Review: Maurice Benard of ‘General Hospital’ puts The Brokerage in his ‘State of Mind’

Maurice Benard at The Brokerage in Bellmore. Photo Credit: Markos Papadatos.

On September 6, three-time Emmy winner Maurice Benard (“General Hospital”) hosted an in-person fan event at The Brokerage in Bellmore on Long Island, New York.

Benard on 31 years on ‘General Hospital’

“What’s going on everybody?” Benard asked as he took the stage. He was able to tell stories about his experiences on “General Hospital” over the past 31 years, where he has played Sonny Corinthos, the mob boss of Port Charles.

Benard praised the show for never letting him down over the years, and for always sticking by his side. One thing is for certain… he does not take his work for granted, and clarified that he is “not retiring.”

When asked what he would tell the high school version of himself, Benard revealed, “Stop caring what other people think, and we can work on that. You need to change your thought process; you need to work on that.”

Making a positive impact through his work in the realm of mental health

He reminded people that one is “stronger than you know.” “When you think that you can’t do something, know that it is possible,” he said.

Benard acknowledged that while the pandemic was a tough time, there was light at the end of the tunnel, and he was able to win two Emmy Awards (for his acting work in the Alzheimer’s storyline), and have a bestselling book “Nothing General About It,” and that marked the genesis of his “State of Mind” podcast.

Adam Huss

He opened up about “State of Mind,” his podcast on mental health, and revealed that an upcoming guest is Adam Huss of “General Hospital,” who plays Nikolas Cassadine.

“It was a beautiful conversation,” he foreshadowed. “Adam and I are discussing something I have never talked about before. You have to tune in.”

Joshua Benard

A neat moment was when he brought up his son, Joshua Benard, on stage with him, and he performed a few songs, which included his acoustic ballad “Ladybug,” which featured his rich, crisp voice (reminiscent of a young Townes Van Zandt).

Joshua also sang Elvis Presley’s “Cant Help Falling In Love,” where he was joined by Maurice on the choruses. Joshua listed The Beatles as one of his greatest musical influences, while Maurice claimed “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin as his personal favorite song.

They also sang a snippet of “Space Cowboy” by Steve Miller Band, and Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone,” which was sheer bliss.

Joshua praised Nancy Lee Grahn’s daughter, Kate Grahn, for her musical talents, and shared that they previously sang “Shallow” (Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga) from “A Star is Born” together.

Johnny Wactor

Benard took some time to remember the late but great Johnny Wactor, who was murdered on May 25th, 2024. “Johnny was such a nice guy,” he recalled.

“I’m a spiritual person,” he admitted. “Even though Johnny and I did a ‘State of Mind’ episode a few years ago, there was a halo around his head. There was never a halo on anyone else that I’ve ever done on ‘State of Mind.’ I hated the lightning back then but I love it now.”

Benard complimented the Long Island audience for their “great questions, which were deep and also had levity and laughter to them.”

In return, the crowd loved Benard for sharing himself with the audience, and for being so candid, open, raw, and vulnerable.

Maurice Benard’s bestselling book “Nothing General About It” is available on Amazon.

To learn more about veteran actor Maurice Benard, follow him on Instagram.

For more information on State of Mind, check out the podcast on YouTube.