Johnny Galecki: Series Star Gets 'Bang' Out Of Funny Physics

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Series star gets 'Bang' out of funny physics
By PAT DOUGLAS
Tribune Staff Writer

Sometimes all it takes is an unorthodox idea to spark the interest of the fickle television watching community. That's how a notion incorporating physics into the plotline of a comedy-based television show ended up garnering big laughs and ultimately big ratings for CBS.

"The Big Bang Theory" is based on the goings on of an eclectic group of friends. While most people would be able to solve a Rubic's cube faster than they could grasp the basics of physics, the intention wasn't necessarily to reach a crowd with a vast knowledge of such things.

"(There's) more to these guys than their geek or nerd traits or whatever you want to call them," said actor Johnny Galecki in a phone interview with the Tribune from his home in Los

Angeles. "For some reason, the cool kids seem to want to claim relations to these characters as opposed to laughing at them."

If you have trouble following what is said on the show from time to time, don't feel bad, even the actors have their occasional issues with the subject matter.

"The responsible actor in you wants to know what you're talking about," Galecki said. "Sometimes it does get to a point where there are limitations of the mind. To a certain degree I'll understand enough to know where to put inflection ... but, I just don't have that kind of mind to fully grasp the line that some sort of profound physics observation or comment is."

"I don't understand 99 percent of what I'm saying myself," he said with a laugh.

Galecki plays Leonard on the show. He shares an apartment with the incredibly smart Sheldon. While the script is peppered with physics jokes, Galecki noted that you don't have to understand them to find the dialogue funny.

"I think the writers have done a great job with making a show that's so involved with physics and doesn't turn people off that don't understand it and vice versa," said Galecki. "I (also) hear from people that really enjoy getting the inside jokes of the physics."

The show originated when producer Chuck Lorre reached out to Galecki with an idea he had about a physics comedy. The two knew each other after working together briefly on "Roseanne," on which Galecki played the role of David, Darlene's boyfriend.

"I started to kick around maybe doing a live audience television show again," recalled Galecki, who has spent a lot of time since "Roseanne" acting in theater and in movies. "Chuck kind of called at the perfect time and told me about this idea that he had."

Soon, producer Bill Prady and actor Jim Parsons were brought into the mix and a couple of pilots were made.

"It was about a two-and-a-half-year process to get it through from the time that Chuck called me 'til it finally aired," said Galecki who also had roles in films such as "Suicide Kings," "Vanilla Sky," "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and as a young Rusty in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation."

Initially, Galecki was to play the role of Sheldon, although early on he requested a switch to Leonard. In came Parsons who stepped into Sheldon's shoes and ran with the character.

"Jim Parsons is so incredible in that role that I can't imagine anyone else, including myself, doing it," Galecki said of Parsons. "Nobody can hold a candle to what he does as Sheldon. I love working with him. We have similar processes of how we work and similar senses of humor. I can't say enough good things about him. That man is sitcom gold. He's just a comic genius."

It was announced in February that the show would return for a second season, something that generated a lot of excitement amongst the "Big Bang" camp.

"The fact that people have found this show and taken a liking to it is really touching," Galecki said. "I want the show to do well and ... I want people to feel a kinship to the characters. It was so galvanizing to learn that (the network) was supporting us after our involvement and investment in this show."

Crossing his fingers for success with "Big Bang," Galecki knows what it's like to be part of a mega-successful television show after "Roseanne," which can be seen any day of the week in syndication. The actor looks back on his time with "Roseanne" with nothing but fondness and views it as a huge stepping stone in his development as an actor.

"Roseanne, who comes from the comic world obviously and who likes to wing it more than anything, and John (Goodman) who's a very disciplined film actor ... to be able to watch them and create my own amalgamation of a process that worked for me, obviously I couldn't have had better examples," said Galecki. "I wasn't an actor before I did that show, I don't think."

Now that the writer's strike is over, the actors on "Big Bang" are glad to be back to work, despite having a busy time catching up with a backlog of shows.

"It went from zero to 60 in .2 seconds here as soon as the strike ended," Galecki said with a chuckle. "We were ecstatic to get back. It kind of feels like not a day passed."

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