TVSquad Talks To Rick Fox about His "Big Bang Theory" Appearance

[JamesG]

Rick Fox on Competing with Wolowitz on Tonight's "Big Bang Theory"
by Joel Keller
posted Jan 20th 2011


If you're a fan of "The Big Bang Theory", you know how much of a struggle it's been for smarmy, velour-clad engineer Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) to land a regular girlfriend.

If you could think of someone who is the complete opposite of Wolowitz in every way, he'd probably look a lot like former NBA star Rick Fox. Now imagine that man being the former boyfriend of Wolowitz's current squeeze, Bernadette (Melissa Rauch).

Comedy gold, right?





We'll find out tonight at 8PM ET on CBS, when the gang goes to a conference and Bernadette runs into Fox, playing a professor named Glenn who's there to do a lecute on global warming.

Exepect a lot of jokes about height, clothes, relative handsomeness, and a whole lot of ribbing that's not going to reflect well on Howard at all.







You're going to be playing Bernadette's ex-boyfriend?

(laughing) Yeah. Professor Glenn.

Basically we're at a symposium and I'm there to give a speech on global warming. And Bernadette is there with Wolowitz and the rest of the cast. So we have history as a couple, and I'm surprised to see her in a relationship.







Is there a lot of shock and surprise that her ex-boyfriend pretty much looks the opposite of Wolowitz in just every single significant way?

(laughing) Yeah, it's the perfect villain for Wolowitz's world, to have to run into someone, without giving it away, it's very funny humor on his part as the episode goes along.

But yeah, you know, I physically and visually look completely opposite than what I'm sure he expected to ever run into. And just even in size, I look like I would roll off a football field. And yet, here I am, at this symposium, giving a speech on global warming, and so I have some intelligence myself.



I don't know, I'd like to think that, you know, I would appear to be, if I was to compete with Wolowitz physically, would have the edge up, but in terms of intellectually, you know, I think that's definitely where he succeeds and competes.

And that's something that has always challenged my character in this world, wanting to be seen as intelligent as well.









And you're not dressed like you're coming out of some 1970's porn film like Wolowitz does or anything like that.
You look like Rick Fox, right?

(laughing) Yeah, I'm dressed like a professional getting ready to give a speech. More Al Gore-like than "That '70's Show".









Did you have to audition for this or did the producers approach you?

Well, I think the idea of me stopping by the set and watching a taping and seeing, just meeting me, and seeing me in person, gave them the idea of how hilarious it would be to have Wolowitz have to deal with someone like myself in the situation he's now in with the relationship to Bernadette.

So it just brings up all the, because he is, when it comes to women, his whole character is one of always, you know, always tackling the ladies, always just throwing himself out there.




Hey, you gotta give him credit, as cheesy as he may look.

Oh yeah. He will definitely take the leap, you know?









So you visited the set prior to being cast this episode?

Yeah. I was actually a part on "Dancing With the Stars" at the time, and my girlfriend Eliza was shooting an episode, so I came by to visit after not being eliminated.

And I've been a huge fan of "Two and a Half Men" and Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn and Bill Prady's work, and so now with their success with "Mike & Molly", I have a rooting interest for them, and expressed that I'd be a part of the show in some way.

I think I said that on "ET" one night, maybe. Maybe they heard. I don't know, maybe they heard. (chuckles)









Do you see this as being a recurring character, or is this a one-off thing?

You know, I think everyone that comes in as a guest star dreams of being invited back numerous times. You know, the expression of the character's been established now and they're off writing, and so I'd love to...

I'll tell you, it ended with the possibility, so I think it's just a matter of where they're taking the show and where they're taking the characters. I'd love to spend my days in the Cheesecake Factory, disrupting things, or a professor at the university.




Yeah, you'd definitely be the tallest person in those lunchroom scenes.

(laughing) Right! Right, exactly.









How many people on the set knew you from basketball, how many knew you from "Dancing With the Stars", how many knew you from your acting?

You know what, it's just, the further I get away from sports, the more I'm recognized by people universally for everything I've done. But I'm now starting to work enough consistently that I run into a lot of the same crew.

And so it's always telling for me when I show up on a set and I run into people I worked with on the last show I did, or shows or movies around town. And so that's always exciting. I feel like a part of the entertainment business in front and behind the cameras.

http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/01/20/ri...ory-interview/

[70s show watcher]

i watched the ep last night it was one of the best of this season how ever rick fox;s acting in it was so so at best