February 23, 2005

I have been working on this column now for about three weeks.  I knew what I wanted to say, but was unsure as to how to say it.  I am not chicken, but I will admit I don’t like getting nasty grams via email, from disgruntled readers.  This is somewhat a sensitive subject, and I wanted to really think this out before I put in on paper.  

I am having trouble with this whole AJ thing.    

First let me start by saying I have no problem with Billy W. He does an excellent job with what the writers give him.  I loved him on Days of Our Lives, and shudder the thought, but I even watched him on……(whisper behind a hand) Baywatch..  I have never really liked him as AJ.  More importantly, I do not like him as the AJ  the writers have written since Jason’s accident.  I loved Sean K. as AJ, even in his most self destructive, crazy, devious ways.  You still felt bad for AJ (when Sean played him) at the end of the day.  You felt he had been wronged by Alan and Monica, Edward was an old bastard to him, Jason was always the golden boy.  You knew he was never going to achieve the greatness he could, or that he deserved because he was the unlucky, redheaded step child of the Quartermaine clan.  In fact, they didn’t just stop with his family; they made him unlucky in every aspect of his life.  Nothing ever went his way.   That being said, lets get to the crux: Michael. 

My memory is not what it used to be or it should be, so I may mention things slightly out of order, but to my recollection they all did in fact occur and help me illustrate my point.   Carly came to town hell bent on making Bobbie’s life miserable.   She was a bitch from hell when she first came on the show, and it took me a long time to like her.  In fact I did not like her until the show where Bobbie came to the penthouse and persuaded Carly to go find Jason and Michael, and hold her baby for, I believe, the first time.  Let’s make a list of Carly’s history: 

• Helped break up Bobbi & Tony’s marriage

• Moved in with Tony

• Got drunk and slept with AJ, who happened to live across the hall (and I get fuzzy on that whole "drug AJ make him think he had a relapse from sobriety" thing)

• Found out she was pregnant

• Lied to Tony about the baby being his

• Tony threatened to get full custody

• She went to Jason for help

• He LIED about being the baby's father

• AJ WAS LIED TO FOR A YEAR

• She skipped town with severe PPD

• She came back and professed all to Bobbie

• She tried to scam Jason away from Robin

• Robin finally told AJ the truth

• Carly totally screwed Jason over, by going to the Quartermaines for “help”

• Michael was ripped away from Jason, thus breaking his heart... he left town

• She slept with Sonny in anger…became pregnant

• Sonny vowed to rescue her and Michael (from what???) 

• Sonny took Carly  & Michael from the Quartermaine mansion

• Carly lost her baby

• AJ didn’t really push her down the stairs, but was more of an unwilling accessory

• Sonny hangs AJ on MEATHOOKS?? In a freezer until he signs over Legal rights/Parental Rights to Michael

Are any of these things Carly (and others on her behalf) did, any worse than AJ’s action prior to the kidnapping? 

Now lets look at AJ 

• He has always been the underdog

• He never catches a break

• He fathers a child and does not know it until that child is a year old

• His own brother knew the truth and did not tell him

• He loses custody

• His family does not support his efforts to be with his son, instead they back his brother

Now I am not saying AJ is a jewel or completely innocent, but we all watched how Sonny went after Alexis when she did exactly what Carly and Jason had done to AJ.  We also saw him hang AJ on those meat hooks.  We all know Sonny would never be separated from his children.  So why is it ok for him to do what he did to AJ?  AJ loved Michael, and I never really saw him do anything negative or bad to Michael.  It was always implied but AJ was never really given a chance.   I do not agree with the kidnapping.  It caused serious emotional damage to Michael.  But let me ask you this… Aren’t we all capable of doing something “crazy” when it comes to our kids?  I know I would move heaven and earth to see my kids.  I would fight tooth and nail, if I were involved in a custody battle.  I am not saying that there are not unfit parents out there.  Trust me my friend works for DEFACS and there are too many.  Are we really to believe that a child is better off with a mom (and lets face it, Carly has her moments of craziness) and her Mob Boss Husband?  AJ never harmed Michael (prior to the Kidnapping), and he would not have kidnapped him had his son not been taken away.   Are we really supposed to be so in love with Sonny, that we find 100% fault in what AJ did?   

Just my opinion. 

None of this pertains to AJ shooting Alan in the back, or anything else that happened once he came back to PC… 

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