Michelle Trachtenberg - The Caroline Rhea Show
Caroline : Our next guest plays Buffy's sister Dawn on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Please welcome Michelle Trachtenberg.

[Michelle appears on the set from the left side door. - She's wearing a long sleeve lavender top, matching eye shadow, black flared pants and high-heeled black boots.
Her hair is medium brown with highlights today.
- Makeup is light in tone.
- Big smile.
- She bounces on the step. Everything bounces.
- She & Caroline Rhea (formerly on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch") meet & hug in front of the rust-colored guest chairs and the host's desk.
- Michelle sits down in the chair next to the desk and crosses her legs, right over left. Showing her black boots.]

[ ] = comments ... = pauses

Caroline : "How are you ?"

Michelle : "I'm good. I'm really happy I didn't trip out there [turns and looks back o where she entered the main part of the set]..so..no laughter yet..." [brushes hair from face with left hand].

Caroline : "People trip out there...and we laugh at them."

Michelle : ."..I know...I know...and these heels are really, really high...so..." [Shows right leg with black boot - heels on boots look about 4 inches]

Caroline : "They're very nice..chi-chi[ ?] boots. Very nice."

Michelle : "Thank you." [mimics pouty model face and lifts right leg way up] "Hmm...Very tiny."

Caroline : "I loved you in 'Harriet the Spy'... with my predecessor, Miss Rosie O'Donnell.

Michelle : "Rosie...She's...She's...Thank you. [applause]"...It was...you know...it was an amazijng experience...it was...umm..in October I'm turning 18. " [turns to audience, raises both fists triumphantly] "...Yay !" [applause] "...and it'll be...thank you...it'll be about 8 years ago. 'Cause we started shooting... the first day of principal photography was my birthday. So people don't realize how long ago it was. But...but it was...was..."

Caroline : "Was it 8 years ago ?"

Michelle : "Yeah..this October..I know...crazy !"

Caroline : "Why yeah, you were a little, little girl."

Michelle : "...grown up...a lot of help."

Caroline : "You have grown up."

Michelle : "Okay".

Caroline : "So you're turning 18 ?"

Michelle : "In October. I'm very excited."

Caroline : "So you're a senior in high school ?"

Michelle : "I'm a senior in high school. I'm graduating. I did my whole college application process ...Which is torture...but I'm..it's fine...I'm looking forward to seeing you at prom and graduation."

Caroline : [laughs and covers face]

Michelle : "So it'll be good."

Caroline : [laughs]

Michelle : "Yeah." [laughs]

Caroline : "Sorry. It's been so long..."

Michelle : "Oh nooo...You look fabulous, that's all. That matters...she looks hot doesn't she ?" [looks at audience, which applauds]

Caroline : "Love you, love you."

Michelle : [laughs broadly]

Caroline" "Where would you ultimately like to go to college ?"

Michelle : "I don't know. I've applied to like Yale and UC schools...don't know...like Yale's, you know, the whole Jodie Foster thing...so you have to do it." It's just important to me wherever I have fun. I wanna...want to produce and direct. That's my main goal."

Caroline : "You do ?"

Michelle : "I do...I think the creative process is fascinating. And as long as I can be involved on the backgrounds and all...then I can really sink my teeth into making everyone really love what I do a really heartfelt project."

Caroline : "Sweet little thing you..."

Caroline : "I love Sarah Michelle Gellar. I think she's a complete doll."

Michelle : "She's fine...she's..."

Caroline : "Is she like a real big sister to you ?"

Michelle : "Yeah...you know she watches out for me. I'm actually getting over a cold now, so I have this like raspy voice going on right now...".

Caroline : "Yes, like she sounded at least..."

Michelle : "She..."

Caroline : "...nineteen..."

Michelle : "Ohhh..." [laughs]..."Thank you...and so, you know, she brings me my tea and all that. So it's fun."

Caroline : "That's nice. We just had Zora [Andrich] on. Do you watch any of the reality shows ?"

Michelle : "Oh I totally do. 'Joe Millionaire' was really fun. I totally watched that. There's only one show I really have an issue with. 'Are You Hot ?" Have you seen the show ?" I don't know why people would subject themselves to...and what's-his-name is with the laser pointer...you don't point out...like...like...he's pointing at these girls' thighs. 'Oh you have too much cellulite.' " "This girl goes like this...[mimics sultry come-on voice and look]"...'You think I'm nice, but I'm really naugh-ty..'"And ..Oh shut up !" [audience laughs and claps] "It's wrong...It's the wrong image for girls out there. Sexy is, you know, you got boobs..."[gestures in front of her breasts]...you got a butt...you're hot ! You're not hot because you're pencil legs... It's awful...I think..that's a bad image..."

Caroline : "That's just a little hard."

Michelle : "Yeah."

Caroline : "People don't often realize that these are a set - butt and the boobs."

Michelle : "Yeah, there you go."

Caroline : "A package."

Michelle : "They have to coordinate. They can't be too big !" [gestures way out in front of her breasts with both hands] "It's just no. Don't get fake anything. Girls out there need to have confidence. I think that's the most important thing y'a learn.

Caroline : "You must have lovely parents ?"

Michelle : "I do. My Mom's amazing. She's the one who's given me confidence...and that's where I'm com..."

Caroline : "Yes and my Mother always said don't let anyone decide who you are."

Michelle : "Yeah."

Caroline : "Exact advice." Michelle : [nods]

Caroline : "'Twenty teens who'll change the world' in People magazine. And here you are, Honey." [opens magazine to show Michelle's picture & writeup]" Michelle in Teen People. Looking adorable." [applause] Michelle : "Thank you...that's my message. I feel that if I'm lucky enough to be in the public eye and lucky enough to be where I am in my career, because this is my passion in life, then I want to be the young person that goes out there and tells other young people, 'cause I hope they'll listen to me : Don't do drugs."[crosses hands on her chest] "I got where I am today because I've never done drugs. "I don't drink. It's not...it's not me. So if you do that you could be successful."

Caroline : "I'm.. I'm a successful nerd."

Michelle : "Good !" You can be successful..." [bounces in chair - everything bounces] "...and you can get a natural high. And be happy about just like being you. ...and being an individual and go and get your goals.

Caroline : "You're the cutest thing !"

Michelle : "Thank you." [laughs]

Caroline : "You have to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer Tuesdays on UPN." [applause] "Question. Is there going to be a spin-off. And is it going to be you ?"

Michelle : [laughs] "God ! I don't know. There's so many...all these great ideas. But I'm doing...I'm excited because this summer I'm doing a movie in Prague. It's going to be really hot. It's a Dreamworks movie. About 4 high school seniors in Europe and all the high-jinks that enshue [ensue] from that. That's what my future...I'm looking forward to that. It'll be fun. But...but Buffy's an amazing show and I'm happy to be on it.

Caroline : "We'll be right back. Don't go way."

Michelle : [waves] "Thank you."