via ourprattville.com
Carolyn Hennesy is a wickedly funny actress and best selling author. In addition to her extensive stage work spanning the globe, Carolyn can be seen on the daytime soap, General Hospital, as Diane Miller, the smart and sassy mob lawyer of Port Charles which garnered her a 2009 Daytime Emmy Nomination for Best Supporting Actress. If you don’t have time to watch daytime tv, fear not. She can also be seen on the ABC primetime hit Cougartown, as Barb the morally corrupt queen cougar of Gulf Haven or as Rosalyn Harris, on the upcoming season of True Blood, airing June 17th on HBO. If you believe television to be the downfall of mankind, then pick up her latest installment of the young adult book series, Pandora being released this month or the New York Time’s best selling book, The Secret Life of Damian Spinelli available by clicking here.
You grew up in show business with a famous aunt and a successful father that worked behind the scenes, were you one of the privileged few that just got to eat out and never wait a table a day in your life?
Oh, heavens…it was a life of leisure for me and a whirlwind of fine dining. As for silverware, I’d usually just remove the silver spoon from up out my ass. Right, now in all seriousness…no, we didn’t dine out everyday. My mother was/is an excellent cook and extremely thrifty. ”El Torito” or “Ah Fongs” (thank you, I just dated myself) was a rare occasion and a big night out.
Where was your first restaurant job? How long did it last?
My one and only job waiting tables (I was a hostess at several eateries, chief among them being Miceli’s on Cahuenga…and that was only because I can’t really sing, and you have to sing if you’re gonna wait…oh, never mind. I do love their pizza. Try a slice. Tell Joe I sent you.) was at a little Mediterranean spot, the name of which I can’t remember. It was disastrous; I was a walking fistfight. I was impatient with those who hadn’t made up their minds. I dropped food. I couldn’t have cared less. I DO remember the name of the owner…Avi…because he followed me out to my car one day after working there two weeks and demanded I hand over an even larger portion of my tips for the busboys. And I’m a good tipper. I never went back. But I still loves me a good falafel!
We have worked together several times, do you think your success is largely due to the fact that you know me?
My success, even now, hinges on your name being mentioned in the “room.” I either get the job on the spot or am severely beaten. Lord, someday you have to tell me what you did to some of these people.
Match the following restaurants to your characters taste palate:
Barb, Diane and Rosalyn to Sizzler, Olive Garden, and California Pizza Kitchen.
Screw you. Barb doesn’t eat. She drinks. Any bar in Florida has a picture of Barb in the men’s room. Diane goes to “Fogo de Chao.” Alone. All right, fine! Yes, Rosalyn will, on occasion, visit the Olive Garden on W. Esplanade Ave. over in Kenner, LA. Or, to be more presicse, she’ll visit the kitchen after hours for a quick busboy snack. She likes the way they smell of garlic, soapy water and desperation.
If you had to work at one of the following restaurants, which would it be and why?
Mr Ha Ha’s Hotdog Hacienda (Golden Girls)
Mel’s Diner (Alice)
Pizza Bowl (Laverne and Shirley)
Mel’s Diner. Because I’m a sucker for hash browns and I think Mel would do them up right. And, at some point, I’d like to deck Vera.
Best Meal you’ve ever had?
Toss up: any birthday I came home from school and mom had made “Swedish Meatballs,” OR a mind-blowing experience had recently at a little “find” in my neighborhood: “Bistro Provence.” The location is deceptive: a stip mall, but don’t be fooled. Had a six course meal there which was simply sublime. Dishes included Lobster Ravioli with radicchio and vanilla sauce, and Crispy Gnocchi `Alla Michelle` with assorted wild mushrooms and truffled ricotta. Insane.
Worst service you’ve ever had?
I can’t remember the last time I had bad sercvice. God’s honest. I kill ‘em with kindness when they first approach, but if that’s not working and I can tell my wait-person has brought his/her personal crap to my table, I’ll call the manager over so fast it’ll make the entire restaurant spin. I don’t tolerate it. No reason to.
Best advice you can give a server?
Don’t hover. Seriously. But don’t make us hunt all over the restaurant for a coffee refill. Walk the fine line.
You have written a series of book’s for young girls about a girl named Pandora discovering the seven deadly sins set in Ancient Greece. Which do you consider harder, writing a book or waiting on a group of foreign, deaf senior citizens at an Ihop on Christmas morning?
Gimme the ancient Slavs, Israelis and Croats
over writing any day. Trust me, they’ll see Christ in their omelettes, deaf or not.
You’ve played a cougar, a vampire and a shark of a lawyer. Sticking with that theme let’s play Dine, Serve, 86.
Of the following who would you rather: Dine With, Be Served By, 0r 86.
Justin Bieber, Robert Pattinson, Gabriel Macht
Oh, for Christ’s sake! 86 Justin Bieber, be served by Robert Pattinson, and dine with Gabriel Macht. I don’t know his work extensively, which would give me ample excuse and time to swing the conversation back around to me.