10 Best Guest Stars on Mad About You

Beloved ’90s sitcom Mad About You has a list of notable and memorable guest stars who have appeared in many hilarious episodes.

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If a sitcom’s success could be measured by the caliber of celebrities who grace its set, Mad About You would be a contender for first place. With recurring spots held by household names like Hank Azaria, Carol Burnett, Carroll O’Connor, Mel Brooks, Lisa Kudrow, and Cyndi Lauper, the show’s viewers have become accustomed to seeing very familiar faces on their television screens.

Mad About You also boasts a list of guest stars that reads like a list of Who’s Who in Hollywood and the show featured many famous stars in several memorable episodes during its 7-season run.

10 Jerry Seinfeld

It makes sense that Jerry Seinfeld would make an appearance at some point as Mad About You and Seinfeld share similarities. After all, Paul Buckman did sublet his apartment to Kramer (yes, the one directly across from Jerry on Seinfeld). This appearance is outstanding because of the bizarre circumstances in which Paul Buchman meets the famed comedian.

In the season 7 premiere, Paul has taken Viagra and due to unexpected events must now comb the city in search of Jamie. The pill’s effectiveness is in full bloom when he encounters Jerry Seinfeld (playing himself) in the street. When Paul tells him that he is a huge fan, Jerry spots what’s going on in Paul’s trousers and makes a harried escape.

9 Yoko Ono

How do you film the wind? This question is very much on Paul’s mind after Yoko Ono approaches him to make a film doing exactly that. In the season 4 episode “Yoko Said,” Paul is a jumble of excitement and sheer nervousness. It doesn’t help that Jamie tags along on his visit to Yoko’s apartment and feels compelled to touch every fragile vase and sculpture within reach.

Part of what makes this guest appearance so enjoyable is that Yoko showcases her ability to laugh at herself. Despite Paul repeatedly warning Jamie not to mention the Beatles, Yoko blurts out that everyone always says she broke up the Beatles, much to Paul’s surprise. And ending the show with Paul, Jamie, and Yoko sitting in bed as “Give Peace A Chance” plays in the background is simply perfect.

8 Regis Philbin

When Burt Buchman yells, “Hello!” to Regis Philbin from the balcony of a crowded theater, he sets off a chain reaction of events that results in Paul’s naked baby photo appearing in the newspaper and a guest spot on Regis’s television show. In the first season’s “The Man Who Said Hello,” mayhem ensues when Paul refuses to join his father onstage, so Ira pretends to be Burt’s son.

As one would expect, Regis plays himself perfectly. Shifting from moments of surliness (particularly when someone steps between him and the camera) to pouring on his signature charm, Regis Philbin made viewers feel like they are watching an authentic episode of his talk show.

7 Tim Conway

With Carol Burnett holding a recurring role as Jamie’s mother, it makes sense to add her former co-star, Tim Conway, to the mix. A consummate comedian, Conway is the master of playing the mildly-confused-bordering-on-bumbling employee, making his guest appearance in season 7’s “The Final Frontier” ideal. When Lyle Lovett (yet another guest star) informs Jamie and Paul that they aren’t actually married, the couple heads off in a panic to get their marriage license.

Enter Tim Conway as the employee in charge of issuing marriage licenses. And the marriage officiant. And probably whatever other role he is required to take on. After all, the Buchmans have opted to go rural to avoid the long lineups of the Big Apple. Naturally, Conway’s perfect comedic timing, facial expressions, and physical humor steal the show.

6 Ellen DeGeneres

Long before Ellen DeGeneres became a household name, she made a guest appearance on the finale of Mad About You’s sixth season. Playing the part of an overly verbose and accident-prone caterer for Paul’s production crew, viewers are treated to an early view of this expert comedienne at work. When Paul unwittingly gets her fired, he winds up hiring her to be Mabel’s nanny.

This guest appearance is memorable (even though it is reported that DeGeneres doesn’t remember being on the show) because it is rather like watching her standup act. She seamlessly natters on about everything that pops into her mind, leaving the audience wondering how anyone can string so many sentences together without coming up for a breath.

5 Bruce Willis

In season 5’s “The Birth,” Bruce Willis has just been injured while filming Die Already. With the hospital packed with the paparazzi and concerned fans, Paul is forced to navigate the building’s underbelly to reach Jamie who is in the middle of labor. Paul encounters a hospital gown-wearing, head bandage-toting Willis in the men’s restroom and the two engage in a side-by-side urinal conversation.

Willis then leads Paul through a maze of ductwork, which reminds fans of the action scenes in Die Hard, leading him to Jamie. No stranger to comedy himself, Willis delivers his lines with expert comedic timing and outstanding facial expressions. He and Reiser are wonderful together. And Willis’ depiction of Willis-with-a-possibly-serious-head-injury is brilliant.

4 Jerry Lewis

It is quite a feather in Paul Reiser’s proverbial cap to have secured Jerry Lewis in the season 1 episode “The Billionaire.” In this iconic episode, Lewis appears as the little-known billionaire, Freddie Statler. Bearing massive platters containing sesame bagels and all the fixings, he informs Paul that he wants him to make a movie, “For me, with me, and about me” as statues take too long.

While Jerry Lewis’s manic portrayal of a man used to getting things done is genius, part of what makes this guest appearance special is the reactions of the people around him. In particular, his scene with the unflappable and extremely deadpan Stephen Wright is comic gold.

3 Steve Buscemi

One of the series’ most unforgettable guest gigs is Steve Buscemi’s appearance in the first season’s “Token Friend.” Buscemi appears as Howie, a former fellow student at film school, who holds a bitter grudge against Paul. Back in the day, Paul signed out the last editing machine, rendering Howie incapable of submitting a project on time, which he claims led to his downward trajectory, culminating in his current career in the subway’s toll booth.

When Paul discovers that Howie is working in the subway, he tries in vain to avoid this convenient mode of transportation. Of course, his efforts fail, largely thanks to Jamie. Buscemi’s delivery as the bitter, put-upon victim is perfect (oozing with contempt) and Paul’s subsequent discomfort is palpable. And hilarious.

2 Nathan Lane

When one imagines the world’s greatest lover, capable of bringing a woman to the heights of pleasure with just a simple stare, Nathan Lane may not be the first person that springs to mind. In season 6’s “Good Old Reliable Nathan,” we learn that as Jamie’s “first,” he could do exactly that. When Nathan learns that Paul is aware of him having “defiled” his wife, he becomes convinced that Paul is trying to kill him.

In a series of unfortunate events, Paul whacks Nathan in the head with doors, fires a nail gun at him, sends him hand-first into a pair of ice cube trays, and brandishes a bread knife in his direction. Nathan Lane is transformed into a fearful, near sniveling wreck, showcasing his stellar Thespian skills and knack for physical humor. And the results are comedic perfection, reminding fans of Nathan Lane’s comedic talent in his best roles.

1 Carl Reiner

In season 3’s “The Alan Brady Show,” Paul has completed filming a history of television and has set his sights on Alan Brady (Carl Reiner’s role on The Dick Van Dyke Show) to be the narrator. There is one glitch: Brady is unhappy that only 6 minutes of the film are dedicated to him. Hilarity ensues as viewers watch Brady expertly employ intimidation, insults, and outright bullying to try to get his way. Jamie even lapses into a bang-on impression of Mary Tyler Moore as Van Dyke’s wife.

While Carl Reiner’s top-notch portrayal is enough to secure the top spot on this list, the added twist of having a fictional character play himself makes this guest appearance extra special. And watching Paul outwit Alan Brady in order to get his own way leaves the audience feeling completely satisfied.

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