← Next On Scene: The Human Behind The Brand
Next On Scene: The Human Behind The Brand
How Melissa Eannuzzo Built a 30-Year Radio Career That Still Resonates
00:21:47
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Today's red carpet moments are sponsored by Camarbre, a local Massachusetts fashion brand. For all your luxury fashion needs, check out these amazing shoes. And check out camarbre.com welcome to Next on Scene, the human behind the Brand. I'm Jacqueline Zuckerman delaure award winning publicist, mom and media visionary. I believe visibility isn't just about being seen. It's about being of service. Each week we are going to uncover real stories behind success. The breakthroughs, the heartbreaks, and the moments that made you who you are. Because the truth is, the more we allow ourselves to be human, the more powerful our impact becomes. This is where visibility meets legacy. This is next on Scene. Today's guest is a voice Boston knows by heart. With over 30 years in radio, a Gracie award and a new true crime podcast, she's built a career on staying relevant, real and heard.
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B
We're.
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A
Let's welcome Melissa Iannuzio. Welcome to Next on Team the Human behind the Brand. I am so excited to have Melissa Iannuzio.
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B
I am so excited to be here. Me too.
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A
From 969, the GetUp crew. So welcome to next on Team.
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B
Thank you. Jackie.
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A
I'm so excited.
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B
I know. And I've known you for a while now and I just everything that you're involved in is always so fun, uplifting and positive and I really appreciate you having me on. So thank you.
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A
I feel the same about you, Margaret.
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B
And thank you for being you.
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A
Yes. I love that about you.
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B
Thank you.
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A
I really do. I'm really excited. So love that where we are changing the tables today and we are interviewing you, which I'm so excited about.
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B
Yes.
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A
So what would you describe? So basically I do an intro before you even come on. So we're gonna just dive in today.
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B
Okay.
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A
So the season of life you're in right now, how would you describe it?
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B
Challenging. It's very challenging. I've, you know, things have been a little hard for me lately as far as career wise and personal and, you know, not to get into too many details, but I just think that right now I am facing a lot more challenges professionally, personally than I ever have. But, you know, and I hate to be so vague, but just, you know, keeping it real, it's gonna take a little bit, but I just give me some time and I'm gonna get through like I always do. But yeah, I would say right now, challenging.
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A
And I want to like, follow up with that question because you're so much in the public eye, like being that you've transitioned stations over the years, like, being Public eye, going through transitions, like, how is that from a perspective?
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B
It's a gift and a curse. I think it's really cool because the people that have been listening to us have been listening to us for years, like decades now. So they're gonna be with us, and they're loyal and they're amazing, and I love everybody that listens. But it's also a curse because people think that they know you because of what you do and how they listen every day, and they think they. I don't know, they judge certain things about you and when they really don't know the real people, real us. But again, I would never change any of it. I love the fact that I've been able to do this as long as I've been able to do it, and I love the people. I've met some amazing people along the way that are my friends and supporters and have been for years and still will be, hopefully, you know. So, yeah, it's just been awesome.
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A
And I want to talk about your career because you started behind the mic.
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B
I did.
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A
And like, what. What did that teach you? Because you've been on sides, like how, like, paying forward to where you are now?
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B
I think so. When I first started as a producer of a radio show, it taught me how to deal with different personalities, because it was my job to set up the show and make it work based on the different personalities that were in the room. And they were two very totally different personalities. And that amongst, like, all the other celebrities, we would have come in and just having to deal with so many different people with so many different personalities, and making it work was difficult. And I kind of keep that to this day. Like now on our show, we have four different personalities, completely different, and we all get along so great, and the chemistry is wonderful, and we just make it work and we keep it entertaining. And it's just, I think that from the beginning was what taught me and built me up for the future.
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A
Yeah, I love that. And now I want to talk about a day in the life, because you start early in the morning. So what is a typical day for Melissa?
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B
Okay, so I wake up at like, four four, feed my cats, get to work by five, and Romero is actually there before me. He gets there early and he meditates every single morning, God bless him. But I prep the show, I get my entertainment report ready to go, I answer emails, do the social media, and then when everybody gets in, we kind of have an idea of what we're going to do for the Day already based on emails and texts from the previous day. And then we start the show at 6 and show gets over like around 10. And then I do my afternoon show and then I have meetings, run errands, do whatever it is I kind of need to do. I go to the gym. I try to go to the gym like four to three to five days a week. Get home anywhere between three and five and then just relax, have my dinner, watch any kind of sports I can watch, catch up on my streaming shows. And then I'm in bed anywhere between, I don't know, 9 and 11. I go to bed kind of late. People think I'm in bed like Romero's in bed by seven every day because
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A
I just wake up so early. That's really impressive.
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B
Well, he gets up at 2:30, so he's crazy.
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A
Oh yeah, that's crazy.
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I get to bed, like around. Depends again, between 9 and 11. Depends on if there's a spot. The Celtics were on last night. I was watching the Celtics when the Patriots are on. You know what I mean? I stay up late for that.
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Yeah, but makes sense. What are you watching right now?
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B
On Netflix or like, I got a couple things.
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A
Okay, tell.
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I wanna hear. I wanna hear Ripple on Netflix. Amazing. It's like. It's a. It's a series. It's a drama series, but it's over. I already watched it all, but my absolute binge right now that you need to watch, it's not gonna be for everybody, but I am obsessed with it. Heated Rivalry. Have you heard of it?
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No. What is it about?
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Heated Rivalry is about. So it's about a professional hockey league. Ish. But it's mostly about these two men that are in the closet gay who have a relationship. And I don't want to give too much away about it, but it's become my obsession and it's a cult thing. Like so many people are watching it right now, you have no idea. It's all over my feed.
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Okay.
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It's on hbo, Max. It's amazing. It's so funny how things creep into your algorithm and don't go away. Now that I've said to you about
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it, it's gonna be in my feed.
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It's all over your feed. But it's so good. They made jokes about it at the Critics Choice Awards the other night, but, oh my God, it was so. And the guys that are in it are such amazing actors and they. It couldn't get nominated for Golden Globes because it's a Canadian. It's based In Canada, and there's some kind of loophole with the rules, but if it was, they would have swept every category, because it's that good. But, yes, look into it.
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It's gonna be all over my phone.
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So good.
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I'm ready for it.
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It's so good.
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Okay, out of all the interviews you've done over the years, who's been one of your favorites?
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Okay. This is gonna actually. It's gonna. It might turn some people off, but I have two, and they are two completely different people, and two completely relatable at the moment. 50 Cent and Diddy. Isn't that funny? Both of them, despite what's happening now, both of them were the most utmost professionals, like 50 Cent and Diddy. I actually interviewed them both several times, but I also interviewed them both alone once. And in each instant instance, they were like, everybody out of the room. I want to focus, you know, here, like, whatever, like. And just. They were so professional and answered every question I asked. And, like, I'll never forget it. I actually re. Watched it recently. I did an interview with 50 Cent at a hotel. It was back when I forget what was coming out. It was either one of his movies or one of his albums. But I had recording equipment with me, and I was talking to him, and we were, like, face to face. And I looked down to make sure that the recording equipment was actually working. And he, like, put his hand on my knee and was, like, making sure that I looked him in the eye so he could look me in the eye to talk to me. He just wanted to make sure that I was, like, grasping what he was saying, and I was like, oh, my God. Like, he really cares if people are listening to him. You know what I mean? But anyways, like, I just felt like they were both very candid, professional, and nice, and every time I came across them, they were like that.
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A
Do you remember, like, a takeaway from that. Like, what is something that stood out to you in that? Cause you've interviewed a lot of people. I think it has to be, like, a takeaway. I'm like, I want the nugget.
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Are you talking about specifics from the interview itself?
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Yeah, the things that stood out. Because especially look at Diddy now. Was there anything that stood out to you?
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Not really, because it was so long. Both were so, so long ago. They really. It was, like, legit when I was just starting my career. Both of them. Oh, oh, oh. One more really quickly. Yeah, this was bad. Kanye West. Right? So we all know how Kanye is right now. When I first Started as an intern. He was just coming out, right? And no one really knew who he was at that point, right? So he was offered. He was. He was available for an interview. Nobody wanted to interview him. So they were like, have Melissa do it. So it was on the.
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Phoneless in the fire.
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It was on the phone. It wasn't in person. It wasn't in video. It was on the phone, okay? And I don't remember what I asked him as a question, but he literally said to me, that was the worst question anyone's ever asked me. And I swear to God, I was starting to cry. I was like. I was so, like, I. Oh, my God. I was mortified. It crushed me. I'm like, do I ever want to do an interview ever again? I was probably, like, 19 at the time. Like, it was. It was crazy. I was, like, so scarred for life. Now knowing Kanye, who he is now, makes sense. Makes total sense. I'm like, oh, my God. This is, like, exactly what I would expect him to say. You know, that's a huge.
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That's a golden nugget that you should forever.
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Oh, my God. I'm like, did he just ask, like,
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look where you are now. Gracie Awards.
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Yeah. Oh, my God.
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Amazing. Tell us the story behind the Gracie Awards.
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The Gracies are. Is an organization, the alliance for Women in Media, and it's an annual award that they give out in different categories in media, tv, radio. And I won this award a few years back, and it was for morning show co host, and it's a nationwide award. So what you have to do is you have to submit clips of yourself doing what you do, and then they pick winners amongst all of the people who enter nationwide, and they do a luncheon in New York City, and they, you know, give out the awards there. And Angela Yee, formerly of the Breakfast Club, she was the host when I accepted my award years ago. And, yeah, it was pretty cool to just be recognized because, you know, when you're amongst a show, an ensemble, like I say, ensemble cast, like, it's a TV show, but you know what I mean? Like a group of people, it's individual recognitions don't come very often. So getting. That was really cool. I don't put too much weight into it because of that, because we are a team and we are a show. But, you know, getting acknowledged like that, you deserve it. You're so good.
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I appreciate it. I mean, you wouldn't be doing it for 30 years, and you're so talented. When you hosted my fashion show, we literally gave you the notes. Melissa got it down within, like, minutes.
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You know, fake it till you make it. Because even though if I don't know what I'm doing, I can always talk my way out of something. Like, they always had me after I got through the Kanye west crap. Anytime they had interviews they needed done, they always called on me because they knew I could make it work. Even though I'd be like, who is this person? It didn't matter. I would always get through it. Somehow I'd find a way to relate to the person.
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That's like a beautiful strength moment, no
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matter who it was. Yeah. I'll never. Another one of my memories real quick was with Machine Gun Kelly, and I knew nothing about him. And we did a whole Q and A with, like, up 50 listeners. And we're talking, talking, talking. Fire alarm goes off in the middle of the interview, and he literally opens a window and tries to jump out in the middle of the. As a joke. And it just, like. The whole thing was just hilarious. But it was good. And it was. I don't know. I always find a way to relate to people, whoever they are. Yeah. And it was cool. So.
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But you're so good at that. Okay, now I want to transition to color because I feel like color psychology, how we show up in the world, is very impactful. And you're wearing green and purple. And I love the Wicked shirt, by the way.
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Thank you.
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Have to do them for a while.
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Shout out to Wicked. Love it. Obsessed.
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I love it. So purple's like, royalty respected. Green is resilience. I feel like that's on brand for you.
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Okay.
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Do you feel. And blue, I know is your favorite color.
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Blue is my favorite.
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Do you know blue is a big community communication color? So I was, like, so inspired for what you do.
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That's totally. Yeah. On brand for me.
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Yeah. It's fun. Fact of the day.
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Thank you for that.
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So when you get dressed in the morning, what goes into that inspiration?
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Nothing, really. Literally. What's clean and what's available? Because it's four o'. Clock. Like, typically, I really should be putting my clothes out the night before because you know how when you get up in the morning, I'm not even like. I honestly, I'm like, does this even match? But then I have to think about, am I going to the gym today? If I'm going to the gym today, it's going to affect what I wear. Like, if I'm not, then it'll. I'll wear something else. Like, so. Yeah. Yeah. I really don't I wish I did. I don't put much thought into that. I just wake up and whatever's there and clean and I just throw it.
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I think these are great colors for you, though. Thank you. Get out there to you.
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I appreciate it.
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Yeah. Okay. I want to play some game time.
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Okay.
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We're gonna do some rapid. Rapid fire. You're gonna laugh when you read one of them. I laughed because I was like, this is so Melissa. Hold on. Okay, so we're gonna first do this or that.
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Okay.
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And then we'll do some rapid fire questions.
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Okay.
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Heels or sneakers?
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Sneakers. Always. I never wear heels.
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I figured that. But you were platform ones.
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Yeah, I try not to. I have a really bad back, and I threw my back out over this holiday break, and it was awful. But, yeah, I try not to wear heels as much as possible, but I feel like at the.
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You wore these awesome, like, boots.
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Oh, I wore my Christian Louboutins. Yeah, they were like. They had a very thick heel, though, so it was kind of like, you know, fake heels. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Glam or natural?
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Ooh. I think I could. Could I say both? Yeah. There's a time and a place for both.
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Okay.
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I love glam, and I have people in my life, AKA my good friend and makeup artist Deborah Mackey, who, if I ever need to get super glam, she's the one I will call because she's just amazing and I love her.
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I love that.
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But I like being natural too, so.
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Okay. I love this next one. Studio or live audience?
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Oh, well, we don't really do live audience much.
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Yeah, but you've done a lot of events, you host. Yeah, done a lot.
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I kind of like the live audience. Yeah, I like the live audience because I like being able to interact with people and see their faces while we're talking. It's cool. But being in the studio is also comfortable too, so it's. Again, I hate to be on the fence with these, but there's a time and a place for both. I know. There's a time.
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I like that. I like that, though. Scripted or freestyle?
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Freestyle.
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Okay.
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I never like. Script Pebbles is a very scripted person. She has to have everything written down and scripted, but she's freaking phenomenal. But I'm the opposite. I'm like, just give me a bullet point and let me run with it.
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So good. Yeah, so good. Okay, ready? Encore. Vegas or Boston?
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B
Oh.
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I was like, this is gonna be a good one for Melissa.
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I have to be partial and loyal to my Boston because I just love all the people there, the staff there, I love them. But Vegas has a, you know, a certain something to it, too, because it's Vegas. Like, Vegas is just larger than life. But I couldn't be there all the time. It's a nice getaway. If I want to get away, go on vacation, it's Vegas. If I'm staying here, obviously, it's Boston fair.
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Okay. Rapid fire morning drive or podcast mic?
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Morning drive.
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Bold colors or neutrals?
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Bold.
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Oh, we kind of answered this already. Prep or being spontaneous?
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Spontaneous. Yeah.
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I love that for you. Early mornings or late nights?
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Ooh, it depends. I'll say early mornings because I don't mind getting up. Yeah.
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And would you say your Glenda or
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who would you be?
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More from Wicked.
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Oh, see, I have a little. And I hate being on the fence for all these, but I have a little bit of both in me because I love Glinda, and I love her how she's so dramatic and, like, everything's so just. I'm gonna die. Like, I see myself in her. But then Elphaba and the way that she just rises above everything amidst all the adversity. I love that. So, yeah, I love them both.
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I love those nuggets. Okay, that's fair. So there's a little bit of all that in you. I love all of it.
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Yes. Perfect.
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If you could tell a message to your younger self today, what would you tell her?
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Be responsible with your finances. I love that because. And I hate to be so specific, but it can get you into a lot of trouble or it could get you very far if you're smart. And that was something I never had taught to me ever. And I feel like I would have a lot more discipline now if I did. And that's something I always say to myself. I wish that I had had been pointed in that direction of the finance situation. I would be in a much different position, I think, than I am now. So, yeah, definitely.
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Thank you for that nugget. I think that's so valuable to everyone.
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Absolutely.
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Like, I'm fascinating.
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Something people don't talk about a lot.
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It's so true. You know what I mean?
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Like, and it's something. It's very important. You know, I think people don't want to talk about it, but I think you need to.
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Yeah, it's important. And also, wait, so I'm creating a red carpet soundtrack playlist for all my guests. What would be Melissa's song of choice in this lifetime? Like, in this season of life?
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B
Oh, God. Like, can it be anything or Something current.
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Nope. Anything?
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Oh, God. Oh, my God. That's a good one. No, I know a song. Oh, God. Oh, my God. You put me on the spot with this one.
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Perfect.
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Yeah. I just don't overthink it.
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Like, what's your go to?
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What is my go to? I'll just kind of throw out, like, an artist. I love Sabrina Carpenter right now.
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I do, too. I really like. Do you have a favorite one of hers?
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Not really. I just kind of like her in general and. Okay, this is gonna sound crazy, and I don't even know who I am right now. Taylor Swift. Fate of Ophelia.
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I.
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Girl, I was never a Taylor Swift fan.
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I love this album.
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I'm still not a huge fan of her music, but I watched the documentary of the making of the tour over the holiday, and I just fell in love with the tour and then her and that song. It's just such a good song.
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Do you like Opal, too, or. No?
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I do like Opalite. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's another song, and it's. It's escaping me right now, and I really want to make sure I say it because it's. I've been listening to it like crazy, and right now, for some reason, I can't think of what.
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Your album.
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It's not Taylor Swift. Oh, my God. What the hell is it? It's gonna make me so mad, and then I'm gonna go back and say,
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what, 10 minutes later?
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No, I know. Dang it. But, yeah, I mean, you know me. I love everything. The Weeknd and that's always so good. Bruno Mars has an album.
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Yeah, but who's your favorite guy that. Oh, Barry Manilow.
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Barry Manilow. Oh, my God. He just announced he had cancer, too. I almost.
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You've loved him forever.
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I love.
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I really like his music.
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Since I was a kid.
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I really like his music.
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I just really like love songs in general. Ballads, like, strong, powerful. Like, if you're. If you grew up in the 80s like me, the power ballad was the big. You know, and I just grew up on those, and I fell in love.
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Yeah.
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In love.
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Fair. Well, thank you for sharing. You're amazing. How can people follow? You get all the socials. So I am on social media.
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B
I am on, let's see, Instagram, Melissa on the radio, but Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, X as Radio Melissa. And then I have my podcast with my podcast partner, Chris Brown. He's an attorney. It's more of a true crime celebrity legal drama podcast called Verdicts and Vibes. You can follow us on verdicts and vibes on TikTok and on Instagram and I'm on Facebook too. So yeah, I'm everywhere. She is everywhere pretty much.
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And hire Melissa for your next event. She was the best host of all time.
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B
I am available.
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She is available. Thank you so much for joining us. Thank you, Jackie.
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B
Love you so much. I appreciate you having me.
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It is a love fest. And thank you so much for tuning in to next on scene. And stay tuned for his next on scene. Today's red carpet moments are sponsored by Camarbre, a local Massachusetts fashion brand. For all your luxury fashion needs, check out these amazing shoes and check out kamarbre.com I'm here to give you your red carpet moment. So follow us on all our podcast channels on any stream from iheartradio Spotify. If you just type in next on Scene, the human behind the brand. Or you can also follow us on all our social media channels. Exonscene I can't wait for you to come on this journey with us. Your say is very impactful as an audience member. So come along for the ride and we are gonna all evolve together and we can't wait for you to see who's next on scene.