Polished off re-re-watching the brilliant "Square Pegs," and noticed two things in the DVD extras that I'd overlooked last time. First, creator/producer Anne Beatts discusses how important music was to the show -- going so far as to say it was the first series since "Ozzie and Harriet" to routinely incorporate rock 'n' roll -- then talks about how the show's music supervisor, Stephen E. Smith, was always looking for the latest cool artist to incorporate into the action. I remember being blown away that Killer Pussy -- who were local local New Wave stars in Phoenix -- was plastered on walls of Marshall's DJ booth alongside The Motels, Kim Wilde, The Clash, Tom Tom Club, Oingo Boingo, Altered Images, Soft Cell, Human League, and so on. (It looked almost exactly like my bedroom!) Beatts then recounts how Smith came "this close" to getting this up-and-coming singer to be on the show -- I'm guessing for the school-dance episode where Josie Cotton ended up performing "Johnny, Are You Queer?" -- and it turned out to be none other than Madonna. (Can you imagine?!!!)
Then this bit -- at 3:50 in this clip from the DVD bonus -- where Tracy Nelson (aka Jennifer DiNuccio and Claudette Wells (aka LaDonna Fredericks) discuss being intimidated during the auditioning process because there were some famous people up for the roles. They then say (bracketed words are Fredericks):
Jump to 3:50 for the bit
"When we were auditioning, no, I won't name names but there were some pretty well known, [major] major [singing stars], singing stars who have recently have had weight issues but we won't, we won't talk [we won't mention who they are] "
I think the only logical guess could be Janet Jackson -- the interview was taped in 2008, which seems to be during one of her reported weight gains -- but I'm all ears if anyone has other ideas. P.S. I also realized that despite Beatts' desire that the actors be age-appropriate, Johnny Slash was about 23 when the show started and LaDonna was an Andrea Zuckermanesque 28!!!!
From HERE.
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