MORNING SHOW

I don’t remember why Marc Farzetta brought up the name of Leah Remini last Thursday on WIP’s Morning Show – but he did. So I tweeted him.

KING OF QUEENS

As it works out, I interviewed Leah for an article for a dining and entertainment magazine during the first year of King of Queens – which would set the date as sometime in 1999.

Since no one knew if the show was gonna make it or not, she was going to hedge her bets. She confided in me that if the show didn’t make it, she was going to try the sex-kitten image on her next go-round. So she later sent me a couple of cheesecake photos.

The header photo above and the one here on the left are the two photos she sent me. They’re publicity photos, but I felt privileged because they weren’t yet available for publication. Now, sixteen years later, they’re online – along with dozens of photos of Leah at various stages of her life – but this is the first time I’m sharing them with anyone.

Coming clean here, I’d never watched Saved By the Bell or King of Queens at the time I did the interview – although King of Queens eventually became one of my favorite shows. So I had no idea who Leah Remini was. All I knew was that she was the co-star of this new show and I was supposed to interview her. So I did.

That was a long time ago. I don’t remember much about the interview and have no idea if I still have any notes. But she did make a very favorable impression on me. Here’s what I remember off the top of my head:

• She’s Sicilian descent.
• She was sharp.
• She was personable, friendly, and down to earth.
• She’d just bought a new Escalade.
• She loved King of Queens but had no idea if the show was going to make it or not.
• Her replies weren’t scripted or rehearsed – at least they didn’t sound that way. We just had an organic conversation.

In retrospect, she was a lot like Carrie Heffernan – and she’d definitely be on my Hit List.

That’s all I’ve got, Marc. Wish there were a couple X-rated shots – but I don’t think any exist.

In addition to being the official Eagles Outsider for BlameMyFather.com, Barry Bowe is also the author of:

• Born to Be Wild
• 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant
• 12 Best Eagles QBs
• Birth of the Birds
• Soon-to-be-published sexy, police procedural Caribbean Queen
• Soon-to-be-published novel Stosh Wadzinski
• Soon-to-be-published novel Polish Widow