What's a nice girl like Tracey Ullman doing in the music business? First we have to clear up several pieces of information that are rather misleading: Tracey Ullman is not really a pop star; Tracey Ullman is most certainly not England's answer to Cyndi Lauper; and, although Ullman is most popularly known in the U.K. as a result of a successful comedy series, she does not consider herself to be, nor does she particularly want to be considered, a comedienne.

In her current, albeit ultimately transient, incarnation as a pop star, Ullman is this very minute cavorting across my TV screen in her video for the song "They Don't Know," from her debut album You Broke My Heart In 17 Places. The video is fun, smooth, wry and humorous in a heartfelt way, marked by the attention to detail that distinguishes all of Ullman's work. She could easily be taken for a comedienne—though what she is is a fine character actress with a talent for comedy.