Season 2 of Happy’s Place has been a hysterical ride, and longtime fans of Reba McEntire may have noticed a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it homage to one of the country music star’s childhood heroes.
From the dynamite lineup of celebrity guest stars and Reba reunions to the hysterical shenanigans the tavern staff gets into each episode, Season 2 of Happy’s Place has been delivering non-stop laughs and plenty of heart. Not only has the romance between Bobbie and Emmett been firing off on all cylinders — made all the more swoon-worthy thanks to IRL couple McEntire and Rex Linn‘s real-life love story — but as usual, the writing comes from the heart.
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In Happy’s Place Season 2, Episode 4 (“Testing, Testing”), McEntire delivers a thoughtful touch, as she snuck in a little nod to her childhood educator that had the live studio audience cackling.
How Reba McEntire gave her 5th grade teacher a shout-out on Happy’s Place
While helping Isabella (Belissa Escobedo) clean out her storage, Gabby (Melissa Peterman) found one of Isabella’s old sweaters from Stanford, instantly grabbing the academic apparel with excitement. While Bobbie assumed Isabella would want to hold on tight to the memorabilia, Isabella was eager to get it out of her possession. Since moving to Knoxville and running Happy’s Place with Bobbie, Isabella has started to feel a little lost on her path, which has led her to recall the college path she almost took with a painful sting of nostalgia.
“Pop quizzes, raising hands,” Isabella reminisced sadly, noting the cherished academic hallmarks that she wished happened in the real world. Upon catching Bobbie’s confusion, Isabella relented, “I’m weird, I know, but I loved it.”
“Sorry, honey. I don’t get it, but I’m still sorry,” Bobbie said, getting a chuckle from the crowd. Ever the loving sister, she asked, “Anything I can do to help?”
“No, I’ll be OK,” Isabella said as she stood up to leave her bedroom.
Feeling like she hadn’t been much of a help, Bobbie yelled out, “Where do you think you’re going without a hall pass, little missy?!”
Isabella whirled back in confusion, utterly stupefied by Bobbie’s outburst. Bobbie then broke out into a fit of giggles; turns out she just wanted to get Isabella back into the academic spirit. “My 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Mackey, would have said that.”
Reba McEntire’s 5th grade teacher helped her with a pivotal performance
Bobbie’s hysterical bit about Mrs. Mackey’s hall pass was a heartwarming Easter egg for longtime fans who may know a little bit about McEntire’s childhood in Oklahoma, where her spark for performance began as a little girl.
“First grade was the beginning of my performing career,” McEntire wrote in a Guideposts article. “I sang ‘Away in a Manger’ for our school Christmas program, the first time I sang behind a microphone. I loved hearing my voice soaring in the gym. I felt bigger than I was, bolder. I was the third of four kids, so it wasn’t easy to get noticed.”
“But when I sang, people paid attention,” McEntire continued. “People listened. I kept at it, getting one solo after another, ‘My Favorite Things’ one year, “Red Wing” the next.”
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McEntire then shared an adorable tale of a time when her teacher Mrs. Mackey took one of her childhood performances to the next level. “At the 4-H talent show when I was in fifth grade, I borrowed my teacher, Mrs. Mackey’s, daughter’s prom dress along with a rhinestone necklace and bracelet, and sang ‘My Sweet Little Alice Blue Gown.'”
Sounds like McEntire still holds Mrs. Mackey close to her heart. Watch Happy’s Place on Fridays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.