CBS’ Elsbeth used Matthew Broderick’s character as a setup for a joke about Felicity Huffman’s involvement in the college admissions scandal.
In the Thursday, February 20, episode, Broderick, 62, played an educational consultant named Lawrence, who promises an Ivy League future to high-paying clients with the help of his assistant—played by his real-life son, James Wilkie Broderick.
“Schools are cracking down. They are trying to be more meritocratic. Gone are the days when a simple $10 million donation guaranteed you a spot freshman year,” Lawrence tells parents about their child’s future in the opening scene. “In the current climate, outmatch educational consulting is a real bargain. You don’t want to start too late then panic senior year and end up sharing a prison cell with a Desperate Housewife.”
The shady line referenced Huffman’s role as Lynette on Desperate Housewives, which aired on ABC from 2004 to 2012. Huffman, 62, made headlines when she was arrested at gunpoint by FBI agents in 2019 for her involvement in the infamous college admissions scandal, dubbed Operation Varsity Blues.
Huffman’s Legal Battle
The actress paid $15,000 to falsify her daughter Sophia’s SAT scores and was one of 50 people charged for the crime. Following her arrest, Huffman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. She served 11 days in prison in October 2019, paid a $30,000 fine, and completed 250 hours of community service.
Her husband, William H. Macy, with whom she shares daughters Sophia, now 24, and Georgia, now 22, was never charged in connection with the case.
Huffman broke her silence in December 2023, reflecting on the “undying shame” she felt. “It felt like I had to give my daughter a chance at a future,” Huffman told ABC-7 Eyewitness News. “And so it was sort of like my daughter’s future, which meant I had to break the law.”
She recalled hesitating before making the illegal move. “She was going, ‘Can we get ice cream afterward? I’m scared about the test. What can we do that’s fun?’ And I kept thinking, ‘Turn around, just turn around.’ And to my undying shame, I didn’t.”
Huffman also recalled her disbelief when authorities arrested her. “I thought it was a hoax. I literally turned to one of the FBI people, in a flak jacket and a gun, and I went, ‘Is this a joke?’”
Moving Forward
In a February 2024 interview with The Guardian, Huffman reflected on how her life has changed. “It’s been hard. Sort of like your old life died and you died with it,” she admitted.
Despite the scandal, Huffman remains grateful for her family’s support. “I walk into the room with it. I did it. It’s black and white,” she said. “[But] as long as my kids are well and my husband is well, I feel like I’m well.”
