‘Happy’s Place’: Cheri Oteri on Monica’s Surprising Past With Emmett and What’s Next for Her Character (Exclusive)

Cheri Oteri guest starred on Friday’s episode of Happy’s Place and she spoke to PopCulture.com all about it.

The Saturday Night Live alum appeared as Monica, a no-nonsense health inspector who comes to the tavern while a mouse is loose.

In the episode, “Mouse in the House,” Bobbie (Reba McEntire) prepares to bribe the health inspector to get a good score when it’s discovered that he was fired. Oteri’s Monica has taken over, and while Bobbie wasn’t able to bribe her, Emmett (Rex Linn) had a hold over her. The two have a past history, so much so that they had nicknames for each other. At the same time, everyone else in the tavern was trying to keep the mouse away from her, fearing that she wouldn’t pass them. It was a chaotic episode, and there’s much more to come, as Oteri confirmed this won’t be the last that fans see of Monica. Take a look at what she had to say. (Interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

PopCulture: What was your favorite part about playing Monica, especially since she is so serious?

Cheri Oteri: It was just how she changes in front of your eyes where Emmett is concerned. She called him “Big E,” and he called her “Little M,” and then sometimes she called him “Hot sauce,” and you just see Reba losing her patience; she never knew this about Emmett, then we’re told that side of him. You just watch her kind of getting a little bit jealous. But the storyline was that a health inspector was coming. It was a guy, and he was flirting and always worked with Reba. And she said to Emmett, “Listen, we’ve got a mouse running around in the restaurant, and I may have to flirt back with the health inspector if something goes down.”

And she goes, “Are you okay with that?” And he’s like, “I don’t like that at all.” And so then it’s me instead of the guy because he got fired for letting people like Reba fly. And so I come in, and now that shoe’s on the other foot. So that was so much fun to see. And then she has this history with him that Bobbie doesn’t know about. You just watch Bobbie get more and more uncomfortable and not happy about this.

PC: Throughout her time at the tavern, Steve (Pablo Castelblanco) doesn’t leave her side while everyone else is trying hard to keep Monica distracted so she doesn’t find the mouse. How was it working alongside the cast and keeping up with that chaos?

Oteri: The chaos was easy, but working alongside the cast and seeing everybody else’s storyline develop, and what’s going on… But what got me about this show is it’s funny, it’s warm, it’s homey, and then there’s a message. I said this is like a full, delicious meal in itself. It’s everything. It’s heartwarming. It’s funny. It’s thoughtful. It deals with emotions, rough, hard things. It’s really funny how these audiences crack up at whatever Reba does. She’s got them hook, line, and sinker, and I have to see why.

PC: You were talking a little bit about this already, but it’s discovered that Monica and Emmett know each other and have nicknames for one another. What was it like playing off that dynamic with Rex and seeing how quickly the tables turn for Emmett and Bobbie?

Oteri: Well, it’s really cute to see him. He’s so stoic. And to see him turn. And to see him be kinda giggling, you don’t see him that way. And Reba’s like, “Who are you?” So you get to see the big, strong, stoic guy kind of be playful.

PC: Towards the end of the episode, even despite seeing the mouse, Monica still passes the tavern, believing it’s because the building is old, and tells them to set a trap, and they should be good. Were you expecting that outcome at all, since it was so surprising?

Oteri: I knew because of the script. I’d liked that she kinda came around because what we’re gonna find out, I’ve done three episodes of that character. What we’re gonna find out is what is behind that militant facade. She did end up saying that everything was okay, and it wasn’t expected. But, afterwards, when I finished the episode, like, a week later, my manager called and said they want me back. And then it’s funny how they develop this character. We just get to see what’s behind the hard shell and why.

PC: What has it been like being on the series so far?

Oteri: It’s been nothing but pure pleasure. I mean, as I say, this is like you’re walking right into a hug. It is the warmest cast, the kindest, and everybody is so supportive in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Between Melissa [Peterman] and her arts and crafts. She had t-shirts of me with a captain hat saying, “I’m not a captain. I’m a health inspector.”

And then the prop department making stickers of hot sauce with a goatee on it with a white goat’s tooth, looking like Emmett saying all these things that my character says on the hot sauce bottle. It’s, like, everybody’s having fun there. I felt like I was just showing up. It did not feel like work, and to be a part of this well-oiled machine, where everybody is so grateful to be there. People say, “Oh, it’s like a family.” It truly is like a family, and I’ve been invited over for dinner. It’s 10 out of 10.

PC: What can fans expect from these appearances on Happy’s Place?

Oteri: Well, I don’t wanna give too much away, but it’s a big surprise what happens when my character comes back. And it goes someplace. I think that everybody’s gonna be pretty surprised at. And I had trouble with it. I am playing every emotion in this character you can imagine. So as an activist, as a comedic activist, it wasn’t work at all. It was just so creative and fun.

New episodes of Happy’s Place air on Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day on Peacock.