Newt Gingrich Walks Into A Steak House, Films Cameo For ‘Parks And Recreations’

When Parks And Recreations invited Joe Biden to do a cameo earlier this year they had to go through months of planning to make it happen. Newt Gingrich’s cameo was a slightly different story.

According to the Washington Times, Gingrich happened to walk into St. Elmo’s steakhouse in Indianapolis when the crew was getting ready to shoot a scene. Newt said hello to the cast and a few minutes later he was standing in front of the camera.

Co-creator Mike Schur said:

“It was a completely random chance. But you can’t pass up on an opportunity like that.”

Parks and Recreations spent the first few episodes of this season in Washington and several politicians, like Joe Biden and John McCain, made cameos on the show. Leslie Knope and the rest of the cast are back in Indianapolis now but they are still, apparently, attracting politicians.

Rob Lowe said:

“I love, ironically, that we had to come to Indianapolis to have Speaker Gingrich. No, we didn’t have him in Washington. We have him at St. Elmo’s.”

Amy Poehler wasn’t at the set when Newt Gingrich made his cameo but Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari, Rob Lowe, Chris Pratt and Jim O’Heir were all on hand to welcome the former GOP candidate.

Gingrich said:

“The driver said St. Elmo Steakhouse and when I walked inside, I saw Rob Lowe. It was great fun … It was especially great chatting with Rob. We have a mutual interest in General Grant and the Civil War.”

The Washington Times reports that Schur wrote a brief part for Gingrich had him on his way to a meeting with Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels.