Melissa Explains It All: Tales from My Abnormally Normal Life

by Melissa Joan Hart

Overview

Melissa Joan Hart explained it all—from dating to bullies—in her groundbreaking role as Clarissa Darling on Clarissa Explains It All. She cast a spell on millions more as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Now, in Melissa Explains It All, Melissa tells the frank and funny behind-the-scenes stories from her extraordinary television past and her refreshingly normal present.
From her first commercial to her current starring role in ABC Family's hit Melissa and Joey, Hart never let fame go to her head. She always had one foot in Hollywood and one foot in reality—and still does. Melissa makes us laugh along with her as she talks about:
—Guest appearances on shows like Saturday Night Live and The Equalizer
—Auditioning for Punky Brewster and Clarissa
—Her early Broadway days
— Actors who influenced her and whom she befriended, worked with and competed against
—Her experiences both on and off-set—with Sabrina's Salem the Cat and Elvis the Alligator on Clarissa
—Meeting the love of her life at the Kentucky Derby
Melissa Joan Hart explains all that she's learned along the way—what's kept her grounded, normal and working when others have not been so fortunate—and shows that she's the approachable, hilarious girl-next-door her fans have always thought she'd be.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250054982
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/25/2014
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

MELISSA JOAN HART is an actor/producer/director who made her first national commercial at age four. She currently costars in the ABC Family comedy series Melissa & Joey. She made her first big splash in the title role of Nickelodeon's Clarissa Explains It All. . Both in the United States and abroad, Melissa is perhaps best known for her starring role in the Showtime movie-turned-network series, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Melissa has appeared on Dancing with the Stars, That 70's Show, and Law and Order: SVU, among others. Her production company, Hartbreak Films, has produced projects including Sabrina, Melissa & Joey, and a number of television movies and feature films.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 Champagne Wishes and Clam-Free Dreams 5

2 Room to Romp 15

3 The Day My Tipsy Dad Went Punk and Hit My Mom (Or, My Year in TV Movies) 25

4 Coming of Stage 33

5 Being Clarissa 47

6 Is That Teen Spirit I Smell? 65

7 Straight from the Hart 83

8 Moms Do the Darndest Things 95

9 An A for Effort 113

10 Abracadabra! Another Hit! 123

11 Just Say "Why Not?" 145

12 The One That Never Got Away 165

13 Our Traveling Family Circus 183

14 It's All About the Canapés, Baby 203

15 Are You Ready for Some Football? 215

16 Four Things I Never Learned to Do for Myself 229

17 When Mommy's Worlds Collide 239

18 Abnormally Normal 255

Acknowledgments 263

Index 267

Editorial Reviews

A delightful and refreshingly honest memoir about growing up Melissa/Clarissa/Sabrina. All the women who grew up with her will go wild for this book.” —Delia Ephron

“I don't know if Melissa can write, and I don't know if you can read, but I know you and I have made bigger mistakes than trying to read her book.” —Bill Murray

“From the moment I met Melissa, she charmed me instantly. Melissa's delightful, witty, frank and thoughtful book shows a side of her we've never seen before.” —Garry Marshall

“You will enjoy nothing more than Melissa Joan Hart's sweet, sane, mildly tell-all-ish memoir, complete with James Van Der Beek and Adrian Grenier makeout stories.” —New York

“I loved Melissa's book! Her voice is so unique and strong. As a reader I felt in the moment, as if Melissa were telling me her stories firsthand. Proud of my fellow momista!” —Tori Spelling

“[Melissa's] stories include dishy memories…that contributed to who she is today.” —TIME

“Very candid.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Who knew Sabrina the Teenage Witch was such a badass?!” —Perez Hilton

From the Publisher