Newsday Article

The following article appeared in Newsday on the 3rd April, 1996 page B17 in the Kidsday section.
On the top of the page is a picture of Melissa with the three girls who interviewed her
It was typed up by Colin Roth
"We interviewed Melissa Joan Hart in Manhattan recently. You may remember her as Clarissa in Nickelodeon's TV series "Clarissa Explains It All". Born in Smithtown, Long Island, she grew up in Sayville, attending Sayville Jr. High School. Watch her this Sunday on Showtime cable 8pm when she stars as Sabrina in "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch" the character from the comic strip Archie. You will laugh along with her as she discovers that she and her relatives are witches!"
Q. How many Clarissa shows did you do?
A. We did 65 episodes

Q. What do you think made Clarissa so successful?
A. So many shows preach to you what's good and what's bad. Clarissa didn't do that. It's just for entertainment; it's colorful. Clarissa speaks to the audience, so it kind of makes you feel like she is talking to you.

Q. How does it feel to be a role model?
A. It is a lot of responsibility. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said "In list of things that make you successful, making children laugh is the best." And I like to do that.

Q. Who inspired you to act?
A. Shirley Temple. And I liked Audrey Hepburn, too.

Q. Were you ever in plays as a kid?
A. I tried to, but they were musicals and I can't sing.

Q. What do you do in your spare time?
A. I like to snowboard and I play the guitar. I also do a lot of charity work. I'm the Hepatitis B Awareness Campaign spokesperson. I also work for the Starlight Foundation which is for terminally ill kids. It is like the "Make A Wish" Foundation.

Q. Did you enjoy working with the cat in "Sabrina"?
A. There were four cats that played that one cat. They were in a lot more of the movie, but we had to cut them out because they just wouldn't do what we wanted them to. To get their attention they dangled food at the end of the spoon.

Q. Was it easy levitating over the bed in Sabrina?
A. They made a brace that was like a cast. They put it over my nightgown. It took several people to get me out of it.

Q. Did you really fly?
A. I had about five stunt people help me with that. Once I was 50 feet in the air. I have a belly button ring, and it almost fell out.

Q. Did you and Lalainia Lindberg(Katy) feel pressured having to do so many stunts?
A. No, actually it was fun. We had a personal trainer and had to work out about two hours every night to get in shape for the track scene.


Any comments mail me at
eric@ezz.u-net.com

Eric Last 16th April 1996

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