For those who have always wanted to know, apparently “The Big Bang Theory” co-creator and executive producer Bill Prady wears a size 38 pant.
At least, that was the running joke Wednesday evening at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where Prady was awarded The Anti-Defamation League‘s Entertainment Industry Award.
As the featured entertainment and highlight of the evening, late ’90s alt-rock group and creator of “The Big Bang Theory” theme song, Barenaked Ladies, cut up the audience with an original rap song that centered around an anecdote from lead singer Ed Robertson. The singer claimed that Prady lent him a pair of size 36 pants just before a show a few years back at San Diego Comic-Con.
“He’s got pants! I went up to Bill Prady’s room/and he gave me the pants off his own ass. That’s right, I got Bill’s pants for one performance,” Robertson sang. “Anti-defamation, that’s his game/ you know, anti-defamation is his middle name.”
The band also played their hits “One Week,” “If I Had $1,000,000,” “Pinch Me,” and, of course, the full version of “The Big Bang Theory” theme song.
Additional impactful moments during the evening came from “Big Bang Theory” actor Wil Wheaton’s speech. In his introductory speech for Prady, Wheaton spoke about the necessity of taking action when faced with injustice, and received supportive whoops and claps from the audience.
“Our grandchildren will ask us, ‘What did you do? What did you do when they tried to take healthcare away from the poor to give even more money to the rich? What did you do when those who had so much took everything they could from those who had so little?'” Wheaton said. “‘What did you do with your wealth and your privilege?’ We are here tonight to honor a man who will be able to to hold his head high and answer, ‘I did everything I could.'”
The cast of “The Big Bang Theory,” while not present at the function, sent their regards via video, which played at the end of Wheaton’s speech. Jim Parsons, Mayim Bialik, Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Melissa Rauch, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, and Kevin Sussman, all in costume for the show, waved and clapped for Prady from set.
Prady did not disappoint with his humor during his speech. At one point, he mentioned that the pants he leant Roberts were actually a size 34. Someone in the audience yelled “They’re 38 now!” to which Prady paused for a second and then answered, “Yes, that’s true.”
Also present at the event were “Big Bang Theory”co-creator Chuck Lorre, MGM CEO Gary Barber, CBS Corp. CEO Leslie Moonves, and Warner Bros. TV president Peter Roth — all Honorary Host committee members. Emcee Joshua Malina kept the event on track. The gala also functioned as a fundraiser for the group, with Tennis Channel President and last year’s recipient of the award Ken Solomon egging on the audience to donate. This year, the gala resulted in nearly $500,000 raised to combat anti-Semitism and bigotry.
Founded in 1913, The Anti-Defamation League is a non-governmental organization and civil rights group dedicated to educating the public as well as law enforcement about Anti-Semitism, bigotry, and hate.
