Leslie Charleson, ‘General Hospital’ icon, dies at 79
Leslie Charleson, the iconic actress known for her long-running portrayal of Monica Quartermaine on ABC’s General Hospital, has passed away at the age of 79.
Her death on January 12 marks the end of a remarkable era for fans and the entertainment world.
Fans of General Hospital, along with her family and colleagues, are now mourning the loss of the beautiful and talented Leslie Charleson, who passed away Sunday morning.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson,” “General Hospital” executive producer Frank Valentini announced on the official Instagram account of General Hospital.
“Her enduring legacy has spanned nearly 50 years on ‘General Hospital’ alone and, just as Monica was the heart of the Quartermaines, Leslie was a beloved matriarch of the entire cast and crew. I will miss our daily chats, her quick wit and incredible presence on set. On behalf of everyone at ‘General Hospital,’ my heartfelt sympathy goes out to her loved ones during this difficult time.”The awkward advice
Leslie Charleson, who joined General Hospital in 1977, had been dealing with mobility issues from multiple falls.
The cause of Leslie Charleson’s death has not yet been disclosed, but her most recent fall led to hospitalization just a week before her passing.
Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage
Despite her challenges, the hardworking and wonderful actress stayed strong but hadn’t appeared on the show since December 2023.
Leslie Charleson, born February 22, 1945, in Kansas City, Missouri, grew up in a comfortable environment as the daughter of a publishing executive. Her neighbor, the president of ABC, helped make breaking into the industry a little easier. At just 19, she started her career in 1964 on the short-lived ABC daytime soap A Flame in the Wind. Soon after, she landed a role on As the World Turns, where her talent began to shine.
In 1993, she recalled advice given to her by soap veteran Roy Poole, who told her, “Don’t think of the 9 million people who are watching. And don’t worry about your hands.” Leslie chuckled about this, explaining, “All of a sudden, hands became something I had never seen before. I didn’t know what to do with them.”
But this trick helped her settle into her roles and, eventually, her hands were no longer a concern.
Breast cancer story
Charleson’s career continued to flourish. Since joining General Hospital in 1977, Charleson’s portrayal of Dr. Monica Quartermaine saw her character face incredible challenges — she gave up a child for adoption, was held hostage, and even battled breast cancer. Monica truly experienced it all, nut perhaps it was Monica’s breast cancer storyline from 1994 to 2000 that made the strongest impact.
”We had all women — women writers, a woman producer — and they had all been affected by breast cancer, including me. My mother had it,” Charleson said while being interviewed by costar Maurice Benard in a 2022.
”I went to Wellness Hospitals, just to see what it was like, because we wanted to be honest. So much of the soap had been fantasy time, but this we took special effort and concentrated effort to make sure it was done properly.”
Earned four Daytime Emmy nominations
As the the respected matriarch of the renowned Quartermaine family, Leslie earned four Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1980, 1982, 1983, and 1995. She also starred in the 1993 TV movie Woman on the Ledge, alongside Deidre Hall and Colleen Zenk.
Reflecting on her time on General Hospital, she recalled, “That was just an incredible time for ‘General Hospital.’ There was the magic of [producer] Gloria Monty. There was such a sense of excitement.”
Leslie’s career was defined by her dedication, passion, and ability to adapt, earning her a place as a soap opera legend. Best known for her iconic role on General Hospital, Leslie’s talent also shone in its spinoffs, including Port Charles (1997–2001) and General Hospital: Night Shift (2008).
In a 2019 interview with Digital Journal, Charleson shared her thoughts on what has contributed to her long career, saying, ”Interest in the material is what keeps you around and relationships.” She also pointed out a unique aspect of her experience, stating, ”I am the only actor on the show that doesn’t have another soap opera to talk about since I have never done another soap opera, while almost everybody else has.”
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My prayers and condolences goes out to Leslie Charleson family and the cast of General Hospital. May she rest in peace!
A mother sells her late son’s crib, and a week later, the buyer comes back and tells her, “Check the trunk.”
Valarie Watts was devastated when her baby, Noah, was stillborn in July. While grieving, she decided to sell most of the baby items she had bought.
However, she couldn’t bring herself to sell the white crib, so she left it out of her garage sale. But when 75-year-old Gerald Kumpula, a retired craftsman, saw it, he asked to buy it.
At first, 28-year-old Valarie hesitated, but she eventually agreed after learning that Gerald made benches from old headboards and footboards.
Watts felt a little better knowing the crib would be turned into something nice, so she sold it for $2.
While talking to Gerald’s wife, Lorene, Watts shared her heartbreaking story after Lorene noticed baby clothes at the sale and asked how old her son was.
On the way home, Lorene told Gerald about Watts’ loss. The Kumpulas, who have 15 children and many grandchildren, felt the crib should stay with Watts. A week later, they surprised her with a bench made from the crib.
Watts told TODAY.com, “It’s beautiful. It reminded me that kind people still exist.” She placed the bench in her living room to remember Noah.
“I’m so happy it’s being used and not just sitting somewhere,” Watts said. “Now I can sit on it, hold his bear, and think about him when I need to.”
In the final days of her full-term pregnancy, Watts noticed less movement from Noah. On July 22, she had a C-section, just hours after she and her fiancé, Jimi Hamblin, were told there was no heartbeat. Doctors explained that the umbilical cord had been compressed, cutting off Noah’s oxygen.
The Kumpulas deeply understood Watts’ grief, as their first granddaughter was also stillborn.
“An unused crib is a painful reminder,” Gerald said. “But a bench feels more like a memorial. It still holds the memory, but it’s not as heartbreaking as seeing an empty crib.”
Watts wanted to pay him, but Gerald refused.
“It just feels good to do something kind for someone,” he said. “Helping others is what matters.”
Watts has a 7-year-old daughter, Nevaeh, and is set to marry Hamblin this fall. She says the bench, placed near a bookcase holding Noah’s photos, handprints, footprints, and ashes, is helping her heal.
“When I sit on it, I feel comforted, like he’s still with me in a way,” said Watts, who works as a babysitter. “It gives me a sense of peace. When I’m feeling down, I sit on the bench, and it reminds me that everything will be okay.”
Serena Williams addresses crip walk cameo at Super Bowl
Serena Williams at the Super Bowl. Credit / Getty Images
Serena Williams knows how to make an entrance – and this time, she did it with just a few slick steps. During Kendrick Lamar’s highly anticipated 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, the 43-year-old tennis icon had a brief cameo where she effortlessly hit the crip walk, sending the internet into a frenzy. And now, Williams is speaking out on her wild dance moves.
For a split second, the sports world and hip-hop culture collided in the most unexpected way. As Kendrick Lamar brought the house down with his fiery performance of “Not Like Us” at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, the camera briefly panned to the corner of the stage.
There stood Serena Williams – tennis legend, 23-time Grand Slam champion, and cultural icon – crip walking with the kind of effortless cool that only she could pull off.
The dance was created in the 1970s by Robert “Sugar Bear” Jackson, a first-generation crip member – an alliance of street gangs mostly based in the coastal regions of Southern California.
But this wasn’t the first time Williams showcased her dance skills.
Wimbledon crip walk
Fans might remember Williams crip walking at the 2012 London Olympics after winning gold, a move that was met with both celebration and controversy.
When it happened, Bill Plaschke, LA Times sports journalist, tweeted, “Serena C-walking at Wimbledon only shows how long she’s been away from home, separated from violence and death associated with that dance.”
Fans were divided on Williams doing the crip walk dance to celebrate her win, some saying it wasn’t “disrespectful,” while others suggested it was “stupid and classless.”
Responding to Plaschke’s criticism, one fan writes, “The Suburb kids here in Pittsburgh crip walk at proms. Not everything is Controversy.”
A second shares, “Moment of raw emotion. Questionable dance choice. Not disrespectful. We should embrace realness from athletes.” And another offered, “Shame she had to put a tarnish on an impressive win. just plain stupid and classless.”
By the time Lamar took the halftime stage at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, anticipation was at an all-time high. The song’s beat dropped, the stadium erupted, and then – just as the track hit one of its most infectious moments – the camera found Williams, effortlessly vibing to the Grammy-winning song, “Not Like Us” – Lamar’s diss track aimed at Drake.
Williams reportedly dated the Canadian rapper before she married Alexis Ohanian, and by bringing her on stage, Lamar took his ongoing feud with Drake to a whole new level.
If there was any doubt about where Serena stood in the Drake vs. Kendrick feud, it was erased in that single dance move.
And though it was a brief, blink-and-you-miss-it moment, the tennis legend and Lamar – both who grew up in Compton, California – sent social media into a frenzy.
“This game sucks. Serena won the Super Bowl,” tweets one fan of the February 9 game, that saw the Kansas City Chiefs crushed by the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Serena making an appearance too? That’s a power move. Kendrick repping Compton, Serena bringing the legend status – definitely a moment,” offers a second netizen.
Another writes, “Fierce!! My only complaint…the camera needed to be on Serena longer!!!”
Legendary crip walk
After the Eagles clinched the 2025 title, Williams shared a social media clip that she captioned, “Super Bowl halftime show babyyyyyyyyy.”
In the clip that’s been viewed 2.7 million times, she jokes, “Man I did not crip walk like that at Wimbledon, I would’ve been fined.”
Fans jumped into the comments section, praising her surprising cameo at the Super Bowl.
“Serena Williams! The converse, the outfit, the dance moves, the feature in Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not like us’ Super Bowl halftime show, winning on and off the tennis court,” shares one netizen.
A second writes, “Kendrick bringing one of Drake’s exes out to literally dance on his grave was so good.”
“The Legend herself. You represented,” shares a third.
Serena Williams didn’t need a touchdown or a microphone to steal the show. All it took was five seconds, a legendary dance move, and the right song at the right time.
And just like that, Serena Williams won the Super Bowl.
What do you think of Williams’ crip walk at the Super Bowl? Please share your thoughts with us and then share this story so we can hear from others!
Elon Musk’s brutal four-word response to Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift had a rough Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Not only did her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, leave the game empty-handed — but the pop icon herself was also met with boos when she appeared on the big screens.
Taylor Swift’s reaction
With a fan base in the tens of millions and a reputation free from scandal, Taylor Swift has been one of the world’s most famous women in recent years. Yet, even she isn’t immune to being met with a chorus of boos.
During last night’s Super Bowl LIX, featuring the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, the superstar songstress seemed to be minding her own business when she became a target for the crowd. Swift – at Caesars Superdome, New Orleans to support boyfriend Travis Kelce of the Chiefs – looked to mouth “What is going on?” to friend and fellow artist Ice Spice.
Taylor Swift was born in West Reading, Pennsylvania, and a few years ago, she was spotted wearing a Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt while strolling through New York City. However, she naturally shifted allegiance to the Kansas City Chiefs when she started dating superstar Travis Kelce.
The pro-Eagles crowd in New Orleans didn’t seem to have forgotten Swift’s past support for the Eagles before switching to the Chiefs. When the superstar singer appeared on the big screen, fans greeted her with loud boos.
Trump couldn’t resist
One person who couldn’t resist commenting on Taylor Swift’s chilly reception was Donald Trump, who was also at the game as the first sitting president in history to attend. Taking to his Truth Social platform, he couldn’t resist commenting on the situation, suggesting that his loyal MAGA supporters were less than kind.
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“The only one who had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!” Trump wrote.
In contrast, Trump was met with an overwhelming reception, as fans appeared thrilled to see the U.S. President attend a Super Bowl for the first time.
The popular yet controversial account End Wokeness highlighted the stark contrast between the reactions to Taylor Swift and Donald Trump at the Super Bowl.
In a tweet, they wrote: ”Taylor Swift got mercilessly booed. Trump got a hero’s welcome. Total culture shift.”
Elon’s brutal four-word response
The comment sparked a response from one of Donald Trump’s closest allies, billionaire Elon Musk, who also joined in on mocking Taylor Swift. Elon Musk couldn’t resist chiming in, replying with a simple yet impactful: ”Vibe shift is real.”
This wasn’t the first time Tesla founder Elon Musk has taken aim at the pop icon. When Taylor Swift finally made a political endorsement, supporting Kamala Harris, Musk shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Fine Taylor…you win… I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life,” in what appeared to be a jab at Swift, who had signed off her endorsement with “childless cat lady.