The real Spice

It took only a few minutes into the Spice Girls' Intimate & Interactive special at MuchMusic yesterday to figure out what was missing from their sold-out show Saturday night at the Molson Amphitheatre.

Like maybe their cheeky, fun personalities?

By the end of their hour-and-a-half TV special, the Fab Four had shown off tattoos, danced with fans, received hugs and kisses, put long blue extensions in their hair, got everyone to do the Mexican wave and demonstrated their "hidden talents" -- Mel B drumming, Victoria juggling, Emma tap dancing and martial arts, and Mel C hockey.

In addition, they performed five songs -- Wannabe, Say You'll Be There, Spice Up Your Life, Stop and Viva Forever -- and took great pains to interact with about 100 fans inside the tiny MuchMusic studio and thousands outside on the street. They even consoled one crying female fan who couldn't get her question out.

Maybe Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman's refusal to present the Spice Girls with the keys to the city -- after a deal to put on a free outdoor show fell through -- was on their minds.

We shall never know, since neither MuchMusic host Master T nor any of the fans asked that all-important question.

But whatever they were thinking, it was Mel B -- a.k.a. Scary Spice -- who proved to be the most animated of the four Spices.

Early in the show, she grabbed a four-year-old girl with similar features to sit on her lap -- "It's a baby Mel B," suggested Mel C -- and often playfully interrupted Master T, who lost his battle to control the four rambunctious pop stars.

"Does anybody remember the last time we were here and we made Master T show his (under) pants!" Mel C said.

"That was last time," the host said.

Later, Mel B dragged a MuchMusic employee toward Master T, saying: "I want to get this lady on camera because she's trying to tell you something. What are you trying to tell us? Is this live? And we can do whatever we want?"

The Girls were particularly amusing when they chanted for Victoria's fiance, British soccer player David Beckham, to join them. But despite their pleas of "David! David! David!" he remained out of the camera's sight lines.

Mel C also stopped the interview at one point to ask what the score was in yesterday's World Cup final. When told France won 3-0 over Brazil, she looked dejected.

On a more serious note, the "Geri" question was brought up since the group only recently lost fifth member Geri -- a.k.a. Ginger Spice -- in May.

"Basically what happened is that Geri just decided that it was time for her to move on," Victoria said. "She's got lots of other things that she wants to do but us four are still happy working as a band, so you know she's just got on and done her own thing and we wish her luck, and that really is what happened. I think everybody wants to hear a lot of nitty gritty, but there really wasn't any."

Still, they admitted it was a shock and that they found out about Geri's departure only two hours before a performance in Oslo, Norway.

The entire I&I event -- which also saw the Spices answering questions via fax, phone, the Internet and Speakers Corner -- was a refreshing change from the tightly choreographed, slightly soul-less performance they delivered at the Molson Amphitheatre on Saturday night.

Other information divulged by the Spices were their dream dates and female idols, respectively: Emma (Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon, her mom), Victoria ("I have my dream date," Princess Diana), Mel C (Matt LeBlanc, Madonna and Tina Turner) and Mel B (Denzel Washington, Neneh Cherry and Tracey Chapman).

The Spices, who left Toronto yesterday immediately following the I&I, play Cleveland tomorrow night and wrap up their 39-date North American tour on August 26 in Dallas.

There is talk of them adding more dates, although they said yesterday that once they're off the road, they will head into the studio to make their third album.

"Hopefully early next year," said Mel C.