General Hospital
Robert Palmer Watkins & Risa Dorken Preview The GH Nurses’ Ball 2017: Watch The Interview!

Courtesy/ABC
Those those red carpet arrivals, those touching and funny musical performances, those umbrella drama storylines – all are signatures of General Hospital’s annual Nurses’ Ball episodes, and those wardrobe malfunctions of Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring).
Each year, GH takes a break from the usual storytelling by bringing all elements together into the ‘ball’. What is on the docket this year? Well, we know their will be songs originally performed and written by the late David Bowie and George Michael, and one by Billy Joel. We know Kimberly McCullough will be in the house as Robin (the ball started because of Robin’s storyline with Stone when he died of AIDS and then she contracted HIV), and we know Michelle Stafford and Extra’s Mario Lopez will be on the red carpet as Nina Clay Cassadine, and Lopez as “himself”.
To get even more insight into what may go down as the episodes begin to unravel today, On-Air On-Soaps Michael Fairman caught up very early in the morning with two of the singing sensations who will be performing in musical numbers in the ball: Robert Palmer Watkins (Dillon) and Risa Dorken (Amy) during a satellite media tour promoting the annual GH on-air event.
While the duo could not spoil too much for the audience, they did give us some intel on what to watch for and more!
Now after the jump, check out our GH Nurses’ Ball preview interview with the two of the brightest stars on the soaps these days… Robert and Risa. Then let us know what you are looking forward to this week on GH, and if you are excited to see Robert and Risa’s musical numbers in the comment section below!
RPW has really flourished on this show. For long time viewers who fondly remember a young Scott Clifton’s take on Dillon, it was tough at first. RPW’s Dillon is sweet and caring. He’s brought out the best in both Haley Erin and the Kiki character, plus held his own in scenes with Jane Elliott. I wish they’d show more of his emotional side. We never really got to feel Dillon’s recovery from learning Paul was a serial killer.
Risa is a fine actress. Unfortunately, the character of Amy is not needed on the show. Perhaps if they made her one of Lucy’s daughters, that would have been better.
I agree with what you said about RPW. As much as I think the character is somewhat Tuesday and Wednesday “filler,” I think the actor does a good job and did well in scenes with Jane. As far as Haley Erin is concerned, I can’t stand behind her as an actress. I’ve always disliked the character, Kiki Jerome, back when Kristen Alderson played her, and since then, the character has never grown on me. I had to laugh, when Dillon surprised Kiki with a spa package for all of her hard work passing the nursing program. Please. The character has never had a real job, and this is the first time that she’s ever done anything of value. Mind you, she finished the program in lightening speed, haha.
While I think the actress who plays Amy is a good actress, the character just annoys most viewers, and again, is “filler,” IMO.
Completely agree! When Hayley debuted as Kiki…she was awful!! Butbremember….it takes VERY VERY talented actors to sell the crsp material that Ron C. Was writing at the time! Now that most of tje characters are behaving and talking like real people again…and not cartoons….it is much easier for actors to sell the material! And…regarding Amy……WHY was she not made the daughter of long time nurse Amy Vining?? That would have endeared her to fans AND made her a legacy character!!
We’re not sure Amy Vining ever had sex. In the 20 years she was on the show, I think she had one boyfriend. Of course, that could’ve changed when she disappeared without notice from Port Chuck.
It was touching that she was remembered when they revived the NB a few years ago.
I loved Scott as Dillon. He is not available for a good reason. He is a B&B superstar! So we get Robert. He has grown on me. He is finding his way and seems like a cool dude.
Amy Vinning was a legendary character and the actress met a unfortunate early death. I would have left the name “Amy” alone. BUT, we have Amy Driscoll. I dont like the character. I thought Paul should have killed her off. But she is here and they are trying to tie her to other characters now. Whatever. The actress was on Facebook answering questions with Robert and seems a fan of the show. Where the hell is Lucas?
Agreed. Risa is a good actress and plays the character well, in terms of, playing her as an annoying busy body. However, the back story of how Amy and Maxie went to high school together and Maxie was a “mean girl” and a cheerleader…WHO CARES?!?!?!?! It’s not relevant to viewers since it’s a backstory attempt at a current storyline.
I was wondering about Lucas, too.
Apparently, this backstory is a lame attempt to create justification for Nurse Amy’s obvious desire to jump Nathan’s frame.
The back story is a rewrite of history. Maxie was never popular or a cheerleader in high school. How could she with her heart problem. Maxie was there. She was dealing with her and abandonment issues and got mixed up with Kyle who ended up making a sex tape of them and posting it on the internet. The writers are once again rewriting history to make a charcter they created and we can’t stand and shoving her down our throats. Maxie is a legacy character and a character many fans love. Don’t rewrite a long time characters history for the sake of a new character that’s has been on a little over a year.
The subplot featuring Nathan and Amy is just filler until Maxie returns. They are going to pay RP anyway, so they need to give him something to do other than arrest people & listen to Nina complain.
I find the red carpet scene laughingly bad..Mario Lopez interviewing the locals like Sam and Jason and others like they are well known celebs is such a joke…and as for the nurses dance numbers-hope none of them appear on Dancing With The Stars!!!
Jimh, and Nina’s awkwardness made me feel awkward watching the show! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I was rolling my eyes during Mario’s interview with Monotone Sam and Jason. Sam is exhausted having a newborn and toddler at home. Really? She doesn’t work and is the most useless P.I. So, what else does she do, besides talk in a monotone and put me to sleep?
Paging Britt and Brad….STAT! Your presence is required on the red carpet for your clever and scintillating takes on all things NB…
The actress who plays nurse Amy is very good but don’t like the Amy character. I hope Maxie returns to claim her man as Amy is on the prowl.
Exactly, Linda…like I’ve said before, I smell a “Fatal Attraction” storyline for this nosy nursey…There has always been something really unsettling and weird about this character!
Amy probably has an apartment with a secret room hidden behind a closet…inside is a metal human size cage she ordered from Amazon…she will drug Nathan and keep him prisoner in it…she will have him shirtless and dressed with a leopard cloth Tarzan-like outfit…lol
I wish Ellie Trout was still on the show. without Spinelli.
I don’t know, what nurses ball… Ellie and Nathan “dated” to make Spinelli and Maxie jealous. but it worked, for me
I saw a natural and at ease couple who are potential. Nathan West… dreamboat that he is… sparked.. with Ellie.
Adorable interview! I liked Robert Palmer as Dillon immediately…I love his style…whether as himself or as in character he’s just a “natural.” He doesn’t seem put on…he’s got an easy, cool, relaxed, friendly style both on and off screen and (for me) fit effortlessly into the role (even though I, too, liked Scott Clifton “back in the day.”)
Risa Dorken is so cute! Not sure what her background is but I can see her in musical theatre. I already see her in the role of Tracy Turnblad in another revival of HAIRSPRAY. She’s got such an exuberance..she sings/dances…has the cutest voice…and so pretty! I’d hate to see her turn into a Nathan “stalker”, LOL, though I do think they could incorporate her more into the story…find her a cute up ‘n’ coming doctor. (They seem to have dropped, surprise! the story that she had a crush on Dillon since high school and was hoping to have something with him when she found out they’d be working together at the Ball). After all her crushes it’d be nice if they have a sweet new couple. I do think as someone suggested they should have made her the daughter of Amy Vining…then she’d be connected and embraced.
oh…and Robert Palmer Watkins…if I were still at the age of putting posters on my wall of “hot” dudes…he’d be right up there! 🙂
Love RPW and Killon. As for Amy she needs to stay far away from Nathan, Maxie, and Naxie. She needs to go after a guy who isn’t marry.
Theirs were my two favorite performances at the Nurses’ Ball. His number with Kiki was all right, but the number did not suit them as well as last year’s, due to his considerable adorableness with Erin, and the Nurses’ Ball opening and closing numbers with Rita were awesome along wth Robin’s video.
amy and Nathan , are the best ,,they were marvelous ,, the ,, scene that they did to do their act , meeting and getting to make their scene ,, on general hospital , I have watched general hospital ,for years they performed,, they finally found ,,the best ,, scene ,,, thank you , for the best ,,
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.
Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.

Photo: Hallmark
Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”
In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.
It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.
Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.
You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.
So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.
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General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?
On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.
As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.
Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?

Courtesy/ABC
Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.
BROTHERLY LOVE?
Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”
With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”
BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE
Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”
So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Michael Reveals His Plan to Set Up Chase and Willow to Have an Affair
After the Wednesday, April 29 episode of General Hospital, it’s clear outside interference and other circumstances are set to blow Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn’s (Amanda Setton) marriage sky high, as Michael (Rory Gibson) reveals his plans to entrap Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) and use her relationship with Chase to do it!
In story, Michael dropped by unexpectedly to Carly’s (Laura Wright). A plotting Michael reveals his plan to nudge Willow and Chase into having an affair. Michael hopes it would create both a political and personal scandal, where Willow would lose her seat in congress. In the scenario, she would be having an affair with her ex-husband, while taking care of her supposed disabled husband, Drew (Cameron Mathison), who cannot speak and is confined to a wheelchair, which in turn will look horrible for Willow’s character.
Carly asked does he really want to destroy his cousin, Brook Lynn’s life in the process? Michael goes in on Chase’s holier than thou attitude, and says he is going to set-up the circumstances that would lead Chase and Willow to betray their spouses, and hit the sheets together. Michael swears to Carly what the two of them do is up to them, but he’s going to go on the offense with this.
MICHAEL HAS BACK-UP
Later, Jacinda (Paige Herschell) is talking with Charlotte (Bluesy Burke) at Crimson and how much she dislikes Willow because of what she has done to Michael. Just then, Michael shows up and tells Jacinda privately, he’s figured out a way to fight Willow. Looks like Jacinda might work with Michael to bring down Willow and use Chase as the person to do it!
At the hospital, Lucas (Van Hansis) tells Josslyn (Eden McCoy) that Carly is cheating on Jack, but he doesn’t know with who. Josslyn suddenly flashes back to the moment she found her mother harboring a fugitive, Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart), in her attic, and as figured out that her mother is sleeping with him. She heads out.

Courtesy/ABC
BRENNAN IS ABOUT TO LEARN ABOUT CARLY
Next thing you know, Josslyn has showed up inside Jack’s (Chris McKenna) hotel room at the Metro Court and when he enters his room, he is shocked to find her there. He lays into her for not keeping his distance and that Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) will have no problem killing her if he knows she’s WSB. Josslyn fires back that he is only concerned about that because his relationship with her mother depends on her being safe. But then, she lays the boom, and tells Jack, Well, you’re too late. You already lost her.”
LULU GETS A GLIMPSE OF CASSIUS’ TEMPER
In addition, Lulu (Alexa Havins) sees a different side of “Nathan.” Since she is unaware that the man before her is his twin, Cassius Fasion (Ryan Paevey), he tells her that Rocco (Finn Carr) blabbed that he shot Cullum to Britt (Kelly Thiebaud), and now he thinks they should send him away to stop him from talking to everyone else. This concerns Lulu, who rails at Nathan for telling her what to do with her son and that she isn’t going to abandon him. With “Nathan’s” outburst at her on the matter, will she finally get a clue this is not the man she thinks it is?
So, what do you think of Michael’s plan to push Willow and Chase into an affair? Will it work or backfire? Do you think Joss will reveal that Valentin is the man sleeping with Carly to Brennan, which will send him in a rage? Will Lulu continue to be clueless about “Nathan?” Weigh-in via the comment section below. But first, take a look at the GH video tease for today’s April 30 episode.
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