March 3, 2025 • 11 mins
In the second segment, buckle up for some laughs! Paul Amadeus Lane welcomes the hilarious comedian and actress Mo Collins. Known for her diverse roles, Mo recently guest-starred as the unforgettable Starla on NBC's 'Night Court.' She shares behind-the-scenes stories, her comedic process, and insights into her impressive career. Get ready for a dose of pure entertainment! #MoCollins #NightCourt #Comedy #Actress #EntertainmentZone #PaulAmadeusLane
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Intro.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Let's go with another flow at averaging the team of show.
Welcome back to the entertainment Zone. It's me Paul Amadeis Lane.
I am so thankful for you joining us on our
show today and I hope you enjoyed our interview with
the amazing Amber f Zali, who is one of the
stars in the new film Rule Breakers. Rule Breakers is
(00:29):
about the story of an all women Afghanistan robotics team.
True story, the adversity the Triumphs. March seventh is going
to be out to make sure you check that out.
But now we're going to take another deep dive into
NBC's Night Court. As you know, we've had an opportunity
(00:53):
to talk to a number of stars and a number
of guest stars who appeared on that show in one
episode had just dropped. If you haven't seen it, you
definitely have to check it out. As a matter of fact,
if you haven't started watching the new iteration or the
continuation of NBC's Night Court, make sure you do it.
You have Peacock stream it, catch up and make sure
(01:16):
you catch it on NBC as well. But I'm so
delighted to be joined by the amazing the talented actress herself,
Mo Collins.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Let's bring her on.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
So Mo, tell me what was it like being on
this episode and really being like Harry's understudy and bringing
some of Harry back to the courtroom and interaction with Abby.
Talk about that?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Okay, well it was I was a fan of the show,
the original, So that was really cool, just right off
the bat to get to walk on and to sort
of be inside something that I used to enjoy. I mean,
that's pretty great to like, there's the set like it
was surreal. John larra Kat whom I was a fan
of back then, and here I get to work with him,
and I mean just from the table read, just the
(02:01):
first table reader was just like wow, he came up
and he was so nice and said very nice things
to me, and then I tripped him. No, it was good.
It was good. It was really fun and great to
just kind of step back into nostalgia and and just
some good old fashioned physical comedy. Make the people laugh.
(02:24):
The live audience is right there there they are make
them laugh, and that felt real good.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
It was amazing looking at that episode, and you know,
I kind of got a little bit of mad TV
vibe when I was watching it, you know you, Yeah,
it was just it was just something that was really
really refreshing that we need on television.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Oh dude, I think that I think that's in just
the sort of silliness of it, right, And you know,
my work on Mad TV was a lot of it
very physical and silly, like let's just laugh for a second.
You know, things are hard right now, and I think
(03:08):
that it's good to take breaks and watch shows like
Nightcourt and just forget things for a while and just laugh,
like laugh, recharge, and the nostalgia feels really good. I
know it felt good for me. I needed that.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
It was really amazing the interaction between you and John's
character and then and how you interacted with the with
the rest of the cast as well too, and some
of the some of the tricks that you did was
was awesome.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
It took me back to when Harry what was on on.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
On Nightcourt doing his thing and and did you have
to kind of study some of the the different tricks
that he used to do when you said I'm gonna
bringing these to the to this episode as well, I
didn't really.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Have, like I feel lucky that I didn't have. I'm
a clumsy person by nature, so you know, I don't
think they would have had time for me to try
and you know, become honestly to become an expert at
these things for camera. It's a good thing they had
the pro there because I'm I got skills, but not
(04:12):
those skills.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
So they actually had someone on on set, like.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
They had a magician, a real magician there that you know,
was able to kind of show people whoever had to
do the tricks how to do them and how to
pull them off.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I mean, yeah, you know, and that's some of the
things that we don't We don't ever know because all
we do is see the finished product and have you
share that with Is that that really shows that all
the planning that goes involved to an episode, and then
it's like.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Wow, for sure, I mean, like all this stuff with
the box. You know, you saw the episode, right, so
it's like, yeah, that's all that's a pro doing all
of that. You know, we're actors, so we just act
like we know unless we know.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
But yeah, very fine job too.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
And and well how much lead way did you guys
have kind of like some ad libs or kind of
throwing a few little things they kind of you know,
the little secret sauce to the episode.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Oh well, I might have thrown a couple of things in,
but honestly, you know, when I'm a guest star on
a show like that, I'm going to play it a
little bit more reserved, whereas you know, because I don't
want to step on any toes. I'm the guest when
it's my house, like Mad DV, those gloves are off,
and that's where we go mining for gold, comedy gold, right, Like,
(05:36):
you have an audience, and it was really part of
the job to discover more comedy in the moment with
the cameras rolling like and and that's that is something
I'm very good at, you know when when given the
green light. But I was very reserved, you know, because
(06:00):
there's a script and they have what they're doing. And
but yeah, the second anybody's like go ahead.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Mo, did you think right? Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yes, Like Aby Pohlar on Parks and Rock when I
would show up, she would just be like, most here,
keep the camera rolling. And that's how Joan Kalamezo was built,
because they I just you know, I go until somebody says,
so there are There were maybe a couple of things.
But I wasn't gonna push it. It wasn't gonna put it.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Call total here. You're like, okay, let me see get
away with right.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
So yeah, I'm just gonna make what they have on
the page is the best I can and and uh yeah,
but improvising lines, that is definitely. I mean, looking back at,
you know, the three decades I've put in here so
far in the business, it's like it's riddled with improv
(06:56):
that I've done. Like I mean, you know, forty year
old Verse that was all improv. Jina was all improv
the whole thing. You know, That's what I do.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
You know, And and that's one thing.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
When I found out that you were going to be
in this episode, I was like, Oh, you know, it's
gonna be it's gonna be amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
It's gonna be like.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Comic comedic gold and that we're gonna laugh out loud.
And and when you when you look at the whole
experience mod what was it like? You know, you talked
about the nostalgia being on that being on that set,
but what about working with the cast. Yes, some older
cast members with John being able to put the newer
cast members with with Lacreta, with Niambi and with UH
(07:37):
with Gary Anthony Williams, and and also Melissa's character. What
were some of the things that chook away from that?
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Working with Melissa was really cool, you know, like it's
awesome to see a woman so capable, and she is
so capable of so many things, and so I like
to just kind of stand back in marvel at powerful
women like that. I love it. I love it, love it,
love it. You know, that was really cool. Gary Anthony
(08:03):
Williams is a pal of mine. You know, we we
actually do UH animation projects together. We've worked together quite
a bit for years. So it was super fun to
be on set with him. You know, it's like kids
on a playground. We weren't in scenes together, which was
too bad, but great to just hang out with them. Yeah,
(08:24):
it was really fun to meet these new people. I
always love that.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
And what is that like even though you're not in
scenes with the ones, you can get a chance to
interact with him like, oh yeah and everything.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
You know, you're you're there for the week and everybody's
kind of hanging out and you know, sometimes you're at
least on set together or you you know, find each
other back at the snack bar, you know, the snacks going,
you know, get another coffee whatever it is, and and
chat or you know, back by the dressing rooms whatever.
(08:56):
Like you're hanging out, you get you you sometimes do
get to know people. It's really great. That's that's the
other fun thing about it, right, like just hanging out
with people. I mean, I don't get out enough myself, Paul,
so it was nice to be with people.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
And I know exactly what you mean.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I did extra work before, so I know about the
snacks and everything, so I definitely know about that.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
I always hang out by the snacks man, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Before I let you go, can you give us a
goodbye and the Starla mania kind of type.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
You know, way, give us your your best Starla before
we let you go.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I want to thank you for having me. And now
I am gone.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
I love it. That was amazing. Gone, I love it.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Mo, that was awesome. Well, thank you so much. Really
appreciate chatting with you. Hopefully I get a chance to
do that again with you again. Thank you so much.
Really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Take care.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Really enjoyed chatting with Mo Collins.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
I mean, it is amazing to hear the behind the
scenes things that go on on these shows. To me,
those are more exciting sometimes and what we watch, I mean,
even though I love what we watch, but some behind
the scene things. That's why, you know, we love to
dive deep into the discussions that we have and really
enjoy chatting with Moe Collins. And that episode of Now
(10:24):
it was funny Starla, that was awesome. But hey, I
can't believe it's time for us to make like a
tree and get out of here. In the words of
fIF ten and from Back to the Future, if you
haven't seen that, make sure you watch that too. But
I promise we're going to take a deep dive and
Hallmarks Channel hit show The Way Home. We're working on
(10:47):
getting some actors who are part of that series on
this show so that we can really just look at
the last three seasons and what's in store. So I
promise we are definitely going to do that. But do
me a favor until next time. You know what I'm
gonna ask you, right, You know what I'm an ax
you ex chop chop chop. Now you know what I'm
(11:09):
gonna ask you, right, do me a favor. Stay healthy,
stay safe, and remember everyone, I love you all the life,
take care of until next time.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Intro. Let's go with another flow, ain't you? Averaging the
team is shown
Intro.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Let's go with another flow at averaging the team of show.
Welcome back to the entertainment Zone. It's me Paul Amadeis Lane.
I am so thankful for you joining us on our
show today and I hope you enjoyed our interview with
the amazing Amber f Zali, who is one of the
stars in the new film Rule Breakers. Rule Breakers is
(00:29):
about the story of an all women Afghanistan robotics team.
True story, the adversity the Triumphs. March seventh is going
to be out to make sure you check that out.
But now we're going to take another deep dive into
NBC's Night Court. As you know, we've had an opportunity
(00:53):
to talk to a number of stars and a number
of guest stars who appeared on that show in one
episode had just dropped. If you haven't seen it, you
definitely have to check it out. As a matter of fact,
if you haven't started watching the new iteration or the
continuation of NBC's Night Court, make sure you do it.
You have Peacock stream it, catch up and make sure
(01:16):
you catch it on NBC as well. But I'm so
delighted to be joined by the amazing the talented actress herself,
Mo Collins.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Let's bring her on.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
So Mo, tell me what was it like being on
this episode and really being like Harry's understudy and bringing
some of Harry back to the courtroom and interaction with Abby.
Talk about that?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Okay, well it was I was a fan of the show,
the original, So that was really cool, just right off
the bat to get to walk on and to sort
of be inside something that I used to enjoy. I mean,
that's pretty great to like, there's the set like it
was surreal. John larra Kat whom I was a fan
of back then, and here I get to work with him,
and I mean just from the table read, just the
(02:01):
first table reader was just like wow, he came up
and he was so nice and said very nice things
to me, and then I tripped him. No, it was good.
It was good. It was really fun and great to
just kind of step back into nostalgia and and just
some good old fashioned physical comedy. Make the people laugh.
(02:24):
The live audience is right there there they are make
them laugh, and that felt real good.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
It was amazing looking at that episode, and you know,
I kind of got a little bit of mad TV
vibe when I was watching it, you know you, Yeah,
it was just it was just something that was really
really refreshing that we need on television.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Oh dude, I think that I think that's in just
the sort of silliness of it, right, And you know,
my work on Mad TV was a lot of it
very physical and silly, like let's just laugh for a second.
You know, things are hard right now, and I think
(03:08):
that it's good to take breaks and watch shows like
Nightcourt and just forget things for a while and just laugh,
like laugh, recharge, and the nostalgia feels really good. I
know it felt good for me. I needed that.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
It was really amazing the interaction between you and John's
character and then and how you interacted with the with
the rest of the cast as well too, and some
of the some of the tricks that you did was
was awesome.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
It took me back to when Harry what was on on.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
On Nightcourt doing his thing and and did you have
to kind of study some of the the different tricks
that he used to do when you said I'm gonna
bringing these to the to this episode as well, I
didn't really.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Have, like I feel lucky that I didn't have. I'm
a clumsy person by nature, so you know, I don't
think they would have had time for me to try
and you know, become honestly to become an expert at
these things for camera. It's a good thing they had
the pro there because I'm I got skills, but not
(04:12):
those skills.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
So they actually had someone on on set, like.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
They had a magician, a real magician there that you know,
was able to kind of show people whoever had to
do the tricks how to do them and how to
pull them off.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I mean, yeah, you know, and that's some of the
things that we don't We don't ever know because all
we do is see the finished product and have you
share that with Is that that really shows that all
the planning that goes involved to an episode, and then
it's like.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Wow, for sure, I mean, like all this stuff with
the box. You know, you saw the episode, right, so
it's like, yeah, that's all that's a pro doing all
of that. You know, we're actors, so we just act
like we know unless we know.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
But yeah, very fine job too.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
And and well how much lead way did you guys
have kind of like some ad libs or kind of
throwing a few little things they kind of you know,
the little secret sauce to the episode.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Oh well, I might have thrown a couple of things in,
but honestly, you know, when I'm a guest star on
a show like that, I'm going to play it a
little bit more reserved, whereas you know, because I don't
want to step on any toes. I'm the guest when
it's my house, like Mad DV, those gloves are off,
and that's where we go mining for gold, comedy gold, right, Like,
(05:36):
you have an audience, and it was really part of
the job to discover more comedy in the moment with
the cameras rolling like and and that's that is something
I'm very good at, you know when when given the
green light. But I was very reserved, you know, because
(06:00):
there's a script and they have what they're doing. And
but yeah, the second anybody's like go ahead.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Mo, did you think right? Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yes, Like Aby Pohlar on Parks and Rock when I
would show up, she would just be like, most here,
keep the camera rolling. And that's how Joan Kalamezo was built,
because they I just you know, I go until somebody says,
so there are There were maybe a couple of things.
But I wasn't gonna push it. It wasn't gonna put it.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Call total here. You're like, okay, let me see get
away with right.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
So yeah, I'm just gonna make what they have on
the page is the best I can and and uh yeah,
but improvising lines, that is definitely. I mean, looking back at,
you know, the three decades I've put in here so
far in the business, it's like it's riddled with improv
(06:56):
that I've done. Like I mean, you know, forty year
old Verse that was all improv. Jina was all improv
the whole thing. You know, That's what I do.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
You know, And and that's one thing.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
When I found out that you were going to be
in this episode, I was like, Oh, you know, it's
gonna be it's gonna be amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
It's gonna be like.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Comic comedic gold and that we're gonna laugh out loud.
And and when you when you look at the whole
experience mod what was it like? You know, you talked
about the nostalgia being on that being on that set,
but what about working with the cast. Yes, some older
cast members with John being able to put the newer
cast members with with Lacreta, with Niambi and with UH
(07:37):
with Gary Anthony Williams, and and also Melissa's character. What
were some of the things that chook away from that?
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Working with Melissa was really cool, you know, like it's
awesome to see a woman so capable, and she is
so capable of so many things, and so I like
to just kind of stand back in marvel at powerful
women like that. I love it. I love it, love it,
love it. You know, that was really cool. Gary Anthony
(08:03):
Williams is a pal of mine. You know, we we
actually do UH animation projects together. We've worked together quite
a bit for years. So it was super fun to
be on set with him. You know, it's like kids
on a playground. We weren't in scenes together, which was
too bad, but great to just hang out with them. Yeah,
(08:24):
it was really fun to meet these new people. I
always love that.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
And what is that like even though you're not in
scenes with the ones, you can get a chance to
interact with him like, oh yeah and everything.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
You know, you're you're there for the week and everybody's
kind of hanging out and you know, sometimes you're at
least on set together or you you know, find each
other back at the snack bar, you know, the snacks going,
you know, get another coffee whatever it is, and and
chat or you know, back by the dressing rooms whatever.
(08:56):
Like you're hanging out, you get you you sometimes do
get to know people. It's really great. That's that's the
other fun thing about it, right, like just hanging out
with people. I mean, I don't get out enough myself, Paul,
so it was nice to be with people.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
And I know exactly what you mean.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
I did extra work before, so I know about the
snacks and everything, so I definitely know about that.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
I always hang out by the snacks man, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Before I let you go, can you give us a
goodbye and the Starla mania kind of type.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
You know, way, give us your your best Starla before
we let you go.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I want to thank you for having me. And now
I am gone.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
I love it. That was amazing. Gone, I love it.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Mo, that was awesome. Well, thank you so much. Really
appreciate chatting with you. Hopefully I get a chance to
do that again with you again. Thank you so much.
Really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Take care.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Really enjoyed chatting with Mo Collins.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
I mean, it is amazing to hear the behind the
scenes things that go on on these shows. To me,
those are more exciting sometimes and what we watch, I mean,
even though I love what we watch, but some behind
the scene things. That's why, you know, we love to
dive deep into the discussions that we have and really
enjoy chatting with Moe Collins. And that episode of Now
(10:24):
it was funny Starla, that was awesome. But hey, I
can't believe it's time for us to make like a
tree and get out of here. In the words of
fIF ten and from Back to the Future, if you
haven't seen that, make sure you watch that too. But
I promise we're going to take a deep dive and
Hallmarks Channel hit show The Way Home. We're working on
(10:47):
getting some actors who are part of that series on
this show so that we can really just look at
the last three seasons and what's in store. So I
promise we are definitely going to do that. But do
me a favor until next time. You know what I'm
gonna ask you, right, You know what I'm an ax
you ex chop chop chop. Now you know what I'm
(11:09):
gonna ask you, right, do me a favor. Stay healthy,
stay safe, and remember everyone, I love you all the life,
take care of until next time.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Intro. Let's go with another flow, ain't you? Averaging the
team is shown
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