On the Set of Nurse Jackie (VIDEO)

It’s my toughest “Pat Kiernan as himself” acting role to date. Because in this week’s episode of “Nurse Jackie” I had to do something more than read a Hollywood news script in the teleprompter.

The storyline has me arriving at the hospital complaining I’m feeling light-headed. Stephen Wallem’s character Thor is excited to be treating his favorite local news anchor. Doctor Roman (Betty Gilpin) isn’t impressed with his gushing. And Coop (Peter Facinelli) is typically short-tempered with the entire exchange. Scroll down for VIDEO.

It was great fun to spend a day on the Nurse Jackie set in Astoria. We worked through many difficult questions: Should we minimize the makeup to make me look tired? Tie undone? How messy should my hair be?



Peter Facinelli works with “Super Greens” episode director Jesse Peretz



My stand-in on the Nurse Jackie set



Stephen Wallem and Betty Gilpin were at my bedside for hours as we shot the scene from four angles.



On wardrobe fitting day my daughters joined me for a tour of the All Saints hospital set.



My first scene, where Thor reveals he’s a fan of NY1.



Thanks to everybody on the production team and at Showtime for making it happen.

The episode premieres this Sunday night at 9 on Showtime. On my 77WABC radio show today at 5 pm my guest co-host will be Stephen Wallem, who figures prominently in this preview clip from the show: