⁠Who did Rob Lowe play in Parks and Recreation? Actor shares how he started overusing ‘literally’ and eventually named his podcast after the term

Rob Lowe is getting candid about the lasting effects of having worked on Parks and Recreation.

The actor portrayed Chris Traeger on the show, who was known for his catchphrase, "Literally!" During his recent podcast episode, which he named after his catchphrase, he recalled using the word so frequently that it was a memorable part of his audition process for the show.

"When I wrapped, Mike Schur, the brilliant creator, writer of Parks and Recreation, sent me, framed, his original notes from our very first meeting," Rob Lowe recalled. "And in the very first meeting, Mike has written, 'Says literally a lot.'"

However, the West Wing star further clarified that his use of the word predates his time on the show. As reported by Entertainment Weekly, fans were quick to point out that he also said it a lot in Wayne's World. The comedy icon also admitted he never noticed how pronounced and frequently he used the word, though he's now grateful for it:

"It's an honor," Rob Lowe said.

Rob Lowe's former partner opens up about their rocky romance: Read more

In other news, Rob Lowe's ex-girlfriend, Melissa Gilbert, opened up about her six-year romance with the actor and some aspects she wasn't ready for. During the latest episode of the I Chose Me podcast with host Jennie Garth, the Little House on the Prairie actress, 61, got candid about her "very tumultuous" history with Lowe.

In retrospect, she said of dating Rob Lowe from 1981 to 1987:

"I guess looking back on those six years, I mean, I was such a baby when Rob and I were together. I was 17 and we broke up for the last time when we were 23 and it was very tumultuous."

According to her, things only got worse when the actor had his breakout role in The Outsiders, which came out in 1983:

1983. "I felt like a bit of an old sage in the business at that point because l'd been doing it for so long," she admitted. "And I was still on Little House on the Prairie when we met, and it had already been years, and he was sort of starting out. He'd done a little bit of television. And so I was able to sort of sit back and watch this meteoric rise happen."

However, she was even less prepared for the challenges that came with the newfound fame:

"I was prepared for all of having to go to premieres and things and award shows and all of that, but I wasn't prepared for the fandom and frankly, the girls," she said.

She also admitted that while she first thought of all women as her sisters, she soon came to learn that she wasn't being respected as Lowe's girlfriend:

"I always thought that every girl and woman was my sister. We're sisters, but it was not evident at all when Rob and I were a couple," Gilbert recalled. "I mean, it was like I didn't exist. They just pushed right past me and stuck phone numbers in his pockets and stuff." She added, "To say it was disconcerting is doing it a big disservice," she continued. "It was hard and horrible. I think I learned a lot about what didn't work for me, actually, and what I wouldn't stand for later on."

Nonetheless, she did look back at some of the happier times she shared with Rob Lowe:

"They hurt. They're hard because they usually are born of heartbreak and angst, but those are really valuable and important lessons... We had some really, really, really fun times," she said.

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