Read related article: "Transcript: Mark & Braden Matthews Answer Questions at 'Daysfest' in Salem, Illinois"

Before Mark appears at the event, a couple of women from the Fanfest greet the audience. One of the women, Schoono, thanks VRoom Video for coming to the Fanfest and mentions us (Mystic and Sandra) for giving her the idea to contact Vroom to convince them to go to the Fanfest to tape the event. (Hey, no problem! We really wanted to see Mark's last public appearance, while he was still on Days, and since we couldn't go there, the tape was the next best thing.)

Another woman from the Fanfest, Janelle, then introduces Mark.

[crowd claps and cheers and looks excited as Mark walks into room from the back of the restaurant. Mark smiles and waves to the crowd and walks to the front of the room, which has a microphone]

[Mark talks to the woman, who introduced him, saying that he likes the renovations she's making to the restaurant. Minutes later....]

Mark: Anybody have any friends they want me to call up who couldn't make it [to the Reception]?

[A fan gives Mark a suggestion as to who he could call. Mark takes a cell phone and calls this fan, Theresa, on the cell phone as he's sitting in front of the audience at the Reception. As he's waiting for Theresa to answer her telephone, he asks the audience if someone knows how to play the piano. Someone says yes, and he asks them to come on up to the front to play the piano. Theresa finally answers her phone]
 
Mark: Hi, is Theresa there? [listens for answer] This is she? [crowd laughs] Theresa, my name is Mark... Mark Valley. I'm the guy who plays Jack, well, used to play Jack on Days of our Lives. [crowd quietly laughs] And I'm sitting at Sweeney's Cafe, talking to a whole bunch of people -- Sweeney's Diner. [smiling and listening for answer] Yeah, she's there. And I'm talking on her cell phone. Oh yeah. I just thought I'd call up... [Mark continues to chat with her and the conversation ends. He hangs up. Crowd claps and Mark smiles. What a sweet guy to call a fan like that.]

[Woman comes up to front to play the piano for Mark.  Mark wants to sing a song while the woman plays the piano.]

Mark: So what do you want to play? [woman answers] "Memories" from Cats? Oh, that's going to make me cry. [Mark laughs] No, I don't know the words. I'll just make them up.

[Woman starts playing "Memories" on the piano. Mark starts to make up his own song and sings it....or should I say "attempts to sing." He's not exactly ready for Broadway.]

Mark's song: Salem... such a nice little town, in the middle of Illinois... they've got a main street.... Salem... There's lots of nice people here... They've got a bunch of Soap's People showing up .. I could really use a beer... [crowd laughs] Salem... I'm sitting here at Sweeney's Diner... and I don't got much to say... [song ends. Mark smiles]

[Two young female fans show up on stage to present Mark with numerous gifts, including a little mini Days hourglass. Mark says "it's really nice" and thanks them]

Mark: Oh, somebody was asking me about the last scene I did on the show. Well, there's two things. There's the last scene of the episode that I'm in. And there's the last scene that I actually did. I was in the shower! [Mark starts talking to the two fans about the presents they gave him as he's opening them. They gave him a birthday card and a package. Mark addresses the audience as he continues to open package.] When I was on the show, people like Drake and Peter Reckell always get packages to the mailroom, you know? I never get packages. I'd get letters but I didn't get packages. [One of the fans who is watching him open her gift asks him if he has a fan club. He answers her.] I don't have a fan club. [He mumbles the answer to the fan standing there.] I don't believe anybody should have to pay money to get a picture of me. Eventually, I'll send everybody a picture.

[Mark opens the package and there's a stuffed toy and Hershey's kisses. Mark throws some of the chocolates to the fans and smiles. He thanks the two young ladies and they give him a hug and the audience claps.]

Mark: Oh, like I was saying the last scene of the show that I'm on... What's supposed to happen is that Jennifer shows up in jail as a guard or something. Jack sees her. She kind of sneaks up on Jack. And Jack freaks and says "You gotta get outta here! You gotta get outta here!" Then she says she won't leave. But then Jack goes to take a shower after working or something and uh... And he's in the shower washing his face. The guy behind the wall is spraying the water. I'm freezing, in my flesh-toned speedo. Jack goes into this umm... memory. Then, Jennifer taps Jack on the shoulder. Jack turns around and [Mark turns his back to audience to imitate the scene and says] first he's me and then [Mark turns his back to audience. And turns around to face the audience and stretches the skin on his face with his hands.] You see a different face. [audience laughs]. And then I left the set. So I don't really know what happens after that. Apparently, there's supposed to be a big steamy sex scene after that. So there you go... whatever. And umm.. well, the last scene that I did was the one, it's in that same episode, where Jack finds out that he has to go work on some job or do some job where he has to clean grease out of a bus or something or some nasty job like that. So the last scene that I actually had was Jack getting off his bunk and looking at those pictures on the wall as he's walking out of his cell. So for me that was kind of like my last scene -- not really the shower scene. That was my last scene where I took a look inside the cell, where I've been since January, and then I start walking out. So if you see that scene, you'll know that this was my [Mark smiles] last scene. So you guys know.

[Someone in the crowd asks Mark what he'll miss most about Days.]

Mark: Umm... I'll probably miss the fact that I had a job. I'll miss the people in the cast. I'll miss seeing John Clarke all vigorous and enthusiastic every morning, giving me a handshake which practically breaks my hand. [Mark imitates John Clarke shaking his hand very vigorously.] You know, I'll miss Deidre Hall and her sardonic sense of humor. [his voice gets quieter] Yeah, I'm gonna miss Stephanie, working with her. I'll miss the two little girls. I'll miss the paycheck that used to come in the mail [he laughs] I'll miss ... I'll miss people running after me screaming, "Jack! Jack! Jack!" [he laughs] And uh.. yeah that's about it. I mean, there's a lot of things. One of the things... whenever you have a job and you work somewhere, you kind of get used to going there, in a routine, and meet all the people. So I'm gonna miss all the people there. And I'm gonna miss -- I know this sounds kind of strange -- but I'm gonna miss the character of Jack. [he smiles] You know what I mean? It's funny, 'cause as an actor, you have to let the character go and move on. But, you know, you work on a character and you develop it, [and] it's like "Gosh! I really kind of.. I really kind of miss him." You know, so..."

[Fan asks Mark what he likes about "their" Salem.. as in Salem, Illinois]

Mark: I like the flooring here. [looks at floor of diner. Crowd laughs] I'm serious. This is really old, right? This floor? I'm sure it is, yeah. My great-grandfather had a shop like this. It was called a "Busy Corner". It had a soda fountain and everything and people coming in and have heated discussions over [?], coffee, cognac, and stuff like that. They would have lunch. And umm... yeah, it's places like this that kind of established like a "centre" in town. The thing I like about this city is that it's a city. I mean, there's 8000 people -- there's enough people here. You actually have a main street here with more than two lanes. Nobody seems to be in a real hurry around here. Nobody seems to be stepping on top of everyone's back here. It seems to be the kind of town where everyone goes to work, they do what they have to do. And it's a city. But nevertheless, it doesn't have all the hustle and bustle, [where] people are stressed-out...

[someone in audience asks Mark a question. I can't hear it well. I think it has something to do with a "courtroom"]

Mark: [smiling] Well, I wasn't court-martialed. [looks at fan and smiles.] There you have it. [fan asks more about it] Oh what happened? Well, I'll tell you what happened. It's kind of a cozy little atmosphere here. The war had just ended. And I had this platoon of misfits who actually kind of came around and did the job really well. And I thought, you know, "These guys, I'm going to throw them a little party. It's gonna be a big secret. I'll take them out some place where we can party." So I went across the International Boundary to Bahrain and brought back some things that you have at parties. So they found out, after I brought it back, that I had all this stuff, all this beer and stuff like that... Yeah, we got up to the General he said -- everybody was all mad -- the General said, "You know, I [did?] the same thing in Vietnam" and umm ... "Don't worry about it. Just don't do it again. Have a safe trip back to the States."

[Mark grabs a bottle of Coke and is about to drink it when someone says "Now this is a Kodak moment. Cameras! Come on!" Mark pauses and starts to laugh.]

Mark: [really smiling] I got a white T-Shirt, Levi's and a Coca Cola! Doesn't get any more American than this!

[Mark really smiles and starts drinking from the Coke bottle as the cameras are snapping pictures of him. He looks as though he's filming a Coke commercial. Audience laughs]

[A fan asks Mark to do his "Bobby Kennedy" voice - referring to Mark's role in the TV Movie Wallace]

Mark as "Bobby Kennedy": [in a Bostonian accent and standing with hands on hips] Well, I would like to um, say that I'm very happy to be here in Salem, Illinois. It's a wonderful community and it's a wonderful opportunity for me to say a few things that have been on my mind. I think that instead of the deep divisions within our country, that our country can come together. Not that we're going to agree with one another, we... We're a nation of diversity, therefore we're going to have different ideas on how to deal with these problems. But there doesn't have to be the bitterness. There doesn't have to be the hatred. And there doesn't have to be the distrust that exists to such a large extent in the United States today. And um, well, whether you agree with me or not is irrelevant because my brother is President and that's just the way it is. Thank you. [fans clap and cheer. Mark is smiling and laughing]

[Mark is given a card from a fan]

Mark: Oh! Now these are the ones that I put up where everybody can see them in my apartment.

[Mark reads the card to the audience]
Mark Valley's Great Looks Cause Traffic Jam:
"Frustrated!" State and local police say, "Even we can't get close enough for a look at Mark. You always were a 'traffic-stopper', Mark." [crowd goes 'awww'. Mark gives a cute smile. He mumbles as a joke that this is going to pay for his parking tickets] We are really big Days Fans for you. Please don't go."

Mark: Alright, that's it! I gotta stay on the show. Gimme a cell phone!! [Mark laughs]

[fan jokes that the show should "get rid of him" as in new Jack. Mark mumbles, as a joke, "yeah, get rid of him"]

Mark: So... what are you guys doing tonight? [someone answers 'a wedding'] A wedding? Who's getting married? [smiling] Well, you're not very excited about getting married tonight. Maybe you better reconsider it [small laugh...still talking to the person. Then, he addresses the crowd] How many people here are married? [some fans answer] How's married life? Pretty good? [Mark talks to fans in audience about how long they've been married. Then a fan asks him if he's ever been married. Mark says no]. I'm gonna go grab something to eat. I'll just be walking around. And we're gonna have an open mike here for anyone that wants to come up here and say things and talk and hear their own voice.. So thank you very much. [Mark smiles and waves to the crowd. Crowd claps]

[Mark walks to the tables where the Reception guests are seated. He signs autographs for them and poses for pictures with them. Braden makes a short little appearance at the Reception to say hi to Mark and to the crowd. Braden leaves.]

A little while later....

[Mark is now at the front of the room in front of the guests. He is wearing a Days of our Lives t-shirt over his own white t-shirt.]

The MC says "We're gonna give Mark's shirt to somebody." Fans in crowd start going "Wooo!!". Mark does a "muscle man" pose as a joke. Another fan starts cheering, and Mark lifts his right arm as a joke to show off his bicep. He says he's been lifting some weights. Mark walks towards a table or something and grabs some food and is eating. A man at the Fanfest who is one of the MC's asks Mark how his hand is after the bee sting he received while signing autographs. Mark grabs the microphone...

Mark: Good. The swelling is going down in my hand. [MC jokes to Mark he'll forever remember Salem] I'll forever remember Salem for the wild strain of killer bees that you have flying around here. [someone in crowd cheers. Mark is smiling] They attacked my hand. I was almost... rendering me almost incapable of signing anything or talking to anyone. But I was rushed immediately due to the heroic efforts of [Schoono]. She took me to the hospital. Ran me threw all the administrative bureaucratic "Red Tape." Through me up on a gurney and stuck a needle in my arm. And it hurt like hell!

[Schoono asks Mark, "Your arm?" Mark nods his head and says yes and points to his right bicep. Some other people from the Fanfest are talking and Mark finally says with a smile on his face, as a joke, "Oh! Well, then I had another follow-up shot in the buttocks.... No. But.. so everything went well."]

[Schoono hands over a basket for him so he can select a number. The lucky fan who has that number that Mark chooses gets to win the shirt off Mark's back. Mark picks a number and kids around with the fans by taking his sweet time to announce who the winner is.]

Mark: [smiling] Well, it's not 45 or 46. [Mark is chewing some food and looks at the number that he chose. He continues to chew his food and half-smiles. The fans laugh because they know he's purposely taking his time to announce the winner. Mark starts to laugh] Number....twenty... not 24, not 25, not 27 or 28. Twenty-six. [Number 26 doesn't answer] Do we have a winner?

[Fan finally realizes that Mark announced her number. She walks towards the stage and asks, "What do I get?" Well, apparently number 26 wasn't listening carefully to Mark ;-) She looks pretty surprised when some woman, I believe her mother, standing nearby, tells her what she won. She walks towards Mark and he puts his arm around her to pose for a picture. As she's posing for the picture, she asks "Do I get to take it off?" LOL! Smart woman ;-) Mark laughs. He says she can. Then he smiles and says, "I'll just make sure the other one's tucked in well." Mark starts tucking in his shirt underneath and is smiling. Finally, after Mark ensures that every corner of the shirt below the auctioned shirt is tucked in, he laughs and says, "Alright. You can take the shirt off." Women in the audience start cheering for Mark and going "Woo!!" Woman who is taking off Mark's shirt goes "Yeah!" as a joke. Mark is smiling and laughing as the women are going wild over nothing. Just imagine how they would have reacted if he actually had nothing on underneath that Days shirt ;-) After the woman has taken possession of Mark's Days shirt, Mark smiles, and goes "Wow!" and puts his arms around her to give her a hug.]

[Now they auction off a script and something else, but I can't quite figure out what it is.]

Mark: Number. 26 [Mark laughs] Nah! Just kidding! [Mark makes a buzzer noise, like you'd hear on a game show to indicate a wrong answer] You got an opportunity so don't feel bad. Number 79. Who's number 79? [Mark spots fan and shouts with a smile on his face] Woah!! Come on over here!!! Give her a hand!!! [fans clap. Mark looks at script and says to fan] Yeah, you'll enjoy this. I don't think I'm in this episode but it's probably okay. [Mark gives her the script, smiles and hugs her. Fan leaves].

Man who is MC'ing the event: Next one is for one of the two autographed posters of Mark. [Schoono holds up the small poster of Mark -- it's that picture of him in the bubble bath that's posted on Mike's Days page. Women in audience whistle and cheer for Mark's sexy picture. Mark takes the picture to look at it. Man asks Mark a question] Do you remember posing for that picture?

Mark: Yeah. Yeah, this was done up at Malibu Lake and ... it was cold. The bathtub was not filled with water. But I think these soap suds were made from like dishwashing machine. The photographer had dropped..... plopped them on my shoulders. It's really an illusion -- I wasn't really in the bath though..... so.... [fans go "aww" as in "aww! too bad!"] At least you know the secret. But I was naked! [he smiles... sounds like he was joking but I can't tell. Naked, huh ;-)? Female fans go "Woooo!!!" Mark selects a number from basket.] The number is... the legal age for drinking in New York State. Twenty One! [fans in corner of room go "Yay!" Woman gets up from seat and starts walking towards Mark] Alright!

[As a woman is walking towards the front, where Mark is, Mark is humming some tune ... mood music, maybe ;-) ??? Woman finally arrives to receive picture. Mark asks her what her name is. She tells him. He smiles and gives her a hug and hands her the picture. Next number selected is #55. Nobody answers back to say they have that number. Mark asks if anyone can tell him if 55 is a prime number in order to win the next prize. Finally, a woman gets up from her seat and walks towards front and gets, what appears to be, the customary hug and smile from Mark. He gives her the poster. Then another winner is announced for a fan to come up to the front to win an opportunity to act in a script with Mark in front of everybody at the Reception. He announces the winner and it just so happens to be the very same woman who just won that bubble-bath poster. Mark says to her as a joke, because she just won two prizes in a row, "It's you? What's up with that? Get up here!" [fans cheer and clap] Mark discovers he'll be acting in a General Hospital Skit with this woman. He jokes he doesn't really like General Hospital.]

[Mark and the woman are acting out a scene from General Hospital.]

Mark: Hi.

Woman: You're busy?

Mark: [in monotone] It's alright. My eyes were glazing. What's up? [fans laugh because Mark sounds so unenthused. Woman and Mark laugh too]

Woman: I have something to say to you and it couldn't wait until morning.

Mark: [still in monotone] You sound serious.

Woman: I just had a talk with Bobbi and Tony about keeping Felicia's supposed death a secret. [Mark starts to smile and says "uh huh"] Can you believe me actually listening to advice from them?

Mark: [looking bored as the character] Uh huh? I'm fascinated. What did they say?

Woman: That you had no choice...

Mark: Honey, I've been telling you this all along... [crowd is quietly laughing in background and Mark is cracking a smile]

Woman: They said Justin gave you an ultimatum. Remind me of how I was behaving at the time...

Mark: [Mark starts to get more into character and is talking quietly] So now do you believe me?

Woman: It's not a question of believing you anymore. What's important is if I can forgive you. [she looks at Mark and he smiles]

[crowd starts going "Wooo" and a few whistle. Mark almost starts laughing.]

Mark: Can you?

Woman: [pretending to cry] You keep hurting me, Sean! I mean all the stuff with Lucas...

Mark: [interrupts her and screams out, laughing] I didn't do anything with Lucas!! [crowd and Woman laugh] That's a different show! This is "General Hospital"!!! [everyone laughs]

Woman: [trying to contain her laughter] And then you wouldn't help me with my D.W.I. ...

Mark: [smiling] Oh, like I what could I do with that?! Right? I couldn't bribe the judge?! [laughs]

Woman: What am I supposed to think?!

Mark: [sounds more serious but still cracking a smile] Each situation was different. None of these decisions were easy for me. But you understand, don't you?

Woman: I don't know. I've been so angry and hurt.

Mark: [smiling and leans his head closer to hers so he seems more in 'character.' His voice is quieter and he sounds more like "Sean"] Look, I hated having to lie to you about Felicia. I hated myself for doing it. [he's smiling]

[crowd is quietly laughing]

Woman: [not looking at him and trying to keep herself from laughing] I want to believe you.

Mark: [smiling and says quietly with his face close to hers] Remember that time on the beach in Barbados when you were naked and I was naked? [woman's face cringes from embarrassment. crowd laughs and goes "Woo!" Mark smiles] And you cut your f... I mean you got stung by umm.. a moray eel and I had to urinate on your foot to stop the swelling? [crowd laughs. Woman is laughing but looks embarrassed. Mark laughs too] Remember?

Woman: Oh, that was so painful!

Mark: You couldn't even stand on it. [Mark looks shocked and starts laughing at the stupid lines he has to say. The woman and crowd starts laughing too.] You had to use a crutch. [Mark really laughs and says out of character, "What the hell?" Crowd continues laughing too.]

Woman: [laughing] I was so clumsy with that thing. I almost knocked an old man into the pool.

Mark: [smiling] Do you remember how I reacted?

Woman: [laughs at line she has to say] You started walking with a limp. [crowd laughs]

Mark: [still smiling and trying to keep himself from cracking up again] That's not my question. And I wasn't joking around.

Woman: No. You were having sympathy pains. You were so cute.

Mark: [sounding more serious as "Sean"] That's how I get every time I get hurt. Do you have a problem with that? I'm a sensitive guy. Whether it's intentional or not, I'm still a part of you, Tiffany. I still feel your pain. I wish I could pee on your foot again [Mark cracks a smile. Crowd and woman laugh. Mark starts laughing again] I mean, I wish I could make it stop for the both of us.

Woman: I know someone who can?

Mark: Who's that?

Woman: This little person growing inside of me...

[crowd goes "Woah!"]

Mark: [Mark fakes a shocked look on his face. He has a huge smile on his face. Crowd is laughing. He improvises his line, pretending he's trying to keep calm and prevent himself from panicking] You never told me about a little person growing inside of ya. Okay? Nobody ever mentioned little people. It was all about, like you know, the beach and everything and trusting me. And now you're bringing in, like....... the little people. [everyone laughs. Mark is really smiling. Mark says to himself.. "okay... let's see where this is gonna go", referring to the script]

Woman: Bobbi and Tony said I should put it all aside for the sake of the baby. Our baby!

[crowd goes "aww"]

Mark: [smiling and improvising] Are you sure it's not Bobbi and Tony's baby? [Mark laughs. He reads from the script with a serious voice] Well, do you agree?

Woman: Yes.

Mark: Tiffany, if you give us another chance, I'll sell my motorcycle and I won't leave town. You won't regret it. I promise....

Woman: [smiles and pats Mark on the hand, as if to say "I forgive you".]

Mark: [smiling] Oh, I'm touching you....

[Mark and woman hug. Crowd claps and goes "Yay!" Scene ends.]

Mark: [smiling] Alright, let's give "Tiffany" a hand! She ran right with this, huh?

[crowd continues to clap and cheer. Woman heads over to her seat at the table]
 

[Mark calls another woman to the stage to act out another scene. This time the scene is from Days. Mark jokes before they begin by saying "Yeah, let's see where this is gonna go..." Mark is about to start reading from the script when he starts to crack a smile. Some fans in the crowd quietly laugh. They begin the scene.]

Mark: I hope that when you think of your life, your future, that you think of me.

Woman #2: Believe me, Roman, I am.

[Mark jokes, "Is the music on?" as in the music that you hear playing during the show. He starts to hum "scene music". Crowd and woman laugh.]

Mark: [doing an impersonation of "Roman." He sits down on the chair and reclines, pretending he's lying in a hospital bed. He's speaking quickly] Look, Doc, I'm so sorry for the lost time between us. That's why I want to take advantage of the time we have now, no matter how short it may be, to creapture... you know..

[Mark realizes he said the word "recapture" wrong. Fan in crowd goes "creapture?"]

Mark: ... to get it all back the way it was....

[fan in crowd goes "Take Two".]

Mark: [answers back to fan and agrees with her.] Take Two. Cut. Go back. [Mark stands up from chair and smiles] I'm sorry. Can we start that again? Alright, thank you. [some fans giggle. Mark says in a fake mad voice to fan as a joke] Yeah, I wanna do it again, okay? I know I can do it better. [sits back down on chair to get back into character. Points to script and says to the woman who is acting with him in script..] Alright, we'll pick it up here with... Doc. Can you read me my lead-in for, "Believe me, Roman, I am." ?

Woman #2: Believe me, Roman, I am...

Mark: [this time Mark says it slower to prevent himself from screwing up the word "recapture"] Doc, I am so sorry for the lost time between us. That's why I want to take advantage of the time that we have now, no matter how short that it may be, [Mark pauses to ensure he doesn't fumble up the word "recapture" again] to recapture what we once had. [Mark turns the page of the script. He's speaking quietly now] I love you so much. [he pauses and fans laugh. Mark smiles] Being with you gives me reason to hold on, to fight for my life. [Mark pauses and then begins to improvise as a joke, alluding to the allergic reaction he had to a bee sting, earlier that day at the Fanfest] You see, this bee sting never really bothered me before until today. [crowd laughs] For one of the first times in my life, I realized how fleeting and ephemeral life can actually be. Starting from a small insect bite from the tip of my thumb, the poison spread throughout my entire body. The first thing I thought about .... was you. [fans go "Woah!" as if to say "ooh, how sexy!" Mark reads from script again] You never really answered me, Doc, about whether or not you want to do this.

Woman #2: It's not that simple, Roman. There's something...

Mark: [doing a Roman impersonation again] It's okay, Doc. I know why you're reluctant to give me an answer and that's why keeping.... [Mark pauses and starts laughing and saying those annoying words, "recrapture, reluctant, recalcitrant, and that's what's keeping me....". He asks the woman to re-read the line to him again.]

[Woman re-reads the line she just said]

Mark: It's okay, Doc. I know why you're reluctant to [he pauses again] give me an answer [he begins to quietly laugh again. The woman asks if he's nervous. Mark laughs and stands up and speaks to audience out of character] I am nervous!!! [everyone laughs. Mark starts joking around with crowd] She keeps looking at me! She keeps giving me that look. I'm trying to do the scene, you know?! [fans laugh and so does the woman standing there doing the scene] Geez!! The chemistry is all bungled up in here! [crowd starts cheers and laughs. Ten seconds later, the fans get quiet and Mark tries yet again to do say his line. He's back in character] It's okay, Doc. I know why you're reluctant to give me an answer and what's keeping you from committing yourself to me.

[Mark finishes his line and looks at woman and smiles. He's waiting for her to say the next line. However, he's also holding the script face down so she can't see what her next line is. She tells him and he lifts up the script. Fans laugh. Mark points to the script and tells her it says that on Roman's line, Marlena gives a "look of anticipation." So Mark tells the woman who's acting as "Marlena" to give that look. She attempts to do so and the scene ends. Mark smiles and says to her, "There you go! Alright!!! Let's give her a hand! Audience claps. Mark smiles and claps and cheers for the woman who acted in the scene with him. She leans over and kisses him on the cheek. She walks back towards her table.]

Mark: [to audience] Alright. That's what it's all about. That's what soap opera acting is all about. It's just looking the person right in the eye, relaxing... and making sure you don't laugh at all the stupid stuff they say. [he laughs and audience laughs too] That's what it's all about.

[There's a woman that works for the Fanfest that is standing near Mark now going over the next scene that Mark can do with another fan. Mark notices there's a scene with Carrie. He asks "Do I get to be Austin?" Then he does a "duh-Austin" expression with his face. The fans really start laughing. Mark notices he's getting a reaction so he continues impersonating Austin. This is really funny! He sounds and acts exactly like Austin. Every time he says a word, he pauses and starts doing these weird facial expressions. The fans are laughing hysterically. Mark isn't making any sense when he's saying his words as "Austin."]

Mark (as Austin): Carrie... I ...... worked at the hospital.... Alright?...... but that's not why I's with S'mi... With you.... Lucas.... in hot-tub... with Mike? I love you.... I love you a lot. [Fans are laughing and cheering. Mark as "Austin", grimaces in pain] I feel so bad!! [fans clap and cheer. Mark starts laughing]

[Mark is now looking over the script for his next skit. This skit is with Schoono, the same woman that gave Mark his shot of epinephrine for his bee sting allergy.]

Mark: [laughing and faking being mad] Wait a minute, this is a trick scene! I wanna a re-write... [fans in crowd laugh]

[Woman who gave Mark the script offers Mark another scene to work with instead. Mark is off at the side looking over the first script to see if there's any other scenes they could do.]

Mark: [joking] You know I don't like kissing scenes. [starts jumping on ground to imitate a hyper teenager] I wanna be Stefano!!! Stefano!!!!

[Woman from Fanfest gives Mark another script and Mark checks that over. As he's looking it over, the fans in the crowd say to him, "Do Ivan" because they want to see Mark's Ivan impersonation.]

Mark (in Ivan's accent and voice): [talking very quickly to Schoono as if she's Vivian] No, Madame. You know what you're doing.... it's really out of this world! It's outlandish! It doesn't make any sense. It's not going to pay off. You know it won't! [fans laughing] You know.. you know it's not. Of course, Madame. Of course, Madame. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you...Now, you're much very special person to me in my life. Everything! You've given me job. You've given me... you start talking so I can talk [Mark laughs and says "that's Ivan." Fans cheer and clap for Mark. Someone in crowd shouts out, "Don't burn down Graceland!"]

Mark: [to man in crowd, and seems kind of confused and almost laughing] What? You trying to start a fire or something?

[fans laugh. Mark laughs because he doesn't realize that Ivan used to say that a lot on the show. Tsk... tsk.. seems Mark hasn't been keeping up with "Days" ;-) The fan explains to him that Ivan used to say that. So Mark repeats that in Ivan's voice and that's the end of that Ivan impersonation].

[now Mark is about to do the skit with Schoono]

Mark: [to audience] Alright, this one is "Hope and Bo." I'm not too good with [my impersonation of] "Bo" though. Bo's a little more like, [Mark imitates Bo by walking like him and even changes his facial expression to look like Bo's] [Mark in his "passionate Bo" voice] "Hope.... I love you..." [to audience, speaking out of character] Everybody, I did [an impersonation of] John Travolta. [fans laugh] I'm gonna do "Hope and Bo" as John Travolta.

[skit is about to begin. Mark, smiling, says he wants to a little "exercise" first before the scene begins. He tells Schoono to take a deep breath and asks her if she's nervous. She says she isn't. The Bo & Hope skit begins]

Schoono: I'm so happy we're going to be married here at St. Luke's.

Mark: And I'm happy that you're going to be my wife again.

Schoono: This time for good, Brady.

Mark: Forever. I promise I'll do anything I can never to betray your love and trust in me ever again.

Schoono: And I promise that I will always believe in you because I love you so much.

[fans in crowd go "awww..." Mark smiles and goes, "she loves me so much. She loves me..." Then Mark says "We got to kiss now." Mark and Schoono, as Bo & Hope hug each other, and then, two seconds later, Mark suddenly yells out, "Cut!!! We gotta go to the next scene!" The scene ends, and Mark gives a hug to Schoono and she thanks him.]

Mark: That was a short scene. Did anybody pick out anymore scenes?

[Mark gets up from the chair. He stands with his back towards the crowd and camera, and is looking over the scripts to find another scene. Nice jeans, Mark ;-)]

[later on, they all finally find another scene to work with. The skit is with Mark and this other man. The man is portraying Stefano (accent and all) and Mark is John. Mark does a really good John impersonation. He walks and talks exactly like him. It's so funny!]

Man: [with Stefano accent] My guards have told me that the Natives are on full revolt and the situation is growing more dangerous.

Mark: [moves his body posture and head so that he looks almost like John. He has this typical "macho-sounding" and overly dramatic "John" voice. He sounds almost exactly like John] I'll be glad to be out of here. This place gives me the creeps. I really can't wait to leave you behind and go back to Salem to see Doc.

Man: I have no intention of staying behind, John.

[fans laugh. Mark asks "What?" in his John voice]

Man: I'm going back with the rest of you to Salem.

Mark: [raises his voice] You can't go back to Salem!

Man: It's my airplane, John. I can go where I want...

Mark: You're a fugitive, Stefano! You escaped from prison! If you return to Salem, you'll be locked up.

[Mark is swaying his head back and forth and is doing the "eye wink" thing that John usually does. Crowd and Man are laughing]

Man: I have no intention of going back to prison!

Mark: [improvising in his John voice] Oh yeah?!

Man: [also improvising] Yeah, you will be in my jail cell now.  [man laughs]

Mark: Oh yeah?!

Man: You Deveraux's are all the same!! [wrong storyline ;-)]

Mark: [starting to walk towards man and sounding very bitter in his John voice] You DiMera, you! You're so evil! I'm gonna get you if it's the last thing that I do!

[Man does an evil Stefano laugh. Scene ends. Fans and Mark claps. Mark shakes Man's hand]

Mark: [to audience and smiling] Hey! Not bad. Let's give another hand for "Stefano" there. He's alright, huh?

[fans clap. Some fans in audience ask Mark to do an impersonation of Franco]

Mark: [in Franco's voice and accent. I'm spelling it as it sounds] No, I gonna do no "Franco". Me and Sean Dooglas... me an' Hope.... me and Sean Dooglas we're goin' to dee ball park to git a hot doog. And den, I'm going to come home... Hope, I got to tell you, you know... I love you... I love you more than... But I wait! I wait for you to... You know... you do other... you go off wit Bo... And you are going now to dee jungle wit John. You are caught in jungle wit John. But I wait 'cause... I love... I go with Sean Dooglas to ball park to git hot doogs.

[fans clap and cheer. Mark laughs]

Mark: [to crowd] Thank you. God, I love his accent. I mean, it's really great. I'd say [to Victor] "Just talk. Just say some words like..." He taught me some things in Italian. I'm like, "Victor, teach me something in Italian." He's like, "Okay, Mark, you want to know something in Italian." "Just teach me something in Italian so I can walk up to people..." He goes, [Mark is imitating Victor's accent again. Excuse my spelling of what Mark is saying. I don't know Italian so I apologize if I've misspelled some words] "Cera mariori "strip club" a ve cino l'aeropuerto." [fans laugh] I'm like, "Alright cool!" So I go up to some of his friends and I'm like, "Hey! Cera mariori "strip club" a ve cino l'aeropuerto." So what I was saying was, "The best strip clubs are near the airport." [fans laugh. Mark is smiling] So Victor got back at me for all the ....

[Man who works at Fanfest approaches Mark and tells him they've got a birthday in the audience. Some woman is sitting with a group of women towards the side of the room. Mark spots her. She begins to walk towards front of room]

Mark: Oh really? L. Meyer! [Mark starts quietly singing "Happy Birthday"] Happy birthday to you... happy birthday to you... Happy Birthday, L. "Oscar Meyer Weiner". [fans laugh] Happy Birthday to... you. [Mark smiles and gives her a hug.]

[The woman's mother suddenly walk up towards Mark and says, "Well, I was the one who was in labor." Mark looks at woman with this "huh?" expression on his face - LOL! For a second, he's almost speechless. Fans laugh. Mark jokes, "That's a little too much for us to know.." Fans laugh again. Woman celebrating birthday goes back to her seat]

[Schoono approaches the microphone and announces that there's five minutes left for the Reception. Mark is rubbing his eyes, and Schoono says that Mark must be kind of tired. Schoono says that everybody really appreciates Mark coming there and being so great. She thanks him. Fans clap and cheer. Mark takes the microphone to speak to the audience]

Mark: Parting words.. my last five minutes. [someone hands Mark a brand new shirt -- a gift from a fan in the crowd. Mark says thanks.] Yeah, I'm gonna miss all you guys. I mean, you go through these different towns and communities and you meet people. And it's like "Wow! You got like an extended, uh, it's like an extended group out there. It's not just the people that you're working with at the studios, it's the people who are watching the show. And um... I just want to say thanks for watching. You know? Thanks for paying attention to the show. A lot of people just pay attention to the storylines. But some people out there kind of watch the characters and watch the actors and see what it is they're they're really going through. And then you figure out a kind of sympathy for them. And I think that's really cool. A lot of people, um... nobody's really asked me questions of all the plotlines, here, which kind of tells me that, you know, as people, you're a little bit more conservative. You know. Really looking at people and seeing what they're all about as opposed to "Tell me the storyline!" So I really appreciate that. That's just something I picked up from the [?] And last thing is, um, I want to thank Lorraine Zenka [points to Lorraine] for being such a good friend while I was on the show. I really didn't like talking to journalists but I always liked talking to Lorraine. [Lorraine smiles and nods her head to thank Mark. Fans clap] ... Like if I slipped and said something really stupid, she'd kind of edit it for me. She'd give me that little nod, "Are you sure you want this going out there, Mark?" [Mark kind of laughs] So thanks. Thank you all very much.

[Mark pauses to think of what to say and figures he's said what he wanted so he smiles, waves to the crowd as he's saying thank you to them. The fans clap. Suddenly, he remembers what he wanted to say but forgot.....]

Mark: [referring to the "new Jack"] Oh yeah! Give the new guy a chance too. He's a nice guy.
The Reception ends.


Read related article: "Transcript: Mark & Braden Matthews Answer Questions at 'Daysfest' in Salem, Illinois"