Actress Mayim Bialik recently received an Emmy nomination for her role on The Big Bang Theory. But she’s also the author of a book on parenting, Beyond the Sling, and holds a neuroscience Ph.D. from UCLA. Before a wide-ranging conversation on the many different lives she leads, she sat down in the Zócalo green room to talk about her obsessive love for the number three, academic pissing contests, where to spot dolphins in L.A., and why she can’t wear normal earpieces.
What’s your favorite hidden spot in L.A.?
I don’t know if it’s hidden, but Point Dume Beach is so worth the $8. We almost always see dolphins there, and it’s almost always quiet and nice even in the middle of summer, so you get the full Malibu experience, but not deep into Malibu. I also like Yamashiro, the Japanese restaurant in the Hollywood Hills. It’s a really special place in L.A.
What do you wake up to?
Children climbing all over me. [Laughs.] And then hopefully shortly thereafter a gratefulness to wake up.
What was your worst class at UCLA?
Gosh, I so loved all my classes—I really did! In graduate school we had literature review classes. I hated them. That’s where you get the most problematic papers in neuroscience research and it’s the job of the class to figure out what’s wrong. It was such an academic pissing contest of who could outsmart the greatest neuroscientist.
What food or beverage do you wish you liked a little less?
French fries and onion rings.
What item on your bucket list are you least likely to achieve?
I had a dream of studying at a yeshiva in Israel, which is what a lot of young women do right after high school. Now that I have kids it may not happen.
What was the most important year of your life?
I became a mother in 2005. I mean yes, the year I was born was technically very important …
You studied obsessive compulsive disorder; what’s your most obsessive behavior?
I love the number three—and sometimes use it inappropriately, in compulsive ways more than obsessive ones.
What’s the last book you read?
I just finished reading The Family by Jeff Sharlet. It’s about revivalist fundamentalist Christianity and its role in politics. [Producer] Bill Prady, my boss at Big Bang Theory, recommended it to me. I often read several books at once. I’m almost done with Natalie Angier’s Woman.
What word or phrase do you use most often?
Um. U-M.
How do you pass the time when you’re stuck in traffic?
I’m not supposed to text, so I would never do that. Usually catching up on phone calls. [With an earpiece of course.] I have very funny-shaped ears though, so I can’t use most earpieces.
Describe your singing style in one sentence or one word.
Inspired.