 YCDTOTV.com
contributor Chase Erwin recently found an interview with Stephanie
Chow that was conducted back in 1998. As
of then, Stephanie was a student at Indiana University, and she
was interviewed in the following article by TV columnist Jeff Rose.
Enjoy!
Sometimes being
the IDS television columnist offers a writer certain opportunities
that aren't readily available to the common man. Opportunities most
people spend a lifetime waiting to hear knocking upon their door.
Opportunities most opportunists wish they could have, if not for
any other reason than to impress members of the opposite sex in
bars. The opportunity of which I speak is a recent interview with
a former member of "You Can't Do That On Television." I was really
excited to have this chance. Previous to this interview, I had only
talked to unimpressive no-talents such as a student who looks slightly
similar to Adam Sandler and Neil Young. But even the wacky life
of the Sandler-ish student pales sadly in comparison to the high
profile life of an IU senior who was once a member of Nickel-odeon's
ground-breaking series "You Can't Do That on Television."
Senior
Stephanie Chow, geology major, how did being a child star affect
your developmental years?
I
spent a lot of time at the TV studio. I didn't have much of a social
life. I never went to any sleepovers. I had no friends.
That's
sad. How much did you get paid?
A
lot of money.
How
old were you when you began?
I started the '85-'86 season. I was in fifth grade. I had just turned
10, and I stayed on until I was 15.
How
did you get picked?
My
parents sent me to drama when I was little because they thought
I was shy and needed to speak up more. One of the producers showed
up as a guest teacher and asked me to try out. I think what helped
was I was 10 but I looked six. They always want child actors that
are smarter but look younger.
What
do you say to critics that advocate "You Can't Do That On Television"
was the beginning of the death of children's television and produced
a generation of brain-dead losers?
I think we always wanted to be the bad kids' show. I think the producer
got off on the fact that some kids couldn't watch the show. It was
banned in some countries because one show was about divorce. I thought
my mom would be mad at me for being on the show, but she was proud
of me. I don't think we were allowed to watch it at home.
What
do you think now when you watch the show?
I think the jokes are pretty stupid. I'm kind of surprised it was
as popular as it was. It used to run three times a day. It brings
back old memories about good times I had on the show. But watching
kids' shows now, I can't believe it was as popular as it was.
What
did you think of Alanis Morissette?
I sort of idolized her for a while. She was already pretty established.
She already had some songs recorded. Some-times she wouldn't be
as excited about being interviewed and things like that, so she
was kind of snotty. But we were close in age, so she was like a
big sister.
I'm
ashamed to ask this, but who was the cutest cast member?
Alisdair. Everyone liked him. Except for my current roommate --
she thinks little Dougie was cute. Moron. He was the troublemaker,
bad kid. He was an annoying brat. I was the cool mischievous one
that tried to get people slimed.
How
do you spell Alisdair?
A-l-i-s-d-a-i-r.
Are
you sure about that?
Yes.
Well,
I have to have this right because these are the type of mistakes
people who hate me just love to point out. What does green slime
taste like?
I'm not allowed to tell anyone what is in it. It is a secret.
What
would happen if you did tell?
There was one show that they did. Everyone in the show was really
short, and they said something in the food made them short, and
I think that if I told anybody, they'd come and poison my food and
make me shorter.
That's
a little psycho.
I only got slimed once, but it was pretty gross because it got in
my underwear and got all mushy.
Were
there any cast members spited because they felt like they got slimed
more than anyone else?
Oscar always got slimed because he was everybody's favorite person.
Alisdair almost never got slimed.
Do
you have any really weird memories?
Ottawa had a really good bus system. My parents hated picking me
up because I had to be picked up from school, dropped off and picked
up again. So they made me take the bus home for a while. But the
(TV) station didn't let us after a while because some guy sent little
Dougie sex toys through the mail.
What
does your roommate think of that?
She says it was her. She just said she thought little Dougie wanted
to play.
That's
pretty sick.
That's why I live with her.
So
... how much did you get paid?
A lot of money.
Why
didn't you remain in acting?
I decided it was not for me because I was doing it for fun. The
people that were getting into it had a special drive. And I knew
I never really had that in me.
So
... how much did you get paid?
A lot of money.
What
exactly is a lot of money?
A lot of money. I don't want to answer that question.
What
do people commonly ask you?
How much money I make.
Oh,
really?
Yes. Even when I was on the show people would ask me that.
So
why don't you tell people?
Because it's private. It's kind of embarrassing. How much do you
make at the IDS ?
I
make six bucks an article -- if they decide to pay me.
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