Sunday, July 26, 2009

Comic- Con 2009 - The Big Bang Theory Panel Q&A Recap - July 26, 2009

TV Guide Comic-con PanelThe Big Bang Theory was represented at Comic-Con by Chuck Lorre (show co-creator) Bill Prady (Executive producer and co-creator), Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons, Simon Helberg, and Kunal Nayyar. Fun Q&A session and you can definitely tell how much popular that the show has grown since last year’s lower key Q&A session. Here are some of the highlights of the Q&A.

The cast was asked if they had any kind of history with comics and all growing up. Kaley was specifically asked do you really know as little about all the comic stuff as you convincingly play on TV?
Kaley: “Yes. (laughs).”
Johnny: “I did a lot of sketching as a kid. I was a massive Star Wars fan. Still am.”
Jim: “I did the whole Star Wars thing as a kid and that was as far into this as I got except that I wanted to be a meteorologist for a little while and that was as far into science as I got.”
He was asked pertaining to science if he understands the long monologues that Sheldon has?
Jim: “Only to the degree of why is Sheldon bringing this up in part of the conversation. It doesn’t take long to look at that science stuff and realize that you don’t have the mental capacity to get it. I don’t mean that I’m stupid, I mean that it’s very specialized brains doing all that and it drives home the importance of how special these minds are. Short answer no.”
Back to the history of this growing up question.
Kaley: “No. (laughs). I wasn’t into all of this stuff but I have to say that last year being my first time to be at Comic-Con, you all opened me to a brand new world and I really appreciate it.”
Simon: “For me, it’s a huge stretch to play a nerd. (laughs). Kind of a role of a lifetime actually. I was into Star Wars. I carried around a Luke Skywalker toy that I called my man. Then, I would say that I left my man in the car. So, never leave your man in the car or tears will ensue.”
Kunal: “Yeah, I really liked Star Wars. I had a millennium falcon growing up that was really cool.”

Question: The Big Bang Theory has been renewed for two seasons. How was it hearing that news?
Chuck Lorrie: “The renewal goes back a year ago to here after the writers strike. We were just this show and came here and you guys surrounded us by so much support and love. We went back with a lot of enthusiasm and there was no strike and we got to do a full year. The two year pickup has a feeling of people out there getting what we were doing and cared, so thank you to Comic-Con."
Bill Prady: “We talked about riding a Comic-Con high for a long time last year. I’m a big fan boy, Star Trek fan, and many other things. It’s amazing to be on the other side of that kind of relationship with fans of something that you’re working on. People treat our show, not like a sitcom, but like a sci-fi show or something that has characters that are vested in that way. Just a thank you to you guys.”
Question: Feelings on moving to Mondays at 9:30 (eastern time)?
Chuck: “You guys followed us when they put us on at 8 and that is what kept us alive. We did eight shows before the strike took us out in our first season. When the strike was over, CBS put us on at 8:00 and we thought that might be the end of it. You followed us and kept us alive and that was when we got the two year pickup when we did well at 8.”

Something that you’d like to see your characters do?
Kaley: “Playing more video games. That was so fun and I want to put more Cheetos in my hair. I loved being a mess. That was fun.”
Johnny: “I thought that I’d say as long as I was playing Leonard that I hoped that he gets the girl but I’ve gotten more girls playing this role. I didn’t see that coming.”

Question: Since working on the show, has your perception of the word, nerd, changed?
Johnny: “It’s something that we’ve had to think long and hard about because we’re asked about it so much. A nerd, dork, or dweeb is someone who is especially passionate about a few things in their life and have emerced themselves in whatever they’re passionate in. Therefore, other things such as social graces or dating have kind of fallen by the wayside because they enjoy the tunnel vision that they have over whatever they love.”
Kanal: “We talk about these characters not being nerds or geeks persay but sort of being brilliant people so I think that is the way that we look at them. “

Question for Jim since he has been nominated for an Emmy. What kind of reaction and speech would Sheldon give if he won an Emmy?
Jim: “I don’t know if Sheldon would speak at such a ceremony. I think he would find this nominating stuff to be nonsense that there were even a suggestion that people were on par with him.”
This got a lot of laughs and I have to agree with that answer. LOL.

Some other notes from the Q&A. Someone suggested that they do an episode with Sheldon getting called for jury duty and the mess it would create. The creators said that they had discussed doing that episode a couple of years ago joking that only Sheldon would be able to take down the whole council. Galecki was asked if he could pick another Roseanne cast member to guest star and work with on the show, who it would be? He said it would be impossible to name one cause he loved them all. Several yelled out John Goodman and he said that he would love to work with Goodman again. Nice Dr. Horrible twist into this Q&A with a lot of people yelling “Moist” at Simon. Kaley didn’t know what that was and they explained it with him saying that it isn’t a good idea to yell things like that when there is a girl around that doesn’t understand it. LOL. The cast was asked if this show had changed their lives as far as people walking down the street and noticing them. Parsons said that most of the people that come up to them are really nice and sweet people. He doesn’t find it uncomfortable at all and finds it enjoyable to meet people. Galecki said that this summer ranked very different than last summer as far as people approaching them showing that more people have their eyes on the show now. Helberg said that the fan base is really wide with it being kids and then hearing about 60 year old fathers that are obsessed with the show. Overall, very fun Q&A and a fun cast. Love this show and if you aren’t watching it, you REALLY need to. My favorite current sitcom right now. I laugh at it a LOT.

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