THC: How stoked were you and the rest of the SNL cast when Monica Leuwinsky agreed to come on the show?
MS: I was really excited. It was unbelievable. I was sort of scared to meet her, 'cause I was like "oh, I hope I didn't hurt her feelings or anything," but it she was very sweet. It was pretty incredible; she was really nice.
THC: What did you do before SNL?
MS: Before SNL I did extra work on soap operas. I'd be in the restaurant scene in the back, eating and trying to stick my face on the screen. I did commercials for Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice, did lots of cereal commercials, Denny's Breakfast Buffet commercials, and I worked in restaurants while I was doing commercials - all over LA as a waitress and a hostess - and just hustle. I really wanted to act but I wasn't making my full living acting, so I worked in restaurants for years before I got SNL.
THC: Who did you idolize when you were growing up?
MS: My dad was really into Judy Garland when I was growing up, so I got into her because he was very into her. I used to love old Judy Garland movies - I like the singer/ actress type of people. I love Courtney Love right now - those women that do it all, those triple threats.
THC: Do you have any personal plans? Getting married...
MS: I really would like to do that. I was really into my career, so I didn't want men to get in my way or anything - I was really just very determined. But I mean, you get to the point where you want to have both, a boyfriend and a career. But I was so driven - I had so much work to do that when I was 26, 27, 28 - I just wasn't into it. And I just turned 35, so now I'm like, shoot - I've gotta figure that out too. I don't just want to be a lonely actress. So yeah, that's important to me. Someday I'd like to get married if that works out right.
THC: What were you like in high school? How would you describe yourself?
MS: Well, I went to this really competitive school academically. It was sort of a prep school and the kids all knew one another. It was sort of tough and I didn't really fit in that much and I used to obsess about guys who were unavailable. I was sort of depressed. It's gotten much better since after high school. I just worked my ass off. I was a perfectionist, overachiever and it was a hard, dark time for me. I didn't like it. I think the people that peek there sometimes plateau, and the ones that struggle during that time tend to have a better experience afterwards.