Many a sitcom come and go. No show ever brings with it that unique raspy voice that is Fran Drescher’s biggest asset. The Nanny was a sitcom that premiered on CBS in 1993. Its 146 episodes spanning across six seasons aired until 1999. Starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, it told the story of a stylish dresser from Queens who found herself taking care of spoilt upper echelon British children. The show had a solid fanbase and garnered numerous awards and nominations. In total, The Nanny won six awards, inclusive of a well-deserved 1999 Primetime Emmy Award for exceptional costuming.
Through its six-year reign, the sitcom had some celebrity guests pop in and out. The list is endless as the show’s producers were particularly notorious and perhaps strategic with their approach. All the way from Donald Trump to Celine Dion, here are some of our favorite celebrity cameos on The Nanny.
10 Donald Trump
Former POTUS is a man who needs no introduction. In the history of negative press, he has heard and seen it all. The Apprentice earned him love and hate in equal measure. One of Fran Drescher’s biggest memories from the scene with Donald Trump was his insistence on being referred to as a billionaire. When production made the mistake of calling him a millionaire, they receive a note from his assistant that read:” Mr. Trump is not a millionaire. He’s a billionaire, and we’d like you to change the script.”
9 Jon Stewart
In 1997, when The Daily Show was still in its infancy, Jon Stewart made an appearance on The Nanny as Bobby. In the scene, Fran met Bobby, a rich Jewish doctor (otherwise referred to as ‘the short Jew’), at a wedding. True to Fran’s character, she quickly got infatuated with Bobby. The romance died down as fast it began when the two discovered they were related.
8 Patti LaBelle
The '90s were busy times for singer Patti LaBelle. In 1994, she released her twelfth studio album, Gems. That same year, she appeared as herself on an episode named ‘ I Don’t Remember Mama’. The episode was themed around Mother’s Day. Fran and Gracie (Madeline Zima) competed at a mother-daughter pageant and ended up taking second place, right behind Patti Labelle and her daughter.
7 Pamela Anderson
Way before Kim Kardashian made big behinds fashionable, Pamela Anderson was on to something. Having appeared on Baywatch and Home Improvement, The Nanny was not exempted. As Heather Biblow, she stole Fran’s job and fiancé. The two ended up switching positions, with Fran working on ‘The Young and the Restless', and Heather taking up Fran’s job as a nanny.
6 Hugh Grant
BAFTA Award-winning actor Hugh Grant began his career in the ‘80s. He’s wowed audiences with performances in major films including The Undoing (2020), and Cloud Atlas (2012). His performance on A Very English Scandal earned him an Emmy Nomination. In 1996, he appeared as himself on an episode titled ‘The Rosie Show’, though he wasn’t credited. In the scene, Hugh was interviewed by Rosie as Fran and the audience cheered on.
5 Whoopi Goldberg
Her recent feature on Variety proved that Whoopi is still strong in the game. The years of work she’s put in have earned her an ‘EGOT’ status, an achievement only a few actors can dream of. Whoopi appeared on the show as Edna, a photographer at Fran’s wedding. She also showed up as herself on the eighth episode of the sixth season where her wardrobe came to Fran’s rescue after a false positive pregnancy.
4 Celine Dion
When it comes to singing, Celine Dion is a well-known legend. Her powerful vocals continue to hit the airwaves and are reminiscent of numerous childhoods. In an episode dubbed ‘Fran’s Gotta Have It’, she made a cameo as herself. Celine performed her classic ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me Now’ as Fran and Maxwell (Charles Shaughnessy) watched on. After her performance, Fran gave a hearty clap and drooled over Celine’s sparkling wardrobe.
3 Rosie O’Donnell
‘The Rosie Show’ was a star-studded episode, as it featured Rosie O’Donnell, Donald Trump, and John McDaniel. One of the most memorable moments on the show was a funny blonde interaction between Fran and Rosie. Rosie asked, “I choose not to breastfeed but my husband says I should. What do you think?” To which Fran replied,” Well that depends, you got any children?” That one-liner defined Fran in a nutshell.
2 Ray Charles
During his lifetime, Ray Charles earned himself the nickname ‘The Genius’ owing to his supreme mastery of soul music. Despite his disability, he was an iconic figure who achieved roaring success in the sixties. On ‘The Hanukkah Story”, Fran hosted a Hanukkah celebration with her new family. It marked the last appearance of Ray Charles as Sammy, Grandma Yetta’s (Ann Morgan Guilbert) fiancé.
1 Jay Leno
Jay Leno transitioned from stand-up comedy and made a name for himself as a host of The Tonight Show. Besides that, he’s acted in numerous films and appeared in some as himself. In a 1996-episode on the fourth season of the show, Jay Leno appeared on The Nanny as himself. Dubbed ‘The Taxman Cometh’, Fran had been tasked to watch over Jay Leno’s dog while the IRS did a tax audit.