The Lemonheads’ Evan Dando makes a cameo on next week’s episode of the 1980s-set ABC sitcom The Goldbergs. He plays the role of Joey Wawa, aka “the guy that stands outside the Wawa and buys beer for high school kids.” (“Five for you, one for me” is the rule.) Joey Wawa auditions for the Dropouts, a band formed by main character Erica Goldberg. He doesn’t get in, but the younger guitarist who auditions after him plays “Mallo Cup,” a single from the Lemonheads’ 1988 album Lick.
“In an awesome twist of fate, Evan is promoting a new album of cover songs and happened to be in Los Angeles,” explains the show’s creator and executive producer Adam F. Goldberg. “He popped in, we gave him some lines and he crushed it. I love that the real Evan Dando is in the same scene as the actor we cast to play him.” Goldberg continues:
Evan Dando is the first cousin of my best friend Chad Kremp who grew up across the street from me in Jenkintown. The entire Kremp family often appears on the show both in real life and as characters. They are like my second family. It was always crazy that Chad’s first cousin was a rock star which began in the late 80s. I have memories of watching Evan play at weddings or family gatherings, and for a kid like me from a tiny town, it was just mind blowing. I followed Evan’s career through the 90s and went to many Lemonheads concerts in NYC. Since he was my best friend’s family, he always felt like my family in a weird way. Since The Goldbergs is a show about my childhood, naturally I wanted to bring Evan into it because he was there (with us in the 80s).
This episode of The Goldbergs airs Wednesday, 2/13th at 8PM. The show has previously featured a cameo by “Weird” Al Yankovic, who played himself in the ’80s. Watch Evan Dando’s appearance below.
Evan Dando’s acting has not improved in 25 years.
The Lemonheads’ covers album Varshons 2 is out tomorrow, 2/8, via Fire Records. Check out their upcoming tour dates below.
TOUR DATES:
02/06 Dublin, Ireland @ Academy
02/07 Cork, Ireland @ Cyprus Avenue
02/08 Belfast, UK @ Elmwood Hall
02/09 Glasgow, UK @ SWG3
02/11 Newcastle, UK @ Wylam
02/12 Manchester, UK @ Ritz
02/13 Leeds, UK @ Stylus
02/14 Cambridge, UK @ Junction
02/15 Birmingham, UK @ Academy
02/17 Southampton, UK @ Engine Rooms
02/18 Bristol, UK @ SWX
02/19 London, UK @ Forum
02/21 Utrecht, Netherlands @ Vredenburg Pandora
02/22 Luxembourg, Luxembourg @ Rotondes
02/23 Zurich, Switzerland @ Mascotte
02/24 Bologna, Italy @ Locomotiv
02/26 Milan, Italy @ Biko
02/27 Zagreb, Croatia @ Culture Factory
02/28 Vienna, Austria @ Chelsea
03/01 Munich, Germany @ Ampere
03/03 Berlin, Germany @ SO36
03/04 Copenhagen, Denmark @ Pumpehuset
03/05 Oslo, Norway @ Blaa
03/06 Stockholm, Sweden @ Nalen
03/08 Hamburg, Germany @ Molotow
03/09 Liège, Belgium @ Reflektor
03/10 Paris, France @ Gibus Club
05/02 Fairfield, CT @ The Fairfield Theatre Company*
05/03 Portland, ME @ Aura*
05/04 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl*
05/06 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop*
05/07 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall*
05/08 Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace*
05/10 Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall*
05/11 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue*
05/12 Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room Lounge*
05/14 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre*
05/17 Seatle, WA @ Tractor Tavern*
05/18 Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre*
05/19 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge*
05/21 San Francisco, CA @ CA Slim’s*
05/22 Petaluma, CA @ Mystic Theatre*
05/24 Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom*
05/25 San Diego, CA @ Casbah*
05/26 Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre*
05/29 Oklahoma City, OK @ Tower Theatre*
05/30 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre*
05/31 Austin, TX @ Barracuda*
06/01 Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall*
06/03 New Orleans, LA @ House Of Blues*
06/04 Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West*
06/06 Nashville, TN @ Exit/In*
06/07 Charlotte, NC @ The Underground*
06/08 Charleston, SC @ Music Farm*
06/09 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle*
06/11 Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club*
06/12 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre*
06/13 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club*
06/14 Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry At The Fillmore*
06/15 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club*
*with Tommy Stinson
This article originally appeared on Stereogum.
