Mayim Bialik Talks About How Jeopardy! Affects Her Call Me Kat Performance
"The Big Bang Theory" actress Mayim Bialik began starring on "Call Me Kat" as the Fox sitcom's titular character in 2021. The show focuses on Kat as she navigates her late 30s while operating a cat cafe.
In a 2021 video uploaded on her personal YouTube channel, Bialik shared how she identified with her character. She explained the former University of Louisville professor is not the most comfortable in social situations and tends to be imaginative. "She experiences social anxiety and knows it, and interacting with other humans can be very, very uncomfortable for her. And she's a character with a vivid imagination. She is really good [at] dealing with other people's feelings; her own are not as easy," explained the "Blossom" actress.
On top of showing off her comedic abilities on "Call Me Kat," Bialik also co-hosts the beloved game show "Jeopardy!" alongside Ken Jennings. While speaking to SciFi Vision in September 2022, the actress revealed how being on "Jeopardy!" has impacted her performance as Kat.
Starring on Call Me Kat while hosting Jeopardy!
During the SciFi Vision interview, Mayim Bialik revealed co-hosting "Jeopardy!" while working on "Call Me Kat" has left her feeling exhausted. She has to manage the amount of energy she puts into each show.
"It's definitely changed sort of my scheduling and honestly, it's brought into focus how much energy I do still need for 'Call Me Kat.' And last year, obviously, it was unusual circumstances to kind of burn the candle at both ends, but this year, I'm actually pacing out a lot more of my responsibilities to 'Jeopardy!' in a way that I don't feel takes away our time from what we do at 'Call Me Kat,'" said Bialik.
She also shared that she prefers the "Call Me Kat" wardrobe over what she has to wear as a "Jeopardy!" host. She explained Kat usually sports tennis shoes, while she has to put on heels to host the game show.
Bialik spoke about her appreciation for Kat's comfortable ensembles while recording her 2021 YouTube video. She noted that the creator of "Call Me Kat," Darlene Hunt, decided to have the character have a casual and quirky style. "We made a decision that Kat wears sneakers; she wears high-tops with dresses. And it's an important part of her personality that she's highly accessorized, even when it's not necessarily appropriate — always earrings and bracelet and rings," said the UCLA alum.