CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
I played DNA specialist Mia Dickerson during season 5 of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” I like to say that I got the role because I was the only actress who pronounced “OxyContin” correctly in the audition.
It actually wasn’t difficult for me to transition from comedy to this kind of drama. A big part of comedy is honesty and the ability to feel comfortable being exposed to examination and ridicule. All comedians are deeply in touch with their inner tragedy. Comedy is much, much harder. Plus, “CSI” has a nice, dark comic sensibility to it. My character was an obsessive-compulsive germaphobe who was afraid of birthday cake. What could be funnier?
We had one story line where there was a poop fight in a men’s prison. I had to analyze a bunch of really yucky items in the lab. Fortunately, the fake poop was made out of brownie mix. I was supposed to react to it as if it was disgusting, but it smelled like cookies! I had to dig deep to produce the appropriate emotional response for that one.
