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Smash Sneak Peek: Katharine McPhee Channels Her Inner 'Redneck'

By Liz Raftery and Stephen M. Silverman

02/16/2012 at 08:00 AM EST

Katharine McPhee's character might be up for the role of Marilyn Monroe on NBC's Smash, but on next week's episode (Monday, 10 p.m. ET), she proves she's still a "Redneck Woman" at heart.

In a sneak preview (see video above), McPhee's Karen Cartwright returns to Iowa for a baby shower, where she performs karaoke at a bar to Gretchen Wilson's country hit "Redneck Woman."

Meanwhile, back in New York, the writing-producing team played by Anjelica Huston and Debra Messing are working on getting investors for the show and looking to cast someone as Yankee hero – and Monroe husband – Joe DiMaggio.



(In 1983 there really was a Monroe musical, the short-lived Marilyn: An American Fable. It featured, in his Broadway debut, a pre-Quantum Leap Scott Bakula as DiMaggio. Alyson Reed played Monroe.)

On the TV show, the first choice for DiMaggio is a new character named Michael, who's played by guest star Will Chase, Messing's real-life beau. But, as is teased, his character "has a secret" that might stand in the way.