We Love Soaps columnist Damon Jacobs has posted Part Three of his interview series with the legendary soap scribe, Claire Labine. In this part of the rare and epic interview with KMC’s favorite soap writer, Claire Labine talks about General Hospital and how the Robin & Stone storyline came to be. Here’s a highlight from the interview:

“The degree of ignorance of AIDS in that era was stunning! People really thought you could catch it by shaking hands. I did feel impassioned about that story. I got the fastest approval for that story ever. We were at a retreat with Pat [Fili-Krushel, head of ABC daytime from 1993-2000]. We were at breakfast and Wendy said, ‘What we really need is a Romeo and Juliet story.’ And it just came to me: ‘Stone is HIV positive and he and Robin become lovers and she’s infected.’ Pat looked at me and said, ‘Can you really make a story out of that?’ And I said, ‘You bet we can.’ And she said, ‘Approved!’ And she let us do it!

At the very end, just before Robin’s diagnosis, Pat called and asked, ‘Does she really really have to be HIV positive?’ And I said, ‘Well, if she isn’t the whole story is pointless.’ She said, ‘Alright, but this is breaking my heart.’ I said, ‘Good! That what it’s intended to do!’ So if it depressed people, I’m sorry. Was it what we intended to do? You bet!”

In Part Four of the series, Claire talks about Luke & Laura, Sonny & Brenda, the Jason Morgan creation, Carly Roberts, the Nurses Ball and the disappearance of the Quartermaines.

Stay tuned to We Love Soaps for the rest of this interview series.