File this under: Kid, You’ll Never Work in this Town, Again. From October 2015 to September 2016, Jonathon McClendon briefly played a SORAS-ed version of Chase Jennings on Days of Our Lives. Hyrum Hansen and Connor Kalopsis previously filled the role. Despite his short time on the NBC soap opera, this fledgling actor is speaking up about his former employer. McClendon says NBC should cancel Days of Our Lives, noting, “52 years is too long,” and “I’m watching General Hospital from now on.” The irony of those sentiments is, of course, April 1st will mark GH‘s 54th anniversary on ABC.
In his time at Days of Our Lives, McClendon’s character raped Ciara Alice Brady (Vivian Jovanni). Ciara was not only Chase’s potential love-interest and temporary step-sister (yes, yuck), she is also the daughter of DOOL super couple Bo and Hope (Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso) as well as the great-granddaughter of Alice and Tom Horton (Frances Reid and Macdonald Carey), on the NBC daytime drama. In addition, Chase also had the misfortune to be the son of Aiden Jennings (Daniel Cosgrove), who tried to kill Hope, just moments after consummating their marriage. Oh, and we forgot to mention, Chase raped Ciara on the late Alice Horton’s couch, which is a touchstone for Days fans, to say the least.
RELATED: NBC’s Day of Our Lives Hires New Head Writer and Creative Consultant
Jonathon McClendon Lashes Out About Days of Our Lives on Twitter
Last week, the young and woefully ill-advised McClendon went on a foul-mouthed Twitter rant — encouraging NBC to cancel Days of Our Lives. Check it out. (His language is NSFW.)
https://twitter.com/JonathonMcClen/status/821529157481807872
https://twitter.com/JonathonMcClen/status/821529953359437824
https://twitter.com/JonathonMcClen/status/821531900535652353
https://twitter.com/JonathonMcClen/status/821533523991330816
I didn't want to be chase the rapist.
— Jonathon McClendon (@JonathonMcClen) January 18, 2017
Because sometimes social media posts disappear, here are McClendon’s words (with expletives modified):
I love how @nbcdays finally used one of @BradEYoung’s photos, but decided it was ok to cut his logo. #plagiarism #classy #noshame #pathetic
It’s time for the fans to know the @nbcdays is f*cking everyone over. The fans, loyal people like @BradEYoung, and the actors.
52 years is too long #downWithDays
I’m watching @GeneralHospital from now on.They also let one of my friends go without even telling her. There was just a different actress name next to her character.#classy @nbcdays
I didn’t want to be chase the rapist.
McClendon Says, “Cancel Days of Our Lives,” | Who’s Watching this Young Actor?
Now honestly, we don’t know what McClendon is referring to, regarding Brad Everett Young‘s photos. To be clear, Young and I follow one another on Twitter. I have examined his Twitter feed. He has continued to post photographs of Days of Our Lives cast members, and hasn’t raised an issue about uncredited pictures.
We also don’t know which McClendon friend was fired without prior notice. It could be Jovanni, although as she tells it, her exit was a mutual parting of the ways. He could also be referring to Paige Searcy. According to the soap press, Searcy recently opted to depart Salem. The soap has since recast Gabrielle Haugh in the role of Jade Michaels, Joey Johnson’s (James Lastovic) girlfriend, so we can’t be sure.
Should NBC Cancel or Renew Days of Our Lives?
Regardless, McClendon’s agent, or parents, or friends need to remind him Twitter is forever. Honestly, while I hated the SORAS-ed Chase Jennings, McClendon showed some talent and acquitted himself of the (admittedly despicable) role quite well. Still, venting about backstage drama on social media does not seem like a career-building move.
Finally, it’s unseemly to see any actor (or crew member) root for a show’s cancellation. While it’s sad (for him) that McClendon was let go, has he no empathy for his fellow cast and crew members? When a network cancels a TV series, that cancellation means a whole lot of people are out of work.
RELATED: NBC Hopes to Renew Days of Our Lives for One (Final?) Season
What do you think? Do you agree with McClendon, or should he be more mindful of his words? Should NBC cancel or renew the Days of Our Lives TV show for another season? Sound off in the comments.
My spouse and I have watched Days for many years and she has enjoyed most of it. We are now both fed up with the drastic changes and ridiculous time gap. We can’t follow any story line and can’t trust the unbelievable fantasy. CANCEL this show. We will not watch any more.
The show stinks. I thought Patch was coming back, I thought Hope & Rafe would get back together. Eric & Nicole belong together & I thought Sarah was leaving. She does nothing for the soap. Then there’s Gabi who never gets hers. Bring the soap back to what it was & this stupid time-jump needs to go. Who ever is supposed to be dreaming wake them up or you’re going to lose a LOT of fans if you haven’t already.
I do not like what the writers are doing to Days. Fast forwarding the show sucks. What are they thinking. Go back to the original script and stop this nonsense. I will not watch it any longer if it continues like this and I have been watching it for 40 years. You are going to lose a big fan forever if you don’t do back to the original script.
Keep Days going. I have been watching this for 40 years and want to see it continue indefinitely. The new Vivian needs to go. She cant hold a candle to Sorrell.
I think that Days of our lives is a great show and yes I have grown up watching and I love it and I want more of it so NO IT SHOULDNT B CANCELLED those wonderful actors and actresses our my family even though I will probably not meet any of them there my family and when a character dies it hurts me. But I would love to see some of them come back I miss Paul Sami Lucas and Steve and I really don’t want Tripp to leave
I’ve been watching this since I was 16 and I’m 38 now!! Please don’t cancel my show!!! It’s the only one I watch as well! #Dool is the best show on T.V.
Its so idiotic ; a waste of an hour everyday.
Watched it from begining. It is the only one I watch. Please don’t take it away!!
I have watched “Days of Our Lives” since it began, and I still love it. It is the only TV show I watch on a regular basis. Hopefully, it will continue for more than just 2018.
While I wasn’t crazy about the Chase Jennings character or the rape story for shock value – this young man is completely burning his bridges! If he has any intentions of working in Hollywood again he better learn how to cool it. Plus I will not feel sorry for him because he’s an actor and he still got paid to perform! Sometimes characters and stories work and sometimes they don’t – those are the breaks – humble yourself. Not to mention, Vivian Jovanni told soap opera digest that she and he would have to do the story because Josh Griffith… Read more »
This actor that thinks Days of our Lives ought to be canceled. I would think he’s in the minority, because soap fans, including myself, would rather see more stories, than have more cheaper fanfare shoved down our throats. We’ve got more than enough talk shows, game shows, courtroom shows, and tabloid-gossip and viral video shows on the air. I miss seeing other canceled soaps that used to grace ABC, CBS, and NBC airwaves… soaps like All My Children, Another World, As the World Turns, Capitol, Dark Shadows, The Edge of Night, Guiding Light, Love of Life, Loving/The City, One Life… Read more »
I love the show!!! Please keep it going.
What a sucky Aquarius he is. SMH
What a whiny snort!
That kid should never get another acting job in Hollywood until he changes attitude. If he thinks people should lose their jobs because his character was made into a rapist then he wouldn’t be worth hiring or the headache. Bye Felicia!
Don’t cancel Days, I think they are doing a great job and we all love watching Days. The actor is mad but that is okay he wasn’t a good actor anyways, they should have never hired him. Hang on Days we are all on your side, keep going…we love you guys
I find it funny he thinks he and Daniel Cosgrove should had been headliners of the show. They were never part of the major families in Salem not to mention as popular as he might want one to think. Mind you, Daniel was on 3 soaps that were canceled before he ended up on Days, he never was a ratings pull! Plus Jonathan was never given a contract with Days. He was only on recurring. Next the girl who played Ciara has been let go but she’s been professional and has kept quiet. Jonathan needs some sensitivity training! He is… Read more »
I agree about ******** people over. Those networks are really good at that….right Fox for example. someone on Criminal Mind didn’t know they were let go until they read it they didn’t even tell them themselves
Last I checked, Criminal Minds was on CBS.