The Big Bang Theory scene that Jim Parsons had a hard time filming

Although “The Big Bang Theory” is relatively light and family-friendly, at least compared to its contemporaries like “How I Met Your Mother” or “Modern Family,” it still regularly delved into sexual humor. Howard always has a nasty joke to tell, and there are there is no shortage of jokes about Penny's sex life. However, with Sheldon (Jim Parsons), the show was borderline G-rated; the character seemingly had no interest in sex in the early seasons, and even at the end of the show, evidence of his libido was still slim. The Amy's (Mayim Bialik) introduction to the season 3 finale helped establish that he's straight, although that label for Sheldon's sexuality will always have a huge asterisk next to it.

Sheldon's lack of interest or understanding of sex is what helped one risque joke in Season 6's “The Fish Guts Displacement” work so well. In his plot, Amy pretends to be sick to trick him into getting closer to her. He eventually discovers the ruse, so Amy convinces him that some punishment is in order. And that became the famous scene where Sheldon spanks Amy, not knowing that Amy doesn't see it as punishment at all.

It's a scene that could have been creepy, but it works because Sheldon (and to a lesser extent Amy) has been genderless for the entire show. However, it was difficult for the actors, partly because they couldn't stop laughing the whole time.

“I'd say it's one of the hardest things I've ever had to do because I found it extremely amusing,” Parsons said at the 2013 panel. The scene was originally intended to be shot off-camera with a shot Amy's monkey reacts to this sight serves as the point of the scene, so last-minute changes complicated things a bit.

“I was mad because I thought, damn, I would have practiced self-control if I'd known all week,' but all week I've been busting that ass off camera,'' Parsons said. He added of Bialik, who sat next to him, “You no idea how game she is.”

At the same panel, Bialik joked that “there was some redness” after filming the scene due to multiple takes. Parsons joked that the spanking had to be real “to get the sound you want,” adding, “It's all in the name of art.”

In another interview For Jessica Radloff's 2022 book “The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series” Parsons elaborated on the experience a bit further, explaining how the last-minute plot changes made him feel: “I was spitting nails, I was so mad at these people that they put me on camera… and I couldn't stop laughing. It just made me mad because I suddenly couldn't do my job.”

The scene ended with one of the most memorable parts of the entire series, which has been referenced a lot by fans and is the subject of many memes. Something must have been in the air in Hollywood at the time, as the animated comedy American Dad aired its Spring 2013 episode of The Missing Kink just a few months later. In this episode, housewife Francine (voiced by Wendy Schaal) tricks her husband Stan (Seth MacFarlane) into spanking her, but the strict, no-nonsense Stan doesn't really understand the situation.

Of course, the version of the story we got on The Big Bang Theory was the more memorable of the two, given that its live-action format meant that the actors had to put in a lot more effort. It was a risky scene for Bialik and Parsons — maybe not as risky as The BDSM scene that “The Big Bang Theory” series was banned in the UKbut still — and as far as “TBBT” fans are concerned, the gamble paid off.