After rising from the dead more times than he can count, Joseph Mascolo keeps coming back as “Days of Our Lives” supervillain Stefano DiMera because of his fan support.”Especially with college students, it’s like there’s a cult of Stefano,” Mascolo said. “They just love his a**.”Mascolo will be on campus Friday at the Ohio Union for the “NBC Daydream Tour ’98” with other cast members of NBC daytime dramas. This isn’t the first time Mascolo has been to Columbus, as he is an accomplished stage actor and once toured town for a production.It was on stage where “Days of Our Lives” producers first found Mascolo. He was in Houston working on a play with Burt Reynolds when the call came.”They’d seen me in a TV show called the ‘Gangster Chronicles,’ ” he said, “and just knew I was perfect for the role.”But daytime television wasn’t in Mascolo’s plans, and he repeatedly turned down the offer.”I was very insulting,” he said. “Finally, I asked for their highest offer plus $1.”Mascolo was surprised when they agreed, and soon found himself excited by the role.”I was fascinated with the character,” he said. “I figured I’d do it for a year for fun.”Instead, Mascolo ended up staying with the part–on and off due to multiple deaths–for the last 16 years. He has played a major role in developing the character.”I created the European accent, shaped his persona, and due to my musical background pick out the classical pieces Stefano listens to,” he said.Mascolo played clarinet for the Metropolitan Opera in New York City for two years and was in the United States Military Academy Band at West Point. A native of West Hartford, Conn., he is actively involved in charities for handicapped children.Mascolo believes it’s the “fantastic plots” of the show that keep fans watching. The show is known for delving into camp, a fact that he usually doesn’t mind.”When they dressed me up as Elvis it got me a little bit,” he said, referring to a plot where Mascolo had to dress up as the King to trick the Presley-obsessed character Susan to sleep with him. “They pushed me for weeks to do it.””Finally, I agreed, and with my dark hair and the glasses I actually looked like him,” he said. “The ladies on the set all wanted to get their pictures taken with me.”Mascolo said he thinks his character has returned from the dead six times, and says his fans “expect him to come back.” According to TV Guide, he’s been shot, was in a car explosion, drove off a cliff, got blasted by gas in the Paris underground and was caught in a fire in a Mayan cave.”His code name is Phoenix, which is fitting because he keeps rising from the ashes,” he said.Mascolo isn’t bothered by the immortality of his and other “Days” characters, but is bothered by the fact some come back as totally different people.”I’m not crazy about replacing actors with other actors,” he said.The latest development with Stefano is that he has been pardoned for his crimes, and is now able to walk the streets of the fictional Salem as a free man.”It’s a brilliant turn,” he said. “If Stefano dug another tunnel under Salem the whole town would sink into the ground.”Mascolo doesn’t know if he’ll do the show forever, but for now is loving every minute of it.”It’s a tough role, with a flavor of the bizarre,” he said. “But I never want Stefano to change because being a bad guy is the most fun on the show.”