“I asked the producers to clear it”: Simon Helberg Was Extremely Uncomfortable Filming 1 Scene in The Big Bang Theory That Had a ‘Punching Down’ Joke
- Simon Helberg revealed he was very uncomfortable to imitate Stephen Hawking in front of him.
- The actor gets real about how fans treated him when the show was on-air.
- Charlie Sheen was not impressed with The Big Bang Theory.
Created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, the television sitcom The Big Bang Theory is one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. Starring Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Kaley Cuoco, and more, the show reached the number-one spot in its’ eleventh season. The show follows the lives of five characters living in Pasadena, California.
The Big Bang Theory had a slow start as it received mixed responses from the audience but eventually went on to receive more favorable reviews. Not only did the show that was filmed in front of a live audience become one of my favorite sitcoms to date, but it also featured one of the best guest stars. But Simon Helberg shared how a guest’s appearance made him stand up for something he didn’t feel comfortable with.
Simon Helberg talks about Stephen Hawking’s appearance on The Big Bang Theory
Simon Helberg, who played aerospace engineer Howard Wolowitz on the show, appeared on Conan O’Brien’s Show back in 2012, where he revealed his experience of meeting Stephen Hawking. Helberg said it was surreal to meet him. He, however, revealed,
I had done an impression of him in the… in the pilot and a few times throughout the show. And so, you know, we had always mentioned him. He’d always been sort of, obviously, this dream guest, and they got him.
The actor continued that Stephen Hawking had shot a scene at Cal Tech, and he wanted to watch a run-through and a rehearsal, and the team asked them if it was okay with them for Hawking to come down. To which Helberg explained that of course they were okay with that, then they opened the giant stage door and recalled that he had this entourage when he came.
Stephen Hawking appeared in Season 5 of The Big Bang Theory, which was a surprise, but what surprised the actor the most was the fact that he had to do an impression of Hawking in front of him. He shared,
I had to do this scene where I did an impression of him, for him, in front of, and it’s kind of I mean, you know, he’s severely disabled, and I am kind of making fun of his voice. And so, I have to do this thing where I am in front of him, and it had to be. I asked the producers to clear it…I mean, I didn’t want him to stand up and beat me. No, I did not want to pick on him. He’s brilliant, and it’s not fair.
However, the actor was relieved when he got to know that the makers had cleared the scene with Hawking beforehand. And after Helberg performed the impression of him for him, he smiled. The actor said it was a huge deal for him to see Stephen Hawking smile at his imitation of him. He also added that Hawking was very happy to meet Kaley Cuoco.
Simon Helberg gets real about how fans treated him while The Big Bang Theory was on-air
The actor appeared on Mayim Bialik, who played Amy Farrah Fowler’s podcast Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown, and revealed how fans would treat him. He said,
Famously, the introduction that people tend to make me, particularly when The Big Bang Theory was on, as they would come up and they would say, ‘Listen, I hate your show, but…’. That’s the way they would start talking to me.
He explained that a lot of people would come up to him and tell him that they disliked his work on the show, but because of the various acquaintances being the fans, they’d sit through.
It was not just the fans who would bash the show, but guest stars, including Charlie Sheen, who made a brief appearance on the show, decided to bash the context of the show. He said in an interview with The Guardian,
The Big Bang Theory is a piece of sh**—it’s a stupid show, and it’s just lame, about lame people. I like the kids in it, but that show without us as lead-in is goodbye. And I’m rooting for those kids because I know who they’re dealing with. The fact that they’re still sane is crazy. He’s a bad man. And I’ve backed off from him for a while.
Charlie Sheen was talking about creator Chuck Lorre. However, TBBT ran for 11 seasons and became one of the most popular and successful sitcoms. The actors on the show since the last episode have gone on to play different characters on different projects but still stay connected.
The Big Bang Theory is available on HBO Max or Prime Video on demand.
