MONDO EXTRAS

I know, right? But there I was, it's like two in the afternoon. I've literally rolled out of bed, I've got a pair of inside-out sweats, a t-shirt and a Yankee's cap on. I'm standing in the "ten items or less" line carrying one of those red plastic baskets with a couple of avocados, an onion and some garlic, and in front of me, there's this mother standing there and she's calling out to her daughter. The daughter comes up with whatever item they forgot and the daughter looks at me and goes [shrieks] really loud and then grabs her mother and goes, "Oh my God, mom, that's Nicole! She's mean. There's this girl Carmen and she's really overweight and Nicole makes fun of her." And she goes on to explain to her mother the entire plot of Popular but as though it was all happening at her school. Her mother turns around and goes, "How could you?"

"Um, 'cause it was in the script?"

I was like [mock crying], "I just want to make some guacamole!"

I became a dare among groups of girls -- like who would be the one brave enough to go up to Nicole on the 3rd Street promenade and diss her. At first I took it personally, but after a while I started to recognize that these girls were just saying to me what they needed to say to the girl who was bullying them in real life. I was just the embodiment of whatever haunted them. Eventually I'd be glad they were getting it out of their systems and I stopped taking it personally. But it was a little freaky in the beginning.

I would imagine.

I mean, there were some nice moments too. Little gay boys were the best. They'd be like, "You're fabulous!" They loved Nicole. They taped the show and they'd rewind scenes over and over again and memorize her nasty little comments. They were so enthusiastic and ecstatic, it made me feel so good. One night I wanted to go dancing and -- as you know -- boy bars have the best dancing, and so I go, and for an hour it was like boy after boy and we all danced together and had a good time. It was great because they love Nicole, but they realize I'm Tammy too and so they drop it and have a good time.

I asked Leslie this as well -- what story has you obsessed lately? Tom and Nicole?

You know, I have no idea what's up with Tom and Nicole. I really have no clue. I don't even have a colorful theory.

Robert Blake? Are you into that?

You know, it's so OJ, I can't even go there. I mean, didn't this already happen? It's like a bad sequel.

Besides the political stuff that's been going on lately, I am obsessed with Jon Benet Ramsey. I just read the book, Perfect Murder, Perfect Town. It breaks my heart that they can't find out who the killer is.