General Hospital
Michael Easton Gives GH Exit Interview Via Fans Burning Questions!
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
As Michael Easton fans know, the actor over the weekend and announced via his facebook page that he would give his fans, an opportunity to ask him questions that would indeed be be his exit interview since being killed-off of General Hospital as Dr. Silas Clay. Easton in his post said there will also be a part two forthcoming, since so many fans sent messages to Michael to be answered.
Here are a few of the questions and Michael’s answer that apply to his exit from the ABC soap opera and more from part one. Check out the excerpts below!
Originally watched OLTL and I just feel like after it was cancelled they used you, Roger and Kristen to lure the One life audience over to GH to boost ratings and now that they THINK they have us there (they don’t) they’re cutting you guys loose one at a time. – Tammie
EASTON: I’d like to think that’s not the case. Either way, we’re big boys and girls, we signed on the dotted line, we were compensated and knew what we were getting into.
How could Ron have done this to you? It was widely reported that you were one of his favorites. – Rose
EASTON: Not sure who reports these things but I don’t think that could be further from the truth. That being said I like to give the benefit of the doubt and I believe Ron will re-emerge from this experience as a wiser and even better writer.
Classic Cartini move (assuming this is one of Ron’s desperate final acts). With ratings falling month after month instead of taking responsibility for some poor storytelling they start firing actors as if to imply it’s their fault. I just checked the episode counts and in this case they’re letting go a great actor who worked the second fewest episodes of anyone under contract in that time. Does that make any sense to you? – Elaine
EASTON: Every show, every character, for that matter, is one inspired storyline away from turning it all around. A wealth of hard working talent remains in that building and if anybody can make it work they can.
I am so upset over this whole Michael Easton debacle! To let such a dynamic actor go
is a mistake! I for one, will miss his talent !!! What a mistake this is!!!!
I am holding out hope that the lawsuit ABC has with Prospect Park gets resolved so that we can have the actors GH took from OLTL and put them back in the roles they played on OLTL. It has been a bitter pill to swallow watching Michael, Roger Howarth, and Kristen Alderson being these other characters when they were first brought on as their original OLTL characters. They played those characters to perfection but when they were morphed into Silas, Franco, and Kiki, I could never watch these actors without seeing them as their OLTL counterparts. With any luck, this mess with Prospect park becomes a thing of the past because we know PP is going to lose.
I highly doubt that will ever happen especially since they changed head writers.
Well, that was the most boring interview ever, let’s hope part 2 is more revealing! Does Michael really expect us to believe that he has absolutely no opinion about his storyline, Ron’s writing, or the future of this show?
It was not an interview, actually..
Those were quotes from his facebook, he is answering question on his facebook..
not an interview lol
suooo, sometimes I think you post just to hear yourself talk.
The title of this blog does read Michael E’s exit interview. I am correcting your correction.
More questions are posted on his facebook page if you are interested.
I like that he took the higher road, maddiehayes. It speaks volumes of his character.
I am sure he has had his fair share of harsh words in private, but I respect him being the bigger man. He sure deserved better.
I agree. Classy!
This is a colossal mistake by GH. Michael Easton is a fan favorite and an amazing actor. Ron stopped writing for Silas shortly after Silas breakup with Sam. Ratings were high last year when Silas was on more and Silas and Sam were a couple. How can they day this is a move to help ratings when he was barely on to affect ratings . Terrible decision that I hope can be reversed by Shelley Altman and Jean Passante.
I think the person who said they used the OLTL actors for ratings touched on the right subject but their conclusion is wrong. The ratings never came with them. GH had a marginal increase when Cartini took over, it was for several reasons, curiosity and yes the OLTL crossovers. But within two months, April 2012, the GH total viewer number was at 2,250,000 viewers, lower than Guza and in Demos as well. The ratings floundered at between 2.3 and 2.4 million for months and only showed real increases when AJ returned, Duke was rescued and there were other vet returns for the 50th and Nurses Ball. The ratings plummeted again when the OLTL actors came back as new characters, along with Julian and Ava and only increased with Robin’s return.
I point this out, not to knock the actors or their fans, but to state a simple truth that exists and speaks to the current state of GH and Michael’s dismissal.
Actors do have fans that follow them, but they do not represent a large enough number to make a difference, and in the case of GH, there have been so many of them that core GH viewers have lost interest and tuned out.
It is extremely difficult for people to want to start watching a brand new show and have to invest the time, especially in a five day a week soap which also requires a lot of catching up to do with characters and history. It is a big investment and one that people don’t just make readily, and not for one actor who is part of a cast of 30-40 and on a couple of days a week for seven minutes at a time.
The experiment didn’t work and ME is now the first to go.
I agree a lot of what you are saying. And for those that did join GH, many did not like the storylines and left; no one group saved this show from being cancelled and no one writer did either. A lot of factors contributed to GH staying on as long as it has. And no, a lot of people do not have the time to get re-invested in another show and former GH fans who came back found the show too different than before. Either way, I found ME’s answers direct, to the point and he is not going to bash anyone. That’s not his style. I wish him the best.
I have been “off the grid” for a bit, so I’m just catching up on these threads, but I agree with you. A similar thing happened when Another World was cancelled. P&G own it and ATWT, so they had a couple characters from AW move to ATWT when AW was cancelled in hopes of luring former AW viewers to ATWT. It worked because I was one of them, but I found my beloved characters from AW were never written in the same way on their new home. Eventually those AW characters were written off ATWT– I continued to watch ATWT for a big afterward but it really was never “my soap” so I stopped. And as a fan of AW I would have prefer to remember those crossover characters as they were on AW then see ATWT destroy them. So I think the same thing happened here. As you said crossovers are an experiment that never worked– not back then or now.
Good Luck and everybody thanks he was jumping on RC at least he knows the guy’s name hello TG. I think he was trying to tell RC write a good story and quit arguing with viewers on Twitter as my Dad use to say not everybody is going to like or love what you do. He really had not had story for some time and he and MS had 0 chemistry sometimes it works sometimes it does not.
What a classy guy! One of a kind. No wonder he is a fan favorite. general Hospital made a huge mistake!
Michael’
” we’re big boys and girls, we signed on the dotted line, we were compensated and knew what we were getting into.”
ALL soap actors are apt to be let go at anytime, unless you are the core stars and yet they can be let go..
I’d bet 100’s of soap actors since the 70’s have been let go and many were fan favorites..
Michael’
” Someone’s always coming and going. It doesn’t have to make sense. It’s like “Logan’s Run”. It’s just my time.”
It really sucks it you was Michael, he is one of my favorites..
We will be seeing Michael again, sometime some other place..
RC does not have the power to fire anyone, he just needs to write them out when they are let go ..
I’m sure he did not like having to write Michael out, they go back a long way..
What can ya do. soap actors/characters come and go .. it just is sad when a personal favorite 🙁
0oohhh!
I luv luv luv Caleb Morley and John McBain ..!
Caleb and John! wow huh !
10. I don’t want to sound selfish but will you still be doing your event August 9th? Please don’t cancel. I’ve waited three years to meet you. – Kathleen
Michael’
I’ll be there. It’s for a good cause and I’ll bring a fine bottle of Irish Whiskey so we can have a proper wake for Silas and McBain.
////////
oohhh no a wake ! I do not like that but.. no wake for Caleb 🙂
How very gracious of him to respond personally… I wonder if
he will move back to New York, now that GH is a thing of the
past. Or stick around Los Angeles in hopes another role catches
his fancy?
His answers were heartfelt, direct, and to the point. He was very up front about thibgs. He was gracious as I have always known him to be. I sent questions that weren’t answered in this part. Hopefully they will be in Part Two.
doesnt appear that he is a fan of Ron’s either. Shocking!
Those disjointed questions and answers shed little on the current situation both with the talented Mr. Easton and the current state of GH. Get away from the mob – go back to the hospital. Please Mr. V! You made OLTL a masterpiece.
The mob is exciting, the hospital is blah..
not a lot that can happen in the hospital without shooting people to be sent there lol
Who is the 1st you want to die under Patricks hands for a very short story ..
Or- perhaps Laura can get a horrible disease and go into a coma ..
or Monica will have a heart attack, that is a hospital story too:)
I like the mob, a lot .. 🙂
if there is shoot out then the hospital will get busy aha!
Su…I agree with you on hospital business being “blah” if that’s all GH is about. I like some of the drama there when it’s tied into other stories, but not hospital stuff on it’s own. Sort of ironic since the show is called General Hospital. In fact I have never watched any of the doctor/hospital shows on night-time prime time. Ugh! for me. Don’t mind Sonny, etc and the mob. Just don’t want the writers to overdo these stories. Would like more of the Q’s, high finance conspiracies, the Cassidine’s…
sigh
Hi Rose..
You would like more of the Q’s, high finance conspiracies, the Cassidine’s…
RC did try for a ”high finance conspiracies” but there are no players
If RC did not bring in Dillon it would just be Tracy as Q’s,, and Michael that RC tryed to make a Quartermaine (he is reue Corinthos
And- he needed to turn Nikolis into a ‘true’ Cassidine to even have a real Cassidine on GH ..
there are 2 Q’s(Tracy n Dillon) and 2 Cassadine’s (Helena n Nikolis) 0hh and Spencer..on GH..
I wish you the best, Michael. I wish that one Life to Live had remained on t.v.; however, that wasn’t meant to be
Walk into whatever God has for you with eagerness!
michael easton is pure class, i’m sure they can bring him back hopefully as john mcbain down the line, or maybe the new writers can start by cleaning up the mess RC left and make it all a dream…
I caught myself thinking the tone of the responses from Michael could just as well have been from John McBain or Silas. And that the characters he played were in part an extension of himself. All three sound similar..polite…a little world-weary, like Bogart…no b.s…with more to the answer than they are willing to reveal. Just a feeling…
Michael’s firing was a bad decision and ones fans of Michael’s are trying to have reversed. If anyone is interested in helping us, please go to the Petition and sign to fight for Michael, a fan favorite and veteran ABC Daytime Actor.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/914/044/258/bring-back-michael-easton-to-general-hospital/
michael easton is such a classy individual – i read every question & answer on his facebook page……………some are saying it was boring but i don’t think so – i believe his answers were very appropriate plus he is not the type of person to give negative responses.
why would he bash tptb at gh??? he would be cutting his own throat because other head writers & producers would never consider hiring him.
There are petitions on the internet to bring back Michael Easton. The last time I checked, there were close to 3,000 signatures and that was just on “one” of the petitions. There are several out there. I am going to sign “ALL” of them.
JUST GOOGLE:
“BRING BACK MICHAEL EASTON PETITION”
Please take the time to sign. A lot of people like Michael and we want to see him back.
Hope ABC and PP make up soon. Then they could bring back Michael as John McBain. Heaven knows Port Charles needs all the savvy cops they can get.
What’s the latest word with ABC and PP. I hope they come to some sort of an agreement so we can have our character back.
They need to settle with Prospect Park and bring back John McBain.
Not a favorite character of mine,but as an actor and human being….pure class
Maybe the Prospect Park lawsuit has been resolved, and TPTB are planning to bring back Michael Easton as McBain. If they were going to make that switch, recasting one (Kiki), killing another (Silas) and possibly sending the third to jail (Franco) would be a good way to go about it. Imagine Franco going off to jail, devastating Nina. Then Todd comes back. Instant triangle between Nina (who is drawn to him) and his ex-almost paramour, Carly. Starr and McBain can follow when appropriate, which would cause trouble for Michael/Sabrina and Sam/Jason. Doubt it’s happening, but I sure hope that’s the plan.
Not bad!
Michael Easton is a class act on And off screen given the right material. I thought things were finally hearing up for his character and that was what I was looking forward to…sigh. I will miss ME!!!!!!!
The difference between this exit interview and Tony Geary’s is frightening. ME has my respect because he’s clearly a true professional. That being said, I didn’t enjoy his character on GH and wish him all the best in his next job.
Hate to see him go. I think this is a mistake.
This Q&A was just like the character “Silas”, BORING! Those of you who bitched about Tony Geary’s exit interview can go pound salt! At least Mr. Geary told it like it was and didnt beat around the bush!
Timm, Geary would hate me for suggesting the following, but would you say Tony Geary is the Donald Trump of daytime actors?
I like that Harry. Although, I am more inclined to belief Tony before The Donald!
This is a disaster. I agree with the person who said these people were just used to draw a crowd and now 1 by 1 they are leaving – – Will Roger be next? Well, I was always a GH watcher and also a OLTL fan so it was so great for me to have them show up on GH. We’ll miss you Silas and OMG that GREAT HAIR of yours.
Of all the people they could have gotten rid of (just sayin).
Thanks for the link. Read the whole q&a….very interesting. I will really miss Michael Easton on daytime. Wish him all the best.
I love part one of Michael Easton’s interview. He’s a classy guy and extremely talented. General Hospital made a huge mistake writing out Silas. Easton did a great job with both McBain and Silas and he deserved better writing. There should have been numerous hospital stories for Silas. Easton is a big talent in daytime and the decision makes no sense. GH should bring him back.
From how he answers fans question, he was not too happy with his character and in the actors world if you are not too happy you ask for your contact to break with a penalty or if the actor don’t agree with writers or producers will they give the actor their walking papers just like any Joe blow out in this wo rld we live & work in so it goes, Michael also sound like he has future plans for his self he be just fine with out GH it happen to the best of actors
Anna should come back, oust the corrupt Mayor. Anna becomes Mayor because Felicia realizes she’s too busy helping Mac run the Floating Rib to really do the Mayoral position justice. Jordan goes away on some Special Ops assignment. McBain comes in and runs the PCPD.
I enjoyed reading the full ques/answer on FB. It was nice of him to indulge the fans and answer as many questions as he could. He didn’t have to. As usual, I love how he expresses himself, well spoken, thoughtful and humble. A very stand up guy, talented actor. I think he accepted the writing on the wall b/c he’s been in the business for awhile and knows the nature of the beast. He rode a great wave on OLTL. I was hoping to find out if he’s open to other soaps in the future, but there’s other parts to the question/answer session, so hoping it’s a “yes”!
Had a chance to see the OLTL actors when the show was ending but got really sick. My friend saw him at Comic Con in NY and she asked him for a pic and he kindly obliged. Looking forward to reading more and hoping 1 of my favorite soap stars comes on my screen soon. Cheers Mr. Easton!!:)
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Nikolas Gets an Earful from Ava About Sonny and His Meds; Nina and Drew Can’t Seem to Resist Each Other
Ava (Maura West) seems to feel she has a confidante in a jailed Nikolas (Adam Huss) on the Monday, April 29th episode of General Hospital. In story, Ava heads to Pentonville to visit her ex-husband before he is set to get transferred out of state.
When discussing her living relationship with Sonny (Maurice Benard), which Nikolas already knew about, Ava says she is happy about how her relationship with Sonny has been evolving, Nikolas ask if she’s in love with Sonny. Ava denies it, but goes on to say how great it is for her daughter, Avery to be living with both her parents, who are on the same side and not at odds.
Nikolas believes that Ava loves being in Sonny’s inner sanctum and the power that comes with it. Ava fires back that she spent years looking in from the outside and that everyone despised her. When Nikolas brings up Nina (Cynthia Watros), she says Nina never really could understand the true type of man that Sonny is.
Courtesy/ABC
Then, Ava launches in on Carly (Laura Wright), and how she would love to stick it to her, for all the times she blocked Ava from seeing her child and Carly’s attitude towards her. Then, Ava admits to Nikolas that she knows that Sonny has a watered-down version of his bipolar medication, which is making him more vulnerable and she’s capitalizing on it for her own gain. She says she needs to figure out who is responsible, but Nikolas voices concern for Ava’s plan and that if Sonny ever found out she knew about it and did nothing, he would be on the warpath against her. Ava promises she knows what she’s doing. When she says goodbye to Nikolas, he looks upset and sad, as he still seemingly cares for Ava.
Courtesy/ABC
Meanwhile in Drew’s (Cameron Mathison) office, Nina walks in complaining about Carly giving her a hard time about maintenance in her office. Nina wants payback for Jason (Steve Burton) buying Carly the hotel, but Drew is not up for playing games with her. She says they both want revenge on Jason and Carly, which Drew denies. Next thing you know, Nina grabs Drew and kisses him. Although, it seems he might walk out the door and away from her, he locks it, and the two proceed to have round 2 of their hate-sex.
Courtesy/ABC
Elsewhere, Anna tells Jason about her shooting Charlotte and her concern about Valentin’s (James Patrick Stuart) involvement with Pikeman. Meanwhile, Valentin visits Jack Brennan (Charles Mesure) in Pentonville, where threats are laid out to make Sonny look like the guilty party in eliminating Jason, while Anna is the line of fire, if she doesn’t keep her nose out of Pikeman business, which worries Valentin, who doesn’t want Anna getting hurt in any of this.
So, what do you think about Ava’s plans? Did you like seeing Nikolas back on the canvas? Are you all for a Drew/Nina continued affair? Will Anna get caught in the crossfire only to be saved by Valentin? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.
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.
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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