The second season on Night Court continues to bring surprise guest stars. For this new episode Chips Ahoy, we get a little Latin spice with Melissa Fumero. Fumero plays a slightly intense PTA mom who will feel some sparks for one of the court members. 

They Synopsis

Court is back in session! When the perpetually sunny judge Abby Stone (Melissa Rauch, “The Big Bang Theory”) takes the night shift in her father’s (Harry Anderson, “Night Court” 1984-1992) “ old courtroom, she presides over some of New York’s most unique and unusual cases – with an oddball cast of characters by her side. This includes former night court District Attorney Dan FieIding (John Larroquette, “Night Court” 1984-1992), who now serves as the court’s public defender. 

The Cuban descent actress, Melissa Fumero is known for her long term character “Amy Santiago” in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Femuro has been in other projects like I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell, One Life to Live, All My Children, and this year as a guest star on Lopez vs. Lopez. Her voice has been heard in animation storytelling and recently in Animaniacs and Digman! 

I connected with Melissa Fumero days before the Chips Ahoy episode to talk about her guest appearance on Night Court. She discussed a little bit more about the kind of PTA mom she plays and how some sparks come to play. In addition, to her own experience watching the original Night Court and to work with John Larroquette. In addition to her excitement for Brooklyn Nine-Nine to finally be showing on Netflix in the US and more!

Nancy Tapia: Melissa, it’s exciting to talk to you about Night Court. It’s one of my favorite shows. I watched the original series when I found that Night Court was going to be coming back. What does Night Court mean to you?

Melissa Fumero: Yeah, I definitely was familiar with the original. I remember it being on late at night with reruns of other shows, other comedies that I watched, and it’s an iconic show. I heard they were bringing it back. I knew exactly what it was and what the premise and the tone, and so I was like, “Oh, that’s a fun one to bring back. That’s a good idea.” The cast was amazing and I just had the best week with them.

Nancy Tapia: That’s great! I remember growing up I was like, “I want to go to New York. I want to go to Night Court.”

Melissa Fumero: I want to go to New York and I want to go to court at night, haha…

Nancy Tapia: Yeah, little did I know it was closer to me here in LA.

Melissa Fumero: Right? Yeah, I know, haha…

Nancy Tapia: So let’s talk about your character and she’s some sort of PTA mom?

Melissa Fumero: Yeah. I would describe my character as an overeager, overachieving, PTA mom. She’s a little bit extra. She knows “Wyatt,” played by the amazing Nyambi Nyambi, who is so much fun to work with. Their kids go to school together and so he wants to get on her good side because she has a tendency to make people’s lives hard sometimes in the school.

Nancy Tapia: And there’s a little bit of a spark though.

Melissa Fumero: Oh yeah. There is a little bit of a spark, which is maybe where her angst comes from. Who knows?

Nancy Tapia: What was it like for you to work with John Larroquette, someone that’s originally from the original Night Court?

Melissa Fumero: I know.

Nancy Tapia:I always feel like he might be intimidating. I don’t know.

Melissa Fumero: For sure. I mean, he’s not because he’s the nicest human being, but I definitely didn’t try to talk to him until the end of the week just because I was like, “Oh my God, it’s John Larroquette, he’s amazing. He’s iconic.” But then we realized that he’s close friends with Dirk Blocker (Poltergeist) from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and so he was like, “Oh, by the way, I’ve known Dirk forever. And we go way back.” And so I was like, “Oh, thank goodness, a connection.” So we had something to talk about, haha…

Nancy Tapia: I have to congratulate you with Brooklyn Nine-Nine that started showing on Netflix.

Melissa Fumero: Yes, seasons one through four started airing on Netflix, which is really exciting just to have it in a new place, hopefully to have new people discover the show. We’ve always been on Netflix around the world, but in the US we were always on Hulu and then Peacock. And so I think it’s just exciting for it to be in a new place where people might discover it for the first time. And I hope that continues to happen forever.

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Nancy Tapia: Now you did that show for quite a while, so is there something about “Amy Santiago” that you took with you?

Melissa Fumero: Oh gosh. I think the whole experience, and I think also, yes, playing this character who, her overall arc through the series was about really finding herself and being good with her brand of confidence was I think something that I did take away. It’s just right. It’s like if you’re going to play a character like that, you kind of have to stand behind that principle in real life of just, I am who I am and people can like it or take it or leave it. Just kind of reclaiming your own unique confidence.

Nancy Tapia: And I’ve seen on your social media, you’ve been having some fun getting glammed, doing these fun events. What’s it like for you after everything that’s happened? There was Covid, the strikes. It’s like a new phase.

Melissa Fumero: Yeah, I know, it definitely… Listen, getting glammed up is definitely fun. There are moments sometimes when you are doing it a lot that it can get to be a little tiresome. Not tiresome, but just like it takes the fun out of it sometimes when you are doing it a lot, which was the case in some points before COVID. So the silver lining of these last few years has been, it’s really fun to get dressed up again after we all were in our sweatpants for two or three years. 

Then the strikes, I was out there sweaty every day in my T-shirt and shorts. So yeah, it does, it puts the fun back into putting on heels and putting on a dress and doing hair and makeup. But mostly it’s just been nice to see my colleagues and celebrate our wins, especially within the Latino community and celebrating America Ferrera and her amazing nomination for Barbie. So that’s just been really fun to just connect with the community and yeah, those have been some fun nights.

Nancy Tapia: Well, thank you so much, Melissa, for taking the time to talk about the episode, but people are going to be watching you in.

Melissa Fumero: Thank you.

Melissa Fumero: Yes. And it airs this Tuesday.

Nancy Tapia: That’s right. I’m going to watch it again anyway, because I’m just religious about Night Court.

Melissa Fumero: I love it. Great. Thank you. Nice to meet you.

Nancy Tapia: Likewise. Have a great weekend.

Be sure to follow Melissa Fumero on Instagram.

Don’t miss the weekly new episode Night Court every Tuesday  at 8/7c on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock.

Source: LRM Exclusive, NBC