A popular television show from the 1990s called “The Nanny” used to feature superstar Fran Drescher as the nanny for a wealthy family. The Nanny is the show that made Drescher famous, and it featured her as a sometimes silly but always well-meaning New York girl with a strong nasal accent in her voice. Drescher became famous for her voice in the show and usually used her character’s voice when she was on late-night shows and out in public. Because of this, it’s rare to find a recording of her speaking in her natural, very refined voice. It’s hard to even imagine her speaking in a voice that doesn’t have that nasal quality.
In one of the episodes of “The Nanny,” Drescher’s character is eating wasabi sauce for the first time. As she’s talking to her dining companion, another lady, Drescher’s character takes a huge bite without knowing that it’s going to be very spicy. The sauce is so overpowering that it knocks her to the floor. When she stands back up, she says: “Gee, you know that mustard really clears up the nasal passages,” as the audience howls with laughter. She continued. “I like it. I wonder how long it’s gonna last.” And just as she says the last word, her nasal voice comes back.
The audience’s reaction is priceless and sort of reflects how the rest of us feel watching that clip. Fran Drescher is a hilarious comedian and made The Nanny come to life. It’s impossible to remember the other stars of the show, but Drescher’s character stands out and will always be remembered.
The Nanny’s last episode aired on June 23, 1999, and it’s sorely missed. It’s rare to find a sit-com nowadays that has this kind of good wholesome fun. If you’ve not seen it, it’s worth finding somewhere and binging on a Saturday with the family. Pretty soon, you’ll have tons of The Nanny fans and everyone can celebrate Fran Drescher’s special brand of genius.
You can enjoy this classic Fran scene in the video below.
