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Showtime presents

Michelle Clunie
Melanie of "Queer as Folk"

March 11, 2001

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Donna: Hi Michelle. What impact do you think QAF has on the gay community?

Michelle: Well, from what I can tell, it has given people a place to tune in. To see one aspect of their life. It certainly doesn't cover every aspect of gay life. But I think it's a great start.

Jonny Con 2: Hi Michelle. Melanie is always so harsh to Brian, do you and Gale Harold maintain that tension while acting, or do you make jokes and stuff to lighten it up on the set?

Michelle: Gale and I get along great. In fact, he's a remarkable human being. But we do click into a certain mode when we are shooting. Especially if the scene is antagonistic, where we don't necessarily get all chummy-chum. It's an unspoken way of working that seems to work for us.

Linda Scott: Michelle, my name is Linda Scott from Mississippi - I love your part on QAF! I know that Melanie is having a hard time with the issue with the child you have with your lover on the show! Question is do you think that in real life he should give up his rights as a father? Do you have any plans for future plays, shows or any appearances we need to know about? Love you so much on the show! Thanks.

Michelle: Wow! Thank you so much! That really makes me feel good. In real life, ideally, there would be more of an affinity between Brian and I. So therefore the situation would be able to be talked out, and worked out ahead of time. The history that I have created for myself on the show is such that decisions were made rather hastily, and communications were not had, and so everything kind of got screwed up. And what you are seeing is the aftermath. I may be doing a play in New York this summer, but I am still in talks about it, and as for appearances, I know that Thea and I are presenting at the GLADD awards in San Francisco, they have asked Thea and I to present an award.

Syncronicity 101: Hello Michelle. If you had known how things were going to turn out with the custody of Gus, would you still have opted to have a child?

Michelle: Well, one never knows how things are going to turn out, so that's kind of a Catch 22 question. I believe Melanie wanted a family more than anything, and was willing to make Lindsay happy at all costs. So looking at it from that point of view, I would have done the exact same thing. And also, life isn't exciting if you know the outcome.

Blake: Hi Michelle. My question is why didn't Melanie get papers drawn up before Gus' birth? She is a lawyer and should know better.

Michelle: I agree, she's a lawyer, but she's also human. And, sometimes we make sacrifices and decisions based out of love that are not logical. The people around us can see what we are doing, but when you are inside the fishbowl, it is hard to see.

Mary Miracle: Do you feel that your character is a role model?

Michelle: I don't intend for her to be a role model. I only intend that she's human. With all her feelings, and passions, and flaws, and trying to cope with life, she's just a woman trying to figure out what it all means. If I make her a role model, then I have to play her as a saint, and that doesn't interest me. Then it becomes too unreal. But, then again, maybe she's a role model, insomuch that she voices her opinion, and she loves hard.

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