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Melissa Joan Hart Interview
Florence: So, Melissa, could you talk about your show and explain it a little bit? Melissa: Yeah. Florence: Just in case some New York kids haven't had a chance to see it. Melissa: Oh, sure, yeah um... Well it's on Nickelodeon, and it's about a girl and her family, and, uh, she talks to the camera, and basically explains things that are just going on in her life, with her family, friends, school, you know, but mainly her family. It's a lot with uh, sibling rivalry, [meaningfully] and her brother, Ferguson. Florence: Umhmm, yes, we all know Ferguson. Melissa: And it's got a lot of graphics... David: The famous Ferguson. Melissa: Ferguson, yeah. Florence: What do you mean by graphics? Melissa: Well, the graphics, um, when Clarissa explains something, um, like they'll use drawings on the screen, or, um, like if she's talking about ants then ants will crawl across the screen, below, or something. Florence: Um-hum. So, I've noticed when I watch the show that you talk to the audience, as well as to the people that are acting with you. That must be a lot of fun. Melissa: Uh, yeah it is, actually. I've done a lot of monologues, when I was little on Broadway, and commercials, so I guess it was just natural, just to talk to the camera, and... it's fun. Florence: O.K., so, you've acted on TV. You said you've acted on stage. Have you done any film? Melissa: Not yet; I did "Crocodile Dundee", but I was cut out, so... Florence: Ohh... which, the first one? Melissa: Yup. Yeah, so, uh, the movie was, I guess, long or something, so... They cut it out, and, uh, I don't know, hopefully that's in my future. ... Sarah from Queens: What's it like being on that show? Melissa: It's fun. ... Sarah: How did you get into that business? Melissa: When I was four, I started doing commercials, because, my mom knew someone who was in the business, so, you know, I got a manager, and I started doing commercials, and modeling, and then it just worked up from there, to TV work, to off-Broadway plays, to this,... to Clarissa. Sarah: Don't you get kind of nervous, like being on television and all that? Melissa: No, actually, being on television is not as nerve-racking as being on stage, but it is kind of stressful. Florence: Because, once you're on stage, if you make a mistake, you made a mistake, Melissa: Yeah. Florence: ...and there's no way to correct it. Melissa: You can't take it back. David: There's no tape on the stage. Florence: There's no tape. There's no second take. ... Geraldo (one of the co-hosts): Does Ferguson get any mail? Florence: [laughs] Oh, fan mail... Yeah,... Melissa: Oh, yeah, actually. Girls write in, you know... Florence: Really? Melissa: ...saying that they like him. Yeah! Sure. He's, you know, he's the antagonist, but he's... [shruggingly] he's pretty cool. Florence: Explain that. ``antagonist.'' Melissa: Um, well, he's like the one that... the person that, in the show, that constantly annoys, the... Florence: Everyone. Melissa: ...protagonist, yeah. Florence: And you are the protagonist. Melissa: Yes, I am, I'm the one being... antagonized. ... Melissa from Yonkers: Hi. I have a question for Melissa? Melissa: Um-hum. Florence: Go ahead. Melissa (Yonkers): O.K., I'm really nervous about this. Florence: That's O.K., go ahead. Melissa (Yonkers): O.K, um, I just wanted to ask you, do you want to continue on acting? Melissa: Yes. Yeah, I hope to, but, you know, it's hard for kids to make the transition from being a child actor to an adult actor? Melissa (Yonkers): Hum. Melissa: So, hopefully,... you know, hopefully, if I keep working now, um, I can be an adult actor, also, but... if not, you know, I'm still going to go to college and everything, and, hopefully, um, maybe have the career to fall back on. Melissa (Yonkers): Yeah. David: So, you're planning to go on to college. Melissa: Yeah, I'm going to N.Y.U., actually. Melissa (Yonkers): My cousin wants to say hi, can he? Florence: Go ahead. Cousin (male): Hello? Melissa: Hi! Cousin: Hi - I really like Clarissa Explains It All. It's a cool show. Melissa: [laughing] Thank you. Florence: All right, so, obviously there are boys that listen, girls that listen... Melissa: Yeah, actually... Florence: There's actually a segment, in the book, where is it?... ``For the Boys Reading This Book''? Melissa: Um-hum. Florence: Hmmmm, that's on page 36, ahhh, as we're all flipping the pages, here... So it's interesting. [The] main character is a girl, but you say that there are a lot of boys listening? Melissa: There are a lot of boys, actually. They were - Nickelodeon was very surprised. They thought that... the big thing in TV is that a girl,... a girl star in a show can't have boys as the audience. We proved that that was wrong, 'cause boys actually like the show, and I think it has a lot to do with Ferguson, and has a lot to do with Clarissa's out-... really outgoing, and also with the graphics, and Clarissa's you know she's, she's - sometimes she can be like a tomboy, you know. Florence: Her best friend is a boy. Melissa: Her best friend is a boy. David: Look at page 47 here: ``Favorite Names for Ferguson: Teenage Mutant Ninja Moron, Dogbreath, Wart-lips, Amoeba-brain...''! Is it a boy-bashing show? Florence: No, it's a Ferguson-bashing show. Melissa: [simultaneously] No, no, actually... Yeah, it's a Ferguson - little brothers. Florence: Little brothers. Oh - Melissa: No offense. Jason from Manhattan: I want to say that I'm a very proud, male listener. Melissa: Oh! Thank you! Jason: I would like to make a compliment on, you, know, your best friend Sam? Melissa: Uh-huh. Jason: Female and male relationships can work. I mean, you know... other shows you may see like female-female relationships, or male-male relationships,... but this is a really good relationship you're having with Sam on the show. Melissa: Yeah, they even - Jason: I really would like to compliment you on that. Melissa: Thank you! Well, they tried dating once, but... Jason: I remember. I saw that one. Melissa: You did? Jason: Yeah. Melissa: It was actually a little girl's idea. She, she wrote in - a lot of kids wrote in, but this one girl developed the idea, and, uh... You know, we did it as a show, we flew the girl down, to watch the episode being taped, and... it was, it was a big success, except, you know of course they didn't make it as... as a couple, but they actually could go back to being friends, which was... that's - Florence: Very important. Melissa: Very ironic, yeah. Jason: They're much better friends. I really like your show. Thank you. Melissa: Thank you. Melissa: Bye. |
