Sometimes I like them obscure. Sometimes the more obscure the actor or actress, the most fun for me. But sometimes, they’re really not all that obscure – but the reasons I like them are pretty obscure. Sometimes. I guess this is the case for Fabiana Udenio. Not being a fan of the Austin Powers franchise, I had to look up Fabiana before I met her at the Hollywood Show on February 11, 2012. Before passing someone up, it’s always a good idea to see if they have starred in some obscure little role that you didn’t pick up on right away. Sometimes this pays off.
There’s an episode of Cheers called The Visiting Lecher, in which the character Rebecca keeps getting propositioned by one of Frasier’s visiting colleagues. The problem is that no one will believe her, and soon her mission in life becomes proving that he is a lecher and she isn’t going crazy. The show culminates in the lech’s hotel room, during which time the show takes on a madcap screwball pitch and Rebecca, Sam, a violinist, and the chamber maid all end up hiding in the closet. This episode is one of my all-time favorites. Fabiana Udenio was the chamber maid, Maria.
She also played the Teresa, the wife of Antonio’s visiting cousin on a classic episode of Wings entitled Et Tu, Antonio. So besides being blisteringly hot, she was on my want-list for the above two reasons. Everyone else, however, knew her better in her role of Alotta Fagina in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, so I was stuck getting her to sign a photo – albeit a funny and attractive one – from that film.
Our conversation centered around Cheers though, and she remembered the episode quite well. She told me that the role of the lecher had been written for John Cleese, but when he was unavailable at the time, they utilized John McMartin. He did so well that I can’t imagine Cleese in the role. She was pleased that I appreciated her role in that, considering the screwball nature of the scene made it both a fun and difficult shoot. We ended up taking three photos together – but the second one didn’t count. She wasn’t quite ready so she ducked completely out of the photo, leaving me standing there smiling by myself.
These are the kind of celebrities I like to meet. Obscure, funny, and very nice. Hot didn’t hurt either.
Celebrities of the Winter 2012 Hollywood Show will continue…
I liked her as the exchange student in Summer School.
Chris
July 10th, 2012