Jim Parsons
Lead actor of "The Big Bang Theory" Jim Parsons (Sheldon) speaks at ComicCon 2009. Creative Commons

It's "The Big Bang Theory"'s fourth year at PaleyFest. The cast of America's top rated program in the key demographic of 18 to 34 was welcomed with much fanfare at the annual festival. "The Big Bang Theory," which follows the lives of three preeminent Pasadena, Calif.-based scientists (and Howard), and their neighbor, Penny, is celebrating their sixth season on-air.

All of the major stars showed up on the red carpet, although actress Kaley Cuoco (Penny) did not permit interviews. The rest of the cast enjoyed interacting with their fans and photographers, including an interesting question from one journalist: "Can you explain the real big bang theory?"

The "Washington Post" reported that the cast credits simultaneous syndication of "The Big Bang Theory" as the key to their success.

"We're shoving it down people's throats, and then they're learning that they love that." quipped actor Simon Helberg, who plays oft-maligned Howard Wolowitz.

Reruns began in 2011 on the TBS cable network and now can be seen not only there, but on local CW affiliates and on a number of other regional networks.

A view of the program's past ratings show that when the sitcom began, it was noticed, but not universally acknowledged as a top primetime program. Today, it is virtually possible to watch wall-to-wall episodes of the show merely by changing the channel every few hours. Its rise to fame is similar to another storied sitcom, which began during NBC's "Garbage Dump Theater," in the summer of 1989, a nickname by a network executive for the timeslot where longshot program pilots were aired.

What began in 1989 as nothing turned into TV's top rated "show about nothing," as Jerry Seinfeld finally called it quits in May 1998. The trajectory of "Big Bang Theory" (also about four eccentric friends and their neighbor) seems remarkably similar to a program whose reruns also continue to gather large audiences 24 years later.

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