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General Hospital Fan Club Weekend

General Hospital Fan Club Weekend
by Michael Fairman

General Hospital logoThis year’s General Hospital Fan Club Weekend was held July 16th- 20th at the Airtel Hotel in Van Nuys, California, a new venue for the biggest gathering of fans dedicated to the mobsters, doctors, nurses, and citizens of Port Charles.

Saturday afternoon, the official General Hospital Fan Club Luncheon was held and it produced quite a turn out from the cast including: Steve Burton (Jason), Laura Wright (Carly), Ingo Rademacher (Jax), Bradford Anderson (Spinelli), Kirsten Storms (Maxie), Jason Thompson (Patrick) Carolyn Hennesy (Diane), Lisa LoCicero (Olivia), Brandon Barash (Johnny) among others. During the fan fest, the attendees got the opportunity to ask questions from the stellar cast. One question in particular for actress/author Carolyn Hennesy stood out. When asked, “What literary works would the best-selling children’s author title some of the Port Charles residents?” Hennesy said, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” for Carly, and “Fear of Flying” for Kate, and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” for Jax, to name a few. The crowd loved Carolyn’s quick-witted responses.

Later, Fan Club President Debbie Morris presented the annual fan club awards given for the actors’ individual achievement, and their popularity with the fan base. And the winners were: Lead Actress: Laura Wright (Carly) Lead Actor: Steve Burton (Jason) Best Couple: Scrubs- Patrick and Robin Supporting Actress: Carolyn Hennesy (Diane) Supporting Actor: Jason Thompson (Patrick) Best Younger Actress: Kirsten Storms (Maxie) Best Younger Actor: Bradford Anderson (Spinelli) Villainess: Constance Towers (Helena) and Favorite New Actress: Lisa LoCicero (Olivia). After receiving their awards and finishing up that part of the program, the actors broke-off for autograph signings for the rest of the afternoon, at different stations throughout the venue.

Many of the stars also had their own individual fan events held throughout the weekend including: Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis), Bradford Anderson, Sarah Brown (Claudia) plus many more. Megan Ward (Kate) held her very original “Recessionista” brown bag fan event for her “Meganites” fan base. Michael Fairman introduced the actress having been speaking with many of them through his many radio appearances. The group has been concerned for the actress’s lack of airtime. In the middle of Megan’s event, co-star Greg Vaughan (Lucky) made a surprise appearance and announced to the attendees that he and his wife are expecting their second child. Earlier during the GH Fan Club Luncheon Q&A, when asked by a fan, “Who would Megan like to see Kate get romantically involved with?” The actress, said, “Lucky!” and Voila’, the man himself joined her for part of her fan fest and the crowd went crazy with excitement.

Debbie Morris, the GH Fan Club President had this to say about this year’s event. “I was quite happy this being our first year at the new venue. There was a great turn out of the cast. The actors are troupers, they stayed till the end. There were a lot of new fan attendees this year and that is always exciting. When asked about all the different individual soap star events surrounding the weekend, Morris doesn’t’ feel that it takes away from her main event, but enhances it. “We were the pioneers on how these fan weekends are structured, and the other shows followed suit. The great thing about the smaller individual events it gives the actor more time to address their fan bases, which are very vocal and passionate.”

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Maurice Benard (Sonny) was unable to make the GH fan fest because he was working on a feature film. Morris said, “Maurice is one of my biggest supporters. This is only the second year he has not attended the event. The only other time was when he had to be taken to emergency room. But this was also the first time in six years that Ingo Rademacher (Jax) came, and I was thrilled for me and for the fans!”

Make sure to check out On-Air On-Soaps video interview gallery with the stars of GH that were in attendance!

General Hospital

Nancy Lee Grahn’s Star-Studded ALS Fundraiser Reveals “I’ll Be There” Video Featuring Soap Opera Notables

Talk about your impressive line-up! It’s a soap fans dream and for a great cause. General Hospital’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) is prepping her one-night only ALS fundraiser which will feature many of her friends and co-stars.

The benefit is set for May 4th in Glendale, California. Slated to participate are Genie Francis, Jane Elliot, Peter Bergman, Maurice Benard, Eileen Davidson, Thorsten Kaye, Michelle Stafford, Stephen Nichols, Rena Sofer, Jason Thompson, Kelly Monaco, Melissa Claire Egan, Maura West, Kristina Wagner, Gregory Harrison, Trevor St. John, Kate Mansi, Kirsten Storms, Cynthia Watros, and many others.

On Wednesday, Grahn took to her social media and released an “I’ll be there” video shout-out featuring, Monaco, Elliot, Bergman, Bernard, West, Harrison, St. John and more. In a touching and important moment in the new video, Michelle Strogny, who is battling ALS, is featured.

Photo: ABC

Previously, in speaking with Soap Opera Digest on the impetus of the event, Grahn recalled, “I was actually doing Zoom events during Covid and I met this woman that I just fell in love with, Michelle Strojny. At the time, Michelle had been living with ALS for four years. Now, it’s five years. She is a mom of a teenage son, she has the most wonderful husband, and she has been dealing with this [disease] for quite a while. And obviously, there isn’t a cure yet. It’s not survivable yet. But as she says, it’s not incurable. Nothing is; it’s underfunded. But anyway, I just really dug this woman. She is so grounded and filled with grace, and she spends all of her time working to raise money for the cause. We did a fundraiser for her last year and then I thought, ‘You know what? The soaps don’t ever get together to do something for charity.’ Collectively, we have this amazing community and we don’t collectively use it for a good cause, and I think it’s such an easy thing for us to do and we could potentially really make a difference.”

As GH viewers know, Gregory Harrison is playing the character of Gregory Chase, who is also battling ALS in a touching storyline that is currently playing out shedding a light on this disease.

For information on Nancy’s event, including the stars who are s scheduled to participate click here. To purchase tickets to the event click here.

Check out the video featuring Nancy’s friends and co-stars below.  Now let us know, your thought son the line-up for the benefit and helping raise awareness and funds for ALS research via the comment section.

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Writer Shannon Peace Let Go, and Shares on Sprina: “One of My Only Regrets is to Not Have the Opportunity to Develop That ‘Ship’ Further”

As General Hospital’s new head writing team of Elizabeth Korte and Patrick Mulcahy gets off the ground and running, there are still changes a foot on the writing team.

Now comes word via breakdown writer Shannon Peace that she is no longer on contract with the long-running ABC soap heading into its 61st season. Peace shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram, thanking the fans, and the show for the opportunity and the importance of diversity in the writers room.

Peace began, “After almost 3 years on staff and 106 episodes penned, I am no longer on contract with General Hospital. Writing for this country’s longest running television serial drama has been an education of epic proportions; I will forever be grateful that I earned my WGA card on a daytime fixture that holds memories for so many.” (Peace pictured below with GH EP Frank Valentini and script writer, Charlotte Gibson from about ten months ago).

Photo: SPeaceIG

Shannon added “Even more importantly, as the sole Black breakdown writer (and only POC in the writers room) during my tenure, I pushed for vital interactions and discussions that prioritized inclusion, visibility, and representation”

The writer pointed to the example of vital interaction when in story, “Stella and Portia’s frank July 2022 conversation about the role race played in Esme’s framing of Trina is just one example of the impact I’m gratified to have had.”

Acknowledging former GH co-head writers was also part of Peace’s farewell expressing, “Appreciation to my former bosses, Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor – not only taking a chance on me, but for valuing my opinion and championing my voice.”

Courtesy/ABC

Many GH fans know that Peace was key to the development of the love story between Trina Robinson and Spencer Cassadine as played by Tabyana Ali and Nicholas Chavez. Shannon gave a special shout-out to ‘Sprina’ fans, “I also want to thank fans who were supportive of my work, especially the recognition of my love for ‘Sprina’. One of my only regrets is not having to develop that ‘ship’ further.”

She concludes her statement with,”In the aftermath of a historic writer’s strike that shed new light on the troubling ways writers are regarded in daytime, my sincere hope is that General Hospital recommits to valuing staff writer efforts and input, with a more intentional focus on diverse viewpoints — and thrives for another 60 years.”

Accompanying her post, Shannon added, “Thank you all for the love and support these last few years. I hope GH fans get all they hope for and more!”

So, what do you think about GH not renewing Shannon’s contract? Will there be more continued changes afoot? What do you think is the future of ‘Sprina’ anyway at this point as viewers wait to see if Nicholas Chavez officially returns to the show?  Comment below.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Learns Britt Died and Tells Anna He Has Been Working For Cates Since November 2021

On the Tuesday, March 26th of General Hospital, Anna (Finola Hughes) and the viewers learn about where Jason (Steve Burton) has been for over two and half years. However, Jason gets some news of his own.

Anna is visiting Jason at the PCPD interrogation room. She asks him if he shot Dante (Dominic Zamprogna), which he flatly denies. Anna believes him, but she tells Jason it doesn’t matter, because video footage shows him on the roof at the time of the shooting

When talk turns to Jason not willing to speak without his lawyer present, Anna can’t grasp why Jason would instead spend an hour alone talking with John Cates (Adam J. Harrington).

Photo: ABC

It is then that Anna brings up that John went by “Jagger” and that the two of them knew each other in high school. Jason doesn’t recall much of his time in high school following his brain injury, but then he gets furious realizing John knew about “Jason’s” past. That is when Jason slams the table and tells Anna, “I’ve been working for John Cates since November 2021.”

Next, Jason explains further that he has been working as an informant for the FBI. Anna wants to know how this came about and he tells her that after the tunnel collapsed, and he couldn’t make it to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud)… all of a sudden he sees Anna’s face drop.  Anna is the first person to tell him that Britt died and was murdered. She tells Jason the killer is in custody, but he continues to be shocked, overwhelmed with tears welling up in his eyes. Realizing he has to pivot to save his life, Jason continues telling Anna how he wound up working with John.

Jason explains that after the tunnel collapse in Greece, FBI agents grabbed him and placed him under arrest and took him to Quantico where he met John. At Quantico, John played a recording of RICO violations and offered Jason a deal if he agreed to be an informant against Pikeman, the illegal arms dealer.

Anna hears from Jason that he thinks Pikeman is selling illegal arms to anyone flagged by the NSA but has ties to the WSB which they needed a civilian to infiltrate their organization as a military soldier, a mercenary.

Jason tells Anna he was a part of the team brought into eliminate Sonny (Maurice Benard). Every time an attempt was made on Sonny’s life over the last two years, a different team was sent to do the job. Anna gets furious when she learns that John told Jason his job was to kill Sonny and she was with John at the warehouse that night. Jason ensured the sniper missed Sonny and left the rifle behind. However, they were supposed to meet an extraction team. Before he was shot, Dante saw it was Jason on the roof and when he turned around with his hands over his head, Dante was shot by the other guy. Jason says if Dante dies, he’ll be charged with capital murder and then will be useless to the FBI.

Photo: ABC

Meanwhile, John visits Bobbie’s and runs into Carly (Laura Wright). She learns Jason is in custody and is going to head to the PCPD. Before she does, Carly has some words with Cates when she learns not only does John have a vendetta against Sonny, but Jason too.  Carly tells John he should recuse himself from the case.

So, what did you think about the moment when Jason learned Britt died? What do you think of Jason’s return storyline thus far and what we learned about Jagger/Jason and more? Comment below. But first, check out a moment from today’s GH with Jason and Anna.

 

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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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