“When you’re in a hospital, you don’t think anything’s funny; but I’m sorry, hospitals are hysterical.”
After a decade of diving into the quirky chaos as Beverly Goldberg on The Goldbergs, Wendi McLendon-Covey is diving further into the choppy waters of comedy with St. Denis Medical. She craves a project that leaves her emotionally exhausted—perhaps like her last holiday feast, but on a much grander scale. “I loved the premise of the show, and I love this character,” she said, without a hint of irony. In this new role, she plays Joyce, a hospital administrator—an appealingly chaotic figure surrounded by stressed doctors and nurses at an eccentric medical facility in Oregon.
“Let’s be honest, hospitals are just comedy waiting to happen,” she quips. “You’re not supposed to laugh in a hospital, but looking back, when you see someone in a gown, perhaps with a little too much air supply, you can’t help but think, ‘I’m glad that’s not me.’” It appears Wendi has a knack for making normality not so normal, perhaps due to her background in processing patients—or just imagining them before lunch.
During a brief pause between giggles, she recounts her time as Deputy Clementine Johnson on Reno 911!, which has somehow continued its own journey longer than your aunt’s cat at the vet. “Listen, crime isn’t going anywhere. It’s the reason we keep convening for spicy situations,” she says with the enthusiasm of someone who’s contractually obliged to care.
So, how does she feel about this new gig? “Oh, I’m so grateful—because honestly, I thought I was going to either spiral into a deep depression or just learn to bake,” she laughs. “But lo and behold, I got this script four hours after learning my former show was canceled.” So, you’re telling me that in Hollywood, one door closes and another one swings wide with a comedic punch? Well, folks, that’s a plot twist if I’ve ever heard one.
In a world gone mad, creating is her zen garden—it’s therapy with a side of punchlines. McLendon-Covey explains, “To me, there’s nothing like working with people, creating, and then returning home utterly worn out. It’s great for my mental health—like yoga, but with more bloopers.” And Joyce? “Oh, she’s a gem—a non-nurturing administrator who somehow thinks she’s turning a rural Oregon hospital into the next medical Mecca. Just picture it: travelers flying in for a quick mammogram.”
Indeed, soon people will be flocking to St. Denis Medical from all corners—donning Hawaiian shirts and packing snacks for what they presume will be an ‘Instagram-worthy’ experience. “They’ll write on their postcards: ‘Wish you were here! Missed out on that koi pond!’” If that isn’t a classic case of selling the sizzle over the steak, I don’t know what is.
As the conversation drifts like a stethoscope on a windy day, Wendi’s experiences with improvisation on set come to light. “We’re allowed to run wild sometimes,” she muses, “but don’t let anyone get too carried away—improv can quickly turn into ‘What decade is it again?’ If the moment calls for creativity, more often than not, they let us explore. If not? Well, back to the script like it’s a religious text.” A comedy set sounds like an electric atmosphere of both genius and chaos, which sounds ironically similar to what I imagine a waiting room must feel like.
Getting back to her comedic roots, will we see her extend her talents to dramas? “I’m open to it,” she says earnestly, “but ultimately, I just want a good story to tell—whether I’m a waitress or an Oscar-worthy character. It’s all about the craft, not the coffee.” And as for more Reno 911! moments? “Crime isn’t going anywhere, so we’ll be around for the next sequel.” Whether that’s a blessing or a curse, well, that’s for the universe to decide.
