Melissa Joan Hart on the 2,800 Miles Between Work and Home

By Nicki Gostin Posted Sep 4th 2010 04:04PM

Melissa Joan Hart is back on TV -- a familiar place for the 34-year-old beauty -- in ABC Family's 'Melissa and Joey,' opposite another sitcom stalwart, Joey Lawrence. She talked to PopEater about working faaaaar from home, potty training her two young kids (ages 4 and 2), why she doesn't like living in LA and a special competition with Pillsbury.

Are your kids (Mason and Brady) with you when you're working in Los Angeles?
They're actually back in Connecticut with my husband [Mark Wilkerson], but they were here all summer. I see them every other week. One week a month they come here and one week a month I go to see them. It's breaking my heart a little bit to be away from them, but it's important that they have stability and see their friends. I think it's harder on me than it is on them. My husband is an amazing dad.

Why did you move to Connecticut?
We're both from the East Coast and we missed the suburban lifestyle. We wanted them to grow up with fireflies and snow and seasons and riding your bike to meet your friends. Also, I was concerned about a lack of community feel in Los Angeles. Everyone's spread out here, you have to drive everywhere and the traffic is terrible. People drive like maniacs, it can be dangerous, and nobody is paying attention.

Are you the spoiler in the family?
I tend to be the spoiler; my husband lays down the rules. They laugh at me. Right now, we're trying to do potty training. I'm the one looking online trying to do it by the book and my husband is at home dealing with it. It's tough.

You come from a big family [she's the eldest of eight]. Are you aiming for that?
I started way too late for that! But I want more, maybe four. I'd love to have two boys and two girls.

So, this Joey Lawrence character, he seems like real pain to work with ...
[Laughs] We've known each other for a very long time. We have a great relationship, we're really lucky in that sense. We have so much in common, our moms are friends, we both have young kids and we both married people from Alabama. We both feel very blessed to have this opportunity in television. We know how fickle this business can be. Both of us have had three successful separate sitcoms, which is pretty amazing. We both take it seriously. We feel really blessed.

That's really nice to hear.
It's the third time I'm playing the title character. That's enormous. Everyday we say to each other, 'We're working, we're so lucky.' All the actors out here want to be in the movies, but I love being on TV. It's steady work, you get to go home and be with your family. It's a good job not to be taken lightly.

What are you doing with Pillsbury?
I've teamed up with Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls for a contest called 'My Sweet Sunday Moments.' We're trying to encourage people to spend Sunday mornings with their families. You submit your favorite Sunday memory and I'll be picking the winner. The prize is a one week vacation in Los Angeles and a visit to my sweets and ice cream shop called Sweethearts.

What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
Chocolate. And pistachio in gelato.

And finally, a hard-hitting question: What the most ice cream you've ever eaten?
Half an ice cream cake at my baby shower.

Read my chat with Hart's pal Joey Lawrence, where he talks about his enduring career and why he's keeping the "y" in his name.

Tags: melissa and joey, melissa joan hart

Comments

(9)

Saturday 04 September

By Jen

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Haha a half of ice cream cake???!!! That's really impressive!!I'll probably do the same thing at my baby shower, being that alcohol is out of the question. I love Melissa! Sabrina the Teenage Witch for life! Still the best witch show out there! :-)

Thursday 09 September

By yahoofashion

Vote down Vote up Report this

please check my name to link our SITE
The cool sexy summer style for you

we got lots brand summer t-shirt (b a g) (s n e a k e r) (s a n d l e) (s u n g l a s s) (c a p s) etc...

All famous brand and hot (style)!!

[n i k e ] [ j o r d a n ] [s u p r a ] [S h o x ] [P u m a ] PRICE 35 U S D
[l v ] [c o a c h ] [p r a d a ] [c h a n e l] [g u c c i] [ h a n d-b a g] 33U S D
[c h a n e l] [g u c c i] (p u r s e) 15U S D
[D & G] s u n g l a s s e s U S D
(new e-r-a c-a-p) 10 U S D

p a y p a l Accept,Door to Door

ghg hmgfmu nm

Sunday 05 September

By Sharon

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I have to say that I really like the "Melissa and Joey" show. I DVR it and have watched several episodes. It has got more adult humor than I thought an ABC Family show would have. Very funny!

By Cutie

..........you live the life you pick

By sassycassie

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Seeing your kids every other week doesn't sound like a very good plan, just because you want them to live in the suburbs. I guess she isn't planning on this TV show lasting very long. I think if I were her I wouldn't publize this embarressing info about my family's displacement.

By c8smum

her kids are in good hands: her husband's. she is not farming them out. she is working. she is a good mom. she is not out partying. there has never been a line of scandal about them as a couple. try being a decent person for a change yourself.

By Nico Toscani

It's nice to see a woman in Hollywood who practices "family values" without being preachy about it (yes Candace Cameron Bure, I'm talking to you).

Monday 06 September

By emu boots

Half an ice cream cake at my baby shower.

By kittyfriskywhiskers

I genuinely love Melissa and it's so refreshing to hear that her relationship isn't going the way of most Hollywood couples. However (and I don't men to be judgemental), I was just wondering why her 4 year old isn't potty trained yet. I know little ones have trouble holding it and sometimes have accidents, but most 4 year olds that I know are potty trained. I don't mean to imply that there's anything wrong with Mason or anything, but I was just curious. I guess every kid is different, and he'll get it eventually. I'm glad that she's bringing them up outside of Hollywood, in a "normal" environment. She sounds refreshingly down to earth. Nothing but good wishes and much happiness for her. =0)

Page 1 of 1