L = Jay Leno, M = Melissa, OG = Other guest

L: My next guest: a talented actress, who stars in "Sabrina, the Teenage
Witch".
Its season premiere airs September 25, also on ABC. It's like ABC night.
Please welcome Melissa Joan Hart.

L: Hey, you look nice. Thanks for coming.

M: Hi.

L: Now, how are your knees? You alright? You tell me you were--

M: Yeah, my knees. I've- got- I don't know. I think I'm gettin' bad knees at
my age.

L: Hmmm. There's a joke, I'm not even going to touch it. Are your knees ok?

M: No, my knees are [can't make out]. No, I was supposed to have them x-rayed
today, but I had to cancel to come here.

L: Well thank you. No, thank you very much (M: Absolutelyx2) for putting your
personal health aside to join us tonight.

M: That's fine, you know [any of](?) the time.

L: Now wait a minute now, you- you got a hair cut. Your hair was really-

M: I did.

L: really long. This is like a major- This- Is this like a traumatic thing?

M: This is the first time in my life I've had hair this short. And it's
always been, you know, down to my waist. So I cut it at the beginning of
the summer. It's different. It's like I can't hide behind my hair
anymore,
so. It's new.

L: Is that traumatic for you?

M: Yeah, oh yeah.

L: Now- now, why? (M: Well-) Did you- Were you in part, or did you just have
to have it cut?

M: No, I just wanted to cut it. The season was over, and I decided I had to
get rid of it. I wanted to do something a little different. And, uh, I
just cut it off. And- and- I don't know. It was weird, cuz- I work out a
lot and stuff and I wanted- I always like putting my hair back and I can't
do it with short hair. Now I can. It's finally gotten to the length
where I can. But, I can't put it back. I have to like wear tons of clips
in it and stuff. Kinda crazy.

L: So do you dread it? Or no?

M: Nonononono. It's- It was good. it was time for a change so- Now I'm
lettin' it grow again.

L: Now I heard that- See, you're one of these people that because of your show
and everything. These rumors. Now, I heard you got married. Now you
didn't get married.

M: (Suprised laugh). No, I didn't get married.

L: Oh, ok. But you have a boyfriend, right?

M: I do have a boyfriend. We live together.

L: Ohh, oh. And how long has that been going on?

M: Well, we've been living together for about two years, uh, been dating about
three and a half. (L: Ooh) Yeah.

L: Is that- Is that- Is that- Does he bug you? I mean does he-

M: We- We have uh- We have some pet peeves about each other. You know. You
know, like everyone does, so-

Other guest (possibly Dylan McDermott from The Practice): I'm sorry Jay, but
doesn't Melissa look a little bit like Barbara? [It looked like he was
holding up an "I Dream of Genie" board game with Barbara Eden on it]

L: Yes, she- actually yes, very much so.

M: Wow. That's a huge compliment.

L: I wouldn't act on it until after the show. (OG: Ok). (Everyone laughs)

M: Our dressing rooms are next to each other.

L: Now if you notice we 'talk if'(?) you have a boyfriend when it seems like
one of the 50 most beautiful people (M: beautiful people in the world, I
know) hits on you (M: I know). I mean that must be- That must be- You
must get those kind of propositions all the time?

M: Oh yeah, you know. They're knockin' down my door. No. (L: Yeah) No.

L: So, ok you tell me now. You- Does he bug you? Cuz you guys are young-

M: Well, we- We have some pet peeves about each other. Just like, uhm- There
was one time when I- You know, I was- I thought I was helping him out,
doing
his wash. And, I shrunk like thirty of his favorite T-shirts. Well- It's
because he doesn't- He doesn't like to like *dry* things. He doesn't put
things in the dryer, he likes to hang 'em dry. I- So, I didn't know that.

L: He actually (M: and) hangs stuff up (M: he) to dry?

M: He hangs stuff up to dry, yeah. So I thought that was a little strange.

L: This is a guy?

M: Yeah. He's- Well he's- And, see like things like he- He has to have the
dishes perfectly clean before he puts them in the dishwasher. Perfectly,
spotless clean.

L: This is a guy?

M: Yeah. But, those are like his- Those are like two of his only real- Those
are the only things he's really anal about. But everything else he's kind
of- You know-

L: Like, do you share a closet?

M: We do share a closet. He wants some more, uh, shoe space, but- But like
the TVs, like you'll w- You turn on the TV, it's always on [ESPN]

L: Wait a minute, *he* wants shoe space? And this is a guy?

M: He wants shoe space. (laughs) Well I have all the shelves, so- Hey,
don't pick on him.

L: No, no no. Just [??]in' him

M: YeahIknowbut- But then there's all the guy things. Like you turn on the
TV, it's always set to ESPN. (L: That's good.) Always on ESPN.

L: Underwear on the doorknob?

M: [silence] No. Underwear on the doorknob?? You do that often?

L: Uh, this is not a guy you're living with. Look, we know you're young. I
don't know what- I don't know what kind of experience you've had, but-
Guys always (M: Underwear on the doorknob, I've never heard of that) put-
you always hang your underwear on the doorknob.

M: (to Other Guest) Is that true?

OG: Yeah.

L: Then the next day- Then the next day, you take the underwear and go
(sniffs near his hand) This is clean enough. Am I wrong?

M: That I know. No, I know that one.

OG: Every day.

L: Look, even one of the 50 most beautiful people in the-

M: -does it, yeah.

L: No, I'm teasing you. (M: laughs). Now I heard you had puppies. Well,
you didn't have puppies.

M: I didn't have puppies. No, thank God. Uhm, my dog. I- I got a dog from
the pound, and about a month later-

L: Ok, now that's good. Now you rescued a dog.

M: I rescued a dog. It was- Yeah, it was a dalmation. It was a beautiful
dalmation and, uh, and I got this dog. And it was wonderful. And a
month later, I found out it was pregnant. And four days later, it gave
birth to eight puppies so-

L: Oh, that's great. Well, congratulations.

M: Thank you. Yeah, it was uh-

L: Now do you have them all? Did you keep them all?

M: No I didn't keep them all. There were eight of them! It was like- I was
like a mother for three weeks. It was kinda crazy.

L: Yeah, and you went to- oh, you went to- (M: I had-) You went to Italy too?

M: I went to Italy.

L: You did your Sabrina movie over there.

M: We did a Sabrina Goes to Rome movie. And, uh. Yeah, my boyfriend was in
it and everything. It was fun.

L: Now how are the Italian men? Do you get a lot of honh-honh?

M: Yeah- It's- heh, yeah. No me toki. That's what you have to say.

L: No me toki?

M: No me toki. Yeah.

L: No me toki.

M: I learned a couple of phrases while I was there.

L: Did they come up? Did they pinch you there?

M: Oh, my God. The cameramen were like rubbing on me stuff. It's like wha-
whoa, what are you doing?

L: What other Italian did you learn?

M: Uhm, I learned, uh. I learned a couple things. I went to see "Grease",
the play. The Broadway play.

L: In Italian?

M: Completely in Italian. The songs and everything. And it just- It throws
you. It's so funny to watch.

L: Yeah, very bizarre?

M: It's very strage cuz they'll start out with like San-dee, and then they
go into their Italian and you're like, "Wha- What was that?" That's not
the song I know.

L: Yeah, like they have a language all their own.

M: And so, they were like. So, yeah, imagine that. But theres like (laughs)
Thanks. There were like three of us sitting- There were only three of us
sitting together, and every time a song started one of us would just go
(demonstrates stifling a laugh) "That's not what I [heard?]"

L: That's the good American way to be- (M: Yeah) That's why Europeans love us.

M: I know.

L: Cuz when they do stuff we go (stifles a laugh). (M: laughs) Melissa, well
congratulations. Good luck with the movie.

M: Thank you.

L: And I like your new haircut.

M: Thank You.