These "Young Sheldon" guest stars stole the show. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most notable and memorable celebrity guest stars on “Young Sheldon.”
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00:00 And I raised three little boys which I understand you've been acting like.
00:04 "Sounds like she can handle it."
00:08 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most
00:12 notable and memorable celebrity guest stars on Young Sheldon.
00:16 "I am telling you, Goldboy's got a future in the tire business.
00:20 Goodyear, Firestone, somebody's gonna scoop him a first round."
00:23 Number 20. Paul Fusco as Alf
00:28 Depending on your age, you may or may not even know who Alf is.
00:32 "Dear Alf, I'm your number one fan. I like you because you're an alien, but you're funny.
00:38 Unlike my brother who's an alien, but just a jerk."
00:41 Alf, or alien life form, as the acronym stood for,
00:45 was an alien character from a late 1980s TV show of the same name.
00:49 Living with a human family, Alf was perhaps the most extreme version of a fish out of water story
00:55 ever told. "Take a look at me and tell me what you see. Just another pretty face."
01:02 Puppeteered by creator Paul Fusco, he appeared in a season two episode of Young Sheldon after
01:07 Missy sends him a letter confessing her adoration for the Malmachian.
01:11 "P.S. My favorite color is pink. What's yours?"
01:15 "What a cutie pie. Hey, hey, Barbara, we got any more of those pink t-shirts with my face on them?"
01:22 Though the character has occasionally appeared in other media since his show went off the air,
01:26 this was a welcome surprise.
01:28 "Oh, and get me some chicken nuggets, huh? Hello? Anybody out there? Apparently not."
01:37 Number 19. David Hasselhoff as himself.
01:41 For 80s kids, he was Michael Knight and drove the coolest car in the world.
01:47 If you were around in the 90s, you probably knew him as Mitch Buchanan,
01:51 always running with his colleagues along the beaches of California.
01:55 But David Hasselhoff's resume also includes a cameo as himself in Young Sheldon.
02:00 During a season four episode, Georgie wants to put out an exercise video
02:04 and gets the drama teacher Mr. Lundy to help him. The two-part ways after a dispute,
02:10 and Lundy seeks assistance from a much more prominent face in television, the Hoff.
02:15 "Well, I've conquered television, music. I don't see why I couldn't add exercise videos to my empire."
02:23 "So you'll do it. You got the Hoff."
02:27 The tail end of the episode treats viewers to cowboy aerobics featuring the man himself.
02:32 It's definitely something.
02:34 "Who's ready to rustle up some muscles? Let's saddle up and ride."
02:40 Number 18. Will Sasso as Jim McAllister.
02:45 "Hey, nice to meet y'all."
02:46 "Okay."
02:51 If you ever watched Mad TV during its heyday, you undoubtedly caught the talents of Will Sasso.
02:57 A hilarious comedian and actor, Sasso appeared in five seasons as a regular and multiple other
03:03 times as a guest star. He's also popped up on shows like How I Met Your Mother,
03:07 Modern Family, and countless others.
03:10 "Really? What do you do?"
03:11 "I own the tire shop."
03:12 Sasso added a slightly more reserved character to his repertoire when he popped up on Young
03:18 Sheldon as Mandy's father Jim.
03:20 "So you're gonna marry my daughter?"
03:21 "Well, if she'd stop saying no."
03:23 "Well, that's something."
03:25 "Jim?"
03:26 As the owner of a local tire shop, he certainly makes an impression each time he's on screen.
03:32 We wonder if he has anything to do with how Georgie ends up becoming the tire doctor.
03:37 "I'm sure your wife will come around eventually."
03:40 "Well, I'm hoping when she sees the baby that ice cube in her chest might start to melt."
03:43 Number 17. Michael Trucco as Dusty.
03:47 "Well, hello."
03:48 "Huh."
03:49 "Dusty."
03:51 "That's not a name, that's a poorly kept house."
03:54 The Big Bang Theory may have featured a lot of geek culture, whereas Young Sheldon has tended
04:00 to lean less on the nerd and more on the family aspects of Sheldon's life. As a result, some
04:06 viewers might not have recognized Michael Trucco when he appeared in Mary's Fantasies.
04:11 "I haven't seen you here before."
04:12 "Well, I'm just passing through. Tonight I'm here, tomorrow who knows?"
04:19 Sci-fi fans, however, would recognize Trucco immediately from his time on the 2004 Battlestar
04:25 Galactica series. He also shares a special connection to the show's predecessor, having
04:30 appeared as a guest star on it as well.
04:32 "What do you have in mind?"
04:36 "I don't know. I was thinking maybe we take a walk. You could tell me more about your hopes
04:40 and dreams."
04:41 Anyone remember Leonard's bromance with Dr. David Underhill? He's the reason Penny bought
04:46 Leonard motorcycle lessons.
04:48 "Your feelings are valid."
04:50 "I don't know."
04:51 Number 16. Wendy Malick as President Hagemeyer.
04:56 What do shows like Just Shoot Me, Star Trek Lower Decks, Hot in Cleveland, and Bubble Guppies all
05:01 have in common? They all featured the talents of American actress Wendy Malick.
05:06 "She'll be gone by the end of the day."
05:08 "Great, just make it look like an accident."
05:10 "No, no."
05:12 Having got her big break on Dream On and the aforementioned Just Shoot Me,
05:17 she has been delighting audiences with her talents ever since.
05:20 "I came here to make this school the Harvard of East Texas, not the...
05:24 What's your least favorite school?"
05:27 "MIT."
05:28 For poor Sheldon Cooper, Malick has appeared several times as Linda Hagemeyer.
05:33 As the president of the college Sheldon is attending, she's tasked with keeping him
05:38 happy enough so he'll stick around while simultaneously doing anything she can to
05:42 get under his skin. It's as fun as it sounds.
05:45 "Okay, now get out of here. You have a lot of work to do."
05:48 "Yes, ma'am."
05:49 "It makes me thirsty."
05:56 Number 15 - Melanie Linsky as Professor Dora Erickson.
06:00 Melanie Linsky is one of those stars who has an undeniable talent,
06:04 and she's impressed us on countless occasions.
06:07 "Why didn't I just say something a year and a half ago?"
06:10 "Don't think about the past. Let's just think about from today on."
06:15 Many people will remember her as Rose, the woman who had an unhealthy obsession with Charlie on
06:20 Two and a Half Men. There's also her more recent work as Shauna on the acclaimed Yellow Jackets.
06:25 "The rest of us starved and scavenged and prayed for 19 months until they finally found us.
06:32 And that's the end of the story."
06:34 Clearly her resume boasts countless stage, film, and television appearances,
06:39 and we never tire of watching her.
06:42 "How come you didn't want to get out of bed this morning?"
06:44 "If I can't know what's real, what's the point?"
06:47 "You have the right words, you're just saying them wrong."
06:52 Her appearance on Young Sheldon further emphasizes her abilities,
06:55 as she portrayed a philosophy teacher who causes the title character to question the
06:59 very nature of his life and everything in it.
07:02 "I don't understand."
07:03 "Asking these questions is exciting. It's what gets me out of bed."
07:08 "That's interesting."
07:11 That's no small task, yet she makes it look effortless.
07:14 "Thank you. I am happy to help."
07:18 "Dr. Linkletter, I'm dropping your class and switching my major to philosophy."
07:22 "W-what?"
07:23 Number 14. Ming-Na Wen as Dr. Carol Lee.
07:27 "Suggest we mount a radio telescope on the roof,
07:30 so that we could get a good read on the fluctuations in radiation."
07:34 "Excellent!"
07:35 She battled foes and made hard choices as Melinda May during her time on Agents of Shield.
07:41 "It's our way to ward, so if you're gonna do this, you need to win."
07:44 "You're suggesting I can't win?"
07:46 "I'm not saying you can't, but I know I can."
07:49 Meanwhile, in the Star Wars universe,
07:51 she became Boba Fett's partner after initially being known as a famed assassin.
07:56 She's also been the voice of countless characters, including Disney's iconic Princess Mulan.
08:01 So after taking all of that on, who else could she possibly have to take on?
08:06 The answer is, of course, Sheldon Cooper.
08:08 "Gentlemen, I'm Dr. Carol Lee, director of the new Experimental Cosmology Center."
08:13 "What makes you qualified to lead our project?"
08:16 "Yeah."
08:18 "Well, I have a PhD in physics from Berkeley."
08:20 The university president calls her in to settle a dispute between Dr. Linkletter and Dr. Sturgess.
08:26 Sheldon is caught in the middle as Wen's character, Dr. Carol Lee, helps calm the waters.
08:32 "You want a trick? Go see David Copperfield."
08:35 "How about I make you disappear?"
08:36 "Do I need to separate you? Or can we try to put our minds together for the advancement of science?"
08:46 Number 13.
08:47 McKenna Grace as Paige Swanson
08:49 McKenna Grace has been popping up on Young Sheldon ever since season two.
08:53 "I'm the youngest person in this class."
08:55 "That's funny."
08:57 As Paige Swanson, she has been a worthy adversary turned friend of Sheldon's as the show has
09:04 progressed.
09:06 "Do you ever wish you were just like everyone else?"
09:07 "Not at all."
09:11 "Me neither. I love being smarter than everyone."
09:15 "Me too."
09:16 In one of the sitcom's most powerful moments, we see Paige's struggle with her parents'
09:21 divorce come out in literal tears, all thanks to this young actress.
09:25 "I have to live in two separate houses, and my grandma says the meanest things about my dad.
09:32 I know that everyone is upset that I'm not doing well in school. It's just hard to care."
09:41 Given her incredible gifts, it's no wonder we've been seeing more of her on film and
09:46 television. Ghostbusters Afterlife, The Bad Seed movies, and Fuller House are just a few
09:52 in what's becoming an impressive list of credits.
09:55 "Really, I just feel alone."
09:56 "That sounds hard."
10:03 Number 12.
10:04 Billy Gardell as Herschel Sparks
10:06 Throughout the run of The Big Bang Theory, we often heard Sheldon refer to his neighbor
10:10 Billy Sparks, who tormented him.
10:12 "Will Wheaton currently ranks sixth on my all-time enemies list,
10:16 right between director Joel Schumacher, who nearly destroyed the Batman movie franchise,
10:20 and Billy Sparks, who lived down the street from me and put dog poop on the handles of my bicycle."
10:26 When the spin-off prequel finally surfaced, we learned that perhaps older Sheldon didn't
10:31 remember things as well as he'd like to think.
10:33 "Hey."
10:34 "Hey, Billy."
10:35 "Is this fence window always here?"
10:40 "No, son, that's a new fence window."
10:42 Billy, albeit a bit clueless, seems like a decent kid. Perhaps part of that is due to his upbringing,
10:48 courtesy of his father, mechanic and garage owner Herschel. Played by Mike and Molly comedian
10:54 Billy Gardell, Herschel is one of the sitcom's best recurring characters. Though it's a more
10:59 understated role on the whole, Gardell is fully able to flex his chops and deliver at every turn.
11:05 "But your son, he doesn't need any tricks. He knows where the puncture holes are. He knows.
11:12 He knows."
11:14 Number 11. Cindy Lauper as herself. While fans loved seeing older Sheldon Cooper have one too
11:22 many on The Big Bang Theory, a similar scene could never happen on Young Sheldon. Or could it? Turns
11:28 out, it sort of could.
11:29 "How can I unify the four fundamental forces of the universe?"
11:33 "Now we're talking."
11:35 After getting to the verge of a major physics realization while unconscious,
11:39 Sheldon is desperate to recreate the effects of anesthesia. He consumes a high-powered tea,
11:45 and we find ourselves watching him hallucinate in his room.
11:48 "Okay, Grand Unified Field Theory, here I come."
11:51 Among the posters on the wall, we hear the iconic Cindy Lauper educate Captain Proton
12:02 on Gotthold Ephraim Lessing.
12:05 "Who's, who's Gotthold Lessing?"
12:07 "He's an 18th century German philosopher. Now, do you mind?
12:12 We girls are trying to have some fun over here."
12:16 "Apologies."
12:16 "Sorry, Cindy Lauper."
12:17 "Oh, we're bad."
12:18 Did we ever expect to hear the girl's just-wanna-have-fun singer bring a poster of
12:22 herself to life? No, but we're very glad it happened. It's pretty funny stuff.
12:28 Number 10. Steve Burns as Nathan.
12:31 Even if this name doesn't ring a bell, you might still recognize Steve Burns as
12:36 Steve from the Nickelodeon kids show Blue's Clues.
12:39 "Who's your friend?"
12:40 "Oh, he's not a friend, he's a stranger. I met him on a Star Trek bulletin board."
12:45 On Young Sheldon, Burns plays Nathan, a middle-aged comic book nerd the title
12:50 character becomes friends with. And someone Sheldon's meemaw certainly
12:54 doesn't appreciate her grandson being around at first.
12:58 "Hello, I'm Nathan."
12:59 "I'm gonna have to ask you to leave, Nathan."
13:04 "Okay, but I'm taking my tape with me."
13:08 "That's fine."
13:08 "No, I need to see the end."
13:10 "No, you don't."
13:10 Nathan ends up being a good casual friend for Sheldon,
13:14 though he may be too old to be hanging out with a kid.
13:16 Playing Nathan isn't the only contribution Burns has made to Young Sheldon,
13:21 as he's also supplied the show's theme song Mighty Little Man.
13:25 "Well, he's dressed as Dr. Smith from Lost in Space."
13:29 "Oh, I've never seen it."
13:30 "Well, you're not missing much. It was a lame kid show."
13:33 "I'm sorry, lame kid show? For your information, Star Trek wouldn't exist without Lost in Space."
13:40 Number 9. Dave Foley as Gary O'Brien
13:44 This The Kids in the Hall member has appeared in a few episodes playing an obnoxiously wealthy
13:50 businessman named Gary O'Brien.
13:52 "My ultimate goal is to one day devise the Grand Unified Field Theory."
13:56 "Ah, you're one of those, are you?"
13:58 The university Sheldon attends initially wants him to dine with O'Brien
14:03 in hopes that the businessman will cut the university a big check after meeting the prodigy.
14:08 "Well, Krickertle's incompleteness theorems eliminate the possibility of a unified theory."
14:14 "You honestly believe that?"
14:16 However, our protagonist, not feeling that Mr. O'Brien is his intellectual equal,
14:21 tells him off in blunt Sheldon-esque fashion.
14:24 "Tell me more about how Einstein's life goal was nothing but folly."
14:28 Foley has since returned in the role, with the character becoming even more eccentric.
14:32 It's great to watch Sheldon being forced to put up with O'Brien's absurdity.
14:37 "I smiled and nodded like my Mimoss Houston Oilers bobblehead."
14:41 "And I also discovered a way that we could predict the masses of all the known particles
14:46 using the Egyptian pyramids."
14:49 Number 8.
14:50 Penn and Teller as Acne Vulgaris and Puz
14:53 "This is just a pimple."
14:55 "How can you be sure it isn't chicken pox? Or small pox? Or monkey pox?"
15:00 When Sheldon develops a pimple, the comedic duo appear,
15:03 Penn as a personified version of Acne, and Teller as his partner Puz.
15:08 "Not Penn's oil peroxide! I'm melting! I'm melting! Give me a break."
15:16 Together, they break down the significance and implications of Sheldon's situation,
15:20 as Penn discusses the details in a lively manner,
15:23 while Teller sits quietly and plays off him.
15:26 "But like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly,
15:31 things need to get a little weird along the way."
15:37 "How can people not like us?"
15:39 According to TV Line, series co-creator Stephen Malero and the team
15:43 thought Penn Jillette would be perfect when deciding who to bring on as the zit.
15:48 Watching the star's over-the-top delivery that manages to be both obnoxious and charismatic,
15:53 we would have to say this casting decision was the right call.
15:57 "That was awesome! And Puz is available for children's parties."
16:01 Number 7.
16:02 Lance Reddick as Professor Boucher
16:05 The late actor manages to be both intimidating and hilarious as Sheldon's engineering professor,
16:11 an armed services veteran who runs his class with discipline.
16:15 "I'm aware that the class is now starting at 0901. Is it all right with you if I begin?"
16:21 At first, Sheldon appreciates this strict teaching style.
16:25 "Ooh, can I be number one? That's what Captain Picard calls
16:28 Commander Riker on Star Trek Next Generation."
16:30 "You need to listen more and talk less."
16:33 But that also changes once it forces him to struggle with a difficult assignment.
16:38 Sheldon rarely meets his match, so it's nice to see Reddick's character put him in his place
16:42 without breaking a sweat.
16:44 "Well, to start, this bridge is in pieces."
16:46 "What do you mean?"
16:48 It's a long-running gag in The Big Bang Theory that Sheldon had disdain for engineers,
16:55 and Reddick's fantastic appearance helps explain the reason why that is.
16:59 "When he realized it was locked, his face fell into shock and disbelief."
17:05 "Nice. Show me. Do the face."
17:09 Number 6. Reba McEntire as June
17:19 In the third season, this country music superstar made her debut on the show as
17:23 June, a hairdresser and friend of Sheldon's meemaw, Connie.
17:27 "That one's mine over there, Evan."
17:29 "Oh, isn't that the coach's grandson?"
17:34 With a successful acting career which included her own popular sitcom,
17:39 McEntire and her folksy, southern energy are a natural fit for young Sheldon,
17:44 and its Texas setting.
17:45 "Well, did he tell you that I was naked when he locked me out?"
17:48 "No! Why did he do that?"
17:51 "'Cause I was trying to hit him with a golf club."
17:53 With her charming, bubbly personality on the show and in real life,
17:57 Reba is always a delight to see whenever she stops by.
18:00 "I got three bananas and it asked me if I wanted to parlay and I said,
18:03 'Well, that sounds like fun.' So I hit that button and I went, 'Woohoo!' 'Cause I won."
18:07 Unfortunately, she doesn't bring her singing talent with her,
18:10 as her character can't carry a tune in a bucket.
18:13 "That is what we are, no one in between. How can we be wrong? Say it away with me."
18:21 Number 5. Jason Alexander as Gene Lundy
18:25 The comedy veteran plays Gene Lundy,
18:27 an oddball drama teacher at Sheldon's high school.
18:30 "I checked out a book on acting, so I should have the hang of it by then."
18:33 "Well, I like that confidence."
18:36 Passionate about his craft, Mr. Lundy is up to play any role available,
18:40 whether it's the Dark Lord Satan or Little Orphan Annie.
18:44 "Pleased to meet you. I go by many names. Satan."
18:48 And he's not afraid to ham up his performance for the crowds, either.
18:52 "The sun'll come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow..."
18:58 In later episodes, the character participates in business hustles such as creating an
19:03 exercise tape and pushing a cosmetics pyramid scheme. Leave it to the man who played George
19:09 Costanza on Seinfeld to give life to a character so shameless.
19:14 "You kind of left out how greed is the root of all evil and how it corrupts the soul?"
19:18 "It's in there. It's called subtext."
19:20 Number 4. Bob Newhart as Arthur Jeffries, also known as Professor Proton.
19:26 Newhart reprises his unforgettable role as Arthur Jeffries from The Big Bang Theory,
19:31 for which he had won an Emmy.
19:33 "Professor Proton, it's an honor to meet you."
19:36 "Just... just call me Arthur."
19:38 In the pilot episode of Young Sheldon, we finally get to see Newhart play Professor Proton,
19:44 the host of a science education show that Sheldon loved in his childhood.
19:49 "Can a clock be powered by an ordinary potato? I hope so, boys and girls,
19:55 but this is going to be a really boring episode."
19:58 And it isn't the character's only appearance, either. Each time we see him, Newhart brings
20:04 his classic straight-faced delivery to a man clearly living a life of quiet desperation.
20:09 "Your mother wants you to swear."
20:11 "George."
20:11 "Mom!"
20:12 "Who's ready to suck eggs?"
20:14 This is one of the many callbacks that Young Sheldon has made to The Big Bang Theory,
20:18 serving as a nice treat for viewers and providing a connection to the original show.
20:23 "Today we're going to learn about Sir Isaac Newton."
20:26 "Hello, old friend."
20:29 Number 3. Ray Liotta as Vincent.
20:32 Given the kind of tough guy, underworld roles Liotta typically played,
20:36 Young Sheldon might have been the last place someone would expect him to guest star.
20:40 "How you doing there, Connie?"
20:41 "Hey, Vincent. What brings you to Louisiana?"
20:47 "Wait, don't tell me. You're here to see Tony Orlando."
20:50 "Afraid not."
20:51 However, the good fella's actor was perfectly cast as Vincent,
20:55 a shady bookie whom Connie runs into at a Louisiana casino.
20:59 "Connie, you're putting me in a very awkward position."
21:02 "I want a toaster oven playing Keno. You want it?"
21:06 "I got one. I want my money."
21:11 Liotta infused the part with the perfect balance of humor and grit,
21:15 making us laugh while still respecting his imposing presence as he tried to
21:19 shake down Sheldon's memaw.
21:21 "Constance!"
21:22 "Patience, Vincenzo."
21:24 This appearance gave the late actor a chance to show a side of him audiences often didn't get to
21:29 see in a light-hearted family sitcom, and it was great.
21:33 "Will you take a down payment in quarters?"
21:35 "Do I have a choice?"
21:37 Number 2. Elon Musk as himself.
21:40 A few years after making appearances in shows like The Simpsons and The Big Bang Theory,
21:45 Musk showed up in young Sheldon's first season.
21:48 "For the first time, SpaceX has successfully landed its Falcon 9 rocket
21:52 on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean."
21:54 In a flash forward toward the end of the sixth episode, Musk borrows ideas from a
21:59 notebook that Sheldon worked on when he was young for his SpaceX company. It goes without saying,
22:05 but getting a tech billionaire and one of the richest men in the world is a big boon for the
22:10 show. While there's no denying Musk is a controversial figure, he's at least able to
22:15 poke fun at himself with this cameo. "Elon, the CNN reporter's here to talk to you."
22:20 "Hang on."
22:20 "Send him in?"
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22:40 #1 Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler
22:45 One great callback young Sheldon has made to the Big Bang Theory is having main cast members from
22:51 the original show on as guest stars. Simon Halberg, for instance, has returned as Howard
22:57 to notably talk about engineering. What else? "Engineering has a rich and storied history,
23:02 dating back to ancient times. Some consider it the single most important field of study known to man,
23:08 from the wheel to the International Space Station, which I went to."
23:13 "Honestly, this again?"
23:15 Kaley Cuoco, for her part, showed us what she could do as pool water.
23:19 "My pH level is 7.4, and with three parts per million of chlorine,
23:24 I'm cleaner than your daddy's plate after Thanksgiving dinner."
23:27 "Wow, that's pretty clean."
23:29 However, our favorite of these appearances has to be Mayim Bialik.
23:33 She once again plays Amy Farrah Fowler, Sheldon's partner, as we hear her voice in the narration.
23:39 "I wanted his name to be Leonard Nimoy Cooper, but Amy wouldn't let me."
23:43 "Be happy I let you name him Leonard."
23:46 "Okay, okay."
23:47 "Love you."
23:48 "Love you too."
23:50 Her feisty personality is a great contrast to his stubborn attitude,
23:54 and we love getting tastes of it on young Sheldon just as much as we did on its predecessor.
24:00 "Money is a frequent source of conflict in a relationship."
24:03 "Thankfully, that's never been a problem for us."
24:05 "It says the woman who took away my comic book allowance."
24:08 "To start a college fund for our children."
24:10 "Comic books are an investment."
24:12 Who's been your favorite guest actor on Young Sheldon? Let us know in the comments.
24:16 "So now what? We just return to our ordinary lives?"
24:20 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo,
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24:28 [Music]