EXCLUSIVE: The Farrah Fawcett You Never Knew — Late Actress' Assistant Reveals What She Was Really Like
EXCLUSIVE: The Farrah Fawcett You Never Knew — Late Actress' Assistant Reveals What She Was Really Like
Aaron Johnson Tue, August 4, 2026 at 9:43 AM UTC
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Farrah Fawcett's assistant reveals what the 'Charlie's Angels' star was truly like away from cameras.MEGA
Farrah Fawcett liked her chocolate chip cookies extra crispy.
"She'd say, 'Can you burn them a little bit for me,'" recalled the star's former assistant Mike Pingel. "She liked them a little darker around the edges."
RadarOnline.com can reveal after many years as a fan of the late Charlie's Angels actress, Pingel felt nervous interviewing with her for an assistant job in 2005.
Farrah Fawcett Remembered as Kind
Mike Pingel said Farrah Fawcett was a kind boss who never yelled at him.MEGA
"I thought it would be horrible if Jill Munroe was yelling at me for something that I'd done wrong. But I took the meeting," said Pingel, author of Channel Surfing: Charlie's Angels.
He accepted the position because Fawcett, whom he'd met briefly before, was so sweet to him. "I said yes, and we just had the best time."
For three years, Pingel helped the actress run her home and business. "I shopped for her. I cooked for her. I took phone calls. I was with her 24/7 during those years," said Pingel, who added that despite his worries, Fawcett never yelled at him. "She was everything you wanted in a boss."
At that point, Fawcett's son, Redmond, was grown and she had more time to pursue new projects. "She was a wonderful artist. She did beautiful sculptures and beautiful paintings. She loved clothing, and we designed some shirts together," said Pingel, who believes Fawcett was on her way to creating her own clothing brand.
Fawcett also read scripts, but she didn't like much of what she was offered.
"Many things were coming through the door, but she was very picky," said Pingel.
Fawcett Walked Away Fearlessly
'Charlie's Angels' star Fawcett knew the strength of her name and personal worth.MEGA
This small-town girl from Texas had a good understanding of her own worth. In 1976, a photo of Fawcett in a one-piece red swimsuit sold 6 million copies – it's still among the most popular posters of all time.
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The same year, she helped make Charlie's Angels a ratings juggernaut, but Fawcett soon felt limited by the formula of the detective series.
"She had no regrets about leaving," said Pingel. "It's a huge thing now with women knowing their worth and value, but Fawcett always had that. She knew the strength of her name and who she was. She told me once, 'I'm more than just hair and teeth, Mike.'"
A Twist of Fate
Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith were among those who remained close to Fawcett before her death.MEGA
A year into Pingel's employment, Fawcett was diagnosed with anal cancer.
She sought treatment, both traditional and alternative, and she never lost faith. "She fought every step of the way," said Pingel, who says that she spearheaded the 2009 documentaryFarrah's Story to share information about cancer treatments. "She wanted her journey to help others, too."
Before her passing in 2009 at age 62, Fawcett was surrounded by love.
"Her face lit up whenever Redmond was around. She adored that young man, and he adored her." Her partner Ryan O'Neal also "made Farrah laugh," recalled Pingel.
Fawcett received visits from old costars, too.
"Farrah, Kate [Jackson] and Jaclyn [Smith] were friends until the end," he said. "They were always dropping stuff at the house. Kate would come by and get on the bed with her to watch TV. They were sisters."
Pingel left his assistant job in 2007 but also remained close to Fawcett.
"I still baked her cookies," he confided. "She was not only a boss and an angel, but a friend."
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
