The Sixty-Third One... and Melissa Peterman

Episode 63 and Wendi and Dfernando's guest interview is actress, writer and producer Melissa Peterman. 

Melissa Peterman is best known for her roles on the long-running comedy series REBA (as Barbra Jean) and the ABC Family/Freeform comedy BABY DADDY (as Bonnie Wheeler).  She currently can be see on the CBS comedy YOUNG SHELDON (as Brenda Sparks). 

Upon graduating from Minnesota State, Peterman 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 write and perform at Brave New Workshop, the improvisational comedy theatre in Minneapolis. The theater boasts such alumni as 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.

While still in Minneapolis, Peterman made her feature film debut in 1996 as "Hooker #2" in the Oscar-winning classic Coen Brothers’ film FARGO. 

Soon after, she decided on making the major move to Los Angeles where she quickly found work playing small roles on television.  Everything changed in 2001 when she was cast as Barbra Jean Booker-Hart in the now-classic comedy series REBA, opposite country music legend Reba McEntire and television veteran Christopher Rich. The series was the most-watched comedy on The WB on its debut season.  In 2007, the series ended its run after six seasons but continues to air in syndication on multiple networks and has continued to gain a new generation of fans. 

During her summer hiatus from REBA, Peterman began her now-annual THE SOUND OF MUSIC Sing-a-Long at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and her debut comedy special, Melissa Peterman: AM I THE ONLY ONE? premiered March 12, 2010 on CMT.  The special was taped before an audience in Nashville, Tennessee.

In 2012, Peterman joined the ABC Family/Freeform sitcom BABY DADDY.  Originally cast for only one episode, she was upgraded to a series regular immediately.  The pilot was the highest-testing comedy pilot in the network’s history and BABY DADDY finished its debut season as the highest-rated comedy in key demographics. The series ended on May 22, 2017, after six seasons.

Along with her reoccurring role on CBS’ YOUNG SHELDON, she is also a regular guest on the syndicated game show 25 WORDS OR LESS.

In 2020, Peterman began co-hosting with her former REBA co-star Reba McEntire on a new podcast titled LIVING & LEARNING and works with The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company, a non-profit organization helping at-risk youth in the Los Angeles area.

Also on Episode 63, Wendi and Dfernando are back and chat about Wendi's recent trip to Costa Rica, Dfernando's cat-sitting, and Wendi bringing on a coach to get her creative mojo back on track.  

On THE RIPE REPORT, there's the Hulu Original Series ONY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez; the biopic THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE starring Oscar nominees Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield as Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker; and the film adaptation of the British musical hit EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE (click here to watch the original British stage production of EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE, starring John McCrea).  Also, Wendi shares a ROTTEN: Etsy sellers who pack their shipments with confetti.  

Watch Wendi and Dfernando and their Team GENERATION RIPE: Greg Covey, Shelley McLendon and Ponciana Badia on Season 7 Episode 2 of CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD - now on ABC OnDemand and Hulu and on the GENERATION RIPE website.  

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