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Molly Shannon
By Kelly Burgess
Each month, iParenting.com spotlights a mother who inspires and moves us, who embodies the qualities that we all admire in a person, a woman and a mother. Above all, the Mom of the Month is dedicated to her children. Rich or poor, famous or not, she shines as an example of what mothering is all about.
Molly Shannon has none of the angst many mothers feel over trying to juggle work and motherhood. As busy as she is, she says that her job as an actress is really about short bursts of really, really hard work, which allows her to devote the rest of her time to her two kids, Stella, 5, and Nolan, 3.
This spring, Shannon has thrown herself into a new role – allergy awareness – teaming with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) to launch the Allergies Are No Laughing Matter educational campaign. Part of the campaign includes an allergy quiz (www.allergysavvy.com) to help people determine if the respiratory problems they're experiencing may be from undetected allergies.
Born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Shannon was struggling to make it as an actress in 1995 when she got her big break: a job as part of the ensemble for the 20th season of the legendary comedy show, Saturday Night Live. She quickly made her comedic mark and one of her quirky characters, Mary Katherine Gallagher, was so popular that a feature film, Superstar, was created in 1999 as a starring vehicle for Shannon to play Mary Katherine. In addition to her work during the 1990s in movies and on Saturday Night Live, Shannon co-starred and guest-starred in a variety of television series, including a well-known Seinfeld episode, The Summer of George.
When Shannon left Saturday Night Live in 2001 she had been a member of the ensemble for six years, longer than any other female cast member. She continued her work in television and movies, including a short run as the star of a Fox series, Cracking Up. At the same time, Shannon was busy on the home front as well, giving birth to her two children and marrying artist Fritz Chesnut in 2004. She says they make family time work because her shoots generally don't last for very long.
"I'm able to take a lot of time off," Shannon says. "I work really hard but movies only take a few weeks, so I feel like I have months and months off."
Shannon also takes her kids with her wherever she goes, noting that it's easy because they're still so young and not yet in school. "It's actually kind of fun because you're traveling so you're away from the distractions of home," Shannon says. "When I'm done with work for the day or weekend, it's not like at home where I'm looking around thinking of what has to be done; I can totally focus on the kids. It's like a working vacation."
If Shannon has one complaint, it's the problems she's had all her life with severe allergies. She also bemoans the fact that she's passed her sensitivities on to her kids. Allergies are partly genetic, she says, and she's hoping breakthroughs in allergy management will help them to avoid missing out on activities because of allergies.
"I saw one survey where 50 percent of the respondents said their allergies affect their work and social life," Shannon says. "I can relate because if I'm at a party in a house where they have cats it makes me very uncomfortable, wheezy and itchy, and it's definitely affected my work."
Most memorably, Shannon recalls when she was working on the movie Year of the Dog. She didn't want to tell the director that she was allergic to dogs, so she didn't say anything. Then, during a photo shoot, the dog licked her and she broke out in hives. She was able to finish making the movie, but she kept her distance from the dog as much as possible. She says she still wouldn't want to turn down a job because of her allergies, and hopes she never has to. One thing she says has helped her a great deal in controlling her allergy symtpoms is Zyrtec, which co-sponsors the Allergies Are No Laughing Matter educational campaign.
While Shannon's issues are animals and the pollen of spring, her son also has peanut and skin allergies. She recognized his allergies early on because of her own experiences, but wants to get the word out to parents that the "cold" their child has that won't go away or the recurring rash may just be allergies. Knowing what's really going on will help other parents know how to best help their children manage.
With her full life of career, family and now working for a cause she can really relate to, Shannon feels like she finally has it all. "I just feel so fulfilled right now," she says. "I'm just a happy mom."
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