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Ingo Rademacher Loses Legal Battle with ABC Over ‘General Hospital’ Firing and Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate

Photo: ABC

Former General Hospital star Ingo Rademacher (ex-Jasper Jacks) has lost his lawsuit against ABC.  Rademacher went after the network over his dismissal from the soap opera after not adhering to their Covid-19 vaccine policy.

Rademacher, who has publicly vocal about his firing from the long-running daytime drama series, sued Disney/ABC back in December of 2021.

In an order granting summary judgment, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephen Goorvitch sided with ABC, which said that Rademacher’s opposition to the vaccine was grounded in health reasons rather than his religious beliefs.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Judge Goorvitch had taken on dueling motions under submission after an April 5th hearing, and this Monday June 5th, issued a brief order granting ABC/Disney’s but denying Rademachers.  Thus far, Goorvitch has not issued a more detailed account of his ruling.

In his lawsuit, Ingo said the network didn’t have the authority to force the vaccine on its employees and that he was unfairly denied a religious exemption.  Throughout his claim, Rademacher cited: medical condition and religious discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination and violations of right to privacy.

Previously, ABC argued that Rademacher’s opposition to getting the vaccine was due to health or efficacy concerns, rather than his religious beliefs.

As part of the dispute, Ingo shared excerpts from the book Revelations of Ramala. It was then that ABC questioned the sincerity of his understanding of the context and the importance of the book to him, since he also said that he last read it 30 years ago and no longer possessed a copy.

One notable and intriguing court case element, Rademacher’s legal representation included Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who has been ‘anti-vaccine’ and who a few months ago, announced his bid for the 2024 Presidential race.

So, what do you think about ABC defeating Ingo Rademacher in his lawsuit involving his firing from GH, and the Covid-19 vaccine mandate? Comment below.
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Tho I like the actor , he was given the chance to comply like everyone, he still can’t seem to understand, the risk he put others at by not getting the vaccine

None, actually. The vaccination did not keep anyone from spreading Covid.

It kept one from catching it though. Putting a Dr in front of your name on here doesn’t make you a dr!!!

Not true either.

Helen – Putting a Dr in front of your name DOES NOT make you a MEDICAL DOCTOR! It also means that you have a PhD in Chemistry etc.

It did if it kept you from getting Covid in the first place. I’m pretty sure you can’t spread it if you don’t have it.

Liberal California–does not surprise me. He should not have been fired.

Glad he was canned, glad he lost and glad he won’t return.

Your opinion.. I loved Jax on GH… everyone should be able to make their on decisions about what goes in their body!!

@Joyce – Agreed. He made the decision that was best for him. ABC/Disney didn’t tie him down and vaccinate him.

Joyce – the others actors on the set each had/have the right not to work with with someone who is not vaccinated.

Yes, unless it puts others and their loved ones at risk. By not having a vaccine mandate given the close proximity his coworkers would’ve been to him, you are asking them all to accept the risk without THEIR consent. This is the part people keep missing. If they refuse to work with him unless he’s vaccinated, that makes production grind to a halt. It’s not practical to have him working and it makes him a disruption to production. That IS a fireable offense. Any way you slice it, he loses that court battle.

It was time for the character to go, so regardless of your jaded comment, he should’ve been gone either way.

Clearly you don’t understand how the law works. This isn’t a political issue; it’s a contract issue. No need to bring your politics into it. I have my beliefs, you have yours. But neither of us are contract lawyers (though I am a lawyer and knew he’d lose)

Ingo was TOLD that a condition of him returning to the set of GH is to be vaccinated. He decided not to do he was fired.

Karma is a bitch.

Ingo please go away now, you are a sob. Good riddance.

I think abc over stepped. This was/is not a communist country.Your employer should not have the right to tell you what medical procedures you must have to work.Why do we have HIPAA laws if they’re not going to be enforced?

Please research what HIPAA protects. Nothing to do with things here. And your employer absolutely does NOT have the ability to force you do have any medical procedure. But Disney/ABC decided that it was in the best interest of all its employees to mandate this. He chose not to participate. His choice. It’s how the law works. Nothing to do with communism. And nothing to do with HIPAA. FYI: HIPAA prevents a medical professional from sharing your personal medical information. Period. ABC 1) is not sharing medical info and 2) is not IR’s medical professional.

Even though we’re talking ABC, I feel I should insert NBC’s “The More You Know” logo.

have not missed him at all

It was his choice to refuse the vaccine, but it was also ABC’s right to can him due to the danger he posed to the rest of the cast and to the crew. It was not his right to insist that he continue mingling with them when unprotected from an extremely dangerous virus. Glad he’s gone.

Couldn’t follow work rule & got fired. Case closed.

I don’t think the Government or anyone else should be able to fire someone for not getting the JAB!! My husband and I both got two of the JABS.. both have had heart problems since the JAB!! My husband now has a pacemaker/defibrillator and I had to have a heart ablation for A/FIB.. really wish we had chosen NOT to get the JABS!!!

sorry but the character is not missed, I wish he would send for Joslyn and get her gone too.

Worst actor ever, he only sued ABC because he knows literally NO OTHER show will ever hire such a bad actor, time for a new career, Ingo!

80% of the actors on the show are horrible. Ingo was pretty and that is all he needed to be. He was an average actor. No worse than Bug Eyed Watros.

It is what it is. Didn’t expect him to win. Did not agree with people losing their jobs over choosing not to vaccinate, but there are strong opinions on each side.

I’m surprised at the rudeness of some people posting here.

It is called lack of sympathy for Ingo. He WAS bluntly told by ABC, his employer, in accordance with California that the Covid vaccine is a requirement for him to be allowed back on the GH set.

Ingo chose otherwise and ABC said goodbye. His right to refuse the vaccine does give Ingo the right to endanger the health of others.

I’m glad he lost. Vaccine mandates were very important at that time. I had to follow my employers mandate, why shouldn’t he?

He needs to Appel the decision.

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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