Mayim Bialik shares worst moment
But she really likes Neil Patrick Harris.
Mayim Bialik kicks off the new year as the lead in the new Fox comedy “Call Me Kat,” which is based on the BBC sitcom “Miranda.”
“We’re doing an American version, which means more of an American sensibility, so we’ve adjusted it around my quirks and my personality,” said Bialik. “‘Call Me Kat’ is about a 39-year-old woman who doesn’t have it all and is still happy. She is alone a lot, aswomenwhoare single tend to be, but that doesn’t mean she’s lonely.”
Bialik’s career took off after playing a preteen version of Bette Midler in 1988′s “Beaches,” but formany she’s most famous for her long run on “The Big Bang Theory.” Of course Bialik is no stranger to playing a title character in a sitcom; she starred on “Blossom,” which ran from 1991 to 1995.
Whenaskedtoshareaworst moment fromher career, she recalled a story that occurred during her “Blossom” years. “It’s a really goodone because it’s about a very famous person,” she said.
My worst moment …
“Neil Patrick Harris and I were friends as teenagers. We had the same agent and we ran in the same social circles. (At the time, Harris starred on “Doogie Howser, M.D.”) He was very cerebral and I was too, so we weren’t the party kids. We had a lot of fun times togetherasteenagers, wewere these nerdy child star people.
“Anyway, Neil had just started doing theater and he was cast in ‘Rent’ (as Mark). And I was super excited for him. Iwas 17 so thiswas probably 1992 or 1993. So I go and see him in ‘Rent’ and I was
withmy parents and the person I was dating at this time. And Neil gets us these really nice seats up front.
“Now I have to say, I’m an old-fashioned Broadway fan — like, 1950s — but I’m not a huge Broadway fan. It’s just notmy thing. A lot of people are surprisedtohear that, and apparently it’s a crime in certain circles (laughs). So I’m not a huge Broadway fan, but I was so happy for him and I was excited to see him.
“Sowe go and he’s terrific, but— allmy respect to‘Rent’— it’s just notmy cup of tea. It’s notmything. Buttheaudience had a lot of screaming girls, it was a madhouse. And when it came time for the curtain call, everyone was on their feet before the actors even came out.
“And I was maybe in the second row. And I turned to my boyfriend andwas like, ‘I am not going to stand up for this.’ And then therewas Neil Patrick Harris on the stage, practically standing over me and I’m certain he could read my lips. So I jump to my feet andI’mapplaudingandagain, he was fantastic — everyone was fantastic! — it just wasn’t my thing.
“So we go backstage afterwardsandmyparentsarelike, ‘He’snotgoingtosayanything, he didn’t hear you.’ And God bless Neil — this is what our relationshipwaslike— hegoes, ‘Why did you say youweren’t going to stand up?’ (Laughs) Itwas so awkward. And Iwas like, ‘Neil, youwere so amazing, I just wasn’t on my feet yet but I’m so proud of you!’
“It was the worst feeling. And I wrote him a note after, I don’t know if he ever got it.
Our social circles shifted anyway but I’m certain it ended our friendship. I’ve seen him since, but it’s one of those stories where there’s no way to feel good about what happened. Just no way. It’s terrible.”
There is a tendency, especially when it’s a big splashy theater production, for audiencestogivestandingovations even if the showwas just OK.
“Exactly! Everything gets standing ovations. I’m a snob, that’s the thing.
“And he was fantastic. Everyone was so talented. I just (laughs) wasn’t ready to stand up. The fact that I literallysaiditandthenpivotedmy head back to the stage and he wasstaringmedeadintheeye, it was like a sitcom moment. The lightswere up, therewas nowhere to hide.
“Thefact thathe could read my lips is so Neil, the man is so good with details. Heknew exactlywhat I said. Itwas the worst. There’s no, ‘Oh, he’ll understand.’ There’s nomaking it better.”
ThekindsofTVshowsBialik does also have curtain calls after each taping.
“Correct. Everybody stands up and I think that’s ridiculous! Stay in your seats! But also, they’ve been sitting for six hours (laughs). I’ve totally noticedwhensomeonedoesn’t stand but I don’t take it personally, I assume that everyone hates me all the time.
“And I do think standing ovations are overrated in general. On TV shows, it’s part of the vibe; there’s a warmup person who’s like, ‘Hey, everybody on your feet!’ It’s like ‘The Price is Right,’ you’d stand for that.
“It’sstillpainfulwhenIthink about it. And the thing is, I’m a mom and you’re supposed to tell your kids, ‘You won’t remember this in a year,’ but there are certain things you just never forget. Look, I’m a neuroscientist (Bialik earned a PhD in neuroscience from
UCLA in 2007) and I can tell you certain things are salient enough emotional experiences that, depending upon your brain, it’ll stay with you. This level of shameandguilt is not going to go away. I know I did my best to remedy it in the moment and I did reach out to him.
“Sooneof twothings ispossible. He completely doesn’t even remember this and would think that I’m ridiculous for bringing it up. Or he remembersit very specifically (laughs).
“My ex-husband loves this storybecauseit’saveryMayim story. The only thing missing is me tripping in front of everyone on the way to go backstage.”
The takeaway …
“I get right on my feet for every curtain call and I stand for thewhole time until security tells me to sit down (laughs).
“But seriously, here’swhat I learned: Standforyourfriends. Nomatterwhatandas soonas youhavetheopportunity.Even if they’re terrible, it doesn’t matter: Stand any time anyone does anything (laughs).”