The progress of the character doesn't interest me. He should be called Patch for the sake of the plot by everyone but Kayla.

If I didn't know any better, I'd think your name was Jim Reilly.

Steve is a sissy name.

My name is Steve.

J/K!

Wow, uh, right so character development and the history of the show doesn't matter just as long as he is called Patch?

Maybe Keith is right .

OMG, that is probably the saddest character motivation I have EVER heard in soaps!! That is just awful!! And so incredible!!! My God, what "Days" must have been like back then. What a deeply personal, phenomenal thing to have a character do!! That's just spectacular and unbelievable!!!

Steve had a pretty bad upbringing that we actually got to know a lot about as they added family members and a childhood friend to the canvas. And his adult life was pretty bad as well. He used to tell Kayla that he considered himself a "one-eyed bum" before she came into his life. The whole theme/appeal of their developing relationship was her trying to get him to see how worthwhile he was and him slowly believing it. And, even fairly early in Steve & Kayla's relationship, almost everyone called him Steve--her family, his family, Roman (now John), Mike Horton, Alice, even Jack did and Jack hated him then.

I know sometimes we say Patch online affectionately or because he's so identified by the patch he wears but, I agree, in terms of character development, not to mention length of time each name was used on screen, he was "Steve" for a very long time to a lot of characters. And I'm just so glad he and Kayla are back I don't even care that he has the name "Nick", when that name was actually a character who was a pimp on the show at the same time Steve was on in the 80s.

Many people did call him Patch in the beginning (obviously, since the character didn't have a name beyond just "Patch" at first). The HW at the time, Sheri Anderson, has admitted she named him Steve Johnson sort of haphazardly (it was the name of the writers' assistant's boyfriend!) Anderson said if she had known the character would become so popular, she would've given him a more "soapy" name.

Emma, Savannah, Victor (sometimes), Shane, Kim, Carloline, RoJohn, Britta, Bo (when angry), and Hope (when angry) all called him "Patch" at some point. So did the people at the Cheatin' Heart (Jimbo the bartender, Joan the waitress Steve helped, etc.)

When Kayla meets him, she makes a point of calling him Steve. During one of their early fights, Steve says:

Steve: (while holding Kayla's wrists) Why do you pretend you're different?! Why don't you call me Patch like everyone else?!

Kayla: I think it's horrible people call you Patch, and I just won't do it!!! Now let go of me!

As Kayla began spending more time with him, people started correcting themselves and stopped calling him Patch (for example, I remember Kim calling him Patch, then correcting herself).

By the time Steve "died", no one was calling him "Patch.."

Anyway, I hope you change your mind, RionPassions. I think we are in for a really great story...

To me, he'll always be STEVE.

"Patch" has been gone since he fell for Kayla almost 20 years ago imo.

I do understand why he is still refered to as "Patch" in the magazines, message boards etc... he will always be "Patch" to some and that's fine, but I really don't EVER see him being called that on the show again (in Salem), that would just seem really "odd" to me.

Maybe he gave himself that nickname to beat people to the punch. He lived a tough life with people who weren't exactly kind and considerate. But he moved into a new world when he met Kayla and he slowly moved away from the people who would call him that to rub salt in his wounds.

To call him Patch today would be hurtful to the person he is today. He helps people. He's respectable. If someone called him Patch, wouldn't he be hurt or confused and think, "Why are you mocking my loss?" He wouldn't get it that he was this tough guy who wanted to be called Patch and had this nasty presence and bad reputation.

No one should call him Patch on screen. If the magazines want to call him Patch (the name that made the character famous) that's different.

How would you know when he'd be known as Patch again if you didnt watch? Should one of us PM you?

Amazing.

I quit watching for a time because I hated the writing, as did many others. Others ahve quit watching because their favorite actor, actress or character has left the show in some fashion.

But, this is the first time I have heard in soap fandom where someone quit watching a soap opera because the actors on the show stopped calling one character by their former nickname. LOL

Maybe Steve & Kayla should have their birth certificates changed to:

Patch Johnson & Sweetness Brady Johnson.

J/K!!

Maybe Steve & Kayla should have their birth certificates changed to:

Patch Johnson & Sweetness Brady Johnson.

Okay, now that was funny!

Wow...I'd hate to see what you'd do if Bo stopped calling Hope "Fancy Face". My god, the world would end!!! J/K btw.

My name is Steve.

J/K!

Steve had a pretty bad upbringing that we actually got to know a lot about as they added family members and a childhood friend to the canvas. And his adult life was pretty bad as well. He used to tell Kayla that he considered himself a "one-eyed bum" before she came into his life. The whole theme/appeal of their developing relationship was her trying to get him to see how worthwhile he was and him slowly believing it.

Oh MY GOSH, that sounds so incredibly beautiful!!@#$@#$@#$@#$#

What a great story. Once again, a real love story...I just can't contain it!! What an incredible story!! Much better than the girl-sees-hunk-naked, they fall in love due to sexual chemistry CRAP that some soaps have served again and again.

OOOOH, the PASSION!!!!

Many people did call him Patch in the beginning (obviously, since the character didn't have a name beyond just "Patch" at first). The HW at the time, Sheri Anderson, has admitted she named him Steve Johnson sort of haphazardly (it was the name of the writers' assistant's boyfriend!) Anderson said if she had known the character would become so popular, she would've given him a more "soapy" name.

Emma, Savannah, Victor (sometimes), Shane, Kim, Carloline, RoJohn, Britta, Bo (when angry), and Hope (when angry) all called him "Patch" at some point. So did the people at the Cheatin' Heart (Jimbo the bartender, Joan the waitress Steve helped, etc.)

When Kayla meets him, she makes a point of calling him Steve. During one of their early fights, Steve says:

Steve: (while holding Kayla's wrists) Why do you pretend you're different?! Why don't you call me Patch like everyone else?!

Kayla: I think it's horrible people call you Patch, and I just won't do it!!! Now let go of me!

oOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!! That sound so good!!!

The PASSION!!!!!#$@#%$%$

How would you know when he'd be known as Patch again if you didnt watch? Should one of us PM you?

Yes, please!

And to those of you who think he shouldn't be called Patch, you're being way too sensitive towards a fictional character.

It's P&K carved onto the roof of the loft building, and Shawn and Belle referred to them as Patch and Kayla. I think some of the characters should, too. Especially Max.

Heh, I was being sarcastic. There are better reasons to quit, believe me. Egg/Sperm switching being one of them....

Being too sensitive would be boycotting a show soley because a character is going by his real name instead of one that was only used during the beginning of his tenure. (Toward the later years, he was only Steve)

I'm sick of this Steve garbage. That name should be reserved for Kayla's use only. Jack, Bo, Hope, and hopefully John and Marlena should be calling him Patch. Hopefully this will occur as he starts to remember his past.