Breaking News
Ron Carlivati Exits Days of our Lives Effective Immediately; New Co-Head Writers Named
There are changes afoot at Peacock’s Days of our Lives, as Ron Carlivati who served as the head writer of the soap opera for seven years is out. The move is effective immediately.
Carlivati will be replaced with the co-head writing team of Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford, as confirmed by Days of our Lives. However, because the show tapes so far ahead of when they stream, episodes written by the Carlivati regime will be seen by DAYS viewers through April of 2025.
Cwikly and Ford have longtime ties to the soap. Previously, Cwikly served as head writer and associate writer at Days of our Lives in the early 2000’s, while Ford has been serving as a current breakdown writer at DAYS. Both women have worked on writing teams for As the World Turns and One Life to Live, while Cwikly has also held positions with the Sunset Beach and The Young and the Restless writing teams.
Photo: JPI
In a statement on the head writing change, Days of our Lives executive producer, Ken Corday said, “We look forward to approaching our 60th Anniversary next year with Paula and Jeanne Marie at the helm and fresh, exciting stories that we know the fans will embrace. We wish Ron nothing but the best and thank him for his dedication and the respect he has shown to me, the cast, and the show’s legacy.”
Photo: JPI
Carlivati came to DAYS back in 2017, with his first episodes airing in July of that year. He previously served as the head writer for One Life to Live and was its final head scribe until it went off the air in 2012. Ron later moved to General Hospital, serving as its head writer from 2012 through 2015
Days of our Lives also offered this official statement on the change:“Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford will become the daytime drama’s new head writers beginning immediately. As part of the change, head writer Ron Carlivati will be departing the show after seven years. Episodes written by Carlivati will air through April 2025 due to the show’s unique tape to air schedule.”
So, what do you think about the head writing shake-up at Days of our Lives? Shocked at the change? What do you think about the series chosen replacements for Ron Carlivati? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
I know I may be in the minority, but I think this is a mistake. I will miss his work.
I agree I love the show
I’m super surprised Ron is out. I thought Days liked his writing.
The “Konstantin” story probably sunk him there just like the horrible Luke exit story did at GH. Even though ReRon blamed Konstantin on the scab writers during the strike.
Given Days’ ridiculous taping schedule, it’s hard to keep track of who wrote what in the last year or so.
For the love of God, please do not return to GH.
I second that! Although, GH seems to be experiencing their own problems.
I join you in that prayer! I watched GH since 1969 and I honestly think he was the worse writer in history! All the ridiculous doppelganger plots especially Obretch and “Fluke.” The cartoonish split personality story.
The destruction of classic beloved GH history like phasing out the Reading of the Christmas Story in favor of Krampus? Seriously! Turning Heather into a pointless slasher for no reason? Coed Locker rooms at GH? Steve Hardy and John Beridino would both turn over in their graves! Ugh! I hate Carlavati! For someone who grew up watching GH he sure didnt respect it! The good news is that even his buddy Frank Valentini had to fire him to hurt the show’s ratings so badly. I think he wore out his welcome at GH. But lets continue to pray Disney never lets him darken the doorway of a GH writing room EVER AGAIN!!! Can I get an Amen?!
I had no idea so many GH people watched Days and were so curiously invested in the failure of one writer. I get it, traditional values folks want to return to the Good of Days of Steve Hardy but Steve has been dead for over 30 years now and the vast majority of the GH audience today has never watched or remember him. Time has marched on.
I suspect much of the vitriol on this page to Carlivati is because he championed Gay storylines and diversity on Days. As for him tanking the ratings for GH did, he also tank the ratings for Guiding Light, Another World, Santa Barbara the View, and the Price is Right too? Soaps and daytime have had declining audiences since the OJ trial, and no one has found the magic bullet to reverse it. In fact, it is only with the advent of streaming and the success of Tyler Perry in nighttime cable that there has been renewed interest in the soap genre at all. No one can take away the success Carlivati had with keeping Days alive on NBC, despite it being the stepchild of the network with zero promotion and no budget and his guiding the show while it made the successful transition to streaming. I wish Ron Carlivati the best. He swung for the fences every day when he maybe he would have been better off hitting more singles and doubles, he dashed from one story to the next and frustrated us when we wanted a longer arc (except the wretched devil story) but at least in most cases he kept us entertained and, in some cases, overjoyed and deeply moved.
It’s not going to be happening. Trust.
I’m confused by this. Ron Carlivati seemed to have a reputation as a good head writer. All I know is that I want Arianne Zucker back as Nicole. It’s a big loss without her on the show.
That’s right! Hopefully all this can be turned around and Ari will come back.
Doubt it; she sued Ken Corday and Corday Productions.
Could it be he left to work on OLTL v3 ?
Both Micheal ans Roger appear to be free as do many others….
Not familiar with the names mentioned, but if Days needs a new head writer familiar with the show’s history and who can properly take the show into Year 60, then I nominate…..
Myself. Satan T. Devil as new head writer
Ken Corday, give me a call!
Please keep Ron away from General Hospital. I am not upset by this news. Between him writing tasteless gay storylines not representative of the gay community, and every other guy being shirtless ad nauseum, he seemed more like he was acting out fantasies of his. Itwas beyond obvious. Put that with Albert harassing the women and I am surprised DAYS has made it this long. I hope these next writers keep the show grounded in family and history and get back to more grounded soap opera. It would be hysterical if this began a new wave of former stars being more willing to return due to the removal of all this toxicity on set. Good riddance, Ron and Albert.
Quick question – are the ‘straight’ stories representative of the straight community? It’s a soap. Very little of any of it is representative of reality. Oh, and shirtless men have been a soap staple since at least the 80’s (my memory doesn’t go much further than that).
I know really
Give me a break! The 80s were a time of big budget action stories and exotic locations. But the stories were strong. No one is saying that soap stars need to walk around wearing birkas all day.
But soaps need a balance. Theyre supposed to be about Romance not peep shows just trying to titilate the audience because the ratings are low.
Guiding Light didnt last on the air for 70 yrs ( combining TV and Radio) because of shirtless men. It was strong characters and compelling stories that kept it on the air. When soaps first started on TV even married characters werent allowed to be shown in bed together lol.
As far as the gay characters go it does no good to force explicit sex scenes down the audience’s throat. That wont bring acceptance, tolerance or “equality.” That comes from well written stories that depict gay people as just that PEOPLE! PEOPLE WITH HOPES, DREAMS, FEARS AND VALUES LIKE ANYONE ELSE. The audience doesnt need a primer in the the mechanics of gay sex to embrace gay characters and empathize with them!
You are making a whole side argument here that had nothing to do with the original post. Big budget action stories, exotic locations, strong stories – not mentioned in the original post. I agree with your statement, but again – never argued against it. Soaps back in the day had all that – and lots of shirtless men. Both things are true.
And the sex scene thing – there used to be tons more sex scenes in soaps back in the 80’s than now. And there hasn’t been a gay sex scene on Days in a while because they have no gay couples (and what happened with Leo this past week was not a sex scene – it was a makeup session and tame one at that) – and even when they did, they certainly weren’t more explicit than anything seen between straight couples. In fact, the most ‘explicit’ sex scene in my recent memory was Eric walking into a shower and Nicole turning around with a forearm covering her breasts, revealing top and bottom boob, before they started making out. The closest thing to that is a Sonny and Will shower scene where they showed their feet coming together and them kissing. So … not sure what version of Days you are watching, but certainly not one we are seeing.
And again, the point I made earlier – straight or gay – if you are looking to soaps to be an accurate representation of life, you are looking in the wrong place. When soaps used to do socially relevant, more realistically grounded, good stories – even then, that story was surrounded by back from the dead characters, people with reconstructive surgery (with apparently all over body surgery as well since romantic partners could never tell the difference), poisonings and miraculous recoveries, lost cities, men wanting to freeze the world, aliens, rapists turned anti-heroes, people being held in cages for months for a variety of reasons, clones, long lost twins, women disguised as men and no one knowing the difference.
I don’t think a middle aged married gay man who had lived in NYC for decades is writing trite gay story lines because he is acting out his personal fantasies. If he was they would be much more interesting. Do you also call out the sexualization of female characters from a hetero male higher up point of view? I have liked and disliked Ron’s writing but these “fantasy” comments just don’t land for me.
Thank you
Sweetheart you need to go back and watch old clips of The Ford Brothers on One Life to Live. Even my younger gay friends said they were ridiculous.
I remember one episode where they stayed in the Sauna for 85% of the show wearing nothing but towels and they ended up ripping them off and having a towel fight in the steam!
If you think that wasnt straight ( pun intended) out of a middle aged gay man’s fantasies you have no idea about middle aged gay men lol. Rob turned both OLTL and GH into ridiculous peep shows and it was downright shameful the way he objectified his actor’s bodies! Give me a break!
Keep him away from General Hospital, because the show still hasn’t recovered from all the damage he did from 2012-2015.
OMG yes! His mark still lingers with weak one dimensional characters and stories that were weaker than water! He was a true hack with an over acting imagination!
Thank you for having the courage to say what you did. Frank and Ron turned GH into a classless peep show! Coed Lockerrooms? That tacky Nurse’s ball strip show and dont get me started on the beyond tasteless sex scenes that happened under Ron of ALL ORIENTATIONS!
Creative people today need to learn the lesson that you dont bring understanding and acceptance to “sexual minorites” by forcing explicit sex scenes in the audience’s face on national TV 5 days a week.
Ron needs to go back and watch the Billy Douglas Gay teen story or The Gay Teacher scandal on ALL My Children. These stories were about equality and acceptance not softcore porn!
As a GH viewer since 1969 I say good riddence to Ron ( still waiting on Frank to get a pink slip or resign one day) and his XXX rated cartoonish storylines!
Daytime serials started as stories of family. We need to get back to that! And no that doesnt have to exclude those who live “alternative lifestyles.” We just dont need to turn “Love In the Afternoon” to Grindr fodder. Lol. SMH
He has not written for General Hospital for years and yet you accuse him of promoting tasteless sex scenes. Where were you since you have watched GH since 1969 when GH had a teenage Laura Webber sleeping with a 40 plus year old pedophile before she killed him? Or when GH glorified the ultimate rape fantasy with Luke and Laura and made a rapist the cool hero of the show for decades. Remember the song Rise aka theme from Lauras rape being relentlessly played? Or how for years Laura explained her rape and the violence we all saw on the screen when it happened as i secretly wanted it? Nothing Carlivati has done can ever come close to the moral decay of that situation which taught a generation of young girls rape is romantic and a rapist can be a cool guy. So please spare us your lectures on soap family values and the proper way gays should be shown on television as not to offend your sensibilities when the soap you so dearly love currently has an unrepentant mob boss criminal as the star of the show.
I’m not happy. I loved his writing style. I’m not a fan of Cwikly’s style.
The question now is, where does Ron end up? I doubt he will be out of the writing game for long. Brad Bell will never relinquish control of B&B (even though the writing is atrocious and desperately in need of a major shake-up), so that leaves either a GH return (unlikely), or maybe Y&R? Josh Griffith has turned that show into a snooze-fest, though I don’t think Ron would be an improvement in terms of quality. As for DAYS, hopefully the new writers honour the show’s legacy for the upcoming 60th anniversary.
I doubt Ron would be welcomed at GH. Despite his long friendship with Frank Valentini he still had to fire Ron after he nearly dug GH’s grave. Disney wasnt having it. I think Ron should write cartoons lol.
I believe I saw his name on the new serial Beyond The Gates as a breakdown writer
Thank God. He’s horrible. Maybe Days can become more grounded in reality now.
Dear Mr. Carlivati,
Young and Restless needs you!!!!!!
In a major way! The sooner the better!!!
No, they don’t! Y&R has enuf problems now. His writing style is not suited for Y&R. I still cringe at what he did to OLTL! I can hear Eric Braeden now, after reading one of Ron’s scripts – What the hell is this piece of ____?!
Or This ain’t gonna happen, as long as I’m here, ya got it?.
HA! I forgot that one!
It’ll never happen. Trust me. CBS/Sony Television don’t want him.
Mr. Carlivati is a genuine talent, but I am not a fan of his storytelling. OLTL, GH, and DAYS under his tenure seem, for my taste, dismissed reality-based emotional storytelling for swing-for-fences plotlines that often relied on tropes of baby switches, dubious and forgotten parentages, and resurrections (too many!). I know daytime drama provides escape but it seems we are in a whirlpool of repetition and character assassinations and recycling. I hope this switch is not indicative of DAYS fading from the soapscape, though. The genre has taken such a beating in the last 25 years.
The biggest wrong he did was after he did right. He brought AJ back ( I was thrilled! Michael and AJ FINALLY getting their father/son relationship, Carly and Sonny FINALLY feeling Michael’s wrath as he stood by AJ, AJ FINALLY having his son) but then killed him off again because of petty bull behind the scenes. When I think of all the great Quartermaine stories that we could have had from then to present day, with Tracy back and Michael, close to AJ, together against Sonny, the dynamic between Drew and AJ, etc…. What a waste.
He’s been writing days for 7 years I must be in the minority but have enjoyed his run never a boring episode unlike yandr which at this point is a cure for insomnia Not sure how I feel about cwickly and for days going forward but will stay tuned Just how Ron turned the character of Xander from a stock villain into a leading man and sorry haters we all know a Leo and he’s played to perfection by Greg R interesting news because he’s one of the longest running writers the soap has had Gotta laugh at the gh crew don’t come back yes because the gh fans love watching Sonny and the mob and never want Sonny to pay for his crimes and never want general to be about a hospital anymore
Sometimes I feel Ron tries too hard to be clever but one cannot deny he loves the soap opera genre more than any other writer. I think this is a big big mistake.
Fire all the writing staff at Y and R and bring him on there. Today’s show was dreadful.
Seems like a lot of the shows lately have been dreadful. Poor Sharon falling apart at the seams and the bitch Phylliss just gloating over the whole thing with her snarky smile, I just want to rip off her face!
Please, PLEASE keep him away from #YR & #TheGates.
Keep him far away From GH please, Dool might save a lot money with their advance schedule set up they have but if I was a fan of the show(I’m not ) I would be frustrated. If I heard this news I would want to see the change ASAP, but to have to wait till April of next year OMG, good luck DOOL fan and again keep him far away from GH .
BUH BYE! Finally may be able to check back into this soap in April 2025.
Breaking News
Jacob Martinez is ‘Days of Our Lives’ New Javi Hernandez Replacing Al Calderon in the Role
Finally! The casting has been revealed as to just who would be Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Days of our Lives, Javi Hernandez. On Friday, April 30, the long-running soap opera revealed Jacob Martinez is taking on the part and he will first be seen this coming June 30th and then on all-new episodes streaming on Peacock.
As previously reported, the popular Calderon exited the soap opera last year to join the cast of the NBC primetime medical drama, Brilliant Minds as nurse Nico Silva, who in May will air the remainder of their second season. The series has been on the bubble for renewal by the network. His last episodes as Javi will also air this May on DAYS.
Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming, Martinez has been secretly ensconced in all the drama in Salem for quite some time. When viewers see the new Javi in story, we should learn what will happen in Javi’s relationship with Leo Stark played by Emmy winner, Greg Rikaart, plus his continued relationship with his relatives in the Hernandez clan. Currently, when Javi returned to Salem after taking care of his ailing father, and after the bust-up of his marriage to Leo thanks to Dimitri (Peter Porte), he claimed he had moved on with someone else while he was away from Salem.
Photo: JPI
Like Calderon before him, Martinez is a multi-talented actor and singer. Jacob’s resume is impressive having appeared in the musical In Pieces: The Musical at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater and he was hand-picked by Joey Contreras to play the role of Grey. Other credits include: the short film, Memory Swim and the play Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage.
Martinez hails from Norfolk, Nebraska and appeared when he was very young at the Johnny Carson Theatre, and as DAYS fans know, Jacob is now working at the Days of our Lives studios, right where the “Tonight Show” is filled. In addition, Jacob Martinez is a graduate of The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA).
Taking to his Instagram on Thursday, April 30 once the news of his casting was revealed, Martinez, expressed, “Way too many people to thank in one post, so I’ll just say THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART to each and every person who continues to pour into me and encourage me to chase my dreams. I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am. I already feel beyond blessed, supported, and loved. See you all in Salem ⏳”
Jacob Martinez appeared on Friday on the Days of our Lives Instagram account announcing his casting. You can check it out below. Deadline was the first to report the casting switch.
So, excited to learn who is the new Javi Hernandez? Please welcome Jacob Martinez to the role and be on the lookout for his debut on June 30. Comment below.
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This week starts with heartbreaking news. Patrick Muldoon, best known for his roles as the original Austin Reed on Days of Our Lives and later as Richard Hart on Melrose Place, died on Sunday, April 19, at the age of 57. Reports indicate his death was sudden following a heart attack.
Muldoon’s sister, Shana Muldoon-Zappa, told TMZ on Monday more details on her brother’s death, “Patrick went to take a shower Sunday morning after drinking coffee with his girlfriend in their Beverly Hills home. His girlfriend decided to check on him after he was taking too long and found him unconscious on the bathroom floor?” Shana added that paramedics rushed over and tried to revive Patrick, but there was nothing anyone could do.
Soap fans first saw Muldoon as Kate’s (Lauren Koslow) son on DAYS back in 1992, where he quickly became a fan favorite during the on-screen love story between Austin and Carrie Brady (Christie Clarke). Patrick left the series in 1995. He later made comeback for appearances in 2011 and 2012.
Photo: JPI
On Melrose Place, he played bad buy Richard Hart from 1995-1996. Patrick launched his acting career while in college landing the role of Matt in the 1990 sitcom Who’s The Boss? alongside the likes of Judith Light (ex-Karen, OLTL) and Tony Danza. Following his graduation, Patrick nabbed a recurring role as Jeffrey Hunter in Saved By The Bell by 1991.
Throughout his decades long career, Muldoon also starred in several motion and TV series including his leading roile in Starship Troopers (1997). He also had parts in Deadlock (2021), Vanquish (2021), Dakota (2022), Marlowe (2022), and Murder At Hollow Creek (2023).
Photo: JPI
Not only was Patrick an actors, but a producer and a musician and singer. He often made appearances and put out music with his band, The Sleeping Masses. Muldoon was the band’s lead singer and guitar player. Patrick was also a producer of TV and film projects.
At the time of his death, Patrick was also an executive producer on a the movie “Kockroach,” which is currently in production.
Taking to his Instagram, just a few days before his death, Muldoon expressed,“So excited to be a part of this amazing project KOCKROACH directed by Matt Ross starring Chris Hemsworth, Taron Edgerton, Zazzie Beetz And Alec Baldwin. Filming now in Australia,” he captioned his post.
Sadly, on April 24, Muldoon can be seen in his 2025 film Dirty Hands also festuring Denise Richards (ex-B&B, RHOBH), which will be released on digital streaming platforms on VOD.
Muldoon is survived by his partner, Miriam Rothbart; parents, Deanna and Patrick Muldoon Sr.; his sister and brother-in-law, Shana and Ahmet Zappa; and their children, Muldoon’s beloved niece Halo and nephew Arrow Zappa.
Share your remembrances and condolences on the loss of Patrick Muldoon via the comment section, which is followed below by the trailer Dirty Hands due out later this week on digital platforms.
All My Children and Hallmark alum, Jonathan Bennett has been cast in the newly-created role on General Hospital as Joe Fitzpatrick.
Look for Bennett to make his debut on the ABC soap opera next month in May. Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans for his work as JR Chandler on All My Children from 2000-2001. Later, he landed the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout role.
Jonathan would go on to star in seven Hallmark Channel movies and then hosting and producing the network’s reality competition show Finding Mr. Christmas, Bennett has also appeared as a contestant on Season 19 of Dancing with the Stars, plus Celebrity Big Brother in 2019, and he starred on Broadway in Spamalot.
Courtesy/ABC
Frank Valentini, the executive producer of General Hospital shared to Deadline who first reported the casting news, “We’re so excited to have Jonathan joining our cast. He’s a tremendous talent and will be a fantastic addition to ‘GH.’
After the news broke, Bennett took to his Instagram and shared, “There’s a new guy in town…” Meanwhile, the official General Hospital account shared a pic and expressed, “He’s already tired of us telling him his hair looks sexy pushed back. Welcome to the family, Jonathan Bennett.
Bennett is married to Jaymes Vaughan. Back in 2022, they became the first gay couple to appear on the cover of the wedding magazine, The Knot.
So, what do you think of the casting of Jonathan as Joe Fitzpatrick? Is he the new man for Lucas? Share your thoughts via the comment section.
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