Oscar winner Patty Duke really wants to play Sheldon’s MeeMaw on The Big Bang Theory, so she recorded the song Soft Kitty to convince the producers to give the Emmy winner a shot. But she isn’t the only one trying land her the coveted role, her fans have started a Facebook page to help guest star on the #1 sitcom.
I think she would be perfect for Moonpie’s MeeMaw and I hope they write the part for her. Seriously wouldn’t you love to see her on the show and maybe she can even duke it out with Evil Wil Wheaton’s grandmother because she is sick of the way the Stand By Me star has been treating her favorite grandson?
Instead of calling her Anna, let’s call her MeeMaw!!!
NCIS is airing its season finale tonight on CBS at 8p and last week executive producer Gary Glassberg talked about the #1 scripted show on TV.
NCIS celebrated it’s 200th episode a rarity in primetime and it did while being the most watched show on TV which is unheard of. So how does a show that has been on the air for nine years do that? Well here is what Glasberg said on that, “I think the real reason that this show is the success that is, is that cast. It’s a phenomenal group of actors and they know how to do this television show better than anybody. I know I can hand them material and we as a group will figure out how to make it work best. To me that is why it works, really.” It’s definitely working according to the numbers.
And there is someone/thign else that the show works with it and that is the N part of NCIS. Glasberg told us, “We are constantly in touch with the Department of Defense, our Navy friends and our friends at the Marine Corps. We are trying to tell a series as close to real time as we can.” He let us on some fast editing they had to when something major broke in the military world with this story, “In the instance of Osama Bin Laden, when that situation was handled, we were actually successful with the Most Wanted Board that is there on the wall. We actually put a line through that, but the episode was long filmed so we had to digitally go back in and put that line in. We did it 24 hours before it aired.”
But it isn’t only real world events that influence the show, as he told us “The Secretary of the Navy and I talk relatively often and he actually periodically comes up with things they would like us to talk about.” When asked for an example he added, “It can be anything from, like two years ago it was all about the Green Initiative. They were switching over to Biofuels and things like that, so we touched on that in an episode. I try to be as truthful to that as I can periodically through the year. It means a lot to them. It grounds the show.” He also made sure to mention that this show means a lot to the Navy, so they do what they can to make them happy.
And what makes the fans happy is the great people they get to guest star on the show. Glasberg said that the Ryan aka Jamie Lee Curtis’ storyline will be addressed tonight and we will know where her future stands with the show. Now I had to know about a celebrity family that two of the members were on the show this year and I wondered if more of them will appear. Glasberg said that Mackenzie Astin could not come back, his other brother Sean could and he would love to have their mom Patty Duke on NCIS. We will have to tune into to season ten to see if that is possible. But before we get to that tune in for the season nine finale tonight.
Many of us first got to know Mackenzie Astin when he played Andy Moffet on The Facts of Life and we followed his career as he starred in movies like Iron Will, Garbage Pail Kids and In Love and War. Recently the actor was seen on Lost playing a pivotal role in Kate’s life and also appearing on a campy episode of Psych as childhood friend of Sean and Gus. He started off this TV season on Grey’s Anatomy as a husband who has to do something unthinkable to save his wife’s life and tonight he is guest starring on the 200th episode of NCIS. When I read he was going to be on the milestone episode, I wanted to see what is up with this extremely talented actor who has been acting for three decades. In fact he is filming a movie right now and graciously took a few minutes to answer my questions.
Seriously? OMG! WTF? – Tell me about your role on the 200th episode of NCIS? Makenzie Astin – Without giving too much away before the episode airs, it’s safe to say that I play a gentleman who finds himself in way over his head.
SOW – What was your mother’s (Patty Duke) reaction when she heard you were going to be on such monumental episode of the show? You know since she is married to an ex-military man? MA – I called her immediately after I found out I got the part, she responded with a shriek of joy, and I’ve yet to regain hearing in my right ear. Mom and her husband Michael (the former Sergeant First Class in the United States Army) have been fans of the show since well before its 100th episode, so to say that they were excited to hear about my appearance would be quite an understatement.
SOW – You have been on two huge episodes this season. First was the two-part season premiere of Grey’s Anatomy and now the 200th episode of NCIS. Do you only insist on doing the milestone episodes? LOL MA – That’s exactly right, my representatives have been instructed to ignore any auditions that aren’t for important episodes. (#sarcasm)
The truth is, I’ve been fortunate recently to be the right guy for the part in the eyes of some successful executives. (#humblebrag)
SOW – You are currently working on a movie called Elf-Man, can you tell me about that movie? Do you know when it is coming out and such? MA – Elf-Man is underway here in Frederick, Maryland and it’s shaping up to be a whole bunch of family fun. We should be finished by the end of the month and we’re aiming for a Christmas 2012 release. The story follows Jason “Wee-Man†Acuna as one of Santa’s Elves discovering his greatest strengths as he rescues a family from peril on Christmas Eve. (Jason is amazing, both on-screen and off.)
SOW – What else do you have anything else coming up? MA – Well, pilot season has begun in Los Angeles so to paraphrase Bug Bunny: I’m hunting pilots. Things should really be heating up by the time I get back to L.A., and I’m looking forward to giving myself the opportunity to go to work on something people enjoy.
Even though Mackenzie is a Hollywood legacy, being the son of John Astin and Patty Duke, it is nice to see that he has remained humbled. His answers sincerely made me chuckle and I hope they did the same for you.
If you missed him on tonight’s important NCIS, you can watch the full episode on CBS.
Hopefully he will land a pilot and that show gets picked up, so we can have back on TV really soon.
Thank you so very much to Mackenzie Astin for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions and thank you to Jennifer Astin for setting it up.
Tonight at 10p on CBS Carrie (Poppy Montgomery) gets an Unforgettable phone call. A man calls her at the police station to tell her she needs to be somewhere, that he doesn’t identify, within 15 minutes to stop another sniper like killing. She gets there in time, but is unable to stop the shooting that is within inches of her.
When Carrie gets back to the station, she gets another call from the killer with another riddle for her to solve. Now the caller and her are playing a cat and mouse game who can catch who first. Will she be able to figure out who her mystery caller is before he kills again or will he escape her trap to play again in another episode. Tune into find out in this thrilling episode that you won’t soon forget.
Jane Curtain joins the show tonight as the recently reassigned Medical Examiner Joanne Webster, who will befriend Carrie because both women really get each other. Curtain is a great add to the show, who is just as good in a drama as she is on a sitcom.
Before you tune into Unforgettable at 10p, watch NCIS hit a huge milestone at 8p on CBS. The #1 show on television after being on the air nine years, celebrates its 200th episode. Something very few shows can say and tonight’s episode will bring back several people from the past to honor the special episode. Mackenzie Astin also makes a guest appearance on the show.
Today is Patty Duke’s 65th birthday and to celebrate the momentous occasion she signed up for social security in her PJs online. It looks like it was a miracle for The Miracle Worker who admitted on the video that she is not the best with computers. Even though she is not the most computer literate, with the help of her husband she was able to get it done. Once she was finished, she got emotional that something she was talking about for a while was finally done.
We all get older and I love that she is doing it with such grace and shared that special moment with us. We should celebrate huge birthdays as we get older like that and not run from them. Says the girl who is turning 21 again…
But seriously huge congrats to the amazing actress who inspired me so much with her book Call Me Anna and everything she has accomplished. Happy Birthday Anna!
Side note that book made me fall in love with her ex-husband John Astin for some weird reason. And right after I read it, I actually met Gomez and he was even more charming and sexier in person! I just love that whole family John Astin, Patty Duke and their two gorgeous sons Sean Astin and Mackenzie Astin! Additional note, I have met all of them except her and I sincerely hope to do that some day.
