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General Hospital Alum Sean Kanan Recalls How AJ Quartermaine’s Ignorance Was Difficult to Portray in Stone’s AIDS Storyline

By Michael Fairman

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Photos: Gilles Toucas/Bell-Phillip TV and ABC

On June 22, 1995, General Hospital showcased its second ever Nurses’ Ball during the middle of the Stone HIV/AIDS storyline that has now become a classic.

It was at the ball that the character of AJ Quartermaine, played by current B&B star, Sean Kanan (Deacon) was used by the writers to have a character voice what many in the audience may not have been clear about in just how someone contracts HIV/AIDS.  During the scenes, Stone (Michael Sutton) admits to AJ, Jason (Steve Burton), Alan (Stuart Damon), Monica (Leslie Charleson), Keisha (Senait Ashenafi) and Lily (Lilly Melgar), that he has AIDS with Robin (Kimberly McCullough) by his side.

On Thursday, a fan posted a clip from that scene and tweeted, “The Storyline That Changed My Life & Led Me To Volunteer As Much As I Could For The AiDS/HIV Community!TY”‘

Photo: ABC

After seeing the clip, Kanan came on to his Twitter account to share his feelings on the challenging scene from the past. Sean shared, “This was personally a very difficult storyline for me to play. Having tons of gay friends as well as relatives I was conflicted. My character, AJ Quartermaine exuded ignorance and a lack of self-evolved understanding. Ultimately I embraced the story because it was the story that was so important rather than my character. I am still very proud of the work the show produced about a socially relevant and humanistically important subject.”

In the writing of the scene, AJ says the following lines to his family after Stone and Robin leave the table: “Who knew he was gay? I didn’t know. Well, what then, drugs? Jason, it’s almost impossible to get AIDS from a woman … sometimes, I’ll grant you that.  But it’s far more likely to get transmitted in other ways.  I mean, think about it.  Stone is practically attached to the hip of Robin for a very long time now and he certainly didn’t get it from her.”

What did you think about the sentiments shared by Sean in 2023 on the actions of his fictional character of GH’s AJ Quartermaine back in 1995?  Let us know in the comment section below.

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I think it was fine and realistic for the time it was written. Not many knew about it, many thought it was a “gay” disease, and it doesn’t seem like “AJ” was trying to be cruel; but was uninformed.

One of the best ever daytime storylines from any soap! Relevant, timely, real… We could use more of such.

It was a story of the times and was brilliantly told, thanks to the brilliance of Wendy Riche (executive producer) and Claire Labine (head writer). And, to think, they originally wanted AJ to be the one battling AIDS, but ABC rallied against it, because of the fact AJ was a Quartermaine.

If a Devil remembers correctly, from something Sean Kanan said himself in a previous interview (possibly an episode of “State of Mind”) the original plan was to have AJ be the one. The problem was how he would have been infected. AJ was a hardcore alcoholic, but not an IV drug user. So the logical implication would be that he had a drunken hookup with some random person, and like most drunken hookups, didn’t practice safer sex.

Problem with that idea is the question of who he would have had this drunken hookup with. Even then they knew that transmission of the virus from women to men was statistically rare, and did they really want to “go there” with AJ being into guys, even if it was only when he was wasted?

Of course they wanted this to happen to a “legacy kid” so it would be a major story. So they chose Robin… by way of Stone. Stone was more or less a blank canvas, so they could give him any backstory they wanted, and if my fuzzy devil memory is correct, they went with the past drug use.

The networks (ABC in particular) were very protective of legacy characters until the 2000’s. In addition to the AJ-Stone switch, ABC rejected an Audrey gets Alzheimer’s storyline and had OLTL switch the gay coming out story from Joey Buchanan to Billy Douglas.

After Frons, Phelps, et al, took over it was suddenly okay to kill multiple Quartermaines and longtime characters such as Dixie Cooney and Gabrielle Medina.

General Hospital

Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)

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Maura West and Kelly Sullivan

It was just over 13 years ago on General Hospital when Ava Jerome (Maura West) shot and killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan) in an effort to keep her quiet from revealing that Derek Wells was actually Ava’s back-from-the-dead brother, Julian Jerome (William deVry). It’s a crime that somehow Ava never has quite paid for either.

The episode back aired on August 13, 2013 and viewers had to say goodbye to Kelly Sullivan who played Kate and her alter, Connie. In the story, just before she died, Kate/Connie scrawled the letters AJ in her own blood, initially making the PCPD and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) think that it was AJ Quatermaine (Sean Kanan) who did the deed.

Now, Sullivan recalled sharing scenes with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West, during a live conversation on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel. Kelly was the special guest talking about her recent return to the soaps in her new role as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Darcy Dylan.

Photo: JPI

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MAURA WEST

Speaking of her final GH scenes and working with Maura West, Sullivan gave her then GH co-star major props. “If you’re going to be shot by somebody (on the soaps), you want to be shot by Maura West, c’mon!”

Maura West debuted back in May 2013 as Ava, and Sullivan remembered when the As the World Turns favorite began on GH. “I remember when Maura West first arrived at GH. She walked in with this cute little bob (hairdo) and she’s just delicious,” shared Sullivan.

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Kelly revealed more about Maura, adding “I think she’s amazing! I remember right before I left the show, someone suggested, and I would still love to do this with her, if she ever want to, but someone suggested that they wanted to direct the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire with Maura and I, where I would play Stella and she would play Blanche! Wouldn’t that be great?”

Speaking of the Ava/Connie showdown scenes, Sullivan expressed, “On television and on General Hospital specifically, Maura West is able to play a character who does the most horrendous things and you still care about her and that’s the mark of a really great actor. In other words, you’re able to be liked in the midst of the most horrendous things, and as a performer not shying away from that, and to just have the courage to do what’s on the page (in the script).”

Photo: JPI

KELLY SULLIVAN PARTING THOUGHTS AS SHE LEFT GENERAL HOSPITAL

Kelly also shared her sentiments when she walked off the set of General Hospital after her run back in August of 2013. “I really was honored. Every day I would go to work and I would say a little prayer, which is I want to do justice for my character, explained Kelly. “It’s between me and my character. I get to walk this path with her and to leave the show on that note, which is, I left every out there. I just gave it my all and again what an honor it was to play Kate/Connie.”

You can catch the full conversation with Kelly where she talks about her time on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless where she played Sage Warner and now The Bold and the Beautiful below.

So, do you remember the Ava and Connie scenes where Ava shot and killed her? What did you think of Kelly Sullivan’s sentiments about Maura West? Share your thoughts via the comment section. But first, watch the reveal where Ava recalls murdering Connie below!

 

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General Hospital

Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’

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Steve Burton

The question of will Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) stay awhile at General Hospital after his recent extended hiatus from the show earlier this year, has reportedly been answered.

TMZ via court documents obtained in Burton’s ongoing legal battle with his ex-wife Sheree Gustin, shared that Steve actually inked a new three year deal with the ABC soap opera back in June.

That is significant because it was June when Burton returned back to work as Jason. In addition, the court filing confirmed that Burton had already moved back to California from Tennessee.

Steve Burton

Photo: ABC

STEVE’S HIATUS AND HIS RETURN TO PORT CHARLES

GH fans will recall, it was back in February of 2026, that Burton announced via his Instagram that he was stepping away from his role of Jason Morgan for short break and pointed to wanting to spend quality time with his new wife, Michelle Lundstrom Burton with whom he tied the knot back on May 17, 2025.

Steve expressed at that time, “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family.” It was back on March 25 that viewers saw Jason carted away by the WSB after taking the fall for Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) who shot then WSB Director Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes).

Burton returned to work on June 1, and due to General Hospital taping roughly six weeks ahead of air, made his on-screen comeback on the July 13 episode.

GOING FOR GOLD AT THE UPCOMING DAYTIME EMMYS

Then, Steve and his enduring fans got an extra special treat on the same day, when it was revealed on Extra that he was nominated for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.

Steve previously won in the Supporting Actor category for his work as General Hospital’s Jason in 1998 and as The Young and the Restless’ Dylan McAvoy in 2018.

Now with Jason and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship seemingly hitting the skids, plus Jason’s commitment to staying out of mob life to focus on being present for his son Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn), what does the future hold for the fan favorite character? Stay tuned.

So, happy to hear that Steve Burton signed a new three year deal with General Hospital? Knowing that, what storyline would you like to see Jason get involved and with who? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason and Britt Reach an Impasse; Is This the End of Their Relationship?

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Jason and Britt

On the Friday, September 11 episode of General Hospital, Jason (Steve Burton) and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship becomes strained to potentially the point of no return.

Things take a turn when an unglued Britt having been traumatized by almost being killed by Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) asks Jason to back her up with the PCPD when she reports Anna for attempted murder.

However, Jason told Britt, he can’t. Jason shares that he does not believe Anna would have gone through with shooting her. Therefore, Britt was not in any real imminent danger. Britt is flabbergasted and hurt that Jason is refusing to tell the police what he actually witnessed for himself on Mount Emerson.

Britt

Courtesy/ABC

BRITT WANTS BACK UP FROM JASON

Jason counters that he can’t believe that Britt would want Anna punished. or sent to prison, or a mental facility after the trauma she endured while being locked up and mentally tortured while at Wyndemere.

He asks Britt, “How could you even say that you want her locked up or prosecuted for what she did when you knew she was being held prisoner and you did nothing to save her?” Britt is stunned by Jason’s response.

Coming up, official General Hospital spoilers share that on the upcoming Monday, September 14 episode, Jason confides in Carly (Laura Wright), while Britt is stung. In the video preview that aired at the end of the Friday, September 11 episode for this coming Monday, Britt says to Jason, “You don’t believe me. Do you?”

General Hospital head scribes, Chris Van Etten and Elizabeth Korte previously teased in their fall preview of the soap, “Britt and Jason have come a long way and fought a lot of enemies to be together. But the most stubborn obstacle to their happiness isn’t without, it’s within. Decisions Britt made to stay alive while under Cullum’s thumb will come back to haunt her and may prove too difficult for this unlikely couple to survive.”

So, what do you think will happen? Will Jason and Britt break-up over Britt’s lies and Jason’s unwillingness to report Anna’s crime against her? Do you want Jason and Britt to go their separate ways? If they do, will Britt become romantically involved with Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) ? If so, who do you pair Jason with? Anyone? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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