American Idol

Despite having shockingly conservative hair for the 1980s and living in Genoa City, Wis. — not exactly a music hub — 16-year-old Danny Romalotti set out to become a pop star.
Despite having shockingly conservative hair for the 1980s and living in Genoa City, Wis. — not exactly a music hub — 16-year-old Danny Romalotti set out to become a pop star.
Perhaps noticing the way that buddy Andy Richards resembled an accountant and Paul Williams gave off well-coiffed rock-god vibes, Danny decided that a change was in order.
As Danny grew out his hair, groupies began lining up around the block. But none of his admirers were more ardent than sweet Traci Abbott and her mean-girl tormentor, Lauren Fenmore.
Vixenish Lauren was sure that she had the edge over Traci when Danny agreed to duet with her. Then he had to also go sing with Traci. And his sister. And Amy Lewis. And…
After marrying Traci, who’d gotten knocked up by her college professor, Danny wound up losing his voice — temporarily (whew!) — thanks to Lauren’s jealous stalker, Shawn Garrett.
In 1987, Danny was reunited with his deadbeat father, Brian. Once he was polished into Rex Sterling, a man worthy of Katherine Chancellor, he and his son mended fences.
The bigger Danny’s hair got, the bigger a star he became. Eventually, he and his hair could hardly be fit in the same photo.
Though Phillip Chancellor had relatively tame hair and no singing ability, he proved to be a formidable rival for Danny when he became smitten with Jabot model Cricket Blair.
Danny and Cricket Christine thought that the world was at their feet after they tied the knot in a lavish Hawaiian ceremony. But all that was really down there was obstacles.
Danny and Christine’s relationship survived assaults by David Kimble and Michael Baldwin, only to be done in by Phyllis Summers, a “fan” who lied that the singer had gotten her pregnant.
After Danny discovered that son Daniel wasn’t his biological child, Phyllis (then Sandra Nelson) lost custody despite the best efforts of her lawyer/lover, Michael.
Christine was about to marry Danny’s old pal, Paul, when the exes took a fateful walk down Memory Lane… that led them all the way to the bedroom.
Despite the fact that Christine ultimately picked Paul over Danny, the former marrieds were never more than a sideways glance away from… well, you see!
A few years after leaving Genoa City with baby Daniel, Danny returned with the 9-year-old. At least that’s how Daniel should’ve been when Twilight’s Cam Gigandet landed the part.
Once Michael Graziadei stepped in as Daniel about five minutes after Gigandet’s debut, the character developed a closer relationship with his manipulative Mommie Dearest.
Much like a kinda-psycho brought a child into Danny’s life, a kinda-psycho (Sheila Carter’s daughter, Daisy) brought one into Daniel’s — daughter Lucy.
It’s unlikely that Danny will ever forgive and/or forget the hell Phyllis put him through. But in recent years, they’ve been friendly. At least friendly enough to snap pics like this.
Shortly after Daniel returned to Genoa City in the fall of 2022, Danny was set to revisit his old stomping grounds, too. But to what end? Just a visit… or was there something more to his homecoming?
Yeah, no. Danny just came home to reconnect with old acquaintances and attend the occasional shindig. But with Christine sticking a fork in her and Paul’s marriage, there was a chance that he could start singing her love songs again.