Mrs. Etheridge Is Committed
by Daniel R. Coleridge
Popular grad Tammy Lynn Michaels (aka Mrs. Melissa Etheridge) is baaaack. An habitué of portraying wily, wacky women, she currently plays Tess, the shady nanny on NBC’s new Tuesday-night comedy, Committed (9:30 pm/ET). She also has a recurring role as Lacey, a loopy but lovable lesbian on Showtime’s The L Word (Season 2 begins Feb. 20). Here, the mouthy 30-year-old starlet candidly discusses her gigs as an actress, stepmom and rock star’s missus. Buckle your seat belts, folks…
TV Guide Online: Just curious. Do you mind being called “Mrs. Melissa Etheridge”?
Tammy Lynn Michaels: Are you kidding me? I took the name Etheridge. In my career, it’s Tammy Lynn Michaels. Around home, I’m Tammy Etheridge.
TVGO: Did you change it legally? Visiting the DMV to update your driver’s license must’ve been fun.
Michaels: Yeah, especially when the f—in’ government doesn’t even recognize the reason why you’re changing your name. That’s even more fun. But I’m flattered when people call me Mrs. Of course they can call me Mrs. Etheridge. I’m so flattered, it makes me want to cry! That’s an acknowledgment of my relationship to Melissa. Thank you very much. And if they continue subtly [saying that], maybe those flyover states will learn a lesson.
TVGO: OK, so then it’s safe to call you Mrs. Melissa Etheridge in our article.
Michaels: It’s fine. Some people bank on the importance of whom they’re married to and others don’t like being called Mr. or Mrs. So-and-so. I don’t give a s—. And you know what? I think there’s a lot of people who recognize me because of being Mrs. Melissa Etheridge and, fine, let that get ’em to the show!
TVGO: As one of Hollywood’s few out actresses, how hard has it been for you to find work?
Michaels: I’d probably have a better measure of how my coming out affected my career if I had continued to pursue it as aggressively as I had been. When I was finishing Popular, I went through a period of time — even before I met Melissa — of questioning if I really wanted to keep acting. Then I met Melissa, came out, the fur started flyin’ and I just ducked [out of sight]. I knew that any role I booked at that time — whether it was because of my talent or I’d slept with the casting director — people would say I was just riding Melissa’s coattails. I didn’t want that, so I stopped auditioning and started making lunches for my stepkids and went along on tour with Melissa.
TVGO: What lured you back to work?
Michaels: Fortunately, I have a great agent who did not listen to me when I told her I wanted to take a year off. She sent me the script to The L Word and I laughed out loud — which never happens — and Melissa very sweetly drove me to the audition. I booked the show and things have been in full swing ever since.
TVGO: What’s the status of Melissa’s sitcom? Would you ever guest-star?
Michaels: They made the development deal and a week later, she was diagnosed with cancer! She’s done with her chemotherapy now and she’ll be getting back on her feet in a couple of weeks, and then they’ll just pick up production again. Melissa and I have made jokes about [my guesting], but it’s gone no further than late-night-TV-watching jokes in bed. I wouldn’t mark it off my list; I’d do anything with Melissa. Who knows, she could have a dream in her new TV show where I come sliding down a fireman’s pole!
TVGO: You play so many off-kilter characters. What does that say about you?
Michaels: I am off-kilter! I was raised by so many colorful souls, and I’ve just got pieces of all of them in me.
(kilde: TV Guide)