Walking Papers Over Cement Shoes? General Hospital’s Maurice Benard Defends Sonny Exiling Gladys!

Gladys earned a one-way ticket to Bridgeport in the October 5 episode of General Hospital, after months (and months) of manipulating and embezzling from poor Sasha. That the conniver left Port Charles in the custody of Sonny’s henchman and not in a pine box has some viewers crying foul — and has Maurice Benard defending Sonny’s choice!

Our favorite Teflon don exuded an air of menace as he gave his scheming cousin what-for, sending Sam out of the room and chucking his jacket. For a hot second, it looked like Sonny might even throw some barware for old times’ sake. But instead of having guilty gambler Gladys fitted for cement shoes, he chose to exile her with a warning — and without her luggage, which he pointed out was paid for by Sasha.

Maurice Benard took to Twitter/X amidst the post-episode outcry and waded into the hot debate. “I think the writers did it perfect,” he said of Sonny’s show of benevolence. “He is big on family. He gave her a chance.”

Benard responded to one viewer who was venting about Sonny’s relatively laid-back approach to punishment and wishing for “more serious action.”

“This is so ridiculous,” he tweeted in reply. “I can’t even tell you. Sonny’s not a ruthless animal. Some of the things he has done in the past may be ruthless, but who Sonny is, in his heart, is not ruthless.”

Yes, apparently hanging A.J. Quartermaine on a meat hook (and later having the same done to Dex Heller) falls under the umbrella of those pesky “past” things. (Bygones!) The Sonny of today is kinder and gentler, per Benard. And we have to admit he’s shown a much softer side since his stint as Mike in Nixon Falls — which is something the beloved actor really appreciates.

“I think every character should evolve,” Benard said, tweeting that he was “glad they gave me Mike” and tacking a weary face emoji onto the idea of “playing the same thing for 30 years.” So Sonny sending Gladys away instead of doing something awful to her is perfectly in line with that character evolution.

“Whether you like it or not, he’s never been evil,” Benard maintained. Then, he pointed out that Gladys isn’t completely off Sonny’s hook. “He did say, ‘If you do it again, it’s going to be different.’”

Well, here’s hoping Gladys doesn’t do it again — not for her sake, but for long-suffering Sasha’s. And for ours!