Melissa McCarthy Shares Updates on ‘Ghostbusters,’ Why She Isn’t in ‘Gilmore Girls,’ and How She Became ‘The Boss’

Melissa McCarthy visited the Stern Show Monday morning to promote her new movie “The Boss,” and once again proved to be an open book as she discussed it all including the forthcoming “Ghostbusters” reboot, why she won’t be returning to “Gilmore Girls,” and her early attempts at standup comedy.

Check out some highlights from interview below.

The Scoop On ‘Gilmore Girls’

Netflix recently announced plans to bring back the now cult-classic show “Gilmore Girls,” which Melissa got her start on back in 2000.

“Are you in, are you out? What’s going on with that?” Howard asked.

“I’m not in, but I’m pretty psyched to see it,” Melissa said.

Howard found that to be bizarre when she’s obviously the biggest star to come from that show. He was curious if she found it weird that they were doing it without her.

“I think they thought I was too busy so … they didn’t talk to me about it,” she told Howard.

McCarthy explained that she wasn’t upset about their decision, but was “surprised by it.”

Tennis Anyone?

Growing up in rural Illinois on a corn and soybean farm allowed Melissa to hone all kinds of talents that led her to become one of the funniest physical comedians of this generation—one of these talents happened to be sports.

“Tennis was my main thing,” she told Howard. Even today, years after she’s hung up the skirt and sneakers she admitted playing “super competitively.”

Boris Becker was someone she looked up to as a kid and even tried to emulate his playing style. “I played singles and doubles at the time,” she told Howard. “I would throw myself across the court, get up bloody and be like, ‘Let’s go'” which she thought rattled her competitors because they naturally assumed she was nuts.

“I feel the need to try and kill someone,” she explained of her court etiquette. Today it’s her husband and creative partner, Ben Falcone, who is left to keep her in check.

The Magic Of Kathy Bates

When Melissa starred in the CBS show “Mike and Molly” she was fortunate enough to not only attend the Emmys, but win the award in her first season. However, the real highlight of that evening came when she realized she was sitting next to Kathy Bates.

“She’s a force of nature,” Melissa told Howard. “She’s like a magical being.” Melissa has done two movies with Kathy, “Tammy” and the upcoming feature, “The Boss.”

Melissa told Howard about the first time acting with the “Misery” star. “She did a scene and I literally thought there was lightning bolts coming out of my body.”

Howard wanted to know if that was because of all the great roles Kathy’s been a part of in the past. “I think there’s something certain actors can do, when they can channel that energy and they can focus it,” Melissa explained.

Fashion School Dropout and Comedy Beginnings

As Melissa has told Howard during previously visits, she grew up in a very isolated part of Illinois without many friends to play with during the day.

“I was bored. I had no neighbors, I had no kids to play with. So I’d be, like, running around the barn pretending I was a detective or something,” she told Howard.

Melissa wondered if all that forced solitude as a child helped her become a better improv actor because of all time she spent playing by herself. “I had tons of friends but no one lived around me,” she added.

Although, she went to college for fashion, she ended up dropping out and moving to NY on a whim.

“I moved [to New York] with a friend,” who happened to be Brian Atwood, the now-famous shoe designer. While Atwood told her to come live with him, what she didn’t realize was that he was actually crashing on someone else’s couch.

“What a crazy fucking guy,” Howard laughed.

The second night in New York Atwood signed her up to do an open mic night. “I went in a wig, I went as Ms. Y,”a character Melissa created back in Chicago, she recounted.

Howard wanted to know what she did onstage since she had never done standup before. “Once I got up there, I just started telling weird, long self-involved stories,” she remembered.

Who’s ‘The Boss’

Melissa discussed how the main character, Michelle Darnell, in her new movie “The Boss” was someone she created back in the Groundlings — a renowned improv company. She told Howard that years after she stopped performing on stage, she would still daydream about this character and create an involved back story, including Michelle being an orphan.

She eventually wrote “The Boss” with her husband, Ben Falcone, and close friend Steven Mallory.

Melissa and Steven wrote the first version of “The Boss” about seven years earlier but Melissa said no one wanted it. “We rewrote it 25 more times before we actually shot this version of it,” Melissa told Howard.

Howard pointed out that Melissa is in an amazing position where she can call all the shots because her movies just make loads of money. Very humbly, Melissa was quick to tell Howard that studios are still telling her “no” when it comes to some of her ideas.

‘Ghostbusters’ Reboot

Melissa brought up another one of her movies, “Ghostbusters,” that is slated to be released later this year. “It’s coming out in July,” she confirmed. “I’ve seen a cut, but it’s not the final cut.”

Howard wanted to know if taking on a classic film like this scared her away at all since the original is such a legendary movie.

“It’s a big thing to take on,” she told Howard before adding that doing it with talented people like Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and director Paul Feig made it a no-brainer.

“Seems like a great load of fun,” Howard acknowledged.

Howard was also curious to know what it was like working with Dan Aykroyd as one of the producers of the movie. “He came to set and visited which was pretty cool,” Melissa said of the “SNL” legend.

“I think Dan Aykroyd was the greatest performer to come out of “‘Saturday Night Live,'” Howard told Melissa. “He’s special.”

“He’s pretty great, but I put him right up there with Bill [Murray],” Melissa said.

When it comes to calling this remake a sequel versus a reboot, Melissa said that director Paul Feig was adamant about the move being a reboot or retelling of the classic story as opposed to a continuation.

“It’s been so long since the original, that I’m like, if somebody just came to you and said there’s ghosts in New York City and it’s four unlikely heroes, I’d be like, ‘Yep, that sounds pretty cool to me.'”

Howard asked Melissa about the dynamic between her and the other three female leads.

“The last day was so crazy. None of us could keep it together,” she told Howard. She added that if one person would start to cry, they would all start bawling.

“You work so hard and you’re living with these people,” she pointed out to Howard. “I have great, crazy pictures of all of us just weeping.”

She insists the four of them became fast-friends and remain close today. “We still text each other constantly,” she added.

Kanye West’s Alleged ‘SNL’ Freakout

Melissa hosted “Saturday Night Live” earlier this year with musical guest Kanye West, which got Howard wondering if Melissa was privy to the rapper’s meltdown that made headlines.

“I missed the whole thing … I missed all of it,” she told Howard. Melissa couldn’t verify the legitimacy of the blowup and wasn’t sure if it was conjured or an authentic breakdown. “If something spectacular is happening, I’m always looking the wrong way,” she joked.

Howard also wondered if McCarthy ever had a moment like that behind the scenes.

“I feel like it’s a huge waste of time,” she told Howard before adding, “I mean, I’ve had my moments.”

As far as Kanye went, Melissa told Howard that the rap icon was extremely nice to her and her family, and even went out of his way to say hello to her kids.

Check out an uncensored, exclusive clip from Melissa’s new movie “The Boss” here. You can also watch the trailer below as it opens in theaters everywhere Thursday, April 8.