I have a confession. When watching a programme on the television, I have an obsession with finding out what year it was first broadcast and what the actors are doing now. It’s quite upsetting. I cannot just sit down and watch the events unfold and enjoy the canned laughter of the pretend audience the producers want us to think is watching the programme be recorded live in front of them.
No, I have to hop straight onto the internet and Wikipedia the bejaysus out of everyone in the programme – from the main stars, to the occasional love interest, to the loveable dog. I have a problem.
I don’t think it’s right that all my hard sleuthing (read: time-wasting) be put to waste. So, with this in mind, I present to you: what your favourite 90s television stars are doing now.
Melissa Joan Hart a.k.a. Sabrina the Teenage Witch/Clarissa from Clarissa Explains It All – depending on your era and the availability of television channels in your abode.
Everybody’s favourite sassy teenage witch (who’s now in her THIRTIES by the way, how old do we all feel?!) went on to get married, have a couple of kids and sport a rockin’ body on Dancing With The Stars, a US variation of the UK’s Strictly Come Dancing. These days she stars in a sitcom called ‘Melissa and Joey’ which, from what I gather, has something to do with her taking in two children with her really, really handsome co-star Joey Lawrence (a former 90s TV star himself – anyone remember Blossom?).
Kenan and Kel
Possibly one of the greatest programmes ever to grace our television screens. WHO LOVES ORANGE SODA? Coolio, that rapper who sang ‘Gangster’s Paradise’ as well as the theme tune for Kenan and Kel, was in Celebrity Big Brother a few years back – keepin’ it classy. Meanwhile, the programme’s main stars, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell, apparently continued to work together after the programme, which I have decided means they’re still best friends. Awwwwwh. Both are married now, and are self-proclaimed actors, comedians, and musicians. Fingers in many pies lads, fair play. Good news is that Kenan has a regular gig on Saturday Night Live, the US show that spawned Tina Fey and Will Ferrell, amongst many many others. Sad news is that Kel has silly taste in baby names – he called his children Lyric and Allure. Why his mot would let him away with that, or worse still, agree that they sounded like nice names for their offspring, is anybody’s guess.
Sister Sister
Is it bad that as I write the names of these programmes out, I am singing the theme tunes in my head? I’m afraid to sing aloud, lest my fellow Henry Grattan occupiers think me strange. Sigh. I don’t think it’s healthy, but then I do have a ridiculous amount of memory for these ludicrous things. Tia and Tamera Mowry are both married to good looking lads, and have a wee fella each, as well as a show on the Style Network called (shock) Tia and Tamera, that I enjoy far too much. The guy that played Roger – Marques Houston – was in a band and currently has a successful solo career. everybody needs to Google him right now, he is GORGEOUS. Forget ‘Go home Roger’ – more like ‘C’mere til I shifts ye, Roger’.
Just three of my favourites, but of course there are so many more forgotten childhood heroes. So what I suggest is that each of you spend an afternoon with Wikipedia and quench your thirst for useless information. Go forth, my friends.
Claire O’Connell
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