Meryl's First Online Chat
Thursday, June 10, 1999
Meryl Streep came online prepared to share her thoughts on an array of topics: motherhood, her career, her efforts as co-founder of Mothers and Others, an environmental advocacy group for parents, and answered questions from her fans. Here is an excerpt:Gerry Live: Hi I'm Gerry Laybourne, the head of Oxygen
Gerry Live: I met Meryl when she was eighteen years old
Gerry Live: I was considerably older
Gerry Live: My first image
Gerry Live: of her was hanging out
Gerry Live: a second floor window
Gerry Live: tormenting one of her friends
Gerry Live: who was lucky enough
Gerry Live: to have a date.
Gerry Live: And it was Saturday night
Gerry Live: And Meryl and I didn't have dates.
Gerry Live: Even in those early
Gerry Live: years we knew Meryl was someone
Gerry Live: she was funnier than all of us
Gerry Live: more gracious
Gerry Live: more comfortable in her own skin.
Gerry Live: And tonight when I read
Gerry Live: her Oxygen Live page and her
Gerry Live: description of her mother,
Gerry Live: I felt that I was actually
Gerry Live: reading a description of Meryl.
Gerry Live: So Meryl, do you see your mother in you?
Gerry Live: and do you see you in your children?
Meryl Live: Oh, Gerry. . .
Meryl Live: well, that was a lovely introduction
Meryl Live: and thank you very much.
Meryl Live: Let's see. . .
Meryl Live: do I see my Mother in myself?
Meryl Live: You'll have trouble following my train of thought
Meryl Live: because it runs off the track often ;-)
Meryl Live: I can't access the Oxygen page
Meryl Live: because I don't know how to get online
Gerry Live: You talked about her
Meryl Live: so I don't know what I said about my mom LOL
Gerry Live: basically coming into
Gerry Live: a room and making everyone feel
Gerry Live: comfortable
Meryl Live: Yes, she's always been that way
Meryl Live: and I do think that she is a great role model
Meryl Live: I mean, I wish I were more like her
Meryl Live: and I'm sure I've tried to be like her
Meryl Live: ever since I was a little girl.
Gerry Live: Is it easier for you to see her in
Gerry Live: any of your kids
Meryl Live: Yes, I see her. . .
Meryl Live: I guess I love her so much
Meryl Live: and revere her in a certain way. . .
Meryl Live: and I'm really looking for that line to be repeated somewhere. . .
Meryl Live: I'm much more morose, really LOL
Meryl Live: I think when you look at your children you always
Meryl Live: look with trepidation
Meryl Live: for the things you don't want to pass on
Meryl Live: that you see in yourself. . .
Meryl Live: but yes,
Meryl Live: I think my oldest daughter has a lot of her:
Meryl Live: big, vivid personality LOL
Meryl Live: and I think that I'm probably a lot more like my dad, in a way. . .
Meryl Live: I'm the oldest and the only girl
Meryl Live: and I think that's why maybe
Meryl Live: I loved acting early on
Meryl Live: because I got to act in a way that was freer than really I am myself. . .
Meryl Live: do you know what I mean?OnlineHost: To send your question to the guest, click on the "Participate in event" button, then use the "Ask a Question" option.
Q: [MylaK] "If you could invite any three characters from history,
along with any three characters you've ever played to dinner, who would they be?"
Meryl Live: God, that's a lot of cooking...
Meryl Live: ai yi yi
Meryl Live: I don't know... hmmm
Meryl Live: well, Joan of Arc,
Meryl Live: because I think she's a saint...
Meryl Live: I don't want to offend anybody
Meryl Live: but I think she was probably crazy
Meryl Live: but crazy and brave often go together
Meryl Live: um.
Meryl Live: oh, I would have liked to have met Sacajawea (sp. - it's an unwritten name, so there's no correct spelling... it's a name from an oral tradition)
Meryl Live: and I would like to have met Mary, the Mother of Jesus --
Meryl Live: I'd like to hear that story...
Meryl Live: and Eve's version
Meryl Live: well, I'm getting too many historical figures
Meryl Live: how about Marie Curie
Meryl Live: oh and Clara Barton
Meryl Live: and Susan B. Anthony. . .
Meryl Live: the ones I've played?
Meryl Live: Oh, I don't know. .
Meryl Live: I think I can't do that
Meryl Live: I think I've had enough meals with each one of them to last me. . LOL.Question: Meryl, many of our audience members know it's your birthday on June 22.
Question: and they want to know -- what's your favorite cake and how do you celebrate your birthday?
Meryl Live: Oh,
Meryl Live: my mother used to make Grasshopper Cake
Meryl Live: Grasshopper Cake is like an angel food cake with creme de menthe fluffy green icing
Meryl Live: I remember we used to have that a lot
Meryl Live: kids would come to our house because. . .
Meryl Live: "She's gonna make the GREEN cake!"
Meryl Live: I don't think there's a cake I don't like though. . .
Meryl Live: little bit of a problem. . .
Meryl Live: ;-)Question: What do you feel is your finest achievement in your life so far?
Meryl Live: Golly, gosh, LOL
Meryl Live: today I feel it was the peanut sauce on the chicken
Meryl Live: boy, I wouldn't dare to say
Meryl Live: there is a Yiddish expression, kinehora,
Meryl Live: it's like, you don't speak about your good fortune
Meryl Live: and I think that's probably how I feel. LOL.Host O2Ann: And this about your craft. . .
Question: What is your favorite part about acting?
Meryl Live: Oh, the abandon!
Meryl Live: Oh, I just love it.
Meryl Live: Real meat and potatoes life is so complicated nowadays. . .
Meryl Live: everything is pulling on us and all the forms we need to fill out. . .
Meryl Live: it's such a drag,
Meryl Live: all of the things you sort of have to do
Meryl Live: but in acting all you have to do
Meryl Live: is walk in a room,
Meryl Live: sit down
Meryl Live: have your heart broken
Meryl Live: and then go back to the trailer,
Meryl Live: have lunch
Meryl Live: come back
Meryl Live: and have it broken again in close upNEW YORK, New York, June 7, 1999 — Meryl Streep, two-time, Academy Award winning actress, will participate in the second online chat of the "Oxygen Live on AOL" series on Thursday, June 10th at 9:00 PM, EST. An accomplished and versatile actress and mother of four, Streep headlines the second online chat between Oxygen’s audience and well-known, successful women from all disciplines, it was announced today by Geraldine Laybourne, Oxygen Media’s Chair and CEO. Laybourne, Oprah Winfrey (talk show host, Academy Award nominee and chairman of HARPO Entertainment Group) and Caryn Mandabach (Partner & President of Carsey Werner, a leading independent television production company), three of the founders of Oxygen Media, inaugurated the "Oxygen Live on AOL" series on May 24th. Streep will go online prepared to share her thoughts on an array of topics from motherhood, to her career, to her efforts as co-founder of Mothers and Others, an environmental advocacy group for parents. Said Ms. Laybourne: "We are absolutely thrilled to have Meryl be a part of our ‘Oxygen Live on AOL’ series. She is one of the most respected and prolific actresses of this generation, and we are pleased to be able to facilitate a conversation between Meryl and members of the Oxygen audience, many of whom she has undoubtedly inspired." "Oxygen Live" is one of many new online offerings to be introduced this year by Oxygen Media. Future chats: The "Oxygen Live on AOL" chats will take place on America Online – AOL Live – approximately twice a month. Guests will be leading women from various fields including film, politics, business, and the arts.