Melissa Margaret Peterman is an American actress and comedian who is best known for her role as Barbra Jean in the television comedy series Reba. Peterman has appeared as Bonnie Wheeler in the ABC Family/Freeform series Baby Daddy, and as host of ABC Family's Dancing Fools, ABC's Bet on Your Baby, and CMT's The Singing Bee.
Peterman was born in Edina, Minnesota and grew up in nearby Burnsville, Minnesota. After graduating from Burnsville High School, she attended Minnesota State University, Mankato where she majored in theater.
Upon graduating from Minnesota State, Peterman was cast as Madeline Monroe in Hey City Theater's production of Tony n' Tina's Wedding. After more than 600 performances, she went on to write and perform at Brave New Workshop, the improvisational comedy theatre in Minneapolis. The theater boasts such alumni as Pat Proft, Louie Anderson, Cedric Yarbrough, Mo Collins and Al Franken. While with the Brave New Workshop, she also performed at the Chicago Improv Festival and the Big Stink Comedy Festival in Austin, Texas.