It was a truly sad day when news broke that George Wendt passed away. However, it was lovely to see his Cheers co-stars, including Ted Danson and Kelsey Grammer, pay tribute to him. In that same vein, it was wonderful to hear how Jason Sudeikis, who is Wendt’s nephew, Brett Goldstein and the writers of Ted Lasso commemorated the late actor after learning about his death.
Back in March, Jason Sudeikis confirmed that Ted Lasso Season 4 was happening, and now, they’re writing the new episodes. So, while on Ted Danson’s podcast, Where Everybody Knows Your Name, the Roy Kent actor shared that he was with his co-star and Wendt’s nephew when news of his passing broke, saying:
I was with Jason in the Ted Lasso writers' room when the news came in of George's death, and Jason and the writers sat and watched compilations of the best of Norm and told stories. I'm very sorry for your loss.
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Watching some of Wendt's greatest moments from one of the best sitcoms of all time is such a sweet way to remember him. Plus, considering the fact that Ted Lasso’s co-creator is directly related to the Cheers legend, it makes sense that they took a moment while writing their show to pause, remember and honor him.
As he sent his condolences to Danson, who had started the podcast by saying, “Can we not pretend that we didn’t just start a conversation about George Wendt,” Goldstein also shared his own stories about the late actor. He noted that his Ted Lasso co-star had told them tales about his uncle. However, while working on one of the best Apple TV+ shows, he also got to meet the man behind Norm, explaining:
I know from Jason wonderful stories, but he was also individually so lovely to all of us at Ted Lasso. He came to the premiere, and you'd get a thing like 'George wants to meet you,' and you'd be like 'What? George!' And you'd go over and he was so fucking generous with all of us and so complimentary and lovely. And you're just like, 'I can't believe it! I can't believe I'm talking to him!' He was so very, very kind.
After that, Danson opened up about processing the death of his friend, how tragic it is, as well as the importance of celebrating him and his legacy. Well, it sounds like that’s exactly what they did here as well as in the Ted Lasso writers' room.
However, Ted Lasso’s love for Wendt and Cheers goes beyond this moment. In the Season 3 finale, there’s actually a Cheers Easter egg in Mae’s pub. They included a picture of Geronimo, which was on display in the bar that Sam Malone ran. It was in the pub for Ted Lasso's entire run. However, for the finale, they moved it to a more prominent place so it was visible to viewers.
So, all around, there’s a lot of love for Wendt and Cheers among the Ted Lasso cast and crew, and Goldstein made it clear that they loved and adored him as well as appreciated his support of their show.
Overall, George Wendt’s death is tragic. However, I’m grateful that folks like Danson and Goldstein are speaking up about his kindness, skill and legacy. So, with that in mind, you can go back like the Ted Lasso writers did and watch Cheers with a Paramount+ subscription.
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