1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,160 Speaker 1: Hey fam, Hello Sunshine. 2 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 2: Today on the bright Side, everyone's favorite teenage witch, Melissa 3 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 2: Joan Hart joins us on the show. We're digging into 4 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 2: her decades long career as an actress and director, her 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 2: new foray into stand up comedy, and why she stayed 6 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 2: down to Earth through it all. 7 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: It's Tuesday, May fourteenth. 8 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 3: I'm Danielle Robe, I'm Simone Boyce, and this is the 9 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 3: bright Side from Hello Sunshine, Simone. 10 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 2: We have one of our nineties teenage heart throb idols 11 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 2: on the show. 12 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 3: Melissa Joan Hart preteen. Simone is just screaming, literally shaking 13 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:44,519 Speaker 3: right now. I mean, this is a this is a 14 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 3: dream come true. 15 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 2: You love all the nineties nostalgia. I know this is 16 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,279 Speaker 2: a moment for you. I can't help but think of 17 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 2: her not as Melissa joan Hart, but as her iconic characters, 18 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 2: like I want to call her Sabrina, I want to 19 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 2: call her Clarissa. 20 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: It's hard to just say Melissa joan Hart. 21 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 4: It really is. 22 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 3: And I think that's a testament to the longevity that 23 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 3: she had. I mean, she in Clarsa explains it all. 24 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 3: She did sixty five episodes from nineteen ninety one to 25 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:15,760 Speaker 3: nineteen ninety four, Sabrina the Teenage Witch was just an 26 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 3: institution as well. She was one of the hardest working 27 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 3: stars of that time. 28 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 2: I'm gonna tell you one of my biggest takeaways from 29 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 2: our conversation that I want everybody to keep an eye 30 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 2: out for as they listen. She was an actress. She 31 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 2: was a teen actress, but she and her mom were 32 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 2: such bosses. They took such control of her career and 33 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 2: their lives. 34 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a story I haven't heard from many teen actors. 35 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: It was really impressive. 36 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 3: She was an ever present force through a lot of 37 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 3: the defining moments of the nineties of pop culture back then. 38 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 3: I mean I forgot she was in the Drive Me 39 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 3: Crazy video with Britney spears. 40 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 5: Well. 41 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 2: Talking with Melissa Joanhart got me thinking about all the 42 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: nineties rama behind the scenes all the other actors' TV shows. 43 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 2: We may be able to get the inside scoop on 44 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 2: who she hung out with, who she dated, like, what 45 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 2: really happened behind the scenes in the nineties. 46 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, we're gonna put our best investigative journalism to 47 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 3: the test right here with Melissa. You know what's been 48 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 3: fun for me recently Danielle. I discovered that the entire 49 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 3: Nickelodeon Nineties library is available for you to stream on 50 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 3: Paramount Plus. So I have sat my two boys in 51 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,679 Speaker 3: front of the television and I'm now forcing them to 52 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 3: watch the shows that I grew up with, and surprise, surprise, 53 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 3: they love the slime. 54 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 4: They just want to watch more slime. 55 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: I remember, Simone. 56 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 2: One of my first red carpets was the Kid's Choice Awards, 57 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 2: and all I could think was like, please let me 58 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 2: get slimed. 59 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 1: Please let me get slimed. It was so iconic for us. 60 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 4: It was such a thing back then. 61 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 3: And I actually have wait, hold on, I have to 62 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 3: show you something. So I in Florida at this time, 63 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 3: like peak nineties pop culture, right, and so we were 64 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 3: only a road trip away from Disney and Universal Studios, 65 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 3: so we would go there quite a bit and I 66 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 3: made my parents take me there. And I still have 67 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 3: this relic. This is my original super sloppy doubledare souvenir 68 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 3: shirt that's a. 69 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: Size like it's a cute baby. 70 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 3: It's a baby te now, but it's red and it 71 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 3: has like the slime on it. I love that and 72 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 3: I wanted to get slimed so bad, and it was 73 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 3: the demand to get slimed was out of control. You 74 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 3: had to you had to like probably get tickets ahead 75 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 3: of time, wait in line. And now my kids are 76 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 3: asking me, did you ever get slimed? And I'm like, no, sweetie, mom, 77 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 3: we didn't get slimmed, but I did get this cool 78 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 3: T shirt. 79 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 2: What's it like watching all of the nineties shows back 80 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 2: with your kids now? 81 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 3: It's honestly so fulfilling. I can barely describe it. I mean, 82 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 3: we've been watching Guts and Salute your Shorts and Family 83 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 3: Double there, and it's this really surreal, full circle moment 84 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 3: where it brings back all these core memories that you 85 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 3: can actually like feel in your body, like I can 86 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 3: really remember what it was like watching these shows as 87 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 3: a kid, and then to share it with your kids. 88 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 4: It's honestly one of the most fun parts of parenting. 89 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 2: What do you think are the nineties shows that stick 90 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 2: out for you? Like I was a full house fiend, 91 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:29,480 Speaker 2: even Doug, Like I would wake up on Saturday mornings 92 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 2: and watch all those cartoons from like eight am to 93 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 2: eleven am, and my brother and I would fight over 94 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:34,679 Speaker 2: the remote. 95 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 3: Yes, did you have any characters or actors that you 96 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 3: really idolized at that time. 97 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, totally. I loved watching Tapega on Boy Meets Worlds. 98 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:46,840 Speaker 2: I thought she was the prettiest, coolest girl I had 99 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 2: ever seen. Yeah, and she was kind of a badass 100 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 2: on the show. She never let anyone push her around. 101 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 2: I mean Buffy the Vampire Slayer Sarah Michelle Geller. 102 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 4: Yes, was just it for me. Did you watch with 103 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,040 Speaker 4: your brother? Did you watch alone? Who'd you watch with? 104 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:04,359 Speaker 1: I made my brother Blake watch with me. 105 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 2: And so it's actually so funny you asked that because 106 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:10,239 Speaker 2: to this day he knows all the characters of Charmed 107 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 2: and his guy friends are like, what are you talking about? 108 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 2: But he knows all the shows that all the girls 109 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 2: wanted to watch. 110 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 4: He had an older sister. That's how it happens. 111 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:19,719 Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly. 112 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:26,280 Speaker 2: Okay, we're taking a quick break, but we are continuing 113 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 2: to go down millennial memory Lane with Melissa Jonehart. 114 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 1: Don't miss it. 115 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 3: We're back and today Danielle and I are leaning into 116 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 3: our witchiness a bit with actor, comedian, director, and America's 117 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 3: favorite teenage witch. 118 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 4: It's Melissa Joonhart. 119 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 1: Melissa was the Queen of the tgif lineup? 120 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 4: How could I forget? 121 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: Well? 122 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 2: Since then, she's appeared in dozens of films and TV shows. 123 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 2: She has an upcoming project for Lifetime called The Bad Guardian, 124 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 2: and get this, she's taking the stage as a stand 125 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 2: up comedian with our other favorite witch, Caroline Ray. 126 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 4: Welcome to the bright Side, Melissa. 127 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 6: Thank you so excited to be here on the bright 128 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 6: side with you guys talk about all bright side. 129 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 3: Things, Melissa. I hope it's okay if we fan girl 130 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 3: a little bit here. Do you ever get sick of 131 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 3: talking about the iconic roles that you've played? 132 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 4: Do you ever get sick of it? Or do you 133 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 4: still have fun? 134 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 5: Meta now? 135 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 6: So, like, I appreciate that everyone well first of all, 136 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 6: has like a different project of mine that they like. 137 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 6: And I've been doing a little stand up recently, and 138 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 6: I've been saying that, like the greatest thing you can 139 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,479 Speaker 6: hear is I love your work. Because who gets to 140 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 6: hear that, you know, the toll booth operator doesn't get 141 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 6: to hear that. You know, teachers don't really get to 142 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 6: hear that. You know, it's very rare that like the 143 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 6: garbage man gets to hear like love you work, ause 144 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 6: you know, they go dump in the garbage down the street. 145 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 2: That's such a nice way of looking at it. I 146 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 2: actually really want to get into your stand up because 147 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:52,799 Speaker 2: you and at Hilda aka Caroline Ray are doing stand 148 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 2: up together and this show is called I Identify as 149 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:58,599 Speaker 2: a Witch, which I love because back in the day, 150 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 2: I feel like it was just women with amazing opinions 151 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 2: that were called a witch. 152 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 1: But so now I lean into the word. How did 153 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 1: this come about? 154 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 6: Back in like October, we did a show ord around Halloween, 155 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 6: we did a show together in Huntsville, Alabeba. And I 156 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 6: was freaking out. I was only supposed to do like 157 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 6: ten or fifteen minutes. I ended up doing twenty and 158 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 6: I loved it, and I was like, let's do that again. 159 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 5: So she and I decided we do a little tour. 160 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 6: So we're getting a few in just to see, just 161 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 6: to try my hand at it and see how it goes. 162 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 5: It's really fun. I feel really natural on stage. It's funny. 163 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 6: It's like standing up on stage for like twenty minutes 164 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 6: and telling some stories and then like for me to 165 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 6: get to entertain and like bring a smile, which is 166 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 6: always my goal. 167 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 5: Is like literally we. 168 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 6: Say a prayer before you a free show when we 169 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 6: do live shows and say, you know, bring someone a 170 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 6: laugh today who needs it. And so getting to go 171 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 6: up on stage and do that for twenty minutes in 172 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 6: different cities feels so much more authentic to who I 173 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 6: am as like an entertainer and like wanting to bring 174 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 6: a smile. And so it's been really, really fun and 175 00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 6: I'm really enjoying it. 176 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 5: Like the first thing I said when I got stations, 177 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 5: like I can do something at charity shows. 178 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 6: Now I can go on a USO tour and do something, 179 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 6: because I always felt like I can't go on a 180 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 6: us SO tour and entertain the troops. 181 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 5: I have nothing to entertain with. I can't sing. I 182 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 5: can do this. So it's so exciting. It's like feels 183 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 5: like this whole world has been open to me. 184 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 2: When I look back at all your roles across networks 185 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 2: and film and TV, so many of them are rooted 186 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 2: in humor. Why was being funny always important to you? 187 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 6: I can't say where it exactly came from. I think 188 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 6: what's weird is like I was always in Goofball. 189 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 5: I guess you know. 190 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 6: My family, we were all actors, but some weren't as 191 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 6: like Rizal Dazzle as I was. I was very much 192 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 6: like I'll say that these Lifesavers are the best thing 193 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 6: I've ever had. I don't care, you know, like, but 194 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:46,080 Speaker 6: it's funny because, like, you know, everything I did, even 195 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 6: this one play that turned out to be super dramatic, 196 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 6: my part wasn't. My part was silly. The play was 197 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 6: called Beside Herself. I did a half hour monologue before 198 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 6: Beside Herself started, called The Valerie of Now, and it 199 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 6: was written by Peter Hedges, who's written like Dan in 200 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 6: real life and like huge movies. Joe Mantello directed it. 201 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 6: So Joe Mantello and Peter Hedges and I are all 202 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 6: in a room together workshopping this monologue I'm supposed to 203 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 6: do at the age of it just before Clarissa, So 204 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:11,719 Speaker 6: eleven or twelve, and it was supposed to be half 205 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 6: an hour, but I talked so fast it ended up 206 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 6: being twenty minutes. And it's it's a girl who just 207 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 6: got her period for the first time, and she's all alone. 208 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 6: Her mom went out to get her birthday decorations, and 209 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 6: it's her like getting on the phone and talking to 210 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 6: the pillow, and you know, singing songs and jumping up 211 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:26,959 Speaker 6: and down on the couch and trying to figure out, 212 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 6: like I shoved a bunch of tissues up there, is 213 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 6: that good enough? And like, you know, not really knowing 214 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 6: what to do. And it's sort of silly in nature. 215 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 6: But then the next portion of the play you find 216 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 6: out what happened to that girl on that day and 217 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 6: how her life changed from sexual abuse, and so it's 218 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 6: you know, it's a very dark play, but my part 219 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 6: was really silly and light, and that job sort of 220 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 6: led me to Clarissa, which obviously then it just kind 221 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 6: of snowballed from there. 222 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 5: So it's weird. It was like I was a commercial girl. 223 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 6: I was known as the Rice Crispies girl in the 224 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 6: second grade because I was on the Risk Crispies commercial. 225 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 4: And I do remember that. 226 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:05,199 Speaker 6: I kind of ran the gamut between like soap operas, commercials. 227 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 6: In nineteen eighty six, I was on seraout Live three 228 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 6: times and some skits, you know, just sort of being 229 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 6: around funny people, being around talented people, exploring all these 230 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 6: different worlds. 231 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 5: And then with Clarissa, I became a sitcom girl. And 232 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 5: my family will still to this day. 233 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 6: Say why did they pay you to be funny? 234 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 5: You're not funny. 235 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 6: So it's interesting that I have made this career for 236 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 6: my My kids say the same thing. 237 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 4: Now. 238 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 6: My family always said it. My dad always said it 239 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 6: to me, like, you're not funny. I don't get it. 240 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 6: I actually stopped telling him when I was on talk 241 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 6: shows because he would just bash me after Oh. 242 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: My god, you are so funny, Melissa. 243 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 3: I could find, like millions of other millennials who would 244 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 3: debate that you brought so much joy to so many 245 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 3: children in the nineties, in the early aughts. I mean, 246 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 3: I was raised on Nickelodeon. Nickelodeon was like my religion. 247 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 3: It was so empowering to watch. But I'm curious, like, 248 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 3: did you feel pressure to look a certain way or 249 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:57,439 Speaker 3: adhere to a certain aesthetic? 250 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 6: Back then, I was told a few times I could 251 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 6: be a big movie if I would lose some weight, 252 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 6: which I thought was insane because I was like one 253 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 6: hundred and three pounds and like had a flat stomach, 254 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 6: so I couldn't. I don't know what else I could 255 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:12,719 Speaker 6: have done except grow five inches. But I would get 256 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 6: all like pissy about it and then be like, screw it. 257 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 6: I don't I'm not going to, so it doesn't matter. 258 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 3: I'm so glad you didn't. I'm so glad that you 259 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 3: had such wisdom at such a young age. It's not 260 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 3: worth it. Like my goal is to be a working actress. 261 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 3: My goal is to keep working and providing for my family. 262 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:29,960 Speaker 3: And you know, even when I was younger, before I 263 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 3: had a family or a husband or anyone, I would 264 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 3: always use my younger siblings as a barometer for what 265 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 3: I should be doing. But then also like thinking forward, 266 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 3: I always thought forward to what am I going to 267 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 3: do when I have a family, and how am I 268 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 3: going to sustain and get my kids to college and 269 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 3: make it to retirement and all those things. 270 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 5: So I was always sort of thinking ahead in that way. 271 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 6: And I was always saving, and I was always a 272 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 6: vesting and I think I was one of the few. 273 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 6: But Ello cool J gave me some great advice on 274 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:54,319 Speaker 6: the set of probably some Nickelodeon thing we were doing 275 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 6: in like ninety seven. Maybe he hit all these gold 276 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 6: chains and I was like, wow, look at all these diamonds, 277 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 6: and he goes, don't do this, don't do this. He 278 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 6: said something to the effect of, don't waste your money 279 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 6: on something like this buy a house, or like he 280 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 6: gave me like solid investment advice, where I was like, 281 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 6: save my money, got it, you know. So the first 282 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:14,599 Speaker 6: thing I did when I knew that I had a 283 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:16,559 Speaker 6: little longevity on Sabrina, when I was picked up for 284 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 6: a second season, I bought a house. I was like, 285 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 6: I don't want to throw money into rent anymore. I 286 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 6: want to buy a house that I can afford, that 287 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 6: I can someday pay off. And that was my whole goal, 288 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 6: was like get a house I can pay off so 289 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 6: that I always have a place to live no matter 290 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 6: what happens. 291 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:32,440 Speaker 2: I love that you mentioned Sabrina because it was my 292 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:35,959 Speaker 2: favorite show as a kid. I used to fake sick 293 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:39,319 Speaker 2: from school to watch that show. And there were three 294 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 2: female main characters, which was kind of an anomaly on 295 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 2: TV in the nineties. 296 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 5: Yeah, and they were. 297 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 2: Smart and witty and totally unapologetic about their opinions. And 298 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 2: Sabrina was not really sexualized the way I'd seen other 299 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 2: female leads of that time, not really at all. 300 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:57,079 Speaker 6: I feel like, you know, I definitely wore my share 301 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 6: of crop tops and low cut, but I didn't even 302 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 6: go that low. Like, I didn't the Brittany and Christina 303 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 6: Aguilera thing like, I didn't get that much stomach in there. 304 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 2: Did it feel unique when you were making it or 305 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 2: just in hindsight, No, it. 306 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:09,199 Speaker 5: Didn't at all. 307 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 6: Actually, because I was a big fan of watching when 308 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 6: I was growing up in like the eighties, when Cable 309 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 6: started Nickelodeon after like eight pm became nick at Night, 310 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 6: and it was all my mom's generation shows, So it 311 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 6: was Brady Bunch and all this stuff. So watching Bewitched 312 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 6: and I dream a Janie. When I was doing Sabrina, 313 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 6: I was like, this is very much like one of 314 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:29,640 Speaker 6: these shows. It's just it hasn't been done in a while, 315 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 6: you know, so I felt a little bit copycat in 316 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 6: a way. 317 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 3: Melissa, I just learned that your mom is the one 318 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 3: who pitched Sabrina the Teenage Witch to network execs and 319 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 3: you became an executive producer alongside her at such a 320 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 3: young age. You even directed episodes back then too. What 321 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 3: did you gain from that experience. 322 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 6: I'm so thankful to her for doing that. I mean, 323 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 6: she was my manager all through my childhood. And then 324 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 6: you know, when Clarissa ended, she was like, you have 325 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 6: a fan base that likes you. Let's not do let's 326 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 6: not put you in all these sexy, sexy roles. Let's 327 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,320 Speaker 6: find something for that fan base that you've built that 328 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:10,079 Speaker 6: trusts you. And so my mom found the comic book 329 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 6: some well someone handed to her on a playground, So 330 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 6: this'd be a great role for Melissa. We made it 331 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 6: a Showtime movie that a lot of people know what 332 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 6: because Ryan Reynolds was in it. So we made this 333 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 6: Showtime movie. And the whole time we're making this movie 334 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 6: and my mom's producing it, she's like, this would be 335 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 6: a great series, and everyone's like okay. Whenever, when she 336 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 6: sat down in the editing bay, she cut together a 337 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 6: trailer for a TV show based on the movie, and 338 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 6: she brought it out to LA. She goes, I'm going 339 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 6: to LA, I'm going to pitch this to five different networks. 340 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 6: I was like, good luck, like kind of like this 341 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 6: is ever gonna happen. Sure enough, she got three offers 342 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 6: in the room, and ABC gave her the offer for 343 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 6: a TGIF timeslot, and. 344 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 5: She was like, that's the one I'm going with. We're 345 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 5: gonna be on ABC. She's like, pack your bags. I'm like, yeah, right, 346 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:48,960 Speaker 5: I'm still gonna go to college. 347 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 4: Good luck. 348 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 6: I don't think this is going to happen. So I 349 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 6: go to college and she's like, Nope, you got to leave. 350 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 6: We got to go to LA. 351 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 5: And that's the first time we actually worked to move 352 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 5: to LA. When I was twenty, so I was never 353 00:14:58,080 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 5: a teenager playing the teenage witch. 354 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 6: I moved to LA and she was the producer, so 355 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 6: she was executive producing this thing. I mean, she's hiring 356 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 6: the writers, and she's hiring the cast, and she's in 357 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 6: the ending bay and she's part of the music choices, 358 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 6: and I mean that show is her design. 359 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 5: And everyone was so sick of me being bossy. 360 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 6: I've been bossy since forever, Like especially like Clarissa. 361 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: I would always. 362 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 6: Mess around with the lighting board and the cameras and 363 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 6: like want to learn everything and be in everybody's business 364 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 6: and tell everybody how to do it. And I learned 365 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 6: a lot from the directors on that show too. We 366 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 6: were doing it as if it was a live show. 367 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 6: They would have a switcher and they'd switch cameras depending 368 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 6: on what shot they wanted, and they'd edit it in camera, 369 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 6: and so I learned to direct that way. And then 370 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 6: it came about that. I think it was first or 371 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 6: second season a Sabrina. My mom said, here's your DGA card. 372 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 6: You're directing the next episode. And I was like what, 373 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 6: and they God she did that because it's it became 374 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 6: like second nature to me. I love directing. 375 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 1: Your mom was such a boss, I. 376 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 4: Know, thank God, a truly audacious woman. 377 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 3: It sounds like, Okay, we're going to take a quick 378 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 3: break and we'll be right back with Melissa Joan Hart. 379 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 2: We're back, and this is the bright side with Melissa 380 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 2: Joan Hart. 381 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 3: Melissa, you had such an incredible work ethic from such 382 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 3: a young age. But I have also learned that you 383 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 3: were quite the responsible partier, that you liked to go 384 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 3: out dancing, and I'm dying to hear some stories just 385 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 3: about like what it was like going out during that time. 386 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 3: Was there camaraderie between you and the other TV stars 387 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:38,120 Speaker 3: of the nineties. 388 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 4: Did you guys go out together? 389 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 5: Yeah, it was a big group of us. 390 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 6: Mainly the cast that we would hang out with was 391 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 6: the that seventies show cast. 392 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 5: We would hang out a lot. 393 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 6: So there was this restaurant that I think is still 394 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 6: there called La Poo Bell, and so you know, that 395 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 6: would be the place to go if you had nothing 396 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 6: else to do. But on different nights there were different 397 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:58,280 Speaker 6: promoters at different clubs. And my mom was a huge 398 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 6: club queen. My mom starting to take me to clubs 399 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 6: when I was sixteen. Wait what yeah, Oh, she was 400 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 6: a huge. 401 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,160 Speaker 4: Piece stories about your mom just keep getting better. 402 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 6: She was getting divorced for my dad, and she wanted 403 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 6: to be like only around gay men, really, and so 404 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:13,919 Speaker 6: we would go to the gay clubs and have a 405 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 6: blast and like just dance all night. And so she 406 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 6: started taking me out just to dance. So when I 407 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 6: got to LA, and I'm old enough now and I 408 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 6: can go out anytime and get into a club. And 409 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 6: it was only about for about two years, I was 410 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 6: going out probably four or five days a week. And 411 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 6: I mean we get started at ten, but in La, 412 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:32,439 Speaker 6: the club's close at one thirty. I would have to 413 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 6: be up at five to be at work. I would 414 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,640 Speaker 6: allow myself one gin and tonic early on in the night, 415 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 6: you know, be fine to drive by the time it 416 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 6: was last call and head home get some sleep. But 417 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 6: then I would sleep a lot on the set. We 418 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 6: had a lot of downtime. There are numerous photo albums 419 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 6: of me asleep on the set. 420 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:52,120 Speaker 3: Sleepy girl like you, Danielle. Danielle always talks about how 421 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 3: she's doing. 422 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:54,399 Speaker 5: It's a talent. It's a talent. 423 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:57,160 Speaker 6: You guys like I slept leaning against a horse before 424 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:00,439 Speaker 6: on set, but or in a wedding dress, were like 425 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 6: across four chairs at the back of a sofa and 426 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:04,119 Speaker 6: they were taking pictures of me all the time and 427 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:06,280 Speaker 6: documenting it all. That's how I kind of survived the 428 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:09,160 Speaker 6: club scene a little bit. I think was sleeping where 429 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 6: I could. 430 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 3: You had a sweet friendship with Britney Spears for a 431 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 3: period of time, and then you were also in the 432 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 3: Crazy music video. 433 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 4: I mean, do you stay in touch with. 434 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 3: Her at all? 435 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:25,440 Speaker 6: No? No, we we had to do a lot of 436 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 6: press around driving Crazy. We did the video together, and 437 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,120 Speaker 6: then we did a ton of like TRL hosting this. 438 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 6: We did something in Utah together, if things in New York. 439 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,120 Speaker 6: She came to the premiere and she was on Sabrina. 440 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 6: It was very rare that we got private moments to 441 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 6: hang out and get to know each other well. 442 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 3: You know. 443 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:43,640 Speaker 6: It was more of that superficial relationship that everybody saw 444 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 6: on camera, and I mean we'd be whispering to each other, 445 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 6: you know. 446 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 5: But the cameras are there, or the bodyguards are there, 447 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:48,440 Speaker 5: or that. 448 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:48,719 Speaker 3: You know. 449 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 6: We're on a red carpet at the American Music Awards 450 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 6: and I'm hosting and she's performing, and we're having numerous 451 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:55,680 Speaker 6: costume changes, and it's like, Hi, Hi, Hi. 452 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 3: You know. 453 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 6: She was seventeen, I was twenty three, and I was 454 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:03,320 Speaker 6: looking at her, going wow, like she was on Sabrina 455 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 6: and I wanted to take her to lunch. 456 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 5: I wanted her to join us. So I was like, 457 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:08,160 Speaker 5: a bunch of us are walking down the street to lunch. 458 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 5: She's like can I can. 459 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 6: I to her whole team, and they like listed off 460 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 6: all these things she had to do, and. 461 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 5: Her face just deflated. 462 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,440 Speaker 6: She's like okay, and I don't remember what happened, but 463 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 6: I think she started chasing us down the street. 464 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 5: One point. I was like, they let me come, They 465 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 5: let me come, you know. So she went to lunch 466 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:22,199 Speaker 5: with us. 467 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 6: We had to have her back at this time and 468 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:25,440 Speaker 6: all that, And then I did sneak her out of 469 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 6: her hotel one night because I wanted to take her 470 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 6: out with some people her age. I was like, told 471 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 6: her bodyguard we were going to my mom's house for lasagna. 472 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 6: So I think that's the only time I've ever lied 473 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 6: in my life. But it was too Big Rob. I 474 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:36,920 Speaker 6: llowed to Big Rob, and then you know, I'd take 475 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 6: her to a club and everyone kind of clamped onto 476 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 6: her and held on to her, and I was like, 477 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 6: I got to go. I got to work in the morning, 478 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 6: and everyone there was like, we'll keep her, We'll take 479 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:45,360 Speaker 6: care of her. 480 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 5: And I left her there and I still feel guilty 481 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 5: about it to this day. 482 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:51,639 Speaker 6: Oh there's all sorts of things that happened that and 483 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 6: especially for someone seventeen going through when she was going 484 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 6: and I didn't have it like she did. First of all, 485 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 6: I never reached that level of stardom, and second of all, 486 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,679 Speaker 6: mine was so snowball. Hers was so oh, kick you 487 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:03,640 Speaker 6: in the face, like quick, you're famous. Now everybody knows 488 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 6: you and you can't be private anymore. Learn to live 489 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:08,360 Speaker 6: with it right now, you know, whereas mine was sort 490 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 6: of like a trickle effect of like you're the Rice 491 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:13,119 Speaker 6: Krispies girl, it's second grade. Then you're doing theater and 492 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 6: adults know who you are in the industry, and then 493 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:18,879 Speaker 6: Frank Rich is reporting on you, but your friends don't know. 494 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 6: And then you're doing Clarissa, and one or two people 495 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:22,640 Speaker 6: recognize you on the street over the course of a year, 496 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 6: and then you're twenty and you moved to LA and 497 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:25,680 Speaker 6: all of a sudden, now people start to know who 498 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 6: you are. When hers was literally like, damn. 499 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 4: You did a video. 500 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:29,400 Speaker 5: We know who you are. 501 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:33,399 Speaker 6: You're ours now, you know? And I couldn't understand her experience. 502 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 2: You know, you got famous more gradually, but you were 503 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 2: only fifteen when you started playing Clarissa. Did you have 504 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,120 Speaker 2: any challenges transitioning into adulthood. 505 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 6: Well, I understand when some of these kids want to 506 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 6: rebel and be seen as sexy and taken seriously, and 507 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 6: I'm an adult that rebellious, like I'm not a kid, 508 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:51,120 Speaker 6: look at me. 509 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 5: You know, that kind of thing. It did happen with 510 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 5: some of my peers and contemporaries, But for me, it 511 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:58,159 Speaker 5: was like, do I like what I'm doing? Am I 512 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 5: getting paid fairly? We're good. It wasn't about being rich 513 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:02,400 Speaker 5: or famous. 514 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,280 Speaker 6: It was about having the lifestyle I wanted to have, 515 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:07,200 Speaker 6: which was basically, I want to travel and I want 516 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 6: to throw parties and I want some security. And I 517 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 6: know that sounds like extremely like bullshit, level headed, but 518 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 6: like that literally was my focus and everything else was bonus. 519 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 6: Like I definitely went through rebellious phases. I mean, but 520 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:23,639 Speaker 6: I didn't need to show it necessarily. But it's so 521 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:26,719 Speaker 6: funny because I just remember this the other day that 522 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:29,640 Speaker 6: like I was getting this big bonus on Sabrina, which 523 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 6: was just for wardrobe. It was just so that I 524 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 6: could look good on a red carpet. However, nobody guided 525 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 6: me through what that looked like, and I didn't trust it. 526 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:38,400 Speaker 6: I thought that money was actually coming out of my paycheck, 527 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,920 Speaker 6: so I didn't spend it. And I mean, you guys, 528 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 6: it was a lot of money, but like I had 529 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:44,639 Speaker 6: this money to go shopping, but I never trusted it. 530 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,119 Speaker 5: I was like, nah, And at the end of the year, the. 531 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 6: Warder people will be like, you should probably go spend 532 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:50,239 Speaker 6: some of this money, and I'd be like, all right, 533 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 6: Jimmy choos, which I still have like a collection of here. 534 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:55,199 Speaker 6: But I show up on the red carpet and like 535 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 6: you can find me and a lot of pictures in 536 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 6: these ugly brown quarter roy pants and like some weird 537 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:06,240 Speaker 6: little bra tops or backlists tops, which was a big 538 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 6: thing at the time, like like almost like handkerchief tops. 539 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 6: And like, I don't know where I was shopping or 540 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 6: whose closet I was kind of raiding, but wearing some weird, 541 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,119 Speaker 6: weird stuff that I'm like that might have been my 542 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 6: rebellious face was like I'm gonna look slubby and half naked, 543 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:25,480 Speaker 6: you know. That was like, I'm not gonna put it together. Well, 544 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 6: I'm not gonna ask for help. I'm just gonna here. 545 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:28,120 Speaker 4: I am. 546 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 5: It's good enough. 547 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 1: I mean, I feel like we all had our limited 548 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:32,440 Speaker 1: two moments. 549 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 2: But now that you're a parent to high schoolers and 550 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 2: all of the nineties trends are back, what if you 551 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 2: love seeing coming back? 552 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 1: And also what do you never want to see again? 553 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:43,120 Speaker 1: Because I have a whole list. 554 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 5: I really wish I had kept my combat boots. 555 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:47,880 Speaker 6: I had such a collection of combat boots, and who 556 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 6: knew those were gonna like it seemed like those were 557 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 6: never going to come back. But I have to say 558 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 6: I've been wearing some butterfly clips recently because I had 559 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,640 Speaker 6: them for a nineties party I went to, and they're 560 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,160 Speaker 6: so convenient when you need to like pull your hair 561 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 6: back and just clip it. They're so strong. So I 562 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 6: will rock the butterfly clips for sure. But like the 563 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 6: crop tops I can't do. I don't have the body 564 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 6: for that anymore. So you know, I could thank the kids, 565 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:15,679 Speaker 6: but really it's it's Fried Chicken. It's Fried Chicken's fault 566 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 6: that I can't wear the crop tops anymore. 567 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:18,200 Speaker 4: Worth it? 568 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:20,680 Speaker 6: But I'm in the life too short category. I'm gonna 569 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:21,920 Speaker 6: have an ice cream. Come with my son if he 570 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 6: wants to go get ice cream, because what if I 571 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:24,640 Speaker 6: get hit by a bus tomorrow. 572 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:26,240 Speaker 5: I didn't have that ice cream. I feel like an idiot. 573 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 3: Okay, so we talked about your stand up, but you 574 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 3: also have a new movie coming out next week. It's 575 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,640 Speaker 3: a drama called Bad Guardian. What trew you to that role? 576 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 2: Yeah? 577 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:35,320 Speaker 6: I thought it was a really interesting story. When I 578 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 6: started reading the script, It's like, if a script can 579 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:40,160 Speaker 6: catch me past twenty pages, I'm in And this one 580 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:43,160 Speaker 6: was great, Like this guardianship business is, and of course 581 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:45,680 Speaker 6: we know it from like the Britney Spears Conservatorship, or 582 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 6: we know it from the recent whe New Williams story 583 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 6: of some guardianship's gone wrong in a celebrity younger person 584 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:54,440 Speaker 6: sort of way. But it tends to be a big 585 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 6: senior citizen scam that happens. It's a two point nine 586 00:23:57,720 --> 00:23:59,639 Speaker 6: billion dollar business. And don't get me wrong, most of 587 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 6: that is necessary for people to be safe when they 588 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:04,960 Speaker 6: don't have family members to take care of them. However, 589 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:07,400 Speaker 6: I mean, anytime there's money that much, right, there's gonna 590 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:09,920 Speaker 6: be a huge corruption. And so in this story, there's 591 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:12,119 Speaker 6: like this story of this family that just doesn't have 592 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 6: the money. When her father ends up having an accident 593 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 6: and put in the hospital and she can't find him 594 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,640 Speaker 6: and he's taken into a guardianship, it quickly turns into 595 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 6: a situation they can't get themselves out of. And it's 596 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 6: very much like small town family with a lack of 597 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:28,119 Speaker 6: means and the lack of knowledge trying to fight a 598 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 6: big system. 599 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 5: So I just felt like it was a great story 600 00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 5: to tell. 601 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:35,120 Speaker 6: It was well written, and the director did a fantastic job, 602 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 6: and I wasn't sure how my performance. I usually cringe 603 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 6: when I watched my own stuff, but I watched this 604 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:41,239 Speaker 6: back and I was really really proud of it. 605 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:43,119 Speaker 5: So I hope people will. 606 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 6: Love it, maybe learn a little something from it, just 607 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:48,960 Speaker 6: to protect yourself in the future. But if you've experienced this, 608 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:51,160 Speaker 6: it could be a little bit of a trigger warning. 609 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 6: You know, like, it's a tough business and it's an 610 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:55,160 Speaker 6: interesting story to tell. 611 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,040 Speaker 4: I love that you're so proud of it. Melissa, that's amazing. 612 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 3: We're gonna let you go, but before we do, how 613 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 3: do you seek out the bright side of life? 614 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:06,960 Speaker 5: It's a choice, I think every day. 615 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 6: It's a choice to wake up and thank God for 616 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 6: the things we have. Like I literally only started praying 617 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:16,760 Speaker 6: in the morning. When I open my eyes, when my 618 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:18,479 Speaker 6: alarm goes off, the first thing I do is, like, 619 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 6: the sun is up, my family is home safe, there's 620 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 6: food in my stomach, there's a roof over my head, 621 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:26,280 Speaker 6: there's clothes on my back, the little things. You know, 622 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:29,480 Speaker 6: you don't have as many problems when you're thankful for 623 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 6: the things that you actually have. So sometimes I try 624 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 6: to start my day that way, and then other times 625 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,040 Speaker 6: you can turn it around with service to others or 626 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:39,360 Speaker 6: even a good Louis Armstrong song like. 627 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:39,919 Speaker 5: You just never know. 628 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:43,160 Speaker 1: Melissa, thank you for joining us. 629 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:45,919 Speaker 6: This has been fun. Thank you for having me. Keep 630 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 6: up the colorful life. 631 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 3: Melissa Jonhart is an actor, comedian, director, and so much more. 632 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 3: Her new movie Bad Guardian is out on May eighteenth. 633 00:25:57,720 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 1: That's it. 634 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:01,639 Speaker 2: For today's show and tomorrow, Jessica Biel is joining us 635 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 2: to talk about periods, parenting, and so many more peas. 636 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 1: You don't want to miss it. 637 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 3: Listen and follow the bright Side on the iHeartRadio app, 638 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,360 Speaker 3: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 639 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 1: That was another pie. 640 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 2: I'm Danielle Robe on Instagram and TikTok. That's ro O 641 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:19,199 Speaker 2: b a y. 642 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:20,639 Speaker 4: I'm Simone Voice. 643 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,680 Speaker 3: You can find me at simone Voice on Instagram and TikTok. 644 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 3: See you tomorrow, folks, Keep looking on the bright side. 645 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 1: See you tomorrow.