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Ron Carlivati Interview – General Hospital – Paley Center For Media

By Michael Fairman

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General Hospital head writer, Ron Carlivati spoke with Michael Fairman at the Paley Center For Media in Beverly Hills GH 50th celebration about crafting the shows 50th anniversary episode, bringing back all-time favorites and The Nurses’ Ball. In addition, Carlivati gives a tease and some insight into the complex returns of Michael Easton, Kristen Alderson and Roger Howarth. Plus, the story behind resurrecting Stavros Cassadine, and ushering in the new Lulu!

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awesome interview michael!

i agree!

I am totally in love with Gh and cannot wait until he next episode everyday.This show is on fire.

Same thoughts here!

Sorry. His “moment” was a joke to me. And the “Big 3”? Seriously? Guess I don’t share Mr. Fairman’s admiration for this writing team.

I agree, why are they the Big 3?? Who cares if they are there or not/

Big 3? Apparently he means the Big 3 who are gonna hog up all the airtime from the GH actors when they get back? FV/RC fought tooth and nail to get back ME, RH and KA but they didn’t bother to fight to keep Burton. The pets are back.

Big 3 as in the ones Prospect Park is citing in suing GH and ABC for damages, I guess.

Wow. Meow. You may not like them, but a lot of people do. If they weren’t popular, there wouldn’t have been a brouhaha about them or the characters roiling and boiling for the past three months.

The denial, it burns…

Popular? You don’t know that. You know that for a fact? There was a big brouhaha because they are FV’s pets and he likes writing for them, not the GH actors. HA Steve Burton was way more popular than these three clowns so why wasn’t there a fight to keep him? They wanted him out that’s why.

They r suing for the charaters they played…not exactly for the actors! And if pp wants any of these actors…they could keep the characters off the canvas until the actors are avaiable…thats if they want to return to OLTL.

Loved the interview… thank you Michael!!! Loving Ron’s loyalty to GH and that he is a true fan! He sounds like he is having fun!!! He’s doing a great job! Thanks Ron!!!

The big 3? As if those transplants the starts of the show. Disgusted to hear anybody refer to them as the big 3!

Sorry you feel that way…..is it that time of the month? Maybe you should watch something else.

Nasty.

Sorry you’re such a b! tch! I guess I can’t have an opinion of my own with out you making a time of the month comment. I watch for the big 15, You know the actual GH stars, same as 90% of the audience and I’ll continue to enjoy them just fine despite the little 3.

Pay no attention to negative replies like Judys…i may not agree with your reply but i wouldnt include a tasteless remark just because you dislike something and i disagree unless they say it first…

You can’t make everyone happy. *rolls eyes*

Kudos to RC and FV for doing a fantastic job.

If Mr. Fairman were ever to interview Mr. Valentini, could he inquire as to whether there is ever manipulation of posts and likes on Facebook? There have been anecdotal reports of deleting posts and buying likes to support storylines. I wonder if Mr. Valentini has any comment on this.

Yes!! My post about Sabrina have been deleted on facebook. I totally believe they manipulate facebook posts in favor of storylines or characters (sabrina) they like. Also some of the post on facebook about Sabrina, when you click on some of the ppl making these post, their fb page has no information and was just made.

thanks Michael for the interview. the 50th Anniversary episode was the best! I love love GH now. Don’t want to miss even one day

Kelly Monaco fans are not happy. Her airtime has been almost zero on this show since Steve left. I will not count that ridiculous vampire crap. So it looks like Sam is stuck taking care of Rafe to introduce the Rafe/Clay storyline in May with Sam being used as a prop. According to FV/RC, Kelly is okay to be used promoting GH, but not good enough for airtime.

Yep, that’s it exactly. She’s never, ever, ever going to have a storyline again, and will henceforth be used only when the morning shows need a spokesperson.

Give me a break. The writer are rotating storylines so that everyone gets an opportunity to be in the spotlight with their own front-burner story. Right now, Kelly is backburnered, and she will rotate back around again later.

That’s the beauty of soap/anthology storytelling. Everyone gets a chance to shine, and different stories get to be told.

good reply

Agree with most of what you said in your two posts Pen. Glad to hear you think ME will not be a recast for Jason Morgan… there’s been a lot of references to Jason and hopefully it is because he’s a missed character… he and SB! Yes… I am an SB fan and proud of it! I will still keep hoping someday he comes back as Jason Quartermaine… lots of great stuff that could be done with that.

I agree with the back burner / front burner of storylines and characters and that is part of it but setting the table so to speak for new story lines sometimes means stepping back and layering in different complexities and that is what is going on here! Kelly will be back in the midst of a lot of story very soon!

I personally don’t miss Jason or SB, but that’s my personal view; I understand others do miss him. But I don’t think they plan to bring him back anytime soon.

I also think the reasons he’s being referenced now is to allow Sam a final mourning and goodbye, as it were, before she moves on (with, I again devoutly hope, ME’s character, if the story works).

Give me a break…..Everyone DOES NOT get a chance to shine. What happened with Reeves and Barash? Where was their chance? I’m sure their fans were happy that they got squeezed right out of GH. This Clay/Rafe story coming will be about Clay and Rafe not Sam. Easton is one of FV’s pets and apparently FV will try anything to get his pets (ME, KA, RH) back but didn’t bother to keep SB from leaving. The mob is gone but yet Maurice is already whining he wants to see more mob stuff. Hes gonna wait along time for that. Sam involved in TWO stories? Rafe and dad stuff? That’s not fair to the other actors,is it? HA I’ll have to see to believe there will be a Sam’s dad storyline. With ME, KA and RH coming back I don’t see it.

I disagree Betty… the fact that she is taking Rafe is all a part of a new storyline with ME coming back. I am so hoping he is not being recast as Jason Morgan… but someone else that will be involved with Sam and Danny and Rafe. The whole notion that they explored with Steven Clay being Rafe’s real bio father is going to be played out further by ME either as a relation of Steven Clay, or Steven Clay or someone who just looks like Rafe could be his father. She will have a big story very soon!

There’s also the storyline involving the reveal of her father’s identity, as well as the story with ME.

I’ll say right now — he’s not going to play Jason Morgan. For one thing, neither he nor the writers are insane enough to even attempt such a boneheaded move. It would be ridiculous, terrible storytelling. Not to mention, what actor would want to step into a character so closely identified with a certain actor? Not Easton. He had the chance to do that once and (wisely) turned it down. He’s too good an actor for that, and besides, what would then happen if Burton returned (which is unlikely)? They’d have to go through all the character bullcrap all over again.

Anyway, back to Sam: yes, the guardianship of Rafe is setup for at least one frontburner storyline for her that I devoutly hope involves Easton’s character closely. Her paternity will be another.

Frankly Im ticked off and not amused. I do NOT see Michael Easton as all that important nor bringing KA back.

The producer failed however to bring back the most interesting of Cassadines Stefan. Obviously he is catering to his OLTL crew and stomped on the hearts and minds of those who followed this program. Stefan unlike the frozen popsicle is not a cartoon but interesting with good bad and shades of grey. Shame on this producer for ignoring some genuine talent and characters of interest. Nothing was hotter than watching Stefan and Helena intertwine and the story of Helena’s maltreatment of her son was never explored and should be.

Until this is corrected, Im not amused.

What if Micheal Easton came back as Stefan? I doubt he will…but i was wondering ‘what if?’ he did? KA is most likely to play a character with better connections to the show like Scott Baldwins daughter Serena. I think FV and RC liked working with these actors on OLTL and wanted to continue working with them on GH. Id feel the same with people iv liked and would want to work with them again!

I’m sure the production is falling over themselves to accommodate your directive.

FYI, Robert Kelker-Kelly agreed to come back for this short stint only — he’s retired and flies planes now. Perhaps at some later juncture he might change his mind and be available if a Stavros story arc happens, but until and if it does, I think it’s really cool that he was there for the time he was.

At any rate, it’s a story that isn’t going to be told for the moment, and there are plenty of other stories to unfurl. It’s too bad you’ll be unamused, but then…you can’t please everyone, can you?

I have an idea, why not backburn Laura Wright and Maurice for a few months. Right? It’s only fair to give other actors their fair chance. Let’s rotate those storylines. HA, yea, right.

Just watched the 50th anniversary episode again and it truly was perfect!!! Thank you so much RON!!! Thank you so much GH… 50 years looks great and I hope there will be 50 more!!! So well done!!! Emmy worthy for sure!!! Thank you again Michael for having ths episode here for us to come back to again and again!!! Loved it!!!

How come Lulu has amnesia and cant remember her family, doctor, friends and the baby but can remember everything else? She knows she can go to a bar…so does she remember her age? She remembers how to talk, go to the bathroom, put on makeup, brush her hair ect? Dante shouldnt be so desperate! He should be grateful Lulus alive and show some compassion knowing Lulu has amnesia and stop trying to rush her…her memory will not return that quickly…at least not in the soap world!

No where else to say this… but…WELL DONE!!!… RC and other writers on the handling of the Luke and Laura relationship scenes on Tuesday’s show!!! While I am a HUGE Luke and Laura fan… it was really well done!!! Handled beautiflly with so much love and care of two iconic and favorite chracters!!! Now at least Luke can be with Tracy!!! I just wish it weren’t Scottie for Laura… maybe she will wise up someday or maybe somewhere down the way Luke and Laura will fit back together again… we can hope! Again beautifully handled in every way!!! Congratulations RC and company!!!

I love Frank and Ron! They are great, and am a big One Life fan. I heard One Life was nominated for best show for the episode that aired Jan 12, 2012, and if I am not mistaken, current One Life EP, Jenifer Pepperman directed that episode, how come no one mentioned that?

General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny Tells Dante, “I Don’t Want a Son Like You,” While Michael Tells Brook Lynn to Bide Her Time Till Chase and Willow Have an Affair

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Sonny, Dante, Michael, Brook Lynn General Hospital

On the Thursday, October 1 episode of General Hospital, both Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) had some things to say and what they had to say didn’t go over well with whom they were talking to!

Sonny had a confrontation with his son, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna), while Michael leveled with Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) over Chase (Josh Swickard).

GH is setting up a scenario where everyone is going to make it look like Sonny was responsible for having Sidwell (Carlo Rota) beat up in Pentonville; while viewers already know Ava (Maura West) and Drew (Cameron Mathison) were behind it.

Sonny and Dante

Courtesy/ABC

A VISIT WITH DAD

Now, Dante comes to Sonny’s house. He wants to know straight up from his dad if he ordered the attack at Pentonville. Sonny flatly denies any culpability or responsibility, but Dante refuses to believe him.

Dante informs Sonny he has video footage of Sully and Vito at the prison. Sonny explains to Dante he doesn’t know why Sully beat up both Curtis and Dante. Things escalated when Sonny was deeply hurt that Dante refused to believe him. Dante says he was disappointed that his father didn’t respect him enough to be truthful with him!

Sonny asks Dante to consider that he was being set up. He says all he did was to tell Vito to instruct Sully to keep a watchful eye on Sidwell, not to harm him. No matter what Sonny said, Dante continued hammering him with how he knew deep down, even though he said he left the mob, he had to finish off Sidwell for himself.

Next, Sonny explains everything he has ever done was to provide for and to protect his family. Dante fired back that he doesn’t want to deal anymore with Sonny’s half-baked truths. As the two men argue, Gio (Giovanni Mazza) shows up at Sonny’s front door and overhears Sonny losing his temper and shouting at Dante, “Get out of my house! I don’t want a son like you!”  The scenes featured an excellent performance by Maurice Benard.

Michael and Brook Lynn

Courtesy/ABC

MICHAEL THE MANIPULATOR

While this is going down, outside the Quartermaine boathouse, Brook Lynn opens up to Michael about living at the Q’s with Chase being there, since he only came back due to legal advice from his lawyer, Monet Mitchell (Blythe Howard).

Brook Lynn questioned whether they should get legally separate. Michael insisted that would be a big mistake. When she asks why, Michael tells Brook Lynn to bide her time until Chase and Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) have an affair; then she’d have full custody of Phoebe.

An angered Brook Lynn pushed Michael into the water and accuses him of moving Willow back into the gatehouse with intent on putting Chase and Willow in closer proximity and sacrificing Brook Lynn’s family in the process.  As the two cousins bicker, Chase shows up asking Brook Lynn if she is OK. Michael punctuates their talk with “You know, I’m right.”

CURTIS FIGURES OUT A WAY TO GET OUT OF THE SLAMMER

At GH, Willow visits Curtis (Donnell Turner) in his hospital room. Curtis wants Willow to get him pardoned and keep him out of jail, and in return, he will help her nail Sonny.

Next, Willow tells Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) she wants Curtis held for observation for three more days. He agrees to do so under one condition, that she understands that he may need to call in a favor from a congresswoman.

So, what did you think of how Dante accused his father and refused to believe Sonny’s answers? Is this the end of their father and son relationship for good? Is Michael the most manipulative person of all, except for Willow? Do the two deserve each other? Do you want Chase and Willow to have an affair? And what of Curtis? Does he have many redeeming qualities left? Share your thoughts via the comment section,  but first check out the talk Michael had with Brook Lynn.

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General Hospital

GH Alum Tajh Bellow and Y&R Alum Loren Lott Star in New Tiktok and Microdrama ‘Love Island’ Spoof

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Tajh Bellow and Loren Lott

Two soap opera alums very familiar to fans of General Hospital and The Young and the Restless are paired together in a new short-form digital series from none other than Issa Rae’s production entity HOORAE Digital.

Look for Tajh Bellow (ex-TJ Ashford, GH)) and Loren Lott (ex-Ana Hamilton, Y&R) as part of the cast of  The Compatibility Experiment, premiering on October 14, 2026, exclusively on TikTok and its companion microdrama platform, PineDrama.

In the video teaser, it appears that Bellow and Lott play a couple, Kelvin and Camila, set in a Love Island reality show-esque environment trying to win the one million dollar cash prize, only what could go wrong?

The Compatibility Experiment

Photo: HOORAE

The Compatibility Experiment loglines share that it brings a fast-paced, relationship-focused reality check—much like Love Island with a twist. The show takes a participant’s current relationship, introduces them to a potentially more compatible partner, and forces them to navigate the differences with life-changing money on the line.

The new series is part of a groundbreaking content deal between HOORAE Digital and TikTok to develop premium short-form storytelling. The ensemble cast also features; Ayona, Reggie Luck, JaNa Craig, Tosin Morohunfola, Jessica Jacoby, Georgia Warner, and Nick Cassidy.

General Hospital fans know Tajh Bellow for his performances as TJ Ashford, and who earned two Daytime Emmy nominations along the way during his run. Bellow took over the role in 2018 and last appeared on the ABC daytime drama series in December of 2024.

Loren Lott first appeared as Devon’s (Bryton James) sister Ana Hamilton on The Young and the Restless from 2018 to 2019; making a brief return in 2024. She has continued to perform on the stage and screen with recent credits including: Bel-Air, Cherish the Day, and All American: Homecoming.

Check out the trailer for The Compatibility Experiment below and let us know what you think of its concept and if you are glad to see Tajh and Loren again? Hoping they might return to daytime in their GH and Y&R roles at some point in the future? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ava and Drew Revealed to be Behind Framing Sonny for Sidwell’s Prison Beatdown

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Drew and Ava

If you thought that the person responsible for the Pentonville brawl that saw Sidwell (Carlo Rota) and Curtis (Donnell Turner) taken to General Hospital was Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) or even Sidwell himself, you were dead wrong! On the Wednesday, September 30 episode of GH, it turned out that the culprits were actually Ava (Maura West) and Drew (Cameron Mathison).

In story, Drew apparently bankrolled the attack on Sidwell and framing Sonny. He told Ava their planned worked (she came up with it!) but was horrified when Drew informed her that Curtis got caught in the crosshairs. Ava is visibly upset because of her longtime friendship with Curtis’ daughter, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali). Drew tried to make Ava see the bright side. Curtis was witness to it and his presence will cast doubt on Sonny’s claims to that he had gotten out of the mob and gone legit.

Later, Vito shows up at Drew’s. They informed him that his guy on the inside of the slammer made a big mistake by hurting their friend and ordered him to leave town.

Maura West

Courtesy/ABC

BOATHOUSE BRAWL

In other major developments, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) and Rocco (Finn Carr) have a blow out fight as Danny blames his “brother” for the reason Charlotte was sent off to boarding school.

Rocco told off Danny for Charlotte’s (Bluesy Burke) reckless behavior and he explains he had to protect his sister. He went in on Danny saying that his mother Lulu (Alexa Havins) has been right to send Charlotte to boarding school and far away from Danny.

However, Rocco went a bit too far when he shouted, “And if your mom was alive, she would send you away too!” Next, Danny punched out Rocco, leading to a terrible brawl. An angered Danny yells at Rocco to, “Stay away from me and everyone in my family. And don’t you ever mention my mom again!” Danny storms off.

Rocco

Courtesy/ABC

Now alone outside the boathouse, Rocco flashes back to his first kiss with Scout (Kayden Brenna Tokarksi), hoping that his fight with Danny will not escalate and ruin their budding romance. Meanwhile, a bloodied-mouth Danny heads over to Sonny’s and Jason (Steve Burton) is there at the same time. He then admits that he has a bad fight with Rocco and they are both beaten up.

WILL SCOUT WISE UP?

At the end of the episode, Scout, who had a fight with Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) over Drew, and who keeps telling everyone how good a man her dad truly is, comes upon a suspicious scene.

Scout hides behind the wall outside Drew’s. She sees her dad, Ava and Vito talking. Next, Scout seems to overhear Vito assuring Drew and Ava that their business dealings are done, and he’ll be leaving Port Charles for good.

So, what did you think of the reveal that Ava and Drew were behind framing Sonny for the prison beatdown of Sidwell (and Curtis)? Do you think Danny and Rocco’s relationship can be repaired, or do you think the teenagers will continue to be at each other’s throats? Finally, do you hope Scout gets a clue and stops thinking her dad walks on air? Weigh-in via the comment section, but first check out how Ava and Drew conspired below.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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