Melissa Peterman
Encyclopedia
Melissa Margaret Peterman (born July 1, 1971) is an American
actress and comedienne who is best known for her role as Barbara Jean in the television comedy series Reba
. She was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
, and raised in suburban Burnsville
.
with theater as one of her majors, she was cast as Madeline Monroe in Hey City Theater's production of Tony n' Tina's Wedding
. After more than 600 performances, she went on to work as a writer and performer at the improvisational comedy theater the Brave New Workshop
in Minneapolis, which boasts such alumni as Pat Proft
, Louie Anderson
, Cedric Yarbrough
, Mo Collins
and Al Franken
. While with the Brave New Workshop, she also performed at the Chicago Improv Festival and the Big Stink Comedy Festival in Austin
, Texas
.
' 1996 movie Fargo
. She also appeared in the comedies Recipe for Disaster and How High
.
Peterman remains loyal to her comic roots as the host of 15 Minutes of Fem, a comedy showcase for women presented at the Egyptian Theatre. She continues to write her own material and has a one-woman show in the works.
On television, she appeared in the Oxygen
sketch comedy show Running With Scissors
and guest-starred on Just Shoot Me!
and The Pitts
.
During her summer hiatus from Reba, Peterman hosted The Sound of Music
Sing-a-Long, reprising her hosting gig from last summer's The Wizard of Oz
Sing-a-Long, at the Hollywood Bowl
in Los Angeles
. Peterman can also be seen on the World Cup Comedy Challenge television series and on a celebrity edition of Trading Spaces
with her Reba husband, Christopher Rich
.
Peterman also played Mrs. Splitz in Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide
.
On October 15, 2007, it was announced that, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Peterman had been cast in a comedy that had been ordered to pilot but had not yet been picked up to air. The comedy is untitled and also stars Cedric the Entertainer
and is being produced for ABC. The pilot was taped on October 30, 2007 at the CBS Studio Center in Studio City, California. In December it was announced that the actors had been secured, indicating that the network was still interested. On May 13, 2008, ABC announced that it did not pick up the pilot.
She has continued to work in television. Peterman recently hosted four episodes of the new show CMT Comedy Stage
, which was canceled after eight episodes. Melissa returned to CMT on July 18 to host a special, titled Redneck Dreams. She appeared in two episodes of ABC's new show, Wanna Bet?
as part of the celebrity panel. Her appearances aired July 28 and August 4. She has taped an episode of Surviving Suburbia
where she portrays a counselor. The episode is expected to air in 2009.
On October 29, 2008, Peterman posted on her blog that she is reading for a new pilot, titled Living With Abandon. On January 14, 2009, Peterman returned to her blog and posted that Living With Abandon was not picked up by the FOX network. She also stated she will be appearing in an episode of Rita Rocks
. She currently hosts The Singing Bee on CMT
. In August 2010, Peterman announced on her Twitter
page that she will star in a new sitcom titled Working Class, which will premiere early 2011 on CMT
.
Peterman hosted the Red Carpet for the 2010 CMT Music Awards.
co-star Reba McEntire
's "Key To The Heart" tour. Melissa returned with an almost-identical comedy routine in 2008 on Reba's and Kelly Clarkson
's "2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour."
It was revealed on March 28, 2008 on reba.com that Melissa would not be joining Reba on her summer tour in 2008. However, she has appeared at several concerts during the summer.
Peterman confirmed on July 7, 2008 that she will be opening all 24 concerts on the second leg of the 2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour
in the fall of 2008. It was later announced by Melissa herself in October 2008 that she would not be opening the Fort Wayne, Indiana show on October 16, 2008 as she has to tape an appearance on Surviving Suburbia
.
In July 2009, Peterman began starring in the comedy web series Dusty Peacock on Crackle
.
On February 23, 2010, it was announced that Peterman had signed a recording contract with Big Machine Records
, to record a comedy album. On June 10, 2010 she was cohost of the red carpet preshow interview segment of the CMT Music Awards
.
with her husband, fellow actor John Brady. She gave birth to an 8 lb. 5 oz. baby boy named Riley David on October 20, 2005, at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and comedienne who is best known for her role as Barbara Jean in the television comedy series Reba
Reba (TV series)
Reba is an American sitcom starring Reba McEntire, which ran from 2001 to 2007. For the show's first five seasons, it ran on The WB, with the show transitioning to The CW in its last year.-Synopsis:...
. She was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, and raised in suburban Burnsville
Burnsville, Minnesota
Burnsville is a city south of downtown Minneapolis in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River...
.
Theater
After graduating from Minnesota State University, MankatoMinnesota State University, Mankato
Minnesota State University, Mankato is a public four-year university located in Mankato, Minnesota, a community of 53,000 located southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. As of Fall 2011, the student body is the third-largest in the state of Minnesota with over 15,000 students...
with theater as one of her majors, she was cast as Madeline Monroe in Hey City Theater's production of Tony n' Tina's Wedding
Tony n' Tina's Wedding
-Film adaptation:The play was "freely" adapted for film by writer-director Roger Paradiso— "filmed primarily from the point of view of a lisping videographer"—with Joey McIntyre and Mila Kunis playing the title characters...
. After more than 600 performances, she went on to work as a writer and performer at the improvisational comedy theater the Brave New Workshop
Brave New Workshop
The Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre , located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been writing, performing and producing live sketch comedy and improvisation performances for 50 years – longer than any other theatre in the nation...
in Minneapolis, which boasts such alumni as Pat Proft
Pat Proft
Patrick "Pat" Proft is an American comedy writer and actor.Proft was born in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, the son of Marguerite and Bob Proft. He began his career at Dudley Riggs' Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis. In the mid-1970s, he began writing for television and films...
, Louie Anderson
Louie Anderson
Louie Perry Anderson is an American stand-up comedian. Anderson created the cartoon series Life with Louie, has written three books, and was the initial host of the second revival of the game show Family Feud, from 1999 to 2002....
, Cedric Yarbrough
Cedric Yarbrough
Cedric Yarbrough is an American comedian and actor.Yarbrough was born in Burnsville, Minnesota. Yarbrough attended Burnsville Senior High School and later Minnesota State University, Mankato. He is also an alumnus of Dudley Riggs' Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis.Yarbrough starred on the Comedy...
, Mo Collins
Mo Collins
Maureen "Mo" Ann Collins is an American actress and comedian. Collins is perhaps best known for being a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series MADtv. She became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show...
and Al Franken
Al Franken
Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....
. While with the Brave New Workshop, she also performed at the Chicago Improv Festival and the Big Stink Comedy Festival in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Film and television
Peterman made her film debut as "Hooker #2" in the Coen brothersCoen Brothers
Joel David Coen and Ethan Jesse Coen known together professionally as the Coen brothers, are American filmmakers...
' 1996 movie Fargo
Fargo (film)
Fargo is a 1996 American dark comedy-crime film produced, directed and written by brothers Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Frances McDormand as a pregnant police chief who investigates a series of homicides, William H...
. She also appeared in the comedies Recipe for Disaster and How High
How High
How High is a 2001 stoner comedy starring Method Man and Redman, written by Dustin Lee Abraham, and director Jesse Dylan's debut feature film. Entertainment Weekly rated it third in their "Best Stoner Movie" top ten list...
.
Peterman remains loyal to her comic roots as the host of 15 Minutes of Fem, a comedy showcase for women presented at the Egyptian Theatre. She continues to write her own material and has a one-woman show in the works.
On television, she appeared in the Oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
sketch comedy show Running With Scissors
Running with Scissors
Running with Scissors may refer to:* Running with Scissors , a 2002 book by Augusten Burroughs* Running with Scissors , a 2006 film based on Augusten Burroughs' memoir...
and guest-starred on Just Shoot Me!
Just Shoot Me!
Just Shoot Me! is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from March 4, 1997 to August 16, 2003, with 148 episodes produced. The show was created by Steven Levitan, the show's executive producer.-Description:...
and The Pitts
The Pitts
The Pitts was a short-lived FOX sitcom that aired 7 half-hour episodes between March and April 2003. It is about a family and their bad luck. It was a satire on typical American sitcoms with over-the-top sight gags.-Premise:...
.
During her summer hiatus from Reba, Peterman hosted The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
Sing-a-Long, reprising her hosting gig from last summer's The Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
Sing-a-Long, at the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Peterman can also be seen on the World Cup Comedy Challenge television series and on a celebrity edition of Trading Spaces
Trading Spaces
Trading Spaces is an hour-long American television reality program that aired from 2000 to 2008 on the cable channels TLC and Discovery Home. The format of the show was based on the BBC TV series Changing Rooms. The show ran for eight seasons....
with her Reba husband, Christopher Rich
Christopher Rich (American actor)
Christopher Rich Wilson is an American actor, best known for his roles on Murphy Brown and Reba .-Career:...
.
Peterman also played Mrs. Splitz in Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide
Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide
Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, commonly called Ned's Declassified for short, is an American live-action situation comedy on Nickelodeon that debuted in the channel's Sunday night TEENick scheduling block on September 12, 2004. The series' actual pilot episode aired on September 7, 2003...
.
On October 15, 2007, it was announced that, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Peterman had been cast in a comedy that had been ordered to pilot but had not yet been picked up to air. The comedy is untitled and also stars Cedric the Entertainer
Cedric the Entertainer
Cedric Antonio Kyles , known professionally by his stage name Cedric the Entertainer, is an American actor, comedian and director...
and is being produced for ABC. The pilot was taped on October 30, 2007 at the CBS Studio Center in Studio City, California. In December it was announced that the actors had been secured, indicating that the network was still interested. On May 13, 2008, ABC announced that it did not pick up the pilot.
She has continued to work in television. Peterman recently hosted four episodes of the new show CMT Comedy Stage
CMT Comedy Stage
CMT Comedy Stage is a stand-up comedy series hosted by Melissa Peterman . The series aired on the CMT network in 2007.- Episodes :...
, which was canceled after eight episodes. Melissa returned to CMT on July 18 to host a special, titled Redneck Dreams. She appeared in two episodes of ABC's new show, Wanna Bet?
Wanna Bet?
Wanna Bet? was a reality game show airing on ABC featuring four celebrities making wagers on whether ordinary Americans will be able to complete outrageous stunts....
as part of the celebrity panel. Her appearances aired July 28 and August 4. She has taped an episode of Surviving Suburbia
Surviving Suburbia
Surviving Suburbia is an American sitcom starring Bob Saget and Cynthia Stevenson that premiered on April 6, 2009 at 9:30PM Eastern/8:30PM Central on ABC. Surviving Suburbia aired its final episode at 8:30PM Eastern/7:30PM Central on August 7, 2009...
where she portrays a counselor. The episode is expected to air in 2009.
On October 29, 2008, Peterman posted on her blog that she is reading for a new pilot, titled Living With Abandon. On January 14, 2009, Peterman returned to her blog and posted that Living With Abandon was not picked up by the FOX network. She also stated she will be appearing in an episode of Rita Rocks
Rita Rocks
Rita Rocks is a Lifetime original sitcom that premiered on October 20, 2008. It is the network's first original comedy in over a decade. The series debuted alongside re-runs of Reba as part of a new comedy hour for Tuesday nights, which later changed to Monday nights...
. She currently hosts The Singing Bee on CMT
CMT
- Medicine :* California mastitis test* Certified Massage Therapist* Cervical motion tenderness, a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease* Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease* Chemically modified tetracyclines* Circus Movement Tachycardia...
. In August 2010, Peterman announced on her Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
page that she will star in a new sitcom titled Working Class, which will premiere early 2011 on CMT
CMT
- Medicine :* California mastitis test* Certified Massage Therapist* Cervical motion tenderness, a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease* Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease* Chemically modified tetracyclines* Circus Movement Tachycardia...
.
Peterman hosted the Red Carpet for the 2010 CMT Music Awards.
Television Roles
| Duration | Program | Role | Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Working Class Working Class (TV series) Working Class is an American television sitcom created by Jill Cargerman, which premiered on CMT on January 28, 2011. The network ordered twelve episodes for the comedy, which is the first scripted series for the network....
|
Carli Mitchell | 12 Episodes |
| 2009–Present | The Singing Bee
|
Host | 28 Episodes |
| 2009 | Surviving Suburbia Surviving Suburbia Surviving Suburbia is an American sitcom starring Bob Saget and Cynthia Stevenson that premiered on April 6, 2009 at 9:30PM Eastern/8:30PM Central on ABC. Surviving Suburbia aired its final episode at 8:30PM Eastern/7:30PM Central on August 7, 2009... |
Mrs. Muncie | 3 Episodes |
| 2009 | Rita Rocks Rita Rocks Rita Rocks is a Lifetime original sitcom that premiered on October 20, 2008. It is the network's first original comedy in over a decade. The series debuted alongside re-runs of Reba as part of a new comedy hour for Tuesday nights, which later changed to Monday nights... |
Jennifer | 2 Episodes |
| 2008 | American Dad! American Dad! American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television... |
Sister Mary | 1 Episode |
| 2008 | Redneck Dreams
|
Host | 1 Episode |
| 2008 | Living With Abandon
|
Rachelle | Failed Pilot |
| 2007 | Untitled Cedric Project
|
Marci Wittman | Failed Pilot |
| 2007 | CMT Comedy Stage CMT Comedy Stage CMT Comedy Stage is a stand-up comedy series hosted by Melissa Peterman . The series aired on the CMT network in 2007.- Episodes :... |
Host | 8 Episodes |
| 2001–2007 | Reba Reba (TV series) Reba is an American sitcom starring Reba McEntire, which ran from 2001 to 2007. For the show's first five seasons, it ran on The WB, with the show transitioning to The CW in its last year.-Synopsis:... |
Barbara Jean | 90 Episodes |
| 2006 | Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, commonly called Ned's Declassified for short, is an American live-action situation comedy on Nickelodeon that debuted in the channel's Sunday night TEENick scheduling block on September 12, 2004. The series' actual pilot episode aired on September 7, 2003... |
Mrs. Splitz | 1 Episode |
| 2004 | Johnny Bravo Johnny Bravo Johnny Bravo is an American animated television series created by Van Partible for Cartoon Network. The series stars a muscular beefcake young man named Johnny Bravo who dons a pompadour hairstyle and an Elvis Presley-like voice and has a forward, woman-chasing personality... |
Becky | 1 Episode |
| 2003 | The Pitts
|
Shirley Poppins | 1 Episode |
| 2000 | Just Shoot Me! Just Shoot Me! Just Shoot Me! is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from March 4, 1997 to August 16, 2003, with 148 episodes produced. The show was created by Steven Levitan, the show's executive producer.-Description:... |
Claire | 1 Episode |
Film Roles
| Year | Film | Role | Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Here Comes the Boom
|
TBA | — |
| 2009 | Dirty Politics
|
Rita Breaux | — |
| 2003 | Recipe For Disaster
|
Gigi Grant | — |
| 2000 | How High How High How High is a 2001 stoner comedy starring Method Man and Redman, written by Dustin Lee Abraham, and director Jesse Dylan's debut feature film. Entertainment Weekly rated it third in their "Best Stoner Movie" top ten list... |
Sheila Cain | — |
| 1996 | Fargo Fargo (film) Fargo is a 1996 American dark comedy-crime film produced, directed and written by brothers Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Frances McDormand as a pregnant police chief who investigates a series of homicides, William H... |
Hooker #2 | — |
Other work
In the summer of 2007, Peterman was the opening act for nine of RebaReba (TV series)
Reba is an American sitcom starring Reba McEntire, which ran from 2001 to 2007. For the show's first five seasons, it ran on The WB, with the show transitioning to The CW in its last year.-Synopsis:...
co-star Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
's "Key To The Heart" tour. Melissa returned with an almost-identical comedy routine in 2008 on Reba's and Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
's "2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour."
It was revealed on March 28, 2008 on reba.com that Melissa would not be joining Reba on her summer tour in 2008. However, she has appeared at several concerts during the summer.
Peterman confirmed on July 7, 2008 that she will be opening all 24 concerts on the second leg of the 2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour
2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour 2008
The 2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by American recording artists Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson that took place in two segments during 2008. The tour only visited North America...
in the fall of 2008. It was later announced by Melissa herself in October 2008 that she would not be opening the Fort Wayne, Indiana show on October 16, 2008 as she has to tape an appearance on Surviving Suburbia
Surviving Suburbia
Surviving Suburbia is an American sitcom starring Bob Saget and Cynthia Stevenson that premiered on April 6, 2009 at 9:30PM Eastern/8:30PM Central on ABC. Surviving Suburbia aired its final episode at 8:30PM Eastern/7:30PM Central on August 7, 2009...
.
In July 2009, Peterman began starring in the comedy web series Dusty Peacock on Crackle
Crackle
Crackle is a digital network and studio, featuring commercially supported streaming video content in Flash Video format. It is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, and its content consists primarily of Sony's library of films and television shows...
.
On February 23, 2010, it was announced that Peterman had signed a recording contract with Big Machine Records
Big Machine Records
Big Machine Records is an Independent American record label specializing in country music artists. It was launched in 2005 by former DreamWorks Records executive Scott Borchetta. The label was part of a joint venture between Borchetta and country singer Toby Keith, although Keith dropped his...
, to record a comedy album. On June 10, 2010 she was cohost of the red carpet preshow interview segment of the CMT Music Awards
CMT Music Awards
The CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. The awards ceremony is held every year in Nashville, Tennessee, and broadcast live on CMT. Voting takes place on CMT's website, CMT.com.-History:...
.
Family
She currently lives in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with her husband, fellow actor John Brady. She gave birth to an 8 lb. 5 oz. baby boy named Riley David on October 20, 2005, at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.