[NOTE: If you have not watched The Big Bang Theory episode that aired around Jan 2, 2014, you might want to skip this post, as there are spoilers within.]
I’m a big fan of The Big Bang Theory. A recent episode of the show had Penny, a wannabe actress, finally landing a small role in a big network TV show. A life-changing moment for her. Penny tells all her relatives and has a viewing party with her friends. Unfortunately, her scene is left on the cutting room floor. She is crushed.
Chuck Lorre, one of the creators of The Big Bang Theory, has a long-time habit of placing a vanity card at the end of every one of his shows. The vanity card is, essentially, a still frame containing a joke or a story. The card is only on the screen for a moment, so a DVR with a pause button is vital if you want any chance to read them.
At the end of this particular episode, Chuck put up this vanity card (click on the card for a larger, much more readable version). In a nutshell, Chuck tells the story of a young actress who landed a small role in the episode of The Big Bang Theory we just got through watching, but that her part got left on the cutting room floor. The vanity card was, in essence, a fan letter and an apology to this actress, all wrapped up in a spooky bit of self-reference. The actress’s name is Lexi Contursi.
One little tiny twist, then I’ll let you go. When I read the vanity card, I loved the message, and just had to share it. I pulled out my iPhone, took a picture of my TV screen, and tweeted the vanity card. Thought nothing of it.
A few hours later, my tweet was favorited by…you guessed it…Lexi Contursi. Now, think about that for a moment. I do not know Lexi. The title card was the first time I’d heard her name. All I did was tweet the picture, with no mention of her name. And yet, somehow my little tweet made its way across the interwebs and landed on her screen. I was tickled.
So, Lexi, if you read this, please leave a comment on this post telling us how you happened to come across the tweet. Enjoy your moment. Hopefully, it’s the first of many.
UPDATE: Here’s a link to the vanity card on the official Chuck Lorre web site.