Melissa: The Live And Kicking Interview


Melissa Joan Hart (Clarissa) appeared on the British (BBC) TV programme Live and Kicking on the 4th of March 1995. Live and Kicking is a three hour long live Children's TV programme that runs from around 9am to Noon on Saturdays. As well as general messing around the show includes performances by pop groups, interviews, informative film reports, and a number of regular cartoon series. For some weeks, Live and Kicking had been showing first season episodes of "Clarissa Explains It All".

Just prior to interviewing Melissa, they showed a retrospective including her first ever TV appearance in a commercial for a gas company.

They first showed a collection of clips from various first season episodes, then came the commercial (her first appearance), and then a few highlights from a filmed interview with Melissa in New York City which they had shown the week before.

The filmed interview included Melissa driving her car, and talking outside the front of the New York University where she is currently studying.

To hear the introduction

They then returned to the studio where they interviewed her live. The first topic of discussion was the compliation they'd just shown.

Andi: ... And there she was! Wow, and that clip that was you!
Melissa: I was... I was so little, I was like ...
Emma: You were saying that was in a commercial, but not for the dolls house?
Melissa: No, it was for Connecticut Natural Gas.
Emma: Obviously, it goes without saying really.
Andi: Exactly.
To hear the segment above


Andi: Is this your first time in the UK?
Melissa: No, this is my second.
Andi: Your second. What do you think of it?
Melissa: I love it. Actually, London reminds me a lot of New York.
Andi: Really?
Melissa: Yes.
Andi: And it's so cold at this time of year, as well, it's absolutely freezing. So do you spend most of your time in New York or LA or..?
Melissa: New York. I love New York.
Andi: So you're a New York kinda girl?
Melissa: Definitely.
Emma: Now at the moment as we heard from your fact file, you've taken a bit of time out from acting and you're at New York University.
Melissa: Yes, I'm going to college but I'm also kinda working on the side.
Emma: Oh right, so you're still keeping a hand in there.
Melissa: I'm only going part time to University.
Andi: Right, and we saw that film all about you last week on lifestyles. What happened to Gabe, 'cos we wanna hear the gosip...
Melissa: No, there's no gossip.
Emma: He's genuinely just your best friend?
Melissa: No, he's just my best friend.

To hear the Melissa talking about college (as above)

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Bevis King <B.King@ee.surrey.ac.uk>
28th April 1995