Being one of the biggest sitcoms of the 21st century, The Big Bang Theory was no stranger to major guest appearances, which involved the likes of Charlie Sheen, Carrie Fisher, Stan Lee, etc. Moreover, it was common for scientists and physicists to pay a visit to the sitcom as it was notable among the science community for making subjects, including Physics and astronomy, look cool.
Stephen Hawking too visited the TBBT set, but his arrival proved to be stressful for Simon Helberg, as he was tasked with one action from the showrunners, which could’ve offended the cosmologist.
Simon Helberg Was Terrified of Potentially Offending Stephen Hawking
Unlike his onscreen counterpart, Howard Wolowitz, who wasn’t exactly the nicest guy to be around in TBBT‘s earlier seasons, off-screen, Simon Helberg is a lot more reserved. As a result, when was tasked to mimic Stephen Hawking during the physicist’s appearance on the show, the actor was extremely nervous. Speaking with Conan O’Brian, the actor recalled:
I had to do this scene where I did an impression of him, for him, in front of, and it’s kind of… I mean it’s, you know, he’s severely disabled, and I am kind of making fun of his voice… And so, I have to do this thing where I, in front of him, and it had to be. I asked the producers to clear it… I mean I didn’t want him to stand up and beat me. No, I did not want to pick on him. He’s brilliant and, and, it’s not fair.
Opposed to his doubts of potentially offending the physicist, Helberg revealed the late scientist was a good sport about the joke and even cracked a smile after the actor’s spot-on impression.
Another The Big Bang Theory Guest Wasn’t Too Fond of the Sitcom
While Hawking enjoyed his brief stay on the sets of TBBT, another guest star had some less-than-thrilling words about the Chuck Lorre-led show.
Charlie Sheen, who appeared in episode 4 of season 2, deemed (via The Guardian) the sitcom lame, stressing its lone saving grace was the kids.
I’m sorry, but Big Bang Theory is a piece of sh-t – it’s a stupid show and it’s just lame, about lame people. I like the kids in it, but that show without us as a lead-in is… goodbye. And I’m rooting for those kids, because I know who they’re dealing with. The fact that they’re still sane is crazy.
Although Sheen also engaged in a feud with Lorre, who also served as the showrunner for Two and a Half Men, the two did end up reconciling a decade later.
The Big Bang Theory is available to stream on Max.
