INTERVIEW

The SNL star talks about her first kiss, her nerdy past and working with Jim Carrey.

A cross between Crazy Eddy and the Micro Machine Man, Molly Shannon ("Saturday Night Live" and Superstar comedian) possesses the spontaneous energy considered charmingly refreshing among celebrities, yet perhaps more typical of the mentally deranged. Loud, hyper and spastic, I initially attributed her behavior to a hearty intake of speed prior to our phone interview. But after listening to her answer question after question, I became increasingly impressed by her sincerity and her down-to-earth goofiness.

The Harvard Crimson: So Molly, what are you wearing?

Molly Shannon: I'm wearing black Prada pants. They're so nice! I got them from the designer since I've been doing all these talk shows this week, and I wore them to work today 'cause I wanna show off. I'm a whore for free clothes.

THC: The movie Superstar has to do with your first kiss? Do you remember your own first kiss?

MS: Yes, I kissed this boy, Tom Sullivan. He was just really nice. We used to go into the bushes and kiss. It was just a nice little relationship--very sweet. I could sort of boss him around, so I was like the leader. We were just really good friends and we liked to kiss.

THC: Do you consider Mary Katherine Gallagher a good role model for young girls?

MS: Ummm, a good role model...well, yeah I do actually, because I think that she is at least true to herself, she's determined. I think that's a good role model--better than some piss-chick on MTV you know. Yeah, I'd rather see her than some little girl who's like 15 with, you know, fake tits. Come on! The emphasis on beauty and weight and all that! I hope she's a good role model, at least she's real. I think real is good.

THC: Where were you when this character first came to you?

MS: I was actually at NYU drama school, and I was doing a show called The Follies, a fun comedy show. I had never even done comedy before and Adam Sandler was in the show because he went to NYU with me, and when we were rehearsing we did this improv exercise called "through the door." You walk through this door and you make up a character, and I just went, "Hi, my name is Mary Katherine Gallagher." I just kept shaking everyone's hand and that's how it all started.