THE NEW NORMAL: PALEYFEST 2013 by Marques Wayne

Just like the show itself there were lots of laughs and emotional moments on the panel for NBC's The New Normal the featured show of the night.  While moderator and guest star John Stamos whizzed past right after taking pics and co-creator Ryan Murphy didn't walk the carpet, the primary cast lit up the press tent with their energy and wit.

The handsome leads Justin Bartha and Andrew Rannells were among the first to arrive and were playful and upbeat in their interviews even doing a few together.  Most of the questions were about what would happen by the end of the season and if there was any word they were picked up for a season two.  No word yet on a second season, but the rest of this season will see a lot happening with the cast including some new career paths and, of course, the birth of the baby that Goldie (Georgia King) has been carrying all season as surrogate for the two leads.

NeNe Leakes, of Real Housewives fame, who plays the personal assistant turned TV producer Rocky on the show, explained to me that she has been acting longer than people might think and has already appeared in plays and films like The Fighting Temptations, but she revealed that she really wants to do a role where she can sing.  That shouldn't be hard since she has a recurring role on another Murphy-produced show, Glee.

Just like last night, there was some good spirited ribbing among the actors, mainly between Stamos and Bartha, but the highlight was Bebe Wood, who plays Shania doing her, now famous, Little Edie impression from Grey Gardens.

Also, during the Q&A, the cast of actors, Stamos included, talked about how they were all glad for the opportunity to work on a show with such a positive message about acceptance and celebrating diversity.  Everyone on the panel and in the audience was especially touched when a disabled, gay fan in the audience shared that he was encouraged by what Murphy's shows represent.

Murphy went on to explain why it was important for him to continue to represent minorities in his work citing a moment on the first Glee tour when he saw a group of wheelchair bound boys excited to see a concert featuring someone like them.

The event, much like the show was funny, inclusive and positive, and hopefully, that is the new normal.  I will be back recapping The Mindy Project in a few days.

Special thanks to Samsung Smart TV for sponsoring my coverage of PaleyFest 2013. Make sure to like Samsung TV USA on Facebook for an insider look at red carpet photos, video highlights, recaps from the day's events and more. Also, don’t forget to follow @PopCultureBeast on Twitter for live updates during the screenings and panels.