Before Winning Fans as Young Sheldon’s ‘Meemaw Tucker’, Annie Potts Was a Kentucky Girl

I will lead this piece with a favorite mantra of mine..."Designing Women was better than The Golden Girls." And it still is, in my opinion. The classic CBS sitcom that ran from 1986 until 1993 always got being a southerner right.

The actresses in the lead roles got it right, too. Of course, it helped that three of them were actual southern belles. Delta Burke is a Florida native; the late Dixie Carter was born in and is laid to rest in McLemoresville, Tennessee; and Annie Potts is originally from Nashville. The fourth, seven-time Emmy winner Jean Smart, hails from Washington State.

Annie Potts - Raised in Kentucky

But let's back up to Annie Potts. Yes, she is a Music City native. But did you know the Emmy-nominated actress who is likely now more known for portraying Meemaw Tucker on the hit CBS series Young Sheldon was raised 45 miles up the road in Franklin, Kentucky? And who knows? She might have Franklin-Simpson Wildcat memorabilia scattered about her Los Angeles home. Annie was a 1970 graduate.

I wasn't a Young Sheldon viewer, but, in those scenes, I see the same charm and authenticity Potts exhibited during her seven seasons on Designing Women.

While Young Sheldon ended its run in 2024 after seven successful seasons, its spinoff George & Mandy's First Marriage just kicked off its second season. If you were a Young Sheldon fan, you probably "drop in" on George & Mandy. If you do, you've likely seen Annie Potts from time and time, as she has reprised her Meemaw Tucker role in the new series as a recurring character.

If not, there's always the "OG", Designing Women, which streams on Hulu.