<dcljr@stat.tamu.edu>.
Html conversion by Eric Last.
IN REAL LIFE 18 year old Melissa Joan Hart is quite different from the 16 year old problem solving Clarissa. "Clarissa is more hyper and crazier than me. I'm much more of a deep thinker," she explains. And Melissa certainly has a lot to think about. The girl who first starred in a TV commercial at the age of four has a six day working week which includes 60 hours of filming for Clarissa Explains It All, plus all the studying she has to do for her SATs (the American version of A Levels) - she hopes to go on to university. "I haven't got time to go to school because of my TV work, so I have a private teacher in-between filming sessions. I know I'm missing out by not going to school because that's where you make most of your friends and even university will have to be on a part-time basis, if I get in," she says, crossing her fingers.
It certainly isn't easy being a star. Melissa recently turned down several film roles just to fit in her one and only holiday of the year, a cycling trip around the south of France. She adds: "I like the fame aspect of my job, but you can get a little tired of being recognised, especially if you're not in a good mood and a fan spots you - you have to be happy all the time." There's no doubt that Melissa's fans are extremely dedicated (as we speak she gets handed a four page letter from a chap called Peter). "Apparently he calls Nickelodeon every day. There's a bunch of fans who write to me every week... a few from London, an Italian boy and there's even one in jail. I try and keep in touch with them all and I'm going to call Peter after this interview and surprise him, since I'm in London!"
The price of fame aside, being Clarissa does have its perks - Melissa gets to keep all Clarissa's clothes which are tailor-made or brought especially from Gap or a French design shop called Express. Its the same with shoes: "I've got about 20 pairs of Docs (Dr Martens) in different colours, which I live in. I just have to add my personal touch [she points to her feet] like the padlock on these laces!"
In between filming and studying, Melissa is involved in several charities and all sorts of environmental issues. But its not all work and no play. Melissa lives in New York, and there's loads to rave about there. She's into going clubbing at every opportunity and she's also an avid MTV fan and a movie fanatic. She's extremely health conscious too. She watches what she eats, she doesn't drink or smoke and she likes to keep fit by walking. "I walk everywhere in New York, especially at night with my Mum. We walk and I talk - it gets the aggravation out which is a lot better than bottling it all up." And if she really wants to let loose then she hits the sloaps for a bit of snowboarding - that's like skateboarding on snow. Wild!
The pictures had the following captions alongside...
"If I'm not wearing my DM's then I'm into my sneakers.",
"This is my clubbing gear.",
"I wear my little sunflower top and tennis
skirt during the day, this outfit is one of Clarissa's favourites too."
and "I call this my 'press dress' because I like to wear it for photo
shoots or TV appearances."