CBS TV(NEW YORK) — When Pauley Perrette’s new sitcom, Broke, was getting underway, the economy was on fire, and nobody needed to socially distance. What a difference a few months makes.
The show, in which the NCIS veteran plays a cash-strapped single mom whose formerly wealthy but now broke relatives are forced to live with her, is giving people a reason to laugh. And that’s perfect for Pauley.
“We were already excited, but when the whole world changed like this, it became sort of, you know, even more important in a different way,” she tells ABC Audio. “We really want to give people a half an hour to smile and to breathe and to laugh, you know, and we’re doing that.”
She adds, “I’m not a doctor. I’m not a nurse. But, you know, we all can do little things here and there. And if one of my contributions could be, you know, to make you laugh — like, ‘I can do that!'”
So how’s Perrette getting along in isolation? “I mean, other than the complete heartache about the sadness that’s going on around, I was made for this,” she laughs. “Because I hate leaving my house. Like I’ve always been like this. I’d never leave my house and never go anywhere. I am a recuse, a shut-in whatever you want to call it…I’m in my element.”
She adds, “And I’ve always been a germophobe. So I’ve been wearing masks and gloves like a crazy person for years. And all of a sudden nobody thinks I’m crazy.”
Broke, which also stars stand-up comedian and actress Natasha Leggero and actor Jaime Camil, airs 9:30 p.m. Thursday nights on CBS.
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