The Nanny’s Fran Drescher has revealed the cheeky joke she made on stage in front of the late royal, which made her “laugh on her knees and knock me on my knees”.
Numerous celebrities guest-starred on the hit sitcom The Nanny, but there was one legendary star who managed to surprise Fran Drescher.
The actress, who played the famous Fran Fine in the iconic show from 1993 to 1999, welcomed many stars to the set, but there was one that left a lasting impression.
“Everyone was always very nice,” the 64-year-old told Fox news† “But Elizabeth Taylor was very warm, very generous. She sat on the couch on set and whoever wanted to stand behind her and have a picture with her could. And the set photographer did it for both the cast and crew. She was very welcoming to everyone.”
“But the funny thing is, if you wanted a photo, you had to pay for the retouching,” Drescher chuckled. “Renee Taylor, who played Sylvia Fine, the nanny’s mother, on the show, said, ‘I’ll pay for that, but make sure you give me what Liz gets!'”
Drescher also had fond memories of the Rocketman.
“It took us a long time to get to Elton John, but in the end we got him,” said Drescher. “We were told he enjoyed red roses in his dressing room, so we filled his dressing room with red roses. It was just covered. He was really flattered. And it was a beautiful episode. But we were genuinely grateful to be one of these stars had on the show.
“And it was really fun coming up with ideas because we could write whatever we wanted. [The character] mr. Sheffield was in show business, so it made perfect sense for us to come up with names. And it was easy to do. We could come up with whatever we wanted. It was never the main thrust of the story. These stars always started with something that made things complicated for Fran, and she would always get in trouble with Mr. Sheffield.”
After leading a successful decades-long career, Drescher was honored this week at The Hollywood Museum along with Michael Feinstein and Geri Jewell of The facts of life fame at the launch of the “Real to Reel” exhibition in association with Councilor Mitch O’Farrell.
The exhibit, which celebrates LGBTQ Heritage Month, aims to “tell the story of the milestones and influence LBGTQ characters and storylines have had in Hollywood, from early stereotypes to modern representations.”
Drescher said she is grateful for the recognition and for her many accomplishments, including meeting Princess Diana.
“We were both at the CFDA Awards in New York and I was a presenter,” Drescher recalled. “At the time, Mr. Blackwell had a list of best dressed and worst dressed. She was on the best dressed list and I was on the worst dressed list. I remember she was in the middle of a cocktail party and there were probably 100 people in this single room.
“She had a woman next to her that everyone in the room knew. Well, I went looking for her, because I definitely wouldn’t be intimidated. I wanted to cut through the crowd and get to her, because this was probably my only chance. And, like the nanny, I’ve always been a carpe diem kind of girl. Seize the day.”
“I apologized and pardoned the entire time,” Drescher continued. “When I finally reached the center of the room, the woman next to her said, ‘This is Fran Drescher. She is currently in a very popular show. Very funny actress.’ I shook her hand and said, “When the history books are written, you’ll be the heroine of the story.” She looked at me—I could still see her looking at me now—and then she said, “Oh, thank you. That’s such a nice thing to say.’ And I meant every word.”
But Drescher wasn’t done impressing the Princess of Wales. When she took the stage, the star made sure to share a joke that she was working on especially for her.
“I said, ‘I met Princess Diana backstage and said to her, ‘Princess, we’re both on Mr. Blackwell’s list,'” Drescher said. And she said to me, ‘Yeah, but I was on the best dressed list and you were on the worst. And I said, ‘Yeah, but you’ve got Princess Margaret on your list. I have Madonna and Demi [Moore] in my. You’re on the wrong list princess!’
“I saw her sitting in the front row. Belly over. Laughing and slapping her knee, bouncing her foot. Laugh in a real guttural, sincere way. I saw her sitting in that front row now, wearing a blue dress with a pearl necklace, just smiling. She was so good-humoured and not at all elitist. And she was surprised. She had no idea I was going to say that. But I’m a comedy writer and I knew the audience would eat that with a spoon. It’s a high point in my career.”
Drescher said she feels blessed today. She endured a painful past, including a horrific rape at gunpoint in 1985, divorced her 21-year-old husband – Peter Marc Jacobson – who publicly revealed he is gay, and was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2000 after two years of misdiagnosis by various sex offenders. doctors.
In 2007, the survivor founded the Cancer Schmancer Movement, a nonprofit organization that aims to educate people on how to identify and eliminate the causes of cancer and other diseases from their daily routines. That same year, she helped persuade Congress to pass the Gynecological Cancer Education and Awareness Act, which became law.
In January, Drescher was elected president of SAG-AFTRA, which represents approximately 160,000 artists and media professionals. She also wrote the foreword to a new picture book, “N is for The Nanny,” which references the 1990s show. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to the Cancer Schmancer Movement.
“I think it’s important that I continue to promote the idea that we should all be the change we want in this world,” she said. “And I’m very proud of The Nanny. It is the gift that keeps on giving. And it has certainly stood the test of time.
“It’s honestly never been off the air in nearly 30 years. So people keep rediscovering it. It has been embraced on TikTok and it started streaming on HBO Max. I think I’ve stayed very relevant. I have a young audience. But I’m also fearless when it comes to talking about things that matter.
“I’ve come out on the other side – for the better,” she added. “You must play the hand you have been treated with grace, elegance and courage. I have had a lot of luck and blessings in my life. I started with a very humble beginning. My father had two jobs when I was very young. It’s been an incredible ride with some very low lows…but I’ve learned some very important life lessons that help me move forward. I’m very lucky.”
This article originally appeared in Fox news and is reproduced with permission.
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