Days of Our Lives and Freddie Smith

Windy City Times: - "...It's great to see positive feedback. Through Twitter and fan mail, people tell me how much they relate to the character. Years ago, [LGBT] people had no stories they could relate to. This is an important part of life.'' The actor said that the show's approach to the bullying issue will differ considerably from what's usually seen in the media: "We're showing both sides of it. We'll see where Sonny is coming from, and where the bully is coming from. It'll be great to see people grow and mature." Some of Sonny's onscreen support will come from Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), Days of Our Lives' longtime leading lady. Viewers know Marlena as grandmother to Will (Chandler Massey), the show's other gay character. Marlena has been a rock for young Will. WCT asked Smith if there was any chance of a romance between Sonny and Will. "Their friendship is growing closer," Smith replied. "There will be romance for Sonny." But the actor didn't specify if it'll be with Will. For the time being, Days of Our Lives is the only project on Freddie Smith's plate. With the series producing five episodes a week, he said it is quite a workload. "I'm totally consumed with Sonny," the actor stated. "I live and breathe Sonny. This story is going to be intense..." - David-Elijah Nahmod (READ MORE)

Outlook Columbus: - "...Freddie said he often gets asked how he prepared for this role, but he said there is no difference in playing characters with different sexual orientation. He is portraying love either way. “My preparation was taking the past experience I have had and applying them to the show,” said Freddie. The character of Sonny showed up to Salem very confident, but in an upcoming plot twist, he becomes a victim of bullying because his attacker, “T,” believes Sonny made Will, another young character on the show, gay. “It’s very emotional to be bullied. When you go through it it’s a big part of your life,” said Freddie. “I’m hoping I can make an impact and show how bullying negatively affects people and make a difference. I think that everyone will be able to relate to this storyline, so it is important to the show.” He said that viewers are going to see a different side of Sonny after he experiences being bullied. Freddie mentions that before Sonny came to Salem, he had much tougher time being openly gay. “It brings him back – he thought he was home free. Its disappointing to him,” said Freddie. “He was very bullet proof at first. You’re going to see that he does have flaws. You’re going to see Sonny make mistakes and deal with those mistakes.” Will struggles with coming on out the show, something viewers didn’t get to experience with Sonny. Freddie said he liked they brought on the second gay storyline to the show, having one character that is extremely comfortable being gay and another that is dealing with the emotional experience of coming out. “It showed that it’s great to have a support system. It made it easier for him to come out,” said Freddie. “It was a great idea that the show did.” In July, Freddie spoke to congress during the Children Uniting Nation’s (CUN) seventh annual national conference titled, “Keeping the Promise to Our Children.” He encouraged legislation to be passed on bullying and the importance of keeping physical education in schools...." - Alisa Caton (READ MORE)

SDGLN: - "...Smith is coy in describing the major gay subplot coming to DOOL, but he teases that Will and Sonny may become romantically involved. “Sonny has a romance coming up,” Smith said. “You’ve got to check out Sonny’s big storyline.” Again, not one to spoil a storyline, Smith will go as far as saying that his character will be the victim of anti-gay bullying. “Sonny was picked on for being gay early on,” Smith said. “So it has developed slowly, like it does in real life. And what’s interesting is that the bullying is being done by different people.” Smith is adamant that bullying is so very wrong, and that Americans must rally to stop it for once and for all. He admits he faced mild forms of bullying and hazing as a youth growing up in Ashtabula, Ohio, but that he saw an even uglier side of bullying when kids would egg his cousin’s house. “She had it really bad,” Smith said. “It’s such a problem that something must be done,” he said with conviction. “This is an opinion of mine, but parents are playing a huge role in it. Kids 5 or 6 are too young to know what it means, so they must be learning it from home or on the playground. Parents need to stand up for what’s right.” DOOL’s demographics will reach the right audience, mostly women from 20 to 90, and many of them are stay-at-home moms. “I hope our audience learns something” from this storyline, Smith said..." - Kevin Williams (READ MORE)

Freddie Matthew Smith (born March 19, 1988) is an American television actor. He is known for his portrayal as Marco Salazar in the new franchise of 90210 aired on The CW. He is also known for his character, Sonny Kiriakis, the first openly gay character of the daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives...Freddie grew up as an only child and graduated in 2006 from Edgewood Senior High in Ashtabula, Ohio. On July 19, 2012 in Washington, D.C, Freddie spoke to congress about bullying, keeping sports programs in schools and foster care mentoring. “I wanted to let people know that parents need to get involved at an early age. They need to understand that it isn’t just funny, it has a negative affect on people later in life,” said Freddie. - Wikipedia (READ MORE)

Related Reading:

Freddie Smith Fan Page

'Days of Our Lives' begins gay storyline

Will and Sonny - Days of Our Lives

Freddie Smith (Sonny) Days Of Our Lives August 11, 2011 (Video)

Freddie Smith Talks About Playing "Marco" On 90210 (Video)

Karen's Foundation

Gawker: - "...Karen Klein, the upstate New York bus monitor who became the face of America's bullying problem when a video of schoolchildren taunting her went viral earlier this year, has launched an anti-bullying foundation she hopes will put an end to it once and for all. The Karen Klein Anti-Bullying Foundation is an offshoot of the GiveBack Foundation, a public charity that allows people to start their own "personal foundation." To kick things off, Klein seeded the foundation with $100,000 from the Indiegogo fund opened in her name by Canadian Max Sidorov in the aftermath of the bullying incident. That "vacation fund" was able to raise over $700,000 for Klein, the majority of which she used in order to retire from her job as a bus monitor. One of the foundation's first initiatives will be a music tour called the No Bully Tour 2012. "If we were able to raise $700,000 for one person," Klein writes, "I am sure we can raise thousands more for kids who are bullied every day..." - Neetzan Zimmerman (READ MORE)

People: - "..."I keep thinking, 'What have I done?' " the Greece Central School District employee said during an in-studio interview on Monday's Today show. "It's like I almost don't feel like I deserve it." The campaign, originally intended to send her off on "a vacation of a lifetime," has long surpassed its goal of $5,000. So how will she use her money? "What would anybody do with that much money?" she said. She'll invest some, she said, and donate to charity. The grandmother of eight has plenty of family, and "they need, they need, they need," added Klein, who isn't sure if she'll return to her job come fall. But for Klein, who has since received apologies from some of the students on the bus, the outpouring of support has spanned beyond dollar signs. "What I am glad about is the fact that it has come out, and everyone knows what goes on," she said. "I've gotten so many notes from people who have been bullied, who've been very hurt, and my heart goes out to these people..." - Alison Schwartz (READ MORE)

Detroit Free Press: - "..."It all doesn't feel real," said Klein, as yet another television van parked in front of her house Friday afternoon to set up for a live broadcast and she waited for a telephone interview with the BBC. "You know, when I see that cash in my hand I'll believe it." Indiegogo spokeswoman Rose Levy said the company would ensure Klein gets the money. Doug Hendee, vice president and sales manager at Brighton Securities, said Klein is liable to pay taxes on the value of whatever straight-out gifts she accepts and would have to declare that amount as income. For example, if Klein accepted $500,000 all at once, she would have to set aside 45% of those funds for tax purposes. However, if any of the gifts are coming through a foundation or trust, she would not owe any tax on those amounts, Hendee said. If money is coming from a foreign country, that also complicates matters. Klein said she would take steps to protect herself and set aside any money needed for taxes. The spotlight and outpouring of community sympathy continues to shine on her. Locally, the Mall at Greece Ridge plans to honor Klein on Saturday afternoon with a $500 shopping spree and basket filled with products from several stores. The mall will also honor area school bus drivers and monitors this weekend..." - Meaghan M. McDermott (READ MORE)

"Making the Bus Monitor Cry" is one of three videos filmed in June 2012 which focused on a bus monitor/attendant, who was targeted for bullying by four schoolboys attending Greece Athena Middle School, with one of the bullies doing the filming. The video has gone viral and has received numerous video responses and news coverage, and a donation campaign was launched for the victim. The bus monitor, Karen Huff Klein, has worked as an employee of the Greece Central School District in upstate New York for 23 years, 20 as a bus driver and 3 as a bus monitor. The bus monitor has been a widow since c. 1995, and has eight grandchildren. She is partly deaf, and uses a hearing aid. At the time the video was shot, she was aged 68.- Wikipedia (READ MORE)

Related Reading:

Bullied bus monitor is retiring with more than $700,000 in donations but says she is is NOT quitting because of tormentors

Karen Klein Bullies Apologize: Boys Express Their Regret On A360 (Video)

Bullied Bus Monitor Karen Klein Doesn't Accept Boys' Apologies (Video)

Karen Klein Anti-Bullying Foundation Promo

(Video)