The Big Bang Theory Q & A: Simon Helberg

Simon Helberg plays self-proclaimed ladies' man Howard Wolowitz, an aerospace engineer who is often singled out as the only one without a PhD among his genius cohorts

TV Week: There seems to be an interesting tension in Howard’s character. He has such perception about other people but none about himself.

Simon Helberg: Right, I think it’s definitely close to life in a lot of ways. It’s very easy for people to criticize and very hard to look at yourself and take criticism. So I definitely think he’s guilty of that.

Is there any sense of how permanent the relationship will be between Howard and Bernadette (played by Melissa Rauch)?

SH: I know that she’s going to be around a bunch this season, but I don’t know in what capacity. I do know that they’re pretty linear in terms of keeping a relationship – whether they end it or start it. I know we kind of fell off the radar last year, although they addressed it very briefly. We’re definitely together as of now in the episodes that we’re shooting but whether we stay together or be on again, off again, that I don’t know. I’m sure Howard will muck it up at some point.

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How much of that has to do with the character and how much of that depends on Melissa's availability?

SH: Last season we had a great thing and she ended up having other work and so they worked around it. This year she’s available and so they’re writing around that. I can’t speak on what her contract is but I know she’s here now so, definitely we’re going to exploit that.

I know that you write comedy. Have you ever approached Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre about doing something for the show?

SH: No. You know, it’s so weird, I feel like I’ve turned that part of my brain off in some sense when we do this because I trust them so much and they are so great at what they do and what they do for this show.

At times I might pitch a joke or try to come up with one. My sensibilities are slightly different than theirs and, also, there’s a lot to focus on with just the kind of acting – I just sort of let them take the reins I guess. There’s also a lot of pressure to pitch a joke, then act it. And then if it doesn’t work, to feel the responsibility for it bombing. I’d rather give that responsibility to them.

Do you think the geeks are taking over the mainstream? Is it possible that Penny is becoming the odd one out?

SH: Well, I think it’s definitely an ensemble show. Kaley [Cuoco] has come with us to Comic-Con and everywhere as well. She’s not as much of a geek but the audience’s vantage point is sort of through her, so I think – assuming most of the audience is relatively normal and adjusted – the four guys are definitely the most extreme, the geekiest. She provides that element of snapping them to reality and again, when you watch these guys with high IQs fail at menial tasks, and here’s this sort of mid-western girl who doesn’t have a college education and she’s kind of passing them at the finish line at every point. Like while they’re debating the physics of putting in a light bulb – electricity and ions and, you know, charges – she’s already put the light bulb in and gone to bed.

I think it’s fun dynamic to watch the geniuses come up short next to this struggling actress/waitress with no college education and I think it’s sort of showing, Look, it doesn’t matter what your intelligence level is, none of us are necessarily long for this world. You never know who is going to be more adapted or adjusted to life, you know?

Are we ever going to see Howard’s mom dating? I know we’ll never actually see her, but will there ever be hints of her dating? How will that affect Howard?

SH: Oh, wow. Her dating ... that would be interesting. I wonder how they would pull that off. I’m sure they’ve got their minds open to anything. And I think there’s a lot of fun to be had there with her character. That would probably destroy Howard. I think that definitely, she’s the woman in his life and he’s the man in her life. And of course I mean that in the most innocent way; however, probably the most psychologically twisted way. It could be that they are connected to each other but I think there will be issues when either of them start dating because, you now, he’s a mama’s boy. It will be sad to see what happens when she’s dating. But he’s dating now so he’s got to take what he dishes out, I guess.

You, Kunal Nayyar and Bill Prady are all active on Twitter. Are you trying to convincing the rest of the cast to tweet too?

SH: I just don’t think they are that into it, which is fine. I actually made fun of it for a long time. There’s obviously this side of it which is tweeting silly little witty comments and there’s also getting news from it in an amazing way. It’s a pretty incredible thing, especially if I was a young kid, this would have been a dream come true – to be able to pick like a hero, or a celebrity, actor, or whatever and feel like you could kind of hang out with them. I think that’s pretty cool, so I definitely abuse it but I also use it hopefully for progressive things – so yeah, I’m a fan. And you can be lazy, too and literally never write anything and just follow, but yeah I try to say somewhat amusing things from time to time. But I don’t think we’ll ever get some of those people on. I know Jim [Parsons] tried it once and I don’t think Johnny [Galecki] is interested – Kaley [Cuoco], maybe we can sway.

Do you and Kunal compete for followers?

SH: Well, he has more. He’s been on longer. But he has helped me get some. I poured myself out to him and he pimped me out. I’ve only been on for a couple of months, but I’m doing pretty well. It’s not a competition – I have to remind myself. (laughs)

I have to ask: Is there going to be a follow-up on Dr. Horrible?

SH: There’s definitely a plan in the sense that we all are interested and want to and I know that there’s some writing being done but there is no schedule that has been worked out yet. Because we’re all busy – Joss [Whedon] is obviously a little busy directing, you know, the biggest movie of all time, The Avengers. Neil [Patrick Harris] is working and Nathan [Fillion] ... we’re all working actually, Felicia [Day], everybody. So it’s really a matter of scheduling. I know we all want to and I know we all plan on doing something and I don’t know what it will be, whether it will be a movie or another Internet special or a Broadway musical.