"Melissa Margaret Peterman" (born July 1, 1971) is an American actress who was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
After graduating from Minnesota State University, Mankato 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, which boasts such alumni as Louie Anderson, Peter Tolan 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.
Peterman made her film debut as 'Hooker #2' in the Coen brothers' Oscar-winning 1996 movie "Fargo". She has also appeared in the comedies "Recipe for Disaster" and "How High" with Fred Willard, Hector Elizondo, Spalding Gray, and Method Man. Peterman also appeared in the British sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous". In 2001, Peterman landed a role on the WB Sitcom Reba", alongside country singer Reba McEntire, playing the new woman for Reba's former husband, Brock. She played the character 'Barbra Jean,' a nutty woman who is the mother to young 'Henry.'
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 this fall on the "World Cup Comedy Challenge" television series and on the celebrity edition of "Trading Spaces", with her "Reba" husband, Christopher Rich. She also lost a considerable amount of weight as well.
Melissa Peterman also plays Mrs. Splitz in "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide".
Peterman recently hosted four episodes of the new show "CMT Comedy Stage". While no official confirmation has been given, it is speculated that the series has been canceled after a short run of only 8 episodes.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Melissa 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 will be taped on October 30, 2007 at the ABC Studio Center in Studio City, California. The show sold out four days after the tickets were online!
After graduating from Minnesota State University, Mankato 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, which boasts such alumni as Louie Anderson, Peter Tolan 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.
Peterman made her film debut as 'Hooker #2' in the Coen brothers' Oscar-winning 1996 movie "Fargo". She has also appeared in the comedies "Recipe for Disaster" and "How High" with Fred Willard, Hector Elizondo, Spalding Gray, and Method Man. Peterman also appeared in the British sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous". In 2001, Peterman landed a role on the WB Sitcom Reba", alongside country singer Reba McEntire, playing the new woman for Reba's former husband, Brock. She played the character 'Barbra Jean,' a nutty woman who is the mother to young 'Henry.'
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 this fall on the "World Cup Comedy Challenge" television series and on the celebrity edition of "Trading Spaces", with her "Reba" husband, Christopher Rich. She also lost a considerable amount of weight as well.
Melissa Peterman also plays Mrs. Splitz in "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide".
Peterman recently hosted four episodes of the new show "CMT Comedy Stage". While no official confirmation has been given, it is speculated that the series has been canceled after a short run of only 8 episodes.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Melissa 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 will be taped on October 30, 2007 at the ABC Studio Center in Studio City, California. The show sold out four days after the tickets were online!
Peterman recently signed a contract with Big Machine Records!
While Melissa's career continues, she's been making many appearances on CMT. She's signed as a host of the hit TV game show The Singing Bee, and also appeared on her first-ever filmed comedy stand-up titled Melissa Peterman: Am I The Only One? Most recently, Peterman stars in her own show; CMT's first scripted comedy Working Class, in which she plays Carli Mitchell, a mother of three children who move to the suburbs in Chicago to find the best for her family.
She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, fellow actor John Brady. She gave birth to an 8 lb. 5 oz. baby boy named Riley on October 20, 2005, at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.
