Maurice Benard celebrated 25 years as General Hospital’s Sonny Corinthos last month, and in honor of such a soap milestone, he’s hoping to take a one-man (plus guests) show on the road to entertain fans and reflect on the last quarter of a century.
The first stop was The Irvine Improv, known for their outstanding comedy acts, from the early days of Garry Shandling, to Bill Maher, to Jerry Seinfeld. You come to expect the best of the best when you attend one of their shows.
So I had no idea what to expect from an afternoon with Benard, as Sonny is a character not exactly known for his raucous sense of humor.
But he didn’t disappoint. He regaled us with anecdotes of his fellow castmates, shared a few jokes, brought his father up on stage to give us a glimpse of his childhood, briefly mentioned his struggles with bipolar disorder, and covered the gamut of his career.
From his role as Desi Arnaz in Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter, to his 25-year stint on GH, through his latest venture – the soon-to-be-released Lifetime movie, Gotti, he told stories with humor, wit, and a bit of poignancy.
Benard took great delight in poking fun at castmate, Steve Burton (Jason Morgan), particularly when it came to his hair. Rather than say his name, he encouraged the audience to shout out “Steve” every time he placed his hand on his forehead with splayed fingers to resemble a coxcomb.
He joked about the three very different women who have played Carly over the years and gave his opinions on each, to the delight of the crowd.
And he kept …continue reading on the next page —>
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