Spinelli Is Luke @ soapcentral.com

Spinelli, Don't Go Changing, To Try To Please Me...

 

"You never let me down before. I could not love you any better; I love you just the way you are." When Mr. Damien M. Spinelli "swaggered" up to the bar at Jake's today clad in black leather jacket with turned up collar, I knew we were in for a treat. Grasshopper Spin was all up at the bar trying to act cool and "channeling" his master, chick magnet Jason. Then Spin orders an orange soda which Coleman just so happens to have chilled, and Spin throws a pocket full of change up on the bar, telling Coleman to keep the change, literally.

 

When Spin found out his wondrous Maximista was in NYC on Crimson business, staying with a famous designer, Spin feared Maxie may be attracted to this urbane chic fashion powerhouse. So, Spinelli goes to work on his inner "Rico Suave," (a sexy, hot guy with a cool tude toward everyone and everything, a real man's man with irresistible magnetism.) According to the Urban Dictionary, Rico Suave is the term for "a ladies man who enjoys fast cars, hot woman, and pool hustling. Rico Suave is what every man wants to be, but 99.7% of men never live up to."

 

In a few short minutes, Spin had poked a biker in the butt with a pool stick he was twirling like a majorette's baton, spewed a liquor drink all over the bar, and solicited advice from both Coleman and Patrick on how to impress a woman. It was wonderful fun, brilliantly played by Bradford Anderson, but through the laughter, you could feel the pain of Spinelli's social insecurity.

 

How can someone so smart, be so lost when it comes to interpersonal interaction? That is a part of Spinelli's story GH must eventually tell. In "real-life" there are millions of people with similar social and emotional insecurities. Let's face it, many people, particularly teens or young adults, are much more like Spinelli in terms of their social interaction than they are willing to admit.

 

While many in Spinelli's shoes might crawl further into their isolated shell, Spin is out there trying, seeking advice, putting it on the line for what he wants. Always acutely aware of his social isolation and limitations, Spinelli, to this point, has functioned capably, even contently, within his limitations. Enter Maxie Jones.

 

Spin's growing feelings for Maxie bring into sharp focus his difficulty with interpersonal relationships, and he fears this deficiency will once again prevent him from establishing a romantic relationship with a woman he has grown to care for deeply. Even with Spin's humorous brand of imperfection, he poignantly demonstrates if there is something you want to change about yourself, get out there; put one foot in front of the other, and go for it.

 

Maxie already understands Spin has trouble believing someone could love him. So, the real opportunity for GH is to showcase for Spin and the audience, you don't have to change who you are to be loved, you are worthy of love just the way you are. Maxie loves Spin exactly the way he is, and I am glued to my TV screen to watch both Maxie and Spinelli discover that most beautiful of truths.

 

Featured Blog References:

"Just The Way You Are" – performed by Billy Joel in Tokyo 1998 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9A2wf9wMlU

 

"Rico Suave" is a 1991 single by Ecuadorian rapper and singer Gerardo. It appeared on his album Mo' Ritmo. The track peaked at 7 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart on April 13, 1991, and reached 2 on the Hot Rap Singles chart a week earlier. In the song, the narrator tells of his luck with women and his lady-loving lifestyle. The song ranks 100 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s and 9 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders. It also ranked at 37 on Blender's list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever". (From Wikipedia)

 

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx64_N4AA04&feature=related

 

Lyrics to Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are"*

(a song dedication from Maxie to Spinelli )

 

*Spin's Vixenella highly recommends this for a Mvid done from Maxie's Point of View. If anyone does one, please let me know!

 

Don't go changing, to try and please me

You never let me down before

Don't imagine you're too familiar

And I don't see you anymore

I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble

We never could have come this far

I took the good times, I'll take the bad times

I'll take you just the way you are

 

Don't go trying some new fashion

Don't change the color of your hair

You always have my unspoken passion

Although I might not seem to care

I don't want clever conversation

I never want to work that hard

I just want someone that I can talk to

I want you just the way you are.

 

I need to know that you will always be

The same old someone that I knew

What will it take till you believe in me

The way that I believe in you.

I said I love you and that's forever

And this I promise from the heart

I could not love you any better

I love you just the way you are.

You have to read the subject line in the same tone of voice as Luke in ESB finding out that Vader is his father.

 

There's speculation that Sonny is Spinelli's father.  I've just been discounting it because #1 it seems ridiculous and preposterous and insane and appalling and other words I won't use here, and #2 I don't want my poor, innocent, sweet, intelligent, amazingly incredible Spinelli to turn out to have Sonny Corinthos for a father!!!*

 

But... then I thought about that in relation to the quote I just posted... the one which referenced Luke confronting Vader in ESB... and I realized the foreshadowing. 

 

Nooooooo!!!

 

Sadly, I think it will come to pass.  And hey, if they're going to compare my absolute favorite soap character to my all-time favorite movie character, I guess I can deal with that.     As long as Logan isn't going to be Han, and Lulu isn't going to be Leia, and THIS time, the boy gets the girl instead of just saving the galaxy.  I'm not picky.  I just want a happier ending.

 

 

*Side note - I think Sonny, by himself, is an incredibly sexy character thanks to Maurice Bernard, and I would have no problem doing business with him myself , but he's mean to Spinelli, who is already deep enough in mob business and living with Stone Cold.  He doesn't need the Godfather for his True Father.