Amber was introduced at the start of the programme and we were told that she would be interviewed by some loyal fans. Richard Bacon told Amber that she shouldnt worry as they would be kept well away from her until then, whilst Amanda (the other presenter) made psycho noiseshar harvery funny.
7.18am
Amanda: Would you please welcome from the mighty Buffy the Vampire Slayer Amber Benson.
Applause. Amber is sitting crosslegged on a green sofa. Shes wearing the coat she wore on Live and Kicking. Still has the pink hair. Yum.
A: Hello, how are you?
AB: Im pretty good. This is very umcosy (laughs)
A: Its very cosy, yes. Its very weird. Its very wild. I suppose its likewhen you do a show like BtVS you feel very at home here.
AB: Im just waiting for the demons.
A: Oh theyre all in the gallery. (Amber laughs out loud) Theyre the ones I can hear in my earpiece. So youre having a good time in the UK so far?
AB: I am. I just wish I was able to see more of it. Ive seen most of it through the windshield of a car so
A: Aha. How long are you staying for?
AB: Im here until umthe beginning of July.
A: Beginning of July? So youve plenty of time to see the ahthe Big Ben.
AB: Yeah. (catches onto the lewd suggestion and laughs, holding her hands up to her face) Oh no
A: AlrightyBtVS attracts an enormous following of shall we say obsessives or you can call them anoracks, stalkersare you aware of these kind of strange people that are..you knowlegions of fans that follow Buffy?
AB: (feigns ignorance) Really? I wa.really? (looks round, everyone laughs)
A: The queue starts out of that door (points) and goes all the way to Birmingham.
AB: I have one that kind of follows me around so
A: Do you?
AB: Yeah.
A: Is it your own personal stalker?
AB: Yeah, I have to pay him but(laughs)
A: I do know that feeling. Weve actually eryoull be glad to know that erweve invited a few of them down to the house this morning! You can see them on the monitor there Amber.
Cut to o/s shot of line of hopeful interviewers. Amber waves and says hello the them.
A: Now just take a close look at them cuz theyre going to compete for the chance to meet you and interview you later in the show in an item that were going to be callingare you Buff enough! Okay now, right, we need to narrow them down to just two and weve asked them to come dressed as Buffy characters so you have to pick the two, that you think have tried the hardest. No just remember that they will be in close proximity to you later this morning. Richard.
We go outside to where Richard introduces the hopefuls, and is suitably patronising towards them. They are Anya in a bunny costume, Oz, Spike, MKF, Sunnydale High School student, Oz, Drusilla, Faith, Buffy, a Minion, Glory and a Season 3 extra in graduation gear.
A: Okay thank you very much Richard. Okay Amber, you had a few scary hairy moments there in particular Kitty Fantastico, you went Oh my God! (does a crappy US accent)
Amber laughs.
A: Any two there that strike you as.you would like to be close to at any point this morning?
AB: (flirtatious) Well all of them actuallyno, come on, Ive been away from home way too long now(laughs) I I think Ive made my decision.
A: Have you? Ok. Can we have a drum roll please. These are the two that are going to go head to head to interview Amber later on in the showwhos it going to be?
AB: I go for the cat and graduation boy.
A: Yes!
The losers are sent home in a hearse but not after Richard has made fun of them for going on the internet and in chat rooms talking about Buffy. Thanks Rich. We remember Blue Peter, ok?
8.18am
THE INTERVIEW
A: Welcome back to the Big Breakfast. Now imagine someone with the looks of Paul Daniels and David Copperfield possessing the ability of a supermodel, yes I know.but reverse the formula and hey presto, you get the mesmerising magical Buffy star Amber Benson.
Applause. Amber rolls eyes, in a self effacing way.
A: How are you?
AB: Im good. How are you?
A: I'm very well thank you. Youve been with us all morning and youre quite enjoying the show so far.
AB: Yeah, Im a little tired though. You guys get up early.
A: Yes we do. I know butyou get paid for it. Soright, you play the umthe lesbian white witch Tara in BtVS, so tell us a little bit about your part.
AB: UmI think you said it allIm the lesbian white(laughs off the noises from the crew)
A: No I dont think the boys think that!
AB: Shall we say lesbian one more time?
A: Yeah go on, go for it.lesbian!
Laughter all round.
A: Okay, so is that how you would sum it up then?
AB: Yeah, I mean, shes umshes Willows girlfriend. Shesshes Willows other half. I wouldnt say better half just other half.
A: Other half.
AB: Yeah.
A: So I mean, is this the kind of role that you enjoy playing? Is this your chosen role in Buffy? (its clear to Amber what shes getting at, and she looks amazed) Please say yes!
AB: Yes! (laughs) Yes, you nailed it on the head.
A: Okay weve got some prelim.its cool, look at this, (reads off clipboard) preliminary Amber info, you just love that, about Tara okay, about Amber. One thing it says here is that you love home improvement.
AB: I like Martha Stewart a lot. Shes very cool.
A: So weve got a lesbian witch who likes DIY. Excellent. Excellent. Ok.
Much laughter.
A: Leave it. Okay, so the characters.
She has to stop as the crew are laughing and Amber is hysterical, putting the pillow on her lap over her face in embarrassment.
A: The characters are called the Scooby Gang because theyre so close. Are the actors just as friendly in real life?
Amber picks up on the inference at closeness and laughs again.
A: You guys all really friendly, yeah?
AB: Yeah yeah, were(she starts laughing again at the inference and looks at the crew)
A: Amber! Calm down.
AB: (hits her own arm) Bad, bad.(laughing)
A: Have you lost it?
AB: I have. This is.this is nerve wracking. I dont know how you do this every morning. (recovers herself slightly) No, everybodys really cool, we all totally hang out. We actually um, read Shakespeare every Sunday at the creator of the shows house and have singalongs and its very exciting
A: (sarcastically) So youre all really wild then?
AB: Oh yeah were just super wild and weve just yeahyeah(begins to fool around) Shakespeares just super cool wild!
A: Thou art. (laughs) Okay, I think its time to have a look at a clip, dont you?
CLIP FROM FAMILY WHEN TARAS FATHER TURNS UP AT THE MAGIC SHOP.
A: For fans of Buffylast week she died onscreen (off Ambers look) Dont look at me like you dont know as you do know! I mean is she dead? Is that the end of Buffy?
AB: (completely deadpan) Yes this is the end. Its over, its all done, Im sorry. (on reaction of crew in the house) No, Im so kidding, Im so kidding, Im so kidding! No, I dont know. They dont tell me these things. Im just an actor. I regurgitate lines. Thats all I do.
A: I know the feeling. Umso you dont know if shes dead.
AB: Well she was lookingshe was looking prettybad at the end but come on shes Buffy!
A: Thats what I said I mean, shes going to come back.
AB: Its Buffy the Vampire Slayer, what are they gonna call it Giles the Vampire Slayer
A: Exactly. Shes not exactly real anyway is she? (off Ambers hurt look) Im sorry, Im sorry, oh what have I done, of course shes real!
AB: (acting all hurt and upset) I came all the way from Sunnydale for this!
Laughter
A: Okay, well something else you came all the way from Sunnydale for is that this morning we gave Buffy fans the chance to interview you but only one of the line up of 11 got the chance to interview you and shes here.
Angie is introduced and enters, sitting in the chair opposite Amber. Amanda perches on the arm of the chair. Please bear in mind that Angie is dressed as Miss Kitty Fantastico. Much hiliarity and cheering.
A: this is the moment that youve been waiting for, are you ready for it?
Angie: Yes Im ready.
A: Is this a surreal moment or what? Is it just me?
Much laughter.
A: Okay, question one.
Angie: Question one, if you could have played any other character on Buffy other than Tara who would it have been?
AB: Goshgoshum um um Im just gonna pick one of themany of themum.Riley! He gets lucky a lot (she grins wickedly and nods).
A: Should be Adrian (points offscreen to a member of the crew) Okay, question two.
Angie: Question two. What aspect of playing Tara have you found the most challenging?
AB: Goshboy you ask hard questyou ask better questions than(points at Amanda and laughs)no, no. I guess probably because shes really shy and insecure it was hard to step out of that in reality because everyone thinks Im really shy and insecure (laughs) until they get to know me so that I guess is the hardest part of playing her.
A: Okay, good answer. Lets go to question 4. (points to clipboard)
Angie: If you could write and direct an episode of Buffy what would be the plot line?
AB: Oh it would be the 100% Tara episodeno(giggles)I would bring Buffy back. (nods appreciatively to the claps and comments)
Angie: Who do you think is the most powerful witch, Willow or Tara?
AB: Probably WillowAlyson would kill me if I said anything but that so
A: Willow is the most powerful witch in the world. And shes also real!
AB: Thats right.
Angie: Okay, this is a good one. (Amber laughs) It is it isjust wait for it. (Amber laughs again) Is it true that theres an upcoming musical episode of Buffy in the next season and if so, do you have a solo?
AB: Ive heard that its a possibility. I think its something thats been trying to happen since the beginning but I wouldI would love to singyeah sing a solo. I
A: Can you sing?
AB: Sort of in the bathin the bathroom. But I would love to sing I enjoy being a girl, having a girl(laughs as the crew slowly get the joke) Alrightokaynot that funny, I get it.
A: Okay, forget the questions on there is there anything you want to ask Amber. Anything, you know, youre dying to ask her?
Angie: Yeah, I know that youve done a film that has been your own project called Chance recently. Whats been the most enjoyable part of it; I know you wrote it, directed it, produced it, and starred in it
AB: I like her!
Angie: Which was the most enjoyable part or was it all
AB: It was all fantastic but being in utter total control(she pulls a face that can make a grown lesbian weep with joy) I like to dominate things.
Angie looks scared and hold her clipboard against her. Heh heh. The crew are pretty much appreciative though.
AB: Look atshes all scared now!
A: Well done Angie.
And thats pretty much your lot. I think Angie was feeling something but I'm not sure it was scared...heh heh...enjoy kitties!
------------------
"Say hello to the kitten board and give them my love." ~ Amber Benson
I
Oh well. Amber seems to have handled it with her typical grace and wit.
