It doesn’t take a rocket scientist — let alone the brainiacs on ‘The Big Bang Theory’ — to recognize that the girl next door is a beautiful woman. Magazine editors have seen it, too, and ‘Big Bang Theory’s’ Kaley Cuoco has been featured in Maxim magazine. That’s right, Penny’s in Maxim.

These photos, which aren’t too shocking or revealing, just very sexy and suggestive — the full set is here — do fall into the category of cheesecake. Perfect for an actress/waitress working at The Cheesecake Factory, right?

You know, for Kaley Cuoco and CBS this is just plus. Every year or so you see a star from one of their shows in the pages of Maxim. My husband still has the Leah Remini issue from the height of ‘King of Queens’ (before she gained weight after having a baby).

What’s funny is to imagine how the ‘Big Bang’ men would react to a storyline in which Penny actually wound up in Maxim magazine. Leonard would be out of his mind with jealousy, ticked off that Penny would do something like that. Raj would be compelled to drink a Sloe Gin Fizz to flirt with Penny about the photo session. Howard Wallowitz would blow up the pictures into posters and hang them on his walls.

But what about Sheldon? How would Dr. Cooper react? He wouldn’t even notice that it was Penny unless it was pointed out to him. Then he’d criticize the photography and question if she was chilly during the shoot!