Melissa McCarthy Cheered By Mike & Molly Cast

Mike & Molly star Melissa McCarthy (born August 26, 1970) actually has two husbands.  There's her real husband, actor Ben Falcone, who appeared with her in Bridesmaids (the air marshal).

Then there's her on-screen TV, Billy Gardell, 41, who plays Mike Biggs to her Molly Flynn (CBS, 9:30 p.m. ET/PT).

McCarthy married Ben Falcone, a fellow alumnus of The Groundings, on October 8, 2005.  She has two daughters, Vivian, born May 5, 2007 and Georgette, born March 2010.  Her pregnancy with her firstborn was written into the final season of Gilmore Girls.

Ironically neither one of McCarthy's husbands were present at the recent Emmy Awards when she beat out a world class group of funny ladies like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to win for Lead Actress In A Comedy.

Of course the group of comedians got together and did the category like a beauty pageant awarding McCarthy with a crown and roses.  It was the highlight of the entire Emmy broadcast.

McCarthy's upset win of the Emmy along with her summer breakout role on Bridesmaids and her advertised appearance on the October 1st Saturday Night Live (SNL) helped drive the second season premiere of Mile & Molly to a series-high of 14 million viewers.

Fans were posting comments on the CBS website because the episode where Mike & Molly fights about their upcoming wedding plans was not available online.

It was also not available on Hulu or OnDemand.   No wonder fans were distraught.  The episode also featured Molly doing yoga with some racy poses with her instructor and Mike sinking a fishing boat.

When McCarthy won the Emmy she told the media she was thrilled to be able to go a job she loved.  In fact, she shared she actually gets to the set early because she misses the rest of the cast when she sees them.   Her Mike co-star, Gardell, appears to share the sentiment along with the rest of the cast.

In a recent interview Gardell said the day after the Emmy Awards "cast and crew (including Swoosie Kurtz, Katy Mixon, Reno Wilson) waited for McCarthy by her studio parking spot."  Gardell said  "I had the USA TODAY with the photo of her winning on it and walked up holding it. When she came in, we all cheered her. It's nice when good people win."

Gardell also said that he watched at home with his wife, his son and his manager.  When his Molly co-star won "we all jumped off the couch, screaming like it was the Super Bowl."

The secret to the great on-screen chemistry between McCarthy and Gardell?  The actor and comedian says, "Melissa and I both said when we started, 'Let's just trust each other and make people like us."

McCarthy has said that Mike & Molly is his dream job.  Gardell agrees.  He says that their trust as co-actors has helped make the show a hit because "Mike and Molly are the two most together people."

He explained "I think that's why it's such a hit in the middle of the country. It's a cop and a teacher trying to hold it together."

But the key, he says, is all in how it's done. Tone is crucial: "The truth without love is abuse." That's why the humor on Mike & Molly, he says, "is coming from a caring place, not a hurtful place."

The Emmy win, Gardell hopes, will give the show "a distinction."  There's little doubt of that at this point.  Not only did McCarthy rock the Saturday Night Live hosting gig, she's already lined up for a bunch of new movies to share her phenomenal sweet humor.