We talked about all the ways that we tackle
the navigation, the big stuff in life.
One of the ways I also have a coping mechanism is
with my remote control.
God, I've never loved entertainment more.
It is escapism.
It is entertainment.
It is education.
There's things to relate to, things to learn from.
You've given us a lifetime of entertainment
and so much joy.
Thank you for that.
Oh, well, thank you.
I mean, people seem to keep wanting to put me
in that little box in your living room and
I was raised, I'm a second generation American.
I was raised in a crummy rental in Hollywood.
Like this was not on the radar
for my universe to be on sitcoms.
But people, again, seemed to like looking at me
and having me make them laugh.
I'm happy to do it.
And it's a very strange reality,
especially after leaving the industry for 12 years
and getting my undergrad degree and my graduate degree
and having two kids,
to return and people still want to see me!
Just like that.
So here I am.
Again. I definitely do.
We all definitely do.
And you play the owner of a cat cafe,
but is it true that you've never been to one?
No, because of COVID
and the timing of when this show started,
I was supposed to go to a cat cafe and then quarantine hit.
So we spent basically an entire year
just waiting to film this show
and I never got to go to an actual cat cafe.
Well, I want to introduce you to two
little beings in my life
that I actually got from a cat cafe.
Do we have a picture of Lucky and Peach, control room?
Yes, okay. Aww!
The one on the right who's gray, that's Lucky!
And then the other, like multicolored one is Peach!
Beautiful.
And I adopted them from a cat cafe.
That's unbelievable.
Dreams do come true.
Right?
We have so much in common again!
And we wanted to give you a virtual cat cafe experience
and Meow Parlour was New York's first cat cafe.
I got mine in Los Angeles and through their nonprofit
they have helped adopt a thousand feline friends--
Wow. Since opening in 2014.
And if it's okay, Mayim, I would love to bring them out.
Please welcome the founders of Meow Parlour,
Christina Ha and Emily LaGrand.
Hi! (audience cheering)
I'm so excited to have us together.
Emily, what made you guys want to open the cat cafe
and help kitties?
Yeah, so a few years ago I started working at
Christina's a pastry shop that specializes in macaroons
And around the same time, I took a trip
to Paris to visit my family.
And a cat cafe had just opened there.
I loved it.
And when I came back,
I couldn't stop talking about it to Christina.
And around the same time, a store across the street
from the bakery became available.
And it was steadily a joke at first.
But I guess it became serious
because that's how Meow Parlor was born.
Well, and Mayim, do you have a question
for Christina and Emily?
I do.
Pretending to be a cat cafe owner
apparently is a lot like being a cat cafe owner
in that I'm surrounded by cats all day.
And when I come home, I have three babies at home.
They definitely act differently
when I've had scenes with cats
when I've been fondling other cats,
I'm assuming they're jealous.
I think they must smell something.
Is there anything I can do to ease this transition
from my cat cafe work to my just cat loving home?
Yeah, my cats do that too.
So I think it's totally normal.
What I do is that,
I make sure to give them a lot of attention,
give them treats and play a lot with them
so that they don't stay mad at me.
Christina, how has the business adapted
during the pandemic?
It's been really a totally challenging year.
It's been a very different year for us.
Almost exactly a year ago,
we had to close down our business
but when you're in the business of saving lives,
sitting at home just does not feel right.
So we just went into it
and just started making masks for people.
And we started donating masks, we started selling masks.
We created this entire new enterprise of,
trying to help people.
In the meantime, we've been answering--
Aww, look at him!
We're still doing adoptions
and Emily has been doing such an incredible job of
going on Zoom, basically seven days a week
to help the meet and greet so people could meet their cat.
And we've been doing-- Oh my gosh.
I would take that cat right off the screen.
I'm not kidding.
That, I don't need any in-person, right there.
You'd have to fight me for him.
I don't want that cat.
Well, actually Christina and Emily,
we and our friends at Cat's Pride,
want to help Meow Parlour continue to do it's great work.
And Cat's Pride would like to donate $10,000
to your organization. (audience applauding)
Do you hear that, Bandit?
And that's not all. Thank you.
They have a Litter for Good program where they,
for every jug of litter sold, they actually donate a pound
of litter to animal shelters in need.
And they'd like to give you an additional
$5,000 worth of litter.
Wow, thank you so much.
And when you've got cats, you need litter.
So thank you, Cat's Pride.
And I just want to thank Christina and Emily
for the work that you're doing.
We want to get you back up on those paws.
And I don't know about anyone else
but I have been clutching my pets on a daily basis.
And we're gonna be thrown a lot of things
through this experience of a ride we're on
but we need those things that make us feel good.
So thank you, Emily and Christina,
for all that you're doing.
And Mayim, you make me feel good.
Aw, thank you.
And I think you're making the world feel less alone
whether it's because they need a laugh on your show
and throughout their lives,
'cause you've been doing that for everyone's life,
or to get real and solve problems on your podcast,
"Mayim Bialik: Breakdown".
It is, whatever your breakdown is,
is lifting everyone else up at the same time.
Thank you so much, such an honor, honor
to speak to you and finally get to connect with you.
I am in awe of you and I was so excited.
The world gave me such a gift today
that I got to talk to you because you saved me as a parent
and a woman who needed-- Thank you.
I needed salvation in that moment and through it.
I would never kick you in the shins.
I want you to know that. (Drew laughing)
"Call Me Kat" Thursdays at 9/8 central on Fox.
(upbeat music)