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Jillian Barberie Interview
How much time do you get to warm up the guests before a show? I meet them in the makeup room about five minutes before the show. That's it? I do live tv every day, three hours a day, fifteen hours a week, so I don't like to super prepare myself. I like to know what I'm doing, but I don't want to be over-prepared because I think it takes the element of spontaneity out of it. I just like to go out there, meet them and get immediately into the meat and potatoes on the show so we can have some fun. I do wish the show were longer so we could explore the topics a little deeper. I do too. How much time do the guests have to meet each other? Oh, they don't. Many of them meet while they're getting microphoned. There's always that element of awkwardness, which I love. Doris Roberts looked a tad uncomfortable at one time with a couple of the people on her show. Oh, she may have been. But Doris Roberts ended up having the funniest things to say! All the guests on the show that night said this woman is our idol right now. There's a reason she's been in Hollywood for so long. I don't know how you ask some of your questions, but one of the questions you had to ask was - and I'm curious how you can do this - you asked them if they would mind peeing on their best friend's leg. How embarrassed are you to ask that? Sometimes the questions are so stupid I could die - I could just die! I think it was for a jellyfish sting. That's really not a stupid question, by the way. I guess there are scientific facts that say that if you do urinate on someone's leg after they've been stung by a jellyfish it can counteract the pain- I don't know. But yeah sure, sometimes I think, "Oh God! It's a little overstated!" That's why I asked how much time you have to prep people, because to look at Doris Roberts for instance and ask her whether or not she'd pee on somebody to me would be kind of touch and go. But by then she had people laughing so much you knew you'd get a good answer. I said to her, "Would you donate your eggs?" and she said, "Honey, if I could find any that work!" She has quick wit. A lot of the comedians will take it to another level. We've had some really brilliant comedians on; some unknown people that end up shining. Would you like to go up against Bill Maher's show? Well, you know, it's funny. I would love to tackle more serious topics, really get into it, and not have to cut the celebrity off to go for the funny answer. Go for the real answer. I would love to do a Politically Incorrect. I think it's a terrific show. I think you really get to know celebrities on a personal level based on their opinions on any given subject. I think it's a brilliant idea, and I know people that have worked over there that came over to The Test and they didn't want the same style show, obviously. Being a woman it's a different show right off the bat. You're not as judgmental as Maher. No. I do think that's sort of his acerbic wit that way. I know people who love him and I know people who hate him. I like him. I'm with you. I know he can be harsh and everything, but I think so what? Finally somebody in the media with a damn opinion. But he's not going to ask anybody if they're going to pee on somebody! No, that's true. That's why I think if you went head to head it would be interesting. I think I would only do it if our show tackled meatier subjects, and it wasn't supposed to be funny answers. If we could do a show like Bill's where we could really get into the subject, absolutely. But I wouldn't do it as this because my show seems like fluff compared to his, and I wouldn't go against him with that. You're right, but you're not fluff. You ask some really good questions. The moral test was good. The moral test? Yes, I liked that one too. That was a good show with good questions. Especially when you do the moral test in Hollywood. That's a bit of a stretch. It's funny the things that you learn. I did the vanity test with Carmen Electra and I found out I was more vain that Carmen. That really bothered me! Each test is different and it brings up different issues. Where are the actual tests coming from? We have writers that sit down and come up with ideas for the shows. Queendom.com gives the results. They are an internet company that is based in Montreal. We fax them the test before a show. They do all their personality profiles on each category on any given answer. When the celebrities come in, they fall into different categories. They do it right there on the show. It's pretty interesting. I'm glad they do it that way as opposed to audience participation. Yeah. Then it becomes too much like a game show. That, and there's not enough in the audience to give you a good mix. Are the guests on your show paid? So many reality-based shows on tv are depleting the available paying gigs for actors and writers. Honestly, and I know it sounds so ignorant of me, but I have no idea if our guests are paid. I just come out and do my best. I find out about the show that day, and then take the test myself. In the new episodes, I'm going to be involved in the answers as well as the guests. I don't know when those new shows are airing yet. I'm with you about reality tv. Now it's sort of backfiring. There's so much reality. There's reality boot camp - it's a joke! And this new reality thing, Fear Factor. You are working hard. You're still doing your regular morning broadcasts I believe. I am. I'm still doing my morning show. We just finished a job and we're going to tape some stuff for July 4 coming up. I come from a small town in Canada. My dad was an electrician. My mom was a nurse. We were a total blue-collar family. I've worked since I was fifteen. I don't know how to say no to a job. How many hours are you putting in now? Well, I do the three hours in the morning show and then I tape three shows Thursdays and Fridays for The Test. It's not that bad. I always ask this loyalty question. What happens if De Niro calls you and wants you as the female lead as a reporter in a movie? Would you go if it meant missing your daily work? I do act on the side. In fact, that's funny that you mentioned Robert De Niro. My first acting role was in Heat playing a reporter, but I ended up on the editing room floor. I do a lot of tv. I've dabbled a little bit with VIP. Pamela Anderson gave me a role - basically wrote a character for me on her series. I play a reporter. She gave me the name Foxy Levin playing on our stations name out here. This is my third season. I just finished my tenth episode. I love being on the set with them. I feel that VIP is my second family - I'm comfortable. I don't now how comfortable I would be on a movie set. I don't know. I've only done live things. I'm not very good at studying lines and learning a part. |
