sometimes, the writing doesn’t flow, and feels more t like a PSA commercial. A lot of redundancy in statements….ie: diabetic heart, list of symptoms, death… Seemed too preachy.
I don’t mind that you have characters dealing with health issues, just be mindful its not a news or documentary show… its a day time drama!
If you’re gonna tell a medical story, you might as well tell it factually and accurately. That’s one thing GH has done very well over the years, most recently with the Alzheimer’s storyline.
I agree with you, Evelyn. Frankly, I’m not for ANY medical stories unless it’s some guest player with a story. I have no desire to hear about any disease from a soap. I prefer romance, betrayal, cray cray, intrigue, war and peace, cops n robbers, and family, friends, enemies, etc, etc. Bring back the Helenas, Faisons, Cassadines and all the magical mysteries and mayhem. Leave the medical stuff to medical shows; escapism shouldn’t be doom and gloom ie..Oscar’s brain tumor. Hated it.
I think it is a good ideal to show how to deal with a real life situation.
As a Diabetic, I fiend this storyline stupid and boring..Is this a soap or an informercial?? Eat less carbs and do some exercise and your type 2 is under control..Like me, take your insulin and eat well and exercise and your type 1 is under control..I want to be entertain!! Give me some terminal brain tumor or something more extreme and dramatic to weep and cheer for recovery..Diabetes, Really GH!!!
Some of the dialogue does seem a little bit too heavily scripted. I keep waiting for somebody to write Bobbie a prescription for a specific medication, and then…. what do you know, cut to a commercial advertising that very drug!
Not that I ever watch GH in real time and sit through 25 minutes of commercials…. but I’ve seen enough to know Big Pharma is a sizeable portion of those ads.
THANK YOU Omar, Satan,
my sentiments exactly
OMG, Bobbie and Scotty, not again? Why not drag in Lucy too? The way she throws herself at men, especially Kevin, I’m sure she would love another go at Scott.
So sorry that great-granny Bobbie has diabetes but there are other healthful ways to deal with it than starting up an old timer’s romance. I know I sound terrible saying this, but it is so boring to me. I like the old characters as well as anyone, but I’d rather they concentrate on the young people, as I’ve seen the others have their romances years ago. Ok guys, send me all your comments for being such an old sour puss.
Are you suggesting a second round of rug wrestling between those two oversexed hussies of a certain age over whom gets to occupy Scotty’s bed (again….and again?) My word, Violet, that scenario was disgraceful enough the first time around…especially when Bobbie was proudly proclaiming her past as a prostitute after decades of trying to live down her tawdry teenage trade experience. As for the ever-hustling Coe, enough of her already….with her yearly overbearing stint pushing the NB thankfully over and done, it’s time to send her off to parts unknown where she can continue to gold dig, insinuate herself into other people’s business and generally conduct herself like the low-class alley cat she has been since Day One. Which still leaves Scott available….I suggest Alexis fills the vacancy in his boudoir….they can exchange dirty legalese double entendres, plus she’s always up for a good roll in the hay, especially since she didn’t go for it with Rasputin (which would have been very much in character for her, given her infamous propensity for rumpy-pumpy with dangerous, irredeemable criminal types…) Oh, and you’re not an old sour puss…more like a reliably consistent laugh riot who simply calls it as she sees it!
Oh Shay
You crack me up, as you do have a way with words that I sure agree with. There are so many Bobbie and Lucy lovers, that I’m afraid to say too much. I can never understand how and why these two women are admired so. I cringe every time Lucy hangs all over Kevin, calling him Doc, yuk! I like Scotty, but couldn’t stand him chasing after Bobbie, on his little skate board. I record the shows, and I will be FF if they start a romantic SL. They better hurry up, those old tomatoes have been hanging on the vine long enough, now.
Oh, I hear you, Violet! I’ve been unimpressed with Bobbie and Lucy from their debuts…both were nasty, conniving tarts when they originally hit Port Charles, and as has been oft-observed, one never gets a second chance at making a first impression! Needless to add, they both failed my initial test, and that’s that, no matter how many redemptive reinventions the writers have attempted for those two men-hungry gals! As for Scottie, I’m really at a loss to figure out with whom he could next be paired unless it’s Alexis…they are appropriately aged and experienced for one another, and of course, they have their so-called “profession” in common! Plus, let’s face it, Alexis has done worse, MUCH worse, and many times over than “The Scottster!!!” Hah! Anyway, thank you for the kind words..Likewise, I always enjoy your tongue-in-cheek commentary, and also share your love of the double entendres…Quite frankly, I am envious of how much you get away with here…believe you me, my best stuff rarely makes it online! But one always lives in hope and keeps on trying…Have a great day, and I’m sorry I took so long to get back to you. I’ve been playing catch-up overnight in order to respond to this past week’s replies and I think this is my last one I owe to all the nice people here at MFTV who gave me the courtesy of sending me their thoughts. Later!
I know it’s called General Hospital, but I think I’ve had enough of all of the sickness, dying and big pharma commercials ( which I mute or change channels to avoid) that I can stand. Now we also have to get ready for Carly/Sonny’s new baby, just having been through Morgan, which along with Sonny’s dad, a story they keep dragging out. Along with the news, which I’m watching less and less of, and which is also depressing, I can really see the day I’m going to opt out of GH. It really has lost any semblance of love, fun, and adventure in the afternoon it used to have. But on a good note I went to a farmers market with my family on the weekend. Along with fresh food, there were a variety of all kinds of vendors…and all kinds of people enjoying themselves.
General Hospital
GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)
At the conclusion of today’s August 21 episode of General Hospital, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) sings a lullaby to baby Dez, that went into a montage to close out the episode as her father Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) reports to Pentonville and winds up in his jail cell.
However, in a fun fact, the song entitled, “A Lonely Heart To Give” was actually written by none other than former One Life to Live and General Hospital actor, Patrick J. Gibbons.
Daytime fans first met Gibbons as Sam Manning on One Life to Live. At the time, when he started on the soap, he was just 5-years-old. Gibbons played the part from 2010-2013 on ABC and Prospect Park’s editions of the show. Fast-forward to 2018, Gibbons shows up on General Hospital as Wyatt Hoover, the scout who seemed always be injured, but in the thick of the drama. Patrick had appeared on GH multiple times as Wyatt including: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023.
Photo: ABC
FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DEATH CAME THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS SONG
Now in 2026, General Hospital fans are getting to learn about another side of Gibbons’ talent as a songwriter and guitar player after “A Lonely Heart to Give” debuted today! Michael Fairman TV caught up with Patrick, who is now a senior at Penn State entering his final year as a finance major, to get the back-story of how his song wound up on GH!
Gibbons explained he wrote the song in honor of his grandmother who passed away a few years ago with whom he was, very, very close with. “Randomly, my grandmother had a downfall and passed away during the second semester of my sophomore year. I was in my dorm a lot and I was just playing with my guitar. And at the time, I was really into finger-style playing. I wrote the lyric and music to it (with a little help from my guitar teacher Lou), and my mom showed the rough demo to Frank Valentini (EP, General Hospital). He’s like an uncle to me. Frank loved it so much he said, “Finish that up. I want to hear the whole thing, and I want it on the show.”
MAKING MUSIC FOR GENERAL HOSPITAL
Gibbons and his parents took the next steps! “So now, all we needed was a female voice, because I thought that would fit the song well,” Patrick shared. “At the golf club we go to my parents were at a dinner. They liked the singer that was performing and spoke to her about the song, and she says she would like to bring it to her ‘boss’ who ended up being Eric Bazilian of the Hooters fame!” (Bazilian also wrote the smash hit song “One of Us” for Joan Osborne).
Next, “We went in the studio and recorded it and the song came together and it was beautiful. We loved it. They loved it at General Hospital and now they’re putting it the show and they are coming in with a piano, instead of a guitar. Paul Glass, the GH musical director, has been keeping us updated over the last six months of how it was coming along, and when it would air, and how GH put their own arrangement to it. I can’t wait to see and hear what they did with it.”
Photo: JPI
PATRICK’S ONE LIFE TO LIVE FAMILY
Everyone knows that the One Life to Live extended family share a very tight bond, and Patrick said he does stay in touch with a few of his former One Life to Live co-stars, especially those from the Manning family! “I stayed in touch with Kassie DePaiva (ex-Blair) and sent her little videos here and there. She was like my second mom for five years. We keep in contact with Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) over X the most, and she can’t believe how big I’ve gotten. Like, none of them can! (laughs). I also loved working with Roger Howarth (ex-Todd) and Trevor St. John (ex-Todd and Victor Jr.), and to me since I was so young, they were just my friends, ‘Roger and Trevor,’ not Todd Manning or Victor Jr.”
It was a trip to California and a visit to Port Charles that ultimately led to Gibbons second soap role of Wyatt Hoover. Patrick explains, “In 2016, Frank Valentini invited us out to Los Angeles to visit the set of General Hospital. I think he heard me say, ‘This is so much fun. I miss being on the set.’ He goes, ‘You should come out. I’ll bring you on the show. We can make you a character.'”
A few years later, Patrick’s dream became a reality! “Then, by the summer of 2018, I was playing Wyatt, the scout, and shared scenes with Wes Ramsey (Peter August), and the best was when I shared a scene with Roger Howarth and Michael Easton (ex-John, OLTL and ex-Silas, Finn et al, GH), it was like chemistry from the old days.”
Photo: PGibbons
IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS
As to his future aspirations, it’s a career in the finance game that has piqued Gibbons’ real-life interest. But never say never to a return to acting. Patrick explained, “I’ve always enjoyed numbers. And on top of that, one of the biggest parts of finance is being personable and outgoing.”
He continued, “That’s one of the greatest skills I developed growing up. I really love the markets. I’m super interested. I’m never going to close the door to acting. I’m always open to that because I just love it so much. It’s such a great art.”
Take note! If there are any investment bankers or private equity folks among the GH faithful looking for a young analyst next year, Patrick’s DMs are open. You can find him on X at @PatrickJGibbons.”
So, what did you think of the song sung by Trina on today’s GH that was written by Patrick J. Gibbons? Did you enjoy Patrick’s performances as One Life’s Sam and GH’s Wyatt? Would you like to see him back on GH at some point? Let us know via the comment section.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’ Alum Chad Duell Admits That He Didn’t Expect the Role of Michael Corinthos to be Recast, and Would Consider Working on Another Soap (Exclusive)
Chad Duell, the Daytime Emmy-winning actor, who stepped away from the pivotal role of Michael Corinthos on General Hospital, opened up about: his previous decision to leave the series after nearly 15 years, where’s he’s at now after time away from the demands of a daytime soap opera, and took a stroll down memory lane with some of Michael’s most-acclaimed storyline during his run, during a livestream chat on August 19 on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel.
Viewers last saw Duell on-screen as Michael in January of 2025, and with his successor in the role, Rory Gibson making his debut at the GH Nurses’ Ball in episodes that aired later in May. It was clear that during the conversation, Chad was a bit surprised that the GH brass decided to recast him when he thought he was just taking some much needed time off.
Burn-out of the daily grind of being on a soap was definitely a part of Chad’s decision to take a break. Duell explained “People know when you’re doing something for so long or your character is kind of in the same place for so long or doing the same stuff over and over again, you do get a a little burnt out, you get a little stiff, stale, a little stiff at times. I didn’t want that to be any sort of lasting impression. I have 15 years of a body of work of I’ve done on that show, which is fantastic.”
Photo: ABC
WHILE CHAD WAS AWAY GH RECAST MICHAEL CORINTHOS WITH RORY GIBSON
Chad shared, his mindset when leaving GH was, “I’m taking some time away, we’ll see what happens.” Then he added, “Obviously, they decided to go in a different direction with Michael when I was gone. I didn’t think they were going to bring somebody back in my place. But you know, it’s the business. You never know what can happen.”
Duell also shared he has not watched a single episode of General Hospital since he left the series, but now feels he reenergized following the loss of his father and stepping away from the GH, “I’m in a place now mentally, where I’m ready to sink my teeth into it again.”
Courtesy/ABC
Even though he is no longer Michael on GH, Chad was very happy with his final storyline where Michael was set on fire when a bomb exploded at Sonny’s (Maurice Benard) penthouse. “It was fun to put him in a dangerous situation, because I was wanting Michael to be in something scary instead of trying to be a hero character or just things happening around him, but to be the center point of tragedy happening to him. (I always saw) Michael as the heart of the (Corinthos) family.”
When Michael was badly burned the show chose not burn his face, which normally a soap does when they are recasting role and switching actors. Chad weighed-in, “They didn’t burn my face because I told Frank Valentini (EP, GH) I’m willing to come back. It was just a little bit of a break. So, I assumed that if they would have burned my face, they could have brought somebody back looking different than me… if that’s what their plan was.”
Courtesy/ABC
MEMORABLE MICHAEL STORYLINES
One of Chad’s most memorable performances was the in the storyline of Michael’s rape while he was sentenced to prison in 2010 and the confession of it in 2011. “It was so well-written and I was very nervous,” recalled Chad. “When I get really nervous about something, it ends up being really good when I do it, because it just means I care a lot about it”
“I have to put a lot of effort and work into it, and I really want it to be good. I was working with Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) and Steve Burton (Jason) a lot during those scenes, and Laura Wright (Carly). It was great working with Steve and Dominic, especially, during that storyline.
A NEW SOAP ROLE FOR CHAD?
As to a future soap opera role, Chad is open to the idea and would love to jump back in to a juicy role, “I know people over at The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Young and the Restless. They know that if they’re interested, I would love to come in for a screen test or something, and they can see what I’m doing.”
Meanwhile, Chad has been busy putting out new music under the moniker Duelly and during the interview he explains how he creates his EDM tracks and much more. You can stream his latest single, Static in the Quiet Room on Spotify, Apple Music and You Tube Music.
You can check out the full conversation with Chad Duell below.
Now let us know: what show would you like to see Chad cast on down the line? BTG, DAYS, B&B, Y&R, or a new role on GH? What did you think of his thoughts on the casting switch while he was away in the role of Michael? What was your favorite Michael storyline during Chad’s 15-year run on the ABC soap opera? Let us know via the comment section.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ric’s History of Jealousy Where Elizabeth is Concerned Has Come Back Around
On General Hospital, Ric Lansing (Rick Heart) is about to fall back into dangerous old patterns by the foreshadowing during the Wednesday, August 19 episode. After first coming to see his brother, Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and telling him of his plan to propose to Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) his longtime love tonight, Sonny has concerned.
Next, Sonny reminds his brother of what has happened in the past, when things have gone south with Elizabeth and wonders if it’s too soon for him to propose to her. What Ric did not tell Sonny is that he has seen the developing closeness between Sonny’s son, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) and Elizabeth, which is propelling his urgent need to propose.
Meanwhile, Dante ran into Elizabeth at the park during a break from their mutual team softball games. She needs help with a bookcase after the game at her house. Dante wants to put it together for her. Later, Dante arrived at Elizabeth’s house, limping after injuring his knee during the game. Head nurse Liz wanted to check out the injury as much as Dante protested, which required him to take off his pants.
Courtesy/ABC
RIC BEGINS TO UNRAVEL
Outside Elizabeth’s widow, Ric arrives with a bouquet of roses and the engagement ring. When he leers through the widow he is shocked to see Elizabeth rubbing Dante’s leg while Dante is in his boxer/shorts. He storm troops into the house, demanding to know what is going on here? Both Elizabeth and Dante look surprised by his reaction. In the pick-up of today’s Thursday, August 20 episode (see GH video teaser below), viewers will learn the upshot for all three characters.
A VENGEFUL PAST
As longtime GH fans know, Ric has done some horrible, vengeful things in regards to Elizabeth starting back in 2003 after she lost her baby after Ric’s ex, Faith Rosco pushed her down a flight of stairs. Ric accused Sonny for the accident and to get revenge, Ric kidnapped Carly (who was married to Sonny at the time), and stashed her in a panic room below the house where he was living with Liz.
On top of that, Ric fed his wife Elizabeth birth control pills to keep her from getting pregnant so that they could raise Carly’s baby together after it was born. Eventually, Elizabeth found Carly in the panic room but ended up having a pulmonary embolism. When she woke up in the hospital, Elizabeth was all confused by what happened, and Ric convinced her that her vision of Carly was just a bad dream. Eventually, Elizabeth learned the horrifying truth and divorced Ric.
Years later, Ric noticed the connection between Elizabeth and “Jake Doe” who eventually turned out to be Drew (Billy Miller) A jealous Ric hired Hayden Barnes to show up and claim to be “Jake’s” wife. Elizabeth stepped aside, and when Ric planned to propose to Elizabeth at the 2015 Nurses Ball, Carly exposed his manipulations, and Elizabeth dumped him yet again. And those are just two examples of the lengths Ric will go to for Elizabeth!
So, we ask you, given the history of Elizabeth and Ric, how do you see this playing out with Dante in the picture? How will Ric derail their growing bond? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Preview: Kelly Sullivan Debuts as Dylan’s Mom; Suspicion is Raised About Carter and Steffy
‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Mike Manning Lands Role in Indie Horror Feature ‘Deify’
GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trina’s Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)
‘Guiding Light’s’ Grant Aleksander Shares Heartfelt Remembrance of TV Daughter, Hayden Panettiere On What Would Have Been Her 37th Birthday
Sydney Malekeh Joins the Cast of ‘Days of Our Lives’ in Mystery Role: Who Do You Think She’s Playing?
‘General Hospital’s’ Maurice Benard Talks: New ‘Sonny’ Storyline, His Contract, and Three Characters He Would Want to See Back in Port Charles
How John Oliver’s ‘Days of Our Lives’ Guest Star Turn as ‘Devlin St. John’ Came to an End
John Oliver Recaps His ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘General Hospital’ Soap Opera Experience on ‘Last Week Tonight’
‘Veronica & Julian’ Feature Starring ‘Days of Our Lives’ Alums Nadia Bjorlin and Kyler Pettis Releases Key Art and More (Exclusive)
‘General Hospital’ Alum Bryan Craig Cast in ‘The Weapon’
‘Guiding Light’s’ Grant Aleksander Shares Heartfelt Remembrance of TV Daughter, Hayden Panettiere On What Would Have Been Her 37th Birthday
‘General Hospital’ Alum Chad Duell Admits That He Didn’t Expect the Role of Michael Corinthos to be Recast, and Would Consider Working on Another Soap (Exclusive)
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ric’s History of Jealousy Where Elizabeth is Concerned Has Come Back Around
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy and Carter Get Lame Excuses From Their Spouses, and Try to Shake Off Their Night Together
‘Veronica & Julian’ Feature Starring ‘Days of Our Lives’ Alums Nadia Bjorlin and Kyler Pettis Releases Key Art and More (Exclusive)
-
General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’s’ Maurice Benard Talks: New ‘Sonny’ Storyline, His Contract, and Three Characters He Would Want to See Back in Port Charles
-
Days Of Our Lives1 week agoHow John Oliver’s ‘Days of Our Lives’ Guest Star Turn as ‘Devlin St. John’ Came to an End
-
Breaking News6 days agoJohn Oliver Recaps His ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘General Hospital’ Soap Opera Experience on ‘Last Week Tonight’
-
Days Of Our Lives5 days ago‘Veronica & Julian’ Feature Starring ‘Days of Our Lives’ Alums Nadia Bjorlin and Kyler Pettis Releases Key Art and More (Exclusive)
-
General Hospital4 days ago‘General Hospital’ Alum Bryan Craig Cast in ‘The Weapon’
-
Breaking News7 days agoHayden Panettiere, ‘Guiding Light’ and ‘Nashville’ Alum, Dead at 36
-
Recaps1 week agoTHE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Sharon, Nick and Marie Struggle in Aftermath of a Relapse; Jade Harlow Shares She’s ‘Really Proud’ and ‘Grateful’ to ‘Show How Addiction Can Touch Anyone’ (Exclusive)
-
News1 week agoB&B’s Don Diamont Recalls His Soap Start on ‘Days of Our Lives’ and Confrontation with Exec Prod Al Rabin (Exclusive ‘Soapy’ Preview)
