Bazinga!
The Big Bang Theory, which first premiered back in September 2007, has now concluded its eleventh season, with the twelfth looming to be its last. Let’s be honest here; the show was a major hit when it first debuted; however, as the years dragged on, so did the show. Do not get me wrong, The Big Bang Theory reached out to a new and diverse range of viewers; however, the ratings over the years seemed to drop significantly.
Well, to be even more honest, I loved watching The Big Bang Theory, whenever I had a chance to watch said show, that is. I am not a television person, but I will watch some movies that I like on television. With that said, the even though The Big Bang Theory is taking a timeout that doesn’t mean you (the viewers) have to. If you are a major fan of the show, then this article should bring you some joy until the show comes back for its twelfth season.
Man, already in its twelfth season; I can remember when The Big Bang Theory first aired on CBS. The show itself brought a breath of fresh air to television. Time and time again, the sitcoms seemed to all follow a certain formula. I am glad that The Big Bang Theory debuted when it did and I am sure the fans did as well. As previously mentioned, since the show is taking a break, let’s take a look at 25 of the things about The Big Bang Theory not many fans will know.
25 Leonard’s Specs
Here is a little interesting piece of information that true fans of the show might not have known all along. During the rehearsal of the pilot of The Big Bang Theory, actor Johnny Galecki, who portrays Dr. Leonard Hofstadter, wore his thick-framed glasses all throughout the rehearsal. It wasn’t until it was actually time for shooting the episode is when producers asked Galecki to remove his glasses. However, Galecki had other thoughts in mind.
Johnny Galecki wanted his character, Leonard Hofstadter, to wear glasses in the show.
Producers gave Galecki the go-ahead to wear his glasses. Before, the producers actually thought Galecki needed glasses and just wore them for rehearsal. Yet, when it came down to actually filming on the set, the glasses became problematic. Every time Galecki’s character looked up at his fellow cast members, the light from the studio lights reflected off the lens of Galecki’s glasses.
How did Galecki fix this problem? Well, Galecki had two solutions: one was his character would have to go on without the glasses, or two, that the lens of the glasses needed to come out in order to give off the effect that Galecki was indeed wearing glasses. Sure enough, Galecki wanted his character to wear glasses so much that he popped the lens out of his frames and continued to wear lensless frames throughout the upcoming seasons.
24 The Actual Doctor In The Show
Yes, that is correct, there is an actual doctor in the house and it is who you might not suspect. The actual doctor is none other than the reoccurring guest (later series regular) Mayim Bialik, who portrays Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, who has been Sheldon’s (Jim Parsons) romantic interest in the show. If one were to observe their interactions with each other, then one will understand when I say that their connection with each other seems highly professional. However, underneath their tech-lingo, lies a subtext where the two characters seem to be actually flirting with one another.
The two characters are surely a match made in heaven.
Even though the show’s characters are supposed to be tech-savvy and rounded scientists, save for Penny (Kaley Cuoco), they do not have degrees as high as their counterparts suggest. In fact, as said before, Bialik is the only cast member to actually hold a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
Along with obtaining her Ph.D., Bialik also wrote a book about parenting based on the science involved in parent-child bonding, which was released back in 2012. This particular fact shocked me because I was convinced that each cast member had some level of degree, judging off their level of intellect alone, but to learn that only one cast member actually held a doctrine degree surprised me.
23 The Names Of Sheldon And Leonard
A fun fact about the two of the main characters, Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) is that their names are derived from the late sitcom producer and actor, Sheldon Leonard, who passed away back in 1997 at the age of 89.
Leonard produced The Andy Griffith Show, The Danny Thomas Show, and much more.
The reason why the two characters were each named after said producer was to give tribute to him. The Big Bang Theory’s producers, Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, are fans of Sheldon Leonard’s work in the past and they felt that by naming two of their cast members with each of his names would be a fitting tribute to the late producer, Sheldon Leonard. Talk about big shoes to fill, am I right?
Before I thought that the names of the characters were just made up names to make their actor’s names sound more “scientific” or “smarter,” if you will. Man, they could have fooled me. But it seems that the producers of The Big Bang Theory hid a little easter egg within the names of its two main characters. One has to think what else has other shows got away with when it comes to small easter eggs.
22 Sheldon Actually Plays The Theremin
Legend has it that Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) taught himself to play the theremin. The theremin is known to be one of the most difficult instruments to learn and play, yet Parsons was able to achieve it. In season four, there was a scene in which Sheldon demonstrated his ability to play said instrument; however, instead of acting how to play the instrument, Parsons actually took it upon himself to learn the instrument instead of faking it.
Fake it until you make it? Jim Parsons did not think so. In fact, he’d rather learn than not.
The theremin is not the only instrument the multi-talented actor knows how to play. Before, Jim Parsons portrayed that he is, in fact, a proficient keyboard and piano player. Jim Parsons is an all-around talent when it comes to acting and playing instruments.
What is the theremin? Well, to my knowledge it is an electronic musical instrument in which the tone is generated by two high-frequency oscillators and the pitch controlled by the movement of the performer’s hand towards and away from the circuit. Come to think of it, this instrument is highly fitting for Parsons’ character in The Big Bang Theory.
21 Raj The Silent
If you (the reader) are an avid viewer of The Big Bang Theory, then Raj’s (Kunal Nayyar) luck with women comes to no surprise. Yes, Raj seems to be quite standoffish and very mute when it comes to talking to co-workers, friends, and new acquaintances that are not females he is related to.
However, Raj gains confidence only by drinking during social events on the show.
Raj suffers from social anxiety and selective mutism, which, as said before, is the cause of him not engaging with others, especially with members of the opposite gender. All the other cast members, even Sheldon Cooper has no trouble in engaging with the opposite gender. The inspiration for Raj’s character and traits come from executive producer Bill Prady’s old co-worker back when they both used to be programmers.
This little fact about Raj is particularly interesting because I, for one, had no idea that the inspiration for his character came from a friend of the executive producer’s inability to speak with women. In a way, I feel bad for Raj; however, when he has too much, he can be very outgoing and at times overbearing. I, too can coincide with Raj’s character.
20 Actual Scientists Appeared On The Show
Even though The Big Bang Theory is a show about scientists who live together and spend almost every waking minute of their lives together, actual renowned scientists made guest appearances on the show.
Yes, actual renowned and distinguished scientists appeared in The Big Bang Theory.
Well, who are these said scientists? Well, one of these professionals was previously mentioned as she was a regular guest on the show. The first scientist on the show is none other that Mayim Bialik, as she holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. Bialik is not the only scientist who had appeared on The Big Bang Theory. There were others, such as Neil deGrasse Tyson, America’s most famous astrophysicist, and Bill Nye, best known as “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” who appeared season seven of The Big Bang Theory. Other scientists include Mike Massimino, who is an astronaut who made two trips to space to work on the Hubble Space Telescope.
Other notable scientists and great minds that blessed the screen with their presence were Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and Tesla, and Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple. These are just a handle of big shots who appeared on the set of The Big Bang Theory. Man, talk about a lot of brains in one room!
19 Cooper Is A Star Trek Fan, Yet Parsons Is Not!
So, apparently, the renowned Dr. Sheldon Cooper is not entirely who he seems to be. What does that mean? Well, Jim Parsons had confessed that even though his character Sheldon Cooper is a huge Star Trek fan, the actor is not.
In fact, Jim Parsons is a big fan of the award-winning television series, Grey’s Anatomy.
Parsons went to the extent to explain how he has never seen an episode of Star Trek and simply does not care for it, for that matter. Even though Parsons portrays a geeky scientist on The Big Bang Theory, he does not like most of the things or shows he references in the show. In fact, he enjoys mostly mainstream things. If you think that’s bizarre, Parsons is not a nerdy type of guy, but actual loves sports.
Yes, Parsons is not a geeky scientist playing Dungeons and Dragons until the late hours of the night like his character Sheldon Cooper; he actually watches baseball, tennis, and other various sports in his free time. Man, Parsons could have fooled me. Here I thought he had some love for Star Trek, but as it seems, he has no knowledge of the show at all, except what the actor is scripted to say.
18 No New Purses For Penny
With all the bizarre facts that surrounded The Big Bang Theory, this fact has surely taken the cake, at least from my perspective. It is a common theory that Penny has used the same purse since season one, episode one. With that said, wouldn’t Penny (Kaley Cuoco) want a new purse by now? Who knows, maybe the choice for Penny not to get a new purse was a choice the producers of the show agreed not to change because it adds to the actress’ character.
For whichever reason, the fact is, Penny’s purse has not changed.
The purse could be the only aspect of the show that holds some sort of consistency throughout the show. The Lucky Brand slouch hobo bag seemed to survive multiple breakups with Penny’s men that seemed to come and go on the show, even her relationship with co-star Johnny Galecki’s Leonard Hofstadter.
However, like the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. In the later seasons, the purse changes, but not much in appearance. The new purse, which Penny acquires, is still brown, big, and slouchy. A girl knows what she likes and is not afraid to get the same style of bag, repeatedly.
17 Johnny Galecki As Sheldon Cooper?
Apparently, there were multiple tryouts for the lead role of Dr. Sheldon Cooper. One of those people who actually auditioned for the role was none other than Johnny Galecki, better known for his role as Leonard Hofstadter on CBS’s The Big Bang Theory. Yes, that is right: Galecki actually tried out for the Cooper’s role. However, things did not go according to plan.
Originally, Galecki wanted to play Sheldon Cooper. However, he felt like the role of Leonard Hofstadter suited him better.
When the auditions first took place, Galecki nailed the spot of Sheldon Cooper; however, Galecki wanted to explore new and romantic avenues, which the character of Leonard could afford him in The Big Bang Theory. Even though both characters had some romantic elements to them, hence Leonard with Penny and Sheldon with Amy, one fact still remains: Galecki could have chosen each role and still ended up with a romantic element. So it is not like he chose wrongly when the casting call came. Quite frankly, he chose the perfect role for him. Can you imagine The Big Bang Theory without Jim Parsons as Sheldon? The whole show would have a different element altogether. Would the show even hold the same effect today if the roles had been cast differently?
16 CalTech Students Appeared On The Show
The Big Bang Theory spends most of its time around the group’s apartment, yet it also shows the viewers where these group of doctors actually work on the show. Yes, Sheldon, Howard, Raj, and Leonard all work at their alma mater, Cal-Tech, located in Pasadena, California. The institute is a real place, even if the show’s characters are works of fiction.
Since the most of the show’s locations are found in the institution, it is only natural for the students of the institution to go and view the making of one of the shows that highly uses their location for spots to film.
That is pretty interesting to have actual Cal-Tech students appear on set of the show then partake in some of the shows. How lucky for those students to be able to hang out with members of the cast and crew in making of The Big Bang Theory. It must be a true fan’s dream come true.
Frankly, I would love to be able to do such that. I am a big fan of Jim Parsons’ character Sheldon Cooper. I would have wanted to ask him so many questions about what it takes to get into his character. But in all seriousness, the fact that Cal-Tech students get to hang out on set is pretty cool.
15 Lucky Number 73
What is up with the number 73? Well, if you are a true fan of The Big Bang Theory, then you would have noticed how many times Sheldon Cooper has worn shirts with the number on them. Well, to be completely honest with you, I have not given this issue much thought, but to my knowledge, I know that it is Jim Parsons’ favorite number.
In the show, 73 is referred to the Chuck Norris of all numbers. I bet you are wondering why 73 is referred to as the Chuck Norris of all numbers. Well, to be honest, it is the year the actor Jim Parsons was born. He was born in 1973.
Another key fact on why both actor and character like the number 73 so much is that it has properties that other number simply do not have. For all the reasons why the number 73 appears multiple times on the show, I believe that the key purpose is that it coincides with the actor’s actual birthday. Sure, the show can mention a grip of scientific references on why Parsons’ character likes the number so much, but I really feel like it’s because of the year he was born in. But that’s just my take!
14 Soft Kitty
Nursery rhymes, songs, and games seemed to comfort children during troubling times. However, in The Big Bang Theory, the song that Sheldon Cooper’s mother Mary Cooper sings to him seems to be all warm and fuzzy. The name of the song is called Soft Kitty. But what does it mean?
Well, in The Big Bang Theory, the song is from Sheldon’s childhood. However, it has a much more ancient history than that. In Polish lore, the children’s lullaby originated in the 18th century. Even though this is a harmless children’s lullaby, the words were modified in order for the showrunners to could have the rights for their version, the version Sheldon’s mother sings to him when he is ill. However, that did not stop the show from being sued due to copyright infringement.
In my opinion, this lawsuit seemed rather pointless and an excuse to gain money. Do you remember when singing Happy Birthday was being threatened as well? Well, said lawsuit reminded me of Soft Kitty being fought over. Come on guys, it is just a song. Overall, I sing soft kitty every time I see my little kitty, which happens to be a stray cat.
13 Rare Sightings Of Howard’s Mother
Who remembers cartoons where the adults usually have no faces, only voices? Well, that seems to be the case when it comes to Mrs. Wolowitz, who was portrayed by the late Carol Ann Susi.
The very first time that Howard Wolowitz’s mother is seen ever on the show is when Raj is over at her house for supper. You are probably wondering why Raj was at her house for supper, right? Well, it seemed that Raj owed Howard a favor, and that favor was that Raj would keep Howard’s mother company while he and his love, Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz could have some alone time.
Howard’s mother could be overbearing and overprotective.
So, you can see why Howard would do anything to escape his mother’s clutches. In the actual show, a good majority of the time the audience only hears the mother’s overpowering voice as she screams from what appears to be another room in her house to her son Howard. The fact that Mrs. Wolowitz screams instead of walks to her son’s room only clarifies what the other cast members have described in the show that Mrs. Wolowtiz is a big lady. So, moving around the house is not something she will do if she can just scream your name when she wants something.
12 No Last Name, Penny?
Even though all other characters, even characters without faces, have first and last names, one main character remains to have no last name at all: Penny (Kaley Cuoco). Throughout the eleven seasons, to this date, no one, not even the show’s producers, know what Penny’s name actually is.
Penny is a unique one-name gal, kind of like the singer Cher.
When asked about her last name, showrunners described how they are a superstitious bunch of people and that they made it this far without giving Penny a last name. Even Penny’s father, portrayed by Keith Carradine, did not have a last name. The showrunners promised that eventually Penny’s last name will be revealed. Really? Hopefully, Penny gets a last name soon before the show comes to a complete end.
Penny’s absent last name leaves her character in a shroud of mystery. Even though executive producer Bill Prady eventually wants to reveal Penny’s secret identity, another executive producer, Steve Molaro, wanted Penny’s last name to remain a complete mystery. Frankly, I don’t believe that having a last name really does much for a character, especially in this late in the game. If the producers do decide to give Penny a last name, I hope it’s unique and cool.
11 Penny And Leonard Actually Dated
Yes! Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) dated, not just on The Big Bang Theory, but in reality. Even though their television counterparts dated off and on throughout the seasons, eventually tying the knot, they themselves only lasted about one year. How did Cuoco and Galecki keep such a professional level friendship?
Good question. Usually, celebrity relationships that have gone awry end pretty poorly; however that does not seem to be the case for these two actors. Throughout the years, these two have kept their friendship intact even with the surrounding rumors about their social lives. Personally, I would try my hardest to not date anyone that I work with, it almost never works out in the end.
Then again there are those couples who seem to make it work just fine. I’m sure whichever the case for Galecki and Cuoco, that it ended for good reasons. So yes, these two used to date and it did not end well for their romantic relationship, yet their friendship remained intact. Isn’t that what really matters in the long run? Luckily for them that they remained friends, because work would become a very awkward space for them to be.
10 Broken Leg, But No Broken Spirit
During an unfortunate horseback riding accident, Kaley Cuoco broke her leg as season four of The Big Bang Theory was closing in. How did she break her leg? Well, at first Cuoco fell off her horse and landed pretty gently to the ground. Cuoco laughed about the incident at first because she felt no pain; however, the horse itself had other plans for her.
The horse landed on Cuoco’s leg, causing it to break.
At first the pain was non-existent; however, when she tried to get up, she noticed her foot was facing the wrong way. Initially, Cuoco thought that her foot seemed bizarre until she tried to rise from the ground to only find her leg dangling. Paramedics had to cut the boot off, revealing her leg to be shattered. Doctors gave Cuoco the option to amputate her leg.
The doctors were afraid the leg could become infected and told Cuoco that she might come out of surgery with only one leg. However, the doctors instead placed two metal bars in her leg. Cuoco was hospitalized for two weeks, which caused her to be written off two whole episodes of The Big Bang Theory. When Cuoco came back on set, writers gave her character, Penny, a job behind the bar as a waitress to hide the cast on her leg.
9 The Ghost Writer
Confused by the high-tech vocabulary of the characters of The Big Bang Theory? Do not worry, you are not alone… well, for the most part. Ever wonder where the writers get their material? I sure do. I sit there every time I watch The Big Bang Theory and say to myself, “Geez I wonder if what the characters are actually saying means anything at all.” Sure enough, it does.
Behind the scenes is real-life professor David Saltzberg of UCLA. Saltzberg studies high-energy particles physics and high energy neutrino astronomy. Saltzberg is The Big Bang Theory’s science consultant when it comes down to writing the scripts for each episode. Each week Saltzberg would attend the show’s live taping.
Unfinished scripts would be passed to Saltzberg in order for him to work his magic.
So, there you have it: the scientific-lingo is not made up at all, or at least by non-experts. It is pretty clever of the show’s creators to bring in an expert to help write and clarify any matters pertaining to science for that matter. Not only did Saltzberg show them some pointers on how a scientist should talk, but also showed the showrunners how a scientist should live, as they visited several dorms and apartments of grad students studying similar fields.
8 Real Scientist Names On White Boards
Legend has it that on the whiteboards that appear on the show, The Big Bang Theory has names of renowned scientists on them. Amongst the scribbles of formulas and other mathematical terms, slightly visible are the names of scientists that have appeared on the show and some that have not. Hidden messages can be seen on the whiteboards if looked at carefully.
With that said, it is no surprise that the names marked on the whiteboards are tributes to those scientists that had impacted the show in some way. I am sure certain scientists have blessed the whiteboards found in Sheldon’s apartment and Leonard’s workspace, however, the real magic lies not on the whiteboards but on the way the scientists helped the show out.
Other scribbles on the whiteboards also indicate small jokes hidden in plain sight; however, as the cameras cut from one actor to the next, only glimpses can be seen of these scribbles. One must have a super keen eye when it comes to spotting out a name or a joke on Sheldon’s whiteboard for that matter. The whiteboards are often used for gags in the show, as well, in addition to these shoutouts.
7 Bazinga, The Orchid Bee
Bazinga! No, it is not just a catchphrase commonly used by The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper. Thanks to the recent discoveries made by Brazilian biologist Andre Nemesio, he named his discovery of the new bee after his favorite scientist’s catchphrase, Bazinga.
The official name of the new species of orchid bee is Euglossa Bazinga.
Nemesio published his paper last month in Zootaxa, a journal for worldwide zoological taxonomists. The showrunners were extremely flattered when the science community embraces our show. With that said, the new species of the orchid bee is a marvel to look upon, as recent pictures had shown. Personally, I would love for someone to admire my work. That would be a dream come true for the most part. However, I wonder what new discoveries will be made as the years go by and if they will also be named after characters or elements from the Big Bang Theory.
Nemesio must have been a big fan of the show to name his new discovery after a simple catchphrase, which means absolutely nothing. In truth, if I were that scientist, I would probably have named my discovery something more meaningful, but to each his own.
6 Behind The Wheel With Sheldon Cooper
If you have ever seen The Big Bang Theory, then you have already asked yourself this question. Why doesn’t Sheldon Cooper ever drive on the show? Every episode in which there is a car scene, Sheldon is either riding shotgun or passenger in the back, never taking the wheel himself. Mystery? For that, as a matter of fact, it is not a mystery at all; the result is quite fascinating, to be quite honest. Jim Parsons drives in reality; however, he hates to be the passenger.
Are you kidding me? How is that even possible? Parsons plays a non-driving scientist to a tee and in reality, he hates being the passenger because he gets motion sickness really easy. Talk about a Bazinga, alright, I am baffled.
Well, I guess it is not too baffling, but still, how ironic that Parsons’ television counterpart loathes driving, but in reality, he would rather be behind the wheel than not, all for the sake of not getting sick. I know exactly how Parsons feels; I would gladly get behind the wheel, I too get motion sickness really easily, so I totally understand where The Big Bang Theory star is really coming from.
