Newt Gingrich to Guest Star on NBC's PARKS AND RECREATION

TVGuide.com reports that former Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich will make his acting debut on an upcoming episode of NBC'S PARKS AND RECREATION. The comedy has previously hosted guest appearances by fellow politicians Joe Biden and John McCain.

According to the report, the series co-creator Mike Schur spotted Gingrich in a steak house in Indianapolis yesterday and approached him with the idea of a guest starring gig. "It was a completely random chance," Schur said. "But you can't pass up on an opportunity like that."

No details have been released as to who Gingrich will play or which episode he will apear in.

From Emmy Award-winning executive producers Greg Daniels (NBC’s "The Office," "King of the Hill") and Michael Schur (NBC’s "The Office," "Saturday Night Live"), "Parks and Recreation" is a hilarious ensemble comedy that follows Leslie Knope (Emmy nominee Amy Poehler, NBC’s "Saturday Night Live," "Baby Mama") a mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana, and her tireless efforts to make her quintessentially American town just a little bit more fun.

Since its premiere in 2009, the critically-acclaimed series has been included on dozens of television critics' Top 10 lists. 2011 was an especially notable year for the show: the series received its first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, was honored by AFI as one of the top 10 Television Programs of the Year, received a Writers Guild Award nomination and was named "TV's Smartest Comedy" in Entertainment Weekly’s 2011 cover story. Additionally accolades include Amy Poehler’s two Emmy nominations for her performance, Television Critics Award nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy, Program of the Year and Individual Achievement in Comedy for Poehler and co-star Nick Offerman.

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