House: Sorry. I can't remember if I've mocked you yet for being a male nurse.
Nurse Jeffrey: I think this counts.
House: Fair enough. (from “Ignorance Is Bliss”)
Patrick Price has appeared in two episodes of the hit medical drama House as Nurse Jeffrey Sparkman: the first time in the 2009 episode “Ignorance Is Bliss” and again in 2010’s “The Choice”. Nurse Jeffrey’s subtle, sarcastic retorts to House’s barbs are rivaled only by Nurse Brenda Previn’s (who, sadly, has not been seen at her station at Princeton-Plainsboro since 2006). Jeffrey’s unflappable manner in the face of House’s abuse garnered him many fans who, it seemed, could not get enough of him. A campaign was launched on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, which put pressure on House producers to make him a regular cast member. It seemed his limited amount of screentime on the show was not enough for those who wanted to learn more about what made Nurse Jeffrey Sparkman tick.
A solution was found, which benefited both the show and the character: a series of iPhone/iPad Appisodes entitled “The Nurse Jeffrey Bitch Tapes” were created by the House writers and producers. According to Katie Jacobs, executive producer of House, “An Appisode is an episode of TV that doesn’t appear on TV, only on the app. Fans can download the Appisode for free and get original content linked to that Appisode. The Nurse Jeffrey Bitch Tapes will ‘air’ each week in House’s time slot. These Appisodes will run over the course of the long summer hiatus, keeping the show and Nurse Jeffrey alive in the hearts and minds of the viewers.
“I think the fans are going to be really surprised. “ Mr. Price says. “They’re going to see stuff they’re never, ever going to see on the show.”
Article comments
1 - alessandra
Too bad the app isn't available outside the U.S.! It should be a nice way to remain inside PPTH during the long summer hiatus. Poor Jeffrey! :)
By the way, I've managed to watch the first appisode on YT, and I have to say that the writing has got nothing less than the best comedy-moments in the "real" show. Truly funny and -I have to say- promising to give us the same witty exchanges that we're used to get on the show.
Bye,
alessandra
2 - Mindy
Yes, it is entertaining and amusing. So glad you got to see it.
3 - nc
Patrick Price's Nurse Jeffrey Sparkman is a treat. I've seen Appisode 1 on YT also, and about ruined a perfectly good keyboard with coffee.
If you've seen Mr. Price on Twitter, you may have seen him tweet in German, French, Spanish, and English, and manage to be delightfully charming in all of them.
I'm glad to see the show's Powers That Be capitalize on Mr. Price's talents and screen presence in a way that expands and benefits the show as well as Mr. Price and his career.