Post by kellykapowskilover on Aug 6, 2009 18:09:35 GMT -5
August 6, 2009 - Tiffani Thiessen was at the Television Critics Association press tour yesterday to promote her upcoming USA series, White Collar. After the press conference for the series was over, I was among a group of journalists who spoke to Thiessen – where the conversation quickly turned to the eternal and iconic series that is Saved by the Bell: AKA The Most Important TV Series Ever.
Recently, Jimmy Fallon had been on a crusade to do a full cast reunion on his talk show – and Thiessen had been notable as one of the only names who was not yet announced has having agreed to appear. This was followed by Thiessen's recent Funny or Die video, in which she had some fun with the situation, going over her ludicrously busy schedule that stopped her from participating. And then this past week, there it was – the cover of People Magazine, where Thiessen was reunited with Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Lark Voorhies and Elizabeth Berkley for a new pictorial and interview (Dustin Diamond did not participate). We asked Thiessen about all of this Bell-related madness and if a Fallon show reunion is still possibly in store...Question: The Funny or Die video is great.
Tiffani Thiessen: I know you guys have heard all the news about the Fallon thing, and I had to answer it in some way. A lot of people didn't know the People Magazine was coming out, and that was the reunion that all of us had agreed upon. Mark-Paul went onto Fallon and it was brilliant and I was so proud of him. But he wasn't really going back to do the reunion. It was part of his character and part of his skit that he was doing that show and doing that for a reason, which was great. But now it was left on my shoulders, where it looked like I was the only one saying no, which really wasn't the case. But I wanted to make light of it and make fun of it, so we came up with this idea. The Funny or Die people were amazing. I've never had so much fun on a day shoot before in my life.
Q: Did you go to them?
Thiessen: No, it was their idea. They came to me with a few ideas and that one just really spoke to me. The others were really funny too, but that one was what really spoke to me. The thing about it was there was a little bit of press saying I wasn't going to go on Fallon because I'm not working and I'm like, "That's so not true!" [Laughs] I was like, "That's totally not true!" So I wanted to make fun of it by saying I had so much to do, but the things that were occupying my time were kind of stupidQ: Have you gotten much reaction from the People article?
Thiessen: A ton. Between that and the Funny or Die video, it's been crazy, which is great. That's wonderful.
Q: Are you surprised by how many people are obsessed by the idea of you guys reuniting?
Thiessen: Yes. I do find that crazy! It's crazy to me.
Q: So you're not going to go on Fallon?
Thiessen: You know, here's the thing. I never say never. But as of right now, no. But I'm not one to ever say never. I've been doing this business for too long and I would put my foot in my mouth if I were to say no and then all of the sudden, six months from now we're all on the showQ: Why do you think there's so much interest in Saved by the Bell right now?
Thiessen: Honestly, I don't know. I really have no clue. I know the show's done well over the last twenty years it's been running. It's the 20-year anniversary – that's what they're claiming, but I can't believe it's been 20 years! It makes me feel very old. I don't like that! [Laughs]
Q: Did you want to put it behind you?
Thiessen: You know, I think it helped that I did 90210 right after. But then doing two huge hit shows made it harder to move from there. And so I tried to really pick my things somewhat specific to a certain degree and really go for the roles and the projects that I love. But yeah, there's been times when it's been hard. Absolutely. But I think it's hard no matter what, for anybody......Here is the link.....http://tv.ign.com/articles/101/1011485p1.html
Recently, Jimmy Fallon had been on a crusade to do a full cast reunion on his talk show – and Thiessen had been notable as one of the only names who was not yet announced has having agreed to appear. This was followed by Thiessen's recent Funny or Die video, in which she had some fun with the situation, going over her ludicrously busy schedule that stopped her from participating. And then this past week, there it was – the cover of People Magazine, where Thiessen was reunited with Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Lark Voorhies and Elizabeth Berkley for a new pictorial and interview (Dustin Diamond did not participate). We asked Thiessen about all of this Bell-related madness and if a Fallon show reunion is still possibly in store...Question: The Funny or Die video is great.
Tiffani Thiessen: I know you guys have heard all the news about the Fallon thing, and I had to answer it in some way. A lot of people didn't know the People Magazine was coming out, and that was the reunion that all of us had agreed upon. Mark-Paul went onto Fallon and it was brilliant and I was so proud of him. But he wasn't really going back to do the reunion. It was part of his character and part of his skit that he was doing that show and doing that for a reason, which was great. But now it was left on my shoulders, where it looked like I was the only one saying no, which really wasn't the case. But I wanted to make light of it and make fun of it, so we came up with this idea. The Funny or Die people were amazing. I've never had so much fun on a day shoot before in my life.
Q: Did you go to them?
Thiessen: No, it was their idea. They came to me with a few ideas and that one just really spoke to me. The others were really funny too, but that one was what really spoke to me. The thing about it was there was a little bit of press saying I wasn't going to go on Fallon because I'm not working and I'm like, "That's so not true!" [Laughs] I was like, "That's totally not true!" So I wanted to make fun of it by saying I had so much to do, but the things that were occupying my time were kind of stupidQ: Have you gotten much reaction from the People article?
Thiessen: A ton. Between that and the Funny or Die video, it's been crazy, which is great. That's wonderful.
Q: Are you surprised by how many people are obsessed by the idea of you guys reuniting?
Thiessen: Yes. I do find that crazy! It's crazy to me.
Q: So you're not going to go on Fallon?
Thiessen: You know, here's the thing. I never say never. But as of right now, no. But I'm not one to ever say never. I've been doing this business for too long and I would put my foot in my mouth if I were to say no and then all of the sudden, six months from now we're all on the showQ: Why do you think there's so much interest in Saved by the Bell right now?
Thiessen: Honestly, I don't know. I really have no clue. I know the show's done well over the last twenty years it's been running. It's the 20-year anniversary – that's what they're claiming, but I can't believe it's been 20 years! It makes me feel very old. I don't like that! [Laughs]
Q: Did you want to put it behind you?
Thiessen: You know, I think it helped that I did 90210 right after. But then doing two huge hit shows made it harder to move from there. And so I tried to really pick my things somewhat specific to a certain degree and really go for the roles and the projects that I love. But yeah, there's been times when it's been hard. Absolutely. But I think it's hard no matter what, for anybody......Here is the link.....http://tv.ign.com/articles/101/1011485p1.html
