Penny and Sheldon

More bang for your buck by Angel Cohn

We like to think that we love all of the delightfully geeky brainiacs on The Big Bang Theory equally, but when the chance to talk to Jim Parsons came about, we got a bit giddy. Parsons is the Emmy-nominated actor who charmingly brings the neurotically nerdy Sheldon to life every week. We thought we'd get to chat about his chances of getting nominated again this year, find out what he thinks of the Sheldon/Penny shippers and maybe even get some dish on the last few episodes of the season — all of which we eventually did. But first the conversation took a bizarre turn after some bicoastal confusion and a shared suffering of motion sickness. Note: You probably will want to change your seat if you are flying with either of us.

Thanks for chatting with me today. I really am quite a fan of your show.

I've met you in person before. Right? Or is that not true?

No. I don't get out to California frequently and I don't really like to fly much.

Well, that's okay. I don't think the jet-setting life is really for most people.

Yes, I get motion sickness, and I read that you do as well.

Oh, awful. It's horrible! I'm normally pretty good on a plane. What's tricky about the plane, for me, is really the runway part, because it's impossible — actually, I'm getting a little sick thinking about it right now — but you know what I mean? Even if you're looking out the window, it's really confusing. And then turbulence makes me ill. The good thing is — I should knock on wood — I don't get scared during turbulence, like, I don't have those weird thoughts. I've never puked during turbulence, though.

Consider yourself very lucky.

Isn't that the worst feeling, though? There's nothing like it. And I feel like I'm on the verge of being able to control it, but then I can't. I'm like, "I feel like I can almost stop this from happening within me!" because it's such a weird sensation, like nothing else. But then I can't! It's out of control. Then you can take Dramamine, but then you don't wake up. You just sleep through whatever it is. I want to enjoy the part that I'm not sick through, not just be dead through it.

I usually sleep... Anyway, on a more pleasant note, congratulations on how the show's doing. And Emmy time is getting near — are you getting nervous/excited about whether you're going to get nominated again?

Oh God, no! I'm not nervous or excited. I think I purposely try to keep any feeling out of it. It always comes up, though. You can't avoid thinking about it. Now, I became a member of the Academy [of Television Arts and Sciences], so today I received my first "For Your Consideration" screener, and so that will be a constant reminder that the time is coming up, and never mind the fact that between the studio and your own publicist, you do sort of make you own little push, if you're gonna do it at all. So things will be timed to Emmy consideration, so it's there, but I don't know. I was really surprised last year [to get nominated]. And I've always said, when I watched award shows growing up, the unpredictable nature about it, how could you ever expect to get nominated? And I get certain people who have been nominated so many times, maybe, for a specific role or a category, I could see you'd be like "Eee! Hit in the gut!" if you weren't nominated, and I get that, that sounds bad — but besides that, I don't know.

So eight seasons from now, when you're nominated again...

[Laughs] There we go; your lips to God's ear! Exactly!

What did you submit as your Emmy piece?

I haven't had to yet. So I don't know.

That would be hard to pick. How do you decide?

Well, it's weird, because even thinking about last year, or the year before that, once you're not picking once it's over, like a few months away from it, you're like, "Big deal! Just pick one!" But I'm telling you, every time now — this'll be the third time I've had to do it — it does feel a bit harrowing. You're like, "I could do this, but was my part big enough?" And I don't even know all the considerations that go into it. The biggest thing I'm waiting on now is we've got four new episodes left to air, and I want to watch them as much as [from a] viewer [perspective] as I can, to give them a fair shake. And other than that, I don't even have one that I'm completely learning toward at this moment.

Have you finished filming for this season?

Yes, we finished about a week and a half ago.

Can you give us any hints about what to expect?

Oh, heavens yes! They're probably all boring details that have been released somewhere else. But I know that one of the ones coming up, we're going to go back in time a bit — not in a time-machine type of way — but show some history as to how some of the friendships came to be. How we all met. It was so fun! And I thought the writers, as usual, handled it so well and kept it both realistic, but interesting. I really enjoyed doing it. It was very difficult to play, I'll be honest with you, because Sheldon, as it turns out, has made some — and this is surprising to say — social strides since he met Leonard, which meant there was some backpedaling to do on my part in some of the execution of Sheldon's history. It was more challenging than I thought it would be. We would rehearse it. And basically I'd finish a run-through, all week long and they'd be like, "Go a little bit further, go a little bit further." But by the time we did to for the taping night, it was really fun to do and really fun to share that with the audience that was there. So that's coming up. And the other thing, which I know has been talked about some — but I feel it's interesting, because I found it still confusing even being finished with it — is how they go online and fill out a profile page for Sheldon for dating. And the dating site actually finds a match.

What does that match look like?

Well, it looks like Mayim Bialik! TV's Blossom! But we only meet up — I don't think I'm giving away secrets, here — but if anyone is looking to find out answers from me over what this means, I really couldn't tell you, which was perfect that it ended that way. But I said this to a friend of mine who asked me how it went: "I can't imagine anybody will be able to tell you what's about to happen, because I just played the scene and have no idea what's about to happen." I cannot imagine!

So it's a cliffhanger?

Well, our version of such. [Laughs] There's no life at stake.

It's not like an episode of Lost.

Exactly! But that being said, I'm kind of left in some cliffhanger every week, because I never know what is coming up, which is kind of one of the joys — for me at least — of doing this show. Sometimes you have more of a look into the future, like you'll know this is coming up, but they don't tell us anything. The only time I ever get close to getting inside information as far as what the next episode will be, is it'll be like, "Do you already know how to play a recorder?" and you'll be like, "What the hell are we doing with that?"

Right, like, "Do you have any aversions to ball pits?"

Exactly! And higher than they were before I did it, I'll put that out there right now. Those balls cannot be cleaned, as horrible as that statement sounds. There's no amount of cleaning to get those ball-pit balls to a satisfactory, lack-of-dirt-in-your-hair state. There's no such thing.

A lot of Purell?

Yes, but I cannot tell you; We would rehearse the ball pit scene, and I would go to the bathroom to wash my hands afterward. The sink water looked like — and I'm not kidding — it looked like you'd been working on your car, or something. Just the dark brownish-black that would be going down. And I'd be like, "That's disgusting." And then I'd wipe my clean hands, I'd dry them on paper towels, and I'd go ahead and just kind of wipe those across my face, and then I would look and go, "Ah! I'm pink where I just wiped, and now I'm gray everywhere else!" I just wouldn't be able to tell before I'd wiped my face, it was just like, "I'm covered in filth." And I'm not complaining, I'm just saying that if ball pits are beds of disease, I'm not surprised.

Keep your children out of them!

I would! Or, just bathe them afterwards and they're probably fine. But you know, that was the other thing: There wasn't any time to take a complete shower, which is really what you needed after rehearsing the scene. I'll tell you this, too: They're much harder to push through them underneath than it is in a swimming pool. There was the sensation I had when I would tunnel through them, but it was much harder and there was much more resistance than I thought. And I didn't think it'd be true, they're just hollow balls and I'd think water pressure would be more. And maybe it is.

Well, you practically had to swim in them for episode.

Yea, that's exactly what it was. It really is. Which I'm telling you, even though it was dirty: It was so fun!

I watched that scene like 10 times!

Did you really?

It was worth it. "Bazinga!" never fails to make me laugh.

I loved that whole idea. When we shot it, I talked to Chuck [Lorre] and Bill [Prady] right afterwards, because we had pre-shot it, since it'd be hard to capture that in front of the audience. And I was like, "That was such a good idea on Bill's part," and I really felt it was a big highlight of the advantage of kind of the base topic of this show being science. It's one more example of how if you can think of it, we can find a way to fit it in, in the way that science encompasses everything. We have almost this built-in excuse for wherever you want to go, as far as plot line and bringing a ball pit in. I think that's one of the fun things about playing these characters, too, they're unlike anybody that I've ever met or dealt with. It's hard to put any sort of, "That wouldn't happen," sort of "realistic limitations" on them — other than maybe super powers. Other than that, I don't really know what they're capable of. They're going to think of things and do things that I would never dream of. That makes it really fun.

Speaking of the crazy science; How hard is it to learn all that science jargon every week?

It's hard! I would be absolutely lying through my teeth if I said that was the easiest part of the job. It's absolutely the hardest part of the job. I like doing it. I guess it's a good thing, since I decided to be an actor, I do enjoy memorizing. I do enjoy spending the time alone, breaking down sentences and just rambling them over and over again until it is second nature. But it's every week, the same thing with it. And while I keep enjoying it, by the end of the season, you do start feeling a little brain dead about it. It's like, "Are you kidding?!" That's just the thing with all these characters, perhaps Sheldon to a greater degree; it's not natural speak. Beyond just the actual words being used — Just the formation of the words in a sentence! And the topics of conversation! People ask if there is a lot of improv on the set... Where would we start?! You know? If I lose my place, we're just screwed. We have to start over, I can't get us back on track. But, once again, in a sort of sick way, I really kind of enjoy that. It requires a certain specificity — and not to sound hopelessly deep about this — in the effort to execute this, in the need to be so specific about things, it once again opens up a lot of freedom. You have this very defined train track, if you will, and through these words and structured sentences, once you're riding on that track and secure on it, you're kind of free to add other colors and do other things. I'm telling you, I may just be a sadist, but I really think there's some enjoyment there.

There's this fan base out there that really wants to see Sheldon and Penny together. Do you have any thoughts about that? Do you think it would happen?

Well, I'm a big believer in never say never. And as I've already admitted, I don't speak with these writers, [so] I never know what they are going to do, but that being said, I would be jaw-dropped if that ever happened. You know, I go on both sides of going "that's insane" and "I totally get it." What I get about it is that is the very essence of what I think makes — and it's in many different shows, where you have a couple characters, where you put them together — what makes it enjoyable is that, in this case, they're so different. I've said from the beginning; the five characters in this piece these two are polar opposites of each other, her being most Earth-bound and tactile, and him being the most, literally, in his head. And that's fun! And just sticking them on stage at the same time, sparks begin to fly immediately because they're so different. So that, in that way of opposites attract, I completely get why it would be fun to go yin and yang where they could bring out the best in each other, whatever. Where I think it's insane — I shouldn't say insane — where I think the hope for it is off-base, I feel they've really developed — and again, it's hard for me to say, because I'm playing it — but I feel they've really developed a brother-and-sister-type-thing between the two of them.

I can totally see that.

Yea, it's not... I can't imagine — I think you do have to look really hard to find anything sort of any sexual anything that's happened with Sheldon since the show began. But especially in a one-on-one scene with Penny. An actual sort of physical thing happening?! I don't think so at all! He's seen more of her body when she got injured than Leonard has, and things didn't go anywhere. And the other thing is, if my wishes were listened to, I wouldn't want them to, because I personally enjoy playing that more sibling dynamic with her in the scenes than I would necessarily a romantic thing. I think in that siblings thing, there's a purity there. There's an innocence to them.

I know you said there's not a lot of time for improv, but is it fun on set? Is there a lot of cracking up?

It's very fun on set. And it's an extremely enjoyable place to work. I will say though — and there's a good deal of laughter and stuff — there's not a good deal of pranks. I was discussing this with somebody recently how the question of, "Are there a lot of jokes on set?" frequently comes up, and the answer is no! Surprisingly not! And I don't know what that's bred of. I think number one, everybody's trying to get the job done, is the big thing. And it's easy to say, "Well, we're just being very serious about our comedy," and I guess that's true to a degree. I don't know, I don't know what that's from. But we really get in and do our work. But we have fun! Being on-set is fun.

I don't think I would have been able to see everybody in all of the guys in their female superhero character costumes without bursting out laughing.

[Sighs] I don't know what to say to that, either. I'm trying to think, what was our reaction?

Well, you're all professional actors.

Well, that has nothing to do with it; we're all still hopelessly immature in our own ways. I think: We were all four crammed into the costume shop getting changed because we had to do it quickly. And you are sort of giggling and shocked seeing other people in their costumes. But for me, I was so concerned with, "Oh my God! How does this look?!" I'm not used to having anything near this on, and we're about to shoot this for TV. It's going to air, and there's a star right on my crotch! There's a certain — not horror — but you're very concerned. And even the hair issue! Like, I don't know what to do with this hair once we get out there! Do I need to be shoving it out of my face? Do I need to touch it at all? I don't know. And I'll be honest, one of the things is, something like that in the script is so.. it is what it is. There's not really any nuance to that. There's no finding the humor in this subtle moment. So I think part of that pressure lays on, where you're like, "I hope people don't hate this when we come out," because it's not like I can shake it up. It is what it is.

Are you working on anything else during your break, or are you just resting?

I'm hopefully going to rest a little bit. Between doing the press and stuff, it's amazing how far this season goes beyond stage time. And a couple of things I'm hoping will pan out. If they don't, a break isn't the worst thing in the world. But fingers crossed I'll get to work on something.

Are there any other comedies that you watch that you can tell us you're a fan of, even if they're your competitors?

Oh, I don't mind. I've really enjoyed — and I'm a broken record when I say this, because everyone else says it, too — but I've really enjoyed Modern Family. I just think it's fun. I don't feel like I get a lot of time for tons of TV... but I've tried to make time for that. And I know one of the guys on it, and I really enjoy it. I think it's really well done. And like I said, I feel like a broken record. But truth is truth.

Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons on his newfound fame, his Emmy nomination, and being typecast by Tyrone Warner

As brilliant physicist Sheldon Cooper, Jim Parsons brings to life a beloved, dysfunctional mastermind.

"The Big Bang Theory" follows a groups of geniuses who know all about how the universe works: except for women. When Penny, a Midwestern actress looking for her break in the big city, moves across the hall, she rocks their world — and learns to love their geeky charms.

Parsons was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and won the 2009 Television Critics Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy for his work as Sheldon on "Big Bang Theory."

During an interview with CTV.ca, Parsons talked at length about his role on the series.

On how his life has changed with the success of "The Big Bang Theory":

It's the most, as an actor, I've ever worked consecutively and, therefore, the most I've ever made money acting in a row. And I hate to bring it down to such a base level, but — although other things have changed, and maybe I'll think of those that sound more interesting… Actually, the biggest thing for me still is that it's the most financial freedom I've ever known doing this job, which, you know, isn't that interesting because everybody who knows that I'm on TV knows that. But that's the fact of it.

It's the little things like that that trip me up the most. Like I remember when we first started airing, like they would have billboards up for us. Or, like, homemade T shirts or whatever or — I don't know. It's the times I don't expect it that it really takes me off guard.

On being recognized by his fans:

I do run into lots of people in the street, it's true. And, you know… that’s weird. The only time it's a little strange for me is if I'm out shopping or especially if I'm in a restaurant eating and I realize that I've been spotted and somebody is looking.

I've learned to do is just go, "Don't worry about it." It's taken me a long time, and I can't do it all the time, not worry about it, because it feels weird, especially if you're eating.

On how much of Sheldon is "written" and how much is his own creation:

Well, in a literal sense all of it is written; all of it's dictated. I'm not stupid. I realize that everything they've written is going through, you know, my own sick filter. So it is being executed by me. And never mind the fact — and this one is impossible to pinpoint — we've now been working together for three years essentially, so they (the writers) hear us. They're writing for us. You know what I mean?

Like not necessarily about our lives or whatever, but rhythms and "What would sound good coming out of their mouth?" essentially. I put full blame, if you will, on the writers every time, though. I really do. I — once again, I understand that it's going through my interpretation of it, but to my own foolishness sometimes, I always feel like I'm executing exactly what they said to.

And part of the reason I feel that way is because it's a safety net for me. I feel very secure. I'm able to really kind of let go and get into it because it's their invention and I want to execute it to the best of my ability. So I guess the answer is sort of I don't know.

I don't know how much I'm affecting what it is. It's evolving, but I don't write it. So other than the doing of it, which is really hard to stand back from at the same time you're doing it, it's kind of hard for me to understand what effect I'm having on that evolution and that they're just taking on your own.

On struggling with the technical dialog on the show:

It’s a very fun struggle. I can literally feel my brain going, "Would you knock it off? Enough." But I still love it. I'm lucky that we tape on Tuesday nights as opposed to being a Monday-through-Friday show. So I get to rehearse Wednesday. I get to rehearse Thursday. I get to rehearse Friday and then Saturday and Sunday. And sometimes I don't need it as much as others, but some episodes, I really do. I'm able to be alone with just those words and just kind of pace around my house and really get it in.

But once again, it's frustrating at times, but it's one of the great joys for me. And from day one of auditioning for this, I loved it. The audition was not — was not easy to get yourself through. It was like, "Oh, my God" — but fun in that kind of puzzle-solving way of going, "No. How does this work? Where is this rhythm they've written in here? Where's the funny in this? Where's the humanity in this technical mumbo jumbo" or just things I just don't identify with naturally? But I enjoy it. And I think, once again, they do an excellent job of — it's not — it's not an impossible mystery or puzzle. It's there, you know.

On who is smarter in real life: himself or his co-star Johnny Galecki:

Honestly, we're all different from each other. I think it's one of the things that, from the first casting session between the two of us, worked. And I don't know why. There's a yin and yang about us, not only as characters written, but as human beings. I've said it in the beginning, and I don't mean it in a mean way, but there was no reason to believe that that would work between the two of us.

We're very different people. Going back to it all going through the filter of my own brain, whatever is happening with the filter of it through his brain, it's kind of nice. I think it's the same way that its fun seeing Sheldon and Penny together, you know. I could trip out my brain for days trying to think of how every actor in this show — how the script goes through their brain. What are they thinking? It really makes my head hurt just to even talk about it. I can't even imagine. But it's very interesting that we all get to that point of Tuesday night taping and we all have to do it. But I don't know what they do to get there, you know. Pray? I do sometimes.

On feeling extra pressure due to his Emmy nomination:

I guess we all feel our own pressures in one way or the other, and maybe there's something. But I would be making it up if I said specifically I felt any sort of, like, change. I don't feel very different — going back to how I felt about the character from audition one. In some ways, it is what it has been. You know what I mean? And certainly for me and my feelings about it and my approach to it, whether it's an episode where Sheldon-heavy or it's an episode where he gets to sit back a little more in the group, I feel — other than maybe having a few extra hours on the weekend not to memorize, I feel pretty much the same about it week in and week out, you know.

I was nervous about going (to the Emmys), and I don't even know why. There was just something on-the-spot feeling about it. Chuck Lorre was talking to me about it. He texted me about it. It was just like, "Enjoy this," you know. And I'd kind of gone through it in my own head. I did feel oddly, a little nervous just about going, but then there was a part of me that was like, "Don't be" — "don't be an old man and look back and go, 'Well, I wish I would have enjoyed that. I worried my way right through that time of my life.'" What a waste. And like I say, I was thinking that already. And Chuck, just out of the blue, kind of said, "Whatever happens, just have a really good time." Because if you're not, there's no point in that, you know. You're not — it's not even working on an episode. And maybe that was part of the pressure in a situation like that. There was nothing to work on. There was nothing to do. You're just supposed to show up and put on a tux. And then there's going to be a camera in your face, and it's going to be really close on you when they announce Alec Baldwin's name.

And — but, you know, as it turns out, that's really about the hardest part of it, is just that moment – my palms are sweating, thinking about it. Right before it happens is the worst part, because as wonderful as it would be, then you'd have to get up and talk.

On the roles he’s played before "Big Bang Theory," and being worried about getting type-cast as a geek:

I did a lot of theater, you know. A whole lot of theater. So I played a lot of different kinds of characters. As far as worrying (about typecasting), I'm sure that it will happen to a degree. One of the problems is not only does somebody see you every week as a certain character, but if you haven't gotten the chance to audition for them or they haven't seen anything else you've done, then they don't know anything else you've done. That's just a basic fact of life.

As far as worrying about it, though, I don't. And it's really twofold reasons why. Number one, other than doing my work and trying to find things to do that could change opinions, there's not that much I can do about it. All I can do is what I'm — keep working, you know. And the second thing of it is whether it's — whether I ever get to do TV again, whether I ever do movies, whatever I do, I know, just from how I feel and how I've always been, I will continue to work. Whether I'm doing a one-man show in my mother's backyard somewhere, I'll find something to do. And in that spirit of it, no, it doesn't worry me.

On how Sheldon is going to progress as a character on "The Big Bang Theory":

I've actually heard the producers say this before: Very, very slowly. Basically paint drying. It is fun to have hopes and dreams for these characters in a way, both as an actor and as an audience member. But there's a reliability factor about them that I don't want them to change too much. You know what I mean?

The most common question that comes up is "Will romance ever happen in Sheldon's life?" or whatever. And A, I think if it does, it won't be in the near future. But B, I think we could handle it in a way that could be very smartly done and protect the essence of the character and just simply add dimensions, you know. And that's one of the great joys about being on a television show that's able to stay on the air, is that you get a chance to be developing these characters.

And if I'd have heard that phrase a few years ago, I would have had a different view of what that meant. I would have thought that I would be more aware of the development going on. Good or bad, I find myself less aware of the development going on because I'm part of it. But you do start backlogging these histories and these characters, and they become these things. And so then I think eventually you can add some sort of slightly dramatic element that's different for them — in his case, maybe it would be a romance or whatever — and allow that to affect. I think what you don't want is to have anything that would dilute the character in any way, you know. And God forbid we normalize Sheldon or whatever, because why would you?

Bazinga! Sheldon Speaks by Jenna Busch

The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons tells us what's in store for our favorite TV geek.

If you had any doubt that geek culture has taken over, check out the numbers for The Big Bang Theory. The writing celebrates our obsession with The Green Lantern, reminds us that we are not the only ones who can say hello in Klingon and keeps us laughing at ourselves. Even the Emmys have taken notice.

I just spoke with Emmy Award nominated actor Jim Parsons, who plays socially awkward — but eminently loveable — theoretical physicist Sheldon Cooper. Parsons tells us his theory on why the show is such a hit, when and if love will come to Sheldon and working with co-star Kaley Cuoco. "She's a wonderful verbal dancing partner," he says, though he tells us he is far better at bussing tables. He also gives us a sneak peek at this week's episode. Hint: It involves a ball pit at Chuck E. Cheese.

I love the show and I watch every week. And I keep thinking about all the people who said the sitcom was dead. You guys seem to have completely revived it. What do you think it is about the show that turned an entire show style on its ear?

Well for one thing, I don't think there is any reinventing of a wheel going on here. You know what I mean? I don't think anybody's trying to do anything around here that is in any way changing the old school of thought with the traditional multi-camera sitcom. And that may be one of the biggest things we have going in our favor. We're trying to simply execute as well as possible, a format that's been around. That's been related to live theater.

My thing, and I've always said this, and I'm not trying to defer attention or anything like that, is the writing...I've heard it said that it's a writer's medium, and I completely believe that...and in our case specifically, we only have what they bring. [Laughs] We can only play with what they've written, as it were. And we're in a very fortunate circumstance where what they're writing is sincerely funny, you know? And maybe 'sincere' is sort of the key word there. There is a great sincerity in what we're doing here...in deference to the format itself. We're trying to do nothing that different than anything that's been done before. But we're trying to do it as best we can.

And then to these characters...We're trying to be as sincere with them and their situations as we can. Yes, sometimes you'll have a laugh at their expense, but more often than not, you only buy yourself that opportunity because, more often than not, we're celebrating these characters. The writers and the actors all have a sincere affection for these characters. Because they're so fun to play. They have so many wonderful and fun qualities about them.

You mentioned celebrating the characters. You guys have been so embraced by geek culture. I think it's not just the terms that you use, etc. I think it's that you guys have such a great affection for your characters.

Absolutely. I think that's completely true.

You must get asked constantly about how geeky you are. I'd read about your Star Wars figures and how you want an invitation to Hogwarts...

Right.

Do you guys ever feel pressure...I mean, the geeks have sort of made you their standard bearers.

I don't and it may be blissful ignorance on my part. Or it's just not affecting me. But I really don't. What's funny is, some of their more geekish, nebbish, fanboy qualities, if you will, which I can see on the surface what a big part of the picture we're painting, they are. And so much of the humor has come from that, and so much of who they are in a day to day way. But I have to say, in the playing of it and in the feeling behind it, it seems so secondary. I don't know. I feel like, in some ways, these people would be who they are, almost entirely, even if they didn't have any of those qualities. If they didn't read comic books. If they weren't Star Trek and Battlestar fans, or whatever. It's a happy side bar. It's extra colors that are laid on top of these really, really smart guys. And I guess that's it. At the end of the day, when it comes back to square one, the heart of the story is that we're dealing with four geniuses. To varying degrees. I think Sheldon is probably the smartest. [Laughs]

I was thinking about some of your more complex lines, and I had read that the writing really helps you, but that you do sit down with notecards. I'd also read that you play piano. I'm wondering if being a musician helps you memorize. You really do have a rhythm to your speech.

I feel like it must. I do think of the scenes and this dialogue very specifically in a musical way. And it's much more self conscious, I have to say. I am able to consciously realize that I'm doing it. The way that they're writing this, and it's what I felt from day one with this...it wasn't the story that grabbed me, though it was lovely. And it wasn't even the characters themselves as far as who made them what they are. When I first saw the audition sides for this show, I really wanted to leap at the opportunity to get to execute this dialogue. And it was all about the rhythms they put in there. And one of the things the writers are so good at is utilizing, not just scientific terms, but especially in the case of Sheldon, just so many damn words in general, but putting them in a format that has a song to it.

I think there is a musicality to any conversation in general. Some a bit more melodic than others, depending who you're talking to. [Laughs] It's most especially accentuated here. It's definitely highlighted, maybe in any comedy. But most certainly in this one, I think. And it's one of the great joys. And it's one of the ways in which, as an actor, in this show at least, I know when something is not going right. Nine times out of ten I'm right about it. Because suddenly you can't access the rhythm. And either they're about to rewrite something that's going to make it fall into place...or you've got more days of rehearsal and suddenly you're going to feel it...I frequently say, 'That scene sings like a song.'

You know, Chuck (Lorre) was a musician who wrote songs and at least one Top 40 hit for Blondie, I believe. I think any comedy writer has a certain rhythm and I think that Chuck, specifically, has a very...[laughs]...he knows how to make the twenty-two minutes of television play by in the right way. I think it's the reason that his shows repeat so well in audience numbers. Because I feel like the stories are good and the things you discover the first time you watch the stories are lovely. But perhaps its best quality is that the episode itself goes by like a song. Even if you know what's going to happen because you've seen it once or twice before, it's still so much fun to watch. And I think that has to do with the rhythm of it. It's like a favorite song. You know the song, you know where it's going, but it's still enjoyable because you like hearing certain notes hit. You like hearing certain rhythms hit.

I agree. This is a show I would want on DVD, because it really is something I'd watch over and over again.

Thank you, first. And secondly, I agree with you. As much as I'm able to say that without sounding like a complete snot. [Laughs] It just turns into a really good time. And that's not to take away any stories or depth that's actually there. It's all there and it's all good. But at the end of the day, what makes it repeatable...it's fun.

One of the things fans have reacted to the most are the scenes between you and Penny (Kaley Cuoco). What is it about your chemistry?

Well, I think what it was bred of, coming into the first season, and especially hitting its stride in the second season is that...they are the North and South poles of...all five regular characters on this show. I don't know which is which. [Laughs] They're just polar opposites. She's so earth bound. She is our everyman...and Sheldon is the most heady of the characters. The most, I don't want to say without his feet on the ground, but in the truest sense of the word, his life, his existence is absorbed in his head. I think that is the biggest ingredient of it. No matter what you do at that point with your characters, it's going to be a good time, because they're polar opposites.

But then I have to say, I had never worked with Kaley before I did this show, and we started doing these scenes together, and for whatever reason, I just...it's such a satisfying time working with her. It is, aah. I can't put my finger on it, always. But me, as Jim, I have such a good time working with her as Kaley, the actress. And speaking to her through these characters' voices and having her speak back is just...to bring it back to the music thing again, it's a wonderful dance. [Laughs] She's a wonderful verbal dancing partner.

Another thing people have really responded to are the scenes with Sheldon's mom (Laurie Metcalf). Will we see any more of that this season?

I certainly hope so. [Laughs] You have to take the good with the bad, I guess is what it is. The reason I think the scenes are so damn good is because Laurie is such a gifted actress. The problem you have, working with a gifted actress is that she's always working. So both her and Christine Baranski...it's hard to find available times for them! [Laughs] Because they're so good, everyone wants to use them in some way. So I really feel like a combination of whether a storyline occurs to the writers and is she available for it...she certainly knows her way around acting in general and certainly she has done plenty of the half hour work in TV as well. She just couldn't be an easier fit when she comes over here. She's just a good person, you know?

You know everyone wants to know if you think Sheldon will ever find love.

Yeah...I want to guess yes, but I honestly don't hold out a lot of hope. The reason is very specific. I've been part of panel discussions with Chuck Lorre. With Bill Prady. And they have professed that...if these characters change at all, it's going to be very slow. At the rate of watching paint dry. And...I've heard Chuck say this a few times, he has a real aversion to...I think he views Sheldon finding love or the desire for Sheldon to find love as a bit of an attempt to normalize Sheldon. And see the more normal side of Sheldon and oh, he is like us. [Laughs] He's very interested in continuing to celebrate how different Sheldon is than the general populace. And he really likes exploring this version of Sheldon, where Sheldon has essentially kind of opted out of the romance scene. He's not taking time for it. In fact, he's kind of deemed it something that for him, at this point, is sort of a waste of time. There is so much more for him to do, he sees, specifically in science in this case, but whatever.

I hear what he's saying and I actually love what he's saying. And I love making those odd choices, those smallest percentile of the populace choices for Sheldon. But I don't think everybody necessarily wants to see Sheldon normalized. I think that they've done such a wonderful job of creating a character that people have a fondness for. And I think wanting to see Sheldon find love is the same thing as wanting to see Sheldon taken care of in some way. Someone to help him along through things that he obviously stubs his toe through, socially...but that brings me back to why I don't think it will happen. It's half the fun of playing this character...all the situations where he is on his own and he is clueless. It's such a dichotomy. He's a genius and then to get to go through those circumstances where he is clueless...using his big brain for every possibility and just failing, failing. [Laughs] Failure has never been so fun.

I also think that those moments where Sheldon does something sweet for Penny...I think they have more impact if you don't have him doing that for a girlfriend all the time.

Yeah. I would agree with you. It does add a lot of weight to it. They've done such a good job of executing, and I feel, letting play this Penny and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) relationship...they did go against the traditional format in this way. We're not hanging on 'will they, won't they.' No. They're doing it. Let's see what happens. And as far as that relates to giving Sheldon any romantic interest, I think it opens...for the reasons we just said, and others...a much bigger can of worms. And you have to be prepared, I think, as writers and a cast if you're going to dive into that. You can't short change yourselves or anybody else. You can't go in and go, 'Ooh, this isn't working,' and hit reverse as fast as you can with the storyline. I think there is a lot more ground to cover that doesn't require us to jump in there just yet.

But what the hell do I know? I'll be honest with you. I never know what story they're going to deliver. I will not know next week's story...we're going to go on hiatus after tonight. We will come in for a table read on Wednesday morning, and it will be Tuesday night at nine o'clock at night before I even get sight of the next script. [Laughs] They won't tell me a thing. Unless they need to ask me something for my safety, like, 'Are you able to ride a unicycle?' Which they have asked. And I said, 'No, but I'm willing to learn.' It never came up again. That was over a year ago. I'm grateful. [Laughs] I've heard it's dangerous.

Yeah! I would think so! [Laughs]

How could it not be?

And I hear you're diving through balls in Chuck E. Cheese in the next episode.

Yes, and might I say, it was one of the finest ideas the writers have had. Such a simple thing. But it goes back to what I said about the science. Wow! We can end up there. I won't tell you how we end up there exactly. But it's through science that we end up at Chuck E. Cheese in a bunch of balls. [Laughs] I had so much fun doing that scene. It wasn't easy! I was really surprised at the lung power it took to fight your way through a ball pit like that. It felt very much like swimming but there was a lot more, it felt like to me, a lot more force to get through to do that. It was very fun. Very colorful.

I hear you also bus tables at The Cheesecake Factory?

Yes. And may I say that Jim as an actor is better at doing that than Kaley as an actress?

Really?

Yes! I had those plates on my arms and I said it out loud one day. I didn't even think about it. 'Better than Kaley.' [Laughs] And you know...it took me longer in life to hit success than Kaley, so perhaps I had more opportunities to perfect dishes on arms and stuff like that. I don't know.

The Geek shall inherit the earth by Jenna Schnuer

At first glance, Sheldon Cooper, PhD — Jim Parsons's character on CBS's runaway hit The Big Bang Theory — appears to be your average neighborhood hipster. He's got the lanky frame, the long-sleeved shirt layered under a cool logoed tee — the whole shebang. But as soon as Sheldon opens his mouth, you realize a hipster he isn't. In fact, he's an awkward, geeky überscientist who easily earns a spot among TV's least socially skilled characters in history.

Parsons, 36, so completely inhabits the character that it's hard to believe a conversation with him would be easy. Luckily, he's just that good of an actor. (We should have guessed that — Parsons was nominated this year for his first Emmy for the role.) The real Parsons, a true Southern gentleman who hails from Houston, loves a good chat.

You've had roles in movies and TV shows, but Sheldon Cooper is your biggest so far. When you first read the script, what effect did you think The Big Bang Theory would have on your career?

In some ways, I can't believe where we are with the show, how long we've been working on it now. At the same time, it all happens so day-by-day. I did feel special about it when I received the material, because you're doing so many auditions, and this was the rare one that came in that I was like, I think I would put me on a short list of people who should bring this character to life. You don't know if [the casting directors] will agree, but luckily for me, they did.

Sheldon's an interesting guy. Do you like him?

I would say that yes, I am fond of him. It's not anything necessarily that I've done. It's as much the writing. He's such a nonmalicious character. He comes by his faux pas so honestly. He's just so methodical, and he's so scientific in mind. It just stops him from engaging in social niceties. He doesn't have time for it, and frankly, it doesn't occur to him. There's some version of arrested development in his brain socially, dealing with people. He's just really busy doing a lot of other things, and nobody ever asked that of him. One wonders how capable he is of actually ever getting there. Perhaps that's season seven, God willing.

Does your body hurt after you finish playing him? It seems like you have to be kind of contained.

You couldn't be describing this better. No, I don't hurt, and honestly, I don't really consciously think about it. I've rarely made many conscious decisions on how he should move or how he should sound. One thing I always say is that I'm amazed at how much the sound of this character, if you will, is simply affected by how many consonants and words are coming out of his mouth.

Has any of the Sheldon containment slipped into your regular life?

I've always had a certain way of moving awkwardly. There's been great fun at the expense of imitating my walk throughout my life at different times. There's something both that I have control over and have no control over about my physicality. I will either have a very healthy body at a ripe old age, or I'll be the first person in my peer group to break a hip at 60. I can't tell where that goes.

This is your second go-round playing a character fluent in Klingon, the first being in Garden State. Are you okay with that?

It is very odd. Well, no it's not. Who knows why somebody who has never watched Star Trek — who had no idea what the Klingon language would sound like — has been asked twice in his adult life to play somebody who has an intimate relationship with this Klingon language. But, and this is an easy example, why would somebody who's asked to [agree to] play a murderer? What fits naturally about that? What looks right? Yes, he could kill someone?

What's your fan base like?

It's all over the map as far as gender, age range, type of person. I've had fan mail from prison. I don't know what the crime was.

The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons isn't a total geek by Lewis Beale

If there is one breakthrough TV role over the past year or so, it is Jim Parsons' turn as physicist Sheldon Cooper in the hit CBS sitcom 'The Big Bang Theory.' Brilliant, supercilious, socially clueless, Cooper is alternately hysterical and horrifying. And Parsons' Emmy-nominated performance is so spot-on, it seems as if the character and the actor are the same person. But unlike Sheldon, the tall (6-foot-2), 36-year-old Parsons, a Houston native, is actually a sports fan who does not speak Klingon. Lewis Beale discussed the role and other matters with Parsons while he was on a production break.

What did you think about the part when you first read for it?

As a character, I don't know I felt a relation at all. What I had a feeling about was the way the dialogue was structured, the way they had structured Sheldon's speeches. Sheldon has always taken that many words to get to a point. I thought, and I still think, they brilliantly use those words that most of us don't recognize to create that rhythm. And the rhythm got me. It was the chance to dance through that dialogue, and in a lot of ways still is.

In some ways Sheldon is so out of it socially, you wonder if he's borderline autistic. Is he?

I got asked early on, does he have Asperger's? And I asked the writers, and they said no. Then I read up, and he does share traits with Asperger's and autism. But the writers say he doesn't have that, so that's that. His curse is his blessing, it's how intelligent he is. And his intelligence in general causes him to be able to focus so singularly on the task at hand, that things inevitably fall by the wayside that wouldn't in a normal circumstance.

You're so identified with the character right now, are you worried at all that you'll be typecast in the future?

No. I see the reality, I see the 'problem' that it could pose for me. But I say no because I don't really have a choice at the end of the day. I feel like I throw myself no more or no less into this role than I have in anything else. I feel like, as an actor, should I be pulling back on how much I give to this character? Should I soften his edges so I don't make the same impression? That's the only thing I can do, and that's an impossibility.

You're actually a classically trained actor who studied at the Old Globe in San Diego, which has a rigorous program based on Shakespeare. How did that hone your skills?

I knew the Old Globe had a groundedness in working on Shakespeare. I had done some, but not a lot, and they asked me in the interview, you don't have much Shakespeare, and we just left it at that. They let me in, and I can't tell you how often I have thought about working on Shakespeare while working on these passages they write for Sheldon – the dense road you wend your way through past those lines. It takes more effort than I ever thought a sitcom would take. And that's really the fun of it.

What were your influences growing up?

I was very interested in sitcoms. I remember watching 'Three's Company' a lot. And I was really formed by 'Family Ties,' 'The Cosby Show.' As far as movies went, my parents took me to 'Star Wars,' and when I began making my own choices. 'Grease' was big, then, when I was older, 'The Color Purple.'

When did you realize you could make it as an actor?

I did a play in high school, 'Noises Off,' it's a farce, and it was the first time I felt the most honest connection to a character and a play. It was the first time I felt like an honest-to-God actor. I thought it was going to be horrible, and I'm still astounded at the reaction we got. I realized it was something I was good at.

Sheldon is kind of the ultimate geek. In what ways are you geeky?

I like words, and I like numbers. I like crossword puzzles a lot. I like to deal with lists and rankings and statistics. I'm surprised I'm not more into baseball, because I could geek on that. I love Casey Kasem's Top 40, I love that order. I love seeing what were the nominated Oscar films.

Emmy-nominated actor Jim Parsons' acting roots start in Houston by Andrew Dansby

BURBANK, CALIF. — The cameras aren't rolling on the set of TV's The Big Bang Theory. Actor Jim Parsons sits on a couch, in his character Sheldon Cooper's spot, lost in thought.

This day has entailed mostly rehearsals and camera set-ups for the season's third episode. The pace has been impressive: a bar scene, followed by a kitchen scene, followed by a couch scene as the production moves from one set to another. Big Bang's apartment building on the Warner Bros. lot seems Picasso-esque, with the cubed sets lined up one next to another rather than laid out as they'd be in a real structure. Parsons is thinking over a tweak to the script just suggested by series creator Chuck Lorre.

The show begins its third season with reason for enthusiasm. A few years after some thought the traditional sitcom was dying, The Big Bang Theory shows great promise. Its audience has grown over the past two years, and CBS has ordered not just a third but also a fourth season. The show now occupies a desirable time slot after hit comedy Two and a Half Men. And Parsons is also nominated for best comedy actor at tonight's Emmy show.

Parsons is part of a lovable ensemble that gives life to intriguing characters in a simple premise. He plays Sheldon Cooper, a physicist. He and his physicist roommate Leonard (Johnny Galecki) have a nerdy social circle that includes another physicist and an engineer. Comfort zones are nudged to different degrees when they become friends with Sheldon and Leonard's neighbor Penny, a waitress played by Kaley Cuoco.

Veteran director Mark Cendrowski keeps a loose set on Big Bang. Each scene is assigned a letter. When a scene is called for set up, crew members play a little game, shouting out 1980s music acts that start with that letter.

Scene A is called. ABBA is the first name shouted and gets a tepid response. Somebody tries Adam Ant and gets cheers. Cuoco tries Aerosmith, a sweet, funny choice in line with the fact she was born in 1985. Boos ensue from crew members who remember the '70s.

Amid the play, Parsons is figuring out some of the complex rhythms required of his character, who must rattle off line after line of tightly composed, rhythmic dialogue, and then do something with his face or body during the silence that follows. The night after these rehearsals, those silences will be filled with laughter from a studio audience.

"When he listens he's in character, when he walks he's in character, when he sits down he's in character," Lorre says. "It involves a great deal of thought. And his instincts are uncanny. You can't teach that. It's wonderful to be near it and watch it."

Later, when asked if he thinks acting was an inevitable thing for him to do, Parsons immediately answers, "Yes." He pauses a moment, as Sheldon might, but rather than waiting for laughter, he's composing a story. Parsons speaks fluidly like somebody who spends his time studying words, without fractured sentences.

He tells about how his mother kept a little scrapbook that listed things like his favorite colors and what he wanted to do when he grew up. "From a very early age, I said 'movie star,'" he says. "I couldn't have known what that meant, as far as fame — that didn't make sense to me. But I knew I wanted to act. There were brief bleeps like teacher and meteorologist, but (acting) was there from day one. Why? I have no idea. I was given plenty of attention as a child."

Parsons, 36, knew the role of Sheldon was a bazinga moment. He was living in New York, having established a strong theater background in Houston, where he was a founding member of the Infernal Bridegroom theater company as well as a Stages Repertory Theatre regular. In New York he found theater work and spot roles on TV, though the process was sometimes disappointing for the little-known actor: He'd audition for 15 to 30 pilots per season. Sometimes he'd not get the role, sometimes he would, then the show wouldn't get picked up.

Parsons was instantly drawn to the rhythms of Sheldon's speech. "I felt very strongly about the structure of it and the way they laid out the character and the way he talked," he says. "It was a one-in-a-million match."

Parsons' and Sheldon's pitch and cadences overlap a bit, but it's clear Parsons is embodying a character. That said, his transformation looks effortless. He chews up the bigger words and longer sentences, nearly singing them as Sheldon. But a physical aspect to his work suggests silent film stars like Buster Keaton. He does several takes of a slightly sinister Pavlovian scene involving Cuoco's character and chocolate. Each time he gently manipulates his slowly spreading Grinch-like grin to different effect.

Jason Nodler, the artistic director for Houston's The Catastrophic Theatre, was, like Parsons, a founding member of Infernal Bridegroom. Nodler, a fan of Big Bang Theory, says, "I recognize every move Jim makes on that show. It's just a natural part of his physical vocabulary. He's a naturally gifted physical comedian."

The show has five strong characters at its center, and their interaction is crucial to its success. But Parsons' work earned him the Emmy nomination.

He's quick to deflect credit. Of the physical aspect of his character, he says it was there from the pilot episode, when Penny sits in his spot on the couch. "It's like when he's searching for his seat, some of his lines will be his movement."

As for the chewy dialogue, he says, "I love having to ferret out that rhythm that's within there. But I wouldn't pat myself on the back too hard, the writers make it very evident.

"But it was really a thing that moved me, more than the story, when I read the pilot."

Parsons thinks his Houston background — the breadth and pace of his work here — is integral in his success.

It started poorly. After graduating from Klein Oak High School, Parsons attended University of Houston, where a classmate urged him to audition for a production of Samuel Beckett's Endgame. Parsons was deeply intrigued by the material, but says he wasn't quite comfortable with the work. He missed a few rehearsals and had a meeting with the director. "I just wasn't at peace with it," he says. "And it's no picnic putting Endgame on. It's a great joy, but also a little rough-edged."

Once the production was complete, though, he threw himself into acting, doing 17 plays in three years, everything from works by Bertolt Brecht to Guys and Dolls.

He recalls doing children's theater during the day, rehearsing during the afternoons and doing plays like Georg Büchner's murderous 19th-century play Woyzeck at night.

"I didn't have a life," he says. "I thought I did.

"But I had those opportunities at IBP and U of H. Houston was a great environment. Texas is a funny place in general. It's not even like two sides of a coin, it's more like a hexagonal Dungeons and Dragons die. People make a lot of assumptions about it, but it was fulfilling and nurturing to work there.

"There's no learning like the doing. When you're doing that many different types of things on that many types of stages, you don't know the effect it has while you're doing it. On one level, it made it hard to throw me. I've done it. I guess I haven't performed on a sinking Titanic ... but I'm young yet."

Nodler says much of the work they did together at IBP was "awfully dark."

"But there was always some comic element. Jim always did a beautiful job. Even when something was dark, he was always funny. He can't help but be funny."

Parsons left Houston in 1999, though he still gets back often to see friends and family. He attended grad school in San Diego and eventually moved to New York, where he quickly found work off Broadway.

There were small TV parts and also a well-known Quiznos commercial where — when asked if he were raised by wolves — he was nuzzling and suckling with some wolf pups.

Then came Sheldon.

Lorre knew Parsons understood the character on his first audition. "We knew we were witnessing something astonishing," he says. Lorre was so impressed he asked Parsons to return to make sure his audition wasn't a fluke.

"He's a force of nature. He really is that good."

Acting can be an art, but, not surprisingly for a guy who plays a physicist, Parsons sees the math in it.

"Muddied comedy isn't comedy," he says. "Well, that may not be true for all comedy, but overall I feel there's this tremendous amount of precise work that goes into lining all the pieces so you can have what appears to be the chaos of it. To put it in the basest terms, you can't really fall down. You have to plan for it."

On the surface, Big Bang Theory is a traditional sitcom. It has multiple cameras. It's written with breaks for the audience's laughter.

But it's a different traditional sitcom, which has likely endeared it to its viewers. The science squad possesses greater numerical aptitude than your average viewer, but their interactions — immediate and their code-like subtexts — all ring true, like a geeky variation of Rock Paper Scissors that includes lizards and Spock (who gets disproved by paper).

Sometimes Sheldon's jokes are full of heady language written with rhythm and purpose.

"I'm a Sagittarius, which probably tells you way more than you need to know," Penny says in one episode.

"Yes," Sheldon replies. "It tells us that you participate in the mass cultural delusion that the sun's apparent position relative to arbitrarily defined constellations at the time of your birth somehow affects your personality."

Other times the lines are more efficient. When he asks what to order in a restaurant he gets a cliche in response. Everything's good. "Statistically unlikely," he quips.

Parsons points out that when studying theater, people are taught that theatrical events come about from ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

"This is the reverse," he says. "It's putting extraordinary people in ordinary circumstances."

Penny is a portal and also an agitator. Her interactions with Leonard feel familiar to anyone involved in a sort of young urban tribe. Outside relationships threaten its fabric.

Over two seasons the show courted a growing audience with its characters.

Parsons, in particular, has drawn much attention. Last month he won a comedy award from the Television Critics Association, which also honored the show. At tonight's Emmys, Parsons and Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement are the newcomers in a best-actor field that includes Alec Baldwin, Tony Shalhoub, Steve Carell and Charlie Sheen.

Parsons talks about it with Sheldon's jittery manner, only the mix of excitement, restraint and wonder isn't in tune with his character's numerical precision.

"I still feel this certain sensation that it's happening to somebody else," he says. "But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't exciting. I'm already nervous about being there, which is goofy; there's not much expected of me. I just walk in and sit down. But there's no script available. Just to go there and be there."

He pauses a beat as Sheldon might.

"My mother was excited."

Big Bang generates harmonic convergence with its cast by Margaret Wappler

J.J. Abrams may have muscled up his version of "Star Trek," but the franchise will always be the domain of pencil-thin, graph-paper-pale geeks like the Caltech prodigies on CBS' "The Big Bang Theory."

Exhibit A: The popular YouTube video of Sheldon, played with spazzy flair by Jim Parsons, explaining the rules of Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock.

"It's very simple: Scissors cuts paper, paper covers rock, rock crushes lizard, lizard poisons Spock, Spock smashes scissors, scissors decapitates lizard, lizard eats paper, paper disproves Spock, Spock vaporizes rock and, as it always has, rock crushes scissors."

That kind of giddy celebration of the nerd mind has given the program, created by Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre, a steadily growing audience, with promise for more: The show, which netted 9.76 million viewers for its second season finale on May 11, was picked up in March for two more years in a multimillion-dollar deal.

On a sunny afternoon in Hollywood, Parsons, along with the show's other lead geek, seasoned sitcomer Johnny Galecki, met in a fancy diner to ponder their luck.

"It's security I never dreamed I'd be able to say I have," Parsons says. The Houston-native actor, who was a regular on "Judging Amy," is wittily verbose like his character, but he doesn't pretend to have the scientific aptitude.

When asked if he's learned any new concepts from the show — Schrödinger's cat, anyone? — he blinks his blue eyes and says, "Learned? More like memorized in less than a week and then promptly forgotten."

Galecki, who's still fondly remembered as Darlene's slouchy boyfriend on "Roseanne," plays Leonard, the straight nerd to Sheldon's fussy one. For him, two more years means "so many more lines. It's not like we get to just sit back now."

Well, maybe some of them do. Listen to Galecki and Parsons talk about costar Kaley Cuoco, who plays Penny, the sweet but dippy waitress next door, and you might believe she has super-powers.

"I don't know how she does it," Parsons says conspiratorially, "but she always has every single word memorized."

"She never makes a mistake," Galecki adds.

Even a moment that takes on a life of its own, like Lizard, Spock, can come with a cost. "That scene was my nightmare," Parsons says. "I kept mixing it all up and making the wrong hand signal."

Despite the intricate monologues and Vulcan salutes that will surely come with two more years, the stars, in some ways, can put up their feet a bit. Galecki, for instance, has learned to play Leonard with a little more cool than in the first season.

"I'd watch the show and see moments where I worked some gesture too much or overemphasized my walk. But I realize now that I can just relax into it. It's all muscle memory now."

But muscle memory doesn't make up for a grueling schedule of rehearsal, memorization and rewrites. "We're pretty serious about silly," Galecki says. "We don't really do pranks on set."

Is that mood due to pressure from the famously spirited Chuck Lorre? The reigning maestro of the sitcom, with hits including "Dharma & Greg" and "Grace Under Fire" under his belt, has been known to clash with TV critics and his leading ladies of yore, such as Brett Butler.

"I'd heard those stories about Chuck too," Galecki says. "But it's never been the case for me. He's working too hard for any of that."

Lorre, a one-time guitarist for hire, has "this incredible ear," Galecki says. "He can just hear the beats and inflections of dialogue. I'll step into his office and he'll be playing the guitar between writing bits."

By all accounts, "The Big Bang Theory" is a harmonious set. In addition to group trips to Comic-Con and the like, the actors will sometimes get together or go to see a movie.

But Galecki points out that since they got the two-year thumbs up, they're not hanging out with the same frequency.

"We've been through the honeymoon period," he says. "We'll be riding this wave together for a while."

She bangs by Ileane Rudolph

(Scanned and typed by pennyandsheldon.com)

Kaley Cuoco finds geek love on The big bang theory

The big bang theory has more Star Trek references than sex jokes, yet the ratings are great. Why?

People just seem to love the characters. it's the little show that could.

Your character, Penny, is the only female regular among a gaggle of guys. Your costar Johnny Galecki told me you love being the only girl and the center of the attention. True?

[Laughs] He said that? Well, that is very true. I do get special attention. The guys are all really smart and funny, and they're very good to me. Who wouldn't love that?*

The show is so smart - is the set full of witty repartee or "Dumb and dumber" silliness?

There's a lot of silliness. We have ping-pong obsession on our set. I'm supercompetitive and no one wants to play with me. Johnny won't play. He's afraid he'll lose to me.

Penny's cute and blonde, but she's not stereotypical, is she?

Not at all. She's smart, witty and loves these guys. The character has really evolved. Two years ago, I autioned for the role and wasn't hired. back then she wasn't so kind to the guys. They rewrote it and now there's not a mean bone in Penny's body.

What happens in this week's episode?

It's a Christmas episode, one of my favorites so far. Penny starts seeing someone [Battlestar Galactica's Michael Trucco] who Leonard [Galecki] has a man-crush on, and he gets a tad jealous. And Sheldon [Jim Parsons] finds out he's getting a Christmas present from me, so he spends the whole show with the other guys trying to find me something. It's really sweet.

Is there a future love connection for Penny and Leonard?

I hope so - but not for a long time. [Executive producer] Bill Prady said this perfectly: Penny is morphing Leonard into the man she wants to marry.

This seems a good time to ask: Are you dating Johnny Galecki?

[Laughs] That's very funny!

But are you romantically involved?

No.

In a recent interview, you brought him up constantly. Why?

Because he's my best friend! I have a lot of love for him.

Are you single?

Yes.

Would you date a geek like Leonard?

Definitely. I'm a comedy girl, so if you make me laugh, I'm pretty much yours.

Jim Parsons praised you for being "mature and as cool as a cucumber before taping." Is he right?

I love Jim so much! We've developed the most hilarious relationship. Jim's dialogue is so difficult that he always has to have his script with him, so he's in awe of me because I don't have to look at my lines.
But I'm definitely the least nervous on set because I almost feel more at home on stage than I do in my own home.

That might be because you've been acting since you were 6 (Northern exposure, My so-called life), breaking through as a teen on 8 Simple Rules. How have you stayed out of the gossip pages and avoided drug busts and drunken escapades?

I did grow up acting, but I never knew it was a big deal. It was just another of the things that I did, like play tennis. I've lived my life exactly the way I've wanted to live it, and I don't need anyone to know about it. Plus, I'm a total loser. I don't know anybody!

You were homeschooled back in Camarillo, California. Didn't you miss prom, mean girls and sex-crazed boys?

Hell, no. I couldn't be happier with not going to proms. I was going to wrap parties - that was more fun.

Any predictions about the show?

Jim and Johnny will win Emmys. I'm 100 million percent sure.

More Bang for the buck with Chuck by Angel Cohn

Chuck Lorre is one busy guy. He's the mind behind CBS's money-making Two and a Half Men and the geekfest The Big Bang Theory. The prolific creator was also the man responsible for Dharma & Greg, Cybill, Grace Under Fire and wrote for Roseanne. He's known for his little snarky signature vanity cards at the end of the episodes of his shows, where he takes aim at whatever issue is weighing on his mind. He usually pulls no punches. So this reporter was trying hard not to ask stupid questions (and probably failing) as she nervously picked up the phone to talk with Lorre about the second season of the addictive and entertaining Big Bang Theory.

Lorre seemed to be in good spirits (sorta) when we chatted during his commute to the office a week ago, even though he had to stop for gas and that's not cheap. Lorre told us all about where Season 2 picks up, guest stars, if he's itching for an Emmy win on Sunday night, Comic-Con, and a potential crossover between his two shows.

I appreciate you taking time out. I'm sure you're busy juggling both shows right now.

It is busy.

So we're chatting about your newish show The Big Bang Theory, which I just adore. What can you tell me about Season 2? Does it pick up right where we left off with nerdy Leonard taking hot Penny out?

Yeah they're going to be coming back from their first date in the first episode. The series picks up with Leonard and Penny coming back from that faithful first date. I can't tell you how excited I am. We've shot two episodes so far and they're great. I mean, I just continually am delighted and amazed. The whole cast is phenomenal. I'm very close to it obviously, but I can be objective enough now to be able to say it's a remarkably, remarkably deep and talented cast. And it's been a lot of fun to write for them.

I especially love Jim Parsons (who plays Sheldon). I just love the way that he rattles off physics dialogue just off in these huge long speeches. They are just really funny.

Yeah. Jim is an amazing actor. It's really exciting to watch him work.

How hard is it to write this scientific dialogue?

There are always moments in every script where we write in parenthesis; in the dialogue it says: "SCIENCE TO COME."

You have a science expert on staff to come help you with that?

We have an astrophysicist at UCLA who is a consultant on the show who we are in constant contact with who helps us get the science right. We made it a point, [co-creator] Bill [Prady] and I, since the pilot to get the science right. So we're not guessing. And he'll tell us, you know. We shoot the show live in front of an audience. While we're shooting we may change a line in front of the audience. If we change a line and we're tampering with the science, some of the dialogue...we are told by David Salzberg, our astrophysicist, that "No, no, no, that's not correct anymore." And we change the line so that he's happy. We don't want to get a bad grade.

Yeah, I'd be afraid.

Then the blogosphere goes crazy if we make a mistake so we work really hard to try and get it right. It's fun too. The challenge is to have these characters speak in their own language and for sort of the rest of us, the civilians, of which I am one, for us to still get the intent and comic intent of what's going on. Even if we don't get the minutia of the math. You don't need to understand the math to get the intent.

Well I kind of like how sometimes you have Sheldon or Leonard explaining things to Penny and I'm like 'Oh. Right. Now I understand what Schrödinger's Cat is.' I've heard it before but never understood it.

Right. Right.

I'm sort of on the Penny science level.

You know, I'm right there with ya. I mean, I'm fascinated by it and since we started working on the pilot, I've been trying to catch up on the great gaps in my education by reading popular books about quantum physics, but I much more identify with Penny.

If it hasn't happened on a science fiction TV show then it's beyond my science knowledge. Do you feel like you related to Leonard or Sheldon when you were creating these characters? Is there a little bit of you in either of them?

I think the part of me that I find my entry into these characters personally is, and I assume it's a universal feeling that rulebooks were issued to walk through this world and you didn't get one. You know that feeling like you know you're just a step behind everybody else and you don't quite understand what's going on? And when it comes to romantic relationships and personal relationships that you're just not understanding and you know you're in the dark and everybody else gets it but you? I think that's what I more closely identify with these two characters. I'm an old guitar player who has fallen into television and is so happy he did. I don't have the background that these characters do, but I get feeling left out. I believe that a lot of the audience connects with them in that they're sort of estranged from the mainstream and Leonard wants very much to be part of it. Sheldon has no interest whatsoever. Howard Walowitz thinks he is in the mainstream...

Oh...Howard.

Poor Howard is completely deluded.

I know some Howards.

You know some Howards who think they got it going on but they don't?

Uh huh.

And he's just joyfully oblivious.

And sweet little Raj, too.

And Raj is so neurotic he can't speak to women, which is an extreme aspect of every man. For every man that ever walked the Earth, except maybe the sociopaths, when it comes to talking to pretty girls... it's just stark terror. We've taken it to an extreme and you know. We made it pathological for Raj.

It worked. I keep telling people to just watch it and they're like "Oh I'm not really into all that nerdy sci-fi stuff that you like, Angel. And I'm like, "No, just trust me, just watch it."

I think a large part of that is this cast of actors. They're remarkable. It's just a remarkable cast and we were repeatedly hit by lightning when we put this cast together. Every part of the puzzle came together perfectly. And it took place over several years too. So it's even more remarkable that it happened at all.

The wonderful ways of TV.

Yeah, I mean it really sometimes is a series of happy accidents.

So did the writer's strike slow down the momentum at all? Were you concerned about keeping up?

It absolutely hurt us. The show was building momentum. It was on eight weeks before the strike started. I think we aired eight episodes and each episode kind of was going up just a little bit in the ratings so it was building. Slowly, but it was building, and it was really exciting because you could see it. A tenth of a ratings point each week going up, that's like one hundred thousand people. A lot of people are coming to the show and that was happening every week last fall and then the strike happened... and it all stopped and it was horrible. There was crying. I mean... there was crying. We had this beautiful little child that got taken away and there was nothing to do about it but hope for the best. And when we came back on the air... three of four months later we had some rebuilding to do. And they moved our timeslot too. Which was a terrific help to us. [He says sarcastically.]

That Monday comedy block, you're doing pretty well there. Both your shows. You're slowly taking over the night.

No, no, no. There's no taking over the night. Just trying to survive the whole process.

Were there any storylines that got pushed up or postponed because of the strike that we'll either see?

No, we're just trying to stay focused on stories that reveal these characters. We're not looking for the big story ideas as much as the ones that... you know the little gems that help you at the end of the episode you kind of feel like you know them better. Those are the better episodes for this genre. It's not meant to execute big moves. It's just not what a half-hour comedy does well. It's a play. Essentially, we're shooting a play in front of an audience. If somebody makes a mistake we shoot it again. But otherwise it's a theatrical presentation. So the smaller ideas present themselves better.

Makes sense. Do you ever worry about putting in too many comic or sci-fi references for the general masses?

I do worry about that. If the show becomes too reference heavy then I think it risks losing a lot of people who are not deeply immersed in the minutia of nerddom. It's a balancing act and every decision is a guess, really. Just making a guess, really. Where is the line? What's too much? What's enough? What's just right?

Does the live audience help with that? You know you hear them and think, "Oh I don't know if they got that?"

You know what's interesting? Now that this is our second year, the live audience generally is full of fans of the show. And they're on top of all the references.

They're like me scanning Battlestar Galactica websites in their spare time.

They respond to Battlestar Galactica references and old sci-fi references. They knew what The Time Machine was last year. And what a Morlock is. So when we shoot the show on Tuesday nights, if you ever come out to LA you should come see it. It's really fun cause the people in the audience are really excited to be there and their response is gratifying. I don't know if that's the same response to people that aren't necessarily living and breathing this kind of material.

I don't know. My dad loves it.

That's good. That's good. That means that the balancing act is working for the time being. It really is a guessing game as to what's too much and also just being true to the characters. You know, you just look at every line of dialogue in every story and say, "Is this legitimate for our show?" And also if it can be done by another show then it's not our show. If it's just a story about a group of guys hanging out, well they're not just a group of guys. They're extraordinary guys. And if we're not reflecting that then it's not.

They can make luminescent fish. They're amazing.

Yes, if they make luminescent fish they're not slackers.

They don't work at your local video store.

No, they don't. You get what I'm saying exactly. We look at every line of dialogue in every story to determine if, "Are we being true to these guys?" Because they're not us so we have to see the world through their eyes.

Any good guest stars coming up this season we should be looking out for?

Well Sara Gilbert is going to be on the show.

I'm very excited that there is a brainy girl too.

And she's terrific. And again it's just another one of those little miracles that we got Sara Gilbert to be part of our ensemble. And we are talking with some other remarkable actors to come on the show. I can't really name names yet cause we're not there yet. I don't want to create any awkward moments for the people we actually haven't signed a deal with. But I hope we can get Laurie Metcalf to come back.

I would love it if she came back. She was so perfect as Sheldon's mom.

That episode just killed. I loved every minute of that. That was one of my favorites last year.

So how did you get this great theme song cause it sticks in your head and there's not a lot of great theme songs on TV right now?

I had the odd idea that you could try and do a twenty second wrap-up of everything that's happened since the birth of the universe 'til now. And I pitched it to Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies and a couple of weeks later he emailed us a guitar vocal demo of that song and it was incredible. I couldn't believe it. I mean we at one point were saying lets just put the demo on and he goes, "No, no no." I want to put the whole band on and do a whole big production number of this thing and I fell in love with the demo."

Well, you being a guitar guy...

We really at some point have to play just the bare bones demo of just him and the guitar, an acoustic guitar. It's terrific. And then the big production number is a whole other animal and now it's the only thing I can imagine being at the top of the show. They just nailed it. All we had to do at that point was just work with them and try and figure out how to edit it so that it could be short enough to air in that tiny window of time at the top of the show. Have you heard... have you seen the whole song? Have you heard the whole song with the pencil line drawing that the guy in England did?

Not yet. I just heard about it.

We found it on youtube. We were going to shoot a video for the song this summer and we found this thing on youtube. This guy is a student in London and he did it as part of a school project. And we just all agreed we can't do any better than this. It's phenomenal. So that's our video. And I think he got a good grade.

I would hope so. So how was Comic-Con for you?

It was exhilarating. I had never been to Comic-Con before and I wasn't really sure if we belonged there. And our reception was, it was, I dunno... I was stunned. I was hoping for a few hundred people in a small room. But what was it? Was it a couple of thousand people? Standing room only and they were so enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the show. We left San Diego three feet off the ground. Everybody in the cast. It was a heartwarming experience to see that the show had meant something to people. It was as meaningful to the people watching it as it is to us. That was terrific.

Comic Con is a big deal. Those fans will let you know if they don't like something.

Yeah. I got that. What I took away most from that was the whole atmosphere of it was a celebration of what people love. And the costumes and all that stuff is just an aspect of that celebration. I just thought the energy there was terrific. We walked around. Just wandered around the convention floor and it was just fun. The whole experience was wonderful.

Right. So now that you've done a sort of Two and a Half Men/CSI crossover, are we ever going to see a Two and a Half Men/Big Bang crossover?

We are toying around with the idea of Jake on Two and a Half Men being tutored by Leonard or Sheldon.

Okay. That would be funny. Well Angus T. Jones cracks me up anyway.

Yeah you know. And what will happen is Charlie and Alan will go to pick him up and get in the elevator and get trapped.

Nobody is supposed to get in that elevator!

If anybody gets in that elevator it would be Charlie and Alan.

That's very true. So I know it's kind of a touchy subject but Two and a Half Men is nominated for a bunch of Emmys. Are you looking forward to it?

It's always fun to get to go to a party.

Okay.

I mean, you get to see people that you haven't seen in a long time. You only generally see other writers you know when you're walking around with a picket sign.

Right. Well hopefully, that doesn't happen again anytime soon.

Yeah. But you know... You get at something like this to see people whose work is really exciting. Matthew Weiner, the guy who created Mad Men. And you get to see, I'm looking forward, hopefully, to meet the guys who created The Wire. So I felt kind of as a fan too you get to see some pretty remarkable people and you get to advertise a tuxedo. Once a year that's all we ask, right?

So you think you have a shot this year? For best comedy?

Nah... Not really. Not really but you know, I'm actually very happy to be able to go and I am very happy to be included in it. But if you glean what you read, no we're not really in contention.

You never know. Stranger things have happened. It is the Emmys.

Uh... okay. [Laughs] If you say so.

Well you know you do kind of have a highly-rated comedy. That should count for something, right? At the end of the day the fans love you.

Yeah, Yeah. You know, look. The fact that we get to keep making the show is what is of paramount importance to me. It's a terrific ensemble. A heartbreak is when you make a TV show and you love what you're doing and you love the people you're working with and then it gets taken away. So what's most important is that we are getting to keep making our show.

Who needs that little piece of metal?

Yeah well, that would be nice. But you know it truly is, it's secondary to that. We get to keep making the show and I've lost sight of that in the past believe me so, I'm trying to stay in gratitude for all the good things. I'm not overly concerned about the things that we don't have.

Are you getting mellow?

I'm trying. Yeah, cause the alternative is to keel over and die while creating a sitcom and how tragic would that be? Died making a sitcom? What a dope.

Now you are putting a little stress on yourself though doing two shows at once...

Gee, you think? [Laughs]

What were you thinking?

Yeah it's kind of a little much but you know I just try to figure it as we go.

Do you feel like you have two kids vying for you attention all the time? How do you deal with that?

You just kind of go where they point you and you surround yourself with really smart people I think is the key to doing this. There are two amazing writing staffs for both shows. Both shows have in my mind perfect ensembles. Talented actors. Keep in mind nobody does this sort of thing alone. If you think you're doing it alone you're a fool and you will fail. So I lean heavily on people I love and trust and have been working with for a long time. I've know Bill for 12 years. We go back to Dharma and Greg. Lee [Aronsohn] and I on Two and a Half Men have been working together since he first came and worked on Grace Under Fire '93 or '94. Anyway I'm running out of gas. I'm going to pull into a gas station. And put a hundred dollars in my gas tank.

Yeah. At least. I heard it went down this morning a little.

I'll tell you right now it is pretty good. $3.99.

Wow. Under $4. That's such a deal.

I'm impressed.

Every couple years somebody writes another article saying sitcoms are dying, comedies are dying... Do you think there is any truth to that? Or do you think they're just sort of looking for an angle?

I don't know. It seems to have been a good story for people to write about. But it's always amazes me that they don't take us into consideration. We're doing great. I think we know what we're doing. We try and makes ourselves laugh and hope that the people who watch the show agree with us that what we are doing is funny. You know you can't presume to know what millions of people might like. You can only trust your own instincts and hope other people agree with you. And if they do you get to keep making TV shows.

Right. Are you crazy enough...

(he continues) They don't...

Oh sorry.

Am I crazy enough? Yes. What was the question?

I was going to say are you crazy enough to be working on any other shows or pilots or projects?

I actually was working on a third idea earlier, then the full depth of my insanity dawned on me and I put it aside.

Someone talked you down from that ledge?

Several people.

Okay. So you're running these two shows with new seasons coming up. Any final thoughts?

Very exciting. On September 22nd both shows hit the ground running. You know we have three shows of Two and a Half Men shot and two episodes of the Big Bang shot. And I couldn't be happier. It just feels like all systems are operating beautifully. And the shows are funnier than ever.

A chat with Johnny Galecki & Jim Parsons by Will Harris

'The Big Bang Theory' was one of the breakout sitcoms of the 2007-2008 season, offering no small amount of geek humor but delivered with impeccable timing by a cast led by sitcom veteran Johnny Galecki ('Roseanne') and relative newcomer Jim Parsons ('Judging Amy'). During CBS's party at the TCA Press Tour, I had an opportunity to speak with both Galecki and Parsons about the first season of the show, the chemistry between the two of them and the rest of the cast, and where they hope Season 2 will take them.

Johnny Galecki (Leonard)

*Before I dive into the 'Big Bang' love, I just wanted to start by saying that your role on 'My Boys' is one of the funniest guest-starring roles I've seen on a sitcom this year.*

Oh, thanks very much! It was a blast to do, as you could probably tell!

How did that come to pass?

I'm friends with Betsy Thomas, who runs the show, from back in Chicago, and my friend Eric Gilliland, who was on 'Roseanne' with me, also writes on the show. Who else? A bunch of people. As you may have noticed that there are a whole lot of Chicagoans over there. They asked me to do a role, and I called Betsy, and I said, "Can I do whatever I want?" She said, "Yeah, sure." I said, "Can I say whatever I want?" She said, "Yeah, sure." Then she called me back about five minutes later and asked, "What do you have in mind?" [Laughs] I said, "You'll see, you'll see...and if you don't like it, you can cut it out." So they just kind of let me run around and be a fool, and no two takes were the same. We had a blast doing it.

Well, you were, indeed, quite a fool.

Oh, yeah!

Okay, so, on to 'Big Bang.' Are you enjoying doing the show?

Very much. I mean, we're constantly laughing. We have a really good time. And it's also extremely professional, and it's a very dedicated, committed group. Nobody's waiting on everyone else. Everybody brings it, and it's a great feeling.

When you went into the show, was there any unspoken agreement that you would not end up with the girl by the end of the first season?

Between who?

Between you and the producers. I mean, so that it wouldn't be too easy. Like, okay, tension's over, they're together!

No, I just let them do their thing and trust them, and they trust us. Everyone once in awhile, we'll tweak each other, but, no, it was one of the reasons that I wanted to play the role, because I'm so often cast as the romantic lead's assistant or best friend or little brother or something like that. And I knew that there was going to be this dynamic to explore at some point. Whether it was actually romantic or not is beside the point. I just like the dance of it all. And I'm curious to know...I don't even know how they're go into handle it come the first episode of Season 2.

So how geeky is the cast? Certainly you're not on the level of your characters, but...

Well, we're geeky about our work. That's what I learned when being asked about geeks and nerds, and having to define that for the first time in my life, what that meant. I found that it's all about anyone who's passionate about anything, and anyone who loves immersing themselves in anything. A lot of rock musicians are nerds, you know? The big, brawny jocks who paint themselves in team colors on their chests and show up shirtless in 20-degree weather for a football game are just as big a nerd as these characters are. They just happen to be nerdy about science and numbers and puzzle and all that. But that's where all of us can relate: we're all theater geeks. We're all theater nerds, you know, and growing up in Chicago where I did, that wasn't looked on as a cool thing, where sports was the thing. I didn't do it to be a rock star. The musicians in Chicago don't play music to be rock stars; it's the athletes who are the rock stars in the Midwest. So that wasn't easy in the school yard. In other words, we all related very much! And we find a lot of the gadgets fun, too. When we're playing video games in the school, generally, we're playing video games! I built a game room on the stage, and we have all of the video game consoles up on the monitors. Silly stuff like that. The paraphernalia has seeped into our interests, definitely.

What was your favorite episode of the first season?

They all kind of melt together after awhile! I mean, I loved what was the second episode...or, in other words, the first episode after the pilot. The pilot felt great, and I definitely felt like there was a chemistry between Jim and I in the pilot, but you never know if stuff like that is a fluke. So the second episode, we were getting a giant box up the stairs, and it was a very physical scene, and we kept getting laughs from the crew, which is pretty rare...not necessarily for our show, because these guys aren't necessarily invested in the rehearsal process. But when Jim and I caught eyes at one point, we realized, "Okay, the pilot wasn't a fluke, this feels right." I guess it's more of a personal memory, but I remember the second episode fondly as the moment where we went, "Okay, maybe we are onto something here." Because of working in the theater, I always go by the audience reaction. I don't trust anything until it's bounced off real people.

What's surprised you the most about the way the show has been received?

You know, I'm really excited that this show has struck a chord. What's surprised me is that the people who've approached me about it — on the street, at the grocery store, in the gym, whatever — want to relate to these characters. Guys who are obviously these big, handsome surfer guys or these gorgeous women will come up and tell me that they're just like our characters...and I'm thinking, "You are so much cooler than our characters!" But whether they can relate or not, they want to...and I would've thought that those kinds of people would be laughing at the characters and not with the characters. That's become really touching to learn: that they want relationships with these people. They're not belittling them with their laughter; they can actually relate to them. And that's really cool.

Jim Parsons (Sheldon)

You pretty much came out of nowhere to star in this show, didn't you? I wasn't really familiar with you before the series premiered last year.

Yeah, well, I'd done things, but nothing that had garnered a whole lot of recognition.

How did you get involved in 'Big Bang Theory'? Was it just a cattle-call kind of audition?

Yeah, my agents just called up and said, "We have an audition for you for this," and they sent me the script, and I went in. It was just a very run-of-the-mill audition. Nothing special about it.

I asked Johnny about the amount of geekdom that you guys have in real life, and he said that it's there in a way, if not quite on the level of the characters.

Oh, no. If nothing else, we're not nearly as smart as they are. But...I don't want to say we're not a cool cast, but we're definitely not the most raucous. We're not a big partying cast, you know?

He said you do play games on the set.

We do have a game room, yes. We have a Wii, which I like very much. I don't play it all that much, because I'm just not into it all, but I do love the bowling on the Wii.

So what was your favorite episode of the first season?

Hmmm. I'm probably going to regret saying one episode, but I will say the one where I was sick. I really loved doing that episode. The only thing that bothered me about it was having to have that nasally sick voice the whole time. Every once in awhile, it would just make you go nuts. But I really loved the set-ups and stuff in there, and...I don't know, I just thought it was a very well balanced episode, with the guys going to the movie to try and avoid me. And I always enjoy it when they have Sheldon and Penny spend time together. I just love it.

My wife is a big fan of the episode where Leonard tells a lie to Penny to get out of going to her play, and Sheldon keeps making the lie bigger and more outrageous.

Oh, yes! That one was very fun to do, because those scenes where I'm trying to explain the lie, and Johnny and I are trying to work it out...I loved to do that. I really enjoyed that one, too. See, I knew it: as soon as I picked one, I'd regret it.

Johnny picked the second episode because it was when he realized the pilot wasn't a fluke, that the chemistry was really there. But was the chemistry really that evident in the pilot?

Pretty much. Yeah, it really was. I guess you really never know all the reasons for something like that, but the whole cast really gets along well...and that sounds so stupid and pat, but I don't mean it that way. It's just that, literally, everybody works together well, and everybody has their own distinct rhythm so much, not only as human beings but as characters and actors when they're on stage. And it allows you to really take life fully with what you're doing and what you're bringing to the character. Everyone's so strong with what they're doing that you're able to just...play together. And it's just a joy when you're out there.

Are there any specific geek references that had to be explained to you in the scripts, so you'd be able to appreciate why they're funny?

You know, I don't know if this one qualifies, but Sheldon went looking for Leonard's birthday present: a 311-N wireless router. And I didn't know what it was until they explained that it's something in an airport, basically, and I said, "Oh, okay." But what I didn't understand...and things like this are just key to any these characters...was how to say it. Was it three-eleven-N or three-point-one-one-N or what? The rest of the problems have just been, like, pronunciation or what the hell is this theory and what the hell are we talking about? But that one specifically had me going, "I'm lost." If I had to go to a store and ask for this, I...I just wouldn't. I'd just show them the piece of paper.

When you guys have theorems or equations on blackboards or whatever, I presume they're authentic.

Oh, yeah, they're authentic! We have David Saltzberg, our consultant from UCLA, and he comes around and checks everything and suggests things. And the good thing about that is that if there's ever a complaint, I can just say, "It's not me, it's that physics guy from UCLA! He did it wrong!" I will never, ever take the fall for that.

Is there anything you'd like to see Sheldon do this season?

You know, I hate to be boring and say, "No," but I have such a good time whenever we get a new episode and I see what they've written for Sheldon to say or for Sheldon to do. I never guess where it's going, and I never have any idea what's going to happen next. I couldn't write one episode, and they're gonna write twenty-something this year. My God! Everyone always asks me if I think Sheldon will ever fall in love, and I do, but I think that's probably a long way off still...and that sounds like a really rocky road to get down, anyway! How in the hell is that gonna happen? He's so clueless in that regard! Not only not knowing what to do, but just not seeing it! He's so singularly focuses on his tasks at hand that I think someone wouldn't just have to flirt with him, they'd literally have to hit him!