lot of OCD-like behaviors that we see in new My daughter had a question: Con- He never says she’s not pretty enough or size the fun because I’m a real life scientist Q TSC: BY TOBI SCHWARTZ-CASSELL who plays a scientist on The Big Bang The- moms and this is part of my thesis. dsidering you are an Orthodox Jewish she doesn’t wear makeup enough or she’s ory, plus I have a PhD, I’m a female face, and woman, how have you been able to waltz not skinny enough. It’s actually been very TSC: Another fascinating aspect of your Q with Sheldon, kiss him and hold his hand? sweet. But I think it’s a great larger point that At 13, she was Bette Midler’s younger self in “Beaches;” hopefully a fun, recognizable face to a lot of book is EC (elimination communication), young people. d sure, people note there are quirks Sheldon at 14 she landed her own TV sitcom. Since then she’s earned or tuning into your baby’s elimination needs. MB: Obviously Orthodoxy is complicated has, but there’s really not a lot of clinical a PhD in neuroscience, become a brand ambassador for TSC: This question is from Lee who asks When you and your husband were using EC, and I fall much more under the umbrella Q pathologizing of these characters and, in a Texas Instruments and the celebrity spokesperson for the if there are any female scientists who’ve did one of you always have to stay home of “aspiring” Modern Orthodox. For some d culture where every child is pathologized inspired you. and miss weddings and social occasions until Orthodox people, it would be unaccept- Holistic Moms Network, writes an extremely popular blog, has pretty much, many of us grew up with plen- your boys were potty trained? able for me to do those things, but others authored a recently released book on Attachment Parenting, I arrived late to the world of science. I ty of people on the autism and Asperger’s MB: would consider doing them as part of my home schools her two young sons and stars in a top-rated was 15 and I had an amazing tutor when I MB: No, not at all. First, I should make the Spectrum and no one called it that, and it job. And that’s one reason I don’t wave the TV sitcom for which she has just scored a Primetime Emmy was on Blossom. She literally changed my distinction that EC is not potty training; it’s was okay, I think it’s very interesting that this flag of Modern Orthodoxy. I am not able to nomination! Mayim Bialik, a devoutly religious kosher vegan life. She’s now a dental surgeon. She’s a more infant hygiene. All the methods people think show is really trying to present a normal set have the kind of control over my career that personal role model. To be honest, I’m kind of with potty training are not EC, so we like of people. To them it’s normal! cook, has managed to squeeze more into her 36 years than allows me to refuse to do something. So I’ve of a second wave feminist, so I’ve always to make a distinction. There’s been some most people do in an entire lifetime. And Girlfriendz got to gotten emails from prominent been inspired by the Gloria Steinems and criticism of this “early potty training,” but it’s chat with her! Orthodox scholars who’ve said, the Hillary Rodham Clintons. But whenever not potty training; it’s more adult training. “You absolutely are Modern I learned about a female scientist, it was Many people EC part time, meaning only at Orthodox.” But I sort of consider always encouraging. And there’s a tremen- home. We used cloth diapers when we went myself aspiring Modern Ortho- dous number of women in the sciences, but out. Some use disposables but we used cloth dox. I have tremendous respect we absolutely need more. for what we called our back up, and at a very for the Maccabeats and Mati- young age, our boys could be taken to the TSC: I read your new syahu who have very publically Q restroom wherever we were and they would book Beyond the been able to put themselves out d use the potty. We would hold them up—you Sling, and found it there as all the way—no compli- I definitely think can’t put them on the seat when they’re that fascinating. My two cations. there’s been a tiny. But our life got incredibly easier when favorite theories ‘geek chic’ they were 18 months or so and they were TSC: Let’s talk about The you present are: Q revolution in finally in underwear. But no, we did all the Big Bang Theory. As a for- “you already have culture in general d things other people do. mer immature, bullied nerd, everything you need,” and I hope we dare part of it. SHE’S A GIRL, SHE’S A FRIEND AND NOW SHE’S OUR MAYIM GIRLFRIEND!

and “always go on your intuition.” That is very BIALIKTSC: Back to reader questions. Irene TSC: So is Sheldon indeed an Aspie? Q Q empowering for a new mother. wants to know if your parents and in-laws d d That’s definitely a question for Bill support Attachment Parenting, and if they do, MB: MB: We are pretty much mammalian pri- Prady.* Actually, I’ve heard him speak about how much assistance do they provide? mates and the things we feel or desire to do it in interviews, and I think it’s not spoken are generally geared toward perpetuating MB: The easy answer is ‘not so much.’ This it’s been very healing for me to watch your about because for us, it’s normal. We’re pre- the survival of our DNA. It’s a normal intui- is not the way my husband or I were raised, show! It elevates nerds to a level of cool senting normal people in a normal universe. tive feeling to hover over your baby. It is a so it is unfamiliar to both of our parents. We never seen by the American viewing public. For them, it’s normal. And I think part of the normal hormonally driven feeling to want to don’t use either of our sets of parents for I have also heard people speculate about point that Bill, Chuck* and Steve* are try- prepare your home for a baby. And I don’t child care, so it’s really just been us. We have whether some of the characters are on the ing to make is, “What if we didn’t name it? just mean in the way Western culture tells had some more complicated and heated dis- autism spectrum, so TBBT seems to have What if it just was? What if we just deal with us we should. cussions with both sets of our parents about helped mainstream the disorder. I also love We also offered our readers (via ) people and their quirks?” I went to school www.facebook.com/girlfriendz And the desire to know what your baby is different aspects of our parenting in general, that the characters don’t tease Barry Kripke and there were plenty of people like those the opportunity to ask their own questions, so read on to see if your doing at night, especially when it’s just born, but we always try and discuss it with tremen- about his speech impediment. question was chosen! characters and like my character and even is absolutely intuitively primed in your DNA. dous respect and compassion for wherever Bernadette’s. I do know it’s something that MB: Actually, there’s not a lot of teasing in How did your relationship with Tex- high school all the way through graduate All of the notions of what you should do our parents are coming from, and fortunately gets a lot of attention. Q TSC: general about others’ spectrum-y things, as Instruments come about? school, so it’s not even like I have to pretend are generally coming from a very different it’s been a really good success story. There d which is a really good point I’ve never been TSC: What do you love about the show, to love TI! perspective—a primal intuitive one. are some things we disagree on, but we’ve Q MB: I was approached by TI last year to asked about. I have been asked if I think my both as somebody who’s in it and then TI is huge on teacher preparedness and put them aside and try to emphasize the d explore a relationship with them as a brand TSC: So holding a mirror under your sleep- character is a stereotype and what does sociologically as a person watching it at gives both students and teachers the confi- Q parts of our parenting that are working for ambassador for Nspire™, their new graph- ing baby’s nose doesn’t mean you’re crazy? that mean for women in science, and I point home on TV? dence to explore careers together in STEM d our parents. And thankfully, it seems to be ing calculator, which is more like a handheld out that Sheldon has never ever mentioned (Science, Technology, Engineering and MB: Nope! That’s called making sure your really working well and they can see our kids MB: I think, as you indicated, it’s not a group computer than a graphing calculator. I’ve anything about Amy’s physical appearance. Math). I think the general goal is to empha- baby is doing okay! And honestly there are a are happy! of people being pathologized or teased. used the same TI graphing calculator from

Photo of Mayim Bialik by Denise Herrick Borchert. Photos from The Big Bang Theory courtesy of CBS. Photo from Beaches from Mayim Bialik’s personal collection. 22 GIRLFRIENDZ MAGAZINE – September/October 2012 GIRLFRIENDZ MAGAZINE – GirlfriendzMag.com 23 There’s a fine line between finding funny get to know the arc of the season. We liter- things about these characters and teas- ally learn week-to-week. ing them and I think that’s very sweet. I TSC: And everybody wants Raj to find love representing a female scientist. I love Q somebody… that there are two different kinds of female d scientists on the show—Melissa Rauch’s MB: Actually, at Comic Con, Chuck Lorre character, Bernadette, and mine are very said there will be a love interest for Raj this different. Yeah. Those are the things I love. year. Whatever that means. And then personally, I love my job. Will he be able to speak to her? Q TSC: Did your scientific background Q TSC: dMB: Right?! Exactly! I have no idea. help you land the job? d And the question everyone wants Q TSC: MB: No! That was really just a P.S. In gen- dto know: What is Jim Parsons really eral, television shows don’t care at all about like? what you’ve done before, in terms of your academic career. MB: Jim Parsons is very focused. He is a very professional actor. He’s extremely I know none of the others are Q TSC: bright; he’s funny, very opinionated. We dscientists but it seems like they are. talk a lot about sports and politics and cul- MB: Yes, because many of our writers and ture. I’d say he and Melissa Rauch are my celebrating producers are scientifically minded or they closest buddies at work. He’s a talented our 1st Free have a science or tech background. They’re pianist; he’s very scientifically minded, Anniversary GiFt just an exceptionally bright group, and artistically very focused and we have a lot with purchase they’re a lot more like a group of profes- of fun together. g of $100 or sors than Hollywood writers. more *The Big Bang Theory was created by Chuck Good thru Do you think the show makes sci- Q TSC: Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom are executive october 31st ence a little cooler for kids? d producers of the show with Steve Molaro. For Women with a Passion MB: I think so. I definitely think there’s for Fashion… been a ‘geek chic’ revolution in culture Expanded inventory for all sizes & in general and I hope we are part of it. styles with ageless appeal! There was an episode called “The Q TSC: • Featuring Exclusively dBat Jar Conjecture,” and it was before you were cast on the show. In it, Raj sug- • AdorE Hand Painted Tops, Vests, & Sweaters Everything gests asking “the girl who played TV’s Blos- in the store som” to join their Physics Bowl team. Was • Hard to find perfect fit that coincidental? LiSETTE L PAnTS % Yes! I didn’t know that (before • The All new noT YoUr MB: dAUGHTErS JEAnS off my audition). I hadn’t watched 20 the show, but yes, everyone has • Largest selection of asked me that. But I wasn’t spe- IMPORTANT DATES unique separates & accessories in the area cifically called in. I really just FOR TBBT LOVERS went on the audition because Sun, Sept 23, 7 PM: The Prime Time it was an open call. Emmy Awards telecast. Mayim Bialik is up for Outstanding Sup- TSC: So are Amy and ThE pErfEcT fiT Q porting Actress in a Comedy Series. for EvEryonE Sheldon going to “do it?” d Thurs, Sept 27, 8 PM: The Big Bang MB: I actually don’t know. We As seen on Liberty Bell Plaza, 2093 Rt. 70 East, Cherry Hill Theory’s 6th season premier. the Today don’t find out anything. We get Show (856) 375-2195 Closed Sunday every script the night before we www.coryshouseoffashion.com start to rehearse it and we never

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