they were looking at a daughter that was going to be a byeologist, be very proud of you for that anda great scientific career and then, boom, suddenly you're on a sitcom. did they take it well? were they concerned? were they despairing of you? >> i wasn't on a sitcom until about eight or ten years later so it took a while. and their first response was -- so you're going to become an actress? thank god, maybe you'll lighten up. that's how they felt. great, good. >> how intense were you before all this? >> i think i was intense. i mean, i don't know. i feel like i'm the same but i think i was just kind of -- >> you don't seem intense now. clearly, it did help soften you, as you say, that's interesting. >> here's the crazy thing. i think going blond softened me, it literally lightened me up when i started going blond. >> what's your natural color? >> brown. >> you're brown haired? >> yes. >> and you died it blond and you immediately lightened up? >> i just started to gradually lighten up. i think. >> extraordinary. with your biology hat on, what does this mean? >> i think people treat y