<P> Penny's financial situation takes a turn at the start of season eight, when she lands a job in "The Locomotion Interruption" as a sales representative at the pharmaceutical company at which Bernadette works . By "The Expedition Approximation", she is making enough money to be financially self - sufficient, able to sell the automobile Leonard previously gave her ("The Friendship Turbulence") and gives him back the money for it--changing their dynamic and leading to discussions on whether her future financial windfalls may prove difficult for him, given his insecurities . This situation was later exacerbated when it was revealed that Penny now actually earns significantly more than Leonard . </P> <P> In the season nine episode "The Big Bear Precipitation", Penny reveals she hates her job as a representative but sticks with it because she still has large debts and also does not want to go back to waitressing or acting . </P> <P> In "The Maternal Capacitance", Penny reveals that her father Wyatt (Keith Carradine) tried to raise her like a boy, which is a source of pain for her, leading her to have father issues . When she and Leonard begin dating, Wyatt comes to appreciate that she is dating an accomplished academic, rather than an uneducated hick, so much so that when he visits Penny in the fourth - season episode "The Boyfriend Complexity" following her and Leonard's breakup, it is revealed that she has not revealed the breakup to her father . When she later informs Wyatt of the breakup, Wyatt secretly encourages Leonard to not give up on her . In contrast to all other characters, Penny and her father's last name have not been revealed . Co-creator Bill Prady stated that Penny's last name will be revealed eventually . Executive producer Steve Molaro, however, has since stated her last name will remain a secret . </P> <P> In an early episode, Penny talked to Raj about her sister having shot her brother - in - law . In another episode, Penny accompanied the men to the comic book store to shop for a gift for her 13 - year - old nephew . In "The Boyfriend Complexity" (4--9), Wyatt (Penny's father) tells Leonard he wants grandchildren one day, "and I want them to grow up on a house without wheels". In "The Dumpling Paradox", Penny has an unwanted guest, Christy, staying with her who had slept with her brother while being engaged to her cousin, saying, "she's kind of family". Christy knows Penny from back in Omaha and, according to Penny, she slept with nearly every man in the city, earning her the nickname "Whore of Omaha". While staying with Penny, Christy sleeps with Howard . </P>

What is penny's dad's name on the big bang theory