‘Gilmore Girls’: Richard’s First Fiance Pennilyn Lott Still Quoted by Fans — What They Say

Linda Gehringer was only on one episode of Gilmore Girls, but it was a memorable one. She played Richard Gilmore (Edward Hermann)’s first fiance before Emily (Kelly Bishop). Even though Richard broke off the engagement to be with Emily, he still met Pennilyn Lott (Gehringer) once a year. Gehringer had one scene with Lauren Graham which fans still quote to her.

Gehringer was a guest on Scott Patterson’s I Am All In podcast on Dec. 8 to talk about her episode. She told Patterson what Gilmore Girls fans still say to her when they recognize her. 

Lorelai Gilmore called Pennilyn Lott her ‘almost mommy’

Lorelai knew the story of Richard and Pennilyn. In classic Amy Sherman-Palladino wordplay, Lorelai called Pennilyn her “almost mommy.” That’s not exactly how conception works, but you know what she means. 

“I cannot tell you after all these years since then, how many people have quoted that to me. ‘Oh, you’re her almost mommy,’” Gehringer said on I Am All In. “Oh, they know everything. Sometimes when people say that to me I’d be like, ‘Do you watch this show a lot?’ And they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve seen it many times.’”

‘Gilmore Girls’ fans recognized Linda Gehringer as Pennilyn Lott as soon as it aired

Gehringer’s Gilrmore Girls episode first aired on Nov. 18, 2003. Almost immediately after, fans spotted her. Gehringer told the story of leaving a theater rehearsal while an acting class was going on. 

“There were all these young people, I’d say in their 20s, and I was leaving a rehearsal at the theater,” Gehringer said. “They were like [gasps] ‘You’re Pennilyn Lott. Are you Pennilyn Lott?’ But they didn’t have any judgment about it. So I don’t remember people feeling ‘oh, I can’t.’ I’m sure people did but I don’t remember that at all. It was more the excitement of people meeting her.”

Linda Gehringer didn’t rewatch her ‘Gilmore Girls’ episode

After Gilmore Girls, Gehringer guested on many more shows, most recently Physical, Perry Mason, S.W.A.T., and Fear the Walking Dead. She didn’t feel the need to revisit Gilmore Girls, even to appear on Patterson’s podcast. 

“My husband asked me today, ‘Are you going to watch your episode?’” Gehringer said. “And I said, ‘No. I think I pretty much remember it’ and it’s on my reel. So I see it when I’m redoing my reel. But I thought it might be more fun to see what I actually remember about it. Every niece in my life, every goddaughter in my life, everything. They are such fans.”

Gehringer did remember she only worked one day on Gilmore Girls, so didn’t spend much of it socializing. 

“I was taking my job too seriously,” Gehringer said. “You know, when you spend one day on a show like that, you’re not quite goofing around like some people might be but it was adorable.”