What happens when Newt Gingrich plans to eat lunch at the same Indianapolis restaurant where the television show Parks and Recreation is filming? Why, he's given a cameo, of course. The show was filming at a restaurant in Indianapolis Monday when Gingrich, in town for a meeting with Governor Mitch Daniels, stopped by the place for lunch. The Indianapolis Star reported that the show's co-creator Mike Schur jumped into action and wrote a part for Gingrich. “It was a completely random chance,” he said. “But you can’t pass up on an opportunity like that.” Rob Lowe tweeted about the "surprise":

Latest surprise drop by on set: Speaker Newt Gingrich! So we made up a scene and put him in!!#AllHappeningInIndy

— Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) December 3, 2012

The show, which takes place in the fictional Pawnee, Indiana, made the trip to Indianapolis for the bachelor party of Adam Scott's character Ben Wyatt, marrying our heroine Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler. 

Though Joe Biden made probably the most high profile appearance by a politician on Parks and Rec, cameos have been a bipartisan affair on the political comedy: Olympia Snow, Barbara Boxer, and John McCain have all shown up. One wonders if anyone will be as handsy with Gingrich as Leslie was with Biden. One can only hope they'll bring up his love of zoos. 

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Esther Zuckerman