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			Richard J .Mensing, Jr. Vice President, CBS Daytime Programs As a VP of CBS Daytime, Richard is involved in all creative aspects of producing AS THE WORLD TURNS and GUIDING LIGHT. He returns to produce and act as the Judge – as well as Blogger – for InTurn's second season.
	THREE TO OAKDALE… 7/27/07 …and one to Idaho. What an intense final callback…having known the outcome prior, witnessing the actual call back and still seeing it again online, I still get nervous for all 4 of them. So did you pick the right 3? Did we pick the right 3? (Head to the message boards and tell me what you think of the Final 3 and who you want to see win the coveted 13 week contract role on ATWT) Just so you know, the twist with Lauretta, was truly not planned. Chris and I hashed it out over and over before callbacks and then approached the head writer of the show, who luckily for us, was totally on board and welcomed the added challenge. Thanks. So now all the power goes to you all out there. Your vote determines the ultimate winner!!! Make sure you tune into As The World Turns on July 31st to see Jessamyn as she hopes to prove she is not just another pretty face but a real find. Then head to the InTurn website to see more about Jessamyn and the other two InTurns adventure on the set. But the fun and drama doesn’t stop there…on August 2nd it’s Dyon’s turn to make a lasting impression on you and ATWT. Then check out a new InTurn episode on line. Finally, Ryan gets his chance to WOW the voting public with his turn on ATWT on August 7th. And just like with the previous two finalists, a new InTurn episode will go up that day. And don’t say…I can’t watch the actual show because I am working, traveling, laying on the beach…whatever. Or, you can catch the episode streaming on CBS.com. So no excuses!!! Have fun being the judges and may the best InTurn win!!! From the inside-out: Richard IT'S CRUNCH TIME... 7/25/07 ...No choking, please. The 4 remaining InTurns were so nervous upon arriving @ the studio I thought for sure one or all of them might choke hard under the pressure. But to my great delight, the InTurms proved why they each of them was selected to make it into the top 4. They calmed their nerves, settled in and went for it. Each with their own take on how to play the scene. And with two incredible actors as their scene partners it was easy to see how the InTurns applied all the notes that they were given through the course of their stay @ ATWT to nail their scenes. Which has left both Chris and I with a very difficult decision in who should be the Final 3. Each are deserving and each for various reasons. It is sure to make for an interesting and unpredictible callback. Well lucky for you, the Final 3 will be revealed on Thursday and without a doubt there will be lots of tears...both of joy and sadness. From the inside - out: Richard TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE... 7/20/07 … now blow out your candles. The InTurns got a double whammy and no one saw it coming. After they basically got railed for their dismal performances in the Love Scene audition it was necessary to set the bar higher, prove that we weren’t screwing around by sending a message loud and clear. Trust me, I think they got it BIG TIME. I am sure it will be the thing Ry remembers most about his 21st birthday… SORRY, but at least you got to have Adam buy you a drink and hopefully you opened the bottle of “champs” with Meredith back in Nashville. Dyon took the opportunity on the judge’s panel to make waves for her closet competition, Jessamyn, by giving her the harshest critique…accusing her of basically stripping and then apparently telling Michael Park about Jessamyn and Ryan’s “extracurricular activities.” How quickly the WORLD TURNS. Dyon and Jessamyn went from “Loft BFF’s” to sworn enemies at the drop of a dime. Nothing like a 13 week contract role to bring the claws out. (I have to say, I never saw or heard Dyon whisper anything to Michael but then again she could have very well done it on the sly….or not at all) I guess we will never know, unless Michael decides to tell all. Now there are 4 left standing and only one more audition to determine the FINAL 3. It is CRUNCH TIME!!! Check out a brand new episode next Tuesday and see if Jessamyn and Dyon have kissed and made up. From the inside-out: Richard SAVE ME I'M DROWNING... 7/18/07 …thanks to those watered-down performances. What a major disappointment the InTurns were in the love scene challenge. When the judges are unable to even pick a winner you know it’s bad. And to have such weak performances after all this time and in front of my girl, MCB (Mary-Clay Boland)…the Emmy Award winning Casting Director of ATWT was beyond awful. Not good to not impress the “Louisville Slugger” – MCB. After all, this might have been the InTurns one and only chance to WOW her. UGH!!! It is always so fun to have Michael Park join me on the panel. He is so funny and such a fantastic actor. And he isn’t afraid to pull any punches when critiquing the InTurns performances…so naturally I love it because I come off looking like the nice guy for once. It will be very interesting to see what Lady Dyon has to say about her fellow InTurns. Hopefully she won’t let the power of the chair go to her head or better yet let’s hope she doesn’t pull an “IAN” (he was from season #1) and spill someone’s dirty little secrets all over the bathroom floor for the judges to hear. There is ONLY one way to find out how it all goes down and who gets sent home on Thursday’s brand new InTurn. From the inside-out: Richard DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD... 7/13/07 ...and Adam "back off." How crazy was that? You would have thought the InTurns had won the lottery the way they were clapping, screaming and jumping up and down after Natalie was booted. I have to say I actually felt a little sorry for Natalie as her big bad Julliard ego was "stomped on" and from where I was hiding on the set watching I could see the pain on her face. Who would of "thunk" it, the self-anointed "captain of this ship" sunk like the Titanic and hopefully on the way down she learned a valuable lesson... bad girls with bad attitudes but often with more talent finish last to nice boys with nice blonde hair (even though it's always in your face) and often less talent. OK, I admit I was a little "Simon - like" during the judging and half of my comments never even made it into the episode so you can only imagine... but they all were constructive and delivered with love... I promise, Adam. And how about him telling the Executive Producer, Chris Goutman, to "back - off." That took "balls" and in my professional opinion, was STUPID. If you can't stand the heat... get out or should I say "BACK OFF." I will let you know that Chris and I talked about it later that day... and he was surprised by Adam's reaction as was Liz Hubbard who told me something to the effect of... for a Harvard man that truly wasn't the smart thing to do. You've got to love Liz and she seemed to have a blast being a judge. And the most genius thing of all was watching Jessamyn, Ryan and Dyon all have a parting moment with Natalie's 8 x10 headshot. HILARIOUS!!! As the next audition looms for the remaining InTurns, these questions burn in my mind. Is another Inturn about to step into Natalie's shoes? How much longer can Ry survive on his good looks? Will Adam tell one of the judges or Chris again to "back off?" Guess you will have to tune in next Tuesday for a brand new episode of InTurn. From the inside - out: Richard SEX, LIES & CREAM PIE... 7/11/07 ...Oh, and a little tongue action... The screen test was huge for the InTurns and anyone who is on the road to being cast in a contract role on a soap will have the same experience @ some juncture... minus the pies. This was also the first audition where the InTurns finally got to act with one another so the pressure was doubled.... Dyon, having won the previous audition, got to pair the couples up and she did a masterful job saddling both Natalie and Lauretta with the guy she considered the weakest link, Ry and protecting both herself, and her gal pal, Jessamyn. The question is will her strategy payoff? Adam was the envy of the other guys since he got to make out madly with Jessamyn and how about her giving him props for being a good kisser... finally something or better yet someone lit a fire in Adam. Up until then Adam had been very low-energy with Mr. Goutman even calling him boring @ one point. I didn't know until after the audition that the InTurns actually got to watch the other InTurns' scenes from the greenroom. I loved how they all called out each other's mistakes and when Natalie went up on her lines and then dropped lines and switched names they went bananas with joy... but take heed, InTurns, nobody's audition was perfect... well, unless you ask Natalie... Guess you'll have to tune in on Thursday to hear the judge's impressions and who will get a callback. From the inside – out: Richard DON'T CRY FOR ME LAURETTA... 7/06/07 ...you'll live to InTurn another day. Ok, ok...yes, we involved @ InTurn are twisted, mean and unpredictable. But it is muy importante to always be one step ahead of the InTurns. It's hilarious after just days in the loft, several auditions and two callbacks many of the InTurns already felt they could anticipate what was going to happen next... well, trust me they never saw the flip coming with callback #3. Luckily for Lauretta we are a sneaky bunch, otherwise she would have been crying all the way back to her flat in NYC... can you imagine being that poor cab driver? BOO HOO HOO...(British style all the way home.) And how about all those hugs and kisses Natalie received when she walked out of the callback room? Boy, it must be awesome to be so loved. NOT!!! Jessamyn's face was priceless. FYI: Dyon don't be so bitter about the callback and Lauretta staying... a little competition is good for the soul. So who out there wants to put their sleeping bag down @ Camp Ry? If so, you better be ready to live in a pig-pen or on the street if the girls have their way. The battle lines have now been drawn and you will have to tune in to the next InTurn to see who will win the battle of the sexes and which InTurns will rise to the challenge and nail their screen tests... It's a messy situation. From the inside – out: Richard ROCK-A-BYE CRAZY... 6/29/07 ...on the studio floor. Natalie is the "Captain of the Ship" for sure and that ship has sailed many a "crazy" sea. And Lauretta is about ready for that maiden voyage of "superiority" to sink. The interesting thing about Natalie, and both the producers and I witness it often during taping, is that she is full of bravado and theatrics and isn't afraid of voicing her opinion on her work and that of her fellow InTurns but rarely will she criticize her opponents to their faces, but instead goes off on them behind their backs... I would call it smart but, because she is open about being here ONLY to WIN the 13 week contract, she has quickly alienated most in the loft... except for maybe Adam, Ry and Ryan... Natalie likes the boys... and they bring out the "fierce tigress" in her. So Martha, Donnell and I had a great time during the auditions and to have such a seasoned actress, as Martha, on the panel and the unique perspective of Donnell (a terrific comedian and actor) made for interesting debates. Martha was not enthused at all by Natalie's "grand entrance" and was ready to get the hook but had she we would have missed one of the most interesting choices of all the auditions... when I say I was scared, I was. Natalie's twisted twin was so authentic that it had Martha calling for security and Donnell yelling for a straight jacket. Dyon nailed it and deserved to win the audition with Jessamyn and Ryan right there with her. But did you catch Natalie's face when I announced Dyon was victorious? If not, go back and watch it again. It goes to my point earlier. And in spite of my Ry imitation (it's a battle of the hair thing) his approach to "Death by Helicopter Crash" and how he took chances with the scene was a pleasant surprise. (BTW: Ry apparently does an imitation of me and I plan on busting him on it... since he thinks I don't know about it.) The InTurns now must wait to have the hammer fall on one of them on the casting couch... who do you think won't get a "callback?" And who will have to take Meredith's picture off the wall? Be sure to leave your comments on the Inturn message board. Check out another new episode on Thursday July, 5. From the inside – out: Richard YOUNG LOVE NO MORE 6/27/07 ...but they made a cute couple. The InTurns got introduced to the casting couch and the callback room and it had them all on edge. And how mean is it that when you bite the dust you are trashed... literally. Loved that Natalie was quick to jump up and toss Justin without an ounce of compassion... say what you want about her but at least she is consistent... right, consistently wicked. Valiant effort by Ry to save his hook-up, Meredith but, oh well... I think he dug all that rooftop mackin' and was hoping for more, more, more... hey, can you blame the guy? But in the end, Dyon fought like a caged tiger to save herself and Meredith's inexperience sent her packing. We don't like to let the InTurns really ever anticipate our next move and before they could really catch their breath after callbacks we summoned them to the AS THE WORLD TURNS studio for twisted "Dying and Crying" audition. I really liked this audition... as it forced them to not only be quick on their feet but inventive and I swear we had no idea when we gave Ryan the "hit by the car" that it would cut so close to home... but as any good actor realizes that it is always important to draw from your own experiences, especially with the emotional stuff and Ryan made the right choice and used it to his advantage. Speaking of advantages, you think Natalie has one watching each InTurn perform before hers??? I do, and she better make it work for her. And if you asked the hilarious Donnell Rawlings about the InTurn with the truly BIG advantage it would be Jessamyn... and gee, I wonder why... do you think it had anything to do with her Turkey Day purchase? ... HELLO!!! I think he was ready to give her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Two dead and seven more still left to die and cry, so tune in on Thursday for the next new episode of InTurn and don't forget to tell your friends to check it out. From the inside - out: Richard LAUGHTER IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL... 6/22/07 ...so is a little rooftop make out session Okay, Okay... I know it was pretty heartless to put the InTurns through such a wicked audition process, but come on - don't tell me you weren't laughing out loud just a little. It was crazy on the set that day, not only were the InTurns having a tough time holding it together, but the crew and the judging panel were in hysterics. Since you only see the edited footage it is hard to get a true sense of just how uncontrollable the laughter was... in fact, there were times I was laughing so hard I couldn't even get the bullhorn up to my mouth to call out direction. It was so much fun... and Marina Franklin (the comedian extraordinaire) just killed me with all her antics. I would love to hear from the viewers (go to the InTurn message board and post your comments) which Element Audition you thought was the craziest or funniest or toughest... for me the funniest was Jessamyn's "Fart Box." - thank you, Kelsey for finding that contraption while we were in Nashville holding auditions - and the craziest was Natalie's "water torture." Doubt there were many of the InTurns who were feeling sorry about her dousing and she looked like Cousin IT from the Adams Family when she walked into the green room after giving you a diva-like "no pictures" performance to my girl, Laura P. Back @ the loft the tempers flared, as Natalie confirmed she does think she is better than everyone and Lauretta was ready to give her a "big mama" beat down and show her who the real queen of the castle is. While upstairs, oblivious to all the drama, Ry and Meredith played kiss and tell and let's compare hair. Could this be the start of romantic alliance that will unite them against the rest or the loft, or could their budding relationship end up blinding them to the real reason they are here and ultimately costing them? Guess you will have to tune to the next episode to find out. From the inside out- Richard ARE YOU (and THOSE) FOR REAL??? 6/20/07 Justin was the first casualty and all I have to say is... "are you for real?" I mean really, I had hoped that after last year he would have at least taken the constructive criticism that was given to him and parlayed it into something beyond exactly what he gave us last year on InTurn. His performance shocked me...truly, and when he said he had been studying and taking acting classes it made it even more appalling. Honestly, ask for your money back and stop resisting becoming a model. You have a good look that could make you some cold hard cash, fast. Speaking of cold, Natalie pulled no punches in telling Mr. Goutman just how bad Justin's performance was. Hey, Natalie’s here to win, and in her own "sweet Julliard" way she has no problem taking her competition down. So the InTurns, minus Justin and it was sad watching him wheeling his suitcase away, settled in to their new digs and got right down to apparently what mattered most...winning, NOT...Jessamyn's breasts, YES. "Are those for real?" was the $64, 000 questions and all those who put money on NO, you’re the BIG winners. I loved how Jessamyn has no issues with her purchase and that Dyon sees that they could be a lethal weapon in the competition...all I have to say is...you all will have to wait and see whether or not they do come into play and if so, HOW? Don't forget to watch an all new episode on Thursday when one Inturn will get dumped on and two InTurns will make a "love connection" and they won't be the ONLY ones... From the inside out- Richard A DIVA IS BORN... 6/16/07 ... actually, just unleashed. There they stood all 9 InTurns. A bit like a bunch of deer caught in headlights and hey, I don’t blame them. After all, they never even made it to the loft to unpack their bags. Instead, the InTurns were shuttled straight to the AS THE WORLD TURNS studio and for many of them, it was their first time on a set. But for others, well, they had no problem telling the others this was "Old hat," "No big deal," "A piece of cake." Well, to that, I say let them eat cake and a piece of humble pie. Like I said before, this season is GAME ON from the word "GO." Kelley Hensley... love her... shocked the InTurns by explaining their first audition was immediate. Oh, their faces... priceless and you could feel the tension in the studio just skyrocket. Even Justin, the old pro (I use that term loosely. He was in season #1) was shocked by the sudden turn of events. And so it all began. The audition was easier for some than others. Jessamyn and Meredith took the most unique approach with the situation, Dyon called Lauretta out as being the first to go home and Ry showed he may not just be another pretty face... which pissed Justin off since that’s all he was "labeled as" last season. Lauretta gave you big, sassy and "sister-fied." Ryan tried to make something out of dirty laundry, Adam "switch-hit" and Natalie rested on her Julliard "laurels." And when it was all said and done no one was safe from "the all knowing" Chris Goutman and the dreaded CALLBACKS... oh, well, maybe Natalie as I watched her judge her fellow InTurns like she was sitting on the panel with me, Kelly and Lamont. It was hilarious, really. Anything one of the judges said Natalie would nod, smile and shake her head in agreement, especially if we were bashing or harshly critiquing the performance of one of the other InTurns. Do I detect a bit of DIVA-dom? Or is that just entitlement? After all, you did go to where...? JULLIARD Tune in Tuesday for another episode. From the inside out - Richard You Can Never Get Too Much Of A Good Thing... 6/8/2007 Lucky for you InTurn is back. And so am I...well, lucky? That depends on which InTurns you asked and on what day. Hook-ups, break-ups, tears and cheers are just a few of the things that go down during the highly anticipated 2nd season of the show, with one would-be actor winning the coveted 13 week contract role on As The World Turns. Trust me, we weren't pulling any punches. The competition was stiffer, the auditions more demanding and the judging more critical. These InTurns needed thick skin, a sense of humor, the wherewithal to rise to the challenge, and a lot of waterproof mascara...and yes, talent. From the moment they arrived, the competition began - and I am not talking about the actual auditions themselves. If you've ever been to a boxing match and watched the fighters scope each other out when they enter the ring... it was just like that. Man, it was on. And fast. Battle lines were drawn, the dishing began and a few unlikely alliances were made. But in the end 3 were left standing but ONLY one can win...that decision falls in your hands...the viewer. It will be your job to pick the winner. You'll take over my role as judge and jury and determine who will become the next star of As The World Turns. Nothing like the power of the people. So get your friends to check it out starting June 15th. And check my blogs after each new episode. From the inside - out: Richard