One Life to Live’s new Joey Buchanan, Tom Degnan posed for pics in New York City’s Central Park on Sunday October 24. Degnan, who makes his Llanview debut November 24, is also a member the band Reserved for Rondee  with former As the World Turns co-star Billy Magnussen. See more photos after the jump! READ MORE

After auditioning a talented group of guys for the role of Joey, we are excited to announce that not one, but two of them will be joining the cast of OLTL in contract roles. We have now cast Tom Degnan in the role of Viki's son, Joey Buchanan, and we have decided that Josh Kelly is a great fit for the other contract role that we have written. We look forward to both actors joining the show.

No word on when Kelly will debut on the show, but Degnan makes his way to Llanview on Nov. 24. Now tomorrow, Kim Zimmer will still be Echo and not Elizabeth Keifer right? I'm just sayin'.

As the World Turns' Billy Magnussen and his band Reserved for Rondee performed at the Rose Bar in NYC on March 19 to benefit Project Give. Magnuessen's former ATWT co-star Tom Degnan (f. Adam Munson) is also a member in the band. Bonnie Dennison, Mick Hazen and ATWT newcomer Ben Levin also attended the benefit. Check out more photos after the jump and follow Reserved for Rondee on Facebook. READ MORE

While the ladies of daytime were preening on the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy red carpet, the men were doing their thing in penguin suits. Who looked the best and who looked the worst on the red carpet? See the other men HERE.

Photo by PR Photos

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In another generally well-crafted episode of As the World Turns, Wednesday's show featured several fine performances including Julie Pinson (Janet), Tom Degnan ("Riley"/Adam), and, yes folks, Marnie Schulenburg (Alison). However, it was two of ATWT's most beloved and revered veterans who taught a masters class in acting: Don Hastings and Kathryn Hays.

Hastings is not regularly recognized by the soaparatti, likely because his style is so laid back and naturalistic that it can generally be misconstrued as not being acting at all. In fact, I think Hastings' talent, like so many other daytime veterans, is taken for granted. On the contrary, it is the understated ease which Hastings brings to the role that can ground even the most outrageous of scenes, not the least of which occurred not too long ago when Hasting's Dr. Bob Hughes had to explain with a straight face how a microchip the size of an iPhone had been plucked out of Paul Ryan's brain. READ MORE

Perhaps someone passed along my Open Letter to Christopher Goutman. Perhaps Barbara Bloom took a good look at the plummeting ratings and decided that everyone should not lighten up after all. Perhaps head writer Jean Passanante took an extended vacation to Buenos Aires. Whatever has been happening over the last few weeks, let me step out on a limb and utter the words that many fans thought might not ever be said again or even believe: As the World Turns is, at long last, improving.

I fully expect the comments section to be full of invective and angry fist shaking about how ATWT is still "the worst soap on the air," how the vets are misused, and how the "Vortex of Suck" continues to, well, suck. In addition, the now well-documented list of the show's biggest defects remain stubbornly in place: warp-speed storytelling and the soul sucking semi-episodic structure continue to test the rapidly waning patience of the show's dwindling audience.

Having said that, it bears repeating that fans are a stubborn breed. We will praise shows, actors and performances we like, but we are quick to make our displeasure known when we feel things are not up to speed and falling apart. Once the latter narrative has been established it is very hard to turn the tide of opinion, even when a show starts to address its critics and make changes. Therefore, though the longstanding criticisms of ATWT are still valid, I think it is time to once again give credit where credit is due. READ MORE